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Romans 8:12-13 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
I'm really fortunate, as I've said before, to have some depth of preaching here at Christ Family Church.
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It was so nice to take a little break as Sam and I had Judah to get to focus a little bit of energy on that,
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but also to get to hear some great gifted men come to us and speak about the Spirit of God.
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We're bringing that to a close.
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We're starting to get to the end of that subject matter, although we're not there quite yet.
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Let's read together verse 12 and verse 13 of chapter 8.
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So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh.
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For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.
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But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
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And so we see Paul draw a conclusion in verse 12 that we are no longer indebted to live by the flesh.
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He's made that argument to us leading up to this point.
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Chapter 8, verse 10 and 11.
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But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
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If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
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He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
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Previously, in chapter 6, verse 17 and 18, he wrote,
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But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
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and having been set free from sin have become slaves of righteousness.
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So the conclusion that he's bringing us to after he's said all this is that the bondage of sin has been ended.
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We're no longer debtors to the flesh to live according to the flesh.
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And the implication, then, is that we're debtors to righteousness, to the Spirit.
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As he says in verse 18 of chapter 6, we have become slaves of righteousness.
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In verse 13, he expands upon that idea a bit.
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And I want to give to you this morning five observations from verse 13.
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We see that a duty is given to a specific person for a certain promise to be fulfilled by certain means,
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if it is fulfilled at all.
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But I think it's best for us to look at those things, those things we can see in the text,
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in the order given to us in the inspired text.
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And so that's what we'll do this morning.
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So number one, we see the conditions of the duty, the promise, and the means.
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You see the little phrase halfway through verse 13,
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But if.
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But if.
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This phrase can denote one of two things to us.
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One, the uncertainty of the thing promised.
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The thing promised in this case being that you will live.
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It could denote that.
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But how could that possibly be the case?
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We've seen in verse 1 of chapter 8,
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there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
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The second thing that it could denote, and it does,
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is the certainty of the thing promised.
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As we would say to a sick man,
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if you take this medicine, it will make you well.
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Certainly we don't mean it might make you well.
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I think possibly this medicine will make you well.
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But rather we intend to express with certainty the connection between taking the medication and the health,
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the means and the end.
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Now God determines the end.
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For those who are found in Christ Jesus,
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we will finish this race.
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We will be sons and daughters of righteousness.
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But that doesn't negate the means by which that happens.
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Our perfection is obtained by means.
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There are many gifted athletes in the world,
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and we use that term fairly regularly with athletes,
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that they're gifted.
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They have some ability that others may not have.
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I've never really been a gifted athlete.
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The few activities that I've had any success in at all,
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I had to work really hard at being even mediocre at.
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But there are athletes that are gifted.
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Take sprinters, for example.
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Those men are amazing at how fast they can run.
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Did you know that all sprinters have a particular type of foot?
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Their gait is what you would call a supinating foot.
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And simply all it means is that their foot acts more like a springboard
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than the typical human beings does.
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That was given to them as a gift.
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But they have to employ it, don't they?
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They have to work at that.
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You know what?
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My feet supinate.
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I'm not all that fast.
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I think I could be.
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But I would certainly have to work at that.
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I would have to work out and have those ginormo quads,
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you know, to be a sprinter.
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It takes effort on our part,
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even though it was given to us as a gift.
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And certainly, as we look at this little phrase,
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but if, no one has ever won a race,
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ever that they didn't compete in.
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If you're going to win the race,
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you must compete in the race.
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And we can take rest and have joy in the fact
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that the race,
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the end of the race,
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has been determined already.
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We know we win.
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We just must run.
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Get there.
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So the conditions of the duty,
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the promise,
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and the means.
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Number two.
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We see the duty is given
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to a specific person.
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And that person is
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you.
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You to whom there is therefore now no condemnation.
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In verse 1, chapter 8.
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You who are not in the flesh,
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but in the spirit.
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Verse 9, chapter 8.
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You who have been given life
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by the spirit of Christ.
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In verses 10 and 11.
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Those of you who have placed your faith in Christ.
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This is who Paul is talking to.
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All of us,
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I hope and pray,
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is who he's talking to.
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If you is not you in this case,
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if you are not found in Christ,
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don't have the spirit of God dwelling within you,
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get that right this morning.
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Turn from your sin.
