Classic Christianity – Encourage By Grace P3 (01-30-19)
Bob George shares from the Word of God to encourage believers by a message of grace. Bob reviews again the things discussed in part two, the humility in Christ Jesus, who being God in the flesh, who in the Spirit who created all there is, yet became obedient to death on a cross for you and me. That attitude of Christ, his humility, is in us as children of God, by the Holy Spirit he has given us. So then, we are to work out what has been worked in us so the fruit of the Spirit is seen as we live in this depraved and wicked world. So we should be known as those who do not argue and complain but rather by those who serve one another in love. So our minds must be renewed so as to realize all that God has freely given. We live in error because we have thinking like that of the world that needs to be transformed into the attitude of Christ.
Starting around minute 14 in the audio, Bob shares part three of this three part series titled “Encourage by Grace”. Bob shares the about the attitude of the mind. As a child of God living in this world, there is always this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. But as a child of God, we have a choice not to be a slave any longer to sin but rather as a slave to righteousness, Christ’s righteousness. We are to trust in God’s provision in the Spirit. Do not let yourself be mastered by the flesh, with its deceitful desires, but rather be made new in the attitude of the minds. Do you know that you have everything you need as a child of God to live Godly in this wicked and depraved generation? Put on the new self since we have this privilege to participate in the divine nature. The common question asked today is what do we do with sin? The answer is in the attitude of the mind, for behavior always follows attitude. The law cannot change attitude. Only God can. When answering this question, Bob addresses the common faulty thinking of being out of fellowship with God when you sin. God deals with you no longer as someone under the law but as someone under grace. God wants to get attitudes changed to deal with sin in faith under grace.
Ephesians 4:20-32
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The flesh is always being corrupted by deceitful desires. There is nothing good in the flesh. The desires of the flesh are deceitful. The flesh tells you: “You can get away with it. It won’t hurt this time.” There is always this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. The flesh and the Spirit are at enmity with one another.
Recall what Paul wrote in regards to this struggle in the flesh.
Romans 7:14-25
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul is describing the life of a slave. You cannot do the things you want to do and the things I do not want to do those are the things I do. Paul says do not give into the flesh, because when you do, it becomes your master. When you give into the flesh it becomes your master. So, do you want to be mastered by Him or the flesh?
Ephesians 4:23-24
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
So in Ephesians 4:24, we are instructed to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. As a child of God, with the indwelling Holy Spirit, we have the ability to understand the things of God. So turn to him for truth and lean not on your own understanding. Without Christ, all we had was the flesh. But the flesh is separate from the Spirit. The flesh, with it’s indwelling sin, you still have with you to contend with.
So the righteousness of Christ is the only righteousness available to you. You had no righteousness of your own. The righteousness you received came from God and was deposited in you. There is no sin in your Spirit. In Him there is no sin. The sin is in your flesh. The Spirit is set apart from the flesh. And as a child of God, you now have an option. Which is it going to be, the flesh or the Spirit? So be made new in the attitude of the mind.
2 Peter 1:4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
So do we have someone living in us teaching us how to live in true righteousness and holiness. So our privilege is to participate in the divine nature. But you and I can also choose to participate in the flesh.
So the common question asked today is, “What do you do with sin?”
This question is really kept general. The reason it a general question is to avoid getting into specifics. But how do you get to know truth without context and without getting into the specifics? So people ask a general question so no one gets specific. As long as we talk in generalities then do not have to get specific.
Why not also ask these questions? Which sin? The sin of unbelief or all the sins of stealing and murder and those spelled out in the law. As a child of God you repented of the sin of unbelief in Him.
John 16:9-11
9 The world’s sin is unbelief in me; 10 there is righteousness available because I go to the Father and you shall see me no more; 11 there is deliverance from judgment because the prince of this world has already been judged.
Are you a child of God?
Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
This question of “What you do with sin?” is typically asked in regards to believers who sin. Action always follows attitude. Does the law change your attitude? No. God changes attitude because once the attitude is changed, behavior is changed. So what is your attitude toward sin? Is not the root of sin an attitude of independence and rebellion towards God?
1 Corinthians 2:10-12
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
The Spirit of God came to change attitude so your behavior is changed. But the focus always seems to be on sin rather than attitude. If the Spirit of God is living in you, then your attitude toward sin has already changed. You have a longing in your heart to love God for what He has freely given. You have been made into a new creation. Somehow that is always left out of the discussion on how to deal with sin as a believer.
Ephesians 4:25
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Each of you must stop lying to one another? Continue reading and you read why? Because you are a member of the body of Christ. As the body of Christ, be truth tellers. Why? Because you are part of the body. Does it make sense for one part of the body to lie to another? No. Your body will not lie to itself. Does the nose say to its hand, that it itches, when it does not itch, so that the hand will scratch itself when there is no need to? So, in the context of a new creation, be a truth teller. It does not say don’t lie but why we should be truth tellers. If you lie to your body, then you destroy yourself. As a piece of the body of Christ, we should be truth tellers to each other. Here is the new thought to tell truth to one another.
Ephesians 4:26
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry
In your anger, do not sin? Is he saying anger is sin? Or, is he saying in your anger do not sin? Do not let the sun go down. Why? Because it gives the devil a foothold.
So you have an argument with your wife. You go to bed and not say a word to her. How do you sleep? You do not. You wake up in worse shape, and give devil a foothold. So then, settle the matter before you go to bed. So I made a policy, “I am going to settle things before going to bed” based on what God has said.
Ephesians 4:28
28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
He who steal must steal no longer. Is God dealing with you under law? No! If He was, what does law say? The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Do you want to be under that? No.
Galatians 3:10
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
But then someone says, “No, I don’t want to be under punishment but I am going to drag law over because it is good.” But you can’t keep the law here and separate it from punishment. You cannot separate the two even if you want to. You are leaning on your own understanding with such thinking.
Do you read anything in this passage that says since you are stealing you are out of fellowship with God, and that when you sin you must confess it as sin to get back in fellowship with God? No! We read a few things we have done wrong. Why is it not in here since it is presumably such an important teaching? Do you see that in here? It’s such a famous teaching, you would expect it to be here, but it is not! That is why people latch on to 1 John 1:9. Are we not to keep short accounts with God is what is popularly taught. So, in essence, people are speaking out of law when thinking such things. This is what it sounds like, “God is mad at you, sitting on His twirly chair, since He cannot look at sin. He is too Holy that He cannot look at sin. Get that black mark of sin off that chalkboard.” All such thinking is in total contrast to what Jesus said, “It is finished”, “I will remember your sins no more”, “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” and “I have given you all you need for life and godliness”. In the scriptures, there is no hint of that erroneus thinking about being out of fellowship with God and the need of confession to get back in His graces. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind with truth and lean not on your own understanding!
2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Stealing is one of the 10 commandments. Why is nothing said about that? Because he is trying to renew our mind. Go to work is what we read. Someone who thinks in error says “God forbid. I do not want to hear that. I just want to get back in fellowship with God”. Do something useful with your own hands to be able to share with those in need. What is he saying here? All law can say is “Thou shalt not” but not a word about “Thou shall”. God wants to get attitudes changed in how to deal with sin with faith under grace.
Romans 6:13-18
13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
God says, “Come let us reason together. Do I own a thousand cattle on a thousand hills? Have I promised to supply all your needs according to my riches in glory?” Yes, you say. God says, “Do you think I am out of resources? Have you exercised faith that I will supply all your needs?” You say, “I haven’t. Otherwise I would not be stealing.” So, is the problem that you are stealing or a lack of faith that He will supply all your needs? God says, “Are you ready to trust me?”
Repentance is not to stop stealing but to start believing. Repentance was once thinking I needed to take care of myself but now to believe God will take care of me. I turn to trust God to meet my every need.
Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
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