Gospel Life Church

08/21/2016

How is FAITH NOT a Work?1 Corinthians 12:3b “no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit”1 Thessalonians 1:5 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.Romans 3:27 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.Romans 10:9–11:69 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But,…here is the problem…14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have: “The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.” 19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did,I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. 6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. Believing then receiving grace = works salvationReceiving grace then believing then receiving more grace = graceFaith is the sign you have received GRACEJohn 3:36 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” Notice how John ties believing and obeying together. Those who believe, because it is by the power of the Holy Spirit, will obey by the power of the Holy Spirit (see the beginning of John 3)Believing is the sign you have received grace.Atheists have commented that there is nothing more impossible than to believe.If you have FAITH this morning, rejoice that you have been shown grace.But, does anyone here ever worry that they might stop believing and drift away?Have you ever had a job where you were in constant fear of losing it or being fired because it was known that the company was doing lay-offs?Have you ever been in a relationship where you thought the other person might leave you or cheat on you?Have you ever had a house where you worried that the bank was going to foreclose on you?Does this seem like the way God would want you to live, always worrying about whether he was going to leave you and forsake you?What kind of Christian life would we have if we had no security or stability?John 6:38–4038 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” What kind of life is it? Eternal life. Eternal life that lasts 5 minutes is not eternal life.Having Eternal life guarantees we will be raised up at the last day.John 10:27–3027 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” John 5:2424 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. 1 John 5:1313 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.So we see clearly and repeatedly the connection between believing and eternal life. Its not merely the connection between believing and salvation, but eternal life.Those who believe have the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will forever remain God’s people.Ephesians 1:1414 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Philippians 1:66 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. The Holy Spirit will cause you to persevere. We are talking about Eternal Security, but this is also known as “The Perseverance of the Saints.”John 8:31–3231 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Matthew 10:22bBut everyone who endures to the end will be saved.Hebrews 3:1414 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO DO DRIFT AWAY?John clearly states that when people fall away from fellowship with the church and from belief in Christ they thereby show that their faith was not real in the first place and that they were never part of the true body of Christ. 1 JOHN 2:1919 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. So we say, those who drift away never truly had the Holy Spirit.Remember, we interpret the obscure passages of Scripture through the lens of clear passages of Scripture.Matthew 26:2220 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” 22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” So we see the disciples had no idea who it was.John 6:6464 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)Parable of the SowerMark 43 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. 7 When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. 8 But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. 9 Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. The writer is talking about those who live within the life of the church but eventually fall away.Vv. 7–8 give us a clue who he is talking about.Matthew 3:8–108 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. Therefore the author wants to give a severe warning to those in danger of slipping away from their Christian profession. He wants to use the strongest language possible to say, “Here is how far a person can come in experiencing temporary blessings and still not really be saved.” He is warning them to watch out, because depending on temporary blessings and experiences is not enough. To do this he talks not of any true change of heart or any good fruit produced, but simply about the temporary blessings and experiences that have come to these persons and have given them some understanding of Christianity.I want to leave you with this challenge:Hebrew 3:11–4:311 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. Philippians 2:12bWork hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.Have you been drifting away?Have you allowed sin in your life?Are you growing cold?Are you hiding your gifts and refusing to use them?For the honor due His name lets work hard, lets give it our all to the One who is worthy, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega, the Lion from the tribe of Judah. Let’s not hold back but lets give it our all.LOVE ON THE LINETo the One who has rescued my soulTo the One who has welcomed me homeTo the One who is Savior of allI sing forever

