Two Ways To Live

We should observe that God does not send anyone to hell. He desires that none should perish (2 Pet. 3:9). God created humans to have fellowship with Him and provided the means by which they can have that fellowship. It is a human’s choice to experience to agony of hell. His or her own sin sends the person there, and his or her rejection of the benefits of Christ’s death prevents escape. As C.S. Lewis has put it, sin is the human being saying to God throughout life, “Go away and leave me alone.” Hell is God’s finally saying to the human, “You may have your wish.”

Christian Theology, Baker, 1998. Millard Erickson

The gospel calls us to a response.

The gospel IS a call.

A call to repent.

A call to surrender.

To submit.

To glorify and Enjoy God forever.

The end of the this gospel outline calls us to a point of decision.

We would do well NOT to ignore, overlook, or minimize this point.

Before we get there....

Review

Anyone remember what the first box is that wants to summarize it for me?

God, the Good Ruler and Creator

So…God is the loving ruler of the world.

He made the world

He made us to rule the world under him.

Revelation 4:11

BUT is that the way it is now?

Anyone remember what the second box is that wants to summarize it for me?

Our Rebellion Against God

We all reject the ruler - God - by trying to run life our own way without him.

But we fail to rule ourselves, society, or the world.

Romans 3:10-12 or Isaiah 53:6a

So, what is God to do about this rebellion?

Anyone remember what the Third box is that wants to summarize it for me?

God’s Justice

God’s won’t let us rebel forever

God’s punishment for rebellion is death and judgment.

Hebrews 9:27.

God’s justice may sound harsh, but that is not the end of the story.

Anyone remember what the Fourth box is that wants to summarize it for me?

God Sent Jesus to Die for Us

Because of His great love, God sent His Son into the world, the man Jesus Christ

Jesus always lived under God’s rule

But Jesus took our punishment by dying in our place

1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:6b

But that’s not all....

Anyone remember what the Fifth box is that wants to summarize it for me?

Jesus, the risen ruler and Savior

God raised Jesus to life again as the ruler and judge of the world.

Jesus has conquered death, now brings forgiveness and new life, and will return in glory.

1 Peter 1:3.

Well, where does that leave us? It leave us with a clear choice between two ways to live.

AND THIS bring us to the point of decision....

TODAY

Two Ways to Live

There are only two ways to live.

Our way:

Reject God as ruler

Live our own way

Damaged by our rebellion

Our relationship to God remains damaged and broken

Facing death and judgement

God’s new way

Confess and repent of our sin

Submit to Jesus as our ruler

Rely on Jesus’ death and resurrection

Forgiven by God

Receive a new life that lasts forever

John 3:36.

So, which way do you want to live?

This is the question we are called to lay before people even as we trust the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and change.

This is the big idea, I want to highlight today...

Big Idea: There are only two ways to live; one that lead to life and one that leads to death.

Jump to Sermon Body

Outline

Big Idea: There are only two ways to live; one that lead to life and one that leads to death.

John 3:36.

There is no neutrality

Matthew 6:19-24 - No one can serve two masters.

Romans 6:15-16. - That which we obey, we become slaves to.

James 4:1-4. - Friendship with the world IS enmity with God.

Life is in store for those who believe

John 5:19-29.

John 17:3 - What is life?

John 10:10 - What is abundant life?

Wrath is in store for those who do not obey.

John 5:29.

Romans 5:9.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10.

Sermon Body

Look with me to John 3:36.

As you are turning there, let me remind you for point 6/box 6’s emphasis....

Two Ways to Live

There are only two ways to live.

Our way:

Reject God as ruler

Live our own way

Damaged by our rebellion

Our relationship to God remains damaged and broken

This point was added by me. It is at least implied in the outline but I believe it needs to be stated more clearly.

Why? Why does this statement need to be stated more clearly?

Because the GOSPEL is about the means that God went through IN ORDER TO reconcile a broken relationship. God created us to know and enjoy God forever. Sin disrupted that. THUS, the gospel NEEDS to be placed in the context of this relationship being restored.

Facing death and judgement

God’s new way

Confess and repent of our sin

What is confession? What is repentance? Why are they NOT the same thing?

Confess - Admit agreement or assent to something.

Repent - Change of mind that results in change of behavior.

You can confess guilt to a sin but NOT evidence repentance to that sin.

