If we have died to the law and have been freed from sin, how do we live a life pleasing to God? In chapter 8, Paul explains how the Spirit enables the righteous to live by faith.

Outline

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.

The law is useless for salvation no matter how hard we try.

Paul has already argued this in the previous chapters

Sin adheres to our nature and results in death.

Properly understood this should lead us to despair of obtaining eternal life apart from Christ Jesus

Therefore God sent his Son to save us.

He was human, yet active in humanity’s creation

God condemned him for our sin and had him crucified so that the requirements of the law would be satisfied.

This opened a completely different path to eternal life—faith in Christ Jesus.

God sent his Spirit to guide us into this new way to him.

We need help to find this path

The mind set on pleasure or duty finds only death

The things of the Spirit are faith and hope and love which are ours in Christ Jesus.

The Spirit leads us to Christ and it is in him that we find eternal life.

Follow the Spirit’s lead

Come to Jesus

Join him in his death and resurrection

Place your trust in Christ and his cross for it is from him that you receive eternal life.