How is FAITH NOT a Work?1 Corinthians 12:3b “no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit”1 Thessalonians 1:5 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.Romans 3:27 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.Romans 10:9–11:69 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But,…here is the problem…14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have: “The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.” 19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did,I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. 6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. Believing then receiving grace = works salvationReceiving grace then believing then receiving more grace = graceFaith is the sign you have received GRACEJohn 3:36 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” Notice how John ties believing and obeying together. Those who believe, because it is by the power of the Holy Spirit, will obey by the power of the Holy Spirit (see the beginning of John 3)Believing is the sign you have received grace.Atheists have commented that there is nothing more impossible than to believe.If you have FAITH this morning, rejoice that you have been shown grace.But, does anyone here ever worry that they might stop believing and drift away?Have you ever had a job where you were in constant fear of losing it or being fired because it was known that the company was doing lay-offs?Have you ever been in a relationship where you thought the other person might leave you or cheat on you?Have you ever had a house where you worried that the bank was going to foreclose on you?Does this seem like the way God would want you to live, always worrying about whether he was going to leave you and forsake you?What kind of Christian life would we have if we had no security or stability?John 6:38–4038 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” What kind of life is it? Eternal life. Eternal life that lasts 5 minutes is not eternal life.Having Eternal life guarantees we will be raised up at the last day.John 10:27–3027 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” John 5:2424 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. 1 John 5:1313 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.So we see clearly and repeatedly the connection between believing and eternal life. Its not merely the connection between believing and salvation, but eternal life.Those who believe have the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will forever remain God’s people.Ephesians 1:1414 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Philippians 1:66 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. The Holy Spirit will cause you to persevere. We are talking about Eternal Security, but this is also known as “The Perseverance of the Saints.”John 8:31–3231 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Matthew 10:22bBut everyone who endures to the end will be saved.Hebrews 3:1414 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO DO DRIFT AWAY?John clearly states that when people fall away from fellowship with the church and from belief in Christ they thereby show that their faith was not real in the first place and that they were never part of the true body of Christ. 1 JOHN 2:1919 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. So we say, those who drift away never truly had the Holy Spirit.Remember, we interpret the obscure passages of Scripture through the lens of clear passages of Scripture.Matthew 26:2220 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” 22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” So we see the disciples had no idea who it was.John 6:6464 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)Parable of the SowerMark 43 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. 7 When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. 8 But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. 9 Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. The writer is talking about those who live within the life of the church but eventually fall away.Vv. 7–8 give us a clue who he is talking about.Matthew 3:8–108 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. Therefore the author wants to give a severe warning to those in danger of slipping away from their Christian profession. He wants to use the strongest language possible to say, “Here is how far a person can come in experiencing temporary blessings and still not really be saved.” He is warning them to watch out, because depending on temporary blessings and experiences is not enough. To do this he talks not of any true change of heart or any good fruit produced, but simply about the temporary blessings and experiences that have come to these persons and have given them some understanding of Christianity.I want to leave you with this challenge:Hebrew 3:11–4:311 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. Philippians 2:12bWork hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.Have you been drifting away?Have you allowed sin in your life?Are you growing cold?Are you hiding your gifts and refusing to use them?For the honor due His name lets work hard, lets give it our all to the One who is worthy, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega, the Lion from the tribe of Judah. Let’s not hold back but lets give it our all.LOVE ON THE LINETo the One who has rescued my soulTo the One who has welcomed me homeTo the One who is Savior of allI sing forever

