Sin Free
Rom. 6:14
"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
We have no shot to win over sin IF we think OBEYING LAW is the key!
Rom. 7:7-8
"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead."
Paul isn’t saying the Law is BAD…he is saying it had a specific purpose:
Rom. 7:13
"Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."
THE Law POINTS OUT SIN…it doesn’t prevent it. Obeying doesn’t prevent sin because it is impossible to obey the law totally.
Gal. 2:16
"Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."
SIN or missing the MARK is not failing to fulfill a bunch of rules and performance standards…so, what is it?
The MARK WE MISS is found in:
Gen. 1:26-27
"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
The MARK is the Imago Dei…
Missing the mark is being LESS that that.
Augustine claimed SIN is the human will gone bad.
The human WILL, according to Augustine was designed to be the FACILTATOR OF THE PURPOSE OF GOD. It was always to be a servant…
The force of SIN is an amazing NEGATIVE POWER IN THE HUMAN LIFE—AND IT CONTROLS MOST PEOPLE.
Paul alludes to this:
Rom. 7:14-15-24
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am!"
HOW IN THE WORLD DO WE BREAK UP THAT KIND OF POWER?
5 perspectives that sort of build on each other…
1) Recognize SIN has been conquered in Jesus Christ
Rom. 7:24-25
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Rom. 6:8-14
"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
2) Recognize that SIN is conquered ONLY through a vital, living relationship w/Jesus Christ, it is still bigger than us (in our human effort alone)
a. COLD FACT: All of us have AREAS OF WEAKNESS (addictions)
Heb. 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Some people get stuck in some pretty horrible things.
Things that others snub at.
But the truth is everybody gets stuck.
SOME GET STUCK IN SINS THAT DON’T SEEM LIKE SINS.
HOLY SINS.
i.e. Sin to look down on people…
but I look down on people who look down on people…holier sin.
i. Some are stuck in holy sins like:
1. Addicted to Pride – better than everyone else and you know it
2. Addicted to Perfectionism = looks like discipleship or being a good mom
3. Addicted to Worry = looks like concern and compassion
4. Judgmentalism = discernment
5. Favoritism
ii. Others are stuck in less holy sins like
1. Anger
2. Alcoholism
3. Chemical dependency
4. Eating disorders
5. Lust
6. Envy
7. Lust for money/power
Wherever we find ourselves, we have to recognize that there is an “area” of wrong that is BIGGER than us—stronger than our ability to manage.
NO ONE CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THE FIRE SWAMP OF SIN ON THEIR OWN…
And if you do steer clear, you have to fight the pride of steering clear (another fire hole).
Rom. 3:10
"As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;"
Rom. 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
IN ORDER TO LIVE ABOVE SIN, YOU AND I MUST ADMIT OUR SIN…
The first step in the effective 12 STEP program for people with addictions:
1) We admit we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives are unmanageable.
Very biblical.
3) [THIS ONE SEEMS ODD AT FIRST] SIN isn’t the major issue with God—IT IS AN ISSUE…HE DOESN’T WANT US LIVING IN SIN BECAUSE IT DESTROYS US….BUT IT ISN’T THE MAJOR ISSUE. WHY?
SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED THAT MAKES OUR SIN SEEM LIKE NOTHING. THE CROSS. The Cross is bigger
2 CO. 5:19 NEW LIFE VERSION
"God was in Christ. He was working through Christ to bring the whole world back to Himself. God no longer held men's sins against them. And He gave us the work of telling and showing men this."
1John 2:1-2
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
Through the cross God’s mercy is stronger than our sin (like a dad/mom—God sees potential)
PSA 103:10-14
"He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion (mercy) on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."
4) Belief is the issue w/God—it’s what God is after
a. Belief that Sin has been conquered (hard when you are stuck)
b. Belief that SIN is bigger than me (I’m a loser)—If I just try harder…pray more…cultivate a stronger commitment
c. Belief that SIN is not the major issue w/God==that the Cross is bigger” in God’s view than YOU
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
i. This Obviates shame
ii. Obviates guilt
You and I have no right to be full of shame and guilt…equals a statement that what you did is greater than what Jesus did—I’ve lost my way in my faith…about destroyed my whole life…hardest thing…the cross is bigger!
5) There is a way of escape designed by God UNIQUE to you
1 Co. 10:13
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
a. Involves complexity (throw up in a bag or magical commitment)
i. Find trigger points/Redirect those trigger points
ii. INVOLVES CONFESSION TO TRUSTWORTH OTHER
b. THE TRUTH IS we will always struggle—till death…but we will either struggle well or struggle poorly
"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
We have no shot to win over sin IF we think OBEYING LAW is the key!
