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Righteous in Christ · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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And throughout the chapter Paul is emphasizing us towards unity and togetherness and also to move forward in our own faith.
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! And he reminds us at the end to be renewed in the spirit of your minds and to be on the new self created after the likeness of God and through righteousness and holiness.
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And that word righteousness is what I really want to focus on this evening.
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Perhaps it's best summed up for us in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21 where we have that great transaction.
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For our sake he made, that's God made him, made Christ to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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I read the portion in John 17 at the beginning for a purpose.
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I believe it undergirds what I'd like to share with you tonight.
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And what it emphasizes is the love and mercy, compassion and security that all of us who are in Christ are blessed with.
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We are safe and we are protected and guarded and kept by our Lord because we are precious.
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We're precious in God's sight.
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And we are a gift from the Father to the Son.
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As we read there in verse 6 of John 17,
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Jesus Christ is praying for us continually and interceding for us every moment of our lives.
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I'm praying for them, we're told in verse 9 of that chapter.
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I'm not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
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And we're also told that Jesus is glorified in us, in all his beloved people.
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We're told in verse 10,
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All mine are yours and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
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And that's quite a lot to begin, even that short three verses that I read there.
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It's a lot for us to begin.
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And perhaps we don't think of these things enough.
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Especially when we consider the sin that's always about us.
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The sins that we commit, and yes, the sin that we just cannot shake off while we're in this life.
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And for a short while this evening, I'd like us to consider something that is deeply biblical,
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and I believe incredibly liberating for all of us, and it's this.
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And we're not sinners trying to become righteous.
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We are the righteousness of God in Christ.
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And this is a key concept of our faith.
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And I believe we really need to focus on that much more.
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Because until that settles properly into our hearts,
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peace in our daily struggles will always feel just out of reach.
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We are made righteous in God's eyes,
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not through our own works, because that's impossible.
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We just cannot do that.
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But it's through faith in Jesus Christ.
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So from that we understand that it's relation-based.
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It's because of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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And it couldn't be any other way.
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And it's very true that many believers continue to call themselves sinners.
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And that's primarily because they are honest about their struggles.
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And now that's not a bad thing,
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because we certainly don't want to minimize grace or pretend that we never fail.
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So that's totally understandable.
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But the problem here is not humility.
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The problem is identity.
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When we repeatedly name ourselves by what Jesus has already dealt with,
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we actually quietly place ourselves back under a burden that he carried for us.
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We're much too prone to be looking inwards instead of looking upwards.
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And I believe it's true as islanders,
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for a lot of people on this island,
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we have a tendency to look upon the negative
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instead of resting in and enjoying the positive aspects of our lives.
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Let me give you a couple of examples.
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Perhaps one of them you'll know very well.
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The weather.
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And is it not true that
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whenever we may be enjoying a good spell of weather,
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we might say to someone something like,
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isn't this just a glorious spell of weather?
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It's so warm,
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and we've been getting the sun for so long now.
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And yet, so often, the answer comes from people,
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ah, yes, but I'm sure the rain isn't far away.
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That's very true, isn't it?
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It tends to be the way we look at things.
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And even when it comes to our faith,
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we're not exempt from these negative aspects.
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I've often been in conversation with other Christians
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and perhaps said something like,
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isn't it just amazing that here we are,
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the two of us,
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and the two of us are saved now.
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And too often I get the reply,
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I hope I am.
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Well, I don't understand that.
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I hope I am.
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And I don't believe it's God honouring either.
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But yet, at the end of the day,
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that's us, isn't it?
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That's just the way we are.
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Perhaps not just here in Lewis,
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but certainly a West Coast thing anyway.
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But I'd like to focus on this word righteous.
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And as I briefly looked at 2 Corinthians 5,
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we're told he was made sin
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so that we might be made righteous.
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He was condemned so that we might be justified.
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And his death was in place of our spiritual death.
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And this means that just as God imputed our sin,
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just as the Father imputed our sin and guilt to Christ,
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He made Him to be sin,
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so the Father also imputes the righteousness of Christ
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to all who believe in Him.
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Not only does the believer receive
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a right standing before God
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on the basis of his or her faith in Jesus,
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but Paul tells us that in Christ,
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the believer actually shares
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in the righteousness
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that characterises God himself.
