100:00:00,580 –> 00:00:07,380Those who are in the flesh cannot use God.200:00:08,500 –> 00:00:10,580That’s the life we were born with.300:00:11,340 –> 00:00:17,260We were by nature hostile to God, unwilling to submit to God’s law and unable to please Him.400:00:17,260 –> 00:00:21,540That’s the human condition. That is what we need saving from.500:00:21,540 –> 00:00:24,920Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick.600:00:24,920 –> 00:00:28,660I’m glad you could be with us today, and Colin, I think many people might say,700:00:28,660 –> 00:00:33,860well I understand the first part of that. Before I became a Christian, I couldn’t please God because of my sin.800:00:33,860 –> 00:00:39,740But after I became a Christian, I thought it would be a whole lot easier but I’m still struggling with sin!900:00:40,459 –> 00:00:47,000Welcome to The Christian Life and you’re joining and experiencing what every other Christian experiences.1000:00:47,340 –> 00:00:50,320You know, I’ve found folks, who’ve recently become Christians, saying you know,1100:00:50,320 –> 00:00:54,700I seem to be more aware of sin in my own life than I was before I was a Christian.1200:00:54,700 –> 00:01:00,500The reason for that is the presence of the Holy Spirit, who’s kind of shining a light into a dark place.1300:01:00,500 –> 00:01:07,480Look, to live as a Christian means that the presence of Christ by the Holy Spirit is in you.1400:01:07,480 –> 00:01:10,980But you’re still living life in this body, with all of the impulses1500:01:10,980 –> 00:01:14,000and temptations to sin that arise from that.1600:01:14,000 –> 00:01:18,500And so this life is always a battle, a battle in which you’re seeking to move forward.1700:01:18,500 –> 00:01:24,699A battle in which you’re sometimes setback, you’re living by faith in the Son of God.1800:01:24,699 –> 00:01:27,639But you’re also living this life by faith in the body.1900:01:27,639 –> 00:01:32,120And that’s going to be a struggle all the way until you see Jesus face to face.2000:01:32,120 –> 00:01:37,580So, we’re going to look at what this life is like today, particularly from Romans in chapter seven.2100:01:37,580 –> 00:01:41,639The good news, the encouragement, is that we have this union with Jesus Christ.2200:01:41,639 –> 00:01:45,800We’re not alone in this battle. He really is with us and He really is for us.2300:01:45,839 –> 00:01:48,599So, as you heard, we are in Romans and chapter seven.2400:01:48,599 –> 00:01:54,540So, please join us, if you can in your Bible as we begin the message, Life in Jesus.2500:01:54,540 –> 00:01:55,720Here’s Colin.2600:01:55,720 –> 00:01:59,480This is the last of a short series in Romans and chapter seven,2700:01:59,480 –> 00:02:06,660in which we’re exploring the marvellous truth of the believer’s union with Jesus Christ,2800:02:06,660 –> 00:02:13,320which Paul, using an illustration, says is like a second and very wonderful marriage.2900:02:13,380 –> 00:02:16,179If you open your Bible at Romans and chapter seven,3000:02:16,179 –> 00:02:18,759you will see as we glance back to where we began,3100:02:18,759 –> 00:02:22,119that the first marriage, to use his analogy,3200:02:22,119 –> 00:02:26,020is that by nature we are all bound to the law.3300:02:26,020 –> 00:02:27,360That’s verse one.3400:02:27,360 –> 00:02:32,100The law is binding on a person as long as he or she lives.3500:02:32,100 –> 00:02:34,339Till death us departs.3600:02:34,339 –> 00:02:38,160By nature, we are bound to all of the requirements, all of the demands,3700:02:38,380 –> 00:02:43,779and by implication, all of the penalties of the law of God.3800:02:43,779 –> 00:02:47,559So being bound to the law, to use Paul’s illustration,3900:02:47,559 –> 00:02:50,199is not a happy marriage.4000:02:50,199 –> 00:02:54,759In fact, it is a relationship fraught with conflict.4100:02:54,759 –> 00:02:59,539But the reason for the conflict is not that there is something wrong with the law.4200:02:59,539 –> 00:03:01,580The law is holy, and righteous, and good,4300:03:01,580 –> 00:03:05,100it is after all the law of God, nothing wrong with the law.4400:03:05,139 –> 00:03:07,520The reason that this marriage, this first marriage,4500:03:07,520 –> 00:03:10,380is fraught with conflict is that there is something4600:03:10,380 –> 00:03:12,220that is wrong with us.4700:03:12,220 –> 00:03:15,639And we looked at that in our second session4800:03:15,639 –> 00:03:18,740in Romans and chapter seven last week.4900:03:18,740 –> 00:03:22,339We saw that what is wrong with us, the Bible calls sin,5000:03:22,339 –> 00:03:26,380and that sin is more than a list of wrong actions,5100:03:26,380 –> 00:03:29,500that it is more than doing bad things,5200:03:29,500 –> 00:03:33,600that sin is actually a power, it is