14 DAYS TO PENTECOST

 

.   . 14 DAYS TO PENTECOST

TEXT:  ROMANS 8:1-4

¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

KEY TEXT: Romans 8:1 “There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

REFLECTION:  Over the past several weeks we have looked at 1) The Prophecies of Pentecost, 2) The Promises of Pentecost given by our Lord, 3) The Fruit of the Spirit, and 4) The Gifts of the Spirit.  With Pentecost fast approaching we turn now to 5) “Life in the Spirit,” 6) “Instances of the Spirit,” and 7) “Our Personal Pentecost.”

In his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul offers the most systematic and practical presentation of Christian theology found in the New Testament. He traces the fall of the Gentiles, describes the disobedience of the Jews, and concludes, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

Paul procedes revealing God’s gracious work of redemption through faith in Christ, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1).

But theology that is void of practical reality is merely vain speculation.  Truth transforms. 

So Paul brings theology to life—specifically his own.  Before confronted with the requirements of God’s law he was blissfully unaware of God’s demand. But when he heard God’s demand, “thou shalt not covet,” he not only had to face the fact that he was a disobedient sinner but that he was a willful sinner. 

He knew in his mind that he ought to obey God but his natural inclination was to disobey God.  He testified, “the good that that I know I ought to do I don’t do, and the evil that I hate and know that I ought not do I keep practicing.” (Romans 7:15).

It was not enough to agree that God’s commandments were true and good. He knew that he ought to keep God’s commandments and that he should keep them willingly!

Is that possible? “Who shall deliver me?”  the Apostle cried. 

God answered, “Through Jesus Christ our Lord…There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ…for the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death!”

PRAYER: Our Father in Heaven, How blessed we are!  We thank you for giving us your Law to reveal your perfect will, and to expose our defective will!  We thank you for showing us what is in us, and then offering the perfect remedy for us.  We thank you for sending your only begotten Son to redeem us from the penalty of sin.  We thank you for sending forth your Holy Spirit to remake us.  May we be Spirit-driven today and every day.  In Jesus Name, Amen. “Our Father, &c.”