For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh sold under sin.
For I do not understand my own actions.
For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law that it is good.
So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.
For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.
For I delight in the law of God in my inner being.
But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind,
and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?
Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind,
but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Well, good morning everyone.
We're going to turn to God's word now from Romans chapter 7, verse 14 following.
Well, let's jump in at the deep end.
And I want to put a question to you, a confronting question this morning.
So, if a video of your past week as a Christian was sort of up on the screen behind me,
what would we all see?
So, as you reflect on that, how often, for instance,
did you betray the faithful love and commitment of your heavenly Father
by promoting your own sovereignty over his?
How many times did you, in a sense, make mockery of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross
to deal with your sins by choosing to walk back into the very sin that Jesus died for to deal with?
How often did that happen?
How often did you ignore the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit
to express the mind of Christ in favour of expressing your own mind and your own wisdom?
And here we are this morning, churching,
loving to sing, pray, fellowship together,
loving to be taught by God's word as brothers and sisters in Christ.
But perhaps already,
your focus and interest has gone back to social media on your telephone.
Or,
you're already planning your coming week.
You've already left the building, in a sense,
and are planning your coming week.
Or even just wishing you were somewhere else,
having come here.
Now, I can't answer for you.
You can only answer for yourself.
But I tell you, for me,
only a brief reflection on these sorts of things
fills me with grief
and threatens to overwhelm me.
Like so many Christians,
I am so thankful
for the wonderful privileges and benefits
of being united with Christ,
being a Christian.
But against that,
the awfulness of my failures,
daily,
hourly,
weekly,
monthly,
yearly,
the awfulness of my failures
attacks my assurance
or confidence
in salvation.
I even surprise myself at times
at how disobedient to God I am.
the same Lord
who has given me so much,
who wants such good things for me.
How can that be?
I ask myself.
Why do I get it so wrong
given that I want so much
to get it right by pleasing Christ?
Why is there such a gap
so often
in my life?
And then how am I to think
about that sort of daily failure?
Can I be a Christian
and be assured of salvation
given I am so much like this?
And this isn't just a one-off
I'm talking about.
This is a regular pattern
I'm seeing in my life.
Day after day after day.
People say the only certainties
in life
are death and taxes.
It's the old Jerry, isn't it?
Now we know that.
We know that life is fragile.
We know the insecurity
of life and ourselves in life.
But brothers and sisters
in Christ this morning,
when it comes to assurance
of salvation,
it's my delight
to be able to tell you
this morning
that the Lord
wants every believer here
this morning
to be absolutely sure
we are accepted by him.
That we are safe
and secure
in the Lord Jesus.
In spite of
our failures.
tension,
struggle,
failure,
as we'll see from this passage,
is the
ordinary,
everyday experience
of each of us
as believers.
In fact,
I'll go so far to say
it's actually the mark
of the true believer
to be struggling
against sin.
and this is the truth
we're going to see
in Romans 7 and 8
and a truth
I hope
we'll just soak in,
lay back like that
warm bath
and just soak in
the truths
of chapter 7 and 8
and find the comfort
that God intends us
to find
and have
through them.
We begin this morning
by looking at
the foundation
and the context
of assurance
in your sermon notes
in the back of the bulletin
if you're a visitor
there's some sermon notes there
I put those back to front
I didn't realise last night
they were back to front
but the foundation
and then the context
that's the way it should be
and the foundation
is
the foundation of assurance
is understanding
your position
or status
in Christ.
