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Gospel Character: 1 John 3:1-10 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please take out your copy of God's Word and turn to 1 John chapter 3.
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1 John chapter 3.
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Before we settle into it, I want to share with you this morning an emotion that I'm feeling.
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And I feel a mix of emotions on every Sunday morning.
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There's always an excitement.
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We've been preparing for six days and it's here and God's people are together and I'm
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expecting that God will work.
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I feel the emotion of just sheer exhaustion because of the six days leading up to and
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it's here and suddenly the service is rushed along to this point.
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I always feel a manner of timidity, a weightiness to coming and opening up God's Word and doing
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by grace my very best to teach it to you with accuracy.
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This morning, I'm also angry.
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And I believe that my anger is a righteous anger, which is a rarity for me.
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Very few times I could say that that would be the case, but I believe that it is a righteous
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anger and it's not an anger aimed at you.
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It is an anger aimed at a local prominent pastor that I often speak of in a great deal of ambiguity.
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I speak in generalizations, hoping for your sake that you'll hear the truth and you'll be
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discerning as you hear things coming from this particular pastor.
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I believe that this pastor is a brother.
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I think he's in the faith.
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Therefore, I love him.
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He's part of our family.
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I am concerned for him.
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I am praying for him.
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I hope you'll do the same.
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But this morning, I'm angry at him.
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I think he's crossed a line.
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And as such, I think it's appropriate to begin to call him by name.
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You need to be aware of what's in our backyard.
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Some of you may have come out of the ministry of this particular pastor.
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And I don't mean any offense to you in the process of speaking about him.
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Most of us, I would presume, know people who are currently part of the ministry of this pastor.
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I know many people who are many phone calls I need to make in the coming weeks as a result of what's happening in the life of this ministry.
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The pastor I'm speaking of is Andy Stanley.
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And the ministry I'm speaking of is North Point Ministries.
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Six churches, I think.
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Massive mega church in our backyard.
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The reason I think it's important to call it by name and to talk about it is because I love you.
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And I love the people under his leadership.
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And I think it would be irresponsible to not talk about it by name.
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Now, most of you who have been around for a while know that I'm not a big fan of their ministry model.
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The idea of attractional church and building the church for the lost.
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I believe that the Bible teaches us that the church gathering is primarily for the believer.
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Certainly, we want to minister to the lost as they come in amongst us.
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But it's primarily for the believer to be equipped in order to go and to serve the lost.
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We are gathered to go.
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This is not the way they've arranged themselves.
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Not a fan of the ministry model.
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But I wouldn't want to harp on them by name for that reason.
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In practice, they have functionally denied the sufficiency of Scripture.
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But now, Andy Stanley is drawing into question the inerrancy and quite possibly the inspiration of Scripture.
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In an interview with Russell Moore, who's the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention,
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Russell asked him a very strange question, but asked him,
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If he were the Pope of Evangelicalism, what would he do?
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What would he change?
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The first thing that crossed my mind was that first I'd do away with having a Pope of Evangelicalism.
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Not what he said.
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But he said instead,
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I would ask that pastors get the spotlight off the Bible and back on the resurrection of Jesus.
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A couple of weeks later, in a sermon entitled,
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The Bible Told Me So,
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he addresses what he calls deconversion.
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And just the idea of deconversion,
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that someone could have been converted at one point,
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regenerated,
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and then deregenerated,
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is in and of itself a dangerous idea,
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an entirely unbiblical idea.
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But I think he's referring to those who grow up in the church and then leave the church.
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There are dramatic statistics,
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particularly about college students,
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as high as 85% of college students who profess faith in Jesus Christ through high school,
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when they leave and go in their freshman year,
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85% no longer claim to follow Christ.
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I think that's what he means by deconversion,
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but it's certainly a scary way to talk about it.
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He says that it's not ample to say,
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Jesus loves me,
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this I know,
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for the Bible tells me so.
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And he apologizes to people who were sent to college with a frail,
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I quote,
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frail version of our faith.
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He says,
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if the Bible is the foundation of our faith,
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as the Bible goes,
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so goes our faith.
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And then he gives examples that he states as fact of scientific evidence that contradicts the Scripture.
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Things like,
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there is no scientific evidence for a worldwide flood.
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Or,
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what if the ruins of Jericho are excavated and we never see evidence that the walls fell down?
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This is called evidential apologetics,
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and I would suggest to you that it's not the way that we approach the Bible.
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If the Bible is the foundation of our faith,
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as the Bible goes,
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so goes our faith.
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He questions the infallibility,
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and therefore,
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the very inspiration of the Scriptures.
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If God is true,
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and if God wrote the Bible,
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then the Bible is true.
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And I would suggest to you that it is the foundation of our faith,
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that faith comes from hearing,
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and hearing from the Word of God.
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He says that in the first century,
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believers didn't copy down the Scripture because they believed that it was inspired,
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but because they believed that it was true,
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that they took it simply as historical record,
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and they knew that the apostles penned it,
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so they took it as simply a true historical account,
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and it had not yet been canonized,
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and so they didn't believe that it was a Word from God,
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but just simply an account of Jesus and His resurrection.
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He concludes to say,
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we should rather think,
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Jesus loves me,
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this I know because Matthew,
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Mark,
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Luke,
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and John
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tells me so.
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which seems like circular logic to me.
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But I believe what he's saying is that
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let's not be too concerned about whether or not the Bible is inspired.
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Let's not be too concerned if it's actually the Word of God,
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if it actually has authority,
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but rather,
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let's look at what men who knew Jesus had to say,
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which is part of what we do
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as we look at the Scripture.
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But he neglects altogether
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that one of the apostles saw
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what we now see as our canon as Scripture.
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2 Peter 3,
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verses 15 and 16,
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Peter writes,
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And count the patience of our Lord as salvation,
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just as our beloved brother Paul
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also wrote to you
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according to the wisdom given him,
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as he does in all his letters
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when he speaks in them of these matters.
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So Paul,
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in all of his letters,
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speaks with wisdom
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about the patience of God toward us
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and the salvation that's found in Christ.
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That's me reversing the logic of Peter's writing.
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Then he says,
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verse 16,
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of all Paul's letters,
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there are some things in them
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that are hard to understand,
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which the ignorant
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and unstable
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twist to their own destruction
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as they do,
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if you're looking at it,
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the other Scriptures.
