The security of the believer in God's love. Sin is waiting to attach and to destroy and we must master it with a sound mind to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.
Child of God, you are on one side as fair as an angel and the grace of God gleams upon you and makes you bright as your transfigured master. But the other side, you are black as a devil, and if the grace of God were taken from you, you would as much dishonor the name & the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ as any false apostate.
I. Introduction. If there were no devil and if there were no wicked world, it would still be true that we have an enemy to fight, for every man is tempted when he is, "drawn away of his own lust and enticed". Paul could speak with clarity and authority about man's hopelessness and God's bountiful grace.
II. The two birth. Every good man is two men. He found an I fighting against his real I. The old man according to it's corruption and lusts, is daily warring with the newborn man within him, which cannot sin, because it was born of God. Many times, we tend to overlook the fact that we are indeed a combination creature.
1. The natural birth.
A generational strongholds - the far reaching effect of man's initial sin has become interwoven in the very fiber of our fleshly nature. From generation to generation, it was transmitted to our posterity. (Descendant)
2. The Spiritual Birthday
A) corruptible body - While we may accept the fact that our natural birth is our of corruption, we are not so bound by the circumstances of past inheritance that we are prisoners without hope!
B) Redemptive plan - God devised plan whereby evey man can be "born-again". A rebirth process enables the believer to be "Born-again" (1 Pet 1:23)
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever"
B. The fruit of the Two Minds. We understand that the mind is the leader or forerunner of all actions. Our actions are a direct result of our thoughts. Romans 8:5 " for they are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit do after the Spirit"
1. The carnal mind - Paul knew the fearful reality of sin and it's seriousness. He understood man's difficult situation. Man's moral nature is corrupted by evil.
A) rebellious spirit - there is something radically wrong at the center of man's thought processes when he is rebellious against God and His righteousness.
B) enemy of God - Paul declared in Romans 8:7, "because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be"
2. The Spiritual mind
A) the mind of the Spirit - while man is born with a carnal nature and mind, he can obtain a spiritual mind only by the indwelling of the Spirit of God.
B) Turning point. While man experience brings him into the service of God, he escapes the bondage and destructive power of guilt and shame.
C. Image and likeness of God. He is free to exercise mental and moral attributes of divinity with which he was originally endowed in the creation - the image and likeness of God.
2. Jacob and Esau. The household of Isaac in succeeding years would further exemplify a presence of the conflicting nature's. Prophesy had declared the older son of Isaac would serve the younger. Great and sweeping changes were experience in the patriarch's home because of a mess of pottage.
D. Conflict of the two natures. As long as we live in the flesh, there will be warfare between the new nature in Christ and the old nature still resident in the flesh. Indeed, sanctification can only be achieve through the process that involve the severest sort of conflict & calls for the strongest determination.
1. Dilemma - The law of sin is always present in the life of every individual. There's the continuing experience of temptation which becomes a life and death struggle with evil influences.
A) must be a conqueror. The christian life ought to be an experience of growing victory over sin but let no one expect victory before he has identified & conquered the force of his temptation.
B) continual searching the heart. Paul as he climbed to the highest level of righteousness under the law, but he discovered that the law of sin was always present.
C) the struggle within. It is a struggle between the new nature redeemed by Christ and the old fleshly nature. Paul said, "it's no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me" (Romans 7:20)
2. The solution. Paul found himself in despair when dealing with the failures of the flesh.
A) he cried out! When he thought of the working of sin and the inherent weaknesses of the flesh. Rom 7:24 "o wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
B) he felt chained to a corpse. He could not rid himself out of it. But his fleshly despair quickly gave way to a statement of faith and victory." I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord"
C) the power of resurrection. Paul did not expect the conflict to cease. However, he knew victory would be his, not by his own strength, but through the power of Christ resurrection.
E. Victory - walking in the spirit. As we already observe, our spiritual strength rests upon God's saving act and the continuous presence of the indwelling Spirit.
1. At this point it is important that we must test ourselves.
A) indwelling of Spirit - if the Spirit of God dwells in us, we can avoid walking 'in the flesh'.
B) to die daily. That is, were no longer controlled by the flesh, or no longer devoted to the satisfactions of the flesh.
C) to be led by the Spirit. It all depends upon whether one has the Spirit of Christ. If it does not, then sensivitiy of the Holy Spirit leading is needful.
2. We will overcome. No matter what our circumstances, none of the sufferings of this present time can separate us from the love of God. This would make us to overcome. How can a Christian be able to overcome the present crisis of spiritual blindness?
A. The power. Paul overcomes with a greater power, the power of Jesus.
B. The Motive. Paul overcomes with a great motive. The glory of Jesus.
C. The victory. Paul overcomes with a greater victory, losing nothing even in the battle.
3. Herein is the glorious climax of our spiritual freedom.
A. No condemnation. This means that we have been justified & forgiven. We are made righteous in the sijt of God.
B. Regeneration. It involves the power of the new birth to energize us in living above the old nature. On this level it is possible to please God and to do the will of God.
C. Satisfaction guaranteed. Finally, this freedom will mean ultimate deliverance from the law of sin in the glory of eternity.
Conclusion: The realistic christian realize his life will involve conflict. There's no easy road to follow in the quest for eternal life. The fact that man, by his nature enstranged from God emphasize the tremendous need to be regenerated by the power of new birth. This new existence in Christ Jesus will change the very basic desires of one's life. Whereas the old nature leads to carnal thinking, living and acting, the new nature leads to a victorious life of freedom.
AMEN. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!