"THE CHRISTIANS FOUR FREEDOMS"

ROMANS 8:1-39
READ AS TEXT: ROMANS 8:1-4
INTRO: Freedom is a precious thing! Our men and women in uniform have
sacrificed their very lives for the cause of Freedom! On Jan. 6, 1941
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed Congress on the state
of the war in Europe. Much of what he said that day has been
forgotten. But at the close of his address, he said that he looked
forward "to a world founded on four essential freedoms." He named
them: Freedom of Speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want,
and freedom from fear. These words are still remembered, even
though the ideals have not yet been realized everywhere in the World.
(Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Volume 1.
Matthew-Galatians. p. 538).
But for us to enjoy these freedoms, laws had to be enacted for us to
exercise these Liberties! These set of laws are what we call "The Bill
of Rights." William Penn declared, "Law without liberty is tyranny.
Liberty without law is license. Liberty under the law is freedom."
(Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary &
Classical. p. 75). Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an
occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. We see there that
now we are free in Christ have the liberty to do that which is right!
But for us to enjoy our Liberty in Christ we MUST LIVE BY THE
BIBLE-THE LAW OF GOD! Seneca said, "To obey God is perfect
liberty!" (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary &
Classical. p. 28).
Romans 8 is the believer's "Declaration Of Freedom," our Christian
Bill of Rights, if you will, for in it Paul declares the four spiritual
freedoms we enjoy because of our union with Christ! (Warren W.
Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Volume 1. Matthew-
Galatians. p. 538). I want you to notice as we think on these four
freedoms, the emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Paul uses "Spirit"
nineteen times in this Chapter alone. And as we know, "Where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17)!
THE CHRISTIAN'S FOUR FREEDOMS:
(1) FREEDOM FROM JUDGMENT-NO CONDEMNATION
ROMANS 8:1-4There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death. 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: That
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
A. THE REALITY. When something is a reality. It cannot be disputed. It is
fact. It is genuine. It is real. We read in v1There is therefore now no
 condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. Friends, this cannot be disputed. It is fact. It is
genuine. It is real. I want you to note the word "condemnation". It is
translated from a Greek word that means "to pronounce sentence against, to
condemn to punishment" What is true of the unsaved, that they will face
future condemnation to punishment; can never be said of the Saved! For
the believer is in Christ Jesus" and is free and justified (Just As If Id Never
Sinned). This is true because Christ faced our Judgment for us on the
Cross! We are according to Romans 3:24 are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. We enjoy this liberty
because of the Gods great love for us (Romans 5:8-9)!
This does not mean we never make mistakes or sin against the will of God,
but although we sin we have "an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous" (1 John 2:1b). Friends, we have a sin forgiving God (1 John 1:9)!
And because of our standing in Christ, we will never suffer condemnation!
Our Lord Jesus said in John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The Law condemns; but those "in Christ" have a new relationship to the
Law, and therefore we cannot be condemned.
B. THE REMARKABLE. We are no longer under the Law to keep it, but under
grace to live holy in Christ! Paul made three statements about the
Christian and the Law, all of these declareNO CONDEMNATION!":
The Law Cannot Claim You (v2)! When we accepted Christ the
Spirit imparted to us new life! That life being Christ in you, the hope
of glory!" (Colossians 1:27b). Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20I am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Now because I
am in Christ Jesus" the Spirit enables me to live free because sin
and death no longer have dominion over me! We read in Hebrews
2:14-15Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and
blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the
devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. We must walk daily in our freedom and
not voluntarily put ourselves in bondage to the flesh (Galatians
5:16). The Law no longer has any jurisdiction over my life because I
am dead to the Law (Romans 7:4) and free from the Law (Romans
8:2)!
The Law Cannot Condemn You (v3)! The Law was useful in that in
showed us our transgression! The Laws purpose is given to us in
Galatians 3:24-25Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that
faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. But when
Christ came He suffered condemnation for us on the Cross!
