(c) Howard Sands 1999 - 2011
This is FUNDAMENTAL
People MISUNDERSTAND it
It's the CAUSE OF MUCH
CONFUSION
CONFLICT
FALLING SHORT OF THE MARK
FAILING TO RECEIVE GOD'S BEST
What is it:
The Revelation of Sin and Righteousness.
Their are 3 GROUPS of people
1. Those trying to be holy - so they can be Righteous
2. Those not trying to be holy - because they never could be (or so they think) so they forget it.
3. Those that are Righteous and wanting to live holy.
Rom. 5:17 'those who receive grace and righteousness will reign in life
Gk. 'basileuo' to reign - to be a king.
the restoration is greater than the offence
the new position greater than the first
from prisoner to preferred
chains to chariot (like Joseph)
Deal with 3 groups
1. Trying to be holy so they can be Righteous
(trying to get accepted by God)
Rom. 10:2/3 sought to establish there own Righteousness
eg. Pharisees Mt. 23:23-28
Eph. 2:8 'by grace you have been saved through faith....not by works'
Rom. 3:20 no one can be declared Righteous by observing the law, doing good, trying to be holy.
BY GODS GRACE ALONE WE ARE MADE Righteous
nothing would ever be good enough
CONFLICT - Paul explains the state of man outside of Christ (his experience prior to coming to Christ)
Rom 7:14-20
sin is living in the sinful nature.
Paul however goes on to explain that he is no longer living in this state but that through Christ he is freed from the nature of sin and the law of sin and death.
2. Those not trying to be holy because they know they never could be
they don't make an effort to be good.
These people are lost
They know they're not holy
They know they can't live holy
They don't know they can be holy
They are not hypocrites -- they just accept they're sinners - no pretense
They don't know the grace of God
1 Cor. 15:3 'Christ died for our sins'
Heb. 7:27 'He sacrificed for their sins once for all'
Eph. 2:1-5 'You were dead in sin, because of Gods love you are now alive'
These people
feel I can't be holy
therefore I'll never be righteous
never accepted by God
God will never love me
God will never bless me
I can't expect anything more than what I've got
WRONG
Having accepted they cannot be accepted by God through any of their own efforts
They need to
1. Acknowledge Jesus paid the sacrifice for their sins
2. Accept it because of Gods grace alone
3. Accept Righteousness is a free gift given by God not to those who deserve it but to those who accept His forgiveness - its a gift Rom 5:17
Therefore They are Righteous
are accepted
God does love them
God will bless them
they can expect more than they've got
God wants them to reign in life
3. Those that are RIGHTEOUS & know it & want to live holy
desire for holiness comes out of who they are not what they want to be.
The RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in me makes me want to let my life show it.
When we allow ourselves to be influenced by fleshly carnal decisions darkness rises up and tries to get us.
BUT Rom 8:4 'we do not live according to sinful nature'
Rom 8:12 'we have an obligation'
Gal 5:24 'Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature
ITS DEAD
DON'T LIVE IN IT ANYMORE
IT STINKS
Rom. 6:6 Body of sin destroyed
"It is not enough that we cease to do evil - we must learn to do well;
Our Christianity obliges us not only to die to sin but to live to Righteousness"
~Matthew Henry
CONCLUSION:
God is cleaning up his church to prepare a bride without spot or wrinkle
Eph. 5:26-27
Brothers & Sisters if their is unholiness in your life you need to fix it
Gal. 5:19-21 The Message
19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
The word is clear its not only wrong actions but wrong thoughts, attitudes, motives that will bring us undone and invoke the wrath of God.
Gone is the day when we can say God will let it slide - he'll forgive me.
Read Eph. 4:29 -- 5:10
I don't speak as holier than thou but as God is speaking to the church including me
echo words of Paul Phil 3:12-14Have you accepted Jesus sacrifice on behalf of your sins - if not, now is the time to do that.
Church - now is the time to recognise we've been influenced by carnal and fleshly desires and put them off -- recognise sin for what it is.
Holy Spirit is here to convict people of sin.
Holy Spirit is here to call people into a deeper commitment to Jesus.
Holy Spirit is here to cause Gods people to recognise what is available to them in Christ.
Complacency is such an enemy to the purposes of God.
Mediocrity has so much of God's church bland and ineffective.
Many are walking in half heartedness and ineffectiveness.
You allowed little hurts to become a big issues in your life.
You have allowed a temptation or a sin to build a blockage between you and Jesus.
God is drawing you to a new place of commitment.
God is drawing you today to come boldly into a new place and enter into the very presence of God.
Today you recognise a need in your life.
Recognise your inability to live your life & draw close to God without His help.
The Living God can fill your life with hope and purpose in Jesus name.
I challenge you to respond to Him
You're going to see the power of sin and complacency broken in your life now.
repentance -- asking forgiveness -- changing life
MAKE A DECISION TO REPENT AND CHANGE
GOD will forgive and enable you to reign in life.
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