Rom. 7:7-8
"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead."
Paul isn’t saying the Law is BAD…he is saying it had a specific purpose:
Rom. 7:13
"Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."
THE Law POINTS OUT SIN…it doesn’t prevent it. Obeying doesn’t prevent sin because it is impossible to obey the law totally.
Gal. 2:16
"Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."
SIN or missing the MARK is not failing to fulfill a bunch of rules and performance standards…so, what is it?
The MARK WE MISS is found in:
Gen. 1:26-27
"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
The MARK is the Imago Dei…
Missing the mark is being LESS that that.
Augustine claimed SIN is the human will gone bad.
The human WILL, according to Augustine was designed to be the FACILTATOR OF THE PURPOSE OF GOD. It was always to be a servant…
The force of SIN is an amazing NEGATIVE POWER IN THE HUMAN LIFE—AND IT CONTROLS MOST PEOPLE.
Paul alludes to this:
Rom. 7:14-15-24
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am!"
HOW IN THE WORLD DO WE BREAK UP THAT KIND OF POWER?
5 perspectives that sort of build on each other…
1) Recognize SIN has been conquered in Jesus Christ
Rom. 7:24-25
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Rom. 6:8-14
"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
2) Recognize that SIN is conquered ONLY through a vital, living relationship w/Jesus Christ, it is still bigger than us (in our human effort alone)
a. COLD FACT: All of us have AREAS OF WEAKNESS (addictions)
Heb. 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Some people get stuck in some pretty horrible things.
Things that others snub at.
But the truth is everybody gets stuck.
SOME GET STUCK IN SINS THAT DON’T SEEM LIKE SINS.
HOLY SINS.
i.e. Sin to look down on people…
but I look down on people who look down on people…holier sin.
i. Some are stuck in holy sins like:
1. Addicted to Pride – better than everyone else and you know it
2. Addicted to Perfectionism = looks like discipleship or being a good mom
3. Addicted to Worry = looks like concern and compassion
4. Judgmentalism = discernment
5. Favoritism
ii. Others are stuck in less holy sins like
1. Anger
2. Alcoholism
3. Chemical dependency
4. Eating disorders
5. Lust
6. Envy
7. Lust for money/power
Wherever we find ourselves, we have to recognize that there is an “area” of wrong that is BIGGER than us—stronger than our ability to manage.
NO ONE CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THE FIRE SWAMP OF SIN ON THEIR OWN…
And if you do steer clear, you have to fight the pride of steering clear (another fire hole).
Rom. 3:10
"As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;"
Rom. 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
IN ORDER TO LIVE ABOVE SIN, YOU AND I MUST ADMIT OUR SIN…
The first step in the effective 12 STEP program for people with addictions:
1) We admit we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives are unmanageable.
Very biblical.
3) [THIS ONE SEEMS ODD AT FIRST] SIN isn’t the major issue with God—IT IS AN ISSUE…HE DOESN’T WANT US LIVING IN SIN BECAUSE IT DESTROYS US….BUT IT ISN’T THE MAJOR ISSUE. WHY?
SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED THAT MAKES OUR SIN SEEM LIKE NOTHING. THE CROSS. The Cross is bigger
2 CO. 5:19 NEW LIFE VERSION
"God was in Christ. He was working through Christ to bring the whole world back to Himself. God no longer held men's sins against them. And He gave us the work of telling and showing men this."
1John 2:1-2
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
Through the cross God’s mercy is stronger than our sin (like a dad/mom—God sees potential)
PSA 103:10-14
"He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion (mercy) on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."
4) Belief is the issue w/God—it’s what God is after
a. Belief that Sin has been conquered (hard when you are stuck)
b. Belief that SIN is bigger than me (I’m a loser)—If I just try harder…pray more…cultivate a stronger commitment
c. Belief that SIN is not the major issue w/God==that the Cross is bigger” in God’s view than YOU
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
i. This Obviates shame
ii. Obviates guilt
You and I have no right to be full of shame and guilt…equals a statement that what you did is greater than what Jesus did—I’ve lost my way in my faith…about destroyed my whole life…hardest thing…the cross is bigger!
5) There is a way of escape designed by God UNIQUE to you
1 Co. 10:13
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
a. Involves complexity (throw up in a bag or magical commitment)
i. Find trigger points/Redirect those trigger points
ii. INVOLVES CONFESSION TO TRUSTWORTH OTHER
b. THE TRUTH IS we will always struggle—till death…but we will either struggle well or struggle poorly
posted by salt tv at 7:38 AM
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