an impulse, if you like,5300:03:33,600 –> 00:03:36,619that by nature resides in our hearts.5400:03:36,619 –> 00:03:39,679It is an impulse that gravitates5500:03:39,679 –> 00:03:43,720towards that which God forbids.5600:03:43,720 –> 00:03:46,800And so, if it were the case that we were righteous,5700:03:46,800 –> 00:03:50,100then marriage to the law would work out very well.5800:03:50,100 –> 00:03:52,839The problem is that by nature we are not righteous,5900:03:52,839 –> 00:03:57,839we are sinners, and sin pulls away from what God commands,6000:03:58,660 –> 00:04:01,479and therefore, being bound to the law for sinners6100:04:01,479 –> 00:04:06,479is by definition going to be a miserable, miserable marriage.6200:04:07,580 –> 00:04:09,979And I was trying to think, what is this like,6300:04:09,979 –> 00:04:11,759and I’m thinking, well, I mean,6400:04:11,759 –> 00:04:14,119you could come up with your list of illustrations,6500:04:14,119 –> 00:04:16,079but for a sinner to be bound to the law6600:04:16,079 –> 00:04:19,660is like a burglar being married to someone6700:04:19,660 –> 00:04:21,600who’s a specialists in home security.6800:04:21,600 –> 00:04:23,339I mean, the two just don’t go together,6900:04:23,339 –> 00:04:26,799or a computer hacker being married to someone7000:04:26,799 –> 00:04:28,880who develops firewalls for a living.7100:04:28,959 –> 00:04:31,000I mean, they’re just a poacher being married7200:04:31,000 –> 00:04:33,500to a game keeper, I suppose.7300:04:33,500 –> 00:04:36,380The two are just moving in different directions,7400:04:36,380 –> 00:04:38,160so it’s not gonna work out.7500:04:38,160 –> 00:04:40,260I mean, how can two walk together,7600:04:40,260 –> 00:04:43,820the Bible says, unless they be agreed.7700:04:43,820 –> 00:04:48,279Now, there is one way out of this miserable marriage7800:04:48,279 –> 00:04:49,399and that is death.7900:04:49,399 –> 00:04:54,279It is till death does do part and the law never dies.8000:04:55,519 –> 00:04:57,320But the good news for the Christian8100:04:57,339 –> 00:04:59,459that we have here in Romans chapter seven8200:04:59,459 –> 00:05:02,679is that we have died,8300:05:02,679 –> 00:05:05,959and we have died through a living union8400:05:05,959 –> 00:05:10,959with Jesus Christ that is forged through the bond of faith.8500:05:11,559 –> 00:05:13,920When Jesus died, we died with him.8600:05:13,920 –> 00:05:16,619When Jesus rose, we rose with him8700:05:16,619 –> 00:05:20,339and this is verse four of Romans and chapter seven.8800:05:20,339 –> 00:05:25,339Likewise, my brothers you also have died to the law.8900:05:26,339 –> 00:05:28,220You say, how did that happen?9000:05:28,220 –> 00:05:30,980Through the body of Christ.9100:05:30,980 –> 00:05:32,380And why did it happen?9200:05:32,380 –> 00:05:35,839So that you may belong to another,9300:05:35,839 –> 00:05:38,079to him who’s been raised from the dead9400:05:38,079 –> 00:05:41,980in order that you may bear fruit for God.9500:05:41,980 –> 00:05:44,100You got out of the miserable first marriage9600:05:44,100 –> 00:05:46,380because you died and rose with Christ.9700:05:46,380 –> 00:05:48,700You’ve now been brought into this new9800:05:48,700 –> 00:05:51,660and living union with Jesus belonging to another,9900:05:51,660 –> 00:05:53,260Him who was raised from the dead,10000:05:53,260 –> 00:05:55,239and the result of that is that you may now10100:05:55,239 –> 00:05:58,440bear fruit for God.10200:05:58,440 –> 00:06:02,540Now our focus today is on verses five and six10300:06:02,540 –> 00:06:05,220of Romans and chapter seven,10400:06:05,220 –> 00:06:08,320and these verses really draw out for us10500:06:08,320 –> 00:06:11,200the vast contrast that there is10600:06:11,200 –> 00:06:14,579between the first and the second marriage,10700:06:14,579 –> 00:06:17,820a radical difference between what we were10800:06:17,820 –> 00:06:20,519when we were bound to the law10900:06:20,519 –> 00:06:23,160and what we are now that we are united11000:06:23,279 –> 00:06:26,320with Christ having died and risen with him11100:06:26,320 –> 00:06:29,760in this new and living union with Jesus.11200:06:29,760 –> 00:06:32,000So we’re going to draw out the difference11300:06:32,000 –> 00:06:35,420between the first marriage and the second marriage11400:06:35,420 –> 00:06:37,440and then we’re gonna look at some applications11500:06:37,440 –> 00:06:40,600as we wrap up this series together.11600:06:40,600 –> 00:06:42,859So let’s begin with the first marriage,11700:06:42,859 –> 00:06:46,079which is described both in terms of being bound11800:06:46,079 –> 00:06:49,519to the law and in terms of living11900:06:49,519 –> 00:06:52,600in the flesh, verse five.12000:06:52,700 –> 00:06:56,839For while we were living in the