"Saints Struggle" Romans pt 9
Romans 7:1-25
Opening Illustration: Diamond Rio song with video and the Blue fish TV video of the Virginia Tech candlelight prayer service.
This illustration reveals to us that every person on this earth is in a struggle between good and evil. This struggle is real and when we suffer the repercussions of it we must look to the Lord for help and healing but yet commit to staying committed to Jesus Christ through the struggle.
Thesis: This chapter addresses the struggle that goes on in the inner man between the works of the sinful nature and the way of the Spirit. But in the end the way of the Spirit is to be the dominant force in a saints life.
Introduction:
Summary of the series of sermons on Romans:
Martin Luther in his book "Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans" He argues that:
"This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian’s while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes. Therefore I want to carry out my service and, with this preface, provide an introduction to the letter, insofar as God gives me the ability, so that every one can gain the fullest possible understanding of it. . . . it is in itself a bright light, almost bright enough to illumine the entire Scripture."
John Calvin said that, "When anyone gains a knowledge of this Epistle he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture."
F.F. Bruce is quoted as saying "Time and again in the course of human history {Romans} has liberated the minds of men, brought them back to an understanding of the essential gospel of Christ, and started spiritual revolutions."
Warren W. Wiersbe: in his commentary on the book of Romans tells the story of a man whose life was changed by this book and who in turned changed the lives of literally millions of men and women:
"On May 24, 1738, a discouraged missionary went very unwillingly to a religious meeting in London. There a miracle took place. About a quarter before nine, he wrote in his journal, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."
That missionary was John Wesley. The message he heard that evening was the preface to Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans. Just a few months before, Wesley wrote in his journal: "I went to America to convert the Indians; but Oh! who shall convert me? That evening in Aldersgate Street, his question was answered. And the result was the great Wesleyan Revival that swept England and transformed the nation."
The book of Romans is to Christianity what the Declaration of Independence is to America and the Magna Charta is to Great Britain! It can set you free if you study it and believe it.
*Roman’s is a book written to the ones who were at one time called "§aints" and have now become "saints" because of the addition of the Spirit into their lives.
*Roman’s tells us that the saint is one who lives their faith on a daily basis. There mindset has an eternal perspective and focus and it plays out in the way they live their lives daily.
*Roman’s says we are either saints or outlaws in the Kingdom of God and it depends on if we have repentant hearts, if we are doers of the Word or just hearers, and whether we have kept our covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus or if we have broken the covenant we have with the Lord.
*Romans reminds us that no one is right in the eyes of the Lord today except for the forgiven, "The Saint." God saw the need for all of us to be rescued so He sent Jesus to rescue us from sin. He also sent His Word to keep us safe from falling back into the trap of sin after being rescued.
*Saint Abraham is our spiritual father and he had resurrection faith because he believed even when there seemed to be no hope of becoming the father of many nations. His faith in the Lord opened the door for God to raise a dead womb and to birth a new nation in his wife Sarah. His choice to believe and place his trust in God made him the father of all of us who believe because he was the first to have faith.
*Romans repeatedly reminds us those who find Jesus, "The Saints" find life here on earth and the promise of eternal life!
*Roman’s tells us that Water Baptism has a 4 step process to it immersion, submersion, emergence and living the life of baptized saint. Saints die in Water Baptism and emerge resurrected in the Lord Jesus so as to live a righteous life in Christ. It is required of a baptized saint to live like a saint should and to avoid sin because they have been delivered from it by the power of Jesus.
Romans is a book that helps us to understand and to see that the Christian or the saint is to be an individual who is part of a collective of saints who helps to create a place that ministers to the needs of the community. If the saint understands his/her position and commits with the other saints to live by the Spirit and seek the help of Jesus then they together will produce a church that makes a difference in their community.
