How do we experience victory in Christ?  How do we experience the victorious Christian life?  This is the great and practical question for everyone who has put his trust in Christ.  In Romans 1-3.20 Paul sets forward the problem of sin and its devastating effect upon the human race.  In 3.21-5 he sets forward the doctrine for the solution to sin--faith in Christ.  In chapter 6 he begins to talk about the practical aspects of the Christian life following salvation.   That is, he begins to discuss sanctification.  Chapter 6 is devoted to the doctrine, chapter 7 the defeat, and chapter 8 the deliverance.

In the first seven chapters of Romans, the Holy Spirit is mentioned only in Romans 5.5.  But in Romans 8, he is mentioned 19 times!  The way of victory in the Christian life is by the Holy Spirit.  The Mosaic Law was powerless to achieve righteousness.  Does this mean that the Law was defective?  Not at all.  The problem is with us.  Paul refers to the problem as the "flesh".   It is his description of our Adamic nature.  The Law was holy, righteous, and good (Rom. 7.12) but our flesh (the old Adamic nature) is incapable of keeping it.  Paul says,

"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8.3-4).

The moment a person puts his trust in Christ, he is baptized by the Holy Spirit.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12.13,

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit".

Paul also says,

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1.13-14).

All believers in Christ have the Holy Spirit indwelling them.  It is he who has power, who has made us alive to God.  When we yield ourselves to him, we can live a righteous and pleasing life before God.

Paul tells us that there a warfare going on between the flesh and the Spirit.  He says,

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law" (Gal. 5.16-17).

There are two parts to sanctification and spiritual growth.  One part is what God does through the Holy Spirit.  The other part we do.  Our part is to believe the Scriptures, what God says, and obey God.  The Holy Spirit's work in us and our believing the Bible and obeying Christ are inseparably linked.  It is much like a seed planted in the ground.  Intrinsic to a seed is the ability of growth and maturity.  But a seed's growth and maturity is also dependent on being watered, fertilized, and tended.  We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and our spirits have been quickened through the new birth.  This is like a seed's intrinsic power to become a mature plant.  Exercising faith is like the plant being watered, fertilized, and nurtured.  Paul described this process:

"But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth" (2 Thes. 2.13).

Faith

Faith our most basic means of perception of reality and truth.  Faith is believing what God says.  We begin the Christian journey by faith.  Just as one believes the gospel, that Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead, so we are to believe the truths that God tells us in his Word.  When we believe them, the Holy Spirit is able to work with us to the image of Christ.  The Scriptures declare that it is impossible to please God without faith.  Faith is the means of apprehending God.   The 11th chapter of Hebrews tells how Old Testament believers gained God's approval and how they lived victorious lives.  It is the same for us.  The Word of God in cooperation with the Holy Spirit has the ability to make us like Christ.    

The writer of Hebrews warned his readers not to be like the generation that came out of Egypt but failed to enter the Promised Land.  They failed because of unbelief.  Entering the Promised Land is representative for us of victory in Christ in our everyday lives.

"Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard" (Heb. 4.1-2).

The writer to the Hebrews in chapter 11 of his letter describes the heroes of the Old Testament and how they achieved victory through faith.  He says,

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by it the men of old gained approval....   And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Heb. 11.1-2,6).

What are some of the things we need to believe?  One is to believe what God says about or new nature and our old nature.  In Romans 6, Paul says that we have died to sin, have been baptized into Christ's death, and have been buried with Christ through baptism into his death.  God sees us as having died with Christ in order that we might walk in newness of life.  Paul declares,

"For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin....  Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6.5-7,11).  

Other things we need to believe are what God says about the blessings he have given us:

• Justification
• Redemption
• Regeneration
• Sonship
• Joint-Heirs
• Reconciliation
• Forgiveness
• Eternal Life
• Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
• Resurrection

Word of God

The Scriptures are God-breathed.  They are the breath of God.  They are life.  They are also the means of our sanctification.  When we believe the Word of God, God uses his Word to make us like Christ.  In the garden before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed to his Father,

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17.17).