Galatians 3:13 tells usChrist hath redeemed us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every
 one that hangeth on a tree. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21For
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him. The Law could not save; it
could only condemn. Galatians 3:10 saysFor as many as are of
the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is
every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the
book of the law to do them. Christ came to do for us what no other
man could do! (Romans. 5:8). He came from Heaven, took upon Him
the robe of flesh and died on Calvary for all men! All this was done
all according to Gods perfect will and plan (Galatians 4:4-5). In our
judicial system we have a law of "double jeopardy". It states that a
man cannot be tried for twice for the same crime. Since Jesus Christ
paid the penalty for our sins and we are "in Christ", the Law cannot
condemn us! Hebrews 10:12, 14 tells usBut this man, after he
had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand
of God; For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified.
The Law Cannot Control You (v4)! We live a holy life not in the
power of the Law, but by the power of the Holy Spirit! We read in
Galatians 5:24-25And they that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit. The Law cannot produce holiness; It's purpose is
to convict of sin. 1 Timothy 1:8-10 tells usBut we know that the
law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not
made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the
ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of
fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for
liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is
contrary to sound doctrine. Hebrews 10:1 speaking of the Law says
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the
very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are enabled to walk in
obedience to God's Will! Thus the righteousness that God demands
in His Law is fulfilled in us by the working of God's Spirit! Paul said
in Colossians 1:29Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his
working, which worketh in me mightily. One who tries to live godly
in the power of the flesh will fail! But we, who are Spirit-led believers,
MUST ALLOW the Holy Spirit to do the work of sanctifying our lives
daily! (Philippians 2:13).
(2) FREEDOM FROM DEFEAT-NO OBLIGATION
ROMANS 8:5-17
A. THE CHOICE. Friends, many times it is the choices we make in this life
which bring us the most heartache. V12 says, "...we are debtors, not to the
flesh, to live after the flesh." Once we have been made free by Christ Jesus;
we owe the old nature nothing! We can live in victory! (1 Corinthians
15:57) But we MUST REMEMBER that when we give in to the old flesh, it
will seek to control us!
 ILLUS: If I set two babies up here side by side. One I feed daily, love,
cuddle, cherish, and hold. The other I feed once a week. I never
cuddle it, cherish it, or hold it. What soon happens? The one I
neglect begins to die!
The same is true of our spiritual life. The one I give more of myself to, is
the one which will be the most active in me! Paul wrote in Romans 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?
B. THE CONTRAST. Paul described life on three different levels, encouraging
his readers to live on the highest level:

You Have Not The Spirit (vv. 5-8). Paul here is describing and
contrasting the unsaved and the saved. Notice three contrasts:
1) IN The Flesh-In The Spirit (v5). An unsaved person does not
have the Spirit of God within (v9). He lives for the flesh and in the
flesh! The believer has the Spirit of God within! He is a "new
creature" in Christ and should live that way! 1 Peter 2:9 tells us
that But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of
him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
This is not implying that the lost cannot do good deeds or that the
saved doesn't do evil on occasion. But the way of the Spirit is
different from that of the flesh! (Titus 2:14).
2) Death-Life (v6). The lost man is dead while he lives! His heart is
dead to the things of God and he will not respond to the things of
the Spirit! All of us at one time in that same predicament
(Ephesians 2:1)! But now we are "alive" in Christ (John 10:10)!
3) War With God-Peace With God (vv. 6-7). The old nature is in
open rebellion against God! It will not submit itself to the will of
God! But those who are "in Christ" have "peace with God"!
(Romans 5:1). The wicked, on the other hand, are at war with
God! We read in Isaiah 57:20-21But the wicked are like the
troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and
dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. That struggle
can only be silenced by the Prince of Peace! Colossians 1:20
And having made peace through the blood of his cross....
4) Pleasing Self-Pleasing God (v8). "In the flesh" means that a
person is lost, at war with God! The lost man lives to please self,
not God! We, who are saved, live to please Him in All! Ephesians
1:12 saysThat we should be to the praise of his glory, who first
trusted in Christ.
