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Romans 13:11-14 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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letter from doctrine to practice, from theology to ethics, from foundation to application.
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! Paul states in Romans 12 verses 1 and 2, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,
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that's everything that he has said in those previous 11 chapters, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
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holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship, whole self offering to God.
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Verse 2 says, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
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that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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The work we find before us today is that work of being transformed by the renewal of our minds,
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testing to discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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The last time that we were studying Romans together, we considered Paul's exhortation to Christian love.
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That was two weeks ago. Paul tells us in Romans chapter 13 and verse 8 that the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
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And in verse 10, love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
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And the end of chapter 13 develops this idea further.
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Before we read the text, I'd like to remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us written for his glory and our good.
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And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
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Romans chapter 13, beginning in verse 11.
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Besides this, you know the time that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep.
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For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
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The night is far gone. The day is at hand.
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So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
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Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness,
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not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy,
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but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
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In these four verses, as Paul continues to drive this idea of love as fulfilling of the law,
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he employs an analogy of rising in the morning.
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The outline for our study will follow the text arc through that analogy in the following three points.
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Number one, wake up.
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Number two, cast off.
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And number three, put on.
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So firstly, wake up, verse 11 and the first part of verse 12.
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He begins verse 11 with this phrase,
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besides this.
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And we should deal with that phrase first.
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It could be more simply rendered,
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do this as the New American Standard does,
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or most simply,
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and this.
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That's what the Greek literally translates to,
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and this.
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Paul is stating in addition to the fact that love fulfills the law,
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you should love because...
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Why?
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You should love because...
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You know the time.
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Paul here is not referring to chronological time,
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otherwise he would have used the Greek word chronos.
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Instead, he uses the word kairos,
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which means season or age.
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You see, this letter is addressed to Christians,
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those who have believed,
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you'll see there at the end of verse 11.
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So this is the age when Christians are to wake from sleep.
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What does Paul mean by that?
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He is encouraging the Roman believers and us this morning
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to stir from spiritual lethargy.
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It is not the time to be spiritually lazy,
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but to be roused and fervent in our love for one another.
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Why?
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Is it because we have need to earn God's favor?
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Is the finite clock of our lives hastening us to the infinite
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and we must pocket as many credits as possible
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to cash out when we stand in judgment?
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No.
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Surely, the finite clock of our lives is hastening us to the infinite.
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But if you are in Christ,
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then your salvation is a settled matter.
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But Paul reasons that because our salvation is nearer to us now
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than when we first believed,
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that we should stir from our spiritual laziness.
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Does he not?
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He does.
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But not because he intends to motivate us with fear.
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He's not saying your days are fleeting
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and you're approaching this moment quickly,
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so you better get busy.
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Paul intends to motivate us to fervent love
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because of the great love that we have been shown in Christ.
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Here Paul uses the noun salvation.
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In its verb form, it means to save.
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R.C. Sproul explains this verb well in his commentary on this verse.
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He says,
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The Greek word appears in the biblical text
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in every possible tense,
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indicating a sense in which
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we are being saved,
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and in a sense we have been saved.
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The simple aorist tense is rendered,
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you are saved.
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The present tense is rendered,
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you are being saved.
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And the future tense reads,
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you shall be saved.
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The future perfect is rendered,
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you shall have been saved.
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These are all the rendering of the same Greek verb.
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Salvation is unfolded biblically in all those increments.
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Therefore, in the ultimate sense,
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we do not experience salvation the moment we were born again.
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That is just one aspect of salvation.
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The fullness of our salvation will not take place until our glorification when we enter into heaven.
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End quote.
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Having been saved,
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having been saved,
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we are being saved,
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we will be saved,
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and we will have been saved.
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And I'll let you try to wrap your mind around what that means exactly.
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Right?
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We are in the process.
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Justification,
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sanctification,
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glorification.
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All of the wonderful promises of God's love for us in Christ
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should shake us from our stupor and motivate Christian love.
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Wake up,
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Paul says.
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He means to encourage us.
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Right?
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The gospel is true for you.
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Right?
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You're in the process.
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Having been,
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you are being,
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will be finally saved.
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And that day is coming.
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We live in this age where we are Christian.
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And this should motivate Christian love.
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Again,
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Romans 12,
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1 and 2.
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I appeal to you,
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therefore,
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brothers,
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by the mercies of God.
