12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful
nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful
nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of
the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are
sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave
again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry,
“Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we
are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs
of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order
that we may also share in his glory.
- Romans 8:12-18, The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.
Dear Friends in Christ,
Along with lots of other people – perhaps you included – our household watched the special television program on the September 11 attacks which aired last Sunday night.
Over the last six months hardly a day has gone by without some mention or analysis of this sad event, but the new angle on this particular report was the promise of never-before-seen footage from inside the World Trade towers as the tragedy was unfolding. Two French film-makers happened to be following and filming the New York Fire Department for the purpose of producing a documentary on fire-fighters, and they went right along with them with their cameras rolling when the call to respond came...
You can imagine what they captured on film. Debris was raining down from the upper floors. People were confused and terrified and scrambling to get out. The firefighters were trying to figure out what exactly was going on and how they could help. Through their efforts, many lives were saved. But as we also know, many lives were lost.
Amazingly, no firefighters in this particular company died. Later on in the documentary interviews were held. A recurring theme among those who survived the attacks – both inside and outside the fire department – was the idea of being spared, of given a second chance at life, of given a new lease on life. And without exception, their perspective on things changed dramatically.
I mention this because in the Book of Romans as well as in our text for today, the Apostle Paul talks about the same kind of issues that were addressed in that television special – but on a spiritual level. I do not wish to exploit a national tragedy of such magnitude for the sake of a sermon illustration, but there are a couple of striking parallels...
As Christians we often talk about our “salvation.” The word itself is part of our Christian jargon; “church-speak” if you will. But in our familiarity with the terminology, do we really understand what it means?
Behind the word “salvation” is the idea of “rescue” or “deliverance” from a desperate situation; a situation we could never get out of ourselves. Spiritually speaking, we are trapped in the burning building of our own sinful condition. There is no way out. There is no way to turn. Left on our own, death – eternal death – is certain. If it is going to be any different, we need to be saved... rescued... delivered.
And the message of the Gospel is that we are. We have been delivered from this “body of death” as Paul puts in Romans 7 through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ is our Rescuer.
Which brings us to another striking parallel. When we understand that we have been spared from death thanks be to Jesus, our perspective on life changes. The 9-11 survivors talk about their new lease on life, their second chance. They talk about a renewed sense of purpose and service.
Christians who understand the Gospel look at their lives the exact same way. And it is on this subject that the Apostle Paul addresses us in our text. He speaks to us about
OUR NEW LIFE IN
CHRIST
1. Its blessings from God, and
2. Its response to God
Following that outline, let’s begin by working through the second half of our text first...
What are the blessings of our new life in Christ? Paul says “those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”
These verses tell us that the first and preeminent blessing of our new life in Christ is that we are children of God. Paul mentions several times the work of God the Holy Spirit. He is the One who has worked in our hearts and brought us to understand both our need for a Savior from sin and God’s provision of that Savior from sin in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through the agency of the “Means of Grace” (the Gospel message in Word and Sacrament), the Holy Spirit brings Christians to the realization that the barrier of sin that separates us from God has been removed, and we are God’s blood-bought children...
Which means we know Him and love Him as our Heavenly Father. Unfortunately, many people don’t see God that way. Paul talks about a spirit that makes people slaves to fear when it comes to their understanding of God. How true and how sad. Many people don’t see God as a loving Father, but rather as some sort of celestial task-master who is waiting for people to mess up so he can zap them with lightning bolts. Anyone who is caught up in a performance-based religion (the idea that I have to earn God’s love through my actions) will see God this way. It must be awful hard to warm up to a God like that, don’t you think?
We don’t have that problem. Paul impresses upon us the loving relationship we have with God and God has with us when he says that we can call Him “Abba, Father.” The word “Abba” is an Aramaic word (the common language of Jewish people at Paul’s time) for father which denotes affection. I had a seminary professor (now in heaven) who always suggested that the closest translation to “Abba” was “daddy;” the point once again being the close relationship between God and us because of Jesus Christ.
That we can live, breathe and sleep with the knowledge that we are God’s dear children every second of our lives no matter what may happen in our lives is indeed a wonderful blessing of our new life in Christ. That we can relate to God in a context of love rather than fear is another wonderful blessing of our new life in Christ...
