WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.620 I invite you to turn to Romans 8. I'm really grateful to be with you this morning. It's such a blessing to be with the people of God. 00:00:10.619 --> 00:00:24.119 Romans 8. I'm going to read from verse 5 to 9. 00:00:26.059 --> 00:00:30.520 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.700 For those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:40.579 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life. 00:00:40.779 --> 00:00:41.279 And peace. 00:00:42.199 --> 00:00:45.659 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile towards God. 00:00:46.219 --> 00:00:48.339 For it does not submit to God's law. 00:00:48.559 --> 00:00:49.640 Indeed, it cannot. 00:00:50.459 --> 00:00:53.119 And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 00:00:54.099 --> 00:00:57.500 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. 00:00:58.339 --> 00:01:00.599 If, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. 00:01:01.019 --> 00:01:04.680 Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:08.159 Just pray really fast for me again. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:11.599 And, Father, we entrust this to you. 00:01:11.659 --> 00:01:12.479 This is your word. 00:01:12.619 --> 00:01:19.159 And I pray that for your name's sake and for the sake of ministering to your people, you would make it plain to us. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:21.379 Lord, we praise you for your grace. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:23.659 And we ask that you would move among us. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:24.799 In Christ's name. 00:01:25.060 --> 00:01:25.239 Amen. 00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:39.179 Throughout Romans, we've been, from chapters 5 to chapters 8, we've been discussing how believers that are in Christ have a confidence and they have a hope of a future glory. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:43.399 And we're now moving into chapter 8. 00:01:44.099 --> 00:01:47.199 And John kind of started us off with that and made them before that. 00:01:47.699 --> 00:01:49.479 I'm not going to revisit everything he said. 00:01:49.579 --> 00:01:51.780 It was really, really, really great. 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:58.159 I encourage you to go back and listen to that if you missed it last week about the previous verses up to verse 5. 00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:06.780 And Paul begins now to celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer as a result of what Christ has done. 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:15.240 And so, I'm going to just revisit what John said just so we can kind of continue from last week just really fast. 00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:18.379 We couldn't deliver ourselves from the power of the law. 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:22.000 The law in itself was a good, righteous, and holy thing. 00:02:22.099 --> 00:02:24.199 But we, the problem was with us. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:25.420 We could not keep the law. 00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:27.039 We failed to keep the law. 00:02:27.099 --> 00:02:33.420 And in every sense of the way, in action as well as in motive, we failed to keep the law of God. 00:02:33.419 --> 00:02:43.219 And so, what John spoke on last week was that Christ came and lived the life and died the death on our behalf. 00:02:43.779 --> 00:02:47.859 He suffered the penalty of our sin and we were clothed in His righteousness. 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:52.000 So, in Christ now, there is now no condemnation. 00:02:52.519 --> 00:02:54.299 No condemnation from God. 00:02:54.419 --> 00:02:57.560 No judgment from God on behalf of those who are in Christ. 00:02:57.699 --> 00:02:59.419 Christ was our substitute. 00:02:59.619 --> 00:03:00.500 He took our place. 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:04.379 He died the death that we deserved and lived a life that we could not live. 00:03:05.020 --> 00:03:08.620 And so, that is the awesome story of the atoning work of Christ. 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:15.120 So, moving into the next verses now, we begin to kind of move back to the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:23.979 And a lot of people in our churches today are pretty ignorant when it comes to the Holy Spirit. 00:03:23.979 --> 00:03:29.519 You need to be aware that your salvation was a Trinitarian thing. 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:34.539 The Father acted, the Son acted, and the Holy Spirit acted to bring you salvation. 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:39.239 It wasn't just the Father, not just the Son, but it was also the Holy Spirit. 00:03:39.359 --> 00:03:42.899 And they all had different roles that they acted together. 00:03:42.900 --> 00:03:52.560 And it is from the Holy Spirit that all the blessings of salvation are brought to us and applied to us. 00:03:53.819 --> 00:03:56.040 The Holy Spirit is the agent of the new birth. 00:03:56.140 --> 00:03:59.759 All throughout Romans 8, you'll read these different things about the Spirit. 00:04:00.420 --> 00:04:03.580 The Spirit is the one who raises us from spiritual death to life. 00:04:04.379 --> 00:04:05.740 He's the agent of the new birth. 00:04:05.860 --> 00:04:09.040 He brings us no condemnation status with God. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:12.900 He applies the gospel to us. 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:18.980 Christ achieved it, but the Holy Spirit applies the blood and applies the righteousness of Christ to us. 00:04:19.620 --> 00:04:22.019 He's our guarantee of eternal glory later. 00:04:23.039 --> 00:04:24.599 And also, He aids us in our prayers. 00:04:24.719 --> 00:04:27.480 We'll see these things just coming up in chapter 8. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:32.719 So, I want you to look really fast at verse 9 that we just read. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:38.539 Wes is going to speak on this next week, so I'm not going to really go after this long. 00:04:38.540 --> 00:04:40.060 But, it says, 00:04:40.180 --> 00:04:43.439 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. 00:04:44.260 --> 00:04:51.340 If, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:58.420 So, from this text, we can assume a safe thing. 00:04:59.200 --> 00:05:06.420 Our text says that there is only two kinds of people in the world and only two kinds of people in this room today. 00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:13.240 There are those who are controlled by the flesh, those who are without Christ, unbelievers. 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:19.720 And there are those who are controlled by the Spirit, those who have been saved by Christ, believers. 00:05:20.180 --> 00:05:23.100 So, there's only two options there. 00:05:23.100 --> 00:05:28.140 So, we're going to kind of examine that today. 00:05:28.820 --> 00:05:35.000 Scripture teaches us that we're supposed to step back and examine ourselves to see whether or not we are in the faith or not. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:39.540 Because there's a lot of people who think they are, but they are not. 00:05:39.540 --> 00:05:44.580 But, once someone is in Christ, they can't lose that. 00:05:45.260 --> 00:05:47.879 But, the Scripture is also clear that many people deceive themselves. 00:05:48.080 --> 00:05:55.220 Jesus Himself said that a lot of people will come to Him on the Judgment Day and expect to be rewarded by Christ. 00:05:55.280 --> 00:05:55.900 But, they won't be. 00:05:55.939 --> 00:05:56.759 They'll be turned away. 00:05:57.320 --> 00:05:59.200 And He will say, I never knew you. 00:05:59.540 --> 00:06:00.480 It's in Matthew 7. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:09.759 So, I want you to look back up to verse 4 just a little bit there in Romans that John spoke on last week. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:11.759 And the last part of it says, 00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:16.800 Who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 00:06:17.900 --> 00:06:22.379 And this idea, this Greek word for live or walk, 00:06:22.379 --> 00:06:28.439 It means like your lifestyle, your behavior, your outward daily conduct, the way you think. 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:30.399 That's what this implies. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:34.540 So, if we were to kind of observe your life for a week, 00:06:35.060 --> 00:06:37.480 and your actions and all the things that go on, 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:39.300 what would we be able to tell? 00:06:40.579 --> 00:06:42.319 That person is born again. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:46.459 That person has the Spirit of Christ based on the way you behave throughout the week. 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:50.560 With some degree of certainty, we could, but not totally. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.439 There's a lot of people who know the theology, 00:06:53.620 --> 00:06:57.199 and who can be really clean on the outside, but be completely dead inside. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:59.759 But, to some degree of certainty, we can know. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:08.740 We see, in verse 4, we see that our behavior is based on what? 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:11.040 The way we walk is based on what? 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:15.660 And you see it connected to the way we think, our minds. 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:19.699 Like, the way we act is a product of the way we think. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.280 And so, we're going to kind of look at that today. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:24.899 I mean, we know that in Proverbs 23, I believe, 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.319 it says, as the old version says, 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.160 As a man thinks, so he is. 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:36.600 And so, we have to have proper, correct knowledge about God and who he is and about who we are. 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:41.780 Here, where it talks about the mind in our text. 00:07:41.820 --> 00:07:44.379 It talks about the way we think, the mind. 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:53.800 It's used for all the mental affections and mental activity, including emotions, your will, your intellect, all these things. 00:07:54.300 --> 00:07:56.700 Those who have their minds set on the flesh and the Spirit. 00:07:56.699 --> 00:08:04.479 And there was a great guy by the name of John Owen, a Puritan pastor a long time ago. 00:08:04.539 --> 00:08:06.680 And he said something pretty profound. 00:08:06.819 --> 00:08:13.579 He said, in relation to how spiritually minded are you, how much do you think about eternal things? 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:18.039 And God's truth, this was like a good way to ask that question. 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:21.720 Or how carnally minded are you, how fleshly minded are you? 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:28.340 He said, what do you think about when you are not thinking about anything particular? 00:08:29.580 --> 00:08:30.820 Where does your mind go? 00:08:31.420 --> 00:08:34.899 When you're not deliberately trying to set your mind on something, where does your mind go? 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:39.399 Does it go to worldly things and fleshly things, sinful things? 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:43.700 Or does it go to the spiritual like Christ and His truth? 00:08:44.980 --> 00:08:47.320 So, I have like four things for us to look at today. 00:08:47.320 --> 00:08:53.320 The first one, the first point is, how does one become a true believer? 00:08:54.300 --> 00:08:55.879 How does one become a true believer? 00:08:56.780 --> 00:09:00.420 We're going to look at verse 7 or 8 first for this one. 00:09:00.520 --> 00:09:04.620 It says, for the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile towards God. 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:07.520 For it does not submit to God's law. 00:09:08.280 --> 00:09:09.340 Indeed, it cannot. 00:09:10.140 --> 00:09:12.620 And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 00:09:12.620 --> 00:09:21.740 Okay, now all of us in here, even those who are born again, who are saved at one point in our lives. 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:23.320 You might not even remember when that was. 00:09:23.399 --> 00:09:24.379 I definitely do. 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:26.080 But some people may not. 00:09:26.259 --> 00:09:27.299 This was all true for us. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.539 We all once lived in the flesh. 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:32.159 We all once lived according to the world. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:34.500 This was us at one point. 00:09:35.139 --> 00:09:40.860 And a lot of us can recall at the same time when we heard the gospel and God brought us salvation and we were changed. 00:09:41.439 --> 00:09:42.519 Many of us can't. 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:43.899 And that's okay. 00:09:44.079 --> 00:09:45.819 That's not really the point. 00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:52.459 But one time or another, we who all love Christ, like did not love Christ. 00:09:52.539 --> 00:09:54.139 We did not follow Him. 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:55.480 Something happened to us. 00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:02.759 Some of us might remember having Jesus really early in our lives and wanting to follow Him and obey Him. 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:05.059 But there was a time when our hearts did not belong to Him. 00:10:05.699 --> 00:10:06.740 So what happened? 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:10.860 How did people like rebels become loyal servants of the King? 00:10:10.860 --> 00:10:15.220 How did those who once opposed Christ now stand with Christ? 00:10:16.580 --> 00:10:17.379 What happened? 00:10:18.259 --> 00:10:21.840 They didn't just wake up one day and decide to do this. 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:23.419 It was something that happened to us. 00:10:24.139 --> 00:10:29.220 And that is the mystery of what we call in Scripture regeneration or being born again. 