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So apparently the early church,
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at very least,
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Peter was already viewing
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the writing of Paul as Scripture,
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understood it to be inspired,
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as Paul says,
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breathed out by God.
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I apologize
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if you were sent to college
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without an unshakable confidence
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in the inspiration
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and therefore the infallibility
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and authority of our Bible,
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which is indeed the foundation
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of our faith.
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it's my hope,
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if you're a college student here
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and you have any misgiving
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about the value of it,
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I'm going to assume that
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because you're here,
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you probably don't,
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but if you do,
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that we so show you Christ
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in the Scripture
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that it becomes extremely
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precious to you,
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that you would be a person
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of the Word,
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that you would put theology
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above all of your other studies
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and would have a confidence
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in who Christ is
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because God has spoken to us
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about Him
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by His Word.
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Romans 10, 17 again,
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so faith comes from hearing
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and hearing
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through the Word of Christ.
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Ephesians 2, verse 13,
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Paul says,
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but now in Christ Jesus,
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you who were once far off
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have been brought near
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by the blood of Christ.
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And then he goes down
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into verse 19 and 20,
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so then you were no longer
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strangers and aliens,
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but you are fellow citizens
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with the saints
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and members of the household of God
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built on the foundation,
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hang on for it,
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built on the foundation
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of the apostles and prophets.
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He is talking about
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the revelation of God
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through the apostles
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and the prophets.
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Christ Jesus Himself
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being the cornerstone.
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Many attractional churches
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teach a neutered gospel.
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Many preachers these days
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teach a subversive prosperity gospel.
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Jesus died on a cross
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that you might glory in Him
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and He in you forever.
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Not so that you can pick up
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weekly life lessons
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to live a more fulfilled life now.
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That is not what the Christian faith
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is about.
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Not about andeisms.
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It's about God revealed
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in the scripture.
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There is no crown without the cross.
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There is no glory without suffering.
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You cannot follow Christ
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without giving Him your all.
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He expects nothing less.
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He expects nothing less.
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With all that in mind,
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we ask that you pray for Andy Stanley.
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Join me in that.
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Pray for those under his leadership.
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Pray for those across this nation
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that look to Him for their cues
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on how they ought to lead successful ministry.
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I don't doubt his motivation
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in what he's trying to do.
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I believe he's a Christian.
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I believe he desperately wants people
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to come to faith in Christ,
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but he's doing it wrongly.
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Preach the truth
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to your friends
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and your family.
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Pray that he would come
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to an understanding of the truth,
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what an influence he could have
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if he would open the scripture
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to his people.
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And with all that,
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I'll remind you that, beloved,
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this is God's word to us.
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It was written for His glory
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and our good.
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We would all do well
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to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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1 John 3,
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verses 1-10
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is our text for today.
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See what kind of love
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the Father has given to us
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that we should be called
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children of God.
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And so we are.
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The reason why the world
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does not know us
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is that it did not know Him.
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Beloved,
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we are God's children now.
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And what will be
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has not yet appeared,
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but we know
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that when He appears,
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we shall be like Him
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because we shall see Him
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as He is.
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And everyone who thus hopes in Him
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purifies himself
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as He is pure.
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Everyone who makes
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a practice of sinning
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also practices lawlessness.
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Sin is lawlessness.
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You know that He appeared
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in order to take away sins,
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and in Him
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there is no sin.
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No one who abides in Him
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keeps on sinning.
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No one who keeps on sinning
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has either seen Him
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or known Him.
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Little children,
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let no one deceive you.
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Whoever practices righteousness
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is righteous
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as He is righteous.
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Whoever makes a practice
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of sinning
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is of the devil,
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for the devil has been sinning
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from the beginning.
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The reason the Son of God
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appeared
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was to destroy
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the works of the devil.
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No one born of God
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makes a practice of sinning,
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for God's seed
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abides in Him,
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and He cannot keep on sinning
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because He has been born
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of God.
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By this it is evident,
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who are the children of God
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and who are the children
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of the devil?
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Whoever does not practice
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righteousness
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is not of God,
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nor is the one
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who does not love
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his brother.
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Now, over the past three weeks,
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we've been considering
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the Christian life,
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and we've been framing it up
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beginning with
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our gospel identity,
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and you're seeing that
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as the new logo
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for our church,
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the single tree
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in a circle.
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And the summary statement
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that we've been using
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for gospel identity
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is simply this,
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by grace alone
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through faith alone,
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and the personal work
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of Jesus Christ alone,
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we are justified before God,
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forgiven and adopted by Him.
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So that's who we are
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in Christ.
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And then we said
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this gospel identity
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is our great motivation
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for worship.
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So we're accepted by God
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in Christ,
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so we live how He wants us to
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in all things.
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This is worship.
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Have experienced the mercies
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of God to us
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in Christ.
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We live for Him,
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and we're using
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the biblical metaphor.
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Being good trees,
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we bear good fruit.
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And I've been suggesting
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to you all along the way
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that the bearing
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of good fruit
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requires activity
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on our part.
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It requires effort
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on our part.
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And so we're talking
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about four areas
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of Christian living,
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and they are as follows.
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First,
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our gospel conviction.
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Right?
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Knowing God
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through His word
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and prayer.
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Two weeks ago,
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we talked about that.
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Last week,
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we talked about gospel community.
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Loving the church
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in varying means
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of fellowship
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and service.
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This week,
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we'll talk about
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gospel character.
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And then finally,
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next week,
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gospel commission.
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And Lord willing,
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we'll be back
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in our verse-by-verse
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exposition of Acts
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following that.
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The summary statement
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for this morning is
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being justified
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before God,
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forgiven and adopted
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by Him.
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We worship Him
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through gospel character,
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conforming to Christ
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both in private
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and in public.
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Now,
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John starts out
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chapter 3
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making the point
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we've been making
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all along
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that who we are
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is a work of God.
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God has established it.
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So being justified
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before God,
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we're forgiven
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and adopted
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by Him.
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And you can see that
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running through
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the first three verses
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of 1 John chapter 3.
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But draw your attention
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specifically to
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verse 3.
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Everyone who thus
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hopes in Him.
