A Tell-Tale Heart

Good morning church.

I believe they keep getting better to take your Bibles and turn to Romans. Romans Chapter 2 Lord willing we'll look at verses 12 through 16 this morning.

Romans Chapter 2 verses 12 through 16. You don't have a copy of God's word with you. There are no provided in the bulletin by the have the scripture references and quotes and also a space that you can feel in the better retain the message so you won't offend us if you need to get to an exit or entrance and pick up those notes. If you don't have a bulletin also if you have a smartphone and you've downloaded the YouVersion Bible app, that's why I owe you version after you download it you can go to the more tab top events by melt Carmel Baptist church. And then once you click on that, you'll have all the notes quotes and references for today as well. And then if you're watching online, you can go to our website Mt. Carmel Denver, notes and you can download the notes that they're actually they actually have in their bulletins today so you can keep that. With you we all I ask is that you have an Open Bible and an open mind and I when we speak God's word Heather. Romans Chapter 2. I'll go ahead and tell you I'm excited to get back in the Book of Romans. I'm not going to lie Romans Chapter 2 verses 12 through 16. I'm going to preach to you this morning a sermon that I've entitled a Tell-Tale Heart a Tell-Tale Heart The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe relates the story of the man who Endeavors to cover up a murder that he is committed. The man's feelings result in hearing a thumping sound. And he interprets that thumping sound as the old man's beating heart. We all knew and I have a Tell-Tale Heart. We have feelings that thump loud. When we've done wrong. The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans and remember before Paul became a Christian. He was a Jewish Pharisee and a persecutor of the Christian church. Only after the resurrected Jesus appeared to Paul. Did Paul receive his commission to become Apostle and thus the greatest Christian Missionary to be on the face of the earth when Jesus commissioned Paul, he commissioned Paul to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. The non-jews. Remember Paul is a Jew himself now in Christ both Jews and Gentiles comprise the church particularly the Roman Church and Paul is writing this letter to the church in Rome. The Roman Church has not yet met any of the Christians there. He wants to alert them that he plans to visit and he is going to ask for Assistant on his missionary journey to Spain and here's what I love about Paul. That's really the occasion for why he writes the letter but in the meantime, he goes, can I rehearse The Gospel Four one more time? Can I tell you the gospel one more time? And what he's especially going to relate to them is the relationship of the Gospel Jews and Gentiles non-jews. How does that work together in Romans chapter 2 verse 11 where we left all months ago. Right the last verse we read was this for there is no favoritism with God. God has no favorites. There's no person. That's an advantage or a disadvantage when it comes to knowing him know why would people have to write to a Roman Church that's comprised the Jews and Gentiles trust me. There's no favoritism. You would think so. Why would he have to remind them that got there and here's how the argument would have probably went in the Roman Church. We have the Gentiles. Did not have the Bible or the Old Testament Mosaic law. They didn't have it. They have not known it since birth. How can we know right from wrong and be accountable and judged by God? We don't have the Bible. How are we held accountable and then you have the Jews who sets will we have the Bible? We have the Old Testament and Mosaic law and that's because of our special Covenant relationship with God. How could God keep us accountable see what his favorites? Purple is saying something that's really profound. There is no favoritism. right Now, how was that the case how are neither party exempt from accountability and God's judgement. That's what he's here to answer. How was it that both Jews and Gentiles and what that means for you? How is it that everybody in here regardless of your religious or spiritual upbringing will be held accountable to God? Cuz we all know people in just this room. I hear some of you you've known the Bible since you've been a little bitty tear. If some of you you may be watching for the first time because it's the first time I've ever heard of the Bible. I get God's going to judge all of us. Yeah. Well, how is that fair? How can God judge me when I don't have the Bible Romans Chapter 2 and looking verses 12 through 13. Is what Paul says all who sin without the wall will also perish without the law and all who sinned and all will be good for the heaters of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified by the first thing Paul wants to do is just lay down a Biblical principle of God's judgement. I want you to write it down and then let me explain it. The first thing is this number one only do workers of the law will not be condemned. Only do workers of the law will not be condemned. When you see the word law in this passage just needs versus go ahead and put in your mind with white polish referring to he's referring to the law with a capital l or we caught the law of Moses the movie. Santa Claus which God gave Moses at Mount Sinai