And that God in His grace bestows upon us what is His for all eternity is still another great blessing of our new life in Christ... “Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we also may share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us.” The blessing mentioned here is the future glory we will inherit due to the fact that God is our Father. We’re talking about heaven.
What’s heaven going to be like? I’m sure we all have our own ideas. In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul tells us that God at one time gave him a glimpse of heaven. He described the experience as being “caught up to Paradise. He (Paul) heard inexpressible things, things that a man is not permitted to tell” – not because he didn’t want to, but because he was incapable of doing so...
In the Book of Revelation the Apostle John is also given a
glimpse of heaven. He also is limited by
words and consequently describes heaven as a place of immense beauty with
streets of gold and city walls made of every conceivable precious gem. But more importantly, he describes heaven as
a place where God will dwell with His people in a face to face relationship and
where every bad thing on earth – pain and hardship and death – will be
noticeable by its absence. The hymnist
summarized it as well as any: “I know
not, oh I know not, what joys await us there; what radiancy of glory, what
bliss beyond compare.”
And here’s the best news yet. As a blessing of our new life in Christ, all this is ours. Some of us may claim it this year yet. For others of us it may take decades. When heaven becomes our home only God knows. That heaven is our home, we know now. And what a blessing to know where we’re going...
However, the other point that Paul makes in our text is that
along with all these blessings also comes responsibility as God’s
children. This, too, is part of our new
life in Christ. “Therefore, brothers,
we have an obligation – but it is not according to the sinful nature, to live
according to it. For if you live
according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the
Spirit of God are the sons of God...”
Paul talks about being led by the Spirit of God. What does he mean by this? Earlier we talked about how the Holy Spirit brought us to faith through the “Means of Grace” – the Gospel message in Word and Sacrament. He strengthens us in our faith through the same Means of Grace.
What I mean is this: As we spend time in the Word of God – through Bible reading and Bible study – we become more spiritually knowledgeable. As we come to the com-munion table where Christ assures us of our forgiveness by giving us the very body and blood He offered in our behalf on the cross of Calvary in, with, and under the bread and wine, we become spiritually stronger. And as we spend time with both Word and Sac-rament we become evermore appreciative of what God, through Christ, has done for us...
And that is going to transfer over into our daily lives. Yes, we have an “obligation” to live the Christian life and honor our Heavenly Father. But it is a willing and unforced “obligation.” It is an obligation based on love and gratitude that comes naturally to those who truly understand the Gospel message.
Paul mentions one last thing in our text in reference to the “obligation” connected with our new life in Christ. Maybe you picked up on it when it was read a moment ago. It’s the obligation to share in Christ’s suffering.
To the Christians originally receiving this letter – and
even to Christians living today in other parts of the world (Indonesia comes to
mind) – this meant something far different than it does to us. These words of Paul were meant as
encouragement to stay the course of faith at a time when allegiance to Jesus
Christ was cause for persecution and even death. Paul wants the Roman Christians to know that
just as suffering for us was part of the life of our Lord, so suffering for Him
would likewise be a part of the life of His believers. Paul knew this from personal experience. But Paul also clearly points out the bottom
line on this subject when he says: “I
consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory
that will be revealed in us.”
Today our suffering for Christ may consist of an intense feeling of loneliness at times when we do the right thing while the world we live, work and play in has no qualms about disobeying God... Our suffering today may consist of the same sting that Jesus must have felt from the actions of Judas, the sting of betrayal when we see fellow Christians, whom we count on as our allies in the faith, fail to give the same witness for Christ we are striving to give... Our suffering may consist of being looked at differently by those around us because first and foremost we live not for ourselves, but for the One who has given us new life in Christ...
Whatever the case may be, Paul’s words continue to be both true and comforting: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” In whatever form it may take, suffering for Christ will always be a part of our new life in Christ. But a part which we willingly accept – and even embrace – as we contemplate the suffering that Jesus underwent for us...
What is the message of our text? We have been rescued, delivered, and saved from eternal death. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been given a new lease on life – and a new life in Christ. Now we know God as our Father, and we look forward to life eternal. Until then, we willingly live our lives as the Children of God we are. May God grant us daily knowledge of who and what and why we are. Amen.