00:10:29.699 --> 00:10:33.319 This is a scriptural word that we read throughout many places. 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:42.919 But two points under this one, under number one, is before Christ we were utterly helpless. 00:10:43.899 --> 00:10:45.500 Utterly helpless before Christ. 00:10:46.059 --> 00:10:47.199 Turn to Ephesians 2. 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:50.819 Keep your hand in Romans, but turn to Ephesians 2. 00:10:51.460 --> 00:10:53.819 I only have a few places for you to turn this morning. 00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:59.220 Ephesians 2. 00:10:59.220 --> 00:10:59.500 Ephesians 2. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:07.039 And in this text we're going to see how that before Christ we were desperate, helpless. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:09.879 And this is Paul writing. 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:16.519 And he's talking to Ephesians who are now Christians, but now saying there was a time when we all once lived this way. 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:17.519 Verse 1. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:19.340 Verse 1. 00:11:19.340 --> 00:11:29.019 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, 00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:37.319 the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we once lived in the passions of our flesh, 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:43.940 carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind. 00:11:43.940 --> 00:11:49.280 So, I encourage you to go back and study this. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.279 I'm more in death. 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:57.860 But a few things to point out is that a lot of people have this idea that we were kind of sick spiritually. 00:11:58.899 --> 00:12:05.240 That we had some kind of, you know, we were sick and we were in our bed and Jesus came and gave us some medicine and we got better. 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:08.159 But the reality is that's just not true at all. 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:10.539 We were dead in our trespasses. 00:12:10.820 --> 00:12:13.259 And the word used here is corpse. 00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:15.019 It's like someone sitting in a casket. 00:12:15.740 --> 00:12:17.500 And that's the picture of us spiritually. 00:12:18.560 --> 00:12:22.519 And we cannot do anything to help ourselves. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.019 A corpse cannot do anything. 00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:28.419 Also from this text, we see that under the control of Satan. 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:29.759 You see that in verse 2. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:32.740 And he's speaking in the past tense. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:34.700 You were, because he's talking to Christians now. 00:12:35.500 --> 00:12:37.220 We were controlled by Satan. 00:12:37.340 --> 00:12:40.840 And we followed the way this world thought rather than what God thought. 00:12:41.659 --> 00:12:45.879 So, we also see that we were controlled by our flesh. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:52.139 And as a result of the fall, men are blind in death to spiritual truth. 00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:54.639 They can't understand it in and of themselves. 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:59.700 They might be able to intellectually grasp it, but it can't go from their head to their heart. 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:00.700 The saving faith. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:06.720 And this word that we're using throughout our text of Romans is like fleshly, natural. 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:13.779 It means that the term used for unbelievers to define the way lost people walk. 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:15.100 They're controlled by their flesh. 00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:21.139 Like things like eating, sleeping, sex, comfort. 00:13:21.220 --> 00:13:23.100 Those are things that your flesh really, really wants. 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:25.600 And those are things that your flesh needs. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:26.460 We need those to live. 00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:29.600 But this is talking in a way that this is what governs your life. 00:13:29.660 --> 00:13:30.580 It controls your life. 00:13:30.660 --> 00:13:31.500 It steers your life. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:32.960 And that's all you live for. 00:13:33.040 --> 00:13:35.220 You don't live for anything else. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:37.900 It's blowing all those things out of proportion. 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:43.419 So we were blind to God's beauty, to God's majesty, to God's glory. 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:45.579 And that we were at war with him. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:50.120 And it says right here that we were by nature children of wrath as the rest of mankind. 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:55.399 So we weren't just having a little bit of an issue and Jesus helped us out. 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:57.639 We were dead in our trespasses. 00:13:58.199 --> 00:14:01.299 And we could not understand the things of the Spirit of God. 00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:04.019 And 1 Corinthians 2.14 says this, 00:14:04.699 --> 00:14:10.079 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:15.279 And he is not able to understand them, because he is spiritually discerned. 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:21.459 So this was a desperate, desperate condition that we were in before Christ. 00:14:21.460 --> 00:14:28.660 Which leads us to part B underneath number 1, which is what happened to us. 00:14:28.700 --> 00:14:32.740 And we're going to see the Holy Spirit regenerated our hearts. 00:14:33.180 --> 00:14:35.080 Turn to John chapter 3. 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:45.440 This is a pretty amazing text where Jesus is talking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus. 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:53.720 John 3. 00:14:57.400 --> 00:15:00.060 We'll start in verse 3. 00:15:02.780 --> 00:15:04.019 Jesus answered him, 00:15:04.920 --> 00:15:10.519 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:12.600 Nicodemus said to him, 00:15:12.820 --> 00:15:15.080 How can a man be born when he is old? 00:15:15.680 --> 00:15:18.519 Can he not enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.279 Jesus answered, 00:15:20.419 --> 00:15:27.179 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:32.279 That which is born of flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:35.659 Do not marvel that I say to you, you must be born again. 