1 00:00:10,598 --> 00:00:12,674 Pastor Tim, my question to you is 2 00:00:12,674 --> 00:00:15,785 what is habitual sin? 3 00:00:15,785 --> 00:00:19,655 Or what does it mean to persist in sin? 4 00:00:19,655 --> 00:00:22,081 If an individual has victory over certain sins 5 00:00:22,081 --> 00:00:24,965 like pornography, anger, cussing, etc., 6 00:00:24,965 --> 00:00:27,885 while growing in righteousness and sanctification, 7 00:00:27,885 --> 00:00:30,138 but falls under the force of temptation 8 00:00:30,138 --> 00:00:33,015 into a sin like lying, 9 00:00:33,015 --> 00:00:35,329 but he habitually resists it; 10 00:00:35,329 --> 00:00:37,526 only occasionally falls, but when he does, 11 00:00:37,526 --> 00:00:39,134 he grieves over it. 12 00:00:39,134 --> 00:00:40,890 He has a heart to give up that sin 13 00:00:40,890 --> 00:00:43,050 and is grieved every time he commits it. 14 00:00:43,050 --> 00:00:48,543 Can you say he is habitually committing sin? 15 00:00:48,543 --> 00:00:52,407 Well, first, why would he even bring that up? 16 00:00:52,407 --> 00:00:54,296 Because obviously, there are some 17 00:00:54,296 --> 00:00:58,986 pretty radically important texts in Scripture 18 00:00:58,986 --> 00:01:00,761 that talk about you can know 19 00:01:00,761 --> 00:01:02,891 whether you're a Christian or not 20 00:01:02,891 --> 00:01:06,938 based on whether you practice sin or not, right? 21 00:01:06,938 --> 00:01:09,666 So let's look at them. 22 00:01:09,666 --> 00:01:13,975 Probably the most emphatic, the clearest 23 00:01:13,975 --> 00:01:17,214 in all the Scriptures that I can think of 24 00:01:17,214 --> 00:01:18,676 - now there are some others - 25 00:01:18,676 --> 00:01:21,385 but the first one that jumps to my mind is 26 00:01:21,385 --> 00:01:27,887 1 John 3:7-10 27 00:01:27,887 --> 00:01:33,153 You guys, this is interesting right? 28 00:01:33,153 --> 00:01:37,035 This is more than interesting. 29 00:01:37,035 --> 00:01:38,529 This is critical is it not? 30 00:01:38,529 --> 00:01:40,940 If I say to you, 31 00:01:40,940 --> 00:01:44,249 which by the way, the Bible does, 32 00:01:44,249 --> 00:01:46,505 well, let's read it. 33 00:01:46,505 --> 00:01:51,409 "Little children, let no one deceive you." 34 00:01:51,409 --> 00:01:52,804 Now that's key! 35 00:01:52,804 --> 00:01:54,193 Because what he's saying is 36 00:01:54,193 --> 00:01:56,356 if you get this wrong, you're deceived. 37 00:01:56,356 --> 00:01:57,955 Don't let anybody deceive you. 38 00:01:57,955 --> 00:01:59,642 In other words, there are a lot of people 39 00:01:59,642 --> 00:02:01,380 likely out there in the religious world 40 00:02:01,380 --> 00:02:03,764 that are teaching you something that's contrary 41 00:02:03,764 --> 00:02:05,735 to what's about to be said. 42 00:02:05,735 --> 00:02:07,153 So, don't be deceived here. 43 00:02:07,153 --> 00:02:09,603 He means don't be deceived 44 00:02:09,603 --> 00:02:11,118 because this is an area where 45 00:02:11,118 --> 00:02:13,034 a whole lot of people are. 46 00:02:13,034 --> 00:02:16,619 So you better listen carefully. 47 00:02:16,619 --> 00:02:23,472 "Whoever practices righteousness, is righteous, 48 00:02:23,472 --> 00:02:26,670 as He, God, is righteous. 49 00:02:26,670 --> 00:02:29,276 Whoever makes a practice of sinning 50 00:02:29,276 --> 00:02:30,778 is of the devil. 51 00:02:30,778 --> 00:02:33,484 For the devil has been sinning from the beginning. 52 00:02:33,484 --> 00:02:36,197 The reason the Son of God appeared 53 00:02:36,197 --> 00:02:39,648 was to destroy the works of the devil. 54 00:02:39,648 --> 00:02:41,861 No one born of God 55 00:02:41,861 --> 00:02:43,725 - if you've been born again - 56 00:02:43,725 --> 00:02:48,071 no one born of God makes a practice of sinning. 57 00:02:48,071 --> 00:02:50,533 For God's seed abides in Him, 58 00:02:50,533 --> 00:02:53,111 and He cannot keep on sinning 59 00:02:53,111 --> 00:02:56,161 because He's been born of God. 60 00:02:56,161 --> 00:02:59,673 By this, it is evident who are the children of God 61 00:02:59,673 --> 00:03:01,601 and who are the children of the devil. 