Romans 6: Who is Your Master…Sin or God?

Class Outline:

---

One joy will be permanent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation turn off your electronic devices and put them away. Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

OPENING AGENDA

 

You may be wondering some things about Barah Ministries, like…

 

Who is the God we worship?

What is our source of truth?

Who is our enemy?

 

We’re always happy to begin each lesson by answering these questions after a short, thought-provoking introduction.

 

Recently, a Pastor posted this on social media…

 

A PASTOR’S POST

Living in sin…shacking up…playing church…telling lies…committing adultery… and you want God's blessings?  IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!  If you want God to bless you, you must live His way, not yours.

 

Is this true?Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says it’s not…

 

ROMANS 5:8

But God the Father demonstrates His own unconditional love toward all mankind in that while we were sinners (while we were ungodly, unrighteous, unbelievers)…the Lord Jesus Christ died for us (as a sin substitute).

God blesses His enemies…not just people who “clean up their acts.”  Yet the brilliant…persuasive…genius enemy of God, Satan, is very effective at deceiving believers in Christ by impugning God’s character, portraying Him as a conditional God who only blesses us when we are “good.”  God blesses His enemies, and most certainly He blesses His friends. We study the Word of God so we are not deceived by this nonsense.

 

Who is the God We Worshipat Barah Ministries?

 

We worship a Triune Godhead.  There is One God who reveals Himself to

mankind as three beings who are separate…distinct…co-equal…co-infinite…

co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son…and God the Holy Spirit.

 

GOD THE FATHER is the author of the Triune Godhead’s plan for all creatures.

God the Father wants His children to live a life of freedom according to Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 21…

 

ROMANS 8:21

...the creation itself will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God the Father.

 

Let’s enjoy the freedom our Heavenly Father provides.

 

GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father’s plan…taking on human form as Jesus…the Christ (the Jewish Messiah).  Believing in Him is the ONE AND ONLY WAY to heaven.  In Galatians, Chapter 5, Verse 1, the Lord makes it clear why He came to earth to die for us…

 

GALATIANS 5:1

It was for freedom that Christ set us believers in Christ free…therefore, keep on standing firm in the freedom and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.

 

When you invest your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…asking Him to save you…by believing in Him you instantly have the resurrection life…eternal life…in His name.  The resurrection life provides eternal freedom.

 

We worship GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.  He is our Mentor and Teacher…the guide who is the rudder of a Christian’s life.  God the Holy Spirit is responsible for our spiritual transformation…called sanctification…the next divine phase of our lives after salvation for every believer in Christ.  Second Corinthians, Chapter 3, Verse 17 says…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 3:17

Now the Lord is the same in essence as the Spirit…and where God the Holy Spirit of the Lord is…there is freedom.

 

In God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…believers in Christ have a power team that is always on their side…a team specializing in the impossible.  Are you calling on them for help in times of trouble?

 

What is Our Source of Truthat Barah Ministries?

 

It’s important to get to know Your God as a Person.  As Christians, the way to develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the entire Godhead is through studying the Word of God.  The Bible is the Word of God.

 

The Bible reminds believers in Christ repeatedly that we are free from sin…Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 18…

 

ROMANS 6:18

...having been freed from sin (you believers in Christ who DIED TO SIN)…are now slaves of righteousness.

 

The Bible is a supernatural work…breathed into human writers by God…to provide us with the ultimate source of absolute truth.  At Barah Ministries, we teach the Bible from God’s perspective and not from man’s perspective because we refuse to teach as doctrinal truth the precepts of men.

 

Who is Our Enemyat Barah Ministries?

 

GOD HAS AN ENEMY…Satan…whom God made ‘the ruler of this world’ for a finite period.  He is the enemy of believers in Christ as well.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 1 asks…

 

ROMANS 6:1b

Are we believers in Christ to continue in sin so that grace may increase(thus getting God’s grace overflowing to us all the more)?