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Turn to God.
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Repent and believe
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that he is the only way to life.
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But if you have placed your faith in God,
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this is who he is talking to.
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I read a bit this past couple of weeks.
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There is a wonderful book
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that I would suggest to you
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by John Owen called
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Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers.
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I really appreciate old books
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because the title is always so descriptive
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as to what he's talking about.
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They don't give some kind of cryptic title.
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Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers.
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And from this,
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he took his thesis statement
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for the entire book.
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He said,
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The choicest believers
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who are assuredly freed
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from the condemning power of sin
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ought yet to make it their business
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all their days
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to mortify or put to death
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the indwelling power of sin.
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So, sinners who are assuredly free
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have definitely been freed
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from the power of sin
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ought yet to make it,
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even though they should make it
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their very business
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to put to death
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the sin in their life.
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So, he is talking to you.
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Number three.
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The means by which
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the duty is fulfilled.
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So, how is it
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that we fulfill this duty
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which we have not yet talked about at length?
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But how is it
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that we do this?
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And that is
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by the Spirit.
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That is by the Spirit.
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The very Spirit of God
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that dwells within us.
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We have no capability
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of our own
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to do this task.
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To kill the sin in us
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is impossible on our own
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because we are sin.
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Our flesh thrives
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off that.
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It is our nature.
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We inherit it
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from Adam
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at the fall.
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We were born
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in sin.
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And therefore,
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we cannot accomplish
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this task
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apart from the indwelling work
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of the Spirit of God.
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John Owen said
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in the same book,
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Mortification
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from a self-strength
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carried on by ways
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of self-invention
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unto the end
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of a self-righteousness
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is the soul
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and substance
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of all false religion
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in the world.
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And I fear
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that we often
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find ourselves
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in that place.
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I know I do.
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I forget
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how desperately
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I need
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the power of God
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to work in me
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to put to death
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the sin in my life.
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And I trick myself.
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I become disillusioned
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to think
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that somehow
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I can do it
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on my own.
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I believe
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that's the shared
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Christian experience.
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I think we all
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go through that.
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And we all
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fail
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miserably
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time
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and time
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again.
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And you know why?
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Because we try
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to do it
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and we can't.
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For the Spirit
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of God
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dwelling within us
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gives us the power
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to live this way.
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So He is
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the means.
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Galatians 5.17
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Paul writes,
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For the desires
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of the flesh
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are against
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the Spirit
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and the desires
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of the Spirit
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are against
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the flesh.
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For these are
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opposed to each
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other
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to keep you
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from doing
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the things
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you want
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to do.
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or the things
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you are
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inclined to do.
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The things
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you do
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by
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your
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nature.
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It's why
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we have
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the Spirit
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because the Spirit
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opposes
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our flesh.
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To fulfill
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a duty.
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Number four.
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A duty
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is given
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to us
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which is
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to put
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to death
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the deeds
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of the body.
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To put
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to death
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the deeds
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of the body.
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And what is He
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talking about
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when He says
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that?
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body.
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He means
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our flesh
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which doesn't
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mean the
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physical
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body.
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There are
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righteous
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deeds
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of the flesh
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preaching to you
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with my hands
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for example.
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My flesh
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is carrying
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out.
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That's not
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what He
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means.
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He means
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the sin
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nature
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part of us.
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We're to
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put that
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to death.
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Galatians 5
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19-21
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Paul says
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now the
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works
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of the
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flesh
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are
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evident.
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Sexual
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immorality,
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impurity,
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sensuality,
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idolatry,
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sorcery,
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enmity,
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strife,
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jealousy,
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fits of
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anger,
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rivalries,
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dissensions,
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divisions,
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envy,
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drunkenness,
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orgies,
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and things
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like these.
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Those are
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the deeds
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of the
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flesh.
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The things
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that are
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set against
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God.
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The
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unrighteousness
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that we
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commit
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apart from
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the work
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of the
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Spirit
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within us.
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And so
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we're called
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to put it
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to death,
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to mortify
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it.
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Phenetau
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is the
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Greek word.
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And it
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means to
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render
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lifeless.
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To take
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away the
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very life
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force of
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something or
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the power
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of something.
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is what
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that means.
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To find
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our sin
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nature
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powerless
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is what it
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means to
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put to
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death
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the deeds
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of the
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body.