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What are we to do?
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Present ourselves,
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our whole selves,
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as a living sacrifice,
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holy and acceptable,
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which is our spiritual worship.
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We're not to be conformed to this world,
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the ways of this world,
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but rather to be transformed,
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the ways of God,
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by the renewal of our mind.
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And he goes then into chapter 12 and 13
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and on to the end of the book
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to help us understand
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what that transformed life will look like.
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Paul goes on in verse 12,
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the night is far gone,
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the day is at hand.
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His analogy continues by juxtaposing
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the night and the day,
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darkness and light.
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This imagery is employed all throughout the Bible
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and perhaps resonated a little more
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with the original readers of this letter
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as the night was a place of danger.
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The world was not quite as lit
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as it now is.
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It was a place of hiding
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and a place of expressed wickedness
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in the cover of dark.
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Let me show you just one Old Testament example
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and one New Testament example
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of this analogy being employed.
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Isaiah 5 and verse 20 says,
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Woe to those who call evil good
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and good evil reverse things.
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Who put darkness for light
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and light for darkness.
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Who put bitter for sweet
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and sweet for bitter.
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And then John chapter 3, verse 16
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and following,
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For God so loved the world
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that he gave his only son
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that whoever believes in him
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should not perish
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but have eternal life.
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For God did not send his son
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into the world to condemn the world
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but in order that the world
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might be saved through him.
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Whoever believes in him
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is not condemned.
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But whoever does not believe
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is condemned already
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because he has not believed
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in the name of the only son of God.
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Pause.
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Jesus didn't come to bring the condemnation.
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The condemnation already existed.
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And this is the judgment,
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verse 19 says,
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The light has come into the world
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and people loved the darkness
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rather than the light
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because their works were evil.
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For everyone who does wicked things
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hates the light
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and does not come to the light
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lest his works should be exposed.
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So you know the time.
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The night is far gone.
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The day is at hand
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because the light of Christ
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has shown in our hearts.
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So wake up.
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If you are in Christ,
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this is not the age
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of spiritual slumber.
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This is the age
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of Christian love.
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So we are to wake up.
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But we are also,
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secondly,
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to cast off.
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You see this in the middle part
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of verse 12
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and in verse 13.
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He says there,
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So then let us cast off,
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or if you prefer,
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put off,
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the works of darkness.
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So the middle of verse 12
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continues this analogy.
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Having awoken,
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we are to take off the works
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that are suited to slumber.
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If you prefer,
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I don't mean to make pajamas
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seem evil,
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but if you prefer in the analogy,
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to take off those things
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that are suited for sleeping.
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Paul then states
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at the beginning of verse 13,
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let us walk properly
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as in the daytime,
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and then gives us negative examples
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in the rest of the verse.
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So if we are to walk properly,
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we are to not do
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the following things.
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He begins,
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Nod in,
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orgies,
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and drunkenness.
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And this phrase
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is likely a reference
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to the Roman worship
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of the pagan god Bacchus
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at a festival called Bacchanalia.
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All of the details
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of this nighttime festival
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that you need to know
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are found there
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in the phrase.
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Not a lot more really
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to know about what took,
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what happened
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in this particular festival.
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Now,
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it may well be
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that the Roman Christians
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needed not to hear
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that particular rebuke.
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I hope that all of you
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this morning
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have not participated
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in such a festival.
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They may have thought,
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oh,
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of course not,
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right?
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Of course we shouldn't
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participate in such things.
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But,
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Paul continues.
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He's building out
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his argument.
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He's saying,
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of course we wouldn't do
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that kind of
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nighttime activity.
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But he goes on to say,
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in a broadening sense,
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not in sexual immorality
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and sensuality.
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And these two sins
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are closely related.
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The first referring
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to the perversion
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of the marriage bed.
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The second,
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to flagrant debauchery
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of all kinds.
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Note here,
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Paul is using
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this kind of
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extreme example
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and getting wider
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and wider.
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Which certainly
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are actions
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that should
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in no way
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characterize
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Christian love.
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These are all,
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so far,
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these two first
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prohibitions
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are perversions
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of Christian love.
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What it ought
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to look like
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to love.
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These are the
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opposite of
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that.
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Paul writes
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in 1 Thessalonians
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chapter 4,
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this is verse 3
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through 5,
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for this is the will
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of God,
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your sanctification,
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that you abstain
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from sexual
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immorality.