A church that is healthy or effective and impacting a community is one that has the following characteristic according to C. Peter Wagner. This quote and illustration comes from Paul Fritz on sermoncentral.com:
A survey of hundreds of pastors has allowed us to compile a preliminary list of measurable quality factors in the life of a congregation in ranking order. The twelve factors are:
1. Bible knowledge. Church members are increasing in their grasp of the teachings of the Bible. They can integrate this with a theological system that enables them to apply the Bible’s teachings to their life situation.
2. Personal devotions. Members spend time daily in prayer, Bible reading, meditation, and other personal spiritual exercises.
3. Worship. Members regularly participate in the worship services scheduled by the church.
4. Witnessing. Members regularly attempt to share their faith in Jesus Christ with unbelievers.
5. Lay ministry. The lay people of the church are engaged in such ministries as teaching and discipling. In some cases this happens through consciously discovering, developing, and using their spiritual gifts.
6. Missions. The church actively supports missions, organizing and sustaining a strong program for recruiting, sending, and financing home and foreign missionaries.
7. Giving. Members give an appropriate portion of their income to the local church and/or to other Christian causes.
8. Fellowship. Members are growing in their personal relationships with each other through regular participation in church fellowship groups of one kind or another.
9. Distinctive life-style. Members generally manifest their faith in Christ by living a life-style clearly and noticeable distinct from that of non-Christians in the same community.
10. Attitude toward religion. Church members regard their involvement in the church primarily as a service to God rather than a means to fulfill personal needs.
11. Social service. Members are serving others outside the congregation. This includes direct personal involvement with the poor and needy, or in programs designed to help the needy.
12. Social justice. Either through the congregation as a whole or through specialized Christian agencies, members are striving to make changes in sociopolitical structures that will contribute to a more moral and just society.
C. Peter Wagner, Leading Your Church to Growth, Regal Books, 1984, pp. 25-27. From Sermon Central, Contributor Paul Fritz
A church that has grasped the foundational principles of the Word of God and of Romans is a church that has won the struggle over the sinful nature and the nature of Spirit. This struggle is a real struggle but the victory is possible when we seek the help and the empowerment from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Scripture Text: Romans 7:1-25
Do you not know, brothers, for I am speaking to men who know the law, that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.
4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5For when we were controlled by the sinful nature,ƒn the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
7What 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." 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13Did 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.
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I 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. 19For 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. 20Now 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.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but 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. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Romans 7
TORN BETWEEN ONE WAY AND ANOTHER
1You shouldn’t have any trouble understanding this, friends, for you know all the ins and outs of the law¡ how it works and how its power touches only the living. 2For instance, a wife is legally tied to her husband while he lives, but if he dies, she¡¦s free. 3If she lives with another man while her husband is living, she’s obviously an adulteress. But if he dies, she is quite free to marry another man in good conscience, with no one’s disapproval.
4So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to "marry" a resurrection life and bear "offspring" of faith for God. 5For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious. In the end, all we had to show for it was miscarriages and stillbirths. 6But now that we’re no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we’re free to live a new life in the freedom of God.
7But I can hear you say, "If the law code was as bad as all that, it’s no better than sin itself." That’s certainly not true. The law code had a perfectly legitimate function. Without its clear guidelines for right and wrong, moral behavior would be mostly guesswork. Apart from the succinct, surgical command, "You shall not covet," I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it.
8Don’t you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of "forbidden fruit" out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me. Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, 9and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. 10The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. 11So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. 12But the law code itself is God’s good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.
13I can already hear your next question: "Does that mean I can’t even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil? No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God’s good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own.
14I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?" Yes. I’m full of myself after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. 15What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. 16So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.
17But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! 18I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. 19I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. 20My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. 22I truly delight in God’s commands, 23but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Today we will discover from Romans chapter 7 that saints do struggle in life - the struggle is in the inner most being of individuals. There is battle which rages on the inside of everyone and this struggle is between the sin nature and the spirit’s nature and we must call on Jesus and tap into His power to help us defeat the fleshly sin nature that wants to disable our witness and our churches witness.
