Month: June 2011

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Romans 7:5-6

In studying the first half of Romans over the last few weeks, it has been clear that man can never be just before God by keeping His law.  The apostle Paul has labored hard on this topic because it was so contrary to the thinking of many in his day.  On multiple occasions, Jesus dealt with the false presumption of the Pharisees that they were accepted with God because they had been so strict in keeping the law.  As the Lord pointed out, the intent of the law went far beyond external practice, and He warned the people, “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 5:20) He revealed that the law was spiritual (Rom 7:14) and that the keeping of it included the thoughts and intents of our heart.  For example, remember what He said God really intended in the law concerning adultery?  ““You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mt 5:28)

So, the law doesn’t justify anyone, but instead, it reveals that all of us are guilty before God!  “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:20) When the law said we weren’t supposed to lie (Ex 20:16), we all knew we were guilty!  When it said covetousness was a sin (Ex 20:17), we knew we were all condemned.  The law couldn’t save us, but it did declare we needed saving because we finally realized that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Rom 3:23) So the law pointed out our sin, but our main text above revealed that something else happened when the law was given.

Not only did the law point out our sin, it led to more sin!  That’s right, it actually “aroused” sin in us!  The law revealed our nature to be so completely sinful, that whenever God gave a command, we wanted to do the exact opposite!  Man is born with such a wicked heart that even the youngest of our species are bent on rebellion!  Just watch the reaction of a toddler when the parent says, “Don’t touch that.”  That thing becomes the one thing they want to touch!  It’s the original sin.  God gave Adam and Eve one commandment.  Of all the ways Adam and Eve could have spent their time and of all the things they could have been doing, what’s the one thing they decided to do?  They committed the one act that was the opposite of God’s instruction!

You see the law showed us just how bad we were, just how desperate our case was.  Not  only did it reveal we had already broken some of the things contained in it, but when we found out there were other things we had never done that were displeasing to God, we started doing those things as well!  Was the problem with the law?  No, the problem was our sinful hearts.  Just listen to Rom 7:13: “Has then what is good [that is the law] become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.”  The law revealed we were exceedingly sinful sinners!

Because of the greatness of our transgression, we don’t need just a little help.  A band-aid or a pill won’t fix the problem.  Weekly therapy sessions won’t do the trick.  We don’t need a small savior; we are desperate!  As the apostle exclaims at the end of Romans 7, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (v. 24) Our sin is great, and so we need a great Savior!!!  And, praise God, that’s exactly what we have!  How does the apostle in his desperation answer his question?  “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (v. 25) May the redeemed praise the Lord this day “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”! (1 Tim 1:15)

Jamie

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
Rom 6:19

In a final interview with James Dobson, the serial killer Ted Bundy chronicled the choices he had made in his life that had led up to his execution day.  He confessed that around 12 or 13 he found some “dirty magazines” in a dumpster behind a local grocery store.  He had been raised in a Christian environment and knew better than to look at them, but this choice began a fascination that ended up in the murder of more than thirty young women.  He had committed crimes that would have been unthinkable to him in earlier years, but as he repeatedly exposed himself to this dark world,  his growing lust required him to go deeper and deeper into it.

Our text above reveals this pattern to be an accurate one of sin.  As man continues to submit himself as a slave to unrighteousness, he becomes worse and worse.  Little sins (of course, there are no “little” ones in the eyes of a holy God) give way to great sins.  The depth of depravity that satisfied last year won’t quench the thirst for ungodliness this year.  You may not go so far as to commit atrocious crimes against man like Bundy did, but there’s no doubt that in this continual pattern, the things you found offensive yesterday won’t be as repulsive tomorrow.  Practicing lawlessness always leads to more lawlessness.

This pattern is not the Christian way of life.  It was at one time when we were outside of Christ, but notice the “now” in our text: “now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”  You see, righteousness works the same way, but the effect is the reverse!  As we continue to submit to righteousness, we become better and better!  In fact, the verse doesn’t simply say that righteousness gives way to more righteousness but that it becomes holiness!  And, isn’t that our goal?  “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written,  “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15-16)  To be holy is to be like God!