The ability to make promises is a uniquely human activity. Many people view the marriage covenant as constricting. But the knot which you tie in marriage is not a noose. Actually, when you make a promise you are in a state where you are your most free and your most human. How so? Well, animals can't make promises. Everything they do occurs by instinct. If their hormones tell them to migrate, they migrate. Humans, however, are moral agents. We do not have to follow our feelings and emotions. We have the ability to stand against them. The person who always runs away from pain and follows their feelings is no different from the rest of the animal kingdom. They are enslaved to their emotions. The person who sticks by a promise, even when it hurts, demonstrates that they have the capacity for faithfulness. It is an act of moral courage. Such a person is truly free. Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Transition: So what is this freedom Paul is talking about in Galatians. Before we answer this question, I want to set up another problem first.Notice Romans 2:5ff. 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.See also: Romans 2:13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. First, who is Paul talking about here? See 2 Corinthians 3:1–6 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. 4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.We could also look at Deuteronomy 30 and Ezekiel 36.Paul is symphonically referencing Gentile Christians.But notice what He says about judging. See Romans 2:6 & 13.We see the same thing in the following texts:Psalm 62:12 Surely you repay all people according to what they have done. Revelation 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.1 Peter 1:17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.Revelation 2:23 Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. So wait, I thought we were saved on the basis of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are saved by faith not by works. That is true, but the verses we have just read are also true, and if we ignore them then we are left with a reduction of what the Bible teaches. So how do we put these things together?Just as in the ancient world, all roads led to Rome, so too in the Bible all roads lead to Romans since it is the pinnacle of theological truth. What Paul does so frequently in the book of Romans is to highlight a topic that he will return too in a fuller expression later on in the book. This is why it is important to read the book as a whole. There are some vital truths you will never see if you merely stick with the Romans Road. So lets skip ahead and see how Paul puts these truths together.Romans 8:1–2 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. V.1 refers to the judgement call Jesus will make about us at the final judgement.Romans 8:12–14 12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. You say I'm adding works to salvation or justification. No, I'm acknowledging the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm acknowledging there is a difference between those who merely want to be saved from the penalty of sin and those who want to be saved from committing sin. Paul says the same thing in Galatians 6:8: 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.If you say you have Jesus, then you also have the Spirit of Jesus, and this Holy Spirit will cause you to desire to please God.Galatians 4:6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father. Its a both/and. If you have Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you don’t really have Jesus.A text that puts these two things together is… 2 Corinthians 5:9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. So we see that those who truly do believe in Jesus, have as their goal a desire to please God.Our tendency has been to think that we can never please God. That all the good we do is as filthy rags.Isaiah 64:6 6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. But what does the previous verse say? Isaiah 64:4–5 4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! 5 You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. Hear the following verses on pleasing God: Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable (euarestos- “well-pleasing”). See also the end of verse 2 “which is good and pleasing and perfect”Romans 14:17–18 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.Philippians 2:12–13 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. So, it all comes down to, do u want to please God? Don't just say yes. That's too risky when we consider we have a God that doesn't show favoritism. Does your life and the way it's lived say yes.So when we work to please God, is it us or is it the Holy Spirit working? The answer is “yes.”Colossians 1:29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.Humans become genuinely human, genuinely free, when the Spirit is at work within them so that they choose to act, and choose to become people who more and more act in ways which reflect God’s image, which give him pleasure, which brings glory to His name, which do what the law had in mind all along. This leads to the final verdict, “Well done good and faithful servant.”Those who have the Spirit of God do not just wait around for God to change them. If the fruit of the Spirit happened without any human thought or moral effort why did Paul urge the Galatians to develop the fruit of the Spirit.So this is where humans are truly free. This is what it means to be a slave of Christ. We live to please God and that is all that matters. Are you living this way? If not perhaps its bc you don’t have the Holy Spirit. Are you a Christian that has lost your way and you have started focusing on pleasing self? If you are a Christian I promise you will find that this does not bring happiness. ILLUSTRATION: 41 YEARS OLD, CANT MESS AROUND.I am not going to find happiness in seeking to please myself, that is, my primary fallen nature. Believe that. Not going to happen. Especially if you are a Christian. I'm going to find happiness by seeking to please God. CG QUESTIONS 1. When we say Old Covenant, what covenant are we referring to? 2. Please read the following texts: Deuteronomy 30:1–8 “In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the Lord your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions. 2 If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you. 4 Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. 