The Remedy for Sin
Respectable Sins • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 17 viewsWe have hope for victory over our "respectable sins" because 1) the cross and 2) the Holy Spirit's work in our lives.
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I. The Power of the Gospel
I. The Power of the Gospel
Talked about our sin nature last week, now we turn to the hope that we have
A. The Reality of our Sin - Ephesians 3:7-8
A. The Reality of our Sin - Ephesians 3:7-8
Illustration: We all know the story of John Newton. He was a slave trader and a captain transporting Africans to America. He left the slave trade for medical reasons, got saved, and went into the ministry. He never forgot his wretched sin nature. “My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.”
We need to learn to admit our sin if we ever want victory.
We’ve all been jealous, we’ve gossiped before, we’ve been impatient, acted selfishly, spoken critically before. We tend to see these things as “acceptable sins” in our lives, but we should call it what it really is.
Have everyone say it with you 2x. “I am a great sinner, but I have a great Savior.”
Paul said He was the worst of all sinners
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Paul didn’t say “I was chief” of sinners, he says I am. If Paul could admit that he had a problem, can’t we?
It’s crucial that truly admit this fact, because it will humble us, then we will see our need for help.
Where’s our hope?
B. The Remedy for our Sin
B. The Remedy for our Sin
The remedy for our sin is the Gospel. There are two ways the Gospel will have an impact on our lives:
1. The Gospel is for sinners (We just admitted that!) When God looks at your position, He sees a saint. But we are still practicing sinners in the middle of our sanctification.
What happens to our self-righteous facade when we face the Gospel? It crumbles! God had to pour out His eternal anger on His own Son because of us! That’s how bad we are, that’s how bad we need the gospel even today.
2. The Gospel allows me to deal with my sin.
“ Facing our sin causes us to feel guilty. Of course we feel guilty because we are guilty. And if I believe, consciously or unconsciously, that God still counts my guilt against me, my instinctive sense of self-protection forbids me to acknowledge my sin and guilt, or, at the least, I seek to minimize it.”
All he’s saying is that if God’s still angry at us for our sin, I naturally won’t want to bring it up!
But our God loves us!
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
The greater you understand God’s mercy and the forgiveness you have through Christ, the freer you will be to humble yourself and face the “acceptable sins” in your life.
This allows us to see that God is working for us Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Illustration: Baby is training to walk, Dad is right by its side.
We must be preaching the Gospel to ourselves every day; it helps us see our need for God’s grace and our hope in Christ.
There is never a day in our lives when we are so good that we don’t need the gospel. Your sin nature doesn’t care how good you feel or how good your day is going, it is still there. So we need to preach the Gospel to ourselves.
Verses to preach to ourselves:
As far as the east is from the west,
So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake,
And will not remember thy sins.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned every one to his own way;
And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
II. The Power of the Holy Spirit
II. The Power of the Holy Spirit
How are we going to have victory over our sin?
A. Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ - Romans 6:1-2,12
A. Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ - Romans 6:1-2,12
It’s often a struggle when we’re fighting sin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are drained and feel like we will never win the fight.
Romans 6 is crucial for us.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
“Through our union with Christ in His death, we have died, not only to sin’s guilt but also to its reigning power in our lives.
What does that mean for us? Sin has no more power over us. Sin has been dethroned now, the Holy Spirit is in the driver’s seat of our lives! Sin will still seek to influence us in our daily walk, but it’s power over us is gone. You can say no to sin.
B. Dependent on the Spirit - Galatians 5:16
B. Dependent on the Spirit - Galatians 5:16
The way to do that is to be walking in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Definition of walking in the Spirit: “To walk in the Spirit is to live under the controlling influence of the Spirit and in dependence upon Him.”
Bridges talks about “dependent responsibility” We are responsible to put our sins to death and chose to do right, but at the same time we are totally dependent on the Spirit making us able to carry out this responsibility.
2 ways to stay dependently responsible: 1) Stay humble by prayer 2) Work hard to do your part! Work hard as if it all depended on you, and pray like.
Bridges highlights a few things that the Holy Spirit does for us...
1. He Convicts us - 2 Timothy 3:16
1. He Convicts us - 2 Timothy 3:16
The Spirit uses the Word in our lives
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Big reason of the importance that we’re in the Word.
2. He Empowers us - Philippians 2:12-13
2. He Empowers us - Philippians 2:12-13
By the Spirit we put to death our sin in Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
3. He Works for us - Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:28-29
3. He Works for us - Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:28-29
Synergy is when two things work together. The Spirit works in us monergistically. “He works alone without conscious involvement.”
The Spirit is always at work in our lives, doing what is needed so we will grow into the Christian that the Father wants us to become. That is so encouraging to us! Because we know that the Holy Spirit is at work in us even in the worst of all days when it seems like we’re making little progress in our battle against sin.
The Spirit brings situations in our lives where we are forced to grow spiritually. He knows when we need to be stretched.
Illustration: Working out. The gym is not meant for a fun time, it’s made for exercise. Muscles need to be used in order to grow
One passage is ultra important for us to understand, Romans 8:28-29
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Spirit works to make us more like Christ.
We must pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal the sin that is in us, that we may then attack that sin. Psalm 139:23-24
Psalm 139:23–24 (KJV 1900)
Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
III. Directions for Dealing with Sins
III. Directions for Dealing with Sins
A. Apply the Gospel - Colossians 2:13-14
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
B. Depend on the Holy Spirit - Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
C. Recognize your Responsibility
D. Identify Specific “Respectable Sins”
E. Confess those Sins - 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
F. Memorize and Apply Appropriate Scriptures - Psalm 119:11
Psalm 119:11 (KJV 1900)
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.
G. Cultivate the Practice of Prayer
H. Involve One or a few Other Believers with you - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