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Each one of you
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know how to control
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his own body
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in holiness
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and honor.
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Not in the passion
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of lust
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like the Gentiles
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who do not
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know God.
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Christians should be
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distinct
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in this way
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amongst many
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other ways,
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which is the
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broadening
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that Paul
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does
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next.
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But here,
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here,
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we might
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quickly be able
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to dismiss
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the first
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prohibition.
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Sure, sure.
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no orgies
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and drunkenness.
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I hope,
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I pray,
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that we can also
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not find ourselves
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rebuked
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in the second.
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Not in
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sexual immorality
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and sensuality.
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Now,
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if this is
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true of us,
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right,
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Paul broadens
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it a bit
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more.
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And note,
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we are still
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tracking Paul's
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argument
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for Christian
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love.
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Don't think
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he's departed
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altogether
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from the topic,
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right?
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He says next,
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not in
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quarreling
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and jealousy.
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I think we
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should just
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find this
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progression
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staggering.
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I have
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been using
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the term
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broadening,
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right,
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by which I
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just mean
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including
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more
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of his
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listeners
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in these
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prohibitions,
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failures.
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But perhaps
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I should be
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saying
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tightening
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like
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concentric
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rings
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on a
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bullseye,
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Paul's
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bringing
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the issue
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to our
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hearts.
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Look at
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the way
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in which
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love is
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perverted
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in the
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world.
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We should
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have
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nothing
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to do
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with
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that,
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right?
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Not in
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orgies
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and drunkenness,
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not in
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sexual
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immorality
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and sensuality,
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not in
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quarreling
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and jealousy.
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Quarreling
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or strife
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refers to
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contention,
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arguing,
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disagreement
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over trivial
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things.
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It connotes
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competitiveness
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that seeks
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its own
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way and
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preference.
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It is
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self-seeking
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and it is
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not humble.
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It forgets
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that God
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in Christ
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forgave you
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and does
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not
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extend
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forgiveness.
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is your
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life
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characterized
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by this
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kind of
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contention,
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this
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self-preference?
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Similarly,
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jealousy
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wants all
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that someone
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else has
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for you.
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It is
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selfish
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and refuses
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to rejoice
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with those
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who rejoice.
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It does
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not serve
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others.
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It is
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always
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seeking
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a beneficial
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angle.
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in every
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circumstance,
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in every
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relationship.
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These sins
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are what
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cause
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division,
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partisanship
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in the
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church,
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and they
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are not
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fitting for
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those who
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walk
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properly
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as in
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the daytime.
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You see
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what Paul
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has done
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to us?
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I think
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he's brought
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all of us
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to a place
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where we
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must go,
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ooh,
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I may
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be guilty
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at this
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point.
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I likely
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have some
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space
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for repentance,
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extending
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forgiveness,
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having
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conversations,
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working to
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heal
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relationship.
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I'm one
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who has been
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delivered by
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Christ.
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I should be
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one who is
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awake and
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putting off
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the works
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of darkness.
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We are
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to cast
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off the
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works
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that are
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suited
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to slumber.
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These
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things
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ought not
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define us.
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Paul
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teaches
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similarly
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elsewhere.
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Join me
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if you will
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for a moment
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in Ephesians
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chapter 5.
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I'll
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begin
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reading
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in
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verse
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8.
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This
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should
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sound
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so
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very
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familiar.
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It
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says,
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there at
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one time
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you were
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darkness,
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but now
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you are
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light in
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the Lord.
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Walk
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as children
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of light,
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for the
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fruit of
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light is
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found in
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all that
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is good
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and right
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and true.
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And try
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to discern
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what is
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pleasing
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to the
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Lord.
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Take no
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part in
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the
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unfruitful
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works of
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darkness,
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but instead
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expose them.
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For it is
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shameful even
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to speak of
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the things
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they do
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in secret.
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But when
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anything is
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exposed by
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the light,
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it becomes
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visible.
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For anything
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that becomes
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visible is
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light.
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Therefore,
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it says,
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awake,
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O sleeper,
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and arise
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from the
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dead,
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and Christ
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will shine
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on you.
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Look
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carefully then
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how you
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walk,
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not as
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unwise,
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but as
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wise,
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making the
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best use
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of the
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time,
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because the
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days are
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evil.