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God regards or counts believers as forgiven
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and God declares and treats them as forgiven.
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because God the Father has imputed,
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or perhaps another word is attributed,
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God has attributed the believer's sin to Christ.
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And because God the Father
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likewise imputes Christ's righteousness
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to the believer.
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God the Father has not been able to do
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for the believer.
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with that,
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and with that thinking,
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I tend to think that we take the first part of that verse
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and keep it in our minds that,
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and of course it's not wrong,
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because Jesus was made to be sin for us,
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but also the fact that,
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that we are now made righteous
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in the sight of God
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is so important
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and perhaps something
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that we don't think of
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as often as perhaps we ought to.
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Every believer
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is a reflection
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of God's own image in Christ.
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and that is,
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that's the express image
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of his person.
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God sees
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a reflection
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of himself
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in every believer
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in Christ
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and through Christ.
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And we need to really
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grasp hold of that.
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And that is that
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every time God looks at us
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individually
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as believers,
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he sees a reflection
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of himself
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in us
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in Christ.
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And we have a special place
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in the heart of God.
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This is a perfect
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God-given righteousness.
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And it is that
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and that alone
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that enables
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every believer
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to go into the presence
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of a holy God
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because we are made righteous,
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our sins are forgiven,
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we are made righteous
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in Christ
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and we are now enabled
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to go into the presence
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of a holy God.
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And so we need to be
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very clear
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and Paul writes plainly,
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you know,
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scripture doesn't define
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believers
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by what they once were.
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And notice the exchange
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that goes on here,
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this great transaction,
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Jesus did not merely
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forgive sin,
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he became sin
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for us.
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And we did not merely
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get a clean slate
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as it were
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because of that.
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we also became righteous,
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we were made righteous
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immediately
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in the sight of God.
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And this is not
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poetic language,
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this is covenant truth.
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Because yes,
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you and I,
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we still stumble,
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we stumble in the flesh
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and yet growth
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is ongoing.
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But it's not about
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our failures
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in this life.
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we're always going
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to fall in some way
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in our lives
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as Christians.
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We're always going
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to stumble.
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But it's about
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repenting
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of that sin
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which we are now
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led to do
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as believers,
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led by the Spirit
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to do.
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It's about repenting
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and it's about
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picking ourselves
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up again
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and it's about
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looking to Jesus
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and it's like
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shaking the dust
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off us
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looking to the
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empty cross now,
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looking to our
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resurrected Lord
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and moving on.
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Because we have
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to keep going
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on this walk
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or this race
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as Scripture
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often puts us
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to run
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this race.
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I mentioned
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the word identity
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and this is what
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it's all about
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being
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a child of God
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and a reflection
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of God's image
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and the righteousness
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of Christ.
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Our identity
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is not built
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on our washed moments
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but it's built
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on Christ's
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finished work.
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And
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in 1 Corinthians
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chapter 6
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and verse 11
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that tells us
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you were washed,
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you were sanctified,
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you were justified
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in the name
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of the Lord Jesus.
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But notice
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that is all
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past tense.
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you were washed,
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you were sanctified,
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you were justified.
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Something
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that has
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already
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been done
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for us.
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And living
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with the mindset
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of
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I'm just
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a sinner
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that can
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very easily
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trap us
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in cycles
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of shame
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and
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in cycles
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of fear
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and self-focus
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particularly
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because
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what that does
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is it very subtly
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teaches us
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to look inwards
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instead of upwards.
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But the gospel
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calls us
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to a different
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posture
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and
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Colossians
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chapter 2
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and verse 10
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reminds us
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of these words
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and you
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have been
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filled
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in him.
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We're not
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lacking
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righteousness.
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We're not
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missing
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something
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essential.
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We are
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filled
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in Christ.
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So much
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to think
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about
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with these
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words.
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this truth
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is not
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meant to
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produce
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pride in us.
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It produces
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rest.
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And when we
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truly
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understand
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that we
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are righteous
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in Christ
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then
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our obedience
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it stops
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being driven
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by fear
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and it
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really does
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start flowing
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from love.
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And we
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start living
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from the
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security
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of it
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because we
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know
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that we
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are safe
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in Christ.
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The word
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tells us
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so.