You are not alone in this fight against sin, Christian.  God is working in us!  As Heb 13:21 testifies, the limitless God that displayed His great power in raising the Son from the dead is active in you to “make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ”.  So, do right!  You have the ability to do so now because Christ has set you free from sin and death!  Be obedient to the Lord’s instruction.  Be transformed, not conformed to the image of this world. (Rom 12:2) Die daily by denying yourself the desires of this flesh. (Mt 16:24-25)  One day, you’ll wake up face to face with Jesus Christ, and guess what?  You’ll be just like Him! “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 Jn 3:2)

Jamie

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Rom 6:1-2

Freedom in Christ is a glorious thing! There is no other freedom like it. Too many Americans today boast in being free when they are actually in bondage. Christ revealed the same fact to the Jews in Jn 8:31-32: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'” Did you notice that they believed Him?!! These were willing to follow Christ until He spoke these words, and, in their pride, they refused His teaching and responded, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” What kind of bondage were they in? They were under the worst slavery mankind has ever seen. They were slaves of sin! You will never meet a more cruel master. There have been wicked masters of men that have murdered those who served them, but this master will destroy both the body AND the soul! There’s only one hope of escape: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (Jn 8:34-36) True freedom is only in the Lord Jesus.

Rom 8:2 says that in Christ we have been made “free from the law of sin and death.” Some today would teach that this verse means we can do whatever we want. After all, doesn’t the first verse of the same chapter say, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”? Can we ever be condemned if we are in Christ? Absolutely not! If Jesus died for my sin, my debt has been paid in full! His blood is sufficient to cleanse me from all my sin–past, present, and future. But, we need to make sure we read the rest of Rom 8:1 which characterizes those who are in Christ as being individuals “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” If you are a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17), you no longer desire the things you once did. You have an appetite for God now (Jn 6:53), an appetite for righteousness (Mt 5:6), and you no longer desire the things you once did. Simply put, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 Jn 2:15)

In 2 Pet 2, we find that false teachers will come in among the church (v. 1) , and they will draw men who have cleaned up their act for a time away into sin (v. 18).  What tactic will they use to accomplish this deception?  V. 19 says these false teachers will declare freedom to their followers, but the reality is that “while they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption”. It’s the same lie the serpent used in the garden.  He promised Eve freedom if she would disobey God, but in reality, she was brought into bondage.  Be careful, dear soul. There are preachers right now excusing their sin and boasting in the liberty they claim to have in Christ when the truth is that they are consumed by the things of the world, namely, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”. (1 Jn 2:16) Truly, if Christ has made us free, we possess the only real liberty that there is, but that liberty never gives way to lawlessness.  Remember Gal 5:13: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Jamie

“…as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
1 Pet 2:2-3

Newborns aren’t very complicated creatures.  If you lay them down, you don’t have to worry about them running off.   You don’t have to educate them, run them back and forth to baseball practice, or make sure they brush their teeth.   They don’t question your decisions or complain about what you made for dinner.  They have basic needs, and if those needs are met, everybody’s happy.   It’s been said, “they eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom.”   Pretty simple life!

When it comes to our desire for God, these newborns are our pattern!   We need to eat, and, as our text tells us, our food is the word of God.   Babies eat constantly when awake!   Are we satisfied with a little word in the morning and evening, or do we need God to feed us with His truth all day long?   And are we okay with studying God’s word without getting much out of it?   That’s like a baby nursing but not getting any milk!  Will he be satisfied with such an experience?   No way!   He’ll cry out until he’s nourished.   Likewise, we should never be content with mere study but should cry out until the Lord reveals Himself!  “As the deer pants for the water brooks,So pants my soul for You, O God.” (Ps 42:1)

Babies spend much of their early life sleeping.   They have little strength and so require continual rest.   Have you realized your lack of strength yet?  Do you agree wholeheartedly when Christ states “without Me you can do nothing“?  In light of our great weakness, we must rest, and will we find such rest anywhere other than Jesus Christ?  ” Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt 11:28-29)  This rest is unparalleled.  It is rest for our souls!  All the money in the world can’t buy such peace.  It “surpasses all understanding.” (Ph 4:7)

Finally, if that newborn’s not eating or sleeping, it’s probably time to change his diaper!    Babies are frequently ridding themselves of waste, that which is of no nutritional value.   So should we!   Our lives should be in a constant state of purging.   There is much that is in us that is of no profit and needs to go if we will be conformed to His image.  As 1 Jn 3:3 says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  If the goal is to be holy as He is holy, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done, isn’t there?  This race isn’t an easy one, and if we will finish strong, we must “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”. (Heb 12:1) I promise you won’t miss anything you give up for Christ’s sake!

I hope I’ve just described you, dear soul for this pattern typifies those that have “tasted that the Lord is gracious!”   These activities evidence you’re spiritually alive, that you’ve experienced the new birth.   For those of you that nodded in agreement as you read these words, keep hungering.   The Lord will never disappoint.  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” (Mt 5:6)

Jamie