The Seriousness of Sin and the Abundance of Grace

Let’s Pray

So far in this series in Romans we have been going verse by verse

Today is a little different as our scripture today is better thought of as a whole because it really wraps up law vs grace

This is the last piece needed before we dive into the fact that sin has been defeated and the power of sin is broken

Romans 5:12-13

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Romans 5:12–13 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

Many today take offense at vs 12

they think or believe or say things like

how is it fair that because some knucklehead several thousand years ago sinned how is it fair I am judged by his sin?

sin entered through Adam

we have looked at that

you can find it in Genesis 2

sin entered through their rebellion but again how is it fair because of them I am found guilty

Let’s be honest

if you or I were Adam or Eve we would have done the same thing and probably worse

why

as humans we have sinful natures thanks to sin

you and I are evil on our own

I have and still am fighting hard to change what I say as a result

how many times have you said

but they had a good heart

they struggled but deep down they were a good person

not true

that is not Biblical

so you and I have to stop saying and believing it

I want to give you that scripture here this morning

Jeremiah 17:9

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Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

I don’t think it can get much more clearer than that

our human hearts are deceitful above all things

our human hearts are desperately wicked

They didn’t have a good heart

you don’t have a good heart

I don’t have a good heart

we all have a deceitful...wicked...heart

God just said so

Okay pastor joshua heart is bad but they were a good person

Mark 10:18

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Mark 10:18 “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

Oh boy

that destroys the argument they were a good person

Why

Why are we talking about this this morning

because we must stand on the Truth of God’s Word

You and I are also included in this deceitful wicked heart and you and i are not good people

I am going to get real with you for a moment

I loved my father in law Mikey very much

He was so good to Melody and the boys and me

Losing him still hurts deeply

one of the things I struggled with was trying to know....was Mikey saved?

I wrestled with that

Mikey didn't do church

Mikey was so out going and loving

Mikey had his strongholds just like all of us have different strongholds in our lives

Mikey could express his opinion very loudly.....if you were ever there when a telemarketer called...watch out

Mikey loved hard...I just didn't know if he loved Jesus

God answered that for me through my wonderful mother in law Vickie

We were talking the day he passed and she said without me asking because God is good and loves us deeply

She said Mike sure loved Jesus

He couldn't do church due to his severe back pain but we read the Bible together almost daily

we prayed together daily

we did devotions together

She saw his fruit

she knew he was saved!

That was such a burden lifted off of me to know because Vickie knew

We have looked at Matthew 7 many times but i want to go there again

Matthew 7:21-23

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Matthew 7:21–23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

these were church folks

these were people who were engaged in ministry work

these were not pew sitters

these were not those who felt I give enough money in my tithe to cover me

these were not sitting on the sideline

they were involved

look at what they were doing

they were prophesying

they were casting out devils...demons

they were doing many wonderful works

look at Jesus’ response

I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity

they didn’t have a true heart relationship with Jesus

church

brothers and sisters in Christ

this should rattle you

shake you to the core

how do you know

heart relationship

you know if you love Jesus or if you are trying to earn His love

ask Him and He will show you

things are not what they seem

things are not as cut and dry as they appear

know we can’t judge a book by its cover......you have to inspect fruit

that begins with us......one of the things most dangerous to Christians is being complacent....being comfortable....feeling like you have got this.....

again those folks in Matthew 7 were church folk

feeding the poor

clothing the naked

casting out demons

healing people

they looked the part but their hearts were wrong...they didn't know Jesus

You see when we believe one can have a good heart and be a good person despite what God says it leads us to then begin to justify sin

to be okay with sin

brothers and sisters whom I love deeply

i challenge you to dive into this

I challenge you to look at the entirety of you life

to break it down moment by moment

what do you cherish

what do you love

not with words

but with actions

where do you invest your time

you make time for what you love.....do you make time for Jesus

the danger here is being comfortable with sin

being okay with sin

justifying sin

it is how i was born

it was how i was raised

it is not illegal so it has to be okay

excuses

excuses

excuses

they all lead straight to hell

this is eternal stuff that has eternal consequences

all hearts are deceitful and wicked

there is none good

you might still be saying but God

I am sorry but that is His Truth

Please be honest with yourself so that you know that Jesus knows you because of your true heart relationship with Him

one of the first things.....first fruits you should see is being so uncomfortable around sin

how in the world can you be truly repentant and still be comfortable with the sin that caused you to need to repent????

Because of this we must be engaged and involved in each others lives

one because God tells us to and second because how else are we going to inspect fruit and have our fruit inspected

it is easy to put on a good show here on Sundays but very difficult to do that day in and day out

people justify sin by saying

they were a good person

they had a good heart

don't let that be you because God doesn't see it that way

saved or unsaved

that is the only two options

You

I

Everyone alive or dead has sinned because our nature is sinful

there is none good but God so it is imperative one finds God!!!!

Romans 5:14

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Romans 5:14 “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

Because there was no law did those who died between Adam and Moses automatically go to heaven?

no sir

If they were lost they went to hell

The law never caused one to die just as it can never save

it only pointed to sin

it pointed to how sinful you and i really are

the law pointed to how serious our sinful condition was and just how serious we must take sin

the law pointed to Jesus and our need for a Savior

Romans 5:15-17

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Romans 5:15–17 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

We are all born with a sinful nature but just as God refused to leave Adam and Eve in their sin....He refuses to leave us in our sin

He gives us a choice

Jesus

or

hell

it really is that simple

God’s great grace and mercy are a gift

that gift takes the form of salvation through Jesus Christ

Death entered through one man and salvation entered through one man

death through Adam

Life through Jesus

I pray that you get this

John 3:16-17

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John 3:16–17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Jesus did not come to condemn the world when He came the first time

He came to save the world

He came to give eternal life

You really don’t have life until you have Jesus

Living for the world results in death

Living from Jesus results in life

so many around you are desperate for life

true life

everlasting life

the life that can only come through Jesus Christ our Savior

Are you living?

Are you alive?

Do you see?

Do you get it?

Your life completely changes when you have Jesus because He completely changes you and gives you NEW life!

Romans 5:18-19

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Romans 5:18–19 “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

God is holy

God is just

All will face judgement

II Corinthians 5:10

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2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

I pray for many your eyes just opened

how you live matters

Christians you will stand in judgement before Christ

what will He judge?

how well did you obey!

Did you live a life of obedience and discipleship or did you live for you and sin?

How convicting is that????

When Christ calls you to obedience you will answer for your response

This doesn't fit with an all accepting Jesus

this doesn't fit with love covers sin....not in terms of us forgiving others but love covering sin in that it doesn't matter how you live

I can love Jesus and love sin and be okay

FALSE

LIE FROM SATAN

The Truth is the lost will be condemned to hell

the saved rewarded for their obedience but all will be judged

Romans 5:20-21

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Romans 5:20–21 “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

God’s grace is limitless

sin shows grace

does that mean that you should sin so grace will abound

heaven forbid

the law points to our need for God’s grace

some will accept most will reject

Church I love you

you have to take this serious because God does

Where are you

are you standing through Christ against sin

seeing the seriousness of your sin

repenting

confessing

changing

rejecting sin

or

living in sin and rejecting Christ

Where are you this morning