 

A suggestion so ludicrous could only have come from the great deceiver…Satan.

He uses false teachers to introduce false ideas like this…even using believers in Christ to spread his lies.  Galatians, Chapter 2, Verse 4 says …

 

GALATIANS 2:4

…it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in…(the Judaizers…who were Jewish believers in Christ) who had sneaked in to SPY OUT OURFREEDOM which we have from being in union with Christ Jesus…in order to bring us backinto slavery to the Law.

 

The Lord suggests that we don’t fall for Satan’s schemes.  John, Chapter 8, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 8:36

…if the Son of God makes you free…and He does…you will be free indeed.

 

Instead, believers in Christ live in God’s sphere of grace…and freedom is the air we breathe within this sphere…along with enjoying the life blood of God’s sphere of grace…unconditional love…and in the certainty of His forgiveness.  As believers in Christ, we have no desire to take advantage of God, abusing our freedom by sinning…Galatians, Chapter 5, Verse 13…

 

GALATIANS 5:13

For you believers in Christ were called to freedom…only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh…but through unconditional love serve one another.

 

Believers in Christ…we are free…let’s act like it.  Let’s reject all attempts that seek to pull us back into slavery to sin and the Law.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is Your Master…Sin or God?

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

Earlier this year, Toby Keith, a world-famous country singer died.  Before he left, he blessed us with one of the funniest songs ever with a title that asked an iconic question…Who’s Your Daddy?  In today’s lesson, the apostle Paul wants you to answer that question for yourself.  Now that you are justified by faith, believers in Christ, whom will you serve?  Who’s your Daddy?!

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!The group Casting Crowns asks a great question in song…they say, “Set me free of the chains holding me…is anybody out there hearing me?”  The Lord is listening!  Here’s Casting Crowns with SET ME FREE.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

SET ME FREE

Casting Crowns

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Thank you for the gift of justification by faith…thank you for countless Biblical examples that demonstrate the wisdom of letting You do the work in the spiritual life…thank you for helping us realize that Your work in us continues after salvation…You did not save us and then ask us to fend for ourselves…

 

…help us to live in the freedom You provide…help us take advantage of the victory You provide…help us reject all attempts from the kingdom of death and darkness who seek to make us obedient to them instead of obedient to You…help us follow God the Holy Spirit of truth, using His guidance to live the life You intended for us…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is Your Master…Sin or God?

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

Just as he did in the first passage of Romans, Chapter 6, the apostle Paul begins the second passage of the chapter with a similar question.  In the first passage, Paul asks, “Are we to continue in sin so grace may overflow?"  In the second passage, he asks, "Should we keep on sinning because we are not under the Law?"  Once again, as a friend of mine would say, "Don't be schtoopid!"

 

What the apostle Paul is getting at is a third question…“Now that you are justified by faith, whom will you serve?”  Believers in Christ…whom will you obey?  Will you obey your God who justified you or will you obey the flesh and its lusts?Or as Toby Keith would ask, “Who’s your Daddy?”  Let’s listen to today’s passage…Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 15 to 23…

 

NEW AMERICAN STANDARD TRANSLATION

 

ROMANS 6:15

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

 

Don’t be schtoopid!

 

ROMANS 6:16

Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey…either of sin resulting in death…or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

 

ROMANS 6:17

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed…

 

ROMANS 6:18

…and having been freed from sin…you became slaves of righteousness.

 

ROMANS 6:19

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness…so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

ROMANS 6:20

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

 

ROMANS 6:21

Therefore, what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.

 

ROMANS 6:22

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

 

ROMANS 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

The ridiculous question many knuckleheads ask when confronted with God’s grace is, “So are you saying I can sin anytime I want since I have God’s forgiveness and grace?”  YES!  We are saying that!You can sin anytime you want.  You have free will.  Is sinning smart?  Hardly!  That’s the real question.  In God’s plan, sin never works out.