The Ten Commandments very good. So just if it helps you think of it like God gave the Ten Commandment Italy to His People Israel up at Sun off. So when we say that you can you send without the Ten Commandments. I'm just using the idea will also perish without the Ten Commandments in there in an interesting and the Ten Commandments rebuild the conduct that God approves up and what conda is sin what trespasses his wheel those who have sinned under the law refers to who those who sin under the Ten Commandment is which group the Jews very good. You're following with me this morning. They are the recipients of the Mosaic law that next part of verse 12. It says in all who are under the Ten Commandments. The Jews will be judged by the law of the Ten Commandments. But here's what's interesting. And here's what he wants to put point this out. It is a dude or of the 10th Amendment that will be justified or right or the clear the right at God's judgement as you will see though. No one is justified by obeying the Ten Commandments and I don't believe it's because it's theoretically can't stop it. It's that you and I cannot fulfill all that the Ten Commandments require and thought word and deed we can't Pulse Point here though is to prove this that possession of the law hearing the Bible hearing the Ten Commandments means nothing. Just to hear it means nothing. It is perfect practice of the law that matters and pulse Point as you'll see is that no one has practice God's word perfectly. No one Chris we argue the display of the Ten Commandments in the tivity in public places, but what good does it do for you? And I to argue if we don't believe them and keep them ourselves.

We claim to be the recipients of the Bible we claim to be the ones that have heard it where they're doing. Because just possessing it means nothing. There's no advantage to just hearing it. Do you hear me that there will be no profit to you today? If you just hear what I have to tell you. No Prophet you wasted your time. Was last Sunday the last time you picked up the bible to read study and Obey it if that's the case with gentleness and respect according to God's word. You stand condemned already because the revelation of himself is there available to you?

There's nothing magical about zesty Bible sitting in the church to hear God's preach if you don't believe and Obey it. Will all perish. God's law can justify only when it's perfectly evade reading it. Tall and preach studying it. None of these not all of them can together can justify or make you right before God that word Parish here refers to Suffering The Wrath of the righteous anger of God and therefore experiencing a turtle separation from God in hell. If you have not put it together yet Paul is just edging that way and he's going to get explicit and Romans chapter 3. None of us have kept God's work perfectly and we are destined to burn in a sitter tell all of us. That's what the Bible teaches if you are trusting in good behavior to get you off. I'm here, but you know that you will parrot. your parents I'm going to get to the good news, but you got to hear the universal bad news first. All right, we all will perish now let's look at the next 2 verses how can God judge me if I don't have the Bible right? Look at verses 14 and 15. so when Gentiles non-jews Who do not by Nature how the law do what the law demands? They are a loyal to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts their consciences confirm this they're competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them. So you're sitting there and you go I don't I don't have the Bible was brought up with Christian family or church don't know anything about and here's how God deals with you number to write this down. Your law is your conscience.

Now you got to hear hear it all out. Okay. Listen to all that Paul says here your law is your conscience. Now I differ on the the translation of the Christian Standard Bible at this point. It actually saddens me. Alright, the Greek word by Nature that that we translate by Nature comes between two Clauses and it can either modify the first one which is having notice here in verse for 14. If you have the CSP that I have feelings and talk to do not by Nature. How does how are the Greek Clause modifies the word have in your other almost all other English translations if you have something different and it can go up the grammar will say it like this. So in Gentiles to those who do not have nature who do not have the law by Nature do okay. So now by Nature How far is the word is a verb do I think that is the right rendering of the text? Okay, so it got it can go either way. It's a 50-50 split and the way it works. The illogical just in case you know, if if by Nature modifies having he's probably referring to believing Spirit-filled Gentile Christian. I think Paul has in mind Gentiles in general. Okay, so it needs to go with the word dude now just say that as a point so that you know, why okay. And here's what he goes on to do. He goes on to baptize to put into Jewish and Christian terminology. The Greek concept of What's called the law of nature write down write down the law of nature. Okay, and what did this mean the old nature in the Greek mob? Okay in the gentleman older feel oceans also called the moral law. The moral law is the concept that all people possess a moral compass that every person on the planet has some moral compass. It is not as comprehensive as the word of God as revealed in his written word, but it's suffice has enough for people to know right from wrong. Okay, because of this here's what your perspective the Bible sees even Gentiles having a law by virtue of this Compass by virtue of having a conscience the Bible recognizes them as accountable. Right now we also don't need to confuse the Mortal or involve nature what the conscience is not let me show you this the law of nature. This moral compass is an object of standard. It stands outside of man. It is true regardless of any personal or other people's opinions. It's their it exists. The conscience is different. It's not to be confused. Cuz sometimes we we saved the same thing you're not the conscience is your inner witness that makes you aware when you violate or deviate from that moral law. That's the bad feeling that suck. Thumb thumb. Okay. Now what you have to understand while the Mortal law is true objective absolute your conscience can become fallible. Your conscience can become distorted at 3 p.m. Collect conscience sitting Indian is a three-cornered thing in your heart. Just imagine a triangle sitting in your heart and its standstill as long as you're doing good. But when you do something back it turned in a hurts a whole lot. If you keep on doing wrong the corners, we're off and it doesn't hurt anymore. As some of you know, when I checked want to come. You can behave in such a way for so long. There's no more something.

