Preached Sunday, May 24, 2009, Grace Family Church of Americus
Romans 6:1-2
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You can download the complete sermon manuscript by clicking here. Here is an excerpt:
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If you were to ask me what was the greatest problem in American Christianity, I would say that it lies in the church's lack of teaching of the theology behind Romans chapter 6. This lack of teaching, indeed, is what John Piper refers to as the tragedy of "healing My people lightly". If indwelling sin is indeed a reality, and if the teachings of the New Testament are true, then there is a great disparity between the teachings of the church today and the teaching of the Bible. The Bible clearly teaches that there is a battle with sin that exists in the life of every Christian (Romans 7:20), and that every true Christian is actively engaged in the battle. It is a battle in which the true Christian has been uniquely given the power by the Spirit of God to win. The believer knows the theological fact that he is righteous only through the righteousness of another, but, as Spurgeon prays, "but we pant and pine for personal likeness to Thee." The disparity in teaching in the modern church comes where we do not find Christian leaders teaching on the biblical reality that there is a difference in the believer and the unbeliever…that where justification by faith is taught, leaders often skip the teaching of how every believer will see evidence of his justification, and find great assurance thereof, in his daily sanctification.
It has been said that there is little difference between the world and the church. Many surveys have been conducted, and statistics have been printed and distributed that tell the tale. It has been found by researchers that, as far as things like divorce, abortion, sexual immorality, stealing, lying, greed, abuse, outbursts of anger, etc., that there is no statistical difference between those inside the church and those outside the church. The reason for this is how the statisticians define the term "Christian." But lest we lay the blame for this at the feet of the statisticians, we must acknowledge that their definition of a Christian is no different than how much of the leadership of the modern church now defines it…..if you've been baptized, are a member of a church, or even go to a church occasionally…if you've been to church at least once in your life, or know someone that has, or live in the same city as a church, if you were dropped off at VBS as a child, and led in a coerced prayer by the pastor or evangelist…..if at least one time in your life, you knew when to say "uh, huh" when the evangelist asked you if you were a sinner and wanted to go to heaven instead of hell, then you're a Christian. Then it is [quote] "scientifically" observed that the behavior of these [quote] "Christians" is no different than those who do not profess to be Christians. In fact, in some cases, it is found that those naming the name of Christ actually are worse in their moral behavior than those who do not.
Is it true, that there is no difference between the unbelieving world and the church? If it is, then I am wasting my entire life in the study and the preaching of the Scriptures and so are you. If these things be true, that the world is just as moral (or immoral) as the church, then Christianity is a lie and Jesus was the person that he is made up to be by the Discovery channel…..just a guy who had some good teachings, but very mysterious and suspect. Is it true that the Church, the bride of Christ, has defiled herself, and is not ready for her Groom? Certainly not! If there is nothing more blasphemous coming from the mouths of men today I do not know what is. No, there IS a difference between the world and the Church. There is a difference between the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ and that hideous bride of the Devil. For the Bride of Christ is glorious, and chaste, and prepared to meet her Groom. The true Church is holy, and separate from the world. The true followers of Jesus crucify the flesh daily, and though they battle, and battle long and hard, and get cut up and shot up and wounded and broken in the battle with the sin that dwells in them, they do find victory. By the Spirit of our God they slay one Goliath after another, as David, who "….killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine [of sin] will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God….The Lord, who delivered [David] from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver [you, believer] from the hand of this Philistine [of sin]." (1 Samuel 17:36-37, NKJV)
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