When Believers Sin, Do They Have to be Saved All Over Again?
Gal. 3:22July 17, 2005 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor
Introduction:
A In the early 1930’s the US had a problem. Crime had run amok. The prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s had given rise to pervasive organized crime. A frightened public demanded a response, and the government wanted to send a message to criminals. Their message was named Alcatraz. A tiny island in San Francisco which had previously been used as a military prison. From 1934 to 1962 Alcatraz housed some of our nation’s most notorious outlaws including Al Capone.
Thirty-six prisoners were involved in escape attempts: 7 shot and killed, 2 drowned, 5 unaccounted for, the rest recaptured. 2 prisoners made it off the island but were returned, As for the June 1962 escape, Morris and the Anglin brothers were successful in escaping both the institution and the island, but survival is very questionable.
The rock was one of the most successful examples ever of an escape-proof prison. But there is one prison even more inescapable and it is the one referred to in the Scripture we just read in Galatians: The bondage of sin.
But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Gal 3:22 (NASB)
B ETS: Paul explained the key that opened sin’s prison that had trapped all humankind.
1 ESS: Once we’ve been set free from sin’s prison we’re eternally pardoned.
2 OBJ: I want my listener to know how to break free from sin’s prison.
3 PQ: How does humankind break free from sin?
4 TS: Let’s look at two facts that can help us break free from sin’s prison.
5 Pray
I The law convicts
A Paul told the believers at Galatia that the law of the Scriptures had shut them in on all sides.
1 "Shut in" meant on all sides (no way out)
a (IL) Like a school of fish caught in a net
b They were locked in prison because they broke the law.
2 Their sentence was a trip to the executioner’s galley
a For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NASB)
b Nothing they did could break the bars of sin’s prison (law, circumcision, ceremonial rituals).
c The Law allowed them to see how dirty, broken, filthy they truly were.
B The laws in Scripture show us how dirty our hearts are.
1 We see the ugly, rotten, calloused things in our hearts.
a Lust, greed, unforgiveness, selfishness, pride, etc.
b Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17 (NASB) Sins of omission.
2 as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:10,23 (NASB)
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8, 10 (NASB)
a All of humankind is under sin (all guilty)
b We can’t get out on good behavior, parole, the law says, "You gotta die!"
c The law does not save us (never did), it convicts us!
C We’ve missed the mark.
1 God’s standard is not "good", His standard is perfect.
2 "I’m going to heaven because I’m a pretty good person." NO! Good people are in sin’s prison.
II Grace sets us free
A Paul told the believers at Galatia that faith in Jesus would unlock the prison doors of sin.
1 The Law allowed them to realize that they were helpless on their own to break free.
a Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Gal 3:24 (NASB) Pointed them to Jesus!
b Just as all men were (are) under sin...all men are also saved by grace.
2 Once they were released, they became children of God.
a The Law is a mirror that allowed them to see their dirty faces: you can’t wash a face without a mirror!
b It was God’s grace that provided cleansing through the blood of Jesus.
B The moment we really believe (saving faith) we too are set free from sin’s prison (two natures: old nature because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so Romans 8:7 (NASB) vs. new nature knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. Romans 6:6-7 (NASB)).
1 Does this prison break mean we’ll never sin again?
a Sin is no longer my master, I’m now a servant of righteousness.
aa Doesn’t mean it’s impossible for me to sin (only God is sinless).
bb We’ll always struggle with our old nature sinning.
b We do take our eyes off of Jesus on occasion, and the old nature springs right back.
(IL) 15% of all people admitted to hospitals for snake bites were bitten by dead snakes! (New England Journal of Medicine, 1999).
c When children of God sin, not habitually, digressionally, we don’t stop being a child of God! (Act out of our sinful nature).
aa Break in communion, fall out of fellowship
bb Don’t stop being His kid
2 There are two kinds of sin: 1)sin committed by those who have been born again and 2)sin committed by those who have never been born again.
a When we get saved we become a child of God, prior to our salvation we were God’s enemy.
b Would we treat our kids differently if they stole $300 out of our purse/wallet than we would a stranger who did the same?
aa Why? They are our kids and we are going to show them the judgment of grace.
bb With a stranger, I’m calling the cops and let the law deal with them.
c When a believer sins, he/she still remains a child of God.
aa Once sin is confessed, repented, the believer is forgiven, the communion/fellowship is restored.
bb Often, the consequences are dealt with by the believer.
3 There’s a third category: Those who appear to have been saved, but have gone back to stay with the world.
"Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. Luke 8:13 (NASB)
a "Believe" is just head knowledge. Profess faith, do not possess Jesus.
b No transformation, old nature is still intact; confirmed
c Sinner to a sanctified sinner
4 The dog, the hog, and the sheep. promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire." 2 Peter 2:19-22 (NASB)
a The dog illustrates a person who makes a decision to give up worldly desires of the flesh for a time, only to return and devour the evil again.
b Pig reforms outwardly, but inside has never been born again.
aa A pig may have washed, but its unclean nature still remains.
bb It’s possible for a person to change for a time, but that change quickly disappears.
cc Evidence there has been no change of nature
c The believer is not a dog or a hog.
aa "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. John 10:27-28 (NASB) Sheep!
bb Eternal life
cc Follow Him
dd Nothing takes us out of His hands!
Conclusion:
ETS: Paul explained the key that opened sin’s prison that had trapped all humankind. ESS: Once we’ve been set free from sin’s prison we’re eternally pardoned.
A We’ve looked at two facts that can help us break free from sin’s prison.
1 The law convicts.
2 Grace sets us free.
B I how you know how to break free from sin’s prison.
1 Decision #1 is about the law: Do this.
2 Decision #2 is about grace: Done
C How does humankind break free from sin?
1 God’s grace.
2 I’ve heard grace illustrated with this story:
a A thief breaks into your home and murders your only child.
aa If you hunt that killer down and kill him, that’s vengence.
bb If you let the police do their job and apprehend him, that’s justice.
cc If you adopt that killer into your family and make him your son, that’s grace.
b That’s what God did for us!!!
aa The blood of his Son is on our hands.
bb On our worst day’s we’re never out the reach of God’s grace.
cc on our best days we’re always in need of God grace.
3 How does humankind break free from sin?
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Mike Fogerson