Your conscience is seared. It's finished all but that's the inner witness. That's what tells you when you have violated or deviated from the moral law of God. And then also this don't confuse that conscience that God has given to you in your personality with your faults. Your thoughts are the ones that excuse or Bindi they would prefer to you. The confidence is the inner mechanism that relates to us or deviation from the law of nature are false comprise our memory. That produces guilt or reassurance. Here's what I want you to think about every single one of us. I know it because the Bible is true and then I know this from my own experience. We all have memories of things. We wish we had never done. all of us you got things right now in your heart and they produce shame and guilt their faults you carry around with you that you go. I wish I could be set free from remembering when I violated my conscience in the moral law. I wish I would have listened we talk about regret when more sorrow, these are the things that Paul is talking about he saying you've experienced this theme of a law or two of your memory that you carry with you with all the things you wish you never done or this the things you wish you would have done. I wish I would have said something. Those are the things and these memories. Here's what you need to know just like the Ten Commandments serves as a record of what is sin your memory serves as your record as what it sent and that amazing.

Pulse point is whether the law is revealed from sauna or it's given to you in a moral compass. We all you and I have a wall to keep and again as you'll see none of us has kept it let the person stand up and say my conscience is clear. There is no such person. No such person. I appreciate what John Piper said isn't it remarkable that when we spent the evening isolated in front of our computer addicted as it were to work or pornography or video games the issue at the end of all of it is not the wonders of technology or science the issue. Is this how come how can I come to God when I feel so dirty and how can I come to my wife in my children with transparent love when my conscience is soda file? Everybody has that sense of something's wrong with what I've done. And if you're not into computers you pick your own sin TV romance novel stock market Pages Spirit numbing music we all have some kind of ice that when we walk away from Italy. Why am I doing this?

The Dirties my soul

So how can God judge me when I don't have the Bible as we've seen your law if it's your conscience?

I've been looking for 16. own the day When God judges what people have kept secret according to my gospel through Christ Jesus, this is a loaded statement. Number 3 write this down your memory cannot be concealed. Your memory cannot be concealed is interesting these hidden or secret things the Greek word his Crypt off. You cannot encrypt your memory. You cannot hide it. The day of judgement the day it's the day with the capital D is God's final intervention in human Affairs to punish sin the resurrection of Jesus a firm that it will be Jesus. He will be the one who will judge us. I need you to catch this get this vividly intermont all in before desus and give an account of her lost all of us on that day. When he returned as the Glorious King of the earth. We all you and I will be held accountable to King Jesus and it will result in either Eternal condemnation in Hell or Eternal bless a blessedness in heaven. Now we can conceal our sins from one another. Please understand the end of the point of the patches today is not that we stand up and tell everybody what's in our memory. No use in doing that. We can conceal our sins from one another we can deceive our own selves into thinking that somehow our sins are hidden from Jesus and what Paul makes explicitly clear here. The day of Jesus is judgement will show you that you had hidden nothing from him. You thought you have but you've had nothing here to me is what is so damning listen to this that on Judgment Day when we sit there refused to say we're Sinners what King Jesus will do sit on his throne in the in the courts of Heaven to do this still produce your memory as a witness against you just play it back. Just a memory.