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We're to be
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distinguished as
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those who have
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been saved by
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Christ.
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We are
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little
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Christ's,
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and the
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primary thing
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that's going
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to characterize
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us is the
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putting off
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of those
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things that
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no longer
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belong to
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who we
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are in
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him.
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we are
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also,
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thirdly,
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to put
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on.
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So we've
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woken up,
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we've cast
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off,
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and we
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are to
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put on,
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and we
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see this
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at the
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end of
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verse 12
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and
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verse 14.
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Not only
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are we to
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cast off the
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works of
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darkness,
19:33
but we
19:34
are to
19:34
put on
19:35
something
19:36
else.
19:38
Having
19:38
risen,
19:39
we are to
19:39
take off
19:40
those works
19:40
suitable to
19:41
slumber,
19:42
but then
19:43
what are
19:44
we to
19:45
do?
19:47
J. Adams,
19:48
the modern
19:48
father of
19:49
the biblical
19:49
counseling
19:50
movement,
19:50
spoke often
19:51
of
19:51
dehabituation
19:53
by
19:54
rehabituation,
19:55
which is
19:55
just a
19:56
phrase I
19:57
love.
19:58
He once
19:59
wrote,
20:00
just as
20:01
indwelling
20:01
sin is a
20:02
matter of
20:02
habituated
20:03
behaviors,
20:05
so the
20:05
renewal of
20:06
sanctification
20:06
is a
20:07
matter of
20:07
rehabituating
20:08
behaviors.
20:10
The body
20:11
habituated to
20:12
sin wants
20:13
to continue
20:13
in it.
20:14
The spirit
20:15
must reprogram
20:16
the brain
20:17
and through
20:17
it the
20:18
members of
20:18
the body
20:19
to live
20:20
righteously.
20:21
You can
20:21
refer back
20:22
there to
20:22
Romans
20:23
chapter 12
20:23
verse 1
20:25
and 2.
20:27
If there
20:28
were some
20:29
moral
20:30
reason
20:31
that I
20:32
needed to
20:33
put my
20:33
left shoe
20:34
on before
20:35
my right
20:36
shoe,
20:36
many of you
20:37
have heard
20:37
this analogy
20:38
from me,
20:39
I would
20:40
have some
20:40
work to
20:41
do because
20:42
I
20:43
invariably
20:44
put my
20:44
right shoe
20:45
on before
20:46
my left
20:47
shoe.
20:48
This is
20:48
amoral.
20:49
I know it
20:49
doesn't matter,
20:50
but this is what
20:50
I do,
20:51
and I don't
20:51
know why I
20:51
do it,
20:52
but I put
20:53
on my
20:53
right sock
20:54
and then my
20:54
right shoe
20:55
and then my
20:55
left sock
20:56
and then my
20:57
left shoe.
20:58
every morning
20:59
this is what
20:59
I do.
21:00
Some people
21:01
have called
21:01
me crazy
21:02
for doing
21:02
so.
21:05
If I
21:05
were,
21:06
for some
21:07
moral reason,
21:08
supposed to
21:08
put on my
21:09
left shoe
21:10
first,
21:11
I would
21:12
have to
21:12
take some
21:12
deliberate
21:13
action to
21:14
accomplish
21:14
that task.
21:16
I couldn't
21:16
just hope
21:17
I would
21:17
do it.
21:17
I do it
21:18
mindlessly.
21:19
It's just
21:19
the way
21:19
I put
21:20
on my
21:20
shoes.
21:21
I don't
21:21
think about
21:22
it at
21:23
all.
21:23
I'm going
21:24
to have
21:24
to do
21:24
something
21:25
deliberate.
21:28
I don't
21:28
know what.
21:29
My right
21:29
shoe is
21:29
upside down
21:30
when I
21:31
get to
21:31
them in
21:32
the morning.
21:32
I go,
21:32
why is
21:32
my right
21:33
shoe
21:33
upside down?
21:33
Oh,
21:33
right.
21:34
I'm supposed
21:34
to put
21:34
on my
21:34
left
21:34
shoe
21:34
first.
21:35
Something
21:36
to jog
21:36
my memory
21:37
that I'm
21:37
meant to
21:38
do this
21:40
activity
21:40
in a
21:41
different
21:41
way.
21:42
We
21:42
dehabituate
21:44
by
21:44
rehabituating
21:46
until it
21:47
becomes normal
21:47
that my
21:48
left shoe
21:48
goes on
21:48
before my
21:49
right
21:50
shoe.