5 The Lord your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again. Then he will make you even more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors! 6 “The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! 7 The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you. 8 Then you will again obey the Lord and keep all his commands that I am giving you today. Jeremiah 31:31–34 31 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” 2 Corinthians 3:3–6 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. 4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. So, is the new covenant a Plan B or is it something the LORD has been planning from the beginning? How do you know?3. What is the primary difference between the Old & the New Covenant according to these verses?ANSWER: The Holy Spirit4. When did the New Covenant go into effect? How do you know? (See the following texts)Hebrews 9:15 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Hebrews 10:16–18 16 “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” 18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. Hebrews 12:24 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. 1 Corinthians 11:25 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”(SIDENOTE, EXTRA CREDIT :-) There are some who will say that the New Covenant is both strictly for the future and strictly given for ethnic Israelites. They say the new covenant promise was made to the nation of Israel so it is strictly for the nation of Israel and won't go into effect until Jesus is ruling from the throne of David in Jerusalem after the second coming during the millennium. I didn't have time to get into this during the sermon, but Romans 2:28–29 speaks to this issue specifically and in my opinion is a STRONG counter argument to such a position:Romans 2:28–29 28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Keep in mind the word "true" is not in the original text so you won't see it for instance in translations like the New American Standard, KJV, or ESV. Notice that Paul here is calling Gentile Christians Jews based on the New Covenant.)5. How did we say that the concepts of "freedom in Christ" and "slavery" fit together?Galatians 5:13 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.6. Is it possible to please God with our good works? How would you demonstrate your answer from Scripture?ANSWER: Based on the following texts the answer is yes, but what we MUST understand is that God is NEVER pleased with our good works as the basis for our salvation. We are saved for good works, not on the basis of good works (Ephesians 2:8–10)Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable (euarestos- “well-pleasing”). See also the end of verse 2 “which is good and pleasing and perfect”Romans 14:17–18 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.Philippians 2:12–13 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 7. We saw from the following texts that everyone will be judged. Based on how you are living your life, how you spend your time, talent, and treasure, do you expect to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant" on judgement day? Please explain. Why? What evidence would you give?Psalm 62:12 Surely you repay all people according to what they have done. Revelation 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.1 Peter 1:17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.Revelation 2:23 Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 8. When struggling with some conflict in life, when pressured and stressed, does it make it simpler to consider in those situations that all that matters is pleasing the Lord? Does this help you see distinctly the difference between our desires to please self, and the desire to please the LORD? Please explain.

The ability to make promises is a uniquely human activity. Many people view the marriage covenant as constricting. But the knot which you tie in marriage is not a noose. Actually, when you make a promise you are in a state where you are your most free and your most human. How so? Well, animals can't make promises. Everything they do occurs by instinct. If their hormones tell them to migrate, they migrate. Humans, however, are moral agents. We do not have to follow our feelings and emotions. We have the ability to stand against them. The person who always runs away from pain and follows their feelings is no different from the rest of the animal kingdom. They are enslaved to their emotions. The person who sticks by a promise, even when it hurts, demonstrates that they have the capacity for faithfulness. It is an act of moral courage. Such a person is truly free. Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Transition: So what is this freedom Paul is talking about in Galatians. Before we answer this question, I want to set up another problem first.Notice Romans 2:5ff. 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.See also: Romans 2:13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. First, who is Paul talking about here? See 2 Corinthians 3:1–6 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. 