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And just
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as John
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reminds us
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in his epistle
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in 1 John
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chapter 4
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and verse 13
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he says
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by this
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we know
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that we
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abide in
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him
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and he
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in us
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because he
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has given
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us
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of his
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spirit.
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God's
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own
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spirit
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dwelling
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within us
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and leading
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and guiding
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us
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each step
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of our way
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in this
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world.
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And God's
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presence in
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us
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is certainly
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not based
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on our
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performance
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it's based
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on his
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promise.
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And that's
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a promise
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that can
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never ever
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be broken.
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And it's
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just as
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Calumura
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spoke of
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last Sunday
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in his
15:30
sermon
15:30
that we
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have been
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given an
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inexpressible
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gift
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from God
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himself.
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a gift
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that is
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full of
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joy
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that joy
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that we're
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told that
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in and of
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itself is
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inexpressible
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and full
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of glory.
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And
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just as
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with the
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gift of
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God's
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love
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that is
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now shed
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abroad
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in our
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hearts
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and we
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now also
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experience
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the peace
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of God
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that our
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scripture
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says
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passes
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all
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understanding
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and yet
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it is so
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deep within
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us
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and so
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foundational
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with regard
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to our
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faith
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in Christ.
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Progress
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happens
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when
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our
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perspective
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with regard
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to our
16:30
faith
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shifts
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from
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I'm
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constantly
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falling
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short
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and I'm
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sure
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so many
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of us
16:37
are guilty
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in saying
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that and
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I'm no
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different
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but it
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needs to
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shift to
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I am
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learning
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to live
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out
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who I
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already
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am
16:50
in
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Christ
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and we
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learn that
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as we
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grow and
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grace
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through
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what
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the
16:57
Thessalonians
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call the
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sanctification
16:59
process