T. S. - This chapter covers the struggles that tear at the heart and the mind of the saint. This chapter covers the struggle which came from trying to live the Law. Paul covers the real life struggles he faced and that we face in life. He covers the struggle between the sinful nature and the nature of the Spirit. He accurately reflects the battle within between doing right and doing wrong in life. The key to understand from this chapter is that we must resist the ways of the flesh and seek the help of Jesus to overcome the sin nature. We also learn that that we must live by the Spirit and we need the help of Jesus to do this.
I. The Law of God has its place in the spirit filled life even though it has caused struggles for the Saint.
a. The Law reveals to us how unworthy of God we really are because of our inability to live by it.
i. This Law causes us to struggle in our inner most being.
1. It constantly shows us how we are doing the wrong thing and not the right thing.
ii. A student of the Old Testament would know about all of the ins and outs of the Law like Paul did.
1. How the Law is impossible to keep and to live up too.
a. Paul discovered this in his own life.
b. When he thought he was enforcing the Law on the Christian he soon discovered he was breaking the Law of God.
2. Paul knew that many tried to keep the Law but they would fail over and over.
a. Paul himself would have experienced this with the Law as he grew up as a Pharisee.
b. He even notes in this text that the Law which is good did however produce the temptation to sin against it.
i. It’s like the parent who tells a child not to do something and then they become more obsessed with doing it because the parent said not to.
ii. Paul notes that this same effect happened with the Law.
iii. Let’s look at a history lesson on the Law:
1. Remember Paul was a Pharisee who had spent his life studying and teaching the Law but he was lost even while studying it.
a. He persecuted the true followers of the Lord that he claimed to know and teach about.
2. Parsons Bible Dictionary says the following about the Law: LAW -- A RULE OF ACTION.
a. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things. (2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel. (3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation. (4.) The Moral Law is the revealed will of God as to human conduct, binding on all men to the end of time. It was promulgated at Sinai. It is perfect (Ps. 19:7), perpetual (Matt. 5:17, 18), holy (Rom. 7:12), good, spiritual (Rom. 7:14), and exceeding broad (Ps. 119:96). Although binding on all, we are not under it as a covenant of works (Gal. 3:17). (See COMMANDMENTS.) (5.) Positive Laws are precepts founded only on the will of God. They are right because God commands them. (6.) Moral positive laws are commanded by God because they are right.
b. Paul tells us that the Law was not sin yet it hemmed in the believer and kept the unbeliever out of a relationship with the Lord God Almighty.
i. The Jews spent numerous hours studying the Law and instead of it delivering them --- it actually led them away from God and not toward God.
ii. Was the Law the problem?
1. No the problem was mankind and the arrogance that set into the realm of learning about the Law.
a. Because the Jews studied so much of the time they became arrogant in their knowledge of God and His ways and in the process they moved further away from the heart beat of God.
2. Their problem was that they tried to intellectualize the Law.
3. They made salvation a works related achievement that a man himself did.
iii. Another problem arose when man tried to come up with ways around the Law, twisting it to create loop holes to slither through in regards to keeping the law.
1. Many were studying God’s Law but living in sin.
2. They had allowed sin to take root in their arrogant prideful hearts.
iv. But in spite of what mankind did to distort the Law it was clear in defining what is right and wrong.
1. The Law clearly spells out what is moral and immoral behavior.
2. The Law shows what is a right behavior and what is a wrong behavior.
a. It defines holiness for us so that we know the difference.
3. Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law not to do a way with it.
a. The Law still has an eternal value today.
i. The Laws of God need to be obeyed today.
ii. The Law as defined in the 10 Commandments needs to be obeyed and followed today.
b. The Christian is to abide by the Law’s of God with the help of the Holy Spirit.
c. In verse 12 The Message states this about the Law -- 12But the law code itself is God’s good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.
d. The Law’s purpose is to define sin so that we know what it looks like.
