Know where you stand

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Some fences are invisible. Years ago I was walking along the sidewalk and there was a dog that came out of nowhere and started barking at me as it ran toward me. And I was scared. But then, right before it got to me it suddenly stopped. It didn’t stop barking. But it somehow, almost magically, stayed a few feet away from me. This was the weirdest experience. Later on I learned that there are these inventions called “invisible fences.” If the dog gets close to the boundary, it gets pummeled with loud sounds—sounds that we cannot hear. And then, over time, it learns not just to stay in the boundary, but exactly where the boundary was. But, imagine if I strayed just one foot across that invisible line. It would get me. It’s important to know where you stand. It’s important in our everyday life. But it’s even more important in our spiritual life. In Romans 8, we read these important words: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV11-GKE)

 In these words there is a boundary, an outside and an inside. In Christ there is no condemnation. And if ever there were an important time to speak about this, it’s right now when we are wrestling through all the issues with the corona virus. Whenever a disaster happens, one of the questions we can ask is this: “Is God getting back at me?” If any of us were to get the Corona Virus, you can very well know that that would be a tempting thought each of us would have. And that’s why we keep coming back to our bibles and to parts of the bible like this. Even if we were to get the virus it would not change this fact: There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And what follows then is the Holy Spirit answering the question, “how do you know?” “2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:2–4 NIV11-GKE)

Christ did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He took on frail flesh, looking and seeming to everyone who saw him here on this earth as if he were a sinner like the rest of us. But he was not. He was perfect. He was holy. And so, when he offered up his body on the cross, his sacrifice covers the sin of the entire world. And that means each and every one of our sins is forgiven.

There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Since this is true, take your stand on it because you know where you stand. When tragedies come—and they will, there will be this temptation to conclude that whether it’s earthquake, famine, or flood, disease, pestilence, or virus—there will be this temptation to conclude that these general disasters are because of my specific sin. Know where you stand. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. For he has set us free from sin. But these words continue: “⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5–8 NIV11-GKE)

Why do unbelievers act so ungodly? When you watch TV and the people talk about the Corona Virus, don’t you want to reach through the TV screen and shake them by the shoulders and say, “Don’t you get it? God is the one you should be talking about and talking to.’” Instead, they put their hope, trust, and confidence in modern science and in a future economy. Why don’t they just realize that God is the one who is in control of all things? And he is in control for our good. These words answer that question. If a person is an unbeliever they are unable. Their flesh owns them. To put it differently, their sinful nature owns them. They are unable to love God because they hate God. They do not able to yield to God’s leading in their lives because they are not able to. They do not please God because they are not able to.

When you understand this fact it will completely change how you treat those on the outside of the church. The carrot and stick, rewards and punishment method of conversation and motivation will not work. They do not understand you. They are not able to understand you. Martin Luther once said that until the Holy Spirit enlightens you, as much as you open your Bible and read it, it will remain a closed book. So, instead what do we do? We patiently share God’s word. For through it the Holy Spirit creates the miracle of faith and trust in him.

But my dear friends, instead of asking the question, “why do unbelievers act so ungodly,” what the Holy Spirit also wants us to ask is “why do we still act so ungodly?” And the answer is that, even though we are Christians and are now “in Christ,” we also have this sinful nature inside of us too. It pulls us and persuades us to think and feel in ways that we know are wrong. We might get frustrated at unbelievers because they do not trust in God. But, as the Holy Spirit shows us here, they are unable to know and please God. What excuse do you have? In times like this, we should be the first to trust our God that he will take care of us in times of trial and tragedy.

About 90 years ago there was a Christian man who owned a large business. And he had in his office one day a man who was looking for donations for his Christian organization. He wrote out the man a generous check. And right after he wrote the man this generous check a clerk came into his office with a sheet of paper saying that the stock market had crashed. All his money was about to be gone. His business was done. The owner of the business asked for the check back. And, reluctantly, the man handed the check back to the owner of the business. The owner tore up the check. And then, he sat down and wrote him out a check for twice the amount as before and handed it to the man. The man was shocked. But the owner said, “I know that the good Lord will take care of me whether I’m rich or poor. But I have this money here for you and your ministry today. Tomorrow I will not.’”

Notice what was going on here. The owner trusted Christ when times of tragedy struck. How sad it is that we have these real and true temptations to not trust when tragedy strikes. Instead of writing out even larger checks to thank the God who promises to provide and protect we face the temptation to write out checks to fill up our cabinets with bathroom supplies. Instead of praying words of trust and thanksgiving, we are tempted to panic and not pray at all. Instead of reading our bibles to hear God’s true promises to us, we face the temptation to watch that 24 hour news channel as if it can solve the problems we face. We can be frustrated that the ungodly that they act so ungodly. But we too can act the same way, not trusting the God we actually know. That’s why these words that Paul closes this section with are so valuable and beautiful: “⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 1⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:9–10 NIV11-GKE)

 Notice the several times Paul says, “if.” Very often, when we say, “if,” we introduce doubt, not fact. These “if ” statements are the opposite. If the Spirit of God lives in you (and he does!). If Christ is in you (and he is!). If both of these are true (and they are), then what also is true? The Spirit will give you life. He will give you trust, confidence, and hope not just to know who the true God is and trust in him. But he will also give you the joy and zeal to show that trust in your offerings, your prayers, and your times spent reading God’s word. Know where you stand. You stand in Christ. Christ has set you free from sin. Christ has given you the Holy Spirit. Amen.