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And he's referring back
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to what he has said
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that as God's children,
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we do not yet look
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like Christ
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being perfect,
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but we will one day
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look like Christ
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because we shall see Him
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as He is.
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When He returns,
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we'll be glorified
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and perfected
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at that time.
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But,
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he says in verse 3,
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and everyone
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who thus hopes
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in Him,
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so in the future
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perfection,
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which we call
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glorification,
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purifies himself
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as He,
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Christ,
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is pure.
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So by faith
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that we're justified
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before God
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and the debt
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of our sin
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is canceled
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before Him.
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And we are granted
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the righteousness
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of Christ.
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We are both forgiven
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and adopted.
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Paul writes in Romans 8.1,
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there is therefore
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now no condemnation
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for those
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who are in
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Christ
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Jesus.
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So,
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because we're
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beloved,
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because we're
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children of God,
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we're going to live
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a certain way.
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So don't mistake me
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saying that we live
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a certain way
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and therefore
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we're children of God.
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We're children of God,
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therefore,
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we live a certain way.
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We give evidence
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to who we are
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by the way
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we live.
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And John goes on
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to say this
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in no uncertain terms.
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I hope that it was
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a little scathing
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for you, right,
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to read
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from the authoritative
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Word
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of God.
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How it is
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that the person
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who claims
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to be a follower
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of Christ
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looks.
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Verse 4
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and down through
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verse 10.
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If we are
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justified before God,
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forgiven and adopted
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by Him,
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we worship Him
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through our
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character.
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We are being
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conformed
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to Christ.
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We have not
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arrived there yet
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perfectly,
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which I will
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show you in a moment,
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but we are
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pressing on
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in holiness
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toward
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Christ's
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likeness.
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If you are
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of God,
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it's the point
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that John is making,
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you will
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not
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make a
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practice
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of sinning.
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If you are
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a child
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of God,
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you will
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practice
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righteousness.
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You will be
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on
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God's
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highway.
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The Greek
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word for
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practice
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simply means
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to do
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or make.
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You hope
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it would be
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kind of complex
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and we could
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unravel it
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and go,
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oh,
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now we
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understand
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what
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practicing
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means.
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John's
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not pulling
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any punches
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here.
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He's simply
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saying that
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you will
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not be
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characterized
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by sin.
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You will
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rather be
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characterized
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by
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righteousness.
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And beloved,
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the beautiful
20:32
precious
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doctrine
20:33
of regeneration
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is so
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being lost
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in the life
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of our
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churches.
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If you
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are in
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Christ,
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you have
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been
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made
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new.
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You are
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no longer
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your old
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self.
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You carry
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that baggage
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of yourself
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around,
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but you
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have been
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made
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new.
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And so
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many of
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us act
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as if
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we've
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not been
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set free
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from the
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bondage
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of sin.
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We are
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free from
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it.
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We've
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been given
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power to
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live to
21:00
God.
21:01
And not
21:01
to
21:02
ourselves.
21:04
You can
21:05
think of
21:06
gospel
21:06
character
21:07
as
21:07
obedience
21:08
in all
21:09
things.
21:11
And we
21:11
talk about
21:12
these areas
21:12
of Christian
21:12
living.
21:13
I get
21:14
that this
21:14
one kind
21:15
of becomes
21:15
a catch
21:15
all.
21:16
We intend
21:17
for it to
21:17
be a catch
21:18
all,
21:19
but I
21:20
think so
21:20
often,
21:21
I'm seeing
21:21
particularly
21:22
with young
21:22
people who
21:23
have a
21:24
high view
21:25
of God
21:25
and of
21:25
God's
21:26
sovereignty.
21:26
Praise the
21:27
Lord for
21:28
that.
21:29
Recognizing
21:29
that God
21:30
works in
21:31
us to
21:31
accomplish
21:32
His
21:32
goodwill.
21:34
Also
21:34
being lazy.
21:37
Just
21:38
expecting that
21:38
at some
21:39
point that
21:39
there will
21:40
be enough
21:40
compulsion
21:41
in you
21:41
that you're
21:42
going to
21:42
begin to
21:42
do the
21:43
things that
21:43
God wants
21:44
you to
21:45
do.
21:45
And it's
21:45
so often
21:46
framed up
21:47
as feeling.
21:49
You don't
21:49
feel like
21:50
doing certain
21:51
things.
21:53
I teach
21:55
my kids
21:55
to be
21:56
obedient.
21:57
I train
21:58
them.
21:58
I show
21:59
them how
21:59
it is
22:00
they're
22:00
to be
22:00
obedient.
22:02
I discipline
22:02
them when
22:03
they're not
22:04
obedient.
22:05
If all
22:05
you caught
22:06
Judah down
22:06
here talking
22:07
about the
22:07
rod,
22:07
it's like
22:08
a spanking.
22:09
A lot
22:09
like a
22:10
spanking.
22:11
Showing
22:12
them the
22:12
way that
22:12
they should
22:13
go.
22:13
And it
22:13
is never
22:14
an excuse
22:15
for one
22:16
of my
22:16
sons to
22:17
say to
22:17
me,
22:17
I don't
22:18
really feel
22:18
like being
22:18
obedient.
22:20
There's not
22:21
a compulsion
22:22
in me
22:23
to be
22:24
obedient.
22:25
How do
22:26
I help
22:27
my children
22:27
to walk
22:27
in the
22:28
ways they
22:28
should go?
22:28
I tell
22:29
them what
22:29
they should
22:29
do or
22:30
shouldn't
22:30
do,
22:31
and I
22:32
bring
22:32
correction
22:32
when they
22:32
need it.
22:34
The Lord
22:34
deals with
22:34
us in
22:35
the exact
22:36
same
22:36
way.
22:38
You've
22:38
been given
22:38
command,
22:40
right and
22:40
good for
22:41
you,
22:42
command.
22:43
You have
22:43
a heavenly
22:44
Father that's
22:46
perfect in
22:47
all of His
22:47
command,
22:48
who loves
22:48
you immensely
22:50
and wants
22:50
the very
22:51
best
22:52
for you.
22:53
You should
22:53
listen,
22:54
and you
22:55
should do
22:56
the things
22:56
that He's
22:57
asked you
22:58
to do or
22:58
not asked
23:00
you to
23:01
do.
