Welcome to Living Grace Community Church!

1. Welcome to Living Grace Community Church! Bob and Joyce Werntz

2. Prepare For War! 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” NIV Our sinful desires war against our souls

3. James 1:14 “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” We are tempted by our own evil desire

4. We must prepare for this war against our souls… we must try to win every battle… because when we sin, we fall short of God’s best for us… and for those around us… …and that can get messy.

5. When we witness a saint fall from grace… …and create a mess… …ours is not to judge, but to learn… …and make our own plans for not being the next saint to fall… …and create a mess.

6. Definitions of Sin err offense offend trespass miss the mark and not share in the prize something contrary to the character of God

7. affects our relationship with God Penalty for sin: Holy Spirit indwells the believer – no longer slave to sin Protection from sin: Remedy for sin: confession and repentance Immunity from sin: none Result of sin: a mess

8. What makes a saint susceptible to sin? Sin nature Temptation Weariness Justification

9. Top Ten Justifications For Sin: #6 I deserve this #7 It’s not so bad #8 I’m right about this #9 Just one more #10 Just this once

10. Justifications For Sin: #1 No one will ever know #2 God will forgive me #3 I’m saved, so it’s all good #4 I can’t help myself #5 This won’t hurt anyone

11. Pride Arguably at the root of all sin arrogance, haughtiness, swelling, presumption Going our own way, not God’s

12. Pr 8:13 ‘I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.’ Pr 11:2 ‘When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.’ Pr 16:18 ‘Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.’ Pr 29:23 ‘A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.’

13. Is 25:11 ‘God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands.’ Daniel 4:37 ‘And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.’

14. HEALTHY UNDERSTANDING OF SIN Healthy definition of sin We tend to rank our sins and forgive ourselves for our favorites, and those less dramatic… in our opinion It’s not our opinion about sin that matters – God’s opinion matters… …and in God’s economy, sin is sin

15. Let’s not forget sins of omission Jas 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

16. Healthy understanding of God’s nature God is love God is judgment Rom 8:8 “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”

17. Ex 20:20b “God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” A healthy fear of God can keep us from sinning

18. Healthy understanding of God’s rewards Crowns from God! Jas 1:12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

19. Do you really love Jesus? John 14:23 “Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.” Those who love Jesus obey Jesus and will receive the crown of life Christ Followers vs Christ Obeyers

20. Healthy understanding of our weakness against temptation Living on the edge What might happen if we play with fire?

21. Healthy understanding of the benefits of living godly lives Less Mess – for us and others God knows what is best for us, so why do we justify choosing something less?

22. Healthy understanding of the victory that Christ won for us on the cross Salvation – past forgiven, future secure We are also saved in the present from the power of our sin nature We are no longer slaves to sin

23. The good news = we have the choice not to sin The bad news = we have no excuse for sinning 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.”

24. Spiritual Super Bowl – every day! Satan scores when we do not abstain from sinful desires Impulse control 2 Cor 10:5b “…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

25. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than… permission! The Sin Cycle: sin, ask for forgiveness, sin, ask for forgiveness, sin

26. Can we learn to recognize our sin nature in action and control it before it leads us to let down our guard and act on sinful desires? Would you please repeat the question?  Can we learn to recognize our sin nature in action and control it before it leads us to let down our guard and act on sinful desires?

27. Yes we can! Luke 1:37 ‘For nothing is impossible with God’ Quiet Time Prepare for the war!

28. What makes you personally susceptible to sin? To which sins are you personally most susceptible?

29. What justifications for sinning do you typically use? What is your plan for abstaining from sinful desires that war against your soul?

30. We are saved from being slaves to our sin nature We are saved with the power to say ‘no’ to our sin nature

31. May the fear of God be with us to keep us from sinning… …for our personal well-being, and for the well-being of those around us.

32. 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.”