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How do
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we do
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that?
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Nathan,
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how is that
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practical?
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What must
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I do
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to use
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the Spirit
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to put to
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death
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the deeds
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of the
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flesh?
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I think
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we,
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in a lot
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of ways,
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over-mysticize
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Christianity.
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We're
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looking for
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the special
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key to
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tap into
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the power
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of the
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Spirit of
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God in
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our lives.
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He is
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ours and
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He dwells
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within us.
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Turn with
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me to
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Colossians
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chapter 3.
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chapter 3.
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1.
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If then you
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have been
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raised with
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Christ,
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seek the
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things that
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are above,
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where Christ
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is,
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seated at
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the right
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hand of
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God.
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Set your
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minds on
13:31
things that
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are above,
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not on
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things that
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are on
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earth.
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For you
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have died
13:36
and your
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life is
13:37
hidden with
13:38
Christ in
13:39
God.
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When Christ
13:41
who is your
13:41
life appears,
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then you
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also will
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appear with
13:44
Him in
13:44
glory.
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Put to
13:46
death,
13:46
therefore,
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what is
13:47
earthly in
13:48
you,
13:48
sexual
13:48
immorality,
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impurity,
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passion,
13:51
evil desire,
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and covetousness,
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which is
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idolatry.
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On account of
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these things,
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the wrath of
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God is
13:56
coming.
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In these
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you too
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once walked
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when you
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were living
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in them,
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but now
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you must
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put them
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all away.
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Anger,
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wrath,
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malice,
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slander,
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and obscene
14:08
talk from
14:08
your mouth.
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Do not
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lie to
14:10
one another,
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seeing that
14:11
you have
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put off the
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old self
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with its
14:14
practices
14:14
and have
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put on
14:16
the new
14:16
self,
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which is
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being renewed
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in knowledge
14:20
after the
14:21
image of
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its creator.
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Here there
14:23
is not
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Greek and
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Jew,
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circumcised
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and uncircumcised,
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barbarian,
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Scythian,
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slave,
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free,
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but Christ
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is all
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and in
14:32
all.
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Put on
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then,
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as God's
14:35
chosen ones,
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holy and
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beloved,
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compassionate
14:38
hearts,
14:39
kindness,
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humility,
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meekness,
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and patience,
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bearing with
14:44
one another,
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and if
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one has
14:45
a complaint
14:45
against
14:46
another,
14:46
forgiving
14:46
each other
14:47
as the
14:47
Lord has
14:47
forgiven
14:48
you,
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so you
14:49
also must
14:50
forgive.
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And above
14:51
all these,
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put on
14:53
love,
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which binds
14:54
everything
14:55
together in
14:56
perfect harmony.
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And let
14:58
the peace
14:58
of Christ
14:59
rule your
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hearts,
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to which
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indeed you
15:00
were called
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in one
15:01
body,
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and be
15:02
thankful.
15:03
Let the
15:04
word of
15:04
Christ
15:04
will in
15:05
you
15:05
richly
15:05
teaching
15:06
and
15:06
admonishing
15:06
one
15:06
another
15:07
in all
15:07
wisdom,
15:08
singing
15:08
psalms
15:09
and hymns
15:10
and spiritual
15:10
songs with
15:11
thankfulness
15:12
in your
15:12
hearts to
15:13
God.
15:13
And whatever
15:14
you do
15:14
in word
15:15
or deed,
15:16
do everything
15:16
in the name
15:17
of the
15:17
Lord Jesus,
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giving thanks
15:19
to God
15:19
the Father
15:20
through Him.
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Now let me
15:22
draw your
15:23
attention
15:23
to a
15:25
phrase.
15:26
Phrases.
15:28
Firstly,
15:29
in verse
15:29
10,
15:32
Paul instructs
15:33
us to put
15:33
on the new
15:34
self.
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He's speaking
15:36
of our
15:36
identity.
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We have,
15:38
in fact,
15:38
been,
15:39
our old
15:41
self has
15:41
died.
15:42
Verse 3,
15:42
for you
15:42
have died
15:43
and your
15:43
life is
15:43
hidden
15:44
with Christ
15:44
and God.
15:45
So we have
15:45
to put
15:46
on the
15:46
new
15:46
self,
15:46
which is
15:47
being
15:47
renewed
15:48
in
15:49
knowledge
15:50
after the
15:51
image of
15:52
its
15:52
creator.