23:02
Many people
23:02
misunderstand
23:03
that sin
23:05
has two
23:06
sides to
23:06
it,
23:07
both sins
23:07
of omission
23:09
and sins
23:09
of commission.
23:11
Omission are
23:11
the things
23:11
that we're
23:12
not doing
23:12
what God
23:13
has commanded
23:13
us to do.
23:14
We're sinning
23:14
because we're
23:15
not doing
23:15
what God
23:16
has commanded
23:16
us to do,
23:17
and sins
23:18
of commission
23:18
are doing
23:18
what God
23:19
has commanded
23:19
us not
23:21
to do.
23:22
Many of
23:22
you probably
23:23
grew up
23:24
in churches
23:25
where the
23:26
pastor liked
23:26
to rattle
23:27
off the
23:27
top three
23:28
drinking,
23:29
smoking,
23:30
cursing,
23:31
which in
23:33
their proper
23:33
context may
23:34
or may not
23:34
be sinful.
23:36
All three
23:36
of those,
23:37
let's lift
23:38
off some of
23:38
the other
23:38
ones that
23:39
are almost
23:39
definitely
23:40
sinful in
23:41
every case.
23:43
We feel
23:43
like if we
23:44
just had the
23:44
list and
23:45
we're avoiding
23:45
certain activity,
23:46
then we're
23:47
living to God.
23:48
Not so,
23:49
beloved,
23:49
sins of
23:50
omission
23:50
and sins
23:51
of commission.
23:54
God's
23:54
children
23:55
recognize
23:55
we have
23:56
a loving
23:57
Father,
23:58
and we
23:58
obey
23:59
because
24:00
He loves
24:01
us.
24:03
Now,
24:04
is John
24:05
suggesting
24:06
that we
24:07
must be
24:08
perfectly
24:09
righteous?
24:11
No.
24:12
He is
24:13
not.
24:14
Back up
24:15
a couple
24:15
of chapters
24:16
to 1 John
24:16
chapter 1.
24:19
Once again,
24:20
strong language,
24:21
verses 5
24:21
through 10.
24:34
Beginning
24:34
of verse 5,
24:35
this is the
24:35
message that
24:35
we have
24:36
heard from
24:36
Him and
24:36
proclaimed to
24:37
you that
24:37
God is
24:38
light and
24:40
in Him is
24:40
no darkness
24:41
at all.
24:42
God is
24:42
perfect,
24:42
God is
24:43
holy.
24:44
If we say
24:44
we have
24:44
fellowship
24:45
with Him
24:45
while we
24:46
walk in
24:46
darkness,
24:48
practice
24:48
sin,
24:49
we lie
24:50
and do
24:50
not
24:50
practice
24:51
the
24:51
truth.
24:52
But if
24:53
we walk
24:53
in the
24:53
light as
24:54
He is
24:54
in the
24:54
light,
24:54
we have
24:55
fellowship
24:55
with one
24:55
another,
24:56
and the
24:56
blood of
24:56
Jesus'
24:57
Son cleanses
24:57
us from
24:59
all sin.
25:01
Verse 8.
25:02
Here we go.
25:03
If we say
25:04
we have
25:04
no sin,
25:05
if we say
25:06
we're
25:06
perfect,
25:07
if we say
25:08
we've
25:08
arrived,
25:10
we deceive
25:10
ourselves,
25:11
and the
25:12
truth is
25:12
not in
25:12
us.
25:13
If we
25:14
confess
25:15
our sins,
25:15
He is
25:16
faithful and
25:16
just to
25:17
forgive us
25:17
our sins
25:18
and to
25:18
cleanse us
25:19
from all
25:19
unrighteousness.
25:22
If we
25:22
say we
25:23
have not
25:23
sinned,
25:24
we make
25:24
Him a
25:25
liar,
25:26
and His
25:26
word is
25:27
not in
25:27
us.
25:28
So very
25:28
clearly John
25:29
is saying
25:29
that there
25:29
should be
25:30
a practice,
25:31
there should
25:31
be a
25:31
trend,
25:32
a trajectory
25:33
of our
25:34
lives.
25:35
Not
25:35
perfect,
25:36
but pressing
25:37
toward
25:38
perfection.
25:40
Verse 3,
25:41
once again,
25:41
of chapter 3,
25:42
and everyone
25:43
who thus
25:43
hopes in
25:44
Him,
25:44
in the
25:45
future
25:45
glory,
25:46
in the
25:46
future
25:46
perfection,
25:48
purifies
25:48
Himself
25:49
as He
25:51
is pure.
25:53
John's not
25:53
saying we
25:54
must be
25:54
perfect,
25:54
he's saying
25:55
pay careful
25:56
attention to
25:58
the pattern
25:59
of your
26:00
life.
26:01
A biblical
26:02
view of
26:03
sanctification is
26:04
called progressive
26:05
sanctification.
26:07
It means that
26:08
as we're
26:09
working,
26:10
God is
26:10
working in
26:11
us and
26:11
He's
26:12
moving us
26:12
bit by
26:13
bit,
26:13
degree by
26:14
degree,
26:15
one degree
26:16
of glory
26:17
to another
26:17
degree of
26:18
glory,
26:19
further up.
26:21
And that
26:22
doesn't mean
26:22
that if you
26:22
zoom in on
26:23
any moment
26:24
of your
26:24
life that
26:25
you're moving
26:25
upward at
26:26
that moment.
26:27
You could
26:28
zoom in on
26:28
a single day
26:29
of my life
26:30
and it
26:30
would look
26:30
like my
26:31
heartbeat.
26:33
But as we
26:33
back away,
26:35
I can say to
26:36
you that I
26:37
sin.
26:37
I sin
26:38
grievously
26:39
still before
26:39
God.
26:40
But if I
26:41
step back
26:42
and I look
26:42
at the way
26:43
in which
26:43
God is
26:44
working in
26:44
me,
26:45
I can see
26:45
that I
26:46
hate sin
26:46
more than
26:47
I did
26:47
yesterday.
26:48
And I
26:49
love
26:49
righteousness
26:50
more than
26:51
I did
26:51
yesterday.
26:52
I desire
26:53
to please
26:54
my Father.
26:55
I am
26:55
moved by
26:56
His great
26:57
love for
26:57
me.