flesh,12100:06:58,019 –> 00:07:00,559our sinful passions,12200:07:00,559 –> 00:07:02,920aroused by the law12300:07:02,920 –> 00:07:07,079were at work in our members to bear fruit for death,12400:07:08,119 –> 00:07:13,119but now we are released from the law12500:07:14,079 –> 00:07:19,079having died to that which held us captive.12600:07:19,079 –> 00:07:20,079Captive.12700:07:21,920 –> 00:07:24,420Now, chapter seven and verse five of Romans12800:07:24,420 –> 00:07:27,440is the first time in this book12900:07:27,440 –> 00:07:32,440that Paul introduces the phrase living in the flesh.13000:07:32,519 –> 00:07:35,820It occurs many times, of course, after this in Romans,13100:07:35,820 –> 00:07:40,160and it is really important to understand what he means13200:07:40,160 –> 00:07:42,640by this phrase, living in the flesh13300:07:42,640 –> 00:07:45,559in Romans 7 and verse five.13400:07:45,559 –> 00:07:47,079Notice that living in the flesh13500:07:47,079 –> 00:07:51,019is another way of describing in this verse13600:07:51,019 –> 00:07:55,920the miserable marriage in which we are bound to the law.13700:07:55,920 –> 00:07:57,760While we were living in the flesh,13800:07:57,760 –> 00:08:00,079we were bound to the law,13900:08:00,079 –> 00:08:02,119living in the flesh and being bound to the law,14000:08:02,119 –> 00:08:04,720in other words, go hand in hand together.14100:08:04,720 –> 00:08:06,480But now he says in this verse14200:08:06,480 –> 00:08:10,040that we are released from the law14300:08:10,040 –> 00:08:13,359and therefore no longer living in the flesh.14400:08:13,359 –> 00:08:15,399These two, they belong together14500:08:15,459 –> 00:08:16,799and when you’re released from one,14600:08:16,799 –> 00:08:19,119you are therefore brought out of the other.14700:08:19,119 –> 00:08:21,079That’s what he’s saying here.14800:08:21,079 –> 00:08:23,359Which is exactly the same thing as he says14900:08:23,359 –> 00:08:26,000in Romans 8 and verse nine15000:08:26,000 –> 00:08:27,980where Paul says to Christian believers,15100:08:27,980 –> 00:08:32,979you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit.15200:08:34,479 –> 00:08:37,559In the flesh, bound to the law is what you were,15300:08:37,559 –> 00:08:38,799you’re not that now,15400:08:38,799 –> 00:08:41,419you’re bound to Christ and you are in the Spirit.15500:08:41,419 –> 00:08:43,200These are completely different,15600:08:43,200 –> 00:08:45,080the first and the second marriage15700:08:45,080 –> 00:08:48,679and they never merge together.15800:08:49,859 –> 00:08:53,280Now, what then does Paul precisely mean15900:08:53,280 –> 00:08:55,460by this phrase living in the flesh16000:08:55,460 –> 00:08:57,299that was true of us in the past16100:08:57,299 –> 00:09:00,359but is true of us no longer.16200:09:01,599 –> 00:09:03,580Now, this is actually confusing,16300:09:03,580 –> 00:09:05,659I think for many for this reason16400:09:05,659 –> 00:09:09,179that the Bible uses the phrase flesh16500:09:09,179 –> 00:09:13,460in different ways at different times.16600:09:13,479 –> 00:09:17,539For example, sometimes, it simply means the body.16700:09:17,539 –> 00:09:19,500Galatians 2 in verse 20,16800:09:19,500 –> 00:09:21,380a very well known verse where Paul says,16900:09:21,380 –> 00:09:23,059I’ve been crucified with Christ17000:09:23,059 –> 00:09:25,640and I no longer live but Christ lives in me17100:09:25,640 –> 00:09:29,219and then he says the life I live in the flesh,17200:09:30,200 –> 00:09:32,080I live by faith and the son of God17300:09:32,080 –> 00:09:33,979who loved me and gave himself for me.17400:09:33,979 –> 00:09:35,780Now when he says in Galatians 2,2017500:09:35,780 –> 00:09:37,359the life I live in the flesh17600:09:37,359 –> 00:09:39,859he simply means the life that I live in the body.17700:09:40,780 –> 00:09:44,580Now think about this and please follow this with me.17800:09:44,580 –> 00:09:47,200That cannot be the meaning here17900:09:47,200 –> 00:09:51,479because Christians obviously still do live in the body.18000:09:51,479 –> 00:09:53,179In Romans chapter seven,18100:09:53,179 –> 00:09:56,219Paul is talking about living in the flesh.18200:09:56,219 –> 00:09:58,340He says that’s something that was true of us18300:09:58,340 –> 00:10:00,200but it’s no longer true of us now,18400:10:00,200 –> 00:10:03,419so clearly it doesn’t mean the body here18500:10:03,419 –> 00:10:06,219because we’re very much still living in the body, right?18600:10:06,219 –> 00:10:08,020Can’t mean that.18700:10:08,020 –> 00:10:11,500There are other places where flesh18800:10:11,500 –> 00:10:16,020is used to describe sensual desire,18900:10:16,020 –> 00:10:18,460really the impulse of sin.19000:10:18,460 –> 00:10:21,900For example, in Galatians chapter five in verse 1719100:10:21,900 –> 00:10:23,880where Paul says the desires of the flesh19200:10:23,880 –> 00:10:25,460are against the spirit19300:10:25,460 –> 00:10:29,539and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh.19400:10:29,539 –> 00:10:33,260And again, that cannot be what Paul means19500:10:33,299 –> 00:10:36,159in Romans chapter seven here19600:10:36,159 –> 00:10:38,239because Christians clearly still19700:10:38,239 –> 00:10:40,780experience the impulse to sin.19800:10:40,780 –> 00:10:43,580We still know that we are still tempted,19900:10:43,580 –> 00:10:48,020the impulse to sin remains within us.20000:10:48,020 –> 00:10:50,659So when Paul says, we were in the flesh,20100:10:50,659 –> 00:10:51,559but we’re no longer…20200:10:51,559 –> 00:10:54,179He can’t mean that we no longer experience20300:10:54,179 –> 00:10:57,320the impulse to sin because self-evidently we do.20400:10:57,320 –> 00:10:59,599We know that from our own experience.20500:11:00,419 –> 00:11:04,760So here the apostle Paul is using the word flesh20600:11:04,760 –> 00:11:06,200in a different way.20700:11:06,200 –> 00:11:10,099And he is using it very simply20800:11:10,099 –> 00:11:14,119to describe the life we were all born with.20900:11:14,119 –> 00:11:17,140And here the apostle uses the word flesh21000:11:17,140 –> 00:11:20,559in precisely the same way as our Lord Jesus21100:11:20,559 –> 00:11:23,539did when he spoke to Nicodemus.21200:11:23,539 –> 00:11:26,400And you remember he said in John chapter three,21300:11:26,440 –> 00:11:32,000that which is born of flesh is flesh.21400:11:32,000 –> 00:11:37,320And that which is born of spirit is spirit.21500:11:37,320 –> 00:11:40,900And then by conclusion, Jesus said this to Nicodemus,21600:11:40,900 –> 00:11:46,039therefore you must be born again.21700:11:46,039 –> 00:11:48,559Now, Paul is using the word flesh in the same way21800:11:48,559 –> 00:11:51,840as Jesus did when he was speaking to Nicodemus21900:11:51,840 –> 00:11:54,039to mean simply the life you were born with.22000:11:54,039 –> 00:11:56,159That which is born of flesh is flesh.22100:11:56,159 –> 00:11:57,880This is the life you’re born with.22200:11:57,880 –> 00:12:01,599The position of every one of us by nature22300:12:01,599 –> 00:12:05,960is that we are born to life in the flesh.22400:12:05,960 –> 00:12:09,619And as long as we are in the flesh,22500:12:09,619 –> 00:12:11,260as long as we are in the life22600:12:11,260 –> 00:12:13,840that we were born with, we are bound22700:12:13,840 –> 00:12:17,039to the law and that is not a happy position22800:12:17,039 –> 00:12:19,979for sinners like us to be in.22900:12:20,859 –> 00:12:23,760Now just to fill this out before we move on.23000:12:23,760 –> 00:12:27,419The Apostle Paul continues with this same theme23100:12:27,419 –> 00:12:30,000and the same great contrast between what we were23200:12:30,000 –> 00:12:32,820and what we are as Christian believers,23300:12:32,820 –> 00:12:34,799the first and the second marriage23400:12:34,799 –> 00:12:37,239in Romans and chapter eight.23500:12:37,239 –> 00:12:39,919And he draws out the radical difference23600:12:39,919 –> 00:12:41,940between what we all were by nature,23700:12:41,940 –> 00:12:43,580that is the life that we were born with23800:12:43,580 –> 00:12:46,020in the flesh and what we are now23900:12:46,020 –> 00:12:47,859in Jesus Christ.24000:12:48,859 –> 00:12:51,780And notice how Paul continues at the contrast.24100:12:51,780 –> 00:12:53,580He says, the mind that is set24200:12:53,580 –> 00:12:56,979on the flesh is hostile to God,24300:12:56,979 –> 00:12:59,460that’s Romans eight and verse seven.24400:12:59,460 –> 00:13:02,219It does not submit to God’s law.24500:13:02,219 –> 00:13:06,979He says, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.24600:13:07,900 –> 00:13:11,700Now all of that is Paul unpacking what we were.24700:13:11,700 –> 00:13:13,580That’s the life we were born with.24800:13:13,580 –> 00:13:15,340We all started there.24900:13:15,340 –> 00:13:18,419It’s the natural condition in which we are born.25000:13:18,419 –> 00:13:21,539All human beings are born into the world.25100:13:21,539 –> 00:13:24,299We were in the flesh, we were bound to the law.25200:13:24,299 –> 00:13:27,020We have the impulse of sin that is working within us,25300:13:27,020 –> 00:13:28,979producing, deceiving and killing.25400:13:28,979 –> 00:13:31,299We were by nature hostile to God,25500:13:31,299 –> 00:13:35,219unwilling to submit to God’s law and unable to please Him.25600:13:35,219 –> 00:13:36,619That’s the human condition.25700:13:36,619 –> 00:13:39,340That is what we need saving from,25800:13:39,340 –> 00:13:41,239and the outcome of it,25900:13:42,239 –> 00:13:45,780and you have this in both Romans seven and in Romans