Awakening to Spiritual Need Through the Law
Summary
In this evening's reflection, we delve into the profound insights of Paul's epistle to the Romans, specifically focusing on chapter 7, verses 8 and 9. The Apostle Paul presents a personal testimony of his spiritual journey, illustrating the transformative power of the law in revealing the true nature of sin and self. Initially, Paul describes a time when he lived "without the law," a period when sin seemed dormant, and he felt alive and self-sufficient. However, this was a deceptive state, as the law had not yet penetrated his heart to reveal the depth of his sinfulness.
Paul's experience underscores the law's role not as a means of justification or sanctification but as a mirror reflecting our true spiritual condition. The law, when it truly "comes" to us, awakens the dormant sin within, exposing our helplessness and driving us to despair of our own righteousness. This awakening is not to condemn us but to lead us to the realization of our need for Christ's redemptive work. The law's purpose is to bring us to the end of ourselves, to a place where we recognize our spiritual death and our desperate need for the life that only Christ can provide.
This journey from self-sufficiency to spiritual poverty is essential for true spiritual life. It is only when we acknowledge our spiritual deadness that we can be resurrected into new life in Christ. The Pharisees, with their outward righteousness, failed to see their need for a Savior, illustrating the danger of relying on self-righteousness. In contrast, the true measure of our spiritual state is our reaction to God's holiness and the cross of Christ. The cross reveals the depth of our sin and the extent of God's love, calling us to a life of humility and dependence on Him.
Key Takeaways:
- The Deceptive State of Self-Sufficiency: Before the law truly comes to us, we may live in a state of self-sufficiency, unaware of the dormant sin within. This deceptive state is marked by a false sense of spiritual vitality and self-righteousness, which blinds us to our true need for Christ. [07:21]
- The Law's True Purpose: The law is not a tool for justification or sanctification but a mirror that reveals our sinfulness. When the law comes with conviction, it awakens the sin within us, leading us to despair of our own righteousness and recognize our need for a Savior. [09:34]
- The Awakening to Spiritual Death: The realization of our spiritual deadness is the first sign of true spiritual life. It is only when we acknowledge our helplessness and poverty of spirit that we can be resurrected into new life in Christ. [31:48]
- The Danger of Self-Righteousness: The Pharisees' reliance on their own righteousness blinded them to their need for Christ. True spiritual health is measured not by our actions but by our reaction to God's holiness and the cross of Christ. [39:32]
- The Cross as the Ultimate Test: Our reaction to the cross reveals our true spiritual condition. The cross declares that we are all equally in need of salvation, challenging our self-righteousness and calling us to humility and dependence on Christ. [47:24]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Romans 7:8-9
- [01:07] - The Role of the Law
- [02:39] - Analyzing Paul's Statement
- [04:39] - Understanding "Without the Law"
- [07:21] - Paul's Experience Before the Law
- [09:34] - The Commandment Comes
- [11:37] - Sin's Dormancy and Awakening
- [14:56] - The Illusion of Being Alive
- [17:14] - The Pharisee's Self-Righteousness
- [22:27] - The Law's Impact on Sin
- [25:08] - Resistance Reveals Power
- [29:12] - The Death of Self-Reliance
- [34:34] - The Law's Inability to Sanctify
- [38:37] - The Cross as the Measure of Sin
- [45:13] - Spiritual Life Through Death
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 7:8-9
- Philippians 3:6-9
- Matthew 5:3-4
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean when he says he was "alive without the law once" in Romans 7:9? How does this relate to his understanding of sin and the law? [00:28]
2. In the sermon, how does the pastor describe the effect of the law coming to Paul? What change does it bring about in his understanding of sin? [07:53]
3. How does the pastor illustrate the concept of sin being "dormant" before the law comes? What analogy is used to explain this? [14:03]
4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the Pharisee's self-righteousness in understanding the danger of relying on one's own righteousness? [19:36]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the pastor interpret the phrase "sin revived and I died" in Romans 7:9? What does this reveal about Paul's spiritual journey? [23:14]
2. In what way does the pastor suggest that the law serves as a "mirror" for our spiritual condition? How does this understanding challenge the notion of self-sufficiency? [01:44]
3. How does the pastor use the story of the Pharisee and the Publican to illustrate the danger of self-righteousness? What lesson does this parable teach about humility and dependence on God? [19:36]
4. What does the pastor mean by saying that the first sign of spiritual life is to feel that one is spiritually dead? How does this relate to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-4? [45:13]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually self-sufficient. How did that affect your relationship with God and your understanding of sin? What steps can you take to cultivate a spirit of humility and dependence on Christ? [20:18]
2. The pastor emphasizes the importance of recognizing our spiritual deadness as a precursor to new life in Christ. How can you create space in your life for this kind of spiritual reflection and awakening? [31:48]
3. Consider the role of the law as a mirror in your own life. How can you use this understanding to identify areas where you might be relying on self-righteousness rather than Christ's righteousness? [01:44]
4. The sermon highlights the danger of self-righteousness, as seen in the Pharisees. How can you guard against this attitude in your daily interactions and spiritual practices? [39:32]
5. How does your reaction to the cross of Christ reveal your true spiritual condition? What specific actions can you take to align your life more closely with the humility and dependence that the cross calls for? [47:24]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel spiritually "alive" but may be ignoring the deeper issues of sin. How can you invite God's law to illuminate this area and bring about true spiritual transformation? [17:14]
7. The pastor mentions the importance of being "poor in spirit" as a sign of spiritual health. What practical steps can you take this week to embrace this attitude in your relationship with God and others? [31:48]
Devotional
Day 1: The Illusion of Self-Sufficiency
In our spiritual journey, we often find ourselves in a state of self-sufficiency, believing we are spiritually alive and self-righteous. This deceptive state is marked by a false sense of spiritual vitality, where sin seems dormant and we feel independent. However, this is an illusion, as the law has not yet penetrated our hearts to reveal the depth of our sinfulness. It is only when the law truly comes to us that we realize our helplessness and our need for Christ. This awakening is not meant to condemn us but to lead us to the realization of our need for Christ's redemptive work. [07:21]
Romans 3:20 (ESV): "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel self-sufficient. How can you invite God to reveal the truth of your spiritual condition in this area today?
