Is it possible that Christians are not sinners saved by grace? Part 4
This is the fourth message in the series “Is it possible Christians are not sinners saved by grace?” The first message was a brief overview of the the book of Romans and its continuing theme of contrasting life under the law with life under grace.
In the second message we examined, in some detail, the latter part of Romans 5 and the entirety of Romans 6. What we learned is that once we are born again, once we received the life and nature of God on the inside of us, we no longer have a sin nature that must answer to the law. So, since our lives are now sin-free, when we sin we sin because we choose to sin.
Romans 6 makes it very clear that when we get born again, we die to sin. In other words, the sin nature is dead. But Romans 6 also makes it clear that we still have the capacity to sin. Sounds like a contradiction doesn’t it. But it’s not. Throughout the chapter Paul tells us not to yield to sin — not to yield to the sinful thoughts of our minds or the sinful lusts that drives our bodies. What Paul is describing is a way of living that was not available to the person with a sin nature.
Paul emphasizes this because when we are born again that experience does not affect our minds or our bodies. And we looked at scripture that shows how our minds must be renewed to agree with the new nature that now dwells within us. For the person with the sin nature the law was a “synthetic conscious”. It was an outside force that kept the person in check.
At the same time we learned that we have to mortify the deeds of the flesh — we have to make our unregenerated bodies obey our new nature. Again, the person with a sin nature did not have the capacity to do this and that’s why he needed the law — the synthetic conscious.
In the third message we looked at Romans 7, the chapter that most use to prove that Christians are sinners who have been saved by grace. What we learned as we looked at the chapter, almost verse by verse, is that Paul is not talking about a Christian struggling with a sin nature but a person with a sin nature trying to live by the dictates of the law. He can’t do it.
All of the person’s Jewish training is no match for the sin nature that lives and dominates him from the inside.That’s why Paul says in verse 25: “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
When you keep Romans 7 in the context of the entire book of Romans and the continuing theme of contrasting living under the law with living under grace, it is scripturally impossible to come to the conclusion that Paul is talking about a Christian struggling with a sin nature.
As I thought about these messages, the Lord impressed upon me a truth that the Body of Christ has failed to grasp about themselves. Most do not understand what happens to them when they are born again.
I had been a Christian for nearly 30 years when I first heard teaching about what happens when we are born again. Imagine living with God’s life and nature on the inside of you for 30 years and not knowing how it changes you or what that change means for your life. And based on what I see in the Church, this is where most Christians are today.
And the problem lies, in part, with those of us who preach and teach from the pulpit. Many teach that nothing truly changes when we get born again and that’s why we still sin. Well, you know that they don’t say it like that. What they say is easier to swallow: you still have the sin nature but now you have God’s nature too. In other words, you are a sinner who has been saved grace.
What we’re taught, ladies and gentlemen, is that accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior doesn’t really change who we are. Did you hear me? We’re being taught that Jesus still leaves us as sinners — that He still leaves us in our sinful state of existence. Oh, what a damnable heresy! And Satan sits back and smiles. The pulpit is doing his job for him!
Today we’re going to answer two questions as we continue to look at how Christians are not sinners saved by grace. The first is “How does being born again change us?” And the second question is “How should being born again change how we live.
My primary focus is to let the Bible answer these questions for us. And with that in mind, I will make very few, if any, comments as we go along. So, let’s look at the first question.
How does being born again change us? The devil is no longer our father. Turn to John 8. We’re going to read verses 42 through 44.
(42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he that sent me.
(43) Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
(44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
How does being born again change us? We are freed from the power, the authority, of darkness. Turn to Colossians 1 beginning with verse 12.
(12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
(13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son;
(14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
Notice that once we’re born again we have an inheritance with the “saints in light” and are no longer under the power or authority of darkness — no longer under Satan and the sin nature.
How does being born again change us? God becomes our Father.
First John 4:4 says “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
First John 5:4 says “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
How does being born again change us? We receive eternal life. Jump down to verse 11.