00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:38.799 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound. 00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:42.519 But you do not know where it goes, or where it comes, or where it goes. 00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:46.139 So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. 00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:52.620 And Nicodemus definitely is thinking like physical, like this can't happen. 00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:56.379 And Jesus is trying to say, No, no, this is not a spiritual thing. 00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:58.980 This is a supernatural thing that happens. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:09.279 And this phrase, born again, or regeneration, it means like a new birth, a renewal, a recreation, if you want to put it that way. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:15.319 And it is the act of God alone where he imparts to us new life through the Holy Spirit. 00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:19.039 Being born again and regeneration is not the work of the Father. 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:20.659 It is not the work of Christ. 00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:22.539 It is the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:26.220 He brings the gospel to us and applies it to us. 00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:29.580 So this is what we see. 00:16:29.920 --> 00:16:32.560 The Holy Spirit enlightens our minds to believe the gospel. 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:38.279 And he develops a love for us, a love for God in us that we did not have before. 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:42.540 So I'm going to throw out two terms out here to you. 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:45.540 And I don't really care if you remember or not. 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:47.680 It's just to kind of illustrate a point. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:57.839 But in theological circles, there's kind of two ways we think about regeneration and being born again or salvation in general. 00:16:57.939 --> 00:16:59.939 One of them is synergism. 00:17:00.099 --> 00:17:04.159 It means like two things working together to achieve a goal. 00:17:05.139 --> 00:17:07.200 And many people think that being born again is that way. 00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:13.220 Someone comes to God and they use their intellect, their willpower, their strength. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:16.399 And they say, Hey, I want this. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:17.400 And God says, That's wonderful. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.200 Now I'm going to reward you with being born again. 00:17:21.080 --> 00:17:24.600 That's back in our text in Romans. 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:27.840 It says that we can do nothing to please God. 00:17:28.019 --> 00:17:30.519 We cannot submit to the law of God. 00:17:30.600 --> 00:17:32.720 There's nothing that we can do in and of ourselves. 00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:39.960 But the biblical view of this is what we refer to as monergism. 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:47.680 It means that the problem of fallen man is we can't do anything to help ourselves. 00:17:47.819 --> 00:17:50.799 So what we can't do for ourselves, God does for us. 00:17:50.840 --> 00:17:52.420 It's all the work of God alone. 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:57.600 God the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and changes us from the inside out. 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.279 We play no role in the new birth. 00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:01.680 We don't cooperate with God. 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:03.559 He invades us. 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:05.399 And He changes our hearts. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.740 He gives us a new birth. 00:18:07.539 --> 00:18:09.139 And it indicates God's initiative. 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:16.759 This phrase, being born again, it really means, it says literally, to be born from above. 00:18:16.899 --> 00:18:22.039 Which means that God came and God worked and that we didn't go and meet Him halfway or anything. 00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:25.700 Since you're in John, flip over just to chapter 1 really fast. 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:27.340 This is chapter 1. 00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:37.039 This is something above our natural life and our physical hearts and our physical brains. 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:39.120 This is a spiritual work. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.759 It's what Jesus just said. 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:43.220 John 1, go to verse 12. 00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:45.420 It says this, 00:18:45.980 --> 00:18:53.299 But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. 00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:56.220 And listen to what He said right here in verse 13. 00:18:56.899 --> 00:19:05.180 Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 00:19:05.379 --> 00:19:05.819 See that? 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:08.519 It's this idea that God acted. 00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:10.799 God took initiative and He changed us. 00:19:11.180 --> 00:19:12.299 We didn't cooperate with Him. 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:13.919 He did this. 00:19:13.919 --> 00:19:22.240 And, like just as you chose not to be born physically, you didn't choose to be born spiritually either. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.819 That's exactly what Jesus just said. 00:19:24.859 --> 00:19:27.940 And the Holy Spirit is the one who acts. 00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:33.620 And keep your hands still in Romans, but turn to Ezekiel 36. 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:37.240 This is one of the last places I think I told you to turn. 00:19:38.339 --> 00:19:40.240 So, I'm not going to give you the... 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:42.480 Ezekiel 36. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:50.339 God promised long ago before Christ that He would send His Spirit and that He would create a new covenant. 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:53.880 And He promises a new birth spiritually to man. 00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:55.240 Ezekiel 36. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:56.680 Go to verse 25. 00:19:56.680 --> 00:20:03.440 This is the promise of the Holy Spirit. 00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.220 He says, 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:11.720 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanliness. 00:20:12.500 --> 00:20:14.660 And from all your idols I will cleanse you. 00:20:15.580 --> 00:20:16.580 And here it is. 00:20:16.660 --> 00:20:21.259 And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. 