Chester fall you understand that he doesn't have to go to the Ten Commandments with you your own conscience testifies against you. That's what's so amazing. If I would have stand outside and let your memory speak on your behalf everybody.

I don't want those thoughts out. I don't my conscience revealed that day. You can do this. You will be exposed and here's what so amazing when those thoughts get finished showing in that memories all depleted. You'll confess all along. You didn't know right from wrong. Yes with or without the Bible.

So what? So what why did he kept secret? Whatever you kept secret I can tell you that's probably where you've offended God and you press passes law. What's under the floorboards of your heart? Call Josh. Nobody's perfect. That's our attitude. Nobody's perfect. We all got stuff like that. That's what the Bible saying. We've all got stuff like that. That's exactly what we're trying to date you. According to the Bible that perspective nobody's perfect will suffice on Judgement Day. It will not work. Our memories will be revealed and used as evidence against us on Judgement Day and judgement day is coming we all you and I need to settle out of court today. That's what we have the opportunity to do. We can take the plea deal. This is a beautiful thing isn't a good peek. You can plead guilty now. And not wait till then and ladies and gentlemen, we now please now if you confess and admit that God is right and you are wrong and then bought Faith sees his son Jesus Christ Alone to receive the forgiveness of sin. You are so amazing about the gospel promise. He said this he'll go as far as cleansing your conscience. He says I'll first ball. I will remember their sin no more. You may remember it. But let me know if I'm more blessed thing. Is that God doesn't remember it where he goes. I can't bring it up. I don't know what you're talkin about.

I'm into even though this to all that behavior, I think that you steered off in your conscience. Jesus can make clean against and inform with the Holy Spirit make you a new person. This is all things that Jesus can do for you. Listen to what act 10:40 to 4:43 cuz he commanded us Jesus commanded to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead all the prophets testify about him and threw his name everyone who believes in him receive forgiveness of sin. No more memory of it. God does not hold it to your records. You may hold on to it, but he doesn't and that amazing. This is because Jesus this is what we don't understand the shephelah. Jesus is so precious. And so perfect that God cannot get past the site of Jesus's blood over your sin. What are you talkin about, That's the way he looks at it. I'll have my son's blood and beer. It's called. Listen to what else Jesus's blood does when he died on the cross for you. This is Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ who to the spirits offered himself without blemish to God? He's perfect completely obedient cleanse your conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God hears. Our conscience will accuse them. In the conscious is right. You're not worthy. You violated God's wall. And here's what so amazing is Jesus's life and I've taken care of that.

It's not that we are worthy know. We also not able to factor into our conference. Jesus is Worthy and he makes me confident to go and serve God that's significantly different. You don't have to carry the burden and weight of Sid in your conscience. You can go guess those things are true, but I serve the living savior. You don't have to deal with it anymore Hebrews 10:22. It says let us draw near with a True Heart A True Heart in full Assurance of faith believing what Jesus is having our hearts sprinkled evil conscience in our bodies washed with pure water Chris and he said come on and don't don't let that stuff. Hold you back any longer in that amazing? Jesus shed blood and sacrificial death for our sins is so infinitely perfect that we no longer have to be saddled with an inward sense of personal guilt shame fear or even embarrassment before God that keeps our heart at a distance from Mill. That's what Jesus has come to Saul he won't our hearts to draw call clothes go. Come on. I think it's because of what Jesus has done for you beautiful. This is the gospel. We declare to you your sins can be forgiven. You can come ride on up to God. I like what Martin Luther how he put it listed is this meetings that is not bitten recollection of his sins and is not disquieted by the fear of future punishment for not bitten by any longer. We're not afraid of what God might do because it's already been taken care of. Do you understand that we're free. We're free.

Write this down. And this is kind of hard to think of cuz we may have never put the gospel in this way. But Jesus died for our memories. I should think that's a wonderful thing. Jesus died for our memories, so don't conceal them but confessed them to him. The best time to him he already knows he already not for them. Just come clean about him Jesus. This is what I've done. You know it you know it and I don't want to walk into any longer. And he can set you free that burden will roll off your shoulders and never seen again.

