You Can Change

Galatians 5:1 (CSB)

“For freedom, Christ set us free…”

In Christ…we have been liberated.

We have been set free...

In Christ we are free from the Penalty of Sin and the Power of Sin.

Ive talked extensively about how Christ has freed us from the penalty of sin.

The penalty of sin according to the scripture is condemnation and death.

In our sin we rightly feel guilty before the holiness of God—our sin condemns us.

In our sin, we are ashamed—because we know that we dont measure up to God’s standard.

In our sin we try to hide from God—because we believe that God doesnt want someone as messed up as we are...

But, if you trust in Christ this morning…none of these things are true for you.

The penalty of sin has been penalized...

For freedom, Christ has set us free.

By faith…you—like Paul—have been crucified with Christ…it is no longer you or I who live…it is Christ living in us.

My sin, and your sin, it died with Jesus.

You are not condemned…you have been aquited…Christ has freed you

Romans 8:1–4 CSB

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Where sin once condemned us…Christ was condemned

And this wasnt due to our effort or merit, it was all based on the grace and mercy of God.

What we could not do…Christ has done.

Sin condemned us…but Christ condemned our sin...

The only thing left for us to do is sing that first song we sang this morning:

Man of sorrows what a name for the Son of God, who came ruined sinners to reclaim: Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood: Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Guilty, helpless, lost were we; blameless Lamb of God was he, sacrificed to set us free: Hallelujah, what a Savior!

He was lifted up to die; "It is finished" was his cry; now in heaven exalted high: Hallelujah, what a Savior!

When he comes, our glorious King, all his ransomed home to bring, then anew this song we'll sing: Hallelujah, what a Savior!

But Christ doesnt just free of from the penalty of sin…he also frees us from the power of sin.

If we only talk about how Christ has freed us from sin’s penalty and not talk about how Christ has freed us from sin’s power, we only get half of the picture of the gospel.

Jesus died to change us...

In Christ—believer—you can change because you have been liberated from the power of sin.

Listen to Paul’s words here in Galatians 5:

v. 1—For freedom Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and dont submit again to a yoke of slavery.

v. 13—For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only dont use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve on another through love.

v. 16—I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh...

v. 19— Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am writing these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

v. 24—Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires...

These passages all point to this central truth—YOU CAN CHANGE—

At one time sin held us captive in the flesh—we were slaves to sin…now that we are in Christ we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires—We can change—

So here is the question: If we can change…why dont we?

Why dont we see more radical life change in the lives of followers of Jesus?

Why do so many of us struggle to see the Spirit’s fruit of: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control in our lives?

If you're anything like me…there have been times where you have tried to change…but you just havent gotten very far.

So this morning:

I want to address why we struggle to change… (Steve Timmis)

Proud Self Reliance--

Self Reliance looks like getting angry with ourselves that we keep repeating the same sin...

When you get angry with yourself…you are falsely beliving that you have the power and capacity to change yourself…but you dont… Only the spirit of God can change you (Hence the reason Paul says in Galatians 5:16—Walk by the Spirit…and you want gratify the desires of the flesh)

When we are self reliant, we minimize our spiritual inability apart from the grace of God...

CJ Mahaney calls this “cosmic plagiarism” —Proud Self Reliance puts us in the place of God. We turn from our cheif end—to glorify God—and we make it about glorifying ourselves through what we can do. And we do this with our own sanctification—we make sanctification our acheivement and glory.

Therefore, instead of self reliance—we need humility. We must realize that change is not our work…it’s God’s work.

And then we work…we work to walk in the Spirit...

Proud Self Justification:

We dont want to admit that we are as bad as we really are.

We think “Im doing okay...”

When we think we are better than we really are, we are justifying our sin. We dont see the real problem…ourselves...

Excusing Sin:

We excuse our sin by blaming others…sin isnt really our fault…it’s the fault of our circumstances.

We excuse our sin by saying it’s our parents fault, our spouces fault, our childrens fault, our bosses fault…but sin is never someone elses fault…it is our fault

When we do that we act like Adam in the Garden who blamed his wife for giving him the fruit. And blaming God for giving Him his wife...

Until we own our sin we cant repent…and God cant change an unrepentant heart....

Minimizing Sin:

We dont see how bad our sin really is...

We do this when we say things like “It isnt that bad...” or “At least Im not as bad as that person...” or “It’s not that big of a deal...”

We minimize by thinking that “this” sin is just a misdemenor...

But we lose sight of the fact that God says “This is the one to whom I will look—he who is contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

When we minimize our sin…we put ourselves over God by thinking we can determine what sin is really bad and what isnt…and God will never honor that.

Hiding Sin--

We dont change because we keep our sins hidden in the crevesas of our souls. And God cant change a person who hides there sin...

Proverbs 28:13—Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

We’d like to stop sinning—and change—, but not at the cost of losing other peoples approval...

“It is one thing to make a resolution to never sin again; it is another thing to repent, diligently seek cousel, and, in concert with others, develop a plan that is concrete and Christ centered...

This about this—when we conceal our sin—we are rejecting God…abandoning freedom…and even risking hell because we dont want people to think badly of us.

We most often dont change though…because we dont want to...

We hate the consequences o sin…but not sin itself...

We hate getting caught…but in our heart of hearts…we still enjoy the sin...

People want to get rid of debt…but they dont want to change their spending...

The man who only opposes the sin in his heart for fear of shame among men or eternal punishment from God would practice sin if there was no punishment attending it. How does this differ from living in the practice of sin? those who belong to Crhist, and are obedient to the Word of God, have the death of Christ, the love of God, the detestable nature of sin, the preciousness of communion with God, and a deep-rooted hatred of sin as sin to oppose all the workings of lust in their hearts...

So here is my point this morning…YOU CAN CHANGE…but change is only possible when we own our sin…feel a deep contrition over our sin…repent of our sin…and then drink deeply of the grace of God to sinners like you and me...

So…what is holding you back from changing?

Self Reliance?

Self Justification?

Excusing Sin?

Minimizing Sin?

Hiding Sin?

Or is it because you really just dont want to change?

There’s only one answer for us…it’s repentance...