00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:26.480 I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:34.779 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:41.119 So, sinners like us through regeneration are brought into God's kingdom. 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:43.000 We have a... 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:46.920 The Holy Spirit does like a spiritual surgery on our hearts. 00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:49.940 He completely makes us over from the inside out. 00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:52.019 And it's all His doing. 00:20:52.819 --> 00:20:54.660 He conducted it on us. 00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:56.980 He went into us and He changed us. 00:20:57.799 --> 00:21:04.099 A result of being born again is that we are resurrected from spiritual death to life. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:05.659 You get these connections. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:06.799 We were dead in sin. 00:21:07.419 --> 00:21:09.679 And that's why you need to be born again. 00:21:09.879 --> 00:21:13.639 You need to be regenerated, recreated almost spiritually. 00:21:14.399 --> 00:21:20.439 So, the Holy Spirit comes and He takes a dead sinner and He raises him to spiritual life. 00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:22.779 I have an illustration for you. 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:25.000 Think about the story of Lazarus. 00:21:25.919 --> 00:21:28.659 He was in the grave and he was dead. 00:21:28.939 --> 00:21:29.879 You know, completely dead. 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:32.500 His sisters are grieving and Jesus comes there. 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:35.019 And here's what Jesus did not say. 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:43.900 He didn't say, Lazarus, if you want me to make you alive, come out of the tomb first and then I'll make you alive. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:46.700 Like, that's a picture of us spiritually. 00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.700 He said the opposite. 00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:50.259 He said, come out. 00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:51.660 He commanded him to come out. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:57.200 And by His power, Lazarus was risen from physical death to life. 00:21:57.900 --> 00:21:59.440 It's the same thing with us spiritually. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:04.519 We didn't just cowboy up one day and say, I'm going to change my life and I'm going to do better and I'm going to follow God. 00:22:05.140 --> 00:22:07.860 God came and raised you from spiritual death. 00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:10.200 In Ephesians 2, 4, it says this, 00:22:10.200 --> 00:22:20.720 God being rich in mercy because of the great love for which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. 00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:23.000 By grace you have been saved. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:25.180 So when Christ died, we died. 00:22:25.259 --> 00:22:26.900 When Christ raised, we were raised. 00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:29.240 We're reunited with Christ. 00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:32.340 So that was all under number one. 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.420 That was the longest one. 00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:36.640 But that was how we become a believer. 00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:40.080 We hear the gospel and God's supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:42.160 He changes us from the inside out. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:43.640 Number two. 00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.920 Go back to Romans again. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:47.460 If you're not there. 00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:57.300 Number two is, what are the characteristics of an unbeliever? 00:22:58.019 --> 00:23:00.160 What are the characteristics of an unbeliever? 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:04.240 So, we should examine ourselves with this. 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:07.740 We see this in verse 5. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:10.259 Romans 8, verse 5. 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:16.600 For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh. 00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:18.060 See that? 00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:24.180 So, people live according to and have their minds set on the flesh. 00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:26.980 These are marks of people who are not born again. 00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:29.019 People who are not of God. 00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:35.599 And again, the word flesh refers to a fallen nature of man apart from God. 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:40.660 Unbelievers' whole mind, emotion, and will are affected by sin. 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:46.440 It means you allow all your desires to govern you and control you and to rule your daily actions. 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:51.660 And this is the last place. 00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:52.720 I'm pretty sure you've got to turn. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.319 But keep your hand on Romans, but go to Galatians. 00:23:57.140 --> 00:23:58.120 Galatians 5. 00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:05.360 We follow our fleshly desires almost immodestly. 00:24:06.100 --> 00:24:09.240 This is a picture of someone who's not born again. 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:11.000 Galatians 5, verse 19. 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:18.039 We'll read the first part of this now and the second part a little later. 00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.240 It says, 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:21.980 Now, the works of the flesh are evident. 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:36.180 Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies. 00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:45.000 And things like these, I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:46.000 All right. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:46.640 All right. 00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:48.519 Now, don't don't take this the other way. 00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:56.019 Like in one sense, even those of us who know Christ and who are born again, we still can commit sin. 00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:59.920 But as John spoke on last week, we can't remain in sin. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:00.440 We have to. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:02.980 The spirit breaks us and convicts us. 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:07.140 We have to come to repentance and we hate our sin when we sin. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:09.019 That's all of Romans seven before that. 00:25:09.019 --> 00:25:15.839 But this is talking about someone whose life is absolutely dominated and controlled by these things. 00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:17.619 These are your goals in life. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:19.680 This is your purpose in life are these things. 00:25:20.220 --> 00:25:21.519 That's what this implies. 00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:25.460 And there's there's many people among us. 00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:29.139 And I talk to them, talk to people like this frequently. 00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:31.839 And I think I used to be one a long time ago. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:37.199 So I used to think this way and I'm so thankful that God has changed me. 00:25:37.199 --> 00:25:50.679 But those of us who are born of God, we cannot walk up to Christ as he hangs on the cross and say to him, I know you're suffering this terrible death for my sin. 00:25:51.459 --> 00:25:54.679 And that you're dying wishes that I go and sin no more. 00:25:55.399 --> 00:26:00.480 But I have this one fleshly desire that I can only satisfy by sin. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:05.400 So I hope you understand that as I shove this sword into your side. 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:12.180 And I'm happy that it's good to know that your blood that comes out is going to cover my rebellion against what you're doing. 00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:18.620 If you think that way, advance at your own peril. 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:23.579 Because there may be no forgiveness of sin for you or repentance. 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:29.439 Because it says in Hebrews 6 that you're crucifying Christ anew, afresh. 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:36.980 Every time you do that, you're hardening your heart more and more into sin and more and more to the only thing that can save you, which is the gospel. 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:38.539 You're hardening your heart against it. 00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:50.059 In Romans 3.8 it says, if you think that way, that why not do evil that good may come, it says that your condemnation is just. 00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:55.220 It doesn't say you're covered and you're good to go and you can just keep sinning to your heart's content. 00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:55.440 Repent. 00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:58.779 So, repent. 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:02.860 And come to Christ and He can change you. 00:27:04.100 --> 00:27:04.880 Point three. 00:27:06.380 --> 00:27:09.740 What are the characteristics of the true believer? 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:14.019 What are the characteristics of the true believer? 00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:15.019 The genuine believer. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:20.059 And we see this in verse, the second part of verse five. 00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:29.619 It says, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 00:27:30.659 --> 00:27:35.759 You know, in Ephesians it says, do no longer be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. 00:27:36.419 --> 00:27:38.119 He's making a connection there. 00:27:38.419 --> 00:27:40.000 He's not just saying, like, don't get drunk. 00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.799 He is saying that. 00:27:40.859 --> 00:27:44.879 But he's also saying alcohol has a tendency to control somebody. 00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:46.559 Control their actions. 00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:47.779 Control the way they think. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.639 They're kind of absent-minded. 00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:50.400 They're not sober. 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:52.240 He's saying, don't be that way. 00:27:52.320 --> 00:27:56.640 Be filled with the Spirit and controlled by the Spirit and the Spirit's actions. 00:27:57.120 --> 00:27:59.460 Spirit's promptings and leadings. 00:28:00.300 --> 00:28:05.040 So, by the Holy Spirit, our life is united with Christ. 00:28:05.800 --> 00:28:12.560 The Holy Spirit keeps us pursuing the things of God and making our ultimate purpose God's glory. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:22.359 And so, when the Holy Spirit works in someone, when he worked in me and he worked in a lot of you, you should know this. 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:25.440 Like, think about what Jesus said a minute ago in John 3. 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.500 He talked about the wind. 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:29.279 He related being born again to the wind. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:31.960 It's a mysterious work. 00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:36.379 The wind can't be physically seen or controlled by humans. 00:28:36.460 --> 00:28:37.160 We just see it. 00:28:37.639 --> 00:28:38.619 We see what it does. 00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:42.279 We see the results of what it does. 00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:44.819 We see how it affects things around us. 00:28:44.879 --> 00:28:46.839 We can't see the wind or control it ourselves. 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:50.459 So, in the same way, it's the same way people that are born again. 00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:55.220 We see some guy who is rebelling against God and loving the things of the world. 00:28:55.959 --> 00:28:58.299 Then, a little later, he's completely different. 00:28:58.399 --> 00:29:02.059 I had a friend of mine who went into the Marine Corps after high school. 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:04.599 And he was a crazy buddy of mine. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:06.839 And a few years ago, he called me. 00:29:06.899 --> 00:29:09.339 He'd been to Afghanistan and all that. 00:29:09.399 --> 00:29:10.259 And he was out of the Marines. 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:11.159 He was going to UGA. 00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:13.599 And I met up with him. 00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:16.299 And I was hopefully just going to be able to share the gospel with him. 00:29:16.299 --> 00:29:20.539 And I asked him, you know, like, so how's life going, man? 00:29:20.619 --> 00:29:22.240 And what do you do in Athens? 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:24.059 I think he probably went and partied a lot in Athens. 00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:26.559 And he said, man, I'm done with that stuff. 00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:28.419 I'm, like, never going back that way again. 00:29:28.899 --> 00:29:30.519 And I asked him, what happened? 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:32.700 Like, do tell, you know. 