 

Sin is a harsh taskmaster…it gives death to its loyal subjects.  For believers in Christ, sinning gives us a dead feeling inside because sinning NEVER keeps its promise.  It promises you everything and gives you nothing.

 

God’s plan offers everything and gives you even more.  One of the Lord’s precious gifts is freedom.  Freedom is the first taste of eternal life.

 

Let’s examine this passage verse-by-verse.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 15…

 

ROMANS 6:15

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

 

Don’t be schtoopid!  God does not want believers in Christ to abuse their freedom.  John, Chapter 8, Verse 34…

 

 

 

JOHN 8:34

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you…everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”

 

Paul is righteously abhorrent of the idea of sinning so that grace might overflow…sinning because we are freed from the bondage of the Mosaic Law.

 

As believers in Christ, we are in union with the Risen Christ…we shared in His death…our relationship to sin is broken forever…we walk “in the newness of life.” Should we abuse this freedom?  Of course not!

 

God put governments in place as authorities over human beings.  Romans, Chapter 13, Verses 1 to 4…

 

ROMANS 13:1

Every BELIEVER IN CHRIST is to be in subjection to the civil authorities in power. For there is no civil authority in power except ones that were put in power by God the Father…and those civil authorities which exist in power are established by God the Father.

 

ROMANS 13:2

Therefore, whoever rebels against authority has rebelled against the ordinance of God…and they who have opposed the ordinance of God (are rebelling against God as well…and) they will receive (both divine and civil) condemnation upon themselves.

 

ROMANS 13:3

For rulers in authority are not a cause of fear for those who have good behavior (for those who obey)…but rulers are a cause of fear for those who indulge in evil (those who disobey). Do you want to have no fear of authority? Keep on doing what is good and you will have praise from the authority…

 

ROMANS 13:4

…for the authority is a minister of God (a diakonos…a deacon)…given as a grace gift to you by God for your own good. But if you keep on doing what is evil, be afraid…for the authority does not keep on bearing the sword (firearms and capital punishment) for nothing…for the authority is God’s ministering officer…an avenger…who brings wrath (punishment for wrongdoing) on the one who practices evil.

Governments try to legislate our conduct with laws.  Has it ever worked?  Nope!  All of us have to learn to be responsible with our freedom by obeying God’s Word and by taking His direction.  When we listen to God we make great choices.Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 16…

 

ROMANS 6:16

Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience…you are slaves of the one whom you obey…either a slave of sin resulting in the second death for unbelievers…or a slave of obedience resulting in righteousness for believers in Christ?

 

Romans, Chapter 6 continues the theme of Adam’s sin…which “gifts” us with spiritual death…and suggests being IN CHRIST as a better alternative because the Lord gifts us with the resurrection life (eternal life).

 

Just as there are two Adams…the first Adam and the Last Adam (Jesus Christ)…there are two masters…sin and God.  God has set believers free from sin to serve Himself.  Sinning is slavery.

 

Mankind is unable to break its bondage to sin.  We just don’t have the power to do it in our human power…sin is broken by blood…Christ’s blood…shed at the Cross.  Sin threatens to ruin the things that are important to us.

 

Instead of taking advantage of our freedom by sinning, God wants us to become slaves of righteousness.  You’ll remember Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 13 and 14…

 

ROMANS 6:13a

...and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness…

 

ROMANS 6:13b

…instead, present yourselves to God the Father as those who are alive from the

dead would present themselves…and present the members of your body as instruments of righteousness to God.

 

ROMANS 6:14

For sin shall not any longer be a master over you…for you are not under law but

(you have a new master…God…and)…you are resident in (the sphere of His)

GRACE.

 

Matthew, Chapter 6, Verse 24 makes one thing clear…

 

MATTHEW 6:24

“No one can serve two masters…for either he will hate the one and love the other…or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

 

Joshua illustrates the two choices in Joshua, Chapter 24, Verse 15…

 

JOSHUA 24:15

“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River…or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

 

Serve the false god…sin…or serve the real God…the Lord Jesus Christ.  As believers in Christ, we can make righteousness a habit through obedience to God!

Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 17 and 18…

 

ROMANS 6:17

But thanks be to God the Father that though all of you believers in Christ WERE slaves of sin…yet all of you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which all of you were handed over by God (the gospel message of salvation resulting in justification by faith in Christ alone)...

 

ROMANS 6:18

...and having been freed by God from sin (believers in Christ are DEAD TO SIN)…all of you became slaves of righteousness (orchestrated by God).

 

A slave is in twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week service to his master.  As a new creation, God is molding us…sin is NOT molding us.  The Bible keeps on telling us over and over who we are IN CHRIST…AND…the Bible keeps on telling us about the identity we shed with Christ at the Cross.

 

Obedience to the gospel message, and subsequently to the Word of God, takes us from being slaves of sin to slaves of God (the Greek word doulos).

 

When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll examine the last few verses of the passage.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Donna Summers and The Musical Youth

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is Your Master…Sin or God?

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

God the Father loves all of His creatures unconditionally…and He loves us so much…that He GAVE His Son to save us.  God the Father is not conflicted about giving.  Are you?  First John, Chapter 3, Verses 17 and 18 say this…

 

FIRST JOHN 3:17

…whoever has the world’s goods…and sees his brother in need…and closes his heart against him…how does the unconditional love of God abide in this person?

 

FIRST JOHN 3:18

Little children (believers in Christ)…let us not love unconditionally with word or with tongue (love is not talk) …but let us love unconditionally with deeds and in truth.

 

Let this be a time in your life when you realize what God the Father is able to do with what you give.  Realize how important giving is…it makes life an amazing experience for those in need.  Be generous with the gifts your God has given you…our time gifts…our talent gifts…AND our treasure gifts.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:13

…for it is God the Father who is at work in you believers in Christ…both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is Your Master…Sin or God?

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Welcome back!

 

Let’s continue our verse-by-verse study of the passage at Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 19…

 

ROMANS 6:19

I (Paul) am speaking in human terms because of the weakness (strengthlessness) of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness (when you were unbelievers)…resulting in further lawlessness…so now as believers in Christ…present your members as slaves to righteousness…resulting in your sanctification.

 

As believers in Christ who live in Satan’s kingdom, we are pelted with many deceptive illusions…the illusion that we are free to do whatever we want…the illusion that we are powerful…the illusion that wealth is the answer to all our problems (boy…if we could just win the lottery!). We genuinely believe a lot of this crap.

 

When we sin, we are obedient to a kingdom and to a system of thought from our enemy.  The enemy insists we will have great pleasure by sinning…pleasure we can’t get from God.  It never happens that way.  Unclean thoughts turn into outward practice, and the practice ruins us.  First Corinthians, Chapter 6, Verse 11…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 6:11a

Some of you believers in Christ WERE of these lifestyles (that would exclude you from the kingdom of God)…BUT NOW YOU ARE washed (cleansed from the filth of Adam’s sin through the water of the Word…the gospel message)…BUT NOW YOU ARE sanctified (set apart into union with Christ)…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 6:11b

…BUT NOW YOU ARE justified (by faith…acquitted…legally declared as righteous by God the Father)…in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the (baptism of God the Holy) Spirit of our God and Father.

 

Being a slave to God and a slave to righteousness is an honorable duty!  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 20…

 

ROMANS 6:20

For when you were slaves of sin as unbelievers…you were free in regard to righteousness.

 

Unbelievers are not under the obligation of righteousness…and they take full advantage.  Unbelievers are slaves to sin and have nothing to do with righteousness.  James, Chapter 1, Verses 14 and 15…

 

JAMES 1:14

But each person is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

 

JAMES 1:15

Then when lust has conceived…(when thought becomes action)…it gives birth to sin…and when sin is accomplished…it brings forth death.