21:51
None of
21:52
this has
21:52
anything to
21:52
do with
21:53
shoes.
21:53
So,
21:54
what are
21:55
we to
21:55
put on?
21:57
Paul does
21:57
not give
21:58
us specific
21:58
activities in
21:59
today's
22:00
text.
22:01
He just
22:02
talked about
22:02
Christian love,
22:04
which has a
22:04
broad scope
22:06
as we think
22:06
about it.
22:06
But in
22:07
today's
22:07
text,
22:08
there's no
22:09
specific
22:09
activity
22:10
that we're
22:12
meant to
22:12
put on
22:12
instead of
22:13
those others.
22:14
You could
22:14
think about
22:15
the opposite
22:16
of those
22:17
prohibitions,
22:18
but he
22:18
doesn't
22:18
address them
22:19
specifically.
22:20
But he
22:21
does say
22:21
we're to
22:23
put on
22:23
the armor
22:25
of light.
22:27
Last part
22:28
of verse
22:28
12.
22:29
We're to
22:29
put on
22:30
the armor
22:31
of light.
22:33
And here
22:33
Paul,
22:34
he starts
22:34
foundationally.
22:36
We have
22:37
to think,
22:38
what is the
22:38
truth that
22:39
I'm supposed
22:40
to understand
22:41
that's going
22:41
to produce
22:42
the fruit
22:43
that God
22:43
intends?
22:44
So,
22:45
we're going
22:45
to put on
22:45
the armor
22:46
of light.
22:46
The battle
22:47
of this age
22:47
is a spiritual
22:48
battle,
22:49
and those
22:49
in Christ
22:50
by the power
22:50
of the
22:51
spirit,
22:51
have every
22:52
resource
22:53
at our
22:53
disposal
22:54
to walk
22:55
in the
22:56
light.
22:56
This is a
22:56
work of
22:57
grace,
22:57
but it
22:58
has been
22:58
granted
22:59
to us
22:59
in Christ.
23:02
Paul
23:02
expands on
23:03
this idea
23:03
in Ephesians
23:04
chapter 6.
23:05
If you happen
23:05
to be in
23:06
Ephesians
23:06
still,
23:06
you might
23:07
want to
23:07
join me.
23:07
Verse 11.
23:09
There Paul
23:10
says,
23:10
put on
23:10
the whole
23:11
armor of
23:11
God,
23:12
that you
23:12
may be
23:12
able to
23:12
stand
23:13
against
23:13
the schemes
23:14
of the
23:14
devil.
23:15
For we
23:15
do not
23:15
wrestle
23:16
against
23:16
flesh and
23:17
bud,
23:17
but against
23:17
the rulers,
23:18
against the
23:18
authorities,
23:19
against the
23:19
cosmic
23:20
powers over
23:20
this present
23:21
darkness,
23:22
against the
23:22
spiritual
23:23
forces of
23:24
evil in
23:25
the heavenly
23:25
places.
23:27
Therefore,
23:29
take up
23:30
the whole
23:30
armor of
23:31
God,
23:31
that you
23:31
may be
23:32
able to
23:32
withstand
23:32
in the
23:33
evil day,
23:34
and having
23:34
done all
23:35
to stand
23:36
firm.
23:38
Stand
23:38
therefore,
23:39
having fastened
23:40
on the
23:41
belt of
23:41
truth,
23:42
and having
23:42
put on the
23:42
breastplate
23:43
of righteousness,
23:44
and as
23:44
shoes for
23:44
your feet,
23:45
having put
23:45
on the
23:46
readiness
23:46
given by
23:47
the gospel
23:47
of peace.
23:49
In all
23:49
circumstances,
23:50
take up
23:50
the shield
23:51
of faith,
23:52
which with
23:52
you can
23:52
extinguish
23:53
all the
23:53
flaming
23:53
darks of
23:54
the evil
23:54
one,
23:55
and take
23:55
the helmet
23:56
of salvation
23:56
and the
23:57
sword of
23:57
the spirit,
23:58
which is
23:58
the word
23:58
of God,
23:59
praying at
24:00
all times
24:01
in the
24:01
spirit,
24:01
with all
24:02
prayer and
24:03
supplication.