eight,26000:13:45,780 –> 00:13:47,340while we were living in the flesh.26100:13:47,340 –> 00:13:50,219Romans seven, five, our sinful passions aroused by the law26200:13:50,219 –> 00:13:53,280what it worked in our members to bear fruit for death.26300:13:53,280 –> 00:13:54,979That’s where it goes.26400:13:54,979 –> 00:13:58,359That’s where the life that you’re born with goes,26500:13:58,359 –> 00:14:00,900unless something happens to radically change26600:14:00,900 –> 00:14:04,179and to bring you into the second marriage.26700:14:04,179 –> 00:14:06,700And in Romans eight, six, Paul says the same thing,26800:14:06,700 –> 00:14:09,780to set the mind on the flesh is death.26900:14:09,780 –> 00:14:11,460Now bound to the law, living the flesh,27000:14:11,460 –> 00:14:13,299hostile to God, cannot submit to God’s law,27100:14:13,299 –> 00:14:15,619cannot please God, batting fruit for death and death.27200:14:15,619 –> 00:14:18,179That is not a description of a Christian, right?27300:14:18,179 –> 00:14:19,520Right?27400:14:19,520 –> 00:14:23,440That is not a description of a Christian.27500:14:23,440 –> 00:14:26,320No, that is the description of the life we’re born with.27600:14:27,239 –> 00:14:29,799That is the description of the natural condition27700:14:29,799 –> 00:14:33,039of human beings born into this world in sin,27800:14:33,039 –> 00:14:34,719miserable marriage to the law.27900:14:34,719 –> 00:14:37,679It is a desperate position to be in28000:14:37,679 –> 00:14:40,479but if you are in Jesus Christ,28100:14:40,479 –> 00:14:44,380you are no longer in that position.28200:14:44,380 –> 00:14:46,719You are no longer in the first marriage28300:14:46,739 –> 00:14:51,039if you are made one with Jesus Christ28400:14:51,039 –> 00:14:53,039through the bond of a living union28500:14:53,039 –> 00:14:54,539that is forged by faith28600:14:54,539 –> 00:14:57,020in the son of God who loved you28700:14:57,020 –> 00:14:58,799and gave himself for you.28800:14:58,799 –> 00:15:00,460And we’ll come back to look at that28900:15:00,460 –> 00:15:02,780second marriage in just a moment.29000:15:02,780 –> 00:15:04,260You’re listening to Open the Bible29100:15:04,260 –> 00:15:05,979with pastor Colin Smith29200:15:05,979 –> 00:15:08,419and a message called, Life in Jesus.29300:15:08,419 –> 00:15:11,380It’s part of our series, How You Can Flourish.29400:15:11,380 –> 00:15:13,020And if you ever miss one of the series29500:15:13,020 –> 00:15:14,559don’t forget you can always catch up29600:15:14,679 –> 00:15:16,919or go back and listen again online29700:15:16,919 –> 00:15:20,760at our website, openthebible.org.uk.29800:15:20,760 –> 00:15:21,840Back to the message now,29900:15:21,840 –> 00:15:23,599we’re in Romans chapter seven,30000:15:23,599 –> 00:15:25,119here’s Colin.30100:15:25,119 –> 00:15:27,440You are no longer in the first marriage30200:15:27,440 –> 00:15:31,739if you are made one with Jesus Christ30300:15:31,739 –> 00:15:33,760through the bond of a living union30400:15:33,760 –> 00:15:35,280that is forged by faith30500:15:35,280 –> 00:15:37,780in the son of God who loved you30600:15:37,780 –> 00:15:39,440and gave himself for you.30700:15:39,440 –> 00:15:42,640So let’s move on then to the second marriage30800:15:42,640 –> 00:15:44,500which is the focus of verse six30900:15:44,500 –> 00:15:46,239of Romans chapter seven.31000:15:47,179 –> 00:15:49,940Notice having talked about what we were31100:15:49,940 –> 00:15:51,020in verse five31200:15:51,020 –> 00:15:53,659while we were living in the flesh,31300:15:53,659 –> 00:15:55,179he now moves on to what we are,31400:15:55,179 –> 00:15:56,400he says verse six,31500:15:56,400 –> 00:15:57,479but now,31600:15:58,460 –> 00:16:01,299now, here’s what’s true of you in Christ now,31700:16:01,299 –> 00:16:04,539we are released from the law31800:16:04,539 –> 00:16:09,059having died to that which held us captive31900:16:09,059 –> 00:16:11,900so that we serve32000:16:11,900 –> 00:16:15,520in the new way of the Spirit,32100:16:15,520 –> 00:16:16,500capital S,32200:16:16,500 –> 00:16:18,659the Holy Spirit.32300:16:18,659 –> 00:16:20,299So what has happened to us32400:16:20,299 –> 00:16:22,179to get us out of this miserable marriage32500:16:22,179 –> 00:16:24,539is that we have died to that which held us captive,32600:16:24,539 –> 00:16:25,780that is the law,32700:16:25,780 –> 00:16:28,200we got out of this miserable marriage32800:16:28,200 –> 00:16:30,140and by God’s grace we have been brought32900:16:30,140 –> 00:16:32,119into a new and living union33000:16:32,119 –> 00:16:33,380with Jesus Christ,33100:16:33,380 –> 00:16:35,900in which we are bound to him.33200:16:35,900 –> 00:16:37,700And this wonderful new and living union33300:16:37,700 –> 00:16:39,239is like a second