Joys of Belonging

February 11, 1990

Romans 8:1 "Those who are in Christ Jesus"

Introduction:

[ Just ten days ago a new little baby boy made his first appearance on Planet Earth: my latest grandson, Russell IV. Along with his birth came FULL ACCEPTANCE into our family: A NAME, AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, and ALL THE SUPPORT AND GOOD WILL YOU CAN IMAGINE. YOU know what I mean, exactly, because it has happened in your family, too.]

Last Monday I called Russell III, the proud father, just to see how the new boy was doing. I said, jokingly, "Has he said 'Ma- ma' or 'Da-da' yet?"

Russell said, "Don't be silly." Then he added, "I have been carrying him around the house, saying, 'That is a refrigerator' and 'That is the microwave' and 'That is the telephone.'"

We certainly enjoy the baby just as he is. But WE LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING HIM LEARN AND GROW AND FINALLY ENTER INTO THE CONVERSATIONS OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY.]

Romans 8 is written in celebration of those who have been BORN into God's family and are alive in Christ.

AND ROMANS 8 IS ABOUT ENJOYING THE PRIVILEGES OF BELONGING IN THIS GREAT FAMILY. Romans 8 is a chapter filled with the practical contact of the Holy Spirit with believers. Depending on your version or translation, there are between 15 and 19 references in this one chapter, references to the Holy Spirit as He works His sanctifying grace in our lives. Romans 8 is a syllabus on sanctification.

I. SANCTIFICATION IS "THE DISCOVERY" OF THE CHURCH IN THE 90'S

  1. "Sanctification" is "old stuff" to us Nazarenes. But believe me, sanctification is being re-discovered throughout the entire Church of Jesus Christ. There is a proliferation of books on holiness, written by everyone from Billy Graham to British Anglicans to Roman Catholics.

    Perhaps we Nazarenes have been "sanctification-ed" to death, with everyone explaining until no one understands. Maybe sometimes we have talked about sanctification, and have sometimes confused our talking with seeking and finding and enjoying.

    Still, sanctification and holiness of heart and life are big with God our Father. The entire Christian community is vitally interested. Even veteran Nazarenes are full of questions. I believe that I am aware of some of the questions that growing Christians ask:

    • "Is holiness as we preach it relevant to everyday life?"
    • "Do we sometimes make 'sanctification' to mean just a crisis experience and so limit the full scriptural expression of the word?"
    • "Do sanctified people ever sin? Can they?"
    • "Do we push 'experiences' instead of "relationships'?"
    • "Aren't all Christians 'sanctified'?"
    • "Do some Christians have the Spirit 'with' them and others 'in' them?"
    • ... and on and on!
  2. I propose to begin a deliberate walk through this rich eighth chapter in Romans, looking for old and for new insights into sanctification. I promise not to depend on clichés and worn shibboleth.

    It is always a dangerous thing to tackle great passages of scripture. I ask you to help me; let's do it together! I don't ask you to 'set aside' your present understanding of what it means to be sanctified. I do ask that we all seek to be open to the riches and glory and even power that come when we give ourselves to meditation on God's Word.

  3. "Sanctification" doesn't belong to us, or to any other human organization. The beauty and truth of holiness are there for all who are "in Christ Jesus." And "sanctification" certainly is NOT some new fad— it is in the doctrinal statement of every orthodox church, including the Roman Catholic.

    Some terms may sound new, at least to our ears, such as "spiritual formation;" but the verity of sanctification is as old as God's dealings with humankind. No, we do not have a corner on sanctification, and I am not sure that we have taught our "cardinal doctrine" very well.

  4. Romans 8 begins "in Christ Jesus." This is salvation. To "be saved" means that we have life in God through Jesus Christ.

    To be "in Christ" means that we have the full acceptance and the name and the established relationship that comes instantly upon our coming into God's family. [Just like Russell IV, my grandson!] We're IN! This full acceptance can be termed justification. It is what God has done FOR us. It has to do with standing. We're IN!