 

Unbelievers are fruitless.  Fruitlessness is shameful thoughts leading to shameful practices.  Believers in Christ show our gratitude to God for saving us by allowing God the Holy Spirit to move us away from the old self life into the newness of the resurrection life so the Spirit can produce fruit in us.  The apostle Peter encourages believers in Christ to “turn the page” when we become believers in Christ…First Peter, Chapter 4, Verse 3…

 

FIRST PETER 4:3

For the time already past is sufficient for you believers in Christ to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles…having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.

 

Now…we are DEAD TO SIN and dead to sinful lifestyles.  Romans, Chapter 6,

Verse 21…

 

ROMANS 6:21

Therefore, what benefit were you then deriving from those things (sin unrighteousness, ungodliness, lawlessness) of which you believers in Christ are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things (in the unbeliever lifestyle) is (the second) death.

 

No benefit!  We reject the old self-life.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 22…

 

ROMANS 6:22

But now having been freed from slavery to sin and enslaved instead to God…you believers in Christ derive your benefit…resulting in sanctification…and the outcome of your slavery to God is eternal life (the ZOE life...the resurrection life).

 

David hits the nail on the head in Psalm 40, Verse 8…

 

PSALM 40:8

“I delight to do Your will, O my God…Your Law is within my heart.”

 

What God gives believers in Christ is rest for our souls…what sin gives us is unrest.  We were WILLING to be saved…now that we are saved, we continue in that WILLINGNESSto serve the Lord.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 23…

 

ROMANS 6:23

For the earned wages of sin (the compensation paid for your sinful works) is (the second) death (in the Lake of Fire)…but the free (gracious) gift of God the Father is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

The payoff of Adam’s sin is spiritual death.  A lot of people say they are saved because they have invited Christ into their hearts.  I don’t see anywhere in the Bible that confirms this is a way to be saved.  Either God’s grace does it all to save us, or it does none of it, and you do the work.  It’s ridiculous to think we can save ourselves with human power.

 

God’s payoff is salvation.  What is salvation?

 

SALVATION

Deliverance by God from harm, ruin, loss, or God the Father’s wrath

What does God’s grace bestow?  Life…ETERNAL LIFE as a FREE GIFT!  Remember Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 11?

 

ROMANS 6:11

…(believers in Christ)…consider yourselves to be DEAD TO SIN…but alive to God the Father…in union with Christ Jesus.

 

In our flesh there is no good thing, yet God is willing to bless us, even in this state.

Our life IN ADAM does not exist in God’s eyes.  Once God’s grace given, it is never taken away.  We allow ourselves to be loved by God even when we think we are not worthy.  God keeps on blessing usas we keep on learning how truly unworthy we are…we are IN CHRIST.

 

As believers in Christ, we have a certain future.  We are not influenced by the trick bag that we are getting better.  We allow God the Holy Spirit to make us different.

We are not disappointed with ourselves because that would be putting confidence in the flesh.We are not discouraged, because discouragement comes from unbelief.We are not filled with pride because that is delusional.We are not sucked in by devotion first then blessing from God…that is NOT God’s way.  God loves unconditionally those who are not deserving.

 

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

Romans 6:15-23

 

ROMANS 6:15

Well then…since God’s grace has set us free from the law…does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!

 

ROMANS 6:16

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

 

ROMANS 6:17

Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.

 

ROMANS 6:18

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to

righteous living.

 

ROMANS 6:19

Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led you ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will keep on being holy.

 

ROMANS 6:20

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.

 

ROMANS 6:21

And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.

 

ROMANS 6:22

But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.

 

ROMANS 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

So, as believers in Christ, we take Robert Frost’s advice in his poem THE ROAD NOT TAKEN…

 

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence…

Two roads diverged in a wood…and I…

I took the one less traveled by…

And that has made all the difference.

 

Who’s your Daddy?  Believers in Christ…I think you know!

