FOLKS CAN WE GO A LITTLE DEEP TODAY?
CAN I HEAR AN AMEN?
WILL YOU HANG WITH ME?
WILL YOU STUDY THIS AFTER TODAY? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THIS SERMON HAS BEEN FORMING OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. AND I AM STILL GETTING MY MIND WRAPPED AROUND SOME OF THE THNGS GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO ME ABOUT.
LET’S GET DOWN TO IT:
If Adam and Eve could fall from the Paradise of the Garden of Eden, why couldn’t we Fall out of heaven? Will we lose our free will? Will God make us forget sin? Will we become robotic praise machines? Or will we be in danger of falling from heaven? By the way, if you believe you can fall from grace on earth and lose a God centered salvation here on earth, then the same logic would apply for all those who enter the pearly gates. I do not believe our Armenian friends will not go to heaven, but I do believe that the doctrine they preach is unsettling. Unless we resolve the question of whether or not we can be tempted in heaven, we will also struggle with THE CERTAINTY OF HEAVEN!
Genesis 3:8-13
8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 And he said, "I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
12 And the man said, "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
This passage begs the question: “If Adam and Eve who lived in the Paradise of God and walked with God, could fall from the Garden, what about us? Is the promise of heaven ultimately empty? Will we one day fall from heaven as well?”
I. MORAL INNOCENCE IS THE ABSENCE OF ACTIONS OF AND AWARENESS OF REBELLION.
One of the questions that hounds Theologians, pastors, Christians, and all people in general deals with IS THE QUESTION OF WHY WOULD A JUST AND LOVING GOD ALLOW THE PRESENCE OF MORAL WILLFUL EVIL IN THE WORLD? I am not talking about natural disasters, like Katrina, hurricanes, earthquakes. We do not assign moral impulses to natural events. I am talking about the torture and bombings from Al-Qaeda in Iraq. They do not even care if they kill babies and children. Not that the bombing itself isn’t evil. BUT THERE IT IS IN THE BACK OF THE MIND, “WHY?” AND “WHAT?” SOMETHING JUST DOESN’T RIGHT. THE WOLRD SEEMS LIKE GOD MADE IT. BUT WITH WHAT GOES ON, IT DOESN’T ALWAYS SEEM LIKE GOD IS IN CONTROL. SO WE ARE LEFT WITH THE QUESTION OF WHY PEOPLE CAN MAKE CHOICES THAT DISPLEASE GOD, HURT OTHERS AND THROW A MONKEY WRENCH INTO THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT GOD CONTROLS THE UNIVERSE.
The questions OF WHY AND WHAT lurk behind the cynicism of the skeptic; it drags behind the fateful slip of the adolescent venturing into the world of drugs and sex. It sleeps beside those who slumber on Sunday morning. People look at the evil in the world and think either, I am not so bad as a terrorist or hitman. Others think well if God cannot control this crazy world, heaven is probably just a roll of the dice. I hope I make it in, but it really just comes down to luck. So, I will throw my lot into living for the day, Carpe Diem. But we struggle with the twisted nature we see in these people.
Where there is no religious training in God’s way, we will simply become more and more corrupt. The more that we believe we can make the rules up or create our own religions, the more evil we will see abound. We trace every road side bomb to Eden, every rape, every white collar crime to Eden. We ask, “Why did God allow Satan into the Garden?” We ask, “God, why did you make Adam and Eve
II. MORAL INNOCENCE IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN YOU IN HEAVEN. YOU NEED TO HAVE THE PRESENCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Moral innocence was not enough in the Garden, it would be insufficient in heaven.
2 Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
A. Christ GIVES you HIS Righteousness.
Let’s imagine that God gave the tree of life and Adam and Eve would live forever. Let us also imagine that they had children before they fell. Those children would be morally innocent. And they had kids before they fell. Let’s just imagine that no one sins before they finish having children. First off, Christ would not die for innocent people. So, lets have Him still come 2,000 years ago. He would only die for those who had sinned because not all are under condemnation.
Romans 5:6-8
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Ultimately my point is that at some moment in time, whether by temptation from Satan or the rebellion that came with free will, all people would sin and thus fall. But, unless all were condemned at the FALL, Christ could not die for everyone on Calvary because it would be unjust to send Christ to the Cross for those not condemned. Whether some people made it through childhood without sin, or young adult hood over even a million years, all people would sin. But, because Christ could not die for the innocent, and if people were simply in a state of innocence and not condemnation, He could not die for them. If that were the case, ultimately all people would be cast out of Paradise for eternity at some point. Therefore, God would have no sustained relationship with any of His human creation, which is what Eden was all about.
ROMAN 5:17-19
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.
19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
B. BECAUSE OF HIS RIGHTEOUS ACT AND LIFE, HE CAN REMOVE SIN PERMANENTLY.
HEBREWS 4:14-16
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.
REVELATON 20-21
ISAIAH 6
C. WITHOUT GOD ALLOWING THE FALL, THERE WOULD BE NO JUST REASON TO SEND JESUS. IT WOULD SIMPLY BE AN EXPENSIVE AND EXTREMELY PAINFUL DIVINE INJUSTICE.