marriage33400:16:39,239 –> 00:16:40,659to use his illustration33500:16:40,820 –> 00:16:42,520and it’s so different33600:16:42,520 –> 00:16:45,320because this is a marriage in which we are loved33700:16:45,320 –> 00:16:47,299and this is a marriage in which we are able33800:16:47,299 –> 00:16:49,320therefore to grow and to thrive,33900:16:49,320 –> 00:16:51,239it is just altogether different34000:16:51,239 –> 00:16:54,719we’re able to flourish in this second marriage34100:16:54,719 –> 00:16:56,340and that is why he says34200:16:56,340 –> 00:16:59,840that the fruit of this new living union34300:16:59,840 –> 00:17:00,880with Jesus Christ34400:17:00,880 –> 00:17:05,880is that we serve in the new way of the spirit.34500:17:06,119 –> 00:17:08,000And again Paul takes this up34600:17:08,020 –> 00:17:12,280in Romans chapter eight verses nine to 1134700:17:12,280 –> 00:17:14,979where he describes the reality34800:17:14,979 –> 00:17:19,400and the position of a Christian believer34900:17:19,400 –> 00:17:21,680and to communicate that what he’s speaking about35000:17:21,680 –> 00:17:25,640is only true of Christian believers,35100:17:25,640 –> 00:17:28,000he three times uses the word if35200:17:28,000 –> 00:17:32,579and a sense of it is assuming that you are a Christian,35300:17:32,579 –> 00:17:34,800assuming that you are in Jesus Christ,35400:17:34,800 –> 00:17:37,880Paul says, let me tell you what is true of you.35500:17:38,859 –> 00:17:40,420If you’re in Jesus Christ,35600:17:40,420 –> 00:17:41,699here’s what’s true of you,35700:17:41,699 –> 00:17:46,459number one, the Spirit of God dwells in you,35800:17:46,459 –> 00:17:50,180that’s Romans chapter eight and verse nine,35900:17:50,180 –> 00:17:53,099more than that, Jesus Christ lives in you,36000:17:53,099 –> 00:17:56,540that’s Romans chapter eight and verse 1036100:17:56,540 –> 00:18:00,640and even more than that, to be a Christian means36200:18:00,640 –> 00:18:02,719that through the Holy Spirit,36300:18:02,780 –> 00:18:07,339both the Father and the Son are present with you36400:18:07,339 –> 00:18:09,079because he says in verse 11,36500:18:09,079 –> 00:18:14,079if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead36600:18:14,800 –> 00:18:16,400dwells in you, that’s the Father,36700:18:16,400 –> 00:18:20,540so Father and Son, as Jesus said in John 14 and 2336800:18:20,540 –> 00:18:24,079come to be present with you by the Holy Spirit36900:18:24,079 –> 00:18:26,199who lives within you.37000:18:26,199 –> 00:18:29,479Now this is an entirely different position,37100:18:29,479 –> 00:18:31,199now he’s describing a Christian37200:18:32,040 –> 00:18:35,199and this is an entirely different position37300:18:35,199 –> 00:18:37,479being in the second marriage37400:18:37,479 –> 00:18:39,280from the life that you were born with,37500:18:39,280 –> 00:18:40,380living in the flesh37600:18:40,380 –> 00:18:43,640and this miserable marriage to the law37700:18:43,640 –> 00:18:46,640and what’s the outcome of this new second marriage,37800:18:46,640 –> 00:18:48,800this new and living union with Jesus Christ?37900:18:48,800 –> 00:18:51,579Well, when we were in the flesh and bound to the law38000:18:51,579 –> 00:18:52,979we were bearing fruit for death38100:18:52,979 –> 00:18:54,479but now look at what he says,38200:18:54,479 –> 00:18:56,959you died to the law through the body of Christ38300:18:56,959 –> 00:18:59,839so that you may belong to another to him38400:18:59,839 –> 00:19:01,219who’s been raised from the dead38500:19:01,219 –> 00:19:03,380in order that you may bear fruit for God.38600:19:03,380 –> 00:19:04,459That’s verse four.38700:19:05,459 –> 00:19:06,660Bear fruit for God.38800:19:07,540 –> 00:19:09,000And similarly, in Romans 8,38900:19:09,000 –> 00:19:11,040Paul says something very similar again39000:19:11,040 –> 00:19:12,359about the Christian believer39100:19:12,359 –> 00:19:15,280that the outcome of this new and living union is life,39200:19:15,280 –> 00:19:16,660not death, life,39300:19:17,540 –> 00:19:18,739and it is peace39400:19:18,739 –> 00:19:20,500because you’re not bound to the law,39500:19:20,500 –> 00:19:22,280you’re bound to Jesus Christ,39600:19:22,280 –> 00:19:25,500you are no longer living with the life you were born with.39700:19:25,500 –> 00:19:27,439That which is born of flesh is flesh,39800:19:27,479 –> 00:19:30,900but unless you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God39900:19:30,900 –> 00:19:34,800and life eternal therefore lies ahead for you40000:19:34,800 –> 00:19:36,099and so thank God40100:19:36,099 –> 00:19:39,339as we have it on the bottom line of the little screen here,40200:19:39,339 –> 00:19:41,739Paul is able in a summary to say40300:19:41,739 –> 00:19:42,579now look,40400:19:42,579 –> 00:19:43,920you