The Gospel Changes Everything

The Gospel changes us from the inside out! How are we to live in this world?

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart!

A New Mind - God’s Will (1-7)

The suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a different perspective on life.

Those who suffer for doing what is right, both follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus, and also declare to a lost world that they value Christ more than sin.

The Gospel - the fact that Christ died for our sin, causes us to view sin differently. We know longer can find pleasure in that which our Lord died for!

Romans 6:1–4 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

The sins of the flesh: lewdness - moral depravity, lusts - unbridled desire, drunkenness - under the influence of alcohol, revelries / drinking parties - riotous feastings in honor of false gods (Bacchus)

We have a new mind in Christ, we seek to do the will of God, not the will of the flesh! We have been released from sin’s control!

So how should we live in these last days? The end of all things is at hand - Be sober! Be Watchful! Be Prayerful!

A New Motivation - God’s Love (8-9)

The Love of Christ for us means that we should show love toward others.

How do we demonstrate the love of God? (Continuous, earnest, sincere)

Forgiveness - Love covers a multitude of sins!

When we have an attitude of forgiveness toward others we demonstrate that we understand how much we have been forgiven. Luke 7:36-50 The woman who washed Jesus’ feet.

Fellowship - be hospitable to one another.

Hospitality means that we are involved in each other’s lives.

A New Mission - God’s Glory (10-11)

God has given every believer charisma - a gift of grace. It is the spiritual gift that He has placed in you.

Some are gifted in roles that relate to speaking - some in roles that relate to service, but all are for the purpose of God’s glory!

Use your gift in the power of the Spirit for the glory of Christ!