From Sel-Dependence to Repentance
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Me:
Me:
Christianity is first indicative, then imperative.
Indicative:
Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar (Fourth Edition) Greek Grammar
The indicative mood is the form of the verb used when making statements and most questions.
It indicates a statement about the reality of your new identity in Christ.
Imparative:
The verb form used to give a command.
Then you are instructed to live in light of that.
“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
As well as I know this, I find myself frequently falling back into relying on myself to feel valued, accepted and right with God.
This is self-reliance, instead of reliance upon Christ and what he did.
When I do bad: I get stuck in the pit of self-condemnation
“I didn’t do enough”
“I messed up again”
“I always mess up”
When I do good:
This was a great day!
Pride
I really earned something here.
I’ve fallen into self-reliance, instead of repentance.
I’ve flipped the order from indicative/imparative, to imparative indicative.
Instead of hearing Jesus say to me, “Neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin,” I mix up his words and hear “go first and leave your life of sin… then I will not condemn you.”
The moment we mix up Jesus’ word’s, we fall into legalism.
What is the difference between legalism and godly obedience? The answer is found in the order of these two words.
Indicative/Imparative
Imparative/Indicative
At the end of the day, I often find that I need to remind myself of this.
By defailt, we fall back into trying to rely on ourselves to deal with our sinfulness. What I want to do, is talk with you about the two main ways people rely on themselves, then show you that in Scripture. Then finally, we will get to the solution.
2 Main ways people try to deal with God’s moral law
2 Main ways people try to deal with God’s moral law
1. Rejection: Embracing sin and disregarding God’s moral standard
1. Rejection: Embracing sin and disregarding God’s moral standard
Normalize it: “Everyone else is doing it.”
Hide it: “What your mamma don’t know don’t hurt her.”
Blame our Genes: “I was born this way”
Change the Standard: “It’s actually not wrong.”
Glorify it: We make it ok, or seem sophisticated. “I’m coming out! I declare that this is right! I’m the hero here, no matter what ‘they’ say.”
All these are faulty attempts to deal with sin. None of them would ever stand up in court. One night when I was a high schooler, I made a dumb choice and raced my friend on the 5 freeway. We were driving somewhere around 115mph. Somehow my parents found out and they were not happy. But imagine if the police were the ones who caught me, and I went in to court and tried some of these attempts with the judge.
2. Self-Righteous: Trying to measure up.
2. Self-Righteous: Trying to measure up.
Teeter Totter: If my good works outweigh my bad, I’ll probably be ok.
Do better: I’m just gonna try to do better from now on.
Good vibes: “I’ll just be positive.”
Shame: I’ll just feel bad about it, or inflict punishment upon myself. I don’t deserve good.
Point the finger to someone worse: “At least I’m not doing that other thing.”
Try this in court too, they will not work.
1st Century Gentiles and Jews
1st Century Gentiles and Jews
Gentiles: The “Rejection” approach
Gentiles: The “Rejection” approach
They had a knowledge of God (Rom. 1:19)
They Rejected God (Rom. 1:21)
They embraced sin and endorsed it (Rom 1:24-31)
They are without excuse (Rom. 1:20)
Jews: The “Self-Righteous” approach
Jews: The “Self-Righteous” approach
They judged the gentiles (Rom. 2:1)
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
They also committed the same sins (Rom 2:1, 3)
So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
God rightly judges those who do such things (Rom. 2:2, 5)
Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
They also are without excuse (Rom 2:1)
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Who are these two chapters talking about here:
Everyone
This is talking about you.
None are Righteous
None are Righteous
No one is righteous (Rom. 3:9-10)
All are condemned by the Righteous Judge (Rom. 3:23)
Question to consider: Do you tend to be more like the gentiles who rejected God’s law, or like the Jews who thought they could obtain righteousness on their own?
The solution is “Gift Righteousness”
The solution is “Gift Righteousness”
Real Righteousness only comes through faith in Jesus Christ
Real Righteousness only comes through faith in Jesus Christ
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
It is free.
It is by Grace.
It is through remption by Christ.
Christ was the sacrifice for our sin.
it is received by faith.
Christianity is first Indicative, then imperative.
Christianity is first Indicative, then imperative.
Because you are a Christian, you do good works. You don’t do good works in order to be a Christian.
Your identity determines your lifestyle.
Who you are comes before what you do.
Examples:
If you are saved, then you will live for the things of heaven.
If you are adopted as God’s child, then you will obey him as your Father.
If you are declared Righteous because of what Christ did for you, then you will live righteously.
If you are born again, then you will live a new life.
The response to God’s kindness should be repentence
The response to God’s kindness should be repentence
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
When you receive kindness from someone, and you get it, it softens your heart.
Ex: When Dana and I are arguing and she says, “I’m sorry.”
How much more should God’s kindness soften our hearts to bring us to repentance. And he has nothing to be sorry about.
If a sin is brought to our attention and we say, “ah, God will forgive me,” and we keep on doing it, that’s not repentence.
It displays either contempt for God’s kindness or one who hasn’t really received God’s grace.
If this is you, you might want to go back and see if you have really understood the weight of what Christ did for you, and really put your faith in Jesus.
What does this mean for our lives?
What does this mean for our lives?
You can own up to your mistakes:
self-reliance is going to try and kick in and try to convince you to defend your mistake, or take you into self-pity.
Repentance: In Christ, your mistake doesn’t define you. So you can own up to it, and still be ok.
You must receive forgiveness.
To truely receive forgiveness, is to agree that you need it.
To agree that you need it, is to agree that what you did was wrong and deserving of a penalty.
Then you live in light of your new identity.
Adopted as a child of God.
Now you live according to God’s ways.