15:54
It's
15:55
being
15:55
renewed
15:55
in
15:56
knowledge.
15:58
The way
15:58
to our
15:58
hearts
15:59
is through
15:59
our
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minds.
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So we
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must know
16:04
how it is
16:05
that a
16:05
Christian
16:05
should live.
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And what
16:07
is his
16:07
instruction
16:08
then in
16:08
that?
16:09
To put
16:09
on those
16:11
things.
16:12
Notice
16:12
that he
16:12
gives us
16:12
a list
16:13
of things
16:14
to put
16:14
on then
16:15
as God's
16:16
chosen ones
16:17
in verse
16:17
12.
16:18
These
16:18
things.
16:19
And then
16:19
in verse
16:19
14 he
16:20
says,
16:20
and above
16:21
all these
16:22
put on
16:23
love.
16:24
So what
16:25
does it
16:25
mean to
16:25
put on
16:26
the new
16:27
self?
16:28
It means
16:28
to put
16:28
on these
16:30
activities
16:31
in our
16:32
life.
16:33
As we're
16:34
putting off
16:35
the old
16:36
self,
16:36
putting it
16:37
away,
16:38
putting it
16:40
to death
16:40
in verse
16:41
5.
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We're
16:42
to be
16:42
putting
16:42
on
16:43
the new
16:44
self.
16:46
So for
16:46
those of
16:47
you who
16:47
are visual
16:47
learners,
16:48
we don't
16:49
often do
16:49
visuals,
16:50
I'm going
16:50
to do a
16:50
visual for
16:51
you this
16:51
morning.
16:53
We're
16:53
to put
16:53
off the
16:54
old self.
16:55
Note that
16:56
I'm taking
16:56
my shirt
16:56
off.
16:57
I have
16:57
a shirt
16:58
on
16:58
underneath.
17:00
We're
17:00
to put
17:00
it off.
17:01
We're
17:01
to take
17:02
it off.
17:02
That
17:02
phrasing
17:03
there,
17:04
put
17:04
off the
17:05
old
17:05
self on
17:05
verse
17:06
9,
17:06
is much
17:07
stronger
17:08
than the
17:08
language we
17:09
see in
17:09
English.
17:10
The
17:11
Greek term
17:11
is,
17:12
I don't
17:12
know,
17:13
I forgot
17:13
it actually.
17:14
Where's
17:14
it at?
17:14
Oh,
17:14
I didn't
17:15
write it
17:15
down.
17:15
It doesn't
17:16
matter.
17:16
It's a
17:16
stronger
17:16
Greek word.
17:18
And it
17:18
doesn't just
17:19
mean to
17:19
take off
17:20
the old
17:20
self and
17:21
lay it
17:22
over the
17:23
back of
17:23
your chair
17:23
as I
17:24
come and
17:24
do in
17:24
my room,
17:25
throw it
17:25
in the
17:26
hamper.
17:26
It means
17:27
literally to
17:27
wholly put
17:29
it away,
17:29
to cast
17:30
it away.
17:31
Putting
17:32
off the
17:32
old self
17:32
doesn't look
17:33
like this.
17:34
Putting
17:35
off the
17:35
old
17:35
self
17:35
looks
17:35
like
17:35
this.
17:38
Throw it
17:38
away.
17:39
Get it
17:39
away from
17:40
you.
17:40
These
17:41
things are
17:41
not
17:41
proper
17:42
for one
17:43
who is
17:43
found
17:44
in
17:45
Christ.
17:46
Now,
17:47
all of my
17:47
analogies
17:48
fall short.
17:48
I think
17:49
all analogies
17:49
do,
17:50
and I
17:50
always love
17:51
to point
17:51
out to
17:51
you how
17:51
they do.
17:54
One
17:54
way this
17:55
analogy
17:56
falls short
17:56
is I
17:57
don't think
17:57
there is
17:57
any such
17:58
thing as
17:58
bad
17:58
plaid.
18:00
That's a
18:01
pretty great
18:01
shirt I
18:01
just throw
18:02
away.
18:03
The other
18:04
way it
18:05
falls short
18:05
is it
18:05
is perfectly
18:06
acceptable
18:06
for me
18:07
to stand
18:07
here in
18:07
my
18:07
t-shirt.