"You Have The Spirit" (vv. 9-11). The Spirit is the believers witness
to the reality he belongs to God (Romans 8:16). Our body belongs to
God and is His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)! Because of that fact,
we are to use this body to worship and serve Him! (Psalm 100:2-3).
Some day this body because of Sin will die, unless Christ returns
first.
 The Holy Spirit was given us so that we might serve God acceptably!
If we die before Christ returns, the God will raise us! Ephesians
1:13-14 tells usIn whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory. The Holy Spirit within us
makes all things new. We have new life, new love, new joy, new
strength, and new experiences with our Savior!
ILLUS: When D.L. Moody described his conversion experience, he
said, "I was in a new world. The next morning the sun
shone brighter and the birds sang sweeter... The old elms
waved their branches for joy, and all nature was at peace."
(Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary.
Volume 1. Matthew-Galatians. p. 540).
(3) FREEDOM FROM DISCOURAGEMENT-NO FRUSTRATION
ROMANS 8:18-30
*Suffering and pain are a real problem! Paul discusses three "groanings" in
these verses:
A. THE GROANING OF CREATION (vv. 18-22). When God placed Adam and
Eve in the Garden all was perfect! But soon Sin came and spoiled God's
perfection! Romans 5:12 saysWherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned. Our world since that time has been groaning over the
condition we are in! Notice What Paul describes As the plight of creation:
Suffering (v18).
Vanity (v20).
Bondage (v2la).
Decay (v2lb)-Corruption.
Pain (v22).
This old world is in a mess and only Christ can save the world from its
plight! (Luke 19:10).
B. THE GROANING OF THE BELIEVER (vv. 23-25). WE, who are saved, are
looking and longing for our heavenly home! When we see the sin and death
all around us we groan, "Come quickly, LORD Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20b).
V24WE are saved by hope". What hope? The BLESSED HOPE! (Titus
2:13). Our BEST is yet to come! We must not get discouraged or frustrated
waiting for our LORD, but "occupy till He comes!"
C. THE GROANING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (vv. 25-30). Our LORD cares
about our trials! Jesus invited in Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me all ye
that labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest."
The hymn writer wrote:
"I know He cares, Oh Yes, He cares;
His heart is touched by my grief!
In the long nights weary, the long days dreary,
I know my Jesus cares!"
And when we face trails, troubles, and sorrow, the Holy Spirit intercedes for
 us! (v26) He prays God's will for us be accomplished (v27). We MUST NOT
FAINT in time of infirmity but know that God is working all for our good!
God has two purposes in suffering: Our good and His glory! His purpose
ultimately is that we be like Jesus (v29)! Those whom He chose, He called
(2 Thessalonians 2:13-14); when they responded to His call, He justified
them and also glorified them! (Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition
Commentary. Volume 1. Matthew-Galatians. p. 541). We are already
glorified in Christ (John 17:22), but the revelation of this glory awaits His
appearing for us (v18)!
(4) FREEDOM FROM FEAR-NO SEPARATION
ROMANS 8:31-39
A. THE SECURITY WE ENJOY. The emphasis in the remainder of this
chapter is on the security of the believer! 1 John 5:11-13 tells usAnd
this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God
hath
not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may
believe on the name of the Son of God. Friend, my salvation does not
depend on me, It depends on Jesus! He saved me, I could not save myself!
He sanctified me, I cannot sanctify myself! He keeps me, I cannot keep my
self! It is all about Jesus! Dear old saint Fanny Crosby wrote:
"Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.
Heir of Salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His Blood."
We have no fear of the future, because Our future is Christ! Paul wrote in
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be
absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
ILLUS: If the grave had ended all with the Lord Jesus, there would be
utterly nothing beyond death for the children of God. Before
Columbus discovered the New World, the coat of arms of Spain
bore the motto: "Ne Plus Ultra," which means, "There is nothing
beyond." The three mile limit of their shoreline was the limit of
their utmost horizon and furthest possibilities. But Columbus
envisioned undiscovered world's beyond, and braved the terrors of
the then unknown and uncharted sea. With his discoveries, the
"Ne" was dropped from the Spanish coat of arms, leaving the "Plus
Ultra"-"There Is More Beyond!"
