Sermon 263 – BORN TO SIN, BORN AGAIN NOT TO SIN
ILL. Humor: Of the many things in life that are certain one of them is you always get found out in the end or, to use the old adage, ’Be sure your sins will find you out’.
This young couple were about to get married. The young man went to his Dad and said, "I’m a bit apprehensive about getting married, Dad". "Why, son", said the Dad. "Well, I’ve got terribly smelly feet Dad and it’ll be so embarrassing when my wife finds out". "Don’t worry about it, son, just be sure to go to bed with your socks on and she’ll never notice the smell. You’ll be fine".
Meanwhile, the young lady goes to her mother and tells her, "I’m a bit worried about getting married, Mum, because I’ve got terrible bad breath in the mornings and it’ll be so embarrassing when my husband finds out". Mum says to her daughter, "Don’t worry, dear. All you need to do is, be sure not to open your mouth first thing in the morning. Don’t say a single word until you’ve been to the bathroom and brushed your teeth.
The wedding goes off fine and for six months they each manage to keep their secrets safe. Then one morning at about 5.00am the young husband wakes up and suddenly realises one of his socks has come off in bed. He frantically rummages around under the bed clothes trying to find this elusive smelly sock when suddenly his young wife wakes up. As he pops his head out from under the blankets she says to him, "What on earth are you doing"? He replies, "Oh my goodness, YOU’VE EATEN ONE OF MY SOCKS"! ...
Key Scriptures:
(1) 1 John 3:6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning (habitual sin). No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
paraphrased: No one who died to sin and is born again lives a life in submission to the same sin. If you continue to sin and be unchanged, there remains no evidence of your salvation.
(2) 1 John 5:18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him(self) safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.
paraphrased: We know that anyone born again (Spirit birth) does not continue to commit habitual sin; the one who is born again in spirit has died to the flesh, therefore Satan has not mastery over his sinful nature.
ILL. Quote: Before I came to Christ, I practiced sin and committed acts of righteousness. Now, I practice righteousness and commit acts of sin....
Born to sinful nature:
• Psa 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
• John 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh (sinful nature), but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. John 3:7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ’You must be born again.’
Jesus teaches about being born again - spirit birth:
• John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!" John 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water (representing repentance, what man does) and the Spirit (representing salvation, what God alone can do).
• Born Again by the WORD:
o 1 Pet 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable (Jesus is that imperishable seed), through the living and enduring word of God.
Obedience produces righteousness:
• 1 John 3:7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
• Rom 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
• Rom 3:22a This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
Disobedience produces sin:
• 1 John 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
Evidence of being born again (God’s seed remaining):
• 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning (mastered by sin), because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
• John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
