March 10th, 2023
by Steve Marshall
by Steve Marshall
September 20, 2019
Hello Church Family:
What parts of the natural state of fallen humanity cling to your life? Selfishness? Strife? Profanity? Worry? Gluttony? Seriously… how has your fallen nature shown itself this week? Not only does the Fall effect us in our daily lives and relationships but we stand condemned if we were to stand without Jesus Christ who has come to be our rescue from our fallen condemned state. Jesus has come to give us the power to rise above our fallen human desires that perpetually call for us to submit, submit, submit! Our flesh says come and indulge me and in return our flesh kills us (Romans 8). The Holy Spirit of God has been given to us to conquer life destructive sins that keep us in our fallen state. We are called to rise above our fallen humanity in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Gospel, is not just for our salvation but also for our daily sanctification to overcome our fallen humanity.
But, unfortunately, not all of Christians are convinced that Jesus has come to rescue them from every sin. The result is a daily struggle with the same sin they have struggled with for the last 2 years or last 20 years. They may think, the Gospel… Ok, yes, it is good news… so what is for lunch? They move on with other things in life and there is not a daily Gospel confrontation of their fallenness. The result is that the Gospel does not produce the life change that Jesus has intended it to produce. That is very defeating. Then the result is a life filled with joylessness and hopelessness. They keep losing the battle over the natural fallen human nature. How does this happen?
The answer is that people are operating under one of two principles:
1) The Principle of Religion which is, “I obey and do this and that and check off my list to make me righteous and therefore I will be accepted by God.”
OR
2) The Principle of the Gospel which is, “ I am rescued and made righteous and fully accepted by God through Jesus Christ so I obey and delight and and joyfully hope.”
We all fit into one of these two heart patterns. But the results are two drastically different lives being lived out from either principle. These principles create two different people with two different outcomes in life. If someone lives under the principle of religion they will miss the grace of God. God’s grace is the Gospel. They are depending upon their own works and behaviors instead of Jesus Christ's. Their hope and joy comes from their own success and failures. Success this morning means happiness but defeat in the afternoon means defeat and hopelessness. Ultimately, they have become their own God dictating what makes them righteous and joyful instead of Christ. They become their own savior. There is no Gospel.
The principle of the Gospel says that we are far more sinful that we can ever imagine and we are loved abundantly greater than we will ever be able to comprehend. The principle of the Gospel gives us a new way to look at ourself. We are loved infinitely more than we can ever achieve. The Gospel destroys Christian snobbery because we are the chief of sinners saved by God’s grace. The Gospel principle reminds us of how great our debt of fallenness was and that we were unable to pay that debt. We remember our former hopeless state which is quickly overcome simultaneously by the eternal hope that releases us from condemnation of an unpaid debt in Jesus Christ. Knowing the size of our eternal debt creates an eternal joy that is infinitely greater than any suffering on this earth! Knowing that we were completely condemned and hopeless and nothing good was within us before Christ means that we know our great debt. Knowing this great debt will create great joy in Christ. That is life in the Gospel principle.
Being saved by grace means that there is no limit to what God can ask from you. So… what is in your closet? Jesus has come to give you freedom from whatever hangs in your life’s closet through the Gospel?
This Sunday we will be further looking into a life effected by the Gospel Principle.
I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday, Steve
What parts of the natural state of fallen humanity cling to your life? Selfishness? Strife? Profanity? Worry? Gluttony? Seriously… how has your fallen nature shown itself this week? Not only does the Fall effect us in our daily lives and relationships but we stand condemned if we were to stand without Jesus Christ who has come to be our rescue from our fallen condemned state. Jesus has come to give us the power to rise above our fallen human desires that perpetually call for us to submit, submit, submit! Our flesh says come and indulge me and in return our flesh kills us (Romans 8). The Holy Spirit of God has been given to us to conquer life destructive sins that keep us in our fallen state. We are called to rise above our fallen humanity in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Gospel, is not just for our salvation but also for our daily sanctification to overcome our fallen humanity.
But, unfortunately, not all of Christians are convinced that Jesus has come to rescue them from every sin. The result is a daily struggle with the same sin they have struggled with for the last 2 years or last 20 years. They may think, the Gospel… Ok, yes, it is good news… so what is for lunch? They move on with other things in life and there is not a daily Gospel confrontation of their fallenness. The result is that the Gospel does not produce the life change that Jesus has intended it to produce. That is very defeating. Then the result is a life filled with joylessness and hopelessness. They keep losing the battle over the natural fallen human nature. How does this happen?
The answer is that people are operating under one of two principles:
1) The Principle of Religion which is, “I obey and do this and that and check off my list to make me righteous and therefore I will be accepted by God.”
OR
2) The Principle of the Gospel which is, “ I am rescued and made righteous and fully accepted by God through Jesus Christ so I obey and delight and and joyfully hope.”
We all fit into one of these two heart patterns. But the results are two drastically different lives being lived out from either principle. These principles create two different people with two different outcomes in life. If someone lives under the principle of religion they will miss the grace of God. God’s grace is the Gospel. They are depending upon their own works and behaviors instead of Jesus Christ's. Their hope and joy comes from their own success and failures. Success this morning means happiness but defeat in the afternoon means defeat and hopelessness. Ultimately, they have become their own God dictating what makes them righteous and joyful instead of Christ. They become their own savior. There is no Gospel.
The principle of the Gospel says that we are far more sinful that we can ever imagine and we are loved abundantly greater than we will ever be able to comprehend. The principle of the Gospel gives us a new way to look at ourself. We are loved infinitely more than we can ever achieve. The Gospel destroys Christian snobbery because we are the chief of sinners saved by God’s grace. The Gospel principle reminds us of how great our debt of fallenness was and that we were unable to pay that debt. We remember our former hopeless state which is quickly overcome simultaneously by the eternal hope that releases us from condemnation of an unpaid debt in Jesus Christ. Knowing the size of our eternal debt creates an eternal joy that is infinitely greater than any suffering on this earth! Knowing that we were completely condemned and hopeless and nothing good was within us before Christ means that we know our great debt. Knowing this great debt will create great joy in Christ. That is life in the Gospel principle.
Being saved by grace means that there is no limit to what God can ask from you. So… what is in your closet? Jesus has come to give you freedom from whatever hangs in your life’s closet through the Gospel?
This Sunday we will be further looking into a life effected by the Gospel Principle.
I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday, Steve
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