Before we get started, if you don’t mind, I would like to share some exciting news with you. Michelle and I discussed whether we should share this with you. You see, we don’t want you to treat us any differently and right now we don’t plan to make any drastic changes. I am going to continue to serve as the pastor here at Messiah and Michelle (at least for one more year) is going to continue to teach at Findley Oaks. We are not going to let this change us and we hope it doesn’t change the way you think of us. But we are just too excited to keep this news to ourselves. You see, Michelle and I are about to come into a rather large sum of money. We should be able to afford the mountain retreat we have been dreaming about. I am probably going to upgrade my truck, in fact Eli if everything works out the way I think it is going to work out you can just have my old truck. I am sure Michelle will be getting a whole new wardrobe and we will be traveling to exotic and exciting places soon. Oh, and don’t worry about the cost of phase two. After we are done modifying the building for our new preschool, we should have enough money to build both the Harmon Lewis fitness center and the Michelle Lewis banquet hall.
Perhaps you are wondering how it is that we are about to come into so much money. Well, I don’t want to bore you with all the details because it does get a little technical and confusing, but the short version is this. A few days ago, I received an email from a Nigerian prince. It seems as if there has been an uprising in his kingdom that has forced him to flee with his family to America. He is hopeful that once his family is safe here in the States he can return and lead those still loyal to the crown to put down the rebellion. However, the problem is that the insurrectionists have started to seize control of the banks and the palace treasure is in jeopardy. That’s where I come in. The Nigerian prince has asked me to send him my bank account numbers so that he can transfer a portion of the palace treasure into my bank account for safe keeping. For my service to the crown, I will be rewarded 20% of that amount. That means as soon as the transfer is made, I will be, I mean my family will be, rather wealthy! Can you believe it? It almost seems too good to be true, doesn’t it?
For those of you, who have become alarmed; please know that I am not this gullible. I am indeed aware that this is a scam, there isn’t a prince who needs my help smuggling a royal treasury out of Nigeria. And even if I were suckered into something like this, don’t worry, Michelle doesn’t let me have access to our bank accounts. Besides I have learned over the years to be cynically suspicious when a stranger offers me a gift. I have learned and I am sure you have too, If something seems too good to be true, that is because it is. There is almost always a catch. Perhaps that is why so many people look at God’s plan of salvation with such skepticism.
Romans chapter 8 suspiciously opens with a gift that seems too good to be true. There Paul writes, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”[1] Romans 8 opens with a gift that greatly exceeds that of a Nigerian prince. With every sin, every trespass, every transgression we go deeper and deeper into spiritual debt, and to make matters worse we possess no spiritual currency with which we can service that debt. This means each one of us rightly deserves to be eternally damned to a debtor’s prison (we should all burn in hell).
Because of our sins, condemnation is what we deserve, but because of our Savior that is not what we get. In Christ Jesus our sins are forgiven, and our spiritual debt is paid in full. Which means we will not spend a minute in the debtor’s prison of the damned (we will not burn in hell). Forget about a mountain retreat, upgraded truck, new wardrobe, exotic vacations, or philanthropy, having your sins forgiven; having your spiritual debt paid in full; not being condemned is the greatest gift we can possibly be given.
Though you did not earn it; though you do not deserve it, God the Father chose to give this gift to you. God the Son purchased this gift for you. God the Holy Spirit delivered this gift to you. But the gift almost seems too good to be true, doesn’t it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were cynically suspicious of this gift. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were wondering, “what’s the catch?”. Well, as we are about to see, you are right to be suspicious. In verse 12, After he presents us with God’s gift of forgiveness, Paul writes, “12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-” brothers and sisters, …there’s a catch. The gift of forgiveness that God gives to you and to me comes with an obligation; a threefold obligation to be specific.
The first obligation connected to the gift God gives us is described in verses 12-13. There Paul explains we are obligated, “12 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.” We are obligated to be free, free from the controlling power of our sinful nature. Think about what that means. Before you knew about God’s gift of forgiveness you thought, you spoke, and you acted as your sinful nature demanded you to think, speak, and act. Before you knew in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation, you were as the theologians say, “non posse non peccare” “not able not to sin”. But now that you know there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, now that you know your sins have been forgiven and your spiritual debt has been paid in full you are no longer obligated to sin. Because of the gift you have been given, you now have the ability to resist your sinful nature. You don’t have to think those hateful thoughts, you don’t have to say those hurtful words, you don’t have to do those horrible things. Now, you most certainly are going to continue to struggle with your sinful nature all the days of your life, but because of the gift you have been given your sinful nature no longer has controlling power over you. God’s gift of forgiveness obligates you to be free from the controlling power of sin.
A second obligation connected to the gift God gives us is described in verses 14-16. There Paul explains God’s gift obligates us to be “14 … 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.” You are obligated to receive the providence and protection of the heavenly Father. Which is remarkable when you recall the divisive nature of sin, when you remind yourself that your sin pushes God away. But because of the forgiveness your God of grace has gifted you; because there is now no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus, God becomes a Father to you. He wraps His arms around you and declares you to be His child. As a good father provides for and protects his children even more so the heavenly Father provides for and protects you. He pours out blessings upon you. The sun keeps you warm, the rain keeps you hydrated, the very air you breath keeps you alive. He provides family and friends to support and encourage you. He provides the church to guide and direct you. When the consequences of being a sinner living in a sinful world afflict you, your heavenly Father hears you crying out “Abba, Father” and will deliver you. Because of the gift you have been given, because your sins have been forgiven, because there is now no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus, you are obligated to receive the providence and protection of the heavenly Father.
A third obligation connected to the gift God gives us is described in verse 17. There Paul explains God’s gift causes us to have an eternal obligation. Paul writes, “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.” You are obligated to share in the glory of the Son. So far, mankind has only glimpsed the Son’s glory. Atop the mountain of transfiguration, Peter, James, and John were terrified of the Son’s glory. After His resurrection from the dead the disciples were overwhelmed by the Son’s glory. At His ascension the disciples were mesmerized by the Son’s glory. None of us have seen the Son’s glory with our own eyes (at least not yet) but we have a description of the Son’s glory in the book of Revelation and the description of one wearing a golden sash whose hair is pure as snow, whose eyes burn like fire and feet glow like molten bronze fills us with awe. It does not at all surprise us that Jesus should be so glorified. As true God who created and controls all things Jesus deserves that glory. As true man who satisfied the righteous requirements of the law, defeated the devil, and rose from the dead Jesus has earned that glory. It does not at all surprise us that Jesus should be so glorified. It does, however, surprise us that we should get to share in His glory. We don’t deserve it. We have not earned it. But we do inherit it. When you die you will be glorified. In a flash in a twinkling of the eye, scripture tells us our lowly bodies will be transformed so that they will be like the Jesus’ glorious body.[2] Because of the gift you have been given, because your sins have been forgiven, because there is now no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus you are now obligated to share in the Son’s glory.
There is now no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus. God the Father chose to give this gift to you. God the Son purchased this gift for you. God the Holy Spirit has shared this gift with you. Though you have not earned it though you do not deserve it, you have received the greatest gift that can be given. But, as you suspected, there is a catch. Connected to God’s gift of forgiveness is a threefold obligation. God’s gift of forgiveness obligates you to live free from the controlling power of your sinful nature. God’s gift of forgiveness obligates you to receive the providence and protection of the heavenly Father. God’s gift of forgiveness obligates you to share in the Son’s glory. These are the obligations God attaches to His gift. This, my dear friends, is the catch. Amen.
[1] Romans 8:1
[2] Philippians 3:21