Name it and then claim it!

Half the Story

A few years ago I had a good friend (non-christian) basically share for about an hour my flaws and faults

Here is the thing I didn’t disagree with much of what was said but I told my wife what bothered me is that it was only the story

Played a major role in the conversion of Augustine, John Wesley, Martin Luther, and John Calvin

Romans is the doorway to the treasure of all of Scripture

Indicatives to imperatives (the gospel message)

God 153, Christ 65, Lord 43, Jesus 36, and law 74

Verse 15, 18.b, 19, and 23

5 Types of people

Daryl—Believes he is transparent though others around him would disagree. He says he just knows the appropriate context to be transparent in and it’s not here or pretty much anywhere you are. The reality of what Daryle feels seems really inconsistent with what others around him experience.

Linda—Transparency to Linda is not talking about her sin but about her work, her cat, her life circumstances which can be less than ideal. Linda how are you? Good but really struggling that my co-workers third cousin’s dog has worms and they can’t afford treatment. She will also tell you about all that is wrong with the world as a way to not focus on her fears, shame and insecurities.

Charles—Can’t remember the last time he has actually confessed sin to his wife, family, or anyone for that matter. He would share struggles with his wife but it would hurt her because she is too fragile so he lives a lie that he is good when in reality only the false image he has built is good and his false image it too fragile. Their egos and false images are like a shiny new car that couldn’t dare handle the dint or scratch.

Lacy—Who is the heck invited Lacy? Lacy overshared again. From porn to tax fraud and keying her neighbors car the group doesn’t know if they should turn her into the police, transition her to another group, or just move the group day to a time we know she can’t make it.

Paul—And the rest of the Bible! He doesn’t have to lay out everything but doesn’t hold back how real the struggle is for him. This one is identity driven and its aim is not to highlight sin but Christ amazingness

Bryan Chapel that the Bible makes sure to tar almost everyone

God’s Word itself is so authentic and pulls no punches

Name your sins, your struggles, and your weaknesses

Tim Keller says, “this warns us that no one ever gets so advanced in the Christian life that they no longer see their sin. If we ever feel ourselves to be pretty good Christians, we are deceived. For the more mature and spiritually discerning we get, the more we see of the sin in our hearts. The more holy we become, the less holy we will feel.”

James 5:16

James 5:16 ESV

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

2 Cor 12:9-10

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 ESV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

All beggars and this shows our need for Jesus

What is the root cause of this? 16, 17, 20, 21, and 23

God 153, Christ 65, Lord 43, Jesus 36, and law 74

Explain the law

Randall and Napa Auto Parts machine

Address the non Christian and the law on their heart

Our society and covid

Address our two natures that are both true at the same time

Simul justus et peccator

Paul is not a robot but understands sins presence

Paul also knows the enemy knows what to tempt us with

What he told me could not produce change in me

Now lets claim it

Now we get to the other half of the story

Three P’s performance, perfection, and purity

Hidden in Christ fully and completely

Fear 1 John 4:18

Guilt Romans 8:1

Shame Romans 10:11

Isa 61:7, 10

Isaiah 61:7 ESV

Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.

Isaiah 61:10 ESV

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

We claim this to ourselves and to one another

Titus 1:2

Christ has, Christ is, and He will

That is mine, he is mine, I am his,

Not looking to my Bible reading to gain some extra and not looking to missing my Bible study to lose some extra merit but God is looking to the same place we need to Jesus and His finished Work 2 thousand years ago.

Name it and then claim it. Now we live from it and struggle!

Live out of our new garments

Live out of how God sees us

Live out of the Spirit and looking to Him

How do we do this appropriately in community?

Let our community be the judge

Constantly point one another to Christ so we can share

Be wise especially with the opposite sex

Charles Cranfield, ‘depict vividly the inner conflict characteristic of the true Christian, a conflict such as is possible only in the man in whom the Holy Spirit is active, and whose mind is being renewed under the discipline of the gospel’.

‘This is the Christian warfare between flesh and Spirit, of which Paul speaks in Gal. 5:17.’—Calvin