62 00:03:01,601 --> 00:03:03,633 Whoever does not practice righteousness 63 00:03:03,633 --> 00:03:05,551 is not of God, nor is the one 64 00:03:05,551 --> 00:03:07,183 who does not love his brother." 65 00:03:07,183 --> 00:03:09,751 Now, listen to this. 66 00:03:09,751 --> 00:03:11,116 Listen to this again. 67 00:03:11,116 --> 00:03:13,899 "Whoever makes a practice of sinning 68 00:03:13,899 --> 00:03:18,296 is of the devil. 69 00:03:18,296 --> 00:03:20,539 He cannot keep on sinning because 70 00:03:20,539 --> 00:03:22,512 he has been born of God." 71 00:03:22,512 --> 00:03:24,056 If you have been born of God, 72 00:03:24,056 --> 00:03:25,704 you cannot keep on sinning. 73 00:03:25,704 --> 00:03:27,301 That's what the Bible says. 74 00:03:27,301 --> 00:03:29,850 If you practice unrighteousness, you're of the devil. 75 00:03:29,850 --> 00:03:31,546 If you practice righteousness, 76 00:03:31,546 --> 00:03:36,278 that is the surest proof that you are born of God. 77 00:03:36,278 --> 00:03:38,697 Now is this not important or what? 78 00:03:38,697 --> 00:03:40,445 Because somebody's going to say, 79 00:03:40,445 --> 00:03:42,833 and we need to say this, we need to ask this, 80 00:03:42,833 --> 00:03:45,225 all of you are thinking, 81 00:03:45,225 --> 00:03:49,038 well, from the time I claim I was saved, 82 00:03:49,038 --> 00:03:51,672 I've sinned. 83 00:03:51,672 --> 00:03:54,926 In fact, I've been quite keenly aware 84 00:03:54,926 --> 00:03:58,249 that I've sinned. 85 00:03:58,249 --> 00:04:02,881 When does that sin that I've committed 86 00:04:02,881 --> 00:04:06,055 bring me into the category of being 87 00:04:06,055 --> 00:04:08,240 a habitual sinner 88 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,837 that's of the devil? 89 00:04:10,837 --> 00:04:14,121 And when is my sinning so reduced 90 00:04:14,121 --> 00:04:16,417 that I'm one of those that does not keep on sinning 91 00:04:16,417 --> 00:04:18,360 and I evidence that I've been born of God? 92 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,048 I mean isn't that a question that 93 00:04:20,048 --> 00:04:21,626 you would like to have answered? 94 00:04:21,626 --> 00:04:24,076 Isn't that a pretty critical deal? 95 00:04:24,076 --> 00:04:27,468 Look. 96 00:04:27,468 --> 00:04:31,356 When you have a situation where it is said, 97 00:04:31,356 --> 00:04:33,738 this is how you know you're a Christian; 98 00:04:33,738 --> 00:04:36,185 this is how you can know you're not a Christian, 99 00:04:36,185 --> 00:04:37,541 here's the evidence, 100 00:04:37,541 --> 00:04:40,126 by this, it is evident. 101 00:04:40,126 --> 00:04:40,873 Whoa. 102 00:04:40,873 --> 00:04:43,251 There's the evidence. 103 00:04:43,251 --> 00:04:45,092 There's no more important question 104 00:04:45,092 --> 00:04:46,508 on earth to ask than 105 00:04:46,508 --> 00:04:47,834 how you can know you can be 106 00:04:47,834 --> 00:04:49,630 a true believer. 107 00:04:49,630 --> 00:04:52,120 How do you know you are indeed a true one? 108 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,486 And here's the evidence. 109 00:04:55,486 --> 00:04:59,885 True believer practices righteousness. 110 00:04:59,885 --> 00:05:03,227 True unbeliever practices unrighteousness. 111 00:05:03,227 --> 00:05:04,388 Son of God. 112 00:05:04,388 --> 00:05:07,322 Son of the devil. 113 00:05:07,322 --> 00:05:10,497 Wow, we better be able to answer that question. 114 00:05:10,497 --> 00:05:13,768 When is my sinning so habitual 115 00:05:13,768 --> 00:05:16,311 that I'm not over here anymore 116 00:05:16,311 --> 00:05:20,756 and I'm over here? 117 00:05:20,756 --> 00:05:23,947 We need to answer that. 118 00:05:23,947 --> 00:05:25,537 Ok. 119 00:05:25,537 --> 00:05:28,619 Listen again. 120 00:05:28,619 --> 00:05:30,985 Just listen to these verses. 