Merced it's in Psalm 130 verse 3 If You O Lord kept a record of our sins. Oh Lord who could stand Thomas gets it. Nope. Nobody could stand we see in Revelation when that day comes people who thought they could they don't let the Rocks fall on me. The ones who thought they could stand they want to die. What we're recognizing is none of us can stand I can't stand that on that day. It's my memory was produced against me. I'm as good as gone and same thing with everybody else. None of us can stand but like what the prince of preachers Spurgeon said all friends. If it does not make you tremble to think of these things at all to do so. These truths all to startle us, but I'm afraid we hear them with small result. We have to deal with an omniscient God a God who knows everything with one to whom all things are always present the one who will conceal nothing out of fear or favour of any man's person with one. He will shortly bring the Splendor of his omniscient and the impartiality of his Justice to Bear upon all human law God help us wherever we rode and wherever we rest to remember that each fault word and active each moment laws in the fierce light which beats upon all things from the Throne of God. I'm going to ask every head bowed every off clothes.

My first encouragement my plea to you. My absolute begging is to plead guilty now.

Cuz according to the Bible trust me in the word we all will we all will it's just a matter of time we can do it in this age of Grace and receive the Forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God or we can do it. When we stand before his great white Throne judgment confess our guilt and thrown into hell go to the two alternate. If you go Josh your fear-mongering, I have no problem telling people. Yes, you should be afraid of God in your sin. You should be and here's the good news God who loves you sent his only son to shed his blood so that you can be forgiven your sins remembered no more and you can live a life with a clean conscience near to God that's his love and compassion in the midst of judgement and mercy Here's what I want you to pray. Jesus is not he is God. He hears our faults and Whispers And if you want to plead guilty to him now and bought Faith receive his forgiveness. Would you repeat after me just pray to say dear Jesus? I'll confess.

I admit that I am guilty.

But I believe you love me. You came down for me. You lived a perfect life. And you shed your own blind? Do forgive me of all my sins? I believe God raised you from the dead. Please forgive me. Clean up my conscience. Remember my sins no more. And Grant me eternal life. The baby head down after I close but what I'm waiting for you to do if you prayed that prayer. The next step in your walk with the Lord in Drawing Near to him is displaying that private confession and commitment publicly. And the way Jesus has commanded us to do that is through baptism you witnessed it today. We have a confession had to repent of your sins in Church of Christ as your savior. Yes, you know for sure that he died today you spend eternity in heaven with Christ. Yes, we can have that kind of insurance and baptism shows it when you go under the water you're saying I believe Jesus died for my sins and when you come up out of the water to believe I believe Jesus rose again. Has forgiven me and I'm going to live in a new life with him. If you've never been baptized. I want to encourage you to do one of three things. You can either check off baptism on the back of that Carol panel dropping the in the open box on your way out. Give me an offer to just to talk to you about it. You're not sign up. Just let me talk to you about it. You can text believe for texting perch number or I are you into our website and go to the baptism section and fill out that form. Just let us talk to you about that next right step.

The last thing that I want us to do is that if you're a Believer what I am so here's the amazing thing about our faith. We are still aware of our seeing you and there is coming a glorious day where God will wipe away every tear. I believe that includes every since of sin shame and guilt that we've ever possessed. What we have to do now is walk in faith knowing that our sins are no longer held against us. They're not God does not hold a single thing against you if you're covered by Jesus's blood. I don't want to read this prayer from Jane Austen that we as Christians can simultaneously be aware of our sin ever sin and your knowledge the Assurance of forgiveness by God we can do both just listen to this is look with Mercy. On the sins, we have committed and in Mercy make us feel them deeply that our repentance may be sincere in our resolution steadfast of endeavouring against the commission of such in the future teachers to understand the sinfulness of our own hearts and bring to our knowledge every fault of temper and every evil habit and which we have indulge to the discomfort of our fellow creatures and the danger of our own soul. Dudley Christian we have the privilege of actually you're saying God search just tell us what's in it because we had the notice how she prefaced her think. We have the mercy on the front end. We know going into it got good deal with this mercifully. So I'm going to Emporia today confess your sins and our top reflection and be assured of God forgiveness and his Mercy that covers the mall. Will you pray that they said you begin?