18:08
There is
18:09
no problem
18:10
there.
18:10
But,
18:11
that's not
18:11
how we
18:12
function as
18:12
humans.
18:13
Because what
18:14
is it that
18:14
we're putting
18:15
off?
18:15
The old
18:16
self,
18:16
the deeds
18:16
of the
18:17
flesh,
18:17
so that
18:18
we can
18:18
put on
18:19
the deeds
18:20
of the
18:20
spirit.
18:22
We always
18:22
do
18:23
deeds.
18:24
We're
18:25
never
18:25
neutral
18:25
in this.
18:27
I'm
18:27
neutral
18:28
now in
18:28
not
18:28
wearing
18:29
the
18:30
shirt I'm
18:30
saying I
18:31
should
18:31
cast
18:31
away and
18:32
the shirt
18:32
that I
18:32
should put
18:34
on.
18:34
I haven't
18:34
put it
18:34
on yet,
18:35
but that
18:35
can't exist
18:36
in our
18:36
lives.
18:37
We will
18:37
always be
18:38
doing
18:39
things.
18:41
So as
18:41
you put
18:42
off,
18:42
you must
18:43
necessarily
18:44
put on
18:45
the deeds
18:46
of the
18:46
spirit.
18:48
And that
18:48
is the
18:48
work that
18:49
we are
18:49
to be
18:49
about.
18:50
Not
18:51
living by
18:51
the
18:51
flesh,
18:52
but
18:53
living by
18:53
the
18:54
spirit.
18:54
it.
18:55
I see
18:55
a lot
18:56
of
18:56
Christians
18:57
who are
19:02
working,
19:02
they're
19:02
straining
19:03
to put
19:04
off,
19:05
trying not
19:06
to do
19:06
particular
19:07
sins in
19:07
their life,
19:08
but I
19:08
don't see
19:09
them
19:09
putting on,
19:10
replacing
19:11
those things
19:12
with activity
19:13
that is of
19:14
God.
19:15
If you
19:16
are obedient
19:17
to Christ's
19:17
calling your
19:18
life,
19:19
you will
19:19
be so
19:20
busy
19:21
doing the
19:22
work of
19:23
the
19:25
spirit,
19:24
you won't
19:24
have time
19:25
to fulfill
19:27
the desire
19:28
for the
19:28
flesh.
19:29
If you
19:29
set yourself
19:30
to all
19:31
these
19:31
things,
19:33
you won't
19:34
be able
19:34
to sin.
19:36
You will
19:36
be so
19:37
occupied
19:37
and caught
19:38
up with
19:39
God and
19:40
his work.
19:42
Now,
19:42
again,
19:42
my analogy
19:43
falls short.
19:43
Could I
19:44
wear two
19:44
shirts?
19:45
Sure.
19:46
Would I
19:46
ever?
19:47
No.
19:49
Does I
19:49
put off
19:50
the old
19:51
self and
19:51
put on
19:51
the new
19:52
self?
19:52
The old
19:53
self stays
19:54
where it
19:54
belongs,
19:56
not on
19:57
me.
19:58
Right?
19:59
That's your
20:00
visual this
20:01
morning.
20:02
So we
20:03
have been
20:04
given a
20:05
duty to
20:06
squelch the
20:07
power of
20:08
the flesh
20:08
in our
20:09
life by
20:10
the Spirit.
20:12
If you
20:12
have a hard
20:13
time doing
20:14
this,
20:14
pray that
20:15
God will
20:16
work in
20:16
you and
20:17
then get
20:17
busy.
20:19
We're
20:19
running the
20:20
race.
20:20
God make
20:21
me fast
20:22
and then
20:22
run.
20:24
I see so
20:25
many of us
20:26
pray that
20:27
God will
20:27
work in
20:27
us and
20:28
then we
20:28
sit and
20:29
we wait.
20:32
God is
20:32
never going
20:33
to pick
20:34
your hands
20:35
up and
20:36
carry you
20:37
over to
20:37
the Bible
20:38
and have
20:39
you open
20:39
it up
20:40
and read.
20:42
God,
20:43
I want to
20:43
live for
20:44
you.
20:44
Start doing
20:45
it.
20:46
And that's
20:47
what Paul's
20:47
saying in
20:48
Colossians.