121 00:05:30,985 --> 00:05:32,833 Now, let's go back to this. 122 00:05:32,833 --> 00:05:34,441 It says don't be deceived. 123 00:05:34,441 --> 00:05:35,878 You think there are people out there 124 00:05:35,878 --> 00:05:37,317 in this world who teach 125 00:05:37,317 --> 00:05:41,116 you can be a true Christian and just keep on in sin? 126 00:05:41,116 --> 00:05:42,858 Folks, it's everywhere. 127 00:05:42,858 --> 00:05:45,183 Some of you go to churches where that's taught. 128 00:05:45,183 --> 00:05:46,094 Let me tell you, 129 00:05:46,094 --> 00:05:47,605 that is a damnable lie. 130 00:05:47,605 --> 00:05:49,086 It is a lie right out of hell. 131 00:05:49,086 --> 00:05:50,589 Don't be deceived by it. 132 00:05:50,589 --> 00:05:52,278 We've got people all over this city, 133 00:05:52,278 --> 00:05:53,384 let me tell you about it, 134 00:05:53,384 --> 00:05:54,500 I'm going to say names, 135 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:58,873 right over there at CBC up on 1604, 136 00:05:58,873 --> 00:06:01,182 a woman that my wife talked to this week 137 00:06:01,182 --> 00:06:04,305 called up there and was concerned about her son 138 00:06:04,305 --> 00:06:06,336 was going to be baptized there. 139 00:06:06,336 --> 00:06:07,866 She said she wondered about 140 00:06:07,866 --> 00:06:10,245 do you examine their testimonies or anything. 141 00:06:10,245 --> 00:06:12,796 She said she was concerned. 142 00:06:12,796 --> 00:06:15,325 She didn't believe that there was true repentance there. 143 00:06:15,325 --> 00:06:16,726 The woman said, "Oh m'am, 144 00:06:16,726 --> 00:06:19,000 we don't require repentance." 145 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:20,164 Let me tell you what, 146 00:06:20,164 --> 00:06:21,704 that's damnable. 147 00:06:21,704 --> 00:06:23,350 And I'll call that church out. 148 00:06:23,350 --> 00:06:26,284 That's damnable. 149 00:06:26,284 --> 00:06:28,361 We don't do any favors telling people 150 00:06:28,361 --> 00:06:29,772 that that church is ok. 151 00:06:29,772 --> 00:06:33,539 They're teaching a lie that sends people to hell. 152 00:06:33,539 --> 00:06:37,093 I'll tell you, John wasn't messing around. 153 00:06:37,093 --> 00:06:39,463 Don't be deceived. 154 00:06:39,463 --> 00:06:42,172 Because multitudes are. 155 00:06:42,172 --> 00:06:43,737 And you want to see where it is? 156 00:06:43,737 --> 00:06:45,114 You guys know the verse. 157 00:06:45,114 --> 00:06:47,189 Many are going to say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord." 158 00:06:47,189 --> 00:06:48,904 And He's going to say, "I never knew you." 159 00:06:48,904 --> 00:06:49,989 And what does He say? 160 00:06:49,989 --> 00:06:51,202 It's not everybody that comes along 161 00:06:51,202 --> 00:06:52,501 saying, "Lord, Lord." 162 00:06:52,501 --> 00:06:54,568 It's not everybody that's been baptized at CBC. 163 00:06:54,568 --> 00:06:55,531 What does He say? 164 00:06:55,531 --> 00:06:59,625 Who's going to inherit the kingdom of heaven? 165 00:06:59,625 --> 00:07:02,452 Those who do the will of the Father in heaven. 166 00:07:02,452 --> 00:07:03,342 There it is. 167 00:07:03,342 --> 00:07:05,016 Practicing righteousness. 168 00:07:05,016 --> 00:07:07,325 They do the will of the Father in heaven. 169 00:07:07,325 --> 00:07:08,578 What does James day? 170 00:07:08,578 --> 00:07:10,790 Don't be deceived. 171 00:07:10,790 --> 00:07:17,694 It's not the hearers, it's the doers. 172 00:07:17,694 --> 00:07:20,126 1 Corinthians 6 173 00:07:20,126 --> 00:07:22,999 Paul says, "Don't be deceived. 174 00:07:22,999 --> 00:07:26,992 The unrighteous do not inherit 175 00:07:26,992 --> 00:07:29,643 the kingdom of God. 176 00:07:29,643 --> 00:07:33,774 Folks, this is taught everywhere. 