(11) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
(12) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
(13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
How does being born again change us? We are made holy just like our Father. First Peter 1.
(15) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
(16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
How does being born again change us? We can think exactly like Jesus thinks.
In Philippians 2:5 we read “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
First Corinthians 2:16 says “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
A person with a sin nature living inside of him does not — cannot — have the mind of Christ.
How does being born again change us? This is the last one. We are just like Jesus, except we are not deity and we see this in John 14:12
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
Now let’s look at the second question: How should being born again change how we live?
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose how we are going to live. We’re going to read two verses from Romans 6, verse 4 and verse 12.
Romans 6:4 says “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Now verse 12. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
I want to point out two things here: the phrase “should walk” in verse 4 and the word “Let” in verse 12. They represent decision, ladies and gentlemen, that we have to make. Yes, we are born again. Yes, we have the life and nature of God inside of us. But we must choose to live by that nature. Do you see this?
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to bless those who wrong us. Look at Romans 12:14.
“Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not.”
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to love God by living by His standards. Turn to First Corinthians 6.
(1) Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
(6) But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
(7) Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to have a “servant’s heart”. Turn to Galatians 5. We’re going to read verses 13 and 14.
(13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
(14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to share a brother’s burden with him until he’s restored. You’re in Galatians. Go to chapter 6 and we going to read verses 1 and 2.
(1) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
(2) Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
I want you to see the awesome responsibility our Heavenly Father has given to us. Now this is not a responsibility given to the new Christian. This is given to those are mature in the Lord because only the spiritual mature is able to help bring restoration into another Christian’s life.
Only the spiritually mature understand that the most important thing is to first and foremost is to love the person and a then you can begin to help her on her road to restoration. And ladies and gentlemen, the reason this is such an awesome responsibility is because you are helping your brother or sister restore his or her relationship with God! Glory! Praise God!
But it’s a job only for the mature, only for the person who is walking in the love of God.
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to agree with the mind of our new nature. We’re going to read a chunk of scripture here in Ephesians 4 beginning with verse 22.
(22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
(25) Wherefore put away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
(26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.
(27) Neither give place to the devil.
(28) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
(29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
(30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
(32) And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Chapter 5 beginning with verse 1.
(1) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.
(2) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
(3) But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
(4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose not to worry — about anything. Look at Philippians 4. These are verses you’re very familiar with and we’re going to being with verse 6.
(6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
(7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(11) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
(12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
(13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to forgive people and live in peace with them.
(12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
(13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
(14) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
(15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
How should being born again change how we live? We can choose to stand in the gap for those in authority. Turn to First Timothy 2.
(1) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men:
(2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honestly.
(3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.
(4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
(8) I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
The born again life that we received when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior has transformed us into beings who can literally change people’s lives. Think about that! But we haven’t been taught who we are or that we truly are “God’s hand extended” to a lost and dying world and to brothers and sisters who have lost their way. (Yes, it’s a nice phrase that we all say but so many of us rarely live.)
Jesus lived the “born again” life.
If you truly want to see what the born again life looks like read the four gospels. In the gospels you’ll see Jesus “living out” the life that now lives in us. In the gospels you’ll see how Jesus thinks. In the gospels you’ll see what Jesus believes. In the gospels you’ll see what Jesus teaches. In the gospels you’ll see what is important to Jesus. In the gospels you’ll see Jesus living a sinless life. In the gospels you’ll see how Jesus “uses” his life to give life to others.
In the gospels you’ll see what your life can be too!
What Jesus thought you can think. What Jesus believed you can believe. What Jesus taught you can teach. What was important to Jesus can be important to you. Jesus’ sinless life is your sinless life. How Jesus used his life to give life to others you can use your life to do the same
Ladies and gentlemen, “in our gospel” — in the time we’re living in right now — we can “live out” our born again lives just like Jesus did. The only question is “Do you want to?”