20:48
Cast off
20:49
the old
20:49
you.
20:50
Put on
20:51
the new
20:51
you.
20:52
Run the
20:52
race.
20:55
Fifthly,
20:57
a promise
20:57
is given
20:58
if the
20:59
duty is
20:59
fulfilled.
21:01
A promise
21:02
is given
21:03
if the
21:03
duty is
21:03
fulfilled.
21:05
This phrase
21:06
stands in
21:06
opposition to
21:08
the beginning
21:08
of verse
21:09
13.
21:10
Paul says
21:11
if you
21:11
live according
21:11
to the
21:12
flesh,
21:12
you will
21:13
die.
21:15
That is
21:15
certain.
21:16
if your
21:17
life is
21:17
characterized
21:18
by the
21:19
flesh,
21:19
then you
21:19
are not
21:20
found in
21:20
Christ.
21:21
You do
21:22
not have
21:22
his imputed
21:23
righteousness
21:23
and you
21:24
will
21:25
die.
21:28
But if
21:28
you're
21:29
found in
21:29
Christ
21:30
and you
21:30
have
21:31
now no
21:32
condemnation
21:33
and you
21:33
are about
21:34
this work
21:35
which is
21:35
the evidence
21:36
of the
21:36
spirit of
21:36
God
21:37
living
21:37
within
21:37
you,
21:38
then
21:38
you
21:39
will
21:40
live.
21:41
Now,
21:42
I think
21:42
he means
21:43
this in
21:44
two ways.
21:44
that will
21:46
have
21:47
eternal
21:47
life.
21:48
It
21:48
certainly
21:48
means
21:48
that.
21:49
Galatians
21:50
6,
21:50
8,
21:51
Paul says
21:51
for the
21:51
one who
21:52
sows to
21:52
his own
21:53
flesh
21:53
will
21:54
from the
21:54
flesh
21:55
reap
21:55
corruption.
21:56
For the
21:56
one who
21:57
sows to
21:57
the
21:57
spirit
21:58
will
21:58
from
21:59
the
21:59
spirit
21:59
reap
22:00
eternal
22:01
life.
22:02
The
22:03
spirit
22:03
is the
22:03
seal
22:04
of God's
22:05
covenant
22:05
love with
22:06
us.
22:07
When we
22:08
stand before
22:09
the judgment
22:09
throne,
22:10
the spirit
22:11
of God
22:11
will be
22:11
the seal
22:12
that we
22:13
have been
22:13
found in
22:14
Christ.
22:16
So,
22:16
it means
22:17
eternal
22:17
life.
22:18
But I
22:19
also think
22:20
that it
22:21
means life
22:22
now.
22:23
The Greek
22:23
word is
22:24
zao,
22:26
I believe,
22:27
which means
22:28
to have
22:28
full vigor.
22:29
The word
22:29
you will
22:30
live is
22:31
this phrase
22:32
and it
22:32
means to
22:32
have full
22:33
vigor.
22:34
So,
22:34
the joy
22:35
and the
22:35
comfort,
22:35
the vigor
22:36
of life
22:37
is ours
22:38
in the
22:38
here and
22:38
now because
22:39
our relationship
22:40
has been
22:40
restored with
22:41
God.
22:42
That very
22:42
thing we
22:43
have been
22:43
created for,
22:44
which is
22:44
to live
22:45
in abject
22:46
worship of
22:47
Him.
22:48
If we
22:48
were incapable
22:49
of doing
22:49
apart from
22:49
Christ,
22:50
we can
22:50
now do.
22:52
So,
22:52
we reap
22:53
the benefit
22:53
and the
22:54
reward
22:54
now.
22:57
The race
22:57
isn't always
22:58
easy,
22:59
is it?
23:00
Struggling
23:00
against sins,
23:01
not always
23:02
easy,
23:03
but in
23:04
it,
23:05
we live.
23:07
1 Thessalonians
23:08
3.8
23:09
says,
23:09
for now
23:10
we live
23:11
if you
23:12
are standing
23:12
fast
23:13
in the
23:14
Lord.
23:15
So,
23:15
now
23:16
we live.
23:18
we're
23:19
going to
23:20
eat
23:21
in the
23:22
world.
23:22
We
23:23
have
23:24
a
23:24
time
23:25
to
23:26
!
23:26
See you