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

There is a Person who IS Christianity…Jesus Christ…the most important Being in the universe…the Sovereign God...the preeminent God…the ONE and ONLY God.  He created you…He loves you unconditionally…and He wants a relationship with you.  That’s good news for you!

 

The bad news is that you were born with a problem.  From the moment of your physical birth, God considered you a sinner.  Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 10…

 

ROMANS 3:10

…it is written, “There is no creature who is righteous, not even one…”

 

Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 23…

 

ROMANS 3:23

…all creatures have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

 

These verses are a formal accusation from God about YOU…an indictment.

 

It’s not your fault that you’re a sinner from physical birth, but it is your circumstance.

 

Unfortunately, being a sinner has a penalty.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 23…

 

ROMANS 6:23

For the payment earned for being a sinner is both spiritual death and physical death…

 

You were born with Adam’s first sin credited to you and to all members of the human race.  In addition, you commit your own set of personal sins.  God requires perfection for you to get into heaven.  Those who sin don’t meet God’s perfect standards.  Trying to make up for your sins by “being a good person” or by trying to work your way into heaven with imperfect deeds, doesn’t impress God at all.

 

This gospel message is the good news concerning what the Lord did to fix the bad news for sinners.  Jesus Christ paid a price with His blood on a Cross so that sinners can be saved.  Responding to His gospel message is the chance to have a personal relationship with Jesus.  Here’s what the Lord said to a self-righteous Pharisee, Nicodemus, in John, Chapter 3, Verse 3…

 

JOHN 3:3

“Truly, truly, I say to you, Nicodemus…unless you are BORN AGAIN (the spiritual birth)…you cannot see the kingdom of God the Father in heaven.”

 

Fortunately for you, God the Father wants you in heaven.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…

 

ROMANS 5:8

God the Father demonstrates His own unconditional love toward all mankind…in that while we were yet sinners (while we were unrighteous, ungodly, unbelievers) …Christ died (a sacrificial death) for us.

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

Absolute righteousness is the admission ticket to heaven.  It is the key to eternal life…the resurrection life…and it is yours FREE OF CHARGE… RIGHT NOW…if you want it.  Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 to 11 say this…

 

ROMANS 10:9

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead…you will be saved…

 

ROMANS 10:10

…for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness (your admission ticket to heaven)…and with the mouth a person confesses (choosing faith in Christ alone)…resulting in salvation.

 

ROMANS 10:11

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will not be disappointed.”

 

So, accept the invitation and heed the warning of John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

There is a hell…a very real place…and it is described this way in the Bible…Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 41 to 42…

 

MATTHEW 13:41

The Son of Man (the Lord Jesus Christ) will send forth His elect angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks (unbelievers)…and those who commit lawlessness (unbelievers)…

 

MATTHEW 13:42

…andthe elect angelswill throw unbelievers into the furnace of fire (the Lake of Fire)…in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

For those without a relationship with Christ, He'll just ask them to step to the left and to take the "HELLIVATOR" … just press the down button.

 

Believers in Christ have a different fate…Matthew, Chapter 13, Verse 43…

 

 

 

MATTHEW 13:43

Then the righteous (believers in Christ) will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father…

 

Getting to heaven is easy…Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

Sinners need a Savior.  That Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Believe in Him and you will be saved!

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  A God who loves us unconditionally expects us to enjoy the gifts He provides…provisions like freedom.  Here’s Jesus Culture to remind us to enjoy with their song…FREEDOM.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

FREEDOM

Jesus Culture

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

…thank you for your generosity and patience toward Your creatures…keep on teaching us how to love You…how to love ourselves…and how to love others… especially unbelievers…help us love them so muchthat we tell them all about Your Son and what He is willing to do for them…

 

…especially help us with other believers in Christ…encourage us to invite them out of the slavery of lasciviousness and legalism into the freedom of Your grace…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

Join us Live or on ZoomImmediately Following the Lesson

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?

 

Ask the Pastor

pastor@barahministries.com

 

WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com