4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.We could also look at Deuteronomy 30 and Ezekiel 36.Paul is symphonically referencing Gentile Christians.But notice what He says about judging. See Romans 2:6 & 13.We see the same thing in the following texts:Psalm 62:12 Surely you repay all people according to what they have done. Revelation 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.1 Peter 1:17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.Revelation 2:23 Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. So wait, I thought we were saved on the basis of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are saved by faith not by works. That is true, but the verses we have just read are also true, and if we ignore them then we are left with a reduction of what the Bible teaches. So how do we put these things together?Just as in the ancient world, all roads led to Rome, so too in the Bible all roads lead to Romans since it is the pinnacle of theological truth. What Paul does so frequently in the book of Romans is to highlight a topic that he will return too in a fuller expression later on in the book. This is why it is important to read the book as a whole. There are some vital truths you will never see if you merely stick with the Romans Road. So lets skip ahead and see how Paul puts these truths together.Romans 8:1–2 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. V.1 refers to the judgement call Jesus will make about us at the final judgement.Romans 8:12–14 12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. You say I'm adding works to salvation or justification. No, I'm acknowledging the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm acknowledging there is a difference between those who merely want to be saved from the penalty of sin and those who want to be saved from committing sin. Paul says the same thing in Galatians 6:8: 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.If you say you have Jesus, then you also have the Spirit of Jesus, and this Holy Spirit will cause you to desire to please God.Galatians 4:6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father. Its a both/and. If you have Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you don’t really have Jesus.A text that puts these two things together is… 2 Corinthians 5:9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. So we see that those who truly do believe in Jesus, have as their goal a desire to please God.Our tendency has been to think that we can never please God. That all the good we do is as filthy rags.Isaiah 64:6 6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. But what does the previous verse say? Isaiah 64:4–5 4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! 5 You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. Hear the following verses on pleasing God: Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable (euarestos- “well-pleasing”). See also the end of verse 2 “which is good and pleasing and perfect”Romans 14:17–18 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.Philippians 2:12–13 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. So, it all comes down to, do u want to please God? Don't just say yes. That's too risky when we consider we have a God that doesn't show favoritism. Does your life and the way it's lived say yes.So when we work to please God, is it us or is it the Holy Spirit working? The answer is “yes.”Colossians 1:29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.Humans become genuinely human, genuinely free, when the Spirit is at work within them so that they choose to act, and choose to become people who more and more act in ways which reflect God’s image, which give him pleasure, which brings glory to His name, which do what the law had in mind all along. This leads to the final verdict, “Well done good and faithful servant.”Those who have the Spirit of God do not just wait around for God to change them. If the fruit of the Spirit happened without any human thought or moral effort why did Paul urge the Galatians to develop the fruit of the Spirit.So this is where humans are truly free. This is what it means to be a slave of Christ. We live to please God and that is all that matters. Are you living this way? If not perhaps its bc you don’t have the Holy Spirit. Are you a Christian that has lost your way and you have started focusing on pleasing self? If you are a Christian I promise you will find that this does not bring happiness. ILLUSTRATION: 41 YEARS OLD, CANT MESS AROUND.I am not going to find happiness in seeking to please myself, that is, my primary fallen nature. Believe that. Not going to happen. Especially if you are a Christian. I'm going to find happiness by seeking to please God. CG QUESTIONS 1. When we say Old Covenant, what covenant are we referring to? 2. Please read the following texts: Deuteronomy 30:1–8 “In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the Lord your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions. 2 If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you. 4 Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. 5 The Lord your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again. Then he will make you even more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors! 6 “The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! 7 The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you. 8 Then you will again obey the Lord and keep all his commands that I am giving you today. Jeremiah 31:31–34 31 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” 2 Corinthians 3:3–6 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. 