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:36.899 And he said, man, I became a Christian a year ago. 00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.700 Like, I'm done with that. 00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:40.599 Like, I have no desire for that stuff again. 00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:43.099 I love Christ and I want to follow Christ. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:45.180 And it just blew me away. 00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:47.860 Like, you see a guy who completely was one way. 00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:48.640 And then what happened? 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:49.539 Like, the wind blew. 00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:51.120 And he was born again. 00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:54.519 Like, after hearing the gospel, he was changed. 00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:00.279 So the evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in our life, though we can't see the Spirit, 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.680 it's clear, like, something happened to that guy. 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.759 Something's different about that guy. 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:07.960 He still has sin, but he is different. 00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:13.940 And some of us don't have this crazy idea that the Holy Spirit is, to believers, 00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:19.840 is like a lot of things you see on TV, people getting, you know, like the Holy Spirit is some kind of emotional thing. 00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.980 This kind of comes on you. 00:30:21.840 --> 00:30:22.600 Not true. 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:27.299 The Holy Spirit is what he's referred to as the shy spirit. 00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:29.740 He doesn't draw attention to himself. 00:30:29.860 --> 00:30:31.960 He draws attention to Christ over and over. 00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:33.000 He points to Christ. 00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:35.039 Read the Scripture carefully and you'll see that. 00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:37.839 He's never trying to draw attention to himself. 00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:40.019 He's always pointing to Christ. 00:30:40.139 --> 00:30:42.779 His operations are mysterious and secret. 00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:47.119 So, also a characteristic of a true believer, 00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:53.139 and also this is probably a number one or one of the major characteristics, 00:30:53.899 --> 00:30:55.559 is that they are a new creation. 00:30:56.420 --> 00:31:01.299 And they have new and holy affections for God that they did not have before. 00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:06.240 So, the Holy Spirit came and he changed our nature. 00:31:06.379 --> 00:31:08.799 We know in 2 Corinthians 5 it says, 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:13.220 Therefore, if we have Christ, we are a new creation. 00:31:13.379 --> 00:31:14.980 The old is gone, the new has come. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:17.599 We are new creations all over. 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.980 The old is gone, the new has come. 00:31:19.639 --> 00:31:22.279 And it leads us into the next part of Galatians 5 right there, 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:24.180 that you're already in, verse 25. 00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:34.380 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:37.519 Against such things there is no law. 00:31:38.080 --> 00:31:43.940 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:49.140 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:55.480 These are the effects of what the Holy Spirit has in a believer's life. 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:57.960 They're characterized by these things. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:03.400 Again, not perfectly, but these are the things that they're driving towards and moving more and more into. 00:32:04.280 --> 00:32:09.500 And this idea of fruit is singular, not plural. 00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:10.780 It's not the fruits of the Spirit. 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:15.340 It's not like today I want to work on my goodness and tomorrow I'll work on my faithfulness. 00:32:15.820 --> 00:32:17.080 They're all interconnected. 00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:21.679 It's not like a spiritual menu for you to choose from every day. 00:32:22.379 --> 00:32:27.659 All these qualities constitute the fruit of a new Christian's life. 00:32:28.599 --> 00:32:32.159 And made only possible by the Spirit's power. 00:32:32.679 --> 00:32:33.819 It's not the fruit of clay. 00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:35.579 It's not the fruit of Andy. 00:32:35.699 --> 00:32:37.339 It's not the fruit of anybody in here. 00:32:37.419 --> 00:32:38.519 It's the fruit of the Spirit. 00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:40.759 He does this inside of you. 00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:46.480 So ask yourself, is there evidence of the Spirit's work in my life? 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:50.940 Do I see some kind of desire and love for God that I didn't have before? 00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:55.180 No matter what God does to me, I will not turn from Him, like Job said. 00:32:57.099 --> 00:32:59.380 Are you trusting Christ alone for salvation? 00:33:00.120 --> 00:33:04.120 Do you have a desire to follow Him, live for Him, and die for Him, no matter what? 00:33:04.119 --> 00:33:05.579 Do you have a desire to follow Him, live for Him, no matter what? 00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:09.439 These are the works of the Holy Spirit in a new believer's life. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:14.660 Jonathan Edwards wrote a book called Religious Affections. 00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:25.480 And it has this idea that new believers, people that are truly born again, are characterized by holy desires. 00:33:25.600 --> 00:33:29.420 They have the desire for the things of God that they didn't have before. 00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.420 And this is what he said. 00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:42.980 He said, true saints have in their minds, in the first place, inexpressibly pleased and delighted with the sweet ideas of the glorious nature of the things of God. 00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:48.480 And this is the spring of all their delights and the cream of all their pleasures. 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:50.799 So, we want Christ. 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:54.299 Like, a lot of us are just saying, give me Christ or else I die. 00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:56.500 I hope that's true when you say that. 00:33:56.620 --> 00:33:59.140 Because if you're just not, you don't need to sing. 00:33:59.240 --> 00:34:02.279 You'd be praying that God makes that right in your life. 00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:04.360 Give me Christ or else I die. 00:34:05.579 --> 00:34:07.039 Christ is the goal of the gospel. 