The moment before the pain begins….

Hebrews 12:14 (personal translation) Pursue hard (strive) after peace with everyone and holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Holiness in all of life: A call to a ruthless pursuit of Jesus ~ reflections from Romans 7

1. Death to law – an analogy from marriage Holiness in all of life 1. Death to law – an analogy from marriage

1. Death to law – an analogy from marriage Holiness in all of life 1. Death to law – an analogy from marriage Romans 7:1-3 1Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

2. Released from law to serve in new way of the Spirit Holiness in all of life 2. Released from law to serve in new way of the Spirit Romans 7:4-6 4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

You gotta serve somebody…

3. Did God’s law cause me to sin? Holiness in all of life 3. Did God’s law cause me to sin? Romans 7:7-12 7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead.

3. Did God’s law cause me to sin? Holiness in all of life 3. Did God’s law cause me to sin? Romans 7:7-12 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

What is Sin?

What is Sin? Romans 1:21-25 21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Actions

Actions Motives

Actions Motives Deeper issues (insecurity, fear, anger, bitterness, shattered dreams, unforgiveness)

Actions Motives Deeper issues (insecurity, fear, anger, bitterness, shattered dreams, unforgiveness) Idolatry

“Years ago a friend gave me what he called his “Formula: How to Know Right from Wrong.” The formula asks four questions based on three verses in 1 Corinthians:

“‘Everything is permissible for me’—but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Question 1: Is it helpful—physically, spiritually, and mentally?

2. “‘Everything is permissible for me’—but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Question 2: Does it bring me under its power?

3. “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall” (1 Corinthians 8:13). Question 3: Does it hurt others?

Question 4: Does it glorify God? 4. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Question 4: Does it glorify God? ~ Jerry Bridges. (1978). The Pursuit of Holiness (page 88).

Areas of life we need holiness

Areas of life we need holiness Holiness in Body

Areas of life we need holiness Holiness in Body Holiness in Mind

Areas of life we need holiness Holiness in Body Holiness in Mind Holiness in Spirit

Areas of life we need holiness Holiness in Body Holiness in Mind Holiness in Spirit Holiness in Will

Areas of life we need holiness Holiness in Body Holiness in Mind Holiness in Spirit Holiness in Will Holiness in Actions

4. Isn’t it then God’s fault indirectly? Holiness in all of life 4. Isn’t it then God’s fault indirectly? Romans 7:13 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

5. The Absolute War going on within believers Holiness in all of life 5. The Absolute War going on within believers Romans 7:14-20 14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

5. The Absolute War going on within believers Holiness in all of life 5. The Absolute War going on within believers Romans 7:14-20 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

“Jonathan Edwards, who resolved never to do anything he would be afraid to do if it were the last hour of his life, also made this resolution: “Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.” At first glance these two resolutions seem somewhat contradictory. If Edwards had resolved never to do anything he shouldn’t do, then why talk about never giving up the fight regardless of how unsuccessful he might be? Was he not sincere in making the first resolution? Yes, he was sincere, but he also knew there would be much failure and that perseverance was required. So he first resolved to seek to live a holy life, then to persevere despite the failures he knew would come.” ~ Jerry Bridges. (1978). The Pursuit of Holiness (page 45-45).

6. Taking no prisoners: the role of disciplined fighting Holiness in all of life 6. Taking no prisoners: the role of disciplined fighting Romans 7:21-25 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

“The Apostle John said, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin” (1 John 2:1). The whole purpose of John’s letter, he says, is that we not sin. One day as I was studying this chapter I realized that my personal life’s objective regarding holiness was less than that of John’s. He was saying, in effect, “Make it your aim not to sin.” As I thought about this, I realized that deep within my heart my real aim was not to sin very much. I found it difficult to say, “Yes, Lord, from here on I will make it my aim not to sin.”

“I realized God was calling me that day to a deeper level of commitment to holiness than I had previously been willing to make. Can you imagine a soldier going into battle with the aim of “not getting hit very much”? The very suggestion is ridiculous. His aim is not to get hit at all! Yet if we have not made a commitment to holiness without exception, we are like a soldier going into battle with the aim of not getting hit very much. We can be sure if that is our aim, we will be hit—not with bullets, but with temptation over and over again.” ~ Jerry Bridges. (1978). The Pursuit of Holiness (page 92-92).

Gospel Applications:

Do you repent from sin?

Do you repent from sin? DON’T:

Do you repent from sin? DON’T: Downplay

Do you repent from sin? DON’T: Downplay Worship

Do you repent from sin? DON’T: Downplay Worship Try Harder

Do you repent from sin? DON’T: Downplay Worship Try Harder Repay

Do you have a plan at all how to battle?

Do you have a plan at all how to battle? Intake Word of God

Do you have a plan at all how to battle? Intake Word of God Prayer

Do you have a plan at all how to battle? Intake Word of God Prayer Truth Tellers

Do you have a plan at all how to battle? Outake

Do you have a plan at all how to battle? Outake What needs to be jettisoned from your life to pursue a life of following Jesus

“The Gospel is that I am far worse than I imagine and simultaneously more loved and accepted by God than I ever dared hope for — because of Jesus death for me.”