The Spirit’s Ministry of Assurance

No Reason for Defeat – There is No Condemnation

Manuscript Notes

PowerPoint

Romans Series

PBC 2026

Text: Romans 8:1-11; Hebrews 10:22

Romans 8:1–11 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from a clear conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Illustration: The story of a “Blind Visionary” named Fanny Crosby and the writing the beloved hymn, “Blessed Assurance.” 

This simple hymn, composed in a NY apartment, became a global anthem sung by millions of believers worldwide – who wanted to turn their private faith into public proclamation and praise.

How do we come to the point where we personally experience, deeply taste, and joyfully celebrate the truth we know theologically and propositionally – that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus?  How do we close the gap between theology and experience?

It starts and ends with a deep commitment on our part to read carefully, understand accurately, and personally believe the words of Paul in Romans 8, where the Holy Spirit inspired him to record two massive realities designed to produce a great, unshakeable assurance in believers like us!  There is no condemnation (8:1-17)!  And there will be no separation (8:18-30).  

This morning, we want to turn our attention to the first of those realities!

I. Stated _______________ (8:1)
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

1. The all-encompassing Scope of this statement
   There is therefore now no condemnation 
   • Of any kind
   • For any reason
   • Under any circumstance
2. The ongoing nature of this marvelous status.
   There is therefore now no condemnation
3. The relational Context and spiritual Boundary of this statement.
   for those who are in Christ Jesus

II. Experienced _______________ (8:2)
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Paul points us to a specific experience we share with everyone who has truly been delivered in this way. 

This assurance is grounded in justification, but it is experienced subjectively and personally in a very specific and common way – these people will know that they are no longer under condemnation because something undeniable has happened to them:

1. They have been delivered from the controlling power of sin and death that once ruled over them in their old life before salvation.
2. They have been freed to operate under a completely new controlling (governing) power – the Spirit of Life.
3. And this radical transformation has come about through a dynamic, personal, experiential relationship with Christ Jesus!

And to help us ground our experience in the solid bedrock of theological, biblical truth, Paul explains the theological ground on which this subjective experience rests.

III. Explained _______________ (8:3-4)
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

1. Orchestrated by God
   For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.
2. Accomplished by Christ
   By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh
   1. How?  By sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be the offering that propitiated His wrath over sin and expiated the guilt of sin before Him – Christ came to be the “sin offering.”
   2. Where? On the cross at the crucifixion of His Messiah.  He condemned sin by putting it on the flesh (body) of His sinless Son.
      2 Cor 5.21a – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
   3. Why?  So that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us.
      2 Cor 5.21a – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
3. Enabled by the Spirit
   who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

IV. Described _______________ (8:5-8)
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Paul classifies every individual into one of two kinds of people, each governed by one of two contrasting mindsets: those who live according to the flesh and those who live according to the Spirit.  Note: Paul makes no room for a middle ground in this description.

1. Two contrasting, easily identifiable mindsets (v. 5)
2. Resulting in two different conditions and consequences (v. 6)
3. Observed in a shocking, undeniable spiritual reality (vs 7-8)

V. Applied _______________ (8:9)
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Paul gives rock-solid, crystal-clear assurance of a great reality – you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit! And there are two undeniable pieces of evidence of this reality:

1. You have a real, living relationship with God through Christ 
2. You walk according to the Spirit because the Spirit dwells in you!

However, Paul must counter a very serious reality to defend this glorious assurance, two biblical truths, and their implications. 

VI. Defended _______________ (8:10-11)
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

Here is the sobering reality – even though we are in the Spirit, no longer under condemnation, and able to fulfill the righteous demands of the law, our bodies are still subject to weakness and death because of sin (the ruling power of the old realm in which we still live).  We still live and move in the old realm.

Paul reminds us of two powerful theological realities that make all the difference in the world to a struggling Christian:

Reality #1:  Promise of Eternal Life through Christ.

Reality #2: Provision of Strength for Life through the Spirit.

Conclusion:  Heb 10:22 – How should we respond to all of this?

1. Let us draw near
2. With a sincere (unadulterated) heart 
3. In full assurance of faith – full conviction and certainty – robust, unwavering confidence
4. Having our hearts sprinkled and bodies washed (perfect passive participles – the cause of why we can draw near in this way).

Our hearts have been cleansed from an evil conscience – purification as seen through the lens of the OT ritual purification (inward moral cleansing from the inner defilement of sin) – so live confidently!

Our bodies have been washed with pure water – the outward moral cleansing of our physical bodies of things that are morally and ethically offensive to God – so live obediently!

ADDITIONAL LIFE APPLICATION

1. Anchor your assurance in theological truth, not just subjective feeling – remember who said, “There is therefore now no condemnation.” When you fail and fall back into sin, speak the truth to yourself! Remind yourself that while your situation is messy, your standing with God is rock solid!
2. Setting your mind on the controlling power of the Spirit is something you do actively, intentionally, repeatedly, and prayerfully every day – one thought at a time!  And when you fail, speak up and call out to the Spirit for grace and help at that very moment for that very struggle.
3. Do not go at this alone – rely daily on the Spirit’s power and help for obedience and not your own raw willpower.  When you fail, don’t wallow or dig in deeper – run to Christ and call out to the Spirit!  Prayer is the believer’s great declaration of dependence – resort to it regularly.  Develop the habit of sending “arrow prayers” up to God through the Spirit throughout the day.
4. When you feel unworthy, draw near to God in humility and thankfulness. We were not saved by our worthiness, and we are not accepted now on that basis. So don’t let unworthiness keep you from God!  
5. For unbelievers, worldly success and earthly victories are at best temporary.  For believers, failures are never final.  God always has the last word – and it is this – NO Condemnation!  No Separation!