Paul speaks of the washing of the Word.  This refers to the Word of God's cleansing and sanctifying ability for the believer in Christ:

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless" (Eph. 5.25-27).

Our minds have been corrupted by Adam's sin.  They need renewing.  This is accomplished by our thinking on and believing the Scriptures and thinking on the things of God.  There is a story of an old fellow who had lived a life of degradation and had become an alcoholic.  One day the Lord saved him.  His life changed wonderfully.  But every day his had to go past a bar to get his mail.   He told a friend in a conversation, "Every time I go past my old haunt, it's like two little dogs are inside me fighting.  A little black dog is fighting against a little white dog.  The little black dog says, 'Go inside, go back to your old life.'"  The little white dog says, "Go get the mail!"  His friend asked, "Well, which dog wins?"  He said, "The one I feed best."  So it is with us.  If we feed the flesh, the old Adamic nature, it will win.  If we feed our new nature, it will win.  Paul urged his Roman readers to present their bodies to God and to transform their minds:

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12.1-2). 

Paul told the Philippians to think on and let their minds dwell on good things:

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you" (Phil. 4.8-9).

The Word of God is alive.  Jesus declared that it is the means of our spiritual life when he declared in Matthew 4.4,

"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'". 

The writer to the Hebrews says,

"For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4.12).

The work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God are the primary means of spiritual growth.  God also works through other support means to sanctify us.  These include the following:

• Fellowship
• Prayer
• Confession of sin
• Love of Christ

Fellowship

Paul taught that all Christians are the body of Christ.   This we call the Church.  The true Church is an organism, not an organization.   We are part of one another.  Each member is important to the health of the whole.  For that reason, we should encourage and uphold one another.  This is what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, who had problems of divisions and rivalry: 

"For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.  For the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot says, «Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,» it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, «Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,» it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.   If they were all one member, where would the body be?  But now there are many members, but one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, «I have no need of you»; or again the head to the feet, «I have no need of you.»  On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.  Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it" (1 Cor. 12.12-27).

Prayer

Pray is our communicating with God.  God speaks to us through his Word.  We speak to him through prayer.  Just as we tell our needs and concerns to close friends, we can tell God our deepest griefs and troubles.  He understands everything that is happening to us.  We can also praise him for who he is and all the wonderful blessings he has given us.  No matter how badly things may be, we can receive a blessing and encourage our souls by praising God.  Paul suffered as few have.  He had tremendous pressures upon him.  But what comes through all his epistles is his tremendous joy in Christ.   In Philippians, he wrote:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!   Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4.4-7).

Confession of sin

Confession of sin might be thought of as "keeping short accounts with God".  We all sin.  When we do, we need to confess that sin to God as soon as possible to allow the Holy Spirit to return to his control of us.   We have God's promise that confession will be met with cleansing.  The Scriptures clearly declare that we have been forgiven.  What John is talking about in the verses below is daily, experiential cleansing:

"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.   If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us" (1 John 1.7-10).

Love of Christ

The Scriptures tell us that if we love Christ, we will want to please him by obeying him.  Paul says,

"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (2 Cor. 5.14-15).

The word for "control" in the verse above is the Greek word sune/xw. It means to "constrain" or "hold in check".  Probably the phrase "love of Christ" is best taken as an objective genitive, which means that our love for Christ constrains or holds us in check with regard to sin.  Paul is saying in this verse, that since Christ died for us and in light of the love that he exercised towards us, our proper response in love is to live in a manner pleasing to him. 

Jesus said in John 14.15,

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments". 

Obedience to and faith in Christ are united concepts.  Illustrating this, John the Baptizer, makes the the parallel,

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him".

Faith and obedience are intertwined.  The old hymn, Trust and Obey, echoes this idea.  It says,

Trust and obey,
For there's no other way,
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

Jesus said that if we love him, we will obey him.    

"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."  Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, 'Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?'  Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me" (John 14.21-24).

tw~| a)gapw~nti h(ma~j kai\ lu/santi h(ma~j e)k tw~n a(martiw~n h(mw~n e)n tw|~ a(i/mati au)tou~.

©1998 Don Samdahl.  Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.

Updated Sunday, August 25, 2002