4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. So, is the new covenant a Plan B or is it something the LORD has been planning from the beginning? How do you know?3. What is the primary difference between the Old & the New Covenant according to these verses?ANSWER: The Holy Spirit4. When did the New Covenant go into effect? How do you know? (See the following texts)Hebrews 9:15 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Hebrews 10:16–18 16 “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” 18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. Hebrews 12:24 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. 1 Corinthians 11:25 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”(SIDENOTE, EXTRA CREDIT :-) There are some who will say that the New Covenant is both strictly for the future and strictly given for ethnic Israelites. They say the new covenant promise was made to the nation of Israel so it is strictly for the nation of Israel and won't go into effect until Jesus is ruling from the throne of David in Jerusalem after the second coming during the millennium. I didn't have time to get into this during the sermon, but Romans 2:28–29 speaks to this issue specifically and in my opinion is a STRONG counter argument to such a position:Romans 2:28–29 28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Keep in mind the word "true" is not in the original text so you won't see it for instance in translations like the New American Standard, KJV, or ESV. Notice that Paul here is calling Gentile Christians Jews based on the New Covenant.)5. How did we say that the concepts of "freedom in Christ" and "slavery" fit together?Galatians 5:13 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.6. Is it possible to please God with our good works? How would you demonstrate your answer from Scripture?ANSWER: Based on the following texts the answer is yes, but what we MUST understand is that God is NEVER pleased with our good works as the basis for our salvation. We are saved for good works, not on the basis of good works (Ephesians 2:8–10)Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable (euarestos- “well-pleasing”). See also the end of verse 2 “which is good and pleasing and perfect”Romans 14:17–18 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.Philippians 2:12–13 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 7. We saw from the following texts that everyone will be judged. Based on how you are living your life, how you spend your time, talent, and treasure, do you expect to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant" on judgement day? Please explain. Why? What evidence would you give?Psalm 62:12 Surely you repay all people according to what they have done. Revelation 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.1 Peter 1:17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.Revelation 2:23 Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 8. When struggling with some conflict in life, when pressured and stressed, does it make it simpler to consider in those situations that all that matters is pleasing the Lord? Does this help you see distinctly the difference between our desires to please self, and the desire to please the LORD? Please explain.

07/31/2016

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07/10/2016

The Christian Life is Warfare The Christian life, click your heels together 3 times vs a lifetime of warfare. We have to change our mindset. We get discouraged at the first sign of trouble vs He said trials would come so here is my chance to do warfare. Refusing to do battle is saying I'm allowed to lose my tempter, I'm allowed to have unconfessed sin, I'm allowed to be bitter. You have already believed the scheme. Separate everything out between what u are responsible for and everything else. What u are responsible for and what the Lord is going to take care of. Those troubles are there to serve as the context for u to be strong in the Lord in.Ephesians 6:10–17 10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Doing warfare, putting on the armor is a way we imitate God: Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Isaiah 59:17 17 He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. Isaiah 11:5 5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. To be a Christian is to do warfare, to be a warrior: Ephesians 4:22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. The clothing we are to put on is the whole armor of God. The Christian life is not just about quitting bad behaviors, its about proactively, progressively becoming like God. Matthew 12:43 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. ILLUSTRATION: Squatters- u have squatters living in your house bc u stopped guarding the house. To rid your life of sin u must be vigilant, u must do battle and the final victory doesn't come until the end of your life whenever that might be. Having won a battle u become vigilant, u are on the lookout for sin on the horizon bc u know it can move in and take over.SCHEMES: Ephesians 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Schemes are tricks, things that look attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate on the front end but it's a baited and camouflaged trap. V16 shemes - temptations to ungodly behavior 4:26-27, doubt, despair, persecution and false teaching. Lying- taking off our armor and resorting to schemesNigerian emails promising u cash. Why do people fall prey to these? The cash. Watermelon Farmer- your enemy is cunning These can work 4 fold for our enemy. First there is the trap itself and then there is the damage it causes others, then there is the pride that comes in so we refuse to work through the healing process that leads to forgiveness but instead allow bitterness to come in and bitterness gives real estate in our lives to our enemy. So even if