24:04
And John
24:05
Bunyan in
24:05
the Pilgrim's
24:07
Progress,
24:07
when Christian
24:08
is fighting
24:08
Apollyon,
24:09
includes this
24:10
weapon and
24:11
calls it
24:11
all prayer.
24:14
Truth,
24:16
righteousness,
24:17
the readiness
24:17
of the gospel
24:18
of peace,
24:19
faith,
24:19
salvation,
24:20
the word
24:20
of God,
24:21
and all
24:22
prayer.
24:24
These are
24:24
all defensive
24:25
and offensive
24:26
tools granted
24:27
to those
24:28
who are
24:28
in Christ.
24:31
Which is
24:32
why I think
24:33
that Paul
24:33
says in
24:34
verse 14,
24:37
but put
24:37
on the
24:38
Lord
24:39
Jesus
24:40
Christ.
24:42
I think he
24:43
means for our
24:43
minds to draw
24:44
a connection
24:44
between those
24:45
two things.
24:46
Put on the
24:46
armor of
24:46
light,
24:47
put on
24:47
the Lord
24:47
Jesus
24:47
Christ.
24:48
Not as
24:48
two separate
24:49
things,
24:50
but as
24:50
the same
24:51
activity.
24:53
Everything
24:53
necessary to
24:55
realize our
24:56
mere salvation
24:57
is ours
24:59
in Christ.
25:01
He accomplished
25:02
it already
25:03
by his life,
25:05
death,
25:05
and resurrection.
25:07
It is
25:08
finished.
25:11
Paul shares
25:11
this sentiment
25:12
in Philippians
25:12
chapter 1
25:13
and verse 6
25:14
where he says,
25:14
I am sure
25:15
of this,
25:15
that he
25:16
who began
25:16
a good
25:17
work in
25:17
you will
25:17
bring it
25:18
to completion
25:19
at the
25:19
day of
25:21
Christ.
25:22
Confident
25:22
the work
25:23
he began
25:23
will come
25:24
to its
25:25
conclusion.
25:26
We've been
25:26
given everything
25:27
we need
25:27
in Christ
25:28
for this
25:29
to be
25:29
true.
25:31
We have
25:31
only to
25:31
realize
25:32
who we
25:33
are.
25:34
Children
25:35
of light.
25:36
If you
25:36
are in
25:37
Christ,
25:37
if you
25:37
place
25:38
believing
25:38
faith in
25:39
him,
25:40
then you're
25:40
a child
25:41
of light.
25:42
and to
25:43
realize
25:43
this is
25:43
to access
25:44
the power
25:45
to walk
25:45
as a
25:46
child
25:46
of
25:47
the
25:48
light.
25:49
Can we
25:49
do this
25:50
through the
25:51
renewal of
25:51
our minds
25:52
by fixing
25:52
our gaze
25:53
on the
25:54
completed
25:54
work
25:55
of Jesus
25:56
Christ?
25:58
Paul writes
25:58
in Philippians
25:59
chapter 3
26:00
beginning in
26:02
verse 8,
26:03
he says,
26:03
I count
26:03
everything is
26:04
lost because
26:04
of the
26:04
surpassing
26:05
worth of
26:05
knowing
26:06
Christ
26:06
Jesus,
26:07
my Lord.
26:08
Thank you,
26:08
my love.
26:10
For his
26:10
sake,
26:11
I have
26:11
suffered
26:12
the loss
26:12
of all
26:13
things and
26:14
count them
26:14
as rubbish
26:15
in order
26:16
that I
26:16
may gain
26:17
Christ
26:18
and be
26:19
found in
26:20
him,
26:20
not having
26:20
a righteousness
26:21
of my own
26:22
that comes
26:22
from the
26:22
law,
26:23
but that
26:23
which comes
26:24
through faith
26:24
in Christ,
26:25
the righteousness
26:26
from God
26:27
that depends
26:27
on faith,
26:29
that I may
26:30
know him
26:30
and the power
26:31
of his
26:31
resurrection
26:32
and may
26:32
share his
26:32
suffering,
26:33
becoming like
26:34
him in
26:34
his death,
26:35
that by
26:35
any means
26:36
I may
26:37
attain
26:37
the
26:38
resurrection
26:39
from the
26:40
dead.
26:40
Now,
26:40
here,
26:41
there,
26:42
future
26:42
salvation,
26:43
the
26:43
glorification
26:43
that is
26:45
Paul's
26:45
and ours
26:46
in Christ.