And, God will never do anything unjust. To send Christ to the cross without anyone sinning would be punishing an innocent for no reason or purpose.
IV. IN SALVATION WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OR STAGES OF GOD’S PLAN FOR SALVATION AND RESTORATION.
A. THE GOAL OF GOD’S SALVATION IS THAT WE WILL BE GLORIFIED FOREVER IN HEAVEN WITH THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
God’s final plan is not that spend hours a day praying viciously for that windfall of money. Or that we have we have the perfect soul mate in our spouse that meets our every need here on earth. Or that our kids behave around company. Those things are wonderful and more power to you if that is true of your life. But, I can tell you that I have not found one person that such things are always true for them. God wants us to be in heaven. Heaven is living with God, like Adam and Eve did in Paradise, with the one exception. We will no longer be in danger of falling from heaven or grace. This is God’s purpose in salvation.
B. IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE YOUR PERMANENT PLACE IN HEAVEN, CHRIST SUFFERED, DIED, AND ROSE AGAIN. THIS HISTORICAL ACT AND FACT LEGALLY JUSTIFIES YOU BEFORE GOD.
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
On earth when we believe, we are legally cleared of our sins. There is no double jeopardy for our sin stain. (The blood of Christ cleanses us from all our sin.)
I Peter 1:17-19
17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
C. WHILE JUSTIFICATION IS INSTANTANEOUS (KINGDOM OF THE SON HE LOVES-GALATIANS) SANCTIFICATION OR REGENERATION IS CONTINUOUS ON THE FIRST EARTH.
BECAUSE CHRIST HAS SECURED YOUR POSITION IN HEAVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS OUR SEAL UNTO GLORIFICATION DESIRE TO WORK OUT WHAT CHRIST HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR US ON THE CROSS. GOD SIMPLY DOES NOT WANT FORGIVEN PEOPLE IN HEAVEN, HE WANTS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO ABOUND. HEW WANTS HOLINESS IN THE CORRIDORS OF THE HEAVENLY MANSIONS. HE WANTS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO REIGN!
MICAH 6:8
Colossians 1: 9-14
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13 For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Redemption “629 avpolu,trwsij apolutrosis {ap-ol-oo’-tro-sis} RELEASE from the effect of sin.
IN HEAVEN, THERE WILL BE THE ABSENCE OF TEMPTATION AND WE WILL NO LONGER DESIRE TO SIN. BUT HERE WE MUST STRIVE AGAINST THE OLD NATURE. WE MUST PLAN TO DEFEAT THE TEMPTATION OF SIN HERE:
1. Agree with God and His Word that sin is disastrous.
2. Read about heaven and believe that God’s heaven will be the perfect satisfaction for all your longings. (Many of our evil longing are results of the corruption of sin in our old nature and our rebellious distrust that God has our best interests at heart.
3. Pray earnestly for a steadfast spirit and a pure heart.
4. Do what you know to be right. Go to church, serve God and others, give to His Kingdom, witness to others of your faith. (James ) Had a conversation with a young man this week. He shared that he is not going to corporate worship. He also shared about friends he has that are making some horrible choices, you know a little drinking a little drugging. People call it partying. I began to share from Scripture that we are commanded to be in corporate worship. Hebrews 10:24-25 and the Psalms, Corinthians etc… And As James says, “To him who knows the good to do and does not do it, to him it is evil.
5. Surround yourself with Godly company. Find a few trusted people whom you can share the burdens of your soul. (Psalm 1)
6. Seek God’s power. Gal. 5:16
7. Stop making excuses.
Proverbs 6: 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives. 3 Commit your works to the LORD, And your plans will be established.
Name your sin SPECIFICALLY. I had a deacon who prayed every service, the same prayer: “Oh God forgive us of our many sins.” I never saw in him a desire to grow beyond what he learned as a boy. And, I never saw him own up to his pride or lack of evangelical zeal except once in the hospital when he feared meeting the Lord. OWN your own sin, not everybody else’s. The sort of faith that focuses on other people’s sin and not your own will not satisfy at the time of judgment.
Many people who claim church membership or even go to church on a regular basis live in Carnal Christianity. Their sinful flesh and selfish desires take precedence over Christ and His Kingdom. I cannot fully judge where people are at inside their hearts. I can only tell you that I see a great deal of willful sinfulness and also lackadaisical Christianity in America (You go through the motions and make a profession, you might even get baptized, and take a leadership position in the church. But, you have no zeal for God, no interest in personal holiness. You wonder what the ) You are here today and you do not believe that God has a better plan for you. You just think heaven is a little better than hell. Actually you like the way people headed to hell live on earth, it is just that you do not want to suffer with them for eternity. You want to party here on earth and slip out the back door into heaven on the way out. Given the alternative, you do not want to suffer in hell, but you believe you’ll be bored in heaven. But, these self-same people seem to have the unusual ability to find faults in everyone else around them. But they have excused themselves of their responsibility to keep their promises and commitments. They expect everyone else to live like they are glorified and OVERLOOK all their faults. Such people do not understand the difficulties that we face on this side of heaven. But we have a Redeemer whom we can approach.
Hebrews 4: 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.