T.S. - So we see that the Law has caused the saints to struggle but with Jesus he enables us to live by the Law and to live by the Spirit. Yes, there is a battle for the mind and the heart of every saint and it’s the struggle between the sinful nature and the Spirit’s nature.
II. The struggle for the Christian is revealed in Romans 7:14-25 because our spirit is at war with our sinful flesh.
a. The struggle - the battle is between the soul and the spirit in our life:
i. THE WORD OF GOD IS THE ONLY FORCE IN THE UNIVERSE THAT CAN SPLIT THE SPIRIT AND SOUL.
1. The Word pierces through the body and lays open the heart of man, reaching into the innermost recesses of the soul, finding out the intents of their innermost being.
a. Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
2. The Word of God is powerful because of ability to explode between the spirit and soul, revealing which force is in control of the saint.
a. The Word splits the seams of the heart and shows whether it is soul ruled or spirit ruled.
b. The Word reveals to the saint whether they are in the flesh or it they are led by the Spirit.
c. John 3:6: "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit."
d. To better understand this powerful action, let us take a deeper look into what the soul does and what the spirit does in the life of a saint.
ii. THE SOUL’S FUNCTION:
1. The individual himself is the part of man that loves and hates in the natural realm. It is the seat of the emotions, and of man’s self-consciousness. It consists of the senses of man in the natural realm, his/hers natural thinking or reasoning.
a. A case in reason:
i. Reason is a function of the soul, it is of considerable service in all things relating to this present world.
ii. Reason is in a sense the same as understanding. It means the quality of the human soul, that quality which exerts itself in three ways:
1. By simple apprehension
2. By judgment
3. By discourse
iii. Reason helps us do carpentry, trades, math, sociology, and etc.
iv. The soul realm does have some good in it but its problem comes when it desires to lead instead of follow the Spirit -- see Romans 8:6-8 "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
v. From this text we see clearly that our Soul cannot control our life and our actions.
2. We learn that reason, man’s thinking, is valuable to man but if it is in control it will lead them away from God and not toward God.
a. This is why many in the academic world some cannot comprehend or understand God.
b. You could actually say that their mind gets in the way and therefore pushes them away from God and His ways.
3. So then we could ask the question what happens when man moves to the higher realm and allows the spirit to control and to direct there life?
iii. THE FUNCTION OF THE SPIRIT.
1. The spirit is to be the highest part of man. It is the spirit that makes man God-conscious and what gives him/her the ability to make right choices in life.
a. It is the part of man that trusts God and steps out in faith.
b. It is not natural but spiritual. (John 3:6)
c. The spirit’s way is always in battle with the soul¡¦s reasoning ways. The soul hates to step out in faith whereas the spirit loves too.
2. The Word of God is the force which penetrates into the deepest and most hidden parts of a man’s life and dissects his lower animal life with its desires, interests and affections. This is your soul realm. But the Word also penetrates into our higher spiritual life and reveals the aspirations for spiritual communion with God.
3. The Word is like a two edged sword which cuts through the bone and marrow of a physical body.
a. Marrow - the soft, vascular fatty tissue that fills the cavities of most bones it is the innermost essential, or choicest part. It gives the bone its strength. Without it the bone would break or rot away.
b. Same with the soul with out the spirit.
4. The Word does not look upon the outward appearances but is skilled in judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart on the inside.
a. The Word knows what is on the inside. God knows why you want to be a deacon, pastor, elder, teacher. He knows why you do what you do.
b. Brandt states, "Bitter envying and selfish ambition in the heart does not show. You can be very hostile toward a man, and walk up to him and put your arm around him and say, Hi, friend." You can hide the inner thought of your soul by developing your acting ability. If you practice looking like a Christian, you will look a lot more like one a year from now than you do now. But your spirit may not have changed. The Christian life does not depend on your ability to act right but to "be" right. You may kid the world, but you will not fool yourself or God" (52).
c. It’s God’s Word which illuminates to us who is in control in our life and who is winning the battle between living like a saint or living like and aint.
b. The struggle is for real and we can all relate to the turmoil we go through because of these warring factions. We realize soon in life that our good intentions are not enough in this life to make us live right. Remember many in the Old Testament era tried. They had good intentions but they failed to keep and live the Law.
i. How often do our good intentions fail to get the desired results in life?