Before the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world and brought life
and immortality to light, the grave was the utmost limit of all
human hopes and expectations. "Ne Plus Ultra" was the motto of
human kind, until Jesus divested death of its sting and turned
the radiance of an endless life upon the valley of the shadow of
death, so that now there shines from the portals of death the
hope-inspiring words: "Plus Ultra"-"THERE IS MORE BEYOND!"
How much more, only the unfolding eons of an immeasurable
eternity can bring before our wondering eyes: "Eye hath not seen,
 nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1
Cor.2:9). --Walter Knight (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version
3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998 by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights
Reserved).
B. THE SEPARATION WE ESCAPE. Paul presents five arguments why there
can be no separation between the believer and the LORD:
God Is For Us (v31). The Father proved His love for us by giving His
Son for our sins! (John 3:16). He is making all things work for us
(v28). In His Person, providence, and care, He is for us! Sometimes
we lament as Jacob, "All these things are against me" (Genesis
42:36b), when actually have everything working for us! Jeremiah
29:11 tells usFor I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an
expected end.
Christ Died For Us (v32). The GREATEST love ever shown was
Christ lying down His life for us! (John 15:13). If God, when we were
sinners, was willing to give His best for us, doesn't it stand to reason
He will give us all things we need! (Philippians 4:19). All we have is
on the foundation of His grace, not on our merit! (1 Corinthians
15:10).
God Has Justified Us (v33). When we accepted Christ, God declared
us righteous in Christ! In Romans 3:25 speaking of what Christ has
done for us we readWhom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. We
are God's elect-chosen in Christ before the world began! God will
surely not accuse us, since He is our justifier! WE may accuse
ourselves, man may bring accusations against us, but God will never
take us to court and accuse us! Why? Jesus has paid the price! Our
account is settled!
Christ Intercedes For Us (v34). When God saved us He gave us a
complete salvation! Christ's finished work on the Cross is just that!
FINISHED! When Satan accuses us before the Father, Jesus inter-
cedes on our behalf! (Hebrews 7:25). Because He intercedes for us,
this assures our security!
Christ Loves Us (vv. 35-39). Paul mentions many things which
could separate us from the love of Christ, but adds that nothing can!
(John 10:29). In vv. 35-37, Paul mentions trials or tribulations.
God doesn't shield or shelter us from trials or sorrows, because we
need all of these to grow spiritually! (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).
God doesn't take temptation, trouble, or trial away, but He does give
us the power to overcome them. How? Faith (1 John 5:4) and the
Holy Spirit (v26). Through these, v27 declares, "WE are more than
conquerors! In vv. 38-39, Paul mentions struggles from without. We
all have faced or will face the things Paul mentions, but we know that
through Christ we can overcome! Why? Because 1 John 4:4 assures
usYe are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because
greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Because Of
 this we can rejoice in our LORD! His presence and power works in
us! (Hebrews 13:5-6).
CLOSING: Jesus said in John 8:32And ye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free. And the Lord promised in John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
We are FREE in CHRIST! Deliverance is something that every child
of God receives as he is translated out of the kingdom of darkness
and into the kingdom of light, and that he continues to receive as
his life is transformed (Luke 11:4; 2 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Peter
2:9). The Bible emphasizes that He whom the Son sets free is free
indeed. The Berean Call (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version
3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998 by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights
Reserved). THE CHRISTIANS FOUR FREEDOMS are: FREEDOM
FROM JUDGMENT-NO CONDEMNATION, FREEDOM FROM
DEFEAT-NO OBLIGATION, FREEDOM FROM DISCOURAGEMENT-
NO FRUSTRATION, and FREEDOM FROM FEAR-NO SEPARATION.
Friend, are you FREE today? Or Are you in BONDAGE to sin?