177 00:07:33,774 --> 00:07:34,910 Jesus Christ says, 178 00:07:34,910 --> 00:07:36,680 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' 179 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,543 and do not do the things I say?" 180 00:07:38,543 --> 00:07:40,222 Back to 1 John. 181 00:07:40,222 --> 00:07:42,626 You say that you know Him and you don't keep His commandments, 182 00:07:42,626 --> 00:07:44,604 you're a liar and the truth isn't in you. 183 00:07:44,604 --> 00:07:45,706 I'm telling you, folks, 184 00:07:45,706 --> 00:07:47,806 obedience and keeping the commandments, 185 00:07:47,806 --> 00:07:50,215 a practicing of righteousness, a hunger and thirsting 186 00:07:50,215 --> 00:07:51,711 after righteousness, 187 00:07:51,711 --> 00:07:54,429 it is the very evidence. 188 00:07:54,429 --> 00:07:58,218 By this it is evident who are the children of God, 189 00:07:58,218 --> 00:08:01,112 and who are the children of the devil. 190 00:08:01,112 --> 00:08:04,354 Well, what can we say? 191 00:08:04,354 --> 00:08:06,684 Here's what I would say. 192 00:08:06,684 --> 00:08:09,813 What does the Bible teach? 193 00:08:09,813 --> 00:08:12,793 For one, we know the Bible doesn't teach perfection. 194 00:08:12,793 --> 00:08:14,978 When it says you practice righteousness, 195 00:08:14,978 --> 00:08:20,501 it doesn't mean that you've achieved perfection. 196 00:08:20,501 --> 00:08:25,943 Paul says in Philippians that he had not yet attained. 197 00:08:25,943 --> 00:08:29,183 In 1 John 2, you remember what John wrote? 198 00:08:29,183 --> 00:08:34,020 He said, "little children, I write to you sin not. 199 00:08:34,020 --> 00:08:39,734 But if you do sin, you have an Advocate, 200 00:08:39,734 --> 00:08:43,615 Jesus Christ the Righteous." 201 00:08:43,615 --> 00:08:46,592 And basically, we want to encourage people not to sin. 202 00:08:46,592 --> 00:08:48,099 What does the proverb say? 203 00:08:48,099 --> 00:08:49,964 Though a righteous man do what? 204 00:08:49,964 --> 00:08:53,065 Fall. How many times? (seven) 205 00:08:53,065 --> 00:08:55,657 But, what does he do? 206 00:08:55,657 --> 00:08:57,141 He rises. 207 00:08:57,141 --> 00:08:59,187 Now that's the thing. 208 00:08:59,187 --> 00:09:02,475 You see, the person that practices unrighteousness 209 00:09:02,475 --> 00:09:05,262 doesn't rise. 210 00:09:05,262 --> 00:09:07,422 They drink iniquity like water. 211 00:09:07,422 --> 00:09:09,283 We find that in Job. 212 00:09:09,283 --> 00:09:11,697 Basically there's none righteous, no not one. 213 00:09:11,697 --> 00:09:14,319 This is the picture of the unregenerate person. 214 00:09:14,319 --> 00:09:16,000 Do they do good? 215 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,381 They don't do good. 216 00:09:17,381 --> 00:09:18,615 There's none that does good. 217 00:09:18,615 --> 00:09:20,025 They're under the power of sin. 218 00:09:20,025 --> 00:09:21,380 Basically, what you find 219 00:09:21,380 --> 00:09:23,499 is that they're dead in sins. 220 00:09:23,499 --> 00:09:25,345 They're dead in trespasses and sins. 221 00:09:25,345 --> 00:09:27,773 They're basically held in bondage. 222 00:09:27,773 --> 00:09:29,375 What do you find about the person 223 00:09:29,375 --> 00:09:30,627 that's been set free? 224 00:09:30,627 --> 00:09:32,864 Romans 6, like verse 17, 225 00:09:32,864 --> 00:09:36,740 I thank God that you who were once slaves of sin 226 00:09:36,740 --> 00:09:39,861 have become obedient from the heart. 227 00:09:39,861 --> 00:09:42,657 To what? To the Word of God. 228 00:09:42,657 --> 00:09:44,819 This is the evidence. 229 00:09:44,819 --> 00:09:46,988 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst 230 00:09:46,988 --> 00:09:48,183 after righteousness. 231 00:09:48,183 --> 00:09:49,798 They'll be satisfied. 232 00:09:49,798 --> 00:09:52,496 Here's the thing: 233 00:09:52,496 --> 00:09:54,212 Romans 8:13 234 00:09:54,212 --> 00:09:56,784 If by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds 235 00:09:56,784 --> 00:09:59,300 of the body, 236 00:09:59,300 --> 00:10:02,094 you will live. 237 00:10:02,094 --> 00:10:04,590 Those who set their minds upon things 238 00:10:04,590 --> 00:10:09,646 of the flesh, 239 00:10:09,646 --> 00:10:10,939 they have a death sentence. 