Day 2: The Law as a Mirror
The law serves as a mirror, reflecting our true spiritual condition. It is not a tool for justification or sanctification but a means to awaken the dormant sin within us. When the law comes with conviction, it exposes our helplessness and drives us to despair of our own righteousness. This realization is crucial as it leads us to recognize our need for a Savior. The law's purpose is to bring us to the end of ourselves, to a place where we acknowledge our spiritual death and our desperate need for the life that only Christ can provide. [09:34]
Galatians 3:24 (ESV): "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent moment when you felt convicted by God's law. How did it reveal your need for Christ, and how can you respond to this revelation today?
Day 3: Awakening to Spiritual Death
The realization of our spiritual deadness is the first sign of true spiritual life. It is only when we acknowledge our helplessness and poverty of spirit that we can be resurrected into new life in Christ. This journey from self-sufficiency to spiritual poverty is essential for true spiritual life. The Pharisees, with their outward righteousness, failed to see their need for a Savior, illustrating the danger of relying on self-righteousness. In contrast, true spiritual health is measured by our reaction to God's holiness and the cross of Christ. [31:48]
Ephesians 2:1-2 (ESV): "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."
Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel spiritually dead. What steps can you take to invite Christ's resurrection power into this area today?
Day 4: The Danger of Self-Righteousness
The Pharisees' reliance on their own righteousness blinded them to their need for Christ. True spiritual health is not measured by our actions but by our reaction to God's holiness and the cross of Christ. The cross reveals the depth of our sin and the extent of God's love, calling us to a life of humility and dependence on Him. It challenges our self-righteousness and calls us to recognize our need for a Savior. [39:32]
Luke 18:9-14 (ESV): "He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 'Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector...'"
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you relied on your own righteousness. How can you shift your focus from self-reliance to dependence on Christ today?
Day 5: The Cross as the Ultimate Test
Our reaction to the cross reveals our true spiritual condition. The cross declares that we are all equally in need of salvation, challenging our self-righteousness and calling us to humility and dependence on Christ. It is the ultimate test of our spiritual state, as it reveals the depth of our sin and the extent of God's love. The cross calls us to a life of humility and dependence on Him, recognizing that we are all equally in need of His grace. [47:24]
1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV): "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Reflection: How does your reaction to the cross reflect your current spiritual condition? What steps can you take to deepen your dependence on Christ and His grace today?
Quotes
The Apostle is not using his picture of the fulcrum now he's rather using now the picture of the way in which a resistance always brings out a power if you want to exercise your muscles one of the best way to do so is to start lifting up weights you've got your muscles you see and there's always a certain amount of power in a muscle. [00:24:12]
The law brings out the real strength and reveals the real nature and character of sin. How did it do it? Well, the law irritated it, it Disturbed it, and by its prohibitions, it aroused it. As I say, it put its foot on the accelerator or if you like another way of looking at it. [00:23:41]
The first sign of spiritual life is to feel that you're dead when the Commandment came sin revived I died thank God the moment a man's dead there's a possibility he'll be resurrected but a man who's alive and on his feet will never be resurrected never. [00:45:06]
The law can never justify a man still less sanctify him that's what he's setting out to prove that the law cannot sanctify that a man can never be Sanctified by means of the law by keeping the Deeds of the law he can never sanctify himself. [00:35:00]
The moment he realized sin was alive he died yes but when he didn't realize it he was alive because he thought sin was dead or another way I could put it is this it was all because he hadn't understood the law because he hadn't understood the law he was not aware of the power of sin. [00:17:06]
The law is a good thing because it is the law that has brought me to this knowledge of sin well very well if that is true why then can it be said as was said in verse five that the Motions of sin which were by the law worked in me all manner of concupisent. [00:01:41]
The law was not really doing it work in him he was virtually in a position as if there was no law it's wrong of course there never was such a position but as far as his knowledge and his experience went that was the position now as we come on and look at the other terms. [00:07:24]
The law, when it truly "comes" to us, awakens the dormant sin within, exposing our helplessness and driving us to despair of our own righteousness. This awakening is not to condemn us but to lead us to the realization of our need for Christ's redemptive work. [00:09:34]
The realization of our spiritual deadness is the first sign of true spiritual life. It is only when we acknowledge our helplessness and poverty of spirit that we can be resurrected into new life in Christ. [00:31:48]
The cross declares that we are all equally in need of salvation, challenging our self-righteousness and calling us to humility and dependence on Christ. [00:47:24]
The Pharisees' reliance on their own righteousness blinded them to their need for Christ. True spiritual health is measured not by our actions but by our reaction to God's holiness and the cross of Christ. [00:39:32]
The law's purpose is to bring us to the end of ourselves, to a place where we recognize our spiritual death and our desperate need for the life that only Christ can provide. [00:00:00]
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