Romans 8:7-8

If we are honest and not self-deceived, we will admit that there is a built-in bias that we have all experienced against God's law. Unconverted anti-law commentators have a way of wrestling with what Paul wrote, trying to understand Paul's sometimes difficult reasoning. Then they write volumes explaining what they think he meant to say and most frequently state in their writing and anti-law position.

I want you to take warning, because what they do is a wrong approach. First of all, does it ever dawn on these people that Paul was writing these sometimes long complicated sentences exactly as God inspired him? Does not God's Word say that every word of this Book is God-breathed, inspired of Him? This is where we have got to start. God wanted those things to be difficult to understand. God does not make everything easy.

God did not make it easy for the Israelites in the wilderness. He said, "I allowed you to go hungry." He made it difficult for them so that we would understand that everything connected to life, once God converts us, is not going to be easy, and sometimes understanding what He is saying is going to be very, very difficult. How difficult? Well, so difficult that another apostle said that they are difficult! If the apostle thought they were hard to understand, they are going to be harder to understand for you and me who do not have the same measure of experience or the same measure of God's Spirit as those men did.

We do not want to fall into the same trap as the unconverted and twist Paul's writings to our destruction, and so that makes understanding Paul's scriptures very serious business. Be patient, knowing that when you look into the writings of these anti-law commentators that there is a built-in bias against God's law in what they write. When they set aside God's law as something as not being required of a Christian for salvation, that setting aside is made on the basis of those perverted judgments. They will be there.

Romans 8:6-8

Put this together with what Paul has already said. Everybody, all those who have not been called, are under the penalty of death. They are the carnal-minded. And even those of us who have been called still have carnal minds that we need to improve or actually Paul tells us to kill it. Mortify the flesh, mortify all those urgings of human nature to be selfish and to turn against God's way. So from Adam's day to this very second, people have sinned, early and often. In sinning, they have become guilty and subject to death and the wrath of a just and righteous God.

Even one sin—just one sin!—puts us on the negative side of the ledger. One sin and we might as well just do the perp walk because we are guilty. What is worse, one sin makes us enemies of God because we have given in to the enmity of the carnal mind against God. One sin and we are in rebellion. And He can come down on us with His wrath anytime He chooses, and we have no recourse because we are guilty.

So, humanity has a rebellious nature against God and His law to the point that man, as it says here in Romans 8:7, man cannot be subject to God or His law, neither indeed can be. That is astounding! Carnal humans cannot do the things that please God. Because they are full of sin it taints everything they do. In fact, even if they have a desire to square the debt of sin with God, humans can do nothing to correct the situation. Not a single thing can they do to get on the good side of the ledger. They owe a debt they cannot pay.

Romans 8:3-9

Verse 9 is the key. Christ will only dwell in those called now to live as He lives in both the letter and the spirit of the law of God. Those who are set apart, who are holy (as Ted talked about). This is a precious treasure.