|
|
|
|
SIN – SIN – SIN "God be merciful to me a sinner!" (Luke 18:13) What has happened to us that we don’t live according to what we are taught by the Spirit? Do we not know that the outward man is perishing every day, but the inward man is being renewed? People don’t want to go to church because what they used to feel they don’t feel anymore. That is carnality. We attend church so that our spirit man will learn how to rule. Do you know why you don’t feel well? Because doctrines of the flesh are trying to destroy your spirit man. God says He wants the spirit to rule. We are creatures of a sin nature unless we allow the Spirit of God to be in charge. Everyone that dies will be judged according to God’s rules. Everyone who has been given the truth of God’s word will be judged according to God’s law. That means if you don’t follow what you know to be the truth, then you are in trouble. But those who do not know what God’s laws are and who have not received the grace of God will not be judged by God’s law. They will be judged by their hearts because God has placed within each man’s conscious something that condemns or commends their actions. God’s Word says that on the Day of Judgment Jesus Christ will reveal men’s secrets. In Luke 13:11 the Pharisee says, "I thank God, I am not like other people." He is a liar. Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous no not one. There is none that seeks after God. They have all turned aside." God is speaking about the flesh. Romans 3:20 "No man can justify himself before God" except when he uses God’s laws to show him how wrong he is. The man who truly has a heart of forgiveness is the one who cries out, "God, be merciful to me a sinner." No matter who that person is, righteousness will be imparted to that one who calls upon the name of the Lord. God Himself will justify every man who has faith in Jesus Christ. For those who are truly sincere, there will be no room to boast. Why? Because when we accept faith in Jesus Christ, the law is fulfilled in our lives. If a person goes to work and gets paid, he has received his reward. But if a man, regardless of what he does, puts his trust in God, then he receives a gift from God – called salvation. The Bible says that man’s faith is counted as righteousness, which is the gift of God. And that gift produces joy in a man’s life, regardless of what he does. Now, what keeps a person joyful? Romans 4 tells us that because of Abraham’s faith it was accounted to him as righteousness. Did he have to do anything to receive this righteousness except to believe? When we receive God’s free gift — not by our merits of goodness or deeds — we will then fulfill the commands of God’s Word. Every promise given to Abraham after he believed was not because of special works, but through obedience to the law. The only way you can receive any promise from God is through obedience to the Spirit, which is by the Word of God. When we live by faith, in spite of trials and tribulation, we can be full of joy even on earth. When we walk in the right spirit, everything that we do will give us patient endurance, character and the hope that will not fail. Yet this question about sin keeps facing us every day. Romans 6 tells us we will have no more desire to sin if we are walking in faith. A dead man is safe from the power of sin. So if we live as dead men to the flesh, we will be safe from sin, and we are made new by the power of His resurrection. You can deliver yourself by denying your flesh. Don’t allow sin to have any power over your body, because when you do it becomes a weapon of evil for the devil’s purpose. Instead, put yourselves in God’s hands as weapons for His good. You belong to the power that you choose to obey. To those who serve sin, the payment or reward is death (spiritual). To those who serve righteousness, the gift that produces continual joy is Jesus. I find myself having the will to do good, but not the power. Romans 7 gives us the understanding of who we are in Christ. IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US THAT IS THAT POWER TO OVERCOME. He produces the holiness. You can have gifts from God but still live carnally. How do you know if you are living carnally? You will have UNCEASING CONFLICTS – REPEATED DEFEATS – CANNOT HELP OTHERS. Then you think, "Why can’t I overcome?" Paul says, "In my mind I am God’s willing servant, but in my members I am bound to the law of sin and death." Sin in your members is a law. You can’t overcome a law. A law is always true. It acts the same with no exceptions. And it applies to everyone. The law of gravity says whatever goes up must come down. You can’t hold everything up. Eventually you will fail. The flesh will give in eventually. Sin is no accident. It is a law. The first seven chapters of Romans is the principle of sin. We must know it, we must understand it. But now hear this! IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON! Get out of SIN – SIN – SIN! In order for you to go forward in Christ, get out of repeated SIN! Too many want to live in Romans 1-7. God wants us in Romans 8: (Rom 8:1-2 KJV) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. {2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." And He will do it if we stay out of sin. When the Holy Spirit operates in your life, it becomes the overriding law of the flesh. Let Jesus live through you and you won’t wrestle with the enemy. Yes, testings remain, but through the Spirit you overcome!! There is no more condemnation = "to judge against, to sentence, to condemn, to damn, to call into question as a punishment." But we must have conviction = "to convince, to tell a fault, to rebuke, to reprove patiently." "Who do not walk after the flesh, but after the spirit." (Rom. 8:1 KJV) I believe every one of you want to do what it right. You really want to be an example of Christ to others. But Satan keeps you locked up and confused. When you consistently walk in the Spirit, you will know the difference to the point you will not allow harassment to harm you. You will overcome to the point that Christ will be seen in you. -Pr. Steve September Newsletter 1998 | Sin - Sin - Sin | Uncovering Hidden Strongholds Pastor's Journal September 1997 | A Family That Prays Together | A People of Understanding part 2 of 4 Revised: August 29, 2007. |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
|
|
Copyright © 1995-2007 Living Word Christian
Fellowship, Inc.
|
