Welcome! Sunday Bible Classes 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM 5:30 PM Wednesday Bible Classes 7:00 PM Bibles and copies of sermons are available Please silence your cell phones www.SunsetchurchofChrist.net

Romans 3 The value of the law Law is NOT condemnation I Timothy 3:16

Romans 3 Does every man sin vs. do all sin? The nature of Sin

Romans 1-3 The totality of sin The need for justification apart from law

Welcome! Sunday Bible Classes 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM 5:30 PM Wednesday Bible Classes 7:00 PM Bibles and copies of sermons are available Please silence your cell phones www.SunsetchurchofChrist.net

Songs I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Psalm 104:33 Songs

Victimized Christians? Have we become victimized Christians, willing and able to allow ourselves to lose control?

Trial of the Century: Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb Leopold and Loeb, two wealthy Univ. of Chicago students who (1924) murdered a 14 year old boy for fun. Their trial was called the trial of the century because of the unique defense used by Clarence Darrow, who pleaded guilty but sought mitigating evidence that Leopold and Loeb were the vicitims of their education and environment.

Trial of the Century: Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb Leopold and Loeb, two wealthy Univ. of Chicago students who (1924) murdered a 14 year old boy for fun. Their trial was called the trial of the century because of the unique defense used by Clarence Darrow, who pleaded guilty but sought mitigating evidence that Leopold and Loeb were the vicitims of their education and environment.

Trial of the Century: Leopold and Loeb “Darrow appealed to the belief among evolutionists, reinforced by the then-popular psychiatric theories of Sigmund Freud, that a man's character is derived from many external influences. As the man cannot control those influences — most especially his genetic makeup — the man cannot be held responsible for his actions.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_and_Loeb Is any blame attached because somebody took Nietzsche's philosophy seriously and fashioned his life upon it? … it is hardly fair to hang a 19-year-old boy for the philosophy that was taught him at the university.“ – Clarence Darrow, in 12 hour

Trial of the Century: Leopold and Loeb “Is any blame attached because somebody took Nietzsche's philosophy seriously and fashioned his life upon it? … it is hardly fair to hang a 19-year-old boy for the philosophy that was taught him at the university.“ Clarence Darrow

Victimization Victimization: Attachment of the status of victim 7 out of 10 people are self-identified as victims One study determined 109% of population are victims of some sort Victim: someone who's relinquished control over some part of their lives to something or someone else. Tiger Woods identified his problems as being because of addictions; We are living in what is more often a “Victim Culture”; In England, 7 out of 10 people are identified as victims by the government 109% stat and 7-10 stat from 2006 UK Human Rights study http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-409505/Victim-culture-means-seven-feel-oppressed.html

Great “Victims” of the Bible Adam: Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.“ Genesis 3:12 She made me do it! There are some great “victims” in the Bible, people who appealed to God for mercy for their sins, because they claimed someone else made them do it

Great “Victims” of the Bible Aaron: So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.” Exodus 32:22 The people made me do it!

Great “Victims” of the Bible Saul: And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash………I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering." 1 Samuel 13:11-12 You and the people made me do it!

Great “Victims” of the Bible Saul: Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” 1 Samuel 15:24 The people made me do it!

Great “Victims” of the Bible The One Talent Man: "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. Matthew 25:24 You (God) made me do it!

Victimized Christians: Acknowledgment of sin No acknowledgment of guilt Not real repentance

Victimized Christians: My parents, children or family My emotional condition My experiences My husband or wife My church or religious experiences I drink because I am from a family of alcoholics; I quit going to church because of the hypocrites; I am addicted to sex/drugs/booze/gambling; I sin because I am depressed; I am not faithful because my wife/husband is not faithful; I am in debt because of the credit card companies

Does God Excuse “Victims” Adam? Aaron? Saul? One talent man? Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires Did God excuse any of the “victims” of the Bible? In fact, God states that there is no mitigating factor for sin

God’s Judgment Criteria Ezekiel 18:3-24 God told ezekiel that regardless of your (familial) experiences, sin is your own dilemma; the soul that sins will be punished

Christians CANNOT Be Victims! So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.“ Genesis 4:6-7 From the beginning God told man that we are responsible for ourselves and to rule over sin. There is no sin we cannot overcome (I Cor 10)

Christians CANNOT Be Victims! How can we: repent if it is not our fault? grow if we are not weak? “sin no more” if it’s uncontrollable? “Victims” can’t be forgiven! If we acquiesce to being victims, it becomes impossible to be Christians. We cannot repent, grow or cease to sin if we relinquish power to do so as victims.

Christians CANNOT Be Victims! So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” 2 Samuel 12:13 David could have blamed Bathsheba for his temptation, but he took all responsibility. God forgave him David might have pointed out God himself sent the temptation (I Chron 21:1), or blamed the people. But he specifically said he alone was to blame

Christians CANNOT Be Victims! And David said to God, "Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.“ 1 Chronicles 21:17 David could have blamed Bathsheba for his temptation, but he took all responsibility. God forgave him David might have pointed out God himself sent the temptation (I Chron 21:1), or blamed the people. But he specifically said he alone was to blame

Christians CANNOT Be Victims! Abraham: pagan heritage Ruth: a Moabite David: faithless children Josiah: a wicked father James and John: sons of thunder Peter: predisposed to rashness Timothy: an unfaithful father Such beliefs are a clear logical order from evolution. Such who seek a spiritual answer in science will ultimately personify nature (mother nature)

Taking Responsibility: 1 Kings 21:25-29 “Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days”

Taking Responsibility: I am spiritually weak because…… I am morally weak because….. I have not stopped sinning because….. My family life suffers because….. My finances suffer because……

Taking Responsibility: I have not yet obeyed the Gospel because And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.‘ Acts 22:16