1. We get on the scale and we intend -- we actually declare, "I will lose weight!"
a. We have good intentions but later on the scale tells us that we are going the wrong way.
b. We diet for a day or two and we seem trapped in the realm of the diet zone.
i. We have good intentions but we come up short ¡V or should I say fat!
c. We recommit after the reality check of the scale again and we do lose a few pounds only to later gain them all back plus a few more.
d. Paul and the Word tell us that Good intentions are not enough we must tap into the power of Jesus Christ.
2. Paul is trying to teach us in this chapter a valuable lesson about the spirit filled life and the Law.
a. The Law exposes our sin and that is its job and we feel horrible because the Law point us to this fact.
b. We cry, "But I tried to do right but I keep blowing it!"
c. We try to measure up but we fail miserably.
d. So let me ask, "Did you ever think that the Lord is trying to tell us something and maybe He is saying to us when are going to quit trying to do this all on your own strength and ability and surrender the power over to me?"
3. Paul knows the struggle all to well this is why he says, "15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I 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. 19For 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. 20Now 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. 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but 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."
4. Paul knew that this struggle held a lot of people in bondage and he tells us that there is a way out of this struggle. His name is Jesus.
a. Side note: Remember Paul is talking to Christians in Rome but he tells them Jesus will not only save you but he can and will empower you to live right and win the battle over the sin nature if you allow Him too.
c. Remember the struggle is between our fleshly nature and the nature of the spirit:
i. Paul addresses this subject again in Galatians listen to what he says:
1. Galatians 5:16-25: 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
2. The saint is to live by the Spirit and when they do the following fruits will be manifested in their lives:
a. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness - faithfulness are to be the character traits of the Saint -- the Christian.
i. These traits do struggle against the fleshly nature of sin in our lives.
ii. The struggle that Paul talks about is the struggle we face between the two natures that want to war within each of us.
b. The opposing forces to the fruits of the spirit are the works of the flesh or the sin nature of mankind.
i. These fleshly-worldly-evil traits do battle against the fruits of the spirit.
ii. These works of the flesh are sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies.
3. Let’s do a little comparison to see how these two forces battle within the heart and the mind of a person -- especially a saint.
a. The fruit of the Spirit "Love" Love means perfect love - which includes a love for God 1st and foremost then a love for one another.
i. It’s a vertical love between us and God and a horizontal love between each other.
1. Quote: My liberty as a Christian should always be supremely shackled by the love I am commanded to have towards another. Avery D. Miller from Sermon Central
ii. Jesus summed the law up into these two commandments found in Matthew 22:37-40: 37Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it:Love your neighbor as yourself. 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
b. The opposing forces of love that we battle against are sexual immorality (called love in our deceitful society). By the way this is not love because it is not of God!
i. We hear phrases like, "Let’s make Love!" But according to the Word of God this is not love this is lust and it is sin.
ii. It is rooted purely from self-centered mindsets.
iii. Sexual Immorality is rooted in rebellion to the nature of God which is Love and the intent of sex between a man and woman outside of marriage is viewed as a sin against the way of Love.
iv. Idolatry is another faction that wars against a love for God. Idolatry takes a thing and makes it the object of you dedication and passion and places it above God.
v. Witchcraft is a practice that fights against Love and seeks to honor Satan and the dark side not God who is Love.
vi. The other one is orgies these are not "Love fest" as many try to call them they are lusts of the flesh and they degrade the gift of sex from the Creator of it who is called Love
c. Let’s look at Joy! What works of the flesh battle against joy?
i. The sinful nature fights against joy with these types of behaviors - hatred - discord, jealousy -fits of rage - dissensions - factions - envy all these fleshly traits will rob a saint of his or her joy.
ii. Look at a person who has their character traits in their life and you soon see a very miserable person.
iii. These types of people have no joy in life because these sins rob them of any joy in life!
iv. Illustration from sermoncentral.com:
1. Charlie Brown and Linus.
a. Charlie brown asks Linus "What would you do if you felt that nobody liked you?"