26:58
I recognize
26:59
who I am
26:59
in Him
27:00
and I
27:01
press on.
27:03
Grieved
27:03
by my sin,
27:04
I repent
27:05
and I turn
27:06
back to
27:06
the Lord.
27:07
I press
27:08
to know
27:08
Him in
27:09
obedience.
27:11
So our
27:12
sanctification
27:12
is
27:14
progressive.
27:16
I do
27:17
not expect
27:17
perfect
27:18
obedience
27:18
from my
27:19
sons.
27:20
I hope
27:20
for it.
27:21
I really
27:22
hope for
27:22
it.
27:23
But I
27:23
don't expect
27:24
it.
27:25
In fact,
27:25
I expect
27:26
the opposite
27:26
to be
27:26
true and
27:27
I bring
27:27
correction
27:28
when that
27:29
happens.
27:30
But never
27:31
is it
27:31
okay.
27:33
I say,
27:33
son,
27:33
why did
27:34
you not
27:34
do the
27:35
thing I
27:35
asked you
27:36
to do?
27:36
And they
27:37
go,
27:37
you're
27:37
going to
27:37
feel like
27:38
it.
27:39
The
27:40
retribution
27:40
is
27:40
swift.
27:45
So John
27:46
is saying
27:46
pay careful
27:47
attention
27:48
to the
27:49
pattern
27:49
of your
27:50
life.
27:50
Jesus
27:51
tells us
27:51
how to
27:51
recognize
27:51
the
27:52
regenerate
27:52
in Matthew
27:52
7,
27:53
17 and
27:53
18.
27:54
So every
27:54
healthy tree
27:55
bears good
27:56
fruit,
27:56
but the
27:56
diseased
27:57
tree bears
27:57
bad fruit.
27:59
Apples
28:00
don't grow
28:00
on pear
28:01
trees.
28:02
A healthy
28:02
tree cannot
28:03
bear bad
28:04
fruit,
28:04
nor can
28:05
a diseased
28:05
tree bear
28:06
good fruit.
28:07
He's talking
28:08
about pattern
28:09
of our
28:10
life.
28:12
Peter
28:12
exhorts us
28:13
to the
28:13
activity of
28:13
self-examination
28:14
in 2 Peter
28:15
chapter 1
28:16
verse 10.
28:18
He says,
28:18
therefore,
28:18
brothers,
28:19
be all the
28:20
more diligent
28:22
to confirm
28:23
your calling
28:25
and election.
28:26
For if you
28:27
practice these
28:27
qualities,
28:28
you will
28:28
never fail.
28:28
And these
28:29
qualities he's
28:29
referred to
28:30
previously in
28:31
chapter 1,
28:31
faith,
28:32
virtue,
28:32
knowledge,
28:33
self-control,
28:33
steadfastness,
28:35
godliness,
28:36
brotherly affection,
28:37
and love.
28:39
So he's
28:39
given us a
28:40
list of
28:40
qualities,
28:41
and he's
28:41
saying,
28:42
pick these
28:43
qualities up
28:43
and roll
28:45
them around,
28:45
meditate on
28:46
them.
28:46
Are these
28:47
characteristic
28:48
of your
28:48
life?
28:49
Faith,
28:50
virtue,
28:50
knowledge,
28:51
self-control,
28:52
steadfastness,
28:53
godliness,
28:54
brotherly affection,
28:56
love.
28:57
Peter says to
28:57
us,
28:58
don't flip to
28:59
the front of
28:59
your Bible and
29:00
write down the
29:00
date you
29:01
walked down
29:01
an aisle.
29:03
He says be
29:04
diligent to
29:06
confirm your
29:07
calling and
29:08
election by
29:09
these qualities.
29:13
Verse 10,
29:15
1 John 3,
29:16
by this it
29:17
is evident.
29:19
By what?
29:23
A date?
29:25
A particular
29:26
activity?
29:27
The characteristic
29:28
of your life?
29:30
By this it is
29:30
evident who
29:31
are the
29:32
children of
29:32
God and
29:33
who are
29:34
the children
29:34
of the
29:35
devil.
29:37
Whoever does
29:37
not practice
29:37
righteousness is
29:38
not from
29:39
God,
29:39
nor is the
29:40
one who
29:41
does not
29:41
love his
29:43
brother.
29:45
And I love
29:46
as John is
29:46
about to launch
29:46
into a
29:47
wonderful chapter
29:47
on love,
29:49
he mentions it,
29:51
Peter mentions it,
29:52
in chapter 1,
29:52
love is the
29:56
most defining
29:57
characteristic of
29:59
the Christian
30:00
person.
30:00
Jesus says in
30:01
John 13,
30:01
35,
30:02
by this all
30:02
people will
30:03
know that you
30:03
are my
30:03
disciples if
30:04
you have
30:04
love for
30:07
one another.
30:07
God,
30:09
I never want
30:10
to stand up
30:11
here and
30:11
cause you to
30:13
doubt your
30:14
salvation unless
30:16
that's the
30:17
very thing you
30:17
need.
30:19
I care about
30:20
your souls
30:20
deeply.
30:22
I know many
30:22
of you this
30:22
room very well,
30:23
some of you I
30:24
don't know at
30:24
all, I'm seeing
30:24
faces I've never
30:25
seen before,
30:27
but I see you
30:29
as eternal and I
30:30
care about you
30:31
immensely.
30:32
Be diligent to
30:35
examine yourself,
30:36
make sure that
30:36
you are in the
30:37
faith, and if
30:38
you will not
30:39
repent and
30:40
believe, place
30:42
your hope in the
30:43
righteousness of
30:44
Christ that he
30:45
would grant it
30:45
to you.
30:48
So we are to
30:49
measure out
30:52
our lives.
30:55
Jesus is our
30:56
great example.
30:57
We are to
30:57
conform to
30:59
him.
31:00
And certainly
31:01
as we see love
31:02
as the most
31:02
defining characteristic
31:03
of the Christian
31:04
persons, he is
31:04
the high example
31:06
of love.
31:08
As Jesus'
31:09
hands and his
31:10
feet were pounded
31:11
onto a cross,
31:12
and as he hung
31:13
for our sins,
31:15
experiencing so
31:16
much more than
31:16
we could possibly
31:17
imagine the
31:18
physical anguish
31:19
of hanging on
31:20
that cross, he
31:21
bore God's
31:22
wrath on our
31:23
behalf.
