Welcome to Living Grace Community Church! Bob and Joyce Werntz

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.’

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.’

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

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.”

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

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

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.”

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

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

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?

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

The bad news = we have no excuse for sinning The good news = we have the choice not to sin 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.”

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.”

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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.

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.”