26:47
Then he
26:47
says,
26:47
not that I
26:48
have already
26:48
obtained
26:48
this or
26:49
am already
26:50
perfect,
26:51
but I
26:51
press on
26:52
to make
26:52
it my
26:52
own because
26:53
Jesus Christ
26:54
has made
26:55
me his
26:55
own.
26:57
Brothers,
26:57
I do not
26:58
consider that
26:58
I have made
26:58
it my
26:59
own,
26:59
but one
26:59
thing I
27:00
do,
27:00
forgetting
27:01
what lies
27:01
behind and
27:02
straining
27:02
forward to
27:03
what lies
27:03
ahead,
27:04
I press
27:04
on toward
27:05
the goal
27:06
for the prize
27:06
of the
27:07
upward
27:07
call
27:07
of God
27:08
in Christ
27:09
Jesus.
27:11
Put on
27:11
the Lord
27:12
Jesus Christ.
27:14
Consider all
27:15
that he's
27:15
accomplished
27:15
on your
27:16
behalf and
27:17
access all
27:18
the power
27:19
he gives
27:19
you by
27:19
the Spirit
27:20
to turn
27:21
away from
27:23
the works
27:23
of darkness
27:23
and to
27:24
the works
27:26
of light.
27:28
If we have
27:29
believed in
27:29
Christ,
27:30
then we have
27:31
been united
27:32
to him.
27:33
He is in
27:34
us and
27:35
we are in
27:35
him.
27:35
We need
27:37
daily
27:38
reminders
27:38
of this
27:39
grand
27:39
reality.
27:40
We need
27:41
deep
27:41
Bible
27:41
meditation
27:42
and
27:43
memorization.
27:44
We need
27:44
faithful
27:45
brothers and
27:45
sisters to
27:46
speak the
27:46
truth to
27:47
us.
27:48
We need
27:49
to sing
27:49
this truth
27:49
and we
27:50
need to
27:50
pray this
27:51
truth.
27:52
By grace
27:53
alone,
27:54
through faith
27:54
alone,
27:55
I am
27:56
Christ and
27:57
he is
27:58
mine.
28:00
And I
28:00
think this
28:00
is what it
28:01
means to
28:01
put on
28:02
the Lord
28:03
Jesus
28:05
Christ.
28:07
And then
28:07
Paul concludes,
28:08
and make
28:09
no provision
28:11
for the
28:11
flesh to
28:13
gratify
28:13
its desires.
28:16
Now this
28:17
is possibly
28:18
the most
28:19
practical part
28:19
of our
28:20
text.
28:21
Paul here
28:21
speaks to
28:22
deliberate
28:23
action,
28:25
careful
28:25
thinking,
28:26
and cautious
28:27
planning.
28:31
What sin
28:31
entangles
28:33
you?
28:34
How readily
28:35
do you
28:35
provide the
28:36
opportunity
28:37
for works
28:39
of darkness?
28:41
How
28:42
carefully
28:42
do you
28:44
work at
28:44
putting
28:45
yourself
28:45
out of
28:46
the
28:46
situations
28:46
where you
28:47
may be
28:48
tempted
28:48
to sin?
28:52
John
28:52
Piper once
28:53
wrote this
28:54
little dialogue
28:54
which I
28:55
just found
28:55
so very
28:56
helpful the
28:56
first time
28:57
I read
28:57
it.
28:57
That I
28:59
hunted and
28:59
hunted and
28:59
hunted and
29:00
found it
29:00
again this
29:01
week.
29:02
And so I
29:02
just want to
29:02
read it to
29:03
you as
29:04
we think
29:05
about this
29:05
idea of
29:05
making no
29:06
provision for
29:08
the flesh to
29:08
gratify its
29:10
desires.
29:11
He writes,
29:12
quote,
29:13
picture your
29:14
flesh,
29:15
that old
29:16
ego with
29:17
the mentality
29:18
of merit
29:18
and craving
29:19
for power
29:20
and reputation
29:21
and self
29:21
reliance.
29:23
Picture it
29:24
as a
29:24
dragon living
29:25
in some
29:26
cave of
29:27
your soul.