31:26
Wes and Liz
31:27
sang for us
31:27
this morning how
31:28
deep the
31:28
Father's love
31:29
for us.
31:31
And I love
31:31
that they
31:31
worked so
31:32
hard at
31:33
being so
31:33
precise, even
31:34
at the expense
31:36
of changing
31:36
lyrics.
31:39
There's a line,
31:40
I think it's in
31:41
the second
31:41
verse, it
31:42
says, it
31:43
was my
31:44
sin that
31:45
held him
31:45
there, Jesus
31:46
on the cross.
31:47
And I don't
31:47
think that's
31:48
entirely inaccurate
31:49
to say that,
31:50
but I like that
31:51
they changed the
31:52
lyric to it.
31:53
It was his
31:54
love that
31:56
held him
31:57
there.
31:57
Jesus
31:58
restrained
32:00
all the
32:00
power of
32:01
heaven to
32:02
come and
32:03
pluck him
32:04
off that
32:05
cross.
32:06
He set
32:06
them at
32:07
bay that
32:08
he might
32:08
die for
32:10
us.
32:12
Two quotes
32:13
from Charles
32:13
Spurgeon for
32:13
you, I
32:14
think they're
32:14
both on
32:14
your bulletin.
32:15
The Christian
32:16
should take
32:17
nothing short
32:18
of Christ
32:20
for his
32:21
model.
32:22
Beloved, do
32:23
not compare
32:24
yourself to
32:25
one of your
32:25
Christian friends
32:26
that you look
32:26
up to.
32:27
Do not
32:27
compare
32:27
yourself to
32:28
a Christian
32:29
celebrity.
32:30
Please don't
32:31
compare yourself
32:32
to me.
32:33
Hold up
32:34
Christ as
32:36
your example
32:36
and let's
32:37
press together
32:38
towards him.
32:41
Aim at the
32:42
highest conceivable
32:43
degree of
32:44
holiness.
32:45
And though you
32:46
will not be
32:46
perfect, never
32:48
excuse yourselves
32:49
because you
32:51
are not.
32:53
So as those
32:53
who have been
32:53
redeemed by
32:54
Christ, we
32:55
worship him
32:55
through gospel
32:56
character, conforming
32:58
to him, both
33:00
in private and
33:03
in public.
33:05
If you are in
33:06
Christ, you
33:08
will desire to
33:08
worship him in
33:09
all matters of
33:11
your life.
33:13
Your concern is
33:14
not the approval
33:15
of man, but the
33:16
approval of God.
33:18
God.
33:18
He wants all of
33:24
you because he
33:26
loves you and
33:27
because he knows
33:28
what is good for
33:29
you.
33:30
That includes the
33:31
thoughts in your
33:32
mind and the
33:33
feelings that you
33:34
feel and the
33:35
motivations behind
33:37
your activity.
33:38
Don't merely dress
33:40
yourself up and
33:41
look righteous on
33:42
the outside.
33:43
The Pharisees
33:43
were condemned
33:45
for that, for
33:46
being whitewashed
33:47
tombs, but
33:47
inside dead.
33:50
Be introspective.
33:52
Know yourself.
33:54
Know why you
33:54
do what you
33:55
do.
33:56
Why you think
33:57
what you think.
33:58
Why you feel
33:59
what you feel and
34:01
bring all of
34:02
that into
34:03
conformity with
34:05
Christ.
34:06
Matthew
34:07
chapter 22.
34:08
A lawyer, in
34:11
order to trick
34:12
Jesus, asks him
34:13
in verse 36,
34:14
Teacher, which
34:14
is the greatest
34:15
commandment in
34:16
the law?
34:17
And Jesus
34:18
replies, you
34:19
shall love the
34:19
Lord your God
34:20
with all your
34:21
heart and with
34:23
all your soul and
34:24
with all your
34:25
mind.
34:26
All of you.
34:27
Every bit of
34:28
you.
34:29
Verse 38, this
34:30
is the great and
34:30
first commandment
34:31
and a second is
34:32
like it.
34:32
You shall love
34:33
your neighbor as
34:35
yourself.
34:36
On these two
34:37
commandments
34:38
depend or
34:39
hang all the
34:41
law and the
34:42
prophets.
34:43
They're all
34:43
fulfilled in
34:45
these two
34:46
commandments.
34:48
Give all of
34:49
yourself to God
34:50
and give all of
34:52
yourself to your
34:53
neighbors.
34:55
Our identity
34:56
permeates all
34:58
that we are and
34:59
therefore all
35:01
that we do.
35:04
Beloved, I am
35:04
not Nathan who
35:07
is a husband
35:08
and a father.
35:09
I used to
35:10
use things like
35:10
rock climber and
35:11
whitewater paddler
35:12
but I don't do
35:13
those things anymore
35:13
because I'm
35:14
getting old.
35:17
A hunter.
35:18
I do some
35:19
hunting now.
35:20
Oh, and a
35:21
Christian.
35:22
Oh, and on
35:24
Sundays I like to
35:25
participate with
35:25
the church.
35:26
church.
35:29
I am a Christian
35:30
who is named
35:32
Nathan.
35:33
Who is a
35:34
husband and a
35:36
father and a
35:37
pastor.
35:38
The list goes
35:38
on.
35:39
And it
35:39
permeates every
35:40
bit of who I
35:43
am.
35:44
Includes all of
35:44
it.
35:45
Thoughts,
35:45
feelings,
35:46
desires,
35:46
motivations,
35:47
concerns,
35:48
as well as
35:49
our activity.
35:52
Paul writes a
35:53
very curious
35:53
thing in 1
35:54
Corinthians 10
35:55
verse 31.
35:56
So whether you
35:56
eat or drink
35:57
or whatever
35:59
you do,
36:00
do all to the
36:01
glory of God.
36:03
Paul here
36:03
suggests that we
36:04
can work and
36:05
recreate and
36:06
rest to the
36:08
glory of God.
36:09
That you can
36:09
drive your car,
36:10
mow your lawn,
36:11
do the dishes,
36:12
fold the laundry,
36:12
and change diapers
36:14
to the glory of
36:15
God.
36:16
I'm still working
36:16
on the last.
