The Dynamics of Grace: "The Spirit of Life"
God in His Grace has given us the Holy Spirit! His presence in us is to have a definitive impact in our spiritual life, growth, victory over sin and conformity to Christ. He brings life and righteousness to the believer. He puts to death our sinful "deeds". We should be experiencing this dynamic of Grace in our lives in a very real way.
“... this does not imply that believers “belong to the realm of the flesh, inescapably”; rather, it means that our (definitive) rescue from the “realm of the flesh’ (see 7:5 and 8:9) has not removed us from contact with, and influence from, the flesh. Still “embodied” (see 8:10 and vs. 13), we have in this life a continuing relationship to that old realm of sin and death— but we no longer “belong” to it. Like freed slaves who might, out of habit, obey their old masters even after being released from them, so we Christians can still listen to and heed the voice of the old master of ours, the flesh.”
Sermon Discussion Questions:
How does the New Testament define "the Flesh"?
What does it mean to be in the realm of the Spirit and not in the realm of the Flesh?
Why are we not obligated to the Flesh?
How do we put the deeds of the body to death by the Spirit?
Do all Christians have the Holy Spirit?
How do you know if He lives in you?