we have turned away from the original sin, the bitterness lingers and the enemy continues to dominate our lives. Illustration- TruGreen organic garden and digging up the soil and replacing it otherwise I continue to eat the fruit of that pollution.Here is where it is most challenging as a pastor or counselor. The person is attracted or beguiled by the evil but I see it for what it really is, a scheme and a trick and this can cause the person to distance themselves from the Christian community in order to rid themselves of any conviction. The person is convinced of the schemes beauty and benefit. It's possible for a persons whole upbringing to be enmeshed in a scheme so that it affects them through their whole life bc they can't see it and when a counselor calls it out the person is tempted to ditch the counsel. Illustration- community watchSCHEMES give the devil entrance into your life:Ephesians 4: 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. A foothold- real estate you have allowed the devil to own in your life.In the lives of Christians, as we noted above, the emphasis of the New Testament is not on the influence of demons but on the sin that remains in the believer’s life. Nevertheless, we should recognize that sinning (even by Christians) does give a foothold for some kind of demonic influence in our lives. Thus Paul could say, “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Eph. 4:26). Wrongful anger apparently can give opportunity for the devil (or demons) to exert some kind of negative influence in our lives—perhaps by attacking us through our emotions and perhaps by increasing the wrongful anger that we already feel against others. Similarly, Paul mentions “the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14) as part of the armor that we are to use standing against “the wiles of the devil” and in contending “against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:11–12). If we have areas of continuing sin in our lives, then there are weaknesses and holes in our “breastplate of righteousness,” and these are areas in which we are vulnerable to demonic attack. By contrast, Jesus, who was perfectly free from sin, could say of Satan, “He has no power over me” (John 14:30). We may also note the connection between not sinning and not being touched by the evil one in 1 John 5:18: “We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.”I'm allowed to lose my tempter, I'm allowed to have unconfessed sin, I'm allowed to be bitter. These things are giving a piece of real estate in your life to the enemy.SHIELD OF FAITH Ephesians 6:16 “hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Paul describes not the smaller round shield but the shield that is able to protect the whole body. Polybius, Histories 6.23 first, a large shield (scutum), the surface of which is curved outwards, its breadth two and a half feet, its length four feet,—though there is also an extra sized shield in which these measures are increased by a palm’s breadth. It consists of two layers of wood fastened together with bull’s-hide glue; the outer surface of which is first covered with canvas, then with calf’s skin, on the upper and lower edges it is bound with iron to resist the downward strokes of the sword, and the wear of resting upon the ground. Upon it also is fixed an iron boss (umbo), to resist the more formidable blows of stones and pikes, and of heavy missiles generally.Large shield tempted to throw it down when the fiery darts came leaving the soldier vulnerable. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT V. 17 “take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” As we speak the words of Scripture they re accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit and have the power of a spiritual sword. Sword of the Spirit- the Spirit makes the sword powerful and effective. Rhema emphasizes the spoken word. Jesus, when tempted by the Satan repeatedly quotes Scripture in response to Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1–11).CONCLUSION: We must be discerning enough to see the sin we allow in our lives for what it really is, a scheme of the enemy to keep us from being warriors.Some of us are so locked into a scheme that we won't experience humility until the day of our judgment. All these shortcuts, all this editing, we love Jesus but not the church or I love grace but I'm not into repentance. If it's not thee way it ain't no way.

The Christian Life is Warfare The Christian life, click your heels together 3 times vs a lifetime of warfare. We have to change our mindset. We get discouraged at the first sign of trouble vs He said trials would come so here is my chance to do warfare. Refusing to do battle is saying I'm allowed to lose my tempter, I'm allowed to have unconfessed sin, I'm allowed to be bitter. You have already believed the scheme. Separate everything out between what u are responsible for and everything else. What u are responsible for and what the Lord is going to take care of. Those troubles are there to serve as the context for u to be strong in the Lord in.Ephesians 6:10–17 10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Doing warfare, putting on the armor is a way we imitate God: Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Isaiah 59:17 17 He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. Isaiah 11:5 5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. To be a Christian is to do warfare, to be a warrior: Ephesians 4:22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. The clothing we are to put on is the whole armor of God. The Christian life is not just about quitting bad behaviors, its about proactively, progressively becoming like