36:19
How?
36:20
How is all of
36:22
life aimed at
36:23
Him?
36:24
I think we
36:25
could talk at
36:25
length about
36:26
this, but in
36:26
brief this
36:27
morning,
36:27
Colossians 3.17,
36:28
Paul says,
36:29
and whatever
36:30
you do,
36:30
in word or
36:31
deed,
36:32
do everything
36:32
in the name
36:33
of the Lord
36:34
Jesus,
36:35
giving thanks
36:35
to God the
36:36
Father through
36:37
Him.
36:38
So I think in
36:39
the simplest
36:39
way, as we
36:40
consider how
36:41
is it that we
36:42
can bring all
36:44
of our life
36:44
into conformity
36:45
with Christ,
36:46
we can worship
36:46
God with all
36:47
that we do,
36:48
even in the
36:49
mundane things
36:50
of life,
36:51
that we have
36:52
the proper
36:53
attitude.
36:53
We have the
36:54
right motivation,
36:56
and that is
36:56
that we are
36:56
thankful for
36:58
the redemptive
36:59
work of
37:00
Christ.
37:01
We recognize
37:01
that we have
37:02
our very being
37:03
because of
37:04
Him,
37:05
and it is for
37:06
Him that we
37:08
exist,
37:09
even doing the
37:11
mundane things
37:12
of life.
37:13
When we're called
37:14
to follow Christ,
37:15
we are not called
37:16
to stop brushing
37:17
our teeth.
37:18
God's
37:19
God's
37:20
God's
37:20
God's
37:22
God's
37:22
God's
37:22
God's
37:24
glory.
37:25
We've talked
37:26
the last couple
37:26
of weeks about
37:27
the member
37:27
health survey
37:28
that we sent
37:28
out at the
37:29
end of the
37:30
summer.
37:32
I may have
37:32
been misreporting
37:33
how many
37:33
responses we
37:34
had of all
37:34
the members
37:35
of our
37:35
church.
37:36
We had 64
37:36
responses
37:37
total.
37:39
And there
37:40
were two
37:40
questions that I
37:41
want to share
37:41
the responses
37:42
to with you.
37:44
I keep calling
37:45
them questions,
37:45
their statements
37:46
with agreeance
37:48
or disagreeance
37:49
answers.
37:51
So the first
37:51
statement,
37:52
number 17,
37:53
I have grown
37:54
in holiness
37:55
over the past
37:56
year.
37:58
You get the
37:58
drive of that
37:59
question,
37:59
what we're
37:59
trying to get
38:00
at.
38:01
Do you
38:01
perceive that
38:02
you have
38:03
grown in
38:03
holiness over
38:04
the past
38:05
year?
38:05
Are you,
38:05
in fact,
38:07
being
38:07
sanctified?
38:09
And by
38:10
and large,
38:11
most people
38:12
in our
38:12
congregation
38:12
said they
38:13
agree or
38:15
strongly
38:15
agree.
38:16
Praise the
38:17
Lord.
38:18
I can
38:18
understand
38:18
being in
38:19
the agree
38:19
category.
38:21
Strongly
38:21
agree is
38:22
pretty strong,
38:22
right?
38:22
Some of you
38:23
would never
38:23
answer strongly
38:24
agree.
38:25
But a
38:26
good high
38:26
percentage
38:27
agree or
38:28
strongly
38:28
agree.
38:30
Four members
38:31
of our
38:31
church said
38:32
disagree.
38:34
They have
38:34
not grown in
38:35
holiness over
38:36
the past
38:36
year.
38:37
Fourteen
38:38
said,
38:39
I'm not
38:39
sure.
38:40
I don't
38:40
know if I
38:41
have or
38:42
haven't.
38:42
So 18
38:43
people of
38:44
these 64
38:44
members of
38:45
our church
38:45
see no
38:47
upper
38:47
trajectory.
38:48
Does that
38:48
mean they're
38:49
outside the
38:49
faith?
38:49
Not
38:50
necessarily.
38:51
They very
38:51
well could
38:52
be and
38:52
they're just
38:52
having a
38:53
bad year.
38:55
We've got to
38:55
zoom to the
38:56
right spot
38:57
in that
38:57
diagram of
38:59
their trajectory
38:59
toward
39:00
holiness.
39:02
But they
39:03
may also
39:03
need to
39:04
really
39:04
consider,
39:05
do they
39:06
practice
39:07
sin?
39:08
Are they
39:08
characterized
39:08
by
39:09
sinfulness?
39:10
Or are
39:11
they
39:11
characterized
39:11
by
39:13
righteousness?
39:14
Maybe a
39:15
bit more
39:15
telling.
39:16
Statement
39:17
18,
39:17
I do
39:18
not
39:18
commit
39:18
any
39:20
particular
39:20
sin
39:21
habitually.
39:22
Let's
39:23
cycle back
39:23
through the
39:24
same thing.
39:25
Which I
39:26
would suggest
39:26
to you is a
39:27
sign that
39:27
there's no
39:28
real repentance
39:28
for that
39:30
sin at
39:30
least.
39:32
A little
39:32
more
39:33
telling.
39:34
Five
39:35
people
39:35
strongly
39:37
disagreed
39:37
with that
39:38
statement.
39:39
18,
39:40
disagreed.
39:41
12,
39:42
weren't
39:43
sure.
39:44
35 total
39:44
people that
39:45
responded to
39:45
the survey
39:46
that are
39:46
members of
39:46
our church,
39:48
54.7%
39:50
seem to
39:53
be a
39:54
particular
39:54
sin.
39:55
The same
39:55
thing over
39:56
and over
39:56
and over
39:58
and over.
39:59
If you
40:00
find yourself
40:00
in that
40:01
number as
40:01
members of
40:02
our church
40:02
or if you're
40:02
a non-member
40:03
and you
40:03
find yourself
40:04
relating to
40:05
that,
40:05
you need
40:05
to consider
40:06
carefully
40:08
weigh the
40:09
position of
40:10
your soul.
40:11
If you do
40:11
not have a
40:12
confidence that
40:13
you are in
40:13
Christ,
40:14
repent and
40:16
believe.
40:20
In closing,
40:20
I want to
40:21
read to you
40:23
from Colossians
40:24
chapter 3,
40:25
verse 5 and
40:25
14.