240 00:10:10,939 --> 00:10:12,410 Those who set their minds upon 241 00:10:12,410 --> 00:10:13,416 things of the Spirit, 242 00:10:13,416 --> 00:10:16,024 those are the children of God. 243 00:10:16,024 --> 00:10:20,328 Those are the ones that have life. 244 00:10:20,328 --> 00:10:22,506 And so, what are we talking about here? 245 00:10:22,506 --> 00:10:23,928 Are we talking about sinlessness? 246 00:10:23,928 --> 00:10:24,623 No. 247 00:10:24,623 --> 00:10:27,339 We're talking about people, who when they fall, 248 00:10:27,339 --> 00:10:28,655 they rise. 249 00:10:28,655 --> 00:10:31,539 They're like the sheep that's thrown in the mud. 250 00:10:31,539 --> 00:10:33,428 You take the pig, you throw them in the mud. 251 00:10:33,428 --> 00:10:35,216 What do they do? 252 00:10:35,216 --> 00:10:36,400 They stay there. 253 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:37,744 You throw a lamb in the mud, 254 00:10:37,744 --> 00:10:38,622 what's he do? 255 00:10:38,622 --> 00:10:39,936 He scrambles out. 256 00:10:39,936 --> 00:10:41,655 He wants to get the mud off of him. 257 00:10:41,655 --> 00:10:43,686 Because it's not natural anymore. 258 00:10:43,686 --> 00:10:46,109 You know what we find in Scripture? 259 00:10:46,109 --> 00:10:47,717 Old things are passed away, 260 00:10:47,717 --> 00:10:49,224 all things become new. 261 00:10:49,224 --> 00:10:50,780 I'll tell you this, 262 00:10:50,780 --> 00:10:56,226 though the Christian is not perfect, 263 00:10:56,226 --> 00:10:58,587 they come into such newness, 264 00:10:58,587 --> 00:11:01,883 they come into such radical difference, 265 00:11:01,883 --> 00:11:03,980 they come into a situation 266 00:11:03,980 --> 00:11:06,170 where now they are putting to death sin. 267 00:11:06,170 --> 00:11:07,632 They have triumph. 268 00:11:07,632 --> 00:11:09,604 They're not totally defeated like before. 269 00:11:09,604 --> 00:11:11,008 They're not a total slave. 270 00:11:11,008 --> 00:11:12,675 They've become obedient from the heart. 271 00:11:12,675 --> 00:11:14,213 They have desires of obedience. 272 00:11:14,213 --> 00:11:16,366 They hunger and thirst after righteousness. 273 00:11:16,366 --> 00:11:17,845 It's a longing. 274 00:11:17,845 --> 00:11:20,047 They're longing to do what's right. 275 00:11:20,047 --> 00:11:21,078 And you know what? 276 00:11:21,078 --> 00:11:23,614 They're succeeding at it. 277 00:11:23,614 --> 00:11:24,910 There's a fight. 278 00:11:24,910 --> 00:11:27,718 Those who by the Spirit put to death 279 00:11:27,718 --> 00:11:29,367 the deeds of the body, 280 00:11:29,367 --> 00:11:30,974 all of a sudden, there's battle, 281 00:11:30,974 --> 00:11:32,040 there's warfare. 282 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,412 Sometimes the Christian feels like 283 00:11:35,412 --> 00:11:37,355 the battle rages so strongly, 284 00:11:37,355 --> 00:11:39,253 they feel like they're not saved at times. 285 00:11:39,253 --> 00:11:40,388 But let me tell you something, 286 00:11:40,388 --> 00:11:42,122 there wasn't a battle when people were lost. 287 00:11:42,122 --> 00:11:44,973 You know what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7? 288 00:11:44,973 --> 00:11:47,476 He's commending the Corinthians 289 00:11:47,476 --> 00:11:48,948 because they repented, 290 00:11:48,948 --> 00:11:50,674 and he says there's a sorrow that 291 00:11:50,674 --> 00:11:52,728 leads to repentance, 292 00:11:52,728 --> 00:11:55,242 there's a grief that leads to repentance, 293 00:11:55,242 --> 00:11:57,282 versus the grief or the sorrow 294 00:11:57,282 --> 00:11:58,938 the worldly sorrow, it doesn't 295 00:11:58,938 --> 00:12:00,869 lead to repentance. 296 00:12:00,869 --> 00:12:03,516 It doesn't lead to a godly repentance. 