Linus responds "Well Charlie Brown I guess I would take a real hard look at myself, ask if I am doing anything that turns people off, How can I improve myself? Do I need to change in some way? Yep that’s my answer Charlie Brown." Charlie Brown says, "I hate that answer." Dan Cormie
d. Peace - the same traits above will also battle against peace in a person life. The fleshly acts of jealousy and discord will steal peace right out of any relationship.
i. It will destroy peace and harmony in a marriage, a group, a community, or even a church.
ii. This sinful trait is the reason for many of the wars which rage around the world today.
e. Patience ¡V Is another fruit that is stolen by the acts of the sinful nature like fits of rage. It will steal a saint’s patience in life and set them up for failure and heartache.
i. Illustration from sermoncentral.com: Paul Harvey’s "For What It’s Worth"
1. Our "For What It’s Worth Department" hears from Hershey, Pennsylvania - where the woman in the Mercedes had been waiting patiently for a parking place to open up. The shopping mall was crowded.
The woman in the Mercedes zigzagged between rows¡Xthen up ahead she saw a man with a load of packages heading for his car.
She drove up, parked behind him and waited while he opened his trunk and loaded it with packages.
Finally he got in his car and backed out of the stall. But before the woman in the Mercedes could drive into the parking space, a young man in a shiny new Corvette zipped past and around her and he pulled into the empty space, got out and started walking away. "Hey!" shouted the woman in the Mercedes, "I’ve been waiting for that parking place!"
The college-ager responded, "Sorry, lady; that’s how it is when you¡¦re young and quick." At that instant she put her Mercedes in gear, floor-boarded it, crashed into and crushed the right rear fender and corner panel of the flashy new Corvette.
Now the young man is jumping up and down shouting, "You can’t do that!" The lady in the Mercedes said, "That’s how it is when you’re old and rich!" A. Todd Coget
ii. The sinful nature always wants to win out over the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. But we need to fight against them with the help of Jesus.
f. Kindness a character trait of the life in the Spirit will be fought against by the works of the flesh because none of the sinful character traits have any kindness involved in them.
i. Hatred - no kindness here only ill will.
ii. Discord - no kindness here only strife toward another person - For example listen to this true story:
1. Illustration from Stories for Preachers: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, though sometimes it hurts when they express it.
a. In 1975 country singer Charlie Rich had been picked to announce the Country Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards show. The award went to John Denver, who had not experienced a warm reception at that point in the country music community. In fact, many people despised him and his style of country rock that was changing the direction of country music. When Charlie Rich opened the envelope, rather than announce John Denver’s name, Charlie took out a cigarette lighter, set fire to the paper bearing the winner’s name, and walked off stage.