40:26
And I want
40:26
you,
40:26
you can turn
40:27
there if you
40:27
would like,
40:28
you can just
40:28
close your eyes
40:29
and listen to
40:29
me as I
40:31
read it.
40:32
I want you
40:33
to consider
40:33
what characterizes
40:36
your life.
40:38
This list by
40:39
Paul of
40:40
things to
40:40
put to
40:40
death or
40:41
to put
40:41
off and
40:43
things to
40:43
put on.
40:44
Where do
40:44
you find
40:45
yourself moving
40:46
toward?
40:48
Some of you
40:48
might be
40:49
brand new
40:49
believers.
40:50
No one's
40:50
expecting
40:50
perfection of
40:51
you.
40:52
We're just
40:53
expecting
40:54
motion toward
40:56
God, away
40:56
from sin.
40:59
Beginning
40:59
in verse 5,
41:00
Paul writes,
41:01
put to death
41:01
therefore what
41:03
is earthly
41:03
in you.
41:04
sexual
41:05
immorality,
41:07
impurity,
41:08
passion,
41:09
evil desire,
41:10
and covetousness
41:11
which is
41:12
idolatry.
41:14
On account
41:14
of these,
41:14
the wrath of
41:15
God is
41:15
coming.
41:16
In these,
41:17
you too
41:17
once walked
41:19
when you
41:19
were living
41:20
in them.
41:21
But now
41:21
you must
41:22
put them
41:22
all away.
41:23
Anger,
41:25
wrath,
41:25
malice,
41:26
slander,
41:27
and obscene
41:28
talk from
41:29
your mouth.
41:30
Do not
41:31
lie to one
41:31
another,
41:32
seeing that
41:32
you have put
41:33
off the
41:33
old self
41:34
with its
41:35
practices
41:35
and have
41:37
put on
41:37
the new
41:37
self
41:38
which is
41:38
being renewed
41:39
in knowledge
41:39
after the
41:40
image of
41:41
its creator.
41:42
Here there
41:42
is not
41:43
Greek or
41:43
Jew,
41:44
circumcised
41:44
and uncircumcised,
41:45
barbarian,
41:46
Scythian,
41:47
slave,
41:47
free,
41:48
but Christ
41:49
is all
41:50
and in
41:51
all.
41:52
Put on
41:53
then,
41:53
as God's
41:54
chosen ones,
41:56
holy and
41:56
beloved,
41:58
compassionate
41:59
hearts,
42:00
kindness,
42:01
humility,
42:01
meekness,
42:03
and patience,
42:04
bearing with
42:05
one another,
42:05
and if one
42:06
has a complaint
42:06
against another,
42:07
forgiving each
42:08
other as the
42:09
Lord has
42:09
forgiven you,
42:10
so you also
42:11
must forgive.
42:13
And above all
42:14
these,
42:14
put on
42:15
love,
42:16
which binds
42:17
everything together
42:18
in perfect
42:19
harmony.
42:21
So how do we
42:22
put off
42:23
and put on?
42:26
Start with the
42:27
Scripture.
42:28
Start with
42:29
knowing God's
42:30
good commands
42:32
for us.
42:34
We're not
42:34
antinomians,
42:35
which means
42:36
without the
42:36
law.
42:37
We recognize
42:37
that God's
42:38
given us
42:38
instruction
42:39
and that we
42:40
should obey
42:41
God's good
42:42
instruction.
42:43
And we pray.
42:44
We turn that
42:45
to prayer
42:46
in desperation
42:47
that God
42:47
would move
42:48
and work
42:48
in us
42:48
as we
42:50
work.
42:51
This is our
42:52
gospel conviction.
42:54
We're in
42:55
fellowship with
42:56
other Christians
42:56
and accountable
42:57
to one another.
42:59
Gathering in
42:59
settings like
43:00
this,
43:00
but not just
43:01
this.
43:02
Sunday morning
43:03
sermons are
43:04
important,
43:04
but they're
43:04
not enough.
43:06
Gathering with
43:06
community groups
43:07
that you might
43:08
know people
43:08
and be known
43:09
and even
43:10
more centered
43:11
to that,
43:12
what we're
43:12
going to start
43:12
calling core
43:13
groups.
43:13
If you're
43:13
meeting with
43:14
a couple
43:14
of individuals
43:15
and you're
43:16
getting it
43:16
in,
43:16
you're
43:17
confessing
43:18
sin to
43:18
one another.
43:18
You're
43:19
really,
43:19
really known
43:21
by a couple
43:22
of guys
43:22
or a couple
43:23
of girls.
43:25
Fellowship,
43:26
gospel,
43:26
community.
43:29
Obedience.
43:30
You just
43:31
begin to do
43:32
the things
43:32
that God
43:33
has commanded
43:33
you to do.
43:34
If you are
43:35
His,
43:35
I can promise
43:36
you,
43:37
you will be
43:37
empowered for
43:38
that activity.
43:39
Get up
43:40
and start
43:41
doing it.
43:42
This is your
43:43
gospel character.
43:44
Next week we'll
43:45
talk about
43:45
gospel proclamation
43:46
which I would
43:47
suggest to you
43:47
is also a
43:48
defining characteristic
43:49
of who we
43:51
are in Christ
43:52
and that is
43:53
our gospel
43:54
commission.
43:57
I hope
43:58
this morning
43:58
my prayer
44:00
and as I'm
44:00
about to
44:01
pray
44:01
is that you
44:03
will recognize
44:04
that God
44:05
has given
44:05
to you
44:06
as His
44:07
child
44:08
a path
44:08
to walk.
44:10
And if you
44:11
are not
44:11
on that
44:12
path,
44:13
the answer
44:14
is to repent
44:15
and believe.
44:15
Whether you're
44:15
in the faith
44:16
or not,
44:17
if you are
44:18
righteous in
44:18
Christ,
44:19
you still
44:19
need to
44:19
repent
44:20
of that
44:21
sin
44:21
and get
44:22
back on
44:22
that path.
44:23
You may
44:23
find that
44:24
you're going
44:24
in the
44:24
opposite
44:24
direction
44:25
altogether.
44:26
Repent
44:27
and believe
44:28
in Christ.
44:30
Let's pray.
44:30
Thank you.