297 00:12:03,516 --> 00:12:04,658 You know what? 298 00:12:04,658 --> 00:12:06,707 There are people who are sorry for sin. 299 00:12:06,707 --> 00:12:07,416 Why? 300 00:12:07,416 --> 00:12:08,827 Because of the consequences. 301 00:12:08,827 --> 00:12:10,639 They're sorry for what it's cost them. 302 00:12:10,639 --> 00:12:12,361 They're sorry they committed adultery 303 00:12:12,361 --> 00:12:14,411 and they lost their children and they lost their family. 304 00:12:14,411 --> 00:12:16,115 They're sorry that their sin has cost them 305 00:12:16,115 --> 00:12:17,253 all their money. 306 00:12:17,253 --> 00:12:20,402 They're sorry that it's cost them their reputation. 307 00:12:20,402 --> 00:12:22,102 But I'll tell you what, 308 00:12:22,102 --> 00:12:27,020 there's a godly sorrow in God's children. 309 00:12:27,020 --> 00:12:30,215 They are sorrowed that they have offended God. 310 00:12:30,215 --> 00:12:32,079 And though they fall seven times, 311 00:12:32,079 --> 00:12:33,799 they rise up out of it. 312 00:12:33,799 --> 00:12:35,748 And you know what? 313 00:12:35,748 --> 00:12:38,391 The Scripture says that they love God. 314 00:12:38,391 --> 00:12:39,639 They keep His commandments. 315 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:40,823 Jesus Christ said, 316 00:12:40,823 --> 00:12:42,868 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 317 00:12:42,868 --> 00:12:46,203 You see, it's more than just a starchy, 318 00:12:46,203 --> 00:12:49,217 grit your teeth kind of obedience. 319 00:12:49,217 --> 00:12:51,161 He's our Abba Father. 320 00:12:51,161 --> 00:12:54,317 We suddenly have an endearment. 321 00:12:54,317 --> 00:12:56,318 There's a longing, there's a hunger; 322 00:12:56,318 --> 00:12:57,806 it's something we want to do. 323 00:12:57,806 --> 00:12:59,927 It's a relationship we want to nurture 324 00:12:59,927 --> 00:13:01,820 and we want to maintain. 325 00:13:01,820 --> 00:13:02,597 Do we fall? 326 00:13:02,597 --> 00:13:03,386 Yes. 327 00:13:03,386 --> 00:13:04,334 Is there grief? 328 00:13:04,334 --> 00:13:05,283 I'll tell you this. 329 00:13:05,283 --> 00:13:06,904 You as a child of God get in too much 330 00:13:06,904 --> 00:13:08,252 of a pattern of sin - 331 00:13:08,252 --> 00:13:10,551 what's going to happen? 332 00:13:10,551 --> 00:13:12,569 The Bible says in Hebrews 12 333 00:13:12,569 --> 00:13:14,684 that God disciplines His children, 334 00:13:14,684 --> 00:13:16,147 and if you can run in sin 335 00:13:16,147 --> 00:13:17,522 and God doesn't come for you 336 00:13:17,522 --> 00:13:19,628 and doesn't discipline you, you are a bastard. 337 00:13:19,628 --> 00:13:21,560 You are not a true child of God. 338 00:13:21,560 --> 00:13:22,785 Lay that down. 339 00:13:22,785 --> 00:13:24,703 If you can toy with sin, and your Father 340 00:13:24,703 --> 00:13:25,765 doesn't come for you. 341 00:13:25,765 --> 00:13:27,876 One of the greatest assurances in my life, 342 00:13:27,876 --> 00:13:30,671 is that any time I have strayed, 343 00:13:30,671 --> 00:13:33,278 He has come for me. 344 00:13:33,278 --> 00:13:36,400 That is great assurance in that. 345 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:37,859 You know what? 346 00:13:37,859 --> 00:13:41,920 From the days of John the Baptist, what? 347 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:43,429 You find in Matthew 11, 348 00:13:43,429 --> 00:13:45,656 from the days of John the Baptist until now 349 00:13:45,656 --> 00:13:47,705 the kingdom of heaven is taken by violence. 350 00:13:47,705 --> 00:13:49,500 The violent take it by force, folks. 351 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:50,523 Let me tell you this, 352 00:13:50,523 --> 00:13:52,317 the Christian life is battle. 353 00:13:52,317 --> 00:13:53,863 There is a severing of hands, 354 00:13:53,863 --> 00:13:54,929 a cutting off of feet, 355 00:13:54,929 --> 00:13:56,435 a plucking out of eyes. 356 00:13:56,435 --> 00:13:57,212 I'll tell you, 357 00:13:57,212 --> 00:13:59,640 if your life is not battle with sin - 358 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:01,899 I'm not saying you have perfect victory all the time, 359 00:14:01,899 --> 00:14:04,048 I'm not saying you don't fall at times. 