It Is the Holy Spirit Who Begins Sanctification

FROM: MARCH 17 @ 23, 2020

TOPIC: "It Is the Holy Spirit Who Begins Sanctification" Romans 8:4-9 We do not live according to the human orientation of our sinful nature, but according to the divine orientation of the Holy Spirit. It is to locate oneself through the Spirit in one’s life, it is to recognize where you are and where you are headed. It is your inner being, it is your personal balance that needs the Spirit of God. That is like saying that the sun rises in the east and hides in the west, there is no more.

I. We the believers PASS CONTROL OF OUR LIVES TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

A. He then gives us the capacity to love God and love other human beings.

1. (Vs. 4) What the Law wanted was for us to be sinless and fulfill the divine will; it would have been so easy to obey.

2. But now this has been granted by Christ to those who live and are in Him.

3. We do not regulate our conduct according to the indications of the flesh, but according to what the Spirit suggests.

4. Now we come to know that the demands of the law are fulfilled by OUR LIFE CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT!

5. (Vs. 5) The apostle then goes on to consider the practical consequences of this work of the Spirit of Christ in the sanctified, to the point of serving as a guide to discern our spiritual condition.

6. The tree is known for its fruit! It is proper for those who live in a sinful nature to have their mind occupied with the things their nature desires, while those who live according to the Spirit have their mind occupied with the things that the Spirit desires. What do you desire?

7. If you live to reward the desires of your corrupted nature, you gratify and please your body, which after a few years will return to dust.

8. We have to examine our interior in order to see what things attract our attention and provoke our interest!

9. What are we looking for? Favor and fellowship with God, our spiritual well-being, and eternal interests?

10. Or do our thoughts and affections go after worldly, temporary things and even worse, after sinful things?

11. The true believers rise above the flesh and blood and live for eternal things!

12. The true believers are occupied with the Word of God, with prayer, worship, and Christian service, and not just merely living!

13. (Vs. 6) To occupy oneself with the flesh is death!

14. The way of thinking, feeling and acting following the guidelines of the flesh leads to corruption, not only spiritual but also physical, that is, to death. On the other hand, thinking, feeling and acting according to what the Spirit proposes leads to a true life and peace, which begins here below and lasts until eternity.

15. The mentality of the flesh, that is, the mental inclination of the fallen nature, is death!

16. It has within it the full potential of death, the same as an overdose of poison.

17. Whereas the mind of the Spirit is life and peace!

18. The Spirit of God is the guarantee of a true life of peace with God and serenity. Do you have it?

19. (Vs. 7) It cannot be any other way since the man dominated by a carnal mentality is an enemy of God and will not submit to the will of God! Nor can he, for it is precisely the

weakness of the flesh that prevents man from fulfilling the law of God.

20. (Vs. 8) Those who live according to the flesh cannot please God!

21. Those who live according to the flesh cannot do anything right to please God, no good deeds, no religious things, no sacrificial services, absolutely nothing at all!

22. (Vs. 9) The spiritual, on the other hand, lives in a different sphere!

23. Not only does he live in the Spirit, but the Spirit lives in him!

24. In fact, if the Spirit of Christ does not abide in him, he does not belong to Christ.

25. If the Holy Spirit is present, then HE EXERCISES HIS SANCTIFYING POWER!

26. Otherwise, there are reasons to suspect that the person has not received Christ.

27. It is said in effect that the dividing line between the unbeliever and the CARNAL believer is very thin.

28. IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PRESENT, THERE ARE BEGINNINGS OF SANCTIFICATION! Amen.