00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:11.340 And then lastly, last point, back in Romans 8, 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:17.000 the last point is, what is the result of the two lives? 00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:18.480 What is the result of the Spirit? 00:34:18.639 --> 00:34:20.420 And what is the result of those who live in the flesh? 00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:24.659 Back in Romans 8, verse 6, it says, 00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:30.820 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:36.260 So, here we have the equals, the outcome of what we've been talking about. 00:34:36.900 --> 00:34:41.500 First of all, those of the flesh, those of us who do not know Christ, 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:46.519 and those of us who can remember what it was like to be like without Christ, 00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:52.480 in this present life you will have no lasting joy, no lasting peace. 00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:56.260 All the sinful pleasures you pursue will be fleeting. 00:34:57.099 --> 00:35:00.500 Hebrews says, calls them the fleeting pleasures of sin. 00:35:01.099 --> 00:35:02.260 Meaning that they don't last. 00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:07.079 You have to constantly rekindle them and go back to them for them to give you any joy. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.900 Just frustration, misery, and fear. 00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:12.440 Like, that's going to be the result of your present life. 00:35:13.180 --> 00:35:20.740 In the future, those who are without Christ and are not walking in the Spirit, they will face judgment. 00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:23.360 We just read that in Ephesians 2. 00:35:23.920 --> 00:35:27.840 And right here it says, the mind set on the flesh is death. 00:35:27.900 --> 00:35:31.119 And this is, again, talking about a spiritual death. 00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:34.559 So I plead with you, if that's you, like, don't remain there. 00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:38.440 Like, come and talk to somebody and go to Christ. 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:40.659 He's powerful to save you. 00:35:41.420 --> 00:35:46.000 And then lastly, what is the result of those who are walking in the Spirit? 00:35:46.659 --> 00:35:48.179 It says, life and peace. 00:35:48.799 --> 00:35:50.819 So in this life, you can have peace. 00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:53.779 You can have joy that is not circumstantial. 00:35:53.859 --> 00:35:55.599 You can have everything taken away from you. 00:35:55.599 --> 00:36:01.400 But Christ remains, and He won't, even though you might feel like you're letting go of Him, He won't let go of you. 00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:03.779 He is yours forever. 00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:13.699 And the result is that the Holy Spirit ministers this reality that you belong to God, and that God is for you and not against you. 00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:16.699 Then the future will be eternal life. 00:36:16.779 --> 00:36:19.679 It will be life in the presence of the living God forever. 00:36:20.179 --> 00:36:23.159 And where no sin, death, or suffering remain. 00:36:23.239 --> 00:36:25.219 It will be with God in His presence forever. 00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:28.139 As a result of those who walk in the Spirit. 00:36:29.400 --> 00:36:40.699 So, in closing, I just want to tell you that, like, personally, it says in Acts 7, Paul says, like, do not resist the Holy Spirit. 00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:42.799 Stop being hard-headed. 00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:44.819 Don't resist the Holy Spirit. 00:36:45.179 --> 00:36:48.860 And some of you might be thinking, well, that sounds like the opposite of what we just talked about. 00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:51.480 Because if the Holy Spirit's going to work, He's going to work. 00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:52.440 Right? 00:36:52.440 --> 00:37:00.760 Well, there was a time in my life, and the lives of many of you in here who are born again, where you did resist the Holy Spirit. 00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:02.000 You're like, I don't want this. 00:37:02.519 --> 00:37:03.659 I want to live for myself. 00:37:03.780 --> 00:37:04.840 I want to live for my own glory. 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:06.800 I like my sin a lot. 00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:11.480 But, you know, when we heard of the gospel, we heard about Christ, we were just like, no. 00:37:11.680 --> 00:37:16.800 Like, and we picture my life and your life as like this fortified castle. 00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:20.420 We're just like shutting up all the doors and building up the walls. 00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:27.860 You know, and the Holy Spirit kind of comes and like knocks on the door and we're like, get lost. 00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:28.980 We don't want you here. 00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:32.059 And that was me. 00:37:32.139 --> 00:37:32.980 Like, I was resisting. 00:37:33.680 --> 00:37:35.579 But here's where grace comes in. 00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:38.220 And God did not have to do this. 00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:41.380 He could have just been like, all right, perish in your sin. 00:37:41.460 --> 00:37:42.200 He could have said that. 00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:42.980 He would have been just. 00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:44.400 But here's what he did. 00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:47.119 He got tired of knocking. 00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:48.679 He just went, bam. 00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:51.260 And he kicked the door down. 00:37:52.260 --> 00:37:57.639 Then he like scaled my walls, took down my flag of clay that was waiting for my glory. 00:37:58.179 --> 00:38:01.260 And put up his and like completely made over everything. 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:02.320 And I'm glad he did. 00:38:02.840 --> 00:38:05.920 Because left to myself, I would still be in sin. 00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:06.980 I still would be perishing. 00:38:08.179 --> 00:38:12.360 And so if that's you this morning, you feel yourself like, I don't want that. 00:38:13.199 --> 00:38:15.280 Like, know that God will have his way in you. 00:38:15.420 --> 00:38:18.960 And that we want to administer the gospel and his truth to you. 00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:20.740 Christ is enough. 00:38:21.579 --> 00:38:25.280 And I pray that you would examine your heart this morning. 00:38:25.280 --> 00:38:25.340 Amen.