Spiritual Depression Part 15

The Spirit of Bondage

Romans 8:11–17

• The spirit of bondage is a slave attitude to the law
• Occurs in the saved and unsaved
• Believer can live Christian life rightly or wrongly:
  • Living by fulfilling law (wrong)
  • Living to honor Christ (right)
• Strive for holiness for God's glory, not to follow rules
• We should not elevate personal standards over biblical principles, doctrine and God's glory
• Motive for furthering standards should be biblical, not personal self-righteousness
• Attitude should be proper balance between biblical truth and Christian living (Colossians 2:16-23)
• Naturally, we "like" rules - makes order relevant and easy. But it robs God of glory; puts the focus on our ability, and not on God's grace.
• We are to walk worthy not to gain God or self righteousness, but because God has
  enabled it. We are to fear God not as a taskmaster, but in reverence.