God. Matthew 12:43 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. ILLUSTRATION: Squatters- u have squatters living in your house bc u stopped guarding the house. To rid your life of sin u must be vigilant, u must do battle and the final victory doesn't come until the end of your life whenever that might be. Having won a battle u become vigilant, u are on the lookout for sin on the horizon bc u know it can move in and take over.SCHEMES: Ephesians 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Schemes are tricks, things that look attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate on the front end but it's a baited and camouflaged trap. V16 shemes - temptations to ungodly behavior 4:26-27, doubt, despair, persecution and false teaching. Lying- taking off our armor and resorting to schemesNigerian emails promising u cash. Why do people fall prey to these? The cash. Watermelon Farmer- your enemy is cunning These can work 4 fold for our enemy. First there is the trap itself and then there is the damage it causes others, then there is the pride that comes in so we refuse to work through the healing process that leads to forgiveness but instead allow bitterness to come in and bitterness gives real estate in our lives to our enemy. So even if we have turned away from the original sin, the bitterness lingers and the enemy continues to dominate our lives. Illustration- TruGreen organic garden and digging up the soil and replacing it otherwise I continue to eat the fruit of that pollution.Here is where it is most challenging as a pastor or counselor. The person is attracted or beguiled by the evil but I see it for what it really is, a scheme and a trick and this can cause the person to distance themselves from the Christian community in order to rid themselves of any conviction. The person is convinced of the schemes beauty and benefit. It's possible for a persons whole upbringing to be enmeshed in a scheme so that it affects them through their whole life bc they can't see it and when a counselor calls it out the person is tempted to ditch the counsel. Illustration- community watchSCHEMES give the devil entrance into your life:Ephesians 4: 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. A foothold- real estate you have allowed the devil to own in your life.In the lives of Christians, as we noted above, the emphasis of the New Testament is not on the influence of demons but on the sin that remains in the believer’s life. Nevertheless, we should recognize that sinning (even by Christians) does give a foothold for some kind of demonic influence in our lives. Thus Paul could say, “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Eph. 4:26). Wrongful anger apparently can give opportunity for the devil (or demons) to exert some kind of negative influence in our lives—perhaps by attacking us through our emotions and perhaps by increasing the wrongful anger that we already feel against others. Similarly, Paul mentions “the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14) as part of the armor that we are to use standing against “the wiles of the devil” and in contending “against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:11–12). If we have areas of continuing sin in our lives, then there are weaknesses and holes in our “breastplate of righteousness,” and these are areas in which we are vulnerable to demonic attack. By contrast, Jesus, who was perfectly free from sin, could say of Satan, “He has no power over me” (John 14:30). We may also note the connection between not sinning and not being touched by the evil one in 1 John 5:18: “We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.”I'm allowed to lose my tempter, I'm allowed to have unconfessed sin, I'm allowed to be bitter. These things are giving a piece of real estate in your life to the enemy.SHIELD OF FAITH Ephesians 6:16 “hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Paul describes not the smaller round shield but the shield that is able to protect the whole body. Polybius, Histories 6.23 first, a large shield (scutum), the surface of which is curved outwards, its breadth two and a half feet, its length four feet,—though there is also an extra sized shield in which these measures are increased by a palm’s breadth. It consists of two layers of wood fastened together with bull’s-hide glue; the outer surface of which is first covered with canvas, then with calf’s skin, on the upper and lower edges it is bound with iron to resist the downward strokes of the sword, and the wear of resting upon the ground. Upon it also is fixed an iron boss (umbo), to resist the more formidable blows of stones and pikes, and of heavy missiles generally.Large shield tempted to throw it down when the fiery darts came leaving the soldier vulnerable. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT V. 17 “take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” As we speak the words of Scripture they re accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit and have the power of a spiritual sword. Sword of the Spirit- the Spirit makes the sword powerful and effective. Rhema emphasizes the spoken word. Jesus, when tempted by the Satan repeatedly quotes Scripture in response to Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1–11).CONCLUSION: We must be discerning enough to see the sin we allow in our lives for what it really is, a scheme of the enemy to keep us from being warriors.Some of us are so locked into a scheme that we won't experience humility until the day of our judgment. All these shortcuts, all this editing, we love Jesus but not the church or I love grace but I'm not into repentance. If it's not thee way it ain't no way.