    But also, just like Baby Russell, we have to be learning and growing and experiencing this LIFE that is ours. There will be significant milestones along the way. This growing Christ-likeness, both gradual and crucial, can be termed sanctification. It is real change, in our character, in our state. We're ON THE WAY WITH JESUS! And that growing and experiencing is what I want to look at here in Romans 8 these next several weeks.

  5. Please, as we go through Romans 8 together, let's not make this just a "head trip" or a just a series of "lessons." These words are scripture! Let's take them for our very own! Let's ask God to make them live in us! Romans 8 should be the way all Christians live. It is the NORM! It certainly is NOT the way that the average Christian lives.

II. FACT ONE: ALL WHO ARE SAVED ARE 'IN CHRIST JESUS'

  1. To be saved is to be "included in!" [It is an amazing and wonderful discovery to new Christians: the "inclusive aspect of saving faith." God accepts us as we are! True, God hates sin, and never simply excuses it or ignores it. But we can be sure that God loves His children! His purpose and intent is to help them! Not to exclude, but to preserve and keep them!]
  2. Wonderful things are concurrent and simultaneous with being "in Christ." The list of joys and privileges is long. In this chapter we get a perception of the great joy and privilege those who are "in Christ" know. To be "in Christ" means:
    1. (verse 9) THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST LIVES WITHIN. "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he/she does not belong to Him." ONCE WE ACCEPT THE REALITY OF A GOD WHO IS, AND WHO IS GOOD, AND WHO SPEAKS— AND ONCE WE CHOOSE TO PUT OURSELVES UNDER HIS AUTHORITY, EVERYTHING CHANGES! [PERSON TO PERSON REALITY!]
    2. (verse 14) THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST LEADS. More about this leading later, but in short, (verse 28) there is not a situation where God excludes Himself from us, from our lives!
    3. (verse 15) THE SPIRIT MAKES US "AT HOME." Adoption, trust, belonging.
    4. (verse 17) THE SPIRIT PERMITS US TO ENTER INTO THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST. (ALL humankind knows pain; Christians are not excluded. But Christ's sufferings are redemptive. If we do not shrink back from the Cross, we may have fellowship with the Christ.) We are not facing the facts if we do not realize the fact of spiritual warfare.
  3. This is not an exhaustive list of the "joys and privileges" of course. But it gives an idea of the richness of life into which we are born as God's children.

[But let's continue to look at basic truth:]

III. ALL OF SALVATION, STANDING AND STATE, IS BY THE GIFT OF FAITH

(Romans 10:9,10) We can be sure that we are "in Christ Jesus" and know that we are eligible for all the joys of Romans 8. How?:

  1. The initiative is from God. God seeks us. God speaks to us. God enables us to hear and to believe. [Mystery!]
    1. There must be a gift of faith, a touch from God, a conviction that God has spoken in His Son, Jesus Christ.
    2. The old, old story (old for many of us) suddenly becomes very personal! God speaks to YOU! (ME!) Or, it may be the very first time the message is heard (as my own father- saved in the first gospel meeting he attended, at age 21.) But we KNOW God wants us to let HIM into OUR lives!
  2. When God speaks, we can respond. We do not need to fully understand or comprehend in order to have a real, genuine, relationship with God. We are not saved when we pass a certain comprehensive test. We are saved when God speaks and we hear Him, and we say, "Present!"
  3. Are YOU willing to let God be God in YOUR life? We must combine the gift of faith with a deliberate response of our will. Our will can not, and does not save us. But our will may open the door for the Sovereign God to enter! HE can save us! And He WILL enter! Have YOU permitted Him entrance into YOUR life? Can you hear Him knocking just now?

Conclusion: Invitation. [Revelation 3:20] Prayer.

Hymn EH#33 Behold the Throne of Grace (repeat verse 2 for invitation)