Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Paul moves from discussing unity to now discussing Holiness.

He uses the phrase “I testify in the Lord” similar to “Let me tell you something” He’s placing emphasis here, this is important.

Paul exhorts to live a life that is Characterized by holiness of heart and life.

Inner and outer.

He begins with describing what we are not supposed to be like.

Don’t be like a Gentile!

“Gentile” was ethnically what these people were.

But is was also a phrase to describe someone who didn’t know God.

Don’t be like a person who doesn’t know God.

Read Chapter 2:1-2; 11-12

The next few verse describe what Paul means by don’t be a Gentile.

In it we see the inevitable progression (regression) of every natural man.

It’s not a progression upward, but rather downward.

The Unbeliever Characterized

-Having a Futile Mind

This is really a summary!

What’s wrong with man?

He has a futile mind.

futile= vain, useless.

His mind is constantly consumed with things that are useless.

Man was created above every other creatures.

With capacaties for reasoning and thought.

Why?

So that we might know God.

Ecclesiastes=Vanity

Why is it vain, because it’s fleeting and passing away.

Vain because it is passing away. 1 John

What natural men treasure is but fleeting and temporary.

It’s ultimately useless.

-An Ever Increasing Ignorance

Darkened in Understanding

As a blind mind walks into a room and is unable to see, so naturally men are not able to comprehend, understand God.

Man naturally has intelligence of worldy things, but when it comes to God, he’s darkened.

Their thinking is not in touch with reality.

It’s not just that he has thoughts that are off, but his entire mindset is wrong.

darkened: (perfect participle) this means its a continuing condition

Example of Idolatry in OT.

Do we think we are any better?

Do we not naturally consume ourselves pour out our energies to things that are useless and vain?

-An Ever Increasing Hard-Hearted

Ignorant: not lacking intelligence but a willful ignorance and rejection of God.

An unwillingness to repent.

A willful ignorance unwilling to repent

Men love darkness

An Ever Increasing Hard Heart

Men are naturally hardened to the truth.

They love darkness because of their love of sin.

But, this is an ever increasing hardness.

When men sin, men naturally have consciences that tell them it’s wrong.

Many are restrained through society, or family, or other things that are God’s common graces.

They might try to reform or ammend their ways.

But each time they sin against conscience they dull themselves even more causing more hardness.

This results in greater and greater hardness and plunges men away from God.

This is always willful and deliberate! and every man does this.

Men willfully harden their heart.

Example

When men harden their heart this results in ...

The prevailing issue of mental illness.

-Becoming Callous and being given over.

callous: insensible “to be so inured that one is not bothered by the implications of what one is doing”

Will endure any difficulty rather than turn and repent.

Was Unwilling, now unable to repent.

Satan agrees with this.

“Satan has blinded their minds”

God consents to it also “God gave them over”

Was Unwilling, now unable to repent.

Bunyans example: Man in the Iron cage

“I left off to watch and be sober.

I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts… I have so hardened my heart that I cannot repent...”For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world, in the enjoyment of which I promised myself much delight, but now every one of those things bites me and gnaws me like a burning worm.”

Resulting in a total abandone to the flesh.

“Licentiousness” (ἀσελγεία, aselgeia) refers to abandonment of oneself to unrestrained practices, especially in sexual excesses”

unbridled self-indulgence a complete and total abandon to one’s desires.

Amusements and Pleasures

greedy: an insatiable lust for more

aggreement.

This is also destructive

The rapid increase in mental illness today can be laid in large measure at the feet of increased sensuality of every sort.

Man is made for God and designed according to His standards.

When he rejects God and His standards he destroys himself in the process.

The corruptions of our present society are not the result of psychological or sociological circumstances but the result of personal choices based on principles that are specifically and purposely against God and His way.

Homosexuality, sexual perversion, abortion, lying, cheating, stealing, murder, and every other type of moral degeneration have become unabashed and calloused ways of life through the conscious choices of those who indulge in them.

We are unable on our own to stop this process on our own.

Romans 5

Christ Has Power to Save

Christ Has Power to Save

Summary: This is the pattern of a life without God.

You must not live this way.

It’s not an option, this is life and death.

You must kill sin or it will kill you.

Applications

Do not convince yourself that you have more time to get your heart right with God.

2. Do not toy with sin or play with Satan’s bait.

3. Remember Your creator while you’re young.

Sin will harden you and kill you.