are not,40500:19:43,920 –> 00:19:44,739if you’re in Christ,40600:19:44,739 –> 00:19:46,380you are not in the flesh,40700:19:46,380 –> 00:19:48,719that’s the left hand side of the screen,40800:19:48,719 –> 00:19:49,880you’re in the Spirit,40900:19:49,880 –> 00:19:51,680you’re on the right hand side of the screen41000:19:51,680 –> 00:19:56,439and don’t ever, ever, ever get the two confused.41100:19:58,380 –> 00:20:00,859And remember that there’s only one way to move41200:20:00,859 –> 00:20:03,739from being bound to the law to being bound to Christ,41300:20:03,739 –> 00:20:06,920only one way out of the miserable marriage to the law41400:20:06,920 –> 00:20:09,439and into this new and living union with Jesus41500:20:09,439 –> 00:20:13,300and that is to die and to rise with Jesus Christ.41600:20:14,160 –> 00:20:16,900And death that moves us from one side to the other41700:20:16,900 –> 00:20:19,219is an irreversible journey.41800:20:19,219 –> 00:20:20,719When a person dies,41900:20:20,719 –> 00:20:21,900they move forward,42000:20:21,900 –> 00:20:22,760they go on,42100:20:22,760 –> 00:20:23,979they do not come back.42200:20:23,979 –> 00:20:26,160Death takes us one way,42300:20:26,180 –> 00:20:29,319we don’t slide backwards and forwards in and out,42400:20:29,319 –> 00:20:30,420it’s irreversible.42500:20:31,660 –> 00:20:32,540When you’ve died,42600:20:32,540 –> 00:20:34,079you never go back.42700:20:35,260 –> 00:20:36,099Now friends,42800:20:36,099 –> 00:20:39,319this is really important for this reason.42900:20:41,239 –> 00:20:42,079You see,43000:20:42,079 –> 00:20:44,680Paul’s words about being in the flesh and in the spirit43100:20:44,680 –> 00:20:47,099have sometimes43200:20:47,099 –> 00:20:48,160been understood,43300:20:48,160 –> 00:20:50,959I would say misunderstood,43400:20:50,959 –> 00:20:51,780to mean43500:20:52,839 –> 00:20:54,819that when Christians are at their worst,43600:20:54,819 –> 00:20:56,400we’re sort of living in the flesh43700:20:56,400 –> 00:20:57,939and when Christians are at our best,43800:20:57,939 –> 00:21:00,540we’re sort of living in the spirit.43900:21:00,540 –> 00:21:02,979As if somehow we could slide backwards44000:21:02,979 –> 00:21:05,000and forwards between the two,44100:21:06,400 –> 00:21:07,599you know,44200:21:07,599 –> 00:21:10,339today I really felt44300:21:10,339 –> 00:21:14,979that I was in the spirit but yesterday,44400:21:14,979 –> 00:21:17,739pretty much in the flesh.44500:21:17,739 –> 00:21:19,699As if you could sort of slide44600:21:19,699 –> 00:21:21,800between the one and the two.44700:21:21,800 –> 00:21:26,500Now, when you see that being in Christ44800:21:26,500 –> 00:21:28,900involves a dying and a rising,44900:21:28,900 –> 00:21:31,000you can’t move backwards and forwards45000:21:31,000 –> 00:21:32,119between the two.45100:21:33,040 –> 00:21:34,079And I’m convinced that45200:21:34,079 –> 00:21:35,780that kind of view of the Christian life45300:21:35,780 –> 00:21:38,079is a complete and utter45400:21:38,079 –> 00:21:40,979and actually very damaging misunderstanding45500:21:40,979 –> 00:21:42,300of Romans chapter seven45600:21:42,300 –> 00:21:44,839and Romans chapter eight.45700:21:44,839 –> 00:21:47,079So please try and get this clear45800:21:47,079 –> 00:21:48,319and settled in your mind.45900:21:48,359 –> 00:21:52,060When Paul speaks about living in the flesh,46000:21:52,060 –> 00:21:53,800Romans chapter seven in verse five,46100:21:53,800 –> 00:21:55,239he’s talking about what we were.46200:21:55,239 –> 00:21:57,219He’s talking about what was true of us once46300:21:57,219 –> 00:21:59,280but is true of us no longer46400:22:00,199 –> 00:22:02,400while we were living in the flesh.46500:22:02,400 –> 00:22:05,280But now we died and rose with Jesus Christ.46600:22:05,280 –> 00:22:08,619Now, having died to that which has held us captive,46700:22:08,619 –> 00:22:10,359we’re in this new and second marriage,46800:22:10,359 –> 00:22:12,780this living union with Jesus Christ46900:22:12,780 –> 00:22:17,380so that we may be able to bear fruit for God.47000:22:18,839 –> 00:22:22,079Pastor Colin Smith looking today at life in the flesh47100:22:22,079 –> 00:22:24,219compared with life in the spirit,47200:22:24,219 –> 00:22:26,540what it means to be bound by the law47300:22:26,540 –> 00:22:29,619as opposed to being bound to Christ.47400:22:29,619 –> 00:22:32,219Our message today was called life in Jesus47500:22:32,219 –> 00:22:35,800and it was part of our series, How You Can Flourish.47600:22:35,800 –> 00:22:37,939And if you’ve ever missed part of the series47700:22:37,939 –> 00:22:39,880or if you want to go back and listen again,47800:22:39,880 –> 00:22:42,680you can do that by coming online to our website,47900:22:42,680 –> 