2. We need to determine to be like Jesus and not allow anyone to make us hate them.
a. Quote: I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him. ~Booker T. Washington
iii. Kindness is contagious and we need to do many more kind acts in our spirit filled life:
1. Illustration from Stories for Preachers: An act of kindness sets off a chain reaction of positive. A man was driving down the road in his old pickup when he noticed a stretch limo on the side of the road with the hood up. He stopped to ask the driver he could use some help. The driver said, "Yes. I have no idea what the problem is." The man looked around under the hood for a few minutes, discovered the problem, and was able to fix it. The limo started up immediately and began running smoothly. The driver thanked the man and offered to pay him. "Not necessary," the man said. "Just glad to help." He began walking back to his car when the rear window of the limo opened and a voice called out to the man. The man looked in the window and saw Donald Trump sitting in the back seat. Trump said, "Thank you very much for your help. What can I do to repay you?" At first the man said, "You don’t need to do anything." Then he had a thought. "Mr. Trump," he said, "My wife would be thrilled to get a box of flowers from you. Would you do that for me?" Donald Trump said, "Consider it done. What is your address?" The man told Donald Trump his address. He later said he only half-expected to hear from him the next day. Sure enough, the next day a delivery truck pulled up with a box of flowers addressed to the man’s wife. The note inside said something to effect of... "Dear Mrs. Smith: You are lucky to have for a husband such a caring and kind person. When I offered him payment for his act of kindness he thought only of you. These flowers are for you. Signed, Donald Trump." Then the P.S. said, "By the way, I have paid off your mortgage at the bank. You now own your house free and clear."
2. Tiffany shared a story with me at Christmas. The Starbucks she works in at Normal, Illinois last Christmas witnessed something amazing. A person in the drive thru lane one morning paid for the person behind them. It was a random act of kindness. But the amazing thing was the next person did the same thing. It continued on for two days until it reached about 127 acts of kindness and then the chain of kindness was broken the end of the next day.
3. The key to remember is that one act of kindness birthed more acts of kindness.
g. Goodness - doing what the Bible says is good is a fruit of the spirit and it can be manifested by giving the gift of forgiveness to one who has not asked for it. Selfishness, hatred is some of the forces which battle against this good gift.
h. Faithfulness is fought against by the fleshly work of selfish ambition because self drives faithfulness out. When the ego is driving the car then faithfulness is shoved out of it. Remember when God is edged out of a person life due to selfish reasons then the sinful nature is in control.
d. We can all relate to Paul’s struggle and the truth that there is a battle that rages in our hearts and in our minds when it comes to how we live our life as a saint.
Conclusion:
What is the solution to the struggle that we all face as a Christian?
Paul answers that question for us in Romans 7:24, 25: "24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God¡Xthrough Jesus Christ our Lord! ..."
Jesus is the answer to our inward struggle! He is the one to help us to persevere and to win the struggle over this inward battle.
Quote from Sermon Central: An Indian Christian, Sandhu Singh, made a perceptive statement when he said, "One day I was sitting on the banks of a river. I took from the water a round stone and I broke it. Inside it was perfectly dry. That stone had been lying in the water for a long time but the water had not penetrated it. Then I thought that the same thing happened to men in Europe. For centuries they have been surrounded by Christianity but Christianity has not penetrated, does not live within them." Owen Bourgaize
The lesson to learn is that we must allow the Spirit of the Lord to saturate our lives with the fruit of the Spirit so that in the process we drive out the works of the flesh.
Tim LaHaye in his book Mind Siege noted, "Ever since God first explained to Adam and Eve how to think so they could live successful, fulfilled, obedient, and happy lives, there has been a constant battle over who will control human thought processes-man or God. Sooner or later, every human being makes that decision" (47).
Illustration from sermon central .com: A LIFE OF RESOLUTIONS
Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. Throughout his lifetime he would add to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions.
He put at the top of his list: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week."
Edwards didn’t casually make New’s Year’s resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them. Each week he did a "self-check." He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God’s help in the process.
Christ calls us to commit to actively work at becoming conformed to His image. This coming year resolve to be come a person committed to a godly transformation. If you faithfully do this, you will see your life begin to focus on the spiritual rather than on the passing, material world.
SOURCE: Jan Brown in ChristianityToday.com. Connection. Citation: http://www.christianitytoday.
com/moi/9k6/dec/9k6024.html -- SermonCentral PRO
Altar call question: So what will our decision be today? Will we allow the sinful nature to control our life so the works of the flesh are manifested in it or will we choose to do battle against the flesh with the help of Jesus and live by the Spirit and manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit with our life?