Six ingredients for true biblical repentance Courtesy of Thomas Watson

1. Sight of Sin – which is an opening of our eyes to seeing sin as sin: dark and vile, and, as R.C. Sproul has famously said, cosmic treason. (Romans 7:7-12)

2. Godly Sorrow for Sin – which is not just a guilty conscience but the true beatitude of gospel mourning. It sees that the death of Christ wasn’t merely about “sins” but my sins. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

3. Confession of Sin – Yes, the admission of guilt for your sins is an important part of repentance. It’s just not the only aspect of repentance that we need to understand. (1 John 1:9)

4. Shame for Sin – Shame, if understood properly, is a good thing. It helps us understand our sin rightly. If we see the holy character of God and understand who we are apart from Him, shame should be our response. (1 Corinthians 15:34-35)

5. Hatred of Sin – Repentance is not just giving up sin so we can go to heaven. It is hating sin because it is an offense against God and a detriment to the human race. (Romans 12:9)

6. Turning from Sin – As mentioned above, repentance entails more than simply acknowledging or confessing sin. It is a true turning in a person’s heart away from sin and self. It is choosing to do right instead of wrong. It is actually turning away from all known sins. This is a lifelong endeavor. (Ezekiel 14:6; Acts 26:19-20)

Repentance is not true repentance without these ingredients.

Guilt, remorse, sorrow can sometimes appear or be misunderstood as repentance but may well not be at all.

Submit to Jesus as our ruler

Rely on Jesus’ death and resurrection

Forgiven by God

Receive a new life that lasts forever

John 3:36.

So, which way do you want to live?

As we consider John 3:36, our key verse for this point of the outline, I want to those three things from it.

Big Idea: There are only two ways to live; one that lead to life and one that leads to death.

John 3:36.

John 3:36 ESV

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Three things I want to note from this verse...

How would you respond to someone who contended that you can live neutrally until you choose a side?

We are NEVER neutral. We are always acting with someone or something as the primary object of desires. If God is NOT the primary object of that desire, SOMETHING or SOMEONE else is. Self is the other alternative. Even a proclaimed stance of neutrality is about self. It is not neutral.

If the will were able to make decisions contrary to reason, and to the likes and desires of the heart, it would be a monster… This is most profoundly true in the moral and religious realms. When the mind is at war with God, denying His truth; when the emotions hate Christ His Son; when the desires wish God’s law and gospel were exterminated from the earth; the will cannot be in a position to choose Christ. If it were, a man would not be truly free to be himself. Here is the tragic truth about man’s will. While free from outward coercion, it is in a state of bondage. It is not in a stated neutrality. It is not a lever with which to move a man’s personality from sin to righteousness, from unbelief to faith.

Man’s Will-Free Yet Bound, The Banner of Truth magazine, Issue 140, by permission Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. May 1975. Walter Chantry

Outside of God’s external coercion, the will is bound to itself. It will seek itself, its own interests. It is not neutral, but committed to his own protection and dominance.

Review the six elements of repentance. What are they? Why is true repentance missing if any of these six are missing?

Six ingredients for true biblical repentance Courtesy of Thomas Watson

1. Sight of Sin – which is an opening of our eyes to seeing sin as sin: dark and vile, and, as R.C. Sproul has famously said, cosmic treason. (Romans 7:7-12)

3. Confession of Sin – Yes, the admission of guilt for your sins is an important part of repentance. It’s just not the only aspect of repentance that we need to understand. (1 John 1:9)

5. Hatred of Sin – Repentance is not just giving up sin so we can go to heaven. It is hating sin because it is an offense against God and a detriment to the human race. (Romans 12:9)

True repentance is missing if any of these are missing because without these, there is either NO true understanding of sin OR NO true sorrow over the SIN. There may well be grief or sorrow over the impact, the consequence of sin. But if there is not a true understanding the sin for what it is and a sorrow over the SIN and how it is an offense against, God, then all you have is sorrow over the pain and suffering that the consequence of sin brings.

There is no neutrality

Have people look up and read the scriptures.

Matthew 6:19-24 - No one can serve two masters.

Matthew 6:19–24 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Notice the all inclusive in verse 24.

What does it say?

NO ONE can serve two master. EITHER he will HATE the one and LOVE the other or he will be DEVOTED TO ONE and DESPISE the other. You CANNOT serve God and money.

Why can man not serve two masters?

Because at some point the will of the two will conflict and we must choose which one we will obey.

There is no neutrality.

What does it mean to be neutral?

Not engaged on either side. Not aligned. Disengaged. Not giving any one thing your allegiance of commitment.

In life, there is no such thing as neutrality.

There is no room for multiple gods and kings in our life.