00:22:45,260openthebible.org.uk48000:22:45,459 –> 00:22:46,319and there you’ll find48100:22:46,319 –> 00:22:49,180all the previously broadcast messages.48200:22:49,180 –> 00:22:51,640You can also find Pastor Colin’s teaching48300:22:51,640 –> 00:22:53,459as a podcast and those are available48400:22:53,459 –> 00:22:55,219on all the main podcast sites.48500:22:55,219 –> 00:22:57,060Search for Open the Bible UK48600:22:57,060 –> 00:23:00,560or follow the link from our website.48700:23:00,560 –> 00:23:03,400Also on our website, and available as a podcast,48800:23:03,400 –> 00:23:05,380is Open the Bible Daily.48900:23:05,380 –> 00:23:07,160And that’s a series of short49000:23:07,160 –> 00:23:09,719two to three minute daily reflections49100:23:09,719 –> 00:23:11,780based on Pastor Colin’s teaching49200:23:11,780 –> 00:23:13,739and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.49300:23:13,819 –> 00:23:15,560There’s a new on every day49400:23:15,560 –> 00:23:17,920and many Christians find it’s a great way49500:23:17,920 –> 00:23:19,640to start the day.49600:23:19,640 –> 00:23:21,839Open the Bible is supported financially49700:23:21,839 –> 00:23:23,040by our listeners,49800:23:23,040 –> 00:23:24,880we do depend on people like you49900:23:24,880 –> 00:23:27,280to keep Pastor Colin Smith’s messages50000:23:27,280 –> 00:23:29,400on the radio, and online.50100:23:29,400 –> 00:23:32,619So if you already support us in that way,50200:23:32,619 –> 00:23:34,260thank you so much.50300:23:34,260 –> 00:23:35,819If that’s something you’re considering50400:23:35,819 –> 00:23:37,520beginning to do this month,50500:23:37,520 –> 00:23:40,520if you’re able to set up a new direct debit50600:23:40,520 –> 00:23:42,040of five pounds per month,50700:23:42,040 –> 00:23:42,859or more,50800:23:42,859 –> 00:23:45,319or a one off gift of 50 pounds,50900:23:45,319 –> 00:23:46,760we’d love to say thank you51000:23:46,760 –> 00:23:50,400by sending you a copy of Pilgrim’s progress,51100:23:50,400 –> 00:23:52,680John Bunyan’s classic allegory51200:23:52,680 –> 00:23:54,040of the Christian life,51300:23:54,040 –> 00:23:55,900which so many have enjoyed51400:23:55,900 –> 00:23:57,719and benefited by reading.51500:23:57,719 –> 00:23:59,560Along with a specially printed51600:23:59,560 –> 00:24:01,119open the Bible bookmark51700:24:01,119 –> 00:24:03,800and an open the Bible pen.51800:24:03,800 –> 00:24:05,380Colin, many people may have51900:24:05,380 –> 00:24:06,640heard of this book,52000:24:06,640 –> 00:24:07,680but not really know52100:24:07,680 –> 00:24:09,319what it’s all about.52200:24:09,319 –> 00:24:10,880Oh, well Pilgrim’s Progress52300:24:10,880 –> 00:24:13,439is a classic of Christian literature52400:24:13,439 –> 00:24:15,199that was written by John Bunyan52500:24:15,199 –> 00:24:17,319in the 17th century.52600:24:17,319 –> 00:24:19,520Bunyan’s one of my Heroes of the Faith.52700:24:19,520 –> 00:24:21,140He was a preacher of the gospel52800:24:21,140 –> 00:24:22,599and he was arrested52900:24:22,599 –> 00:24:24,300for preaching the gospel53000:24:24,300 –> 00:24:25,479during a time when there were53100:24:25,479 –> 00:24:29,000real restrictions on believers in England.53200:24:29,000 –> 00:24:31,239And during his time in prison,53300:24:31,239 –> 00:24:33,160he wrote this Christian classic53400:24:33,160 –> 00:24:35,260that is a story about a man53500:24:35,260 –> 00:24:36,760who takes a journey53600:24:36,760 –> 00:24:38,839from a city called Destruction53700:24:38,839 –> 00:24:40,260to the celestial city,53800:24:40,359 –> 00:24:42,560which is his way of speaking about heaven.53900:24:42,560 –> 00:24:46,300And it is full of profound insight54000:24:46,300 –> 00:24:47,900into the Christian life.54100:24:47,900 –> 00:24:50,099It’s so easy to read54200:24:50,099 –> 00:24:51,939and it is so rich54300:24:51,939 –> 00:24:53,500in what we can learn from it.54400:24:53,500 –> 00:24:55,199Well, we’d love to send you a copy54500:24:55,199 –> 00:24:56,699of Pilgrim’s Progress54600:24:56,699 –> 00:24:58,060as our way of saying thank you54700:24:58,060 –> 00:25:01,239for supporting Open the Bible Financially.54800:25:01,239 –> 00:25:03,339Full terms and conditions on our website54900:25:03,339 –> 00:25:06,479at OpenTheBible.org.uk.55000:25:07,400 –> 00:25:09,579For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,55100:25:09,859 –> 00:25:10,939I’m David Pick.55200:25:10,939 –> 00:25:12,099Thank you for joining us55300:25:12,099 –> 00:25:13,239and I hope we’ll see you again soon.55400:25:18,400 –> 00:25:20,459As long as you live in this world55500:25:20,459 –> 00:25:22,479you’ll never be the perfect Christian.55600:25:22,479 –> 00:25:24,459Find out why that’s a good thing55700:25:24,459 –> 00:25:26,119next time on Open the Bible.