Untitled Sermon (4)

Keep wrestling with God.

Gen 34- Jacob wrestled with God.

It cost him but he wrestled.

Two benefits of us wrestling with God.

1. Jacob got blessed, His name was changed from Jacob the liar , trickster , deceiver, supplanter . To Israel.

In this culture especially with the age of technically we can be very flighty.

Some people say justification is - “ Just as if I never sinned.”

But thats not it . Because you have sinned .

Justification deals with our standing, while sanctification deals with state. ( your current condition where you are at )

Justification is that which God does for us, while sanctification is that which God does in us.

Justification is an act while sanctification is a work.

Justification is an act. Sanctification is a work.

Justification is a means, while sanctification is the end.

Justification declares us righteous, while sanctification makes us righteous.

i can hold an office without living according to that office.

I can be a politician and claim I’m for the people but maybe the policies I put in place are for myself.

Let your love be without hypocrisy.

Justification works for us, sanctification works in us.

God cares just as much about your sanctification as He does your salvation.

Christ Died for Both

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,

NLT So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

When you look at his verse you could say to yourself hmmm, theres no guilt no shame no judgement. No consequence.

You life is no longer your own.

You belong to Christ.

Col 3:3 “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Hidden - means its kept safe, not visible.

Hidden derives from the word Krypto.

Like to Crypto- currencies. Means it hidden by secure currency.

Our life is hidden and secure in Christ.

Satan can’t touch us because we belong to Christ.

Therefore because we belong to Christ our lives should look like who we belong to.

Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:3 “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,”

In the OT flesh is referred to the weakness and mortality of man.

Isaiah 31:3 “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; And their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, Both he who helps will fall, And he who is helped will fall down; They all will perish together.”

Theres a new wave where people say they are God.

Our flesh shows us how small we really all.

Gen 6:3 “And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Our flesh reveals our limits. Our days are short because man is flesh.

Ps 78:39 “For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.”

The very air we breathe is limited

But in the NT the word flesh is used for mo ral weakness.

The flesh is humans susceptibility to sin, or self centeredness oppose to God centeredness.

“Living in the flesh is a life dependent on finite human effort and resources, a selfish life as opposed to one directed by God’s Spirit. “

When the Bible speaks about the flesh warring against the Spirit. It isn’t speaking about mans flesh versus man spirit. But its speaking about mans flesh versus God’s Spirit.

Paul’s use of “ flesh and Spirit” refers to two spheres of existence - in Adam or in Christ - not to two natures in a person.

So when you live in the flesh you’re not just fighting against yourself you’re fighting against God essentially.

the flesh is where my reason and passion meet. Or congregate.