Romans 6:15-16. - That which we obey, we become slaves to.

Romans 6:15–16 ESV

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

What does this have to do with neutrality? Anyone want to explain the connection?

Do you not know....

Almost has that done of amazement that you should know but don’t seem to know, remember, or worse, care.

…IF YOU present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey....

Either of sin

Which leads to death

Or of obedience

Which leads to righteousness.

THAT WHICH YOU give yourself to BECOMES YOUR MASTER.

The reality is....none of us are FREE.

Well, what about Galatians 5:13 when it says we were called to freedom?

We were called to freedom....TO LOVE AND SERVE CHRIST FREELY, WILLINGLY, and ENTHUSIASTICALLY.

“The freedom of the Christian is not freedom to do what he or she wants but freedom to obey God—willingly, joyfully, naturally.” ― John MacArthur, Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ

ALL OF US are slaves to someone or something.

But in fact, this is good and necessary when it comes to the gospel.

John MacArthur wrote a book on this subject of Slaves. He notes....

“The gospel message is not simply a plan of salvation; it is also a call to embrace the Person of salvation.” ― John MacArthur, Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ

The GOSPEL IS JESUS. Submission to it IS TO EMBRACE THE PERSON who stands at the center of its message. It is to make ourselves SLAVES to him!

At the end of the book he notes....

“Over the last twelve chapters we have considered the crucial difference between servants and slaves- noting that while servants are hired, slaves are owned. Believers are not merely Christ’s hired servants; they are His slaves, belonging to Him as His possession. He is their Owner and Master, worthy of their unquestioned allegiance and absolute obedience. His Word is their final authority; His will their ultimate mandate. Having taken up their cross to follow Him, they have died to themselves and can now say with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live nut Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). As the apostle elsewhere explained, “[Christ] died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Cor. 5:15). In reality, all of life should be viewed from that perspective. As Christians, we are slaves of Christ. What a radical difference that truth should make in our daily lives! We no longer live for ourselves. Rather, we make it our aim to please the Master in everything.” ― John F. MacArthur Jr., Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ

This becomes a joyful and willing slavery because we are enraptured and intoxicated by God, much in the same way an addict is enraptured and intoxicated by the substance of their choosing and willingly gives themself to it.

EX. my idol of food.

There is no neutrality. We WILL worship and give ourselves to SOMETHING. We were created to be worshipers. Sin just distorts the proper focus of that worship.

What are some common idols that we give ourselves to? How does this support the contention that there is no neutrality?

Pleasure, comfort, ease, success, popularity, appearance, etc.

God’s will and desires conflict with the sinful/fleshly will and desires. Our pursuit of our idols and fleshly passions WILL conflict with God’s and we must choose who we will submit to.

And we cannot choose multiple masters.

One more text to show this....

James 4:1-4. - Friendship with the world IS enmity with God.

James 4:1–4 ESV

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Friendship with the world is what?

THEREFORE

whoever wishes to a friend of the world does what?

Is it too strong of a word to declare that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

What is enmity?

Mutual hatred or ill will.

Why is it not too strong? (Besides the fact that the word of God states it)

Because the will, desire, goal, and purpose of the world’s passions is contrary and opposed to God. They are radically different and polar opposites. To pursue one is to be violently opposed to the other.

There are only TWO ways to live.

There are only TWO options when it comes to God.

Love him and live for him or hate and reject him.

The second thing I want to observe from John 3:36 is this....

Life is in store for those who believe

John 5:19-29.

John 5:19–29 ESV

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

God grants life. He IS life. He has LIFE in Himself. And he offers life to us.

But what is life?

John 17:3 - What is life?

John 17:3 ESV

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

LIFE IS CHRIST.

This is why slavery to Christ is NOT A BAD THING but a TREMENDOUSLY AWESOME THING.

Because it is about bringing us to LIFE itself.

We are ENSLAVED to Life.

Which brings me to another point.

What is meant in John 10:10 by Jesus declaring he has come to give us life and life abundantly?

John 10:10 - What is abundant life?

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

It is NOT a prosperity gospel.

Abundant life is LIFE IN CHRIST, FOR CHRIST, and WITH Christ.

The hope, joy, peace, and satisfaction HE is for us. Eternal life…knowing Christ IS THE ABUNDANT life.

Please do not miss this.

Listen, any gospel that makes something other than a reconciled, restored relationship (through repentance and faith) with God the central focus, is not the gospel.

The essence of the good news is HOW WE MIGHT BE RESTORED TO A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TO GOD and be saved from the just wrath against our sin.