360 00:14:04,048 --> 00:14:06,165 But when you fall, you rise. 361 00:14:06,165 --> 00:14:08,207 When you rise, you fight. 362 00:14:08,207 --> 00:14:10,387 And by radical means you put it to death. 363 00:14:10,387 --> 00:14:12,389 I'll remind you again of a text I brought up, 364 00:14:12,389 --> 00:14:13,768 God says under the New Covenant 365 00:14:13,768 --> 00:14:15,380 in Ezekiel 36, 366 00:14:15,380 --> 00:14:17,864 He will cleanse you of all your idols. 367 00:14:17,864 --> 00:14:18,960 And I'll guarantee you, 368 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,587 if you're allowed to have idols stay in your life, 369 00:14:21,587 --> 00:14:23,157 and God doesn't come for you 370 00:14:23,157 --> 00:14:24,555 and He doesn't discipline you, 371 00:14:24,555 --> 00:14:26,527 and He doesn't rip those things away from you, 372 00:14:26,527 --> 00:14:28,419 and sometimes painfully so, 373 00:14:28,419 --> 00:14:29,958 folks, let me tell you, 374 00:14:29,958 --> 00:14:31,639 God gives you a new heart. 375 00:14:31,639 --> 00:14:34,020 God gives desires for this thing. 376 00:14:34,020 --> 00:14:38,573 What this guy Aaron was describing, 377 00:14:38,573 --> 00:14:40,743 the person that's grieved when he commits it, 378 00:14:40,743 --> 00:14:42,711 the guy that's resisting, 379 00:14:42,711 --> 00:14:44,118 the guy that occasionally falls, 380 00:14:44,118 --> 00:14:45,607 but when he does, he grieves; 381 00:14:45,607 --> 00:14:48,534 the guy that had major victory over pornography 382 00:14:48,534 --> 00:14:51,075 and anger and cussing for some time 383 00:14:51,075 --> 00:14:54,159 to fall into a lying lip. 384 00:14:54,159 --> 00:14:56,097 I mean even Isaiah, you remember him, 385 00:14:56,097 --> 00:14:57,740 he falls down before the Lord 386 00:14:57,740 --> 00:15:00,719 and he's saying I'm a man of unclean lips. 387 00:15:00,719 --> 00:15:02,390 He's realizing there his mouth 388 00:15:02,390 --> 00:15:03,838 had not been perfect. 389 00:15:03,838 --> 00:15:06,071 Folks, this is a battle. 390 00:15:06,071 --> 00:15:07,259 It's not perfection, 391 00:15:07,259 --> 00:15:10,734 but it's definitely a moving in that direction. 392 00:15:10,734 --> 00:15:12,829 There is victory in that direction. 393 00:15:12,829 --> 00:15:15,811 Your life has radically become something it wasn't before. 394 00:15:15,811 --> 00:15:18,427 If you claim that you've become a Christian, 395 00:15:18,427 --> 00:15:20,587 and you see no difference in righteousness, 396 00:15:20,587 --> 00:15:23,070 no difference in obedience to the laws and commandments 397 00:15:23,070 --> 00:15:24,452 of Jesus Christ; 398 00:15:24,452 --> 00:15:27,599 no change in your life as far as what you're 399 00:15:27,599 --> 00:15:29,641 committed to, what you hunger after, 400 00:15:29,641 --> 00:15:34,037 the mind that is set on the things of the Spirit; 401 00:15:34,037 --> 00:15:36,912 that's where life is, 402 00:15:36,912 --> 00:15:40,068 the mind that's set on the things of the flesh, 403 00:15:40,068 --> 00:15:41,470 that's death. 404 00:15:41,470 --> 00:15:42,580 And let me tell you, 405 00:15:42,580 --> 00:15:44,043 if there hasn't been a radical change - 406 00:15:44,043 --> 00:15:46,283 old things passed away, and all things become new, 407 00:15:46,283 --> 00:15:48,341 if you haven't experienced a total different 408 00:15:48,341 --> 00:15:50,387 relationship with sin; 409 00:15:50,387 --> 00:15:52,788 if you are not at war with sin 410 00:15:52,788 --> 00:15:55,528 in a way that you never knew in your past life, 411 00:15:55,528 --> 00:15:58,374 then yes, you have reasons to be 412 00:15:58,374 --> 00:16:03,024 gravely concerned whether you've been converted or not. 413 00:16:03,024 --> 00:16:06,237 Hey, I can tell you, 414 00:16:06,237 --> 00:16:08,820 I wrestle with sin. 415 00:16:08,820 --> 00:16:11,469 But I can tell you this, 416 00:16:11,469 --> 00:16:15,410 my two greatest desires are to be sinless 417 00:16:15,410 --> 00:16:19,322 and even before that one is to see Christ. 