29:27
then you
29:29
hear the
29:30
gospel and
29:31
in it Jesus
29:32
Christ comes
29:32
to you and
29:33
says,
29:34
I will make
29:35
you mine
29:36
and take
29:37
possession of
29:38
the cave and
29:38
slay the
29:39
dragon.
29:40
Will you
29:40
yield to
29:41
my possession?
29:43
It will
29:43
mean a whole
29:44
new way of
29:44
thinking and
29:45
feeling and
29:46
acting.
29:48
You say,
29:49
but that
29:50
dragon is
29:51
me.
29:52
I will
29:53
die.
29:53
He says,
29:55
and you
29:56
will rise
29:57
to newness
29:57
of life
29:58
for I
29:59
will take
29:59
its plan.
30:00
I will
30:01
make my
30:03
mind and
30:03
my will
30:04
and my
30:04
heart
30:05
your own.
30:07
You say,
30:08
what must
30:09
I do?
30:10
He answers,
30:12
trust me
30:12
and do
30:13
as I say.
30:14
As long as
30:14
you trust
30:15
me,
30:15
we cannot
30:16
lose.
30:18
Overcome
30:19
by the
30:19
beauty and
30:19
power of
30:20
Christ,
30:20
you bow
30:21
and swear
30:21
eternal
30:22
loyalty and
30:23
trust.
30:24
And as
30:24
you rise,
30:24
he puts a
30:25
great sword
30:25
in your
30:26
hand and
30:26
says,
30:27
follow me.
30:29
He leads
30:30
you to the
30:30
mouth of
30:30
the cave
30:31
and says,
30:32
go in,
30:33
slay the
30:33
dragon.
30:35
But you
30:35
look at
30:36
him bewildered.
30:36
I cannot
30:37
not without
30:38
you.
30:39
He smiles.
30:41
Well said.
30:42
You learn
30:43
quickly.
30:44
Never forget
30:45
my commands
30:46
for you to
30:46
do something
30:46
are never
30:47
commands to
30:48
do it
30:48
alone.
30:49
Then you
30:51
enter the
30:51
cave together.
30:53
A horrible
30:54
battle follows
30:54
and you feel
30:55
Christ's hand
30:56
on yours.
30:57
At last,
30:58
the dragon
30:59
lies limp.
31:01
You ask,
31:02
is it
31:03
dead?
31:04
His answer
31:05
is this.
31:07
I have
31:07
come to
31:08
give you
31:08
new life.
31:10
This you
31:10
received when
31:11
you yielded
31:11
it to my
31:12
possession and
31:12
swore faith
31:13
and loyalty
31:13
to me.
31:15
And now
31:15
with my
31:16
sword in
31:16
my hand,
31:17
you have
31:17
felled the
31:17
dragon of
31:18
the flesh.
31:18
It is a
31:19
mortal wound.
31:20
It will
31:21
die.
31:22
That is
31:23
certain.
31:24
But it
31:25
has not
31:25
yet bled
31:26
to death.
31:27
And it
31:28
may yet
31:28
revive with
31:29
violent
31:30
convulsions
31:30
and do
31:31
much harm.
31:33
So you
31:33
must treat
31:34
it as
31:34
dead and
31:35
seal the
31:36
cave as
31:37
a tomb.
31:38
The Lord
31:39
of darkness
31:39
may cause
31:39
earthquakes in
31:40
your soul
31:41
to shake
31:41
the stones
31:42
loose,
31:42
but you
31:42
build them
31:43
up again
31:44
and have
31:45
this confidence
31:46
with my
31:47
sword and
31:47
my hand
31:47
on yours.
31:48
This
31:49
dragon's
31:49
doom is
31:50
sure.
31:51
He is
31:51
finished and
31:53
your new
31:53
life is
31:54
secure.
31:56
And then
31:57
Piper continues,
31:59
Christ has
32:00
taken possession
32:01
of our soul.
32:03
Our old
32:04
self has been
32:04
dealt reckoning
32:05
of the flesh
32:06
as dead,
32:07
piling stones
32:08
in its tomb
32:09
and a
32:10
constant relying
32:11
on the
32:11
present spirit
32:12
of Christ
32:13
to produce
32:13
love and
32:15
joy and
32:16
peace
32:17
within.
32:20
So,
32:22
make no
32:24
provision
32:25
for the
32:26
flesh.
32:27
Wake up,
32:29
cast off,
32:31
and put on.
32:32
Let's pray
32:33
together.
32:33
as