We do the gospel a great disservice when we make it about anything else.

One final note from John 3:36…in essence a review point, but I will note it anyway....

What practical implications exist when we realize that LIFE is about God? How does this affect our daily lives?

There is more joy in the daily, mundane details of life.....because we can do those things WHILE fellowship and delighting in the presence and person of God.

There is more joy in the suffering and trials of life because our joy IS NOT FOUND in a trouble free life or in the things that the trials and suffering are depriving us of but in the person of God.

Thus, when the computer breaks for the 10th time in the same day, we can respond with joy because your joy is not coming from a a life that is trouble free but in the fact that our God is with us in that moment and it is enough to satisfy our hearts.

Wrath is in store for those who do not obey.

John 5:29.

John 5:29 ESV

29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Romans 5:9.

Romans 5:9 ESV

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10.

1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 ESV

9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

We saw this on point ___________ (ask for answer) of the outline? 3. God’s justice.

What must be made clear is that this wrath exists because we rejected the ruler God and despised him by putting ourselves up as the lords of our own life. We

We rejected the very purpose for which we were made…relationship to God.

And his holy wrath against that rebellion, against our evil must be satisfied.

In Christ, it is.

Is is right to cry out for justice for wrongs committed against us? Why or why not?

Yes. Scripture is full of cries for justice and punishment of evil doers, for the wrongs done against us.

Justice, however, may not always come as we think or desire.

We must be careful NOT insist upon OUR OWN FORM of justice over God’s.

Nineveh was prime example. The cries of their villainy and evil was widespread. God sent warning and gave them a chance to repent. They repented. Truly repented. Otherwise God would not have turned away his wrath. Thus, God spared them.

Jonah was mad they were spared. But God, knowing the authenticity of their repentance, spared them.

In the same way, God spared ALL OT saints who repented and turned. They looked forward (as we look back) to THE ultimate source of justice.

In Jesus, God has supplied THE means to deal justly with sin. If a person repents and turns, JUSTICE IS SERVED IN CHRIST. If not, Justice is served in HELL. Either way, it is served.

When we cry out for justice, what we must desire is justice. And we must accept GOD’s form of it, whether it be in Christ or in Hell. But it is not wrong to desire it and cry out for it.

A desire for justice echos the righteous heart of God who is just and desires justice.

What we must NOT desire is retribution and vengeance....inflicting suffering for suffering sake just to make them suffer as we have. THAT is not justice but sinful hatred and anger.

Conclusion

Big Idea: There are only two ways to live; one that lead to life and one that leads to death.

John 3:36.

There is no neutrality

Matthew 6:19-24 - No one can serve two masters.

Romans 6:15-16. - That which we obey, we become slaves to.

James 4:1-4. - Friendship with the world IS enmity with God.

Life is in store for those who believe

John 5:19-29.

John 17:3 - What is life?

John 10:10 - What is abundant life?

Wrath is in store for those who do not obey.

John 5:29.

Romans 5:9.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10.

God, the Good Ruler and Creator

So…God is the loving ruler of the world.

He made the world

He made us to rule the world under him.

Revelation 4:11

BUT is that the way it is now?

Our Rebellion Against God

We all reject the ruler - God - by trying to run life our own way without him.

But we fail to rule ourselves, society, or the world.

Romans 3:10-12 or Isaiah 53:6a

So, what is God to do about this rebellion?

God’s Justice

God’s won’t let us rebel forever

God’s punishment for rebellion is death and judgment.

Hebrews 9:27.

God’s justice may sound harsh, but that is not the end of the story.

God Sent Jesus to Die for Us

Because of His great love, God sent His Son into the world, the man Jesus Christ

Jesus always lived under God’s rule

But Jesus took our punishment by dying in our place

1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:6b

But that’s not all....

Jesus, the risen ruler and Savior

God raised Jesus to life again as the ruler and judge of the world.

Jesus has conquered death, now brings forgiveness and new life, and will return in glory.

1 Peter 1:3.

Well, where does that leave us? It leave us with a clear choice between two ways to live

Two Ways to Live

There are only two ways to live.

Our way:

Reject God as ruler

Live our own way

Damaged by our rebellion

Our relationship to God remains damaged and broken

Facing death and judgement

God’s new way

Confess and repent of our sin

Submit to Jesus as our ruler

Rely on Jesus’ death and resurrection

Forgiven by God

Receive a new life that lasts forever

John 3:36.

So, which way do you want to live?

Give invitation

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