418 00:16:19,322 --> 00:16:21,116 And I know those are my desires. 419 00:16:21,116 --> 00:16:26,342 And I long for those things. 420 00:16:26,342 --> 00:16:28,386 And you guys just have to ask yourself that. 421 00:16:28,386 --> 00:16:31,563 If you love Christ and are keeping His commandments, 422 00:16:31,563 --> 00:16:33,076 love isn't some foreign thing. 423 00:16:33,076 --> 00:16:37,605 Love isn't some strange, odd, alien thing. 424 00:16:37,605 --> 00:16:39,449 We understand that. 425 00:16:39,449 --> 00:16:41,855 Is your mind on it? What's your mind on? 426 00:16:41,855 --> 00:16:43,754 When you were lost, your mind was on 427 00:16:43,754 --> 00:16:46,011 all the things of this world. 428 00:16:46,011 --> 00:16:47,007 It was on the gutter. 429 00:16:47,007 --> 00:16:48,943 It was on money. It was on success. 430 00:16:48,943 --> 00:16:51,053 It was on self. It was on sex. 431 00:16:51,053 --> 00:16:53,242 It was on fun. It was on pleasure. 432 00:16:53,242 --> 00:16:55,641 And it was constantly geared on how to get 433 00:16:55,641 --> 00:16:57,752 those things. 434 00:16:57,752 --> 00:17:00,049 The mind that is set on the things of the Spirit 435 00:17:00,049 --> 00:17:03,444 is a mind that now thinks and is consumed with Christ 436 00:17:03,444 --> 00:17:05,451 and righteousness and the Word 437 00:17:05,451 --> 00:17:07,024 and the glory of God, 438 00:17:07,024 --> 00:17:09,358 and how to love God's people, 439 00:17:09,358 --> 00:17:12,325 and how to please the Lord. 440 00:17:12,325 --> 00:17:15,005 If that hasn't radically changed in your life, 441 00:17:15,005 --> 00:17:18,196 folks, you're still the old man. 442 00:17:18,196 --> 00:17:20,378 The old hasn't passed away. 443 00:17:20,378 --> 00:17:22,172 We were dead in trespasses and sins, 444 00:17:22,172 --> 00:17:24,103 now we've been made alive in Christ. 445 00:17:24,103 --> 00:17:25,785 If you don't know anything about that 446 00:17:25,785 --> 00:17:28,471 radical transformation of life in Christ, 447 00:17:28,471 --> 00:17:31,485 folks, that's the idea here 448 00:17:31,485 --> 00:17:33,783 behind practicing righteousness. 449 00:17:33,783 --> 00:17:35,586 It's not perfection. 450 00:17:35,586 --> 00:17:38,379 But it's definitely a life of goodness 451 00:17:38,379 --> 00:17:41,389 and righteousness where that is the norm. 452 00:17:41,389 --> 00:17:44,033 That is habitual. 453 00:17:44,033 --> 00:17:45,953 That you are striving to do what is right. 454 00:17:45,953 --> 00:17:47,574 Yes, it's going to be intermixed with sin. 455 00:17:47,574 --> 00:17:50,040 Yes, we fall short of loving God with all our heart, 456 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:51,178 mind, soul, and strength. 457 00:17:51,178 --> 00:17:53,584 And we fall short of that every single day. 458 00:17:53,584 --> 00:17:54,948 Every single hour. 459 00:17:54,948 --> 00:17:56,619 But is there a radical change 460 00:17:56,619 --> 00:17:58,373 to where we do want to love, 461 00:17:58,373 --> 00:18:00,838 we do want to please, we do want His glory? 462 00:18:00,838 --> 00:18:02,292 Yes, there is. 463 00:18:02,292 --> 00:18:05,344 And does that compel us and prompt us 464 00:18:05,344 --> 00:18:07,955 and move us to a life that's radically different 465 00:18:07,955 --> 00:18:08,899 than before? 466 00:18:08,899 --> 00:18:09,825 Absolutely. 467 00:18:09,825 --> 00:18:11,395 And if you can't tell any difference between 468 00:18:11,395 --> 00:18:14,006 your life now and what you claim was your life 469 00:18:14,006 --> 00:18:14,888 as a lost person, 470 00:18:14,888 --> 00:18:19,374 then you're still lost.