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because
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growth
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does not
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come from
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shame
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it comes
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from
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truth
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and the
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truth is
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that
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Jesus
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did not
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save
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sinners
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and just
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leave them
17:14
that way
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he made
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every one
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of us
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sons and
17:18
daughters
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clothed
17:20
in his
17:21
righteousness
17:22
so when
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we fall
17:25
we don't
17:26
say
17:26
this proves
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I am a
17:28
sinner
17:28
we see
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this does
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not align
17:33
with who
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I am
17:34
in Christ
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and that
17:35
is a huge
17:36
difference
17:36
in these
17:37
words
17:38
one keeps
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us stuck
17:40
exactly
17:41
where we
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are
17:42
and the
17:43
other
17:44
invites
17:45
continued
17:46
transformation
17:47
in our
17:48
lives
17:48
we read
17:52
there in
17:53
Ephesians
17:53
chapter 4
17:54
in verse
17:57
24 it
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tells us
17:58
put on
17:58
the new
17:59
self
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created
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after the
18:00
likeness
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of God
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and through
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righteousness
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and holiness
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and we're
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not creating
18:07
something new
18:08
we are
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putting on
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we're not
18:13
sinners
18:14
sorry
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we are
18:15
putting on
18:15
what already
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belongs to
18:17
us
18:17
it's been
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gifted to
18:21
us
18:21
and
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this is
18:24
our truth
18:24
that really
18:25
ought to
18:25
bring
18:26
peace to
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our hearts
18:28
tonight
18:28
and we
18:30
need to
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understand
18:31
this
18:31
that
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God
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is not
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disappointed
18:34
in us
18:35
he's not
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surprised
18:38
by your
18:38
weakness
18:39
he's not
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withholding
18:42
love
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until we
18:43
get it
18:44
right
18:44
that's
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not the
18:46
way
18:46
God
18:46
is for
18:47
us
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until we
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start getting
18:51
everything
18:51
together
18:52
but the
18:54
way God
18:54
sees us
18:55
as righteous
18:56
and accepted
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and secure
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we're not
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sinners
19:02
trying to reach
19:04
God
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but we are
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the righteousness
19:08
of God
19:08
and Christ
19:09
learning
19:11
to walk
19:12
in grace
19:13
or by grace
19:14
day by day
19:16
and surely
19:19
that for ourselves
19:20
ought to be
19:21
a great comfort
19:22
a great encouragement
19:24
to our souls
19:25
that our Lord is with us
19:28
every single step
19:30
walking with us
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in our walk
19:34
day by day
19:35
I read something
19:38
quite recently
19:39
and it's
19:41
it's the words
19:42
of a song
19:44
that has been
19:46
feeling right
19:46
and I just want
19:47
to just
19:47
read a
19:49
very small part
19:50
of it for you
19:51
it says
19:52
do you know
19:54
what God
19:54
did for me
19:55
he broke
19:57
my chains
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and set me
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free
19:59
he pulled
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my heart
20:02
from misery
20:02
mercy
20:04
found me
20:05
right there
20:06
on my knees
20:07
he washed
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my sins
20:09
in Calvary's
20:11
stream
20:11
gave me life
20:13
where death
20:15
had been
20:15
he took
20:17
my shame
20:17
he took
20:19
my fear
20:19
and now
20:21
I stand
20:22
redeemed
20:23
and clean
20:24
it's about us
20:28
adopting
20:29
a really
20:31
positive attitude
20:32
about our
20:33
Christianity
20:33
and about our
20:34
faith
20:35
and to
20:37
remember
20:38
especially
20:38
our identity
20:39
which is in
20:41
Christ Jesus
20:42
we are seen
20:45
as being
20:46
perfect
20:46
righteous
20:47
and holy
20:48
in Christ
20:49
we make
20:50
mistakes here
20:51
but he is
20:54
with us
20:54
every step
20:55
of the way
20:55
building us
20:56
up
20:56
slowly
20:57
but surely
20:58
as we go
20:59
on in this
21:00
life
21:00
we may not
21:01
see it
21:02
we may not
21:03
have that
21:03
awareness
21:04
of it
21:04
but he is
21:05
building us
21:06
up
21:06
and he is
21:07
making us
21:08
more Christ
21:08
like
21:09
as we go
21:10
on in our
21:11
lives
21:11
until that
21:14
day
21:14
when we
21:15
will be
21:16
taken home
21:16
to be with
21:17
God
21:17
and we
21:19
will fully
21:20
realise
21:21
then
21:21
and experience
21:23
this perfect
21:25
righteousness
21:25
in every
21:27
aspect
21:28
of our
21:29
being
21:29
throughout the
21:30
endless ages
21:31
of eternity
21:32
eternity
21:32
until that
21:35
day
21:35
let's keep
21:37
looking upwards
21:38
rather than
21:40
inwards
21:41
let's pray
21:42
father we
21:47
just thank you
21:48
tonight
21:48
for all the
21:50
blessings
21:51
that we
21:51
receive from
21:52
you
21:53
we thank
21:55
you for
21:55
we thank
21:57
you for the
21:58
preciousness
21:59
of this
21:59
life that we
22:00
have in
22:01
Christ
22:01
we thank
22:04
you father
22:05
for everything
22:07
you do for
22:08
us day
22:08
day by
22:09
day
22:09
because we
22:11
know that
22:12
we're not
22:12
we're not
22:13
a servant
22:13
of even
22:14
the least
22:14
of your
22:15
mercies
22:15
and yet
22:16
we just
22:17
cannot but
22:18
gasp in awe
22:19
and wonder
22:20
at your love
22:21
and your
22:23
mercy
22:23
and your
22:24
long suffering
22:25
towards us
22:26
help us
22:28
truly to
22:29
focus on
22:30
your word
22:31
and help
22:32
us truly
22:33
to focus
22:34
on this
22:35
great gift
22:36
of righteousness
22:37
that you
22:37
have bestowed
22:39
upon each
22:40
one of your
22:40
own people
22:41
it's hard
22:43
for us to
22:44
understand
22:44
that we
22:46
are seen
22:47
as being
22:47
perfectly
22:48
pure and
22:49
holy
22:49
in your
22:51
sight
22:51
but we
22:53
acknowledge
22:54
with
22:54
thankfulness
22:55
Christ's
22:56
finished work
22:57
at Calvary
22:58
for his
23:00
death
23:00
and for
23:01
his
23:01
resurrection
23:02
and for
23:04
his
23:04
ascension
23:05
Lord
23:06
and we
23:06
we pray
23:07
to be kept
23:08
every single
23:10
day
23:10
keep us
23:12
Lord
23:12
day by
23:13
day
23:13
until
23:15
our Lord
23:16
surely
23:17
comes again
23:17
we ask
23:19
these things
23:19
in Jesus
23:21
name and
23:22
for his
23:22
sake
23:22
Amen