Let me tell you
brothers and sisters
that in Christ
you are both new
and free
and those two things
are absolutely crucial
to understanding
and having assurance
but to understand
the argument
in 14 through to 25
that Beck read to us
we need to grasp
the argument
that leads up to it
what goes before
so in chapter 4 of Romans
very quick run through Romans
chapter 1 to 4
Paul establishes
what you once were
before you encountered
Jesus
and without touching down
on lots of verses
Paul's argument
is this
that you like
every other person
stood guilty
before God
because you failed
to honour
or respond to God
as he deserves
and as a direct
consequence
not only
are you standing
guilty
before God
but you're
standing
under the wrath
of God
and facing
his condemnation
because the holy God
takes himself
very seriously
in Romans
chapter 3
verse 23
we read
that God's
righteous
judgment
is hanging
over every
person
it's
inescapable
and when we
think of
the wrath
of God
then it's
not only
inescapable
it's actually
unimaginable
to be positioned
under the wrath
of God
and friends
it's
unbearable
to think
that the wrath
of God
would be
unleashed
on us
nothing
you could do
according to
Romans
chapter 3
verse 23
nothing you can
do
would address
your guilt
and make you
acceptable
to God
you were
done for
but Paul
goes on
because what
you are
now
in Christ
could not
be more
different
could not
be more
of a
contrast
to what
you once
were
before
Christ
and the
gospel
is that
in an
amazing
display
of love
God
moved
towards
you
even
while
you were
desperately
trying to
hide
from
him
we're
told in
Romans
chapter 3
and 4
that the
death
and resurrection
of Jesus
effected
what we
call a
great
exchange
Jesus
took
upon
himself
the
wrath
and penalty
due to
your
sin
and in
exchange
gave
you
his
righteousness
and his
life
and all
of this
we're told
was the
grace of
God's
free
and totally
was grace
that is
God's free
and totally
undeserved
gift
a gift
which
every
believer
experiences
the death
and resurrection
of Christ
is not
just a
historical
event
it is
that
historical
fact
but it's
also
something
that every
believer
experiences
the results
of
the benefits
of
and they're
absolutely
life-changing
results
as Paul
spells them
out in
Romans
chapter 5
and 6
Romans
chapter 5
verse 1
therefore
since we have
been justified
that is
since we have
through the
work of
the death
and resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
since we
have now
been
made
acceptable
to God
and are
counted
as
righteous
before God
because of
Christ's
work for us
we have
peace
with God
being in
Christ
means peace
with God
that is
totally
forgiven
by God
totally
accepted
by God
totally
restored
to full
relationship
with him
totally
able to
enjoy
God
without
fear
of wrath
Romans
chapter 6
verse 4
being in
Christ
means
being
united
to him
and that
union
is the
picture of
a marriage
union
is such
a real
intimate
way
that we're
united
with Christ
with the
presence of
the Holy
Spirit
actually
coming
into us
that it's
not too
much to
say
we're
totally
redefined
we're
totally
reoriented
we have
a new
status
a new
position
before
God
not
pushed
off to
the distance
and under
God's wrath
but brought
into the
family
as a
full
member
as a
child
a beloved
one
totally
new
identity
totally
new
status
before
God
and my
friends
with the
Spirit
working
with
totally
new
attitudes
and
desires
created
by
the
Spirit's
renewing
power
within
us
what's
the
flow
and
effect
of
all
this
wonderful
benefit
of
Christ's
death
well it
means
this
it means
that
we are
new
people
we want
now to
live
in service
of our
Saviour
and King
you want
to live
your new
life
in Christ
with the
same
passion
and commitment
to serving
God
as you
once exhibited
in the
pursuit
of pleasure
and satisfaction
apart from
God
Romans 7
verse 6
being in
Christ
means being
freed from
the law
and that
means being
freed from
trying
to earn
God's
acceptance
based on
your own
performance
based on
your own
religious
efforts
and actions
why are we
freed from
that
because
Jesus
has done
everything
for us
in that
respect
there's
nothing left
for us
to do
all we
have to
do is
accept
what he
has done
on our
behalf
and trust
him
in that
so we're
freed
from that
frenetic
lifestyle
of just
trying to be
good enough
to win
God's
acceptance
and the
result of
that
freedom
is so
immense
or the
expression
of that
freedom
is so
immense
that we're
now just
free to
get on
with the
business
of
expressing
our new
life
as it
is defined
by relationship
with Jesus
and powered
by the
Holy Spirit
working within
us
but what
you're yet
to be
amazing
as all
that is
what you're
yet to
be is
even more
amazing
than anything
I've said
so far
Romans 6
23
the best
is yet
to come
and what
is that
best
well the
word used
there is
glory
eternal
life
now in
Christ we
have
relationship
acceptance
what is
yet to
come
is glory
where we'll
actually be
with Jesus
and perfectly
be like
Jesus
finally
freed
from every
remnant
and every
tussle
with sin
then we'll
experience the
full extent
of renewal
when every
bit of
remaining sin
will finally
be removed
so
you're not
what you
once
were
as a
Christian
sitting here
this morning
and thank
the Lord
for that
I don't
mean that
personally
about you
but we
can say
that
generally
that didn't
come out
very right
did it
you're not
what you
once were
you're not
yet what
you will
finally be
in heaven
but in the
meanwhile
this is what
Paul says
do not
underestimate
the power
of remaining
or indwelling
sin in your
life
now here's
how it
works for
us as
Christians
who was
the villain
of the
peace as
it were
in our
lives
before we
became
Christians
answer
our
old
distorted
sinful
rebellious
nature
dominated
us
controlled
us
defined
us
even
who's
the
villain
of the
peace
now as
Christians
well
in a very
real sense
it's still
our
indwelling
sinful
nature
it's
a real
and present
danger
for each
of us
as
Christians
and Paul's
encouragement
here then
in these
verses
I think
is put
it like
this
don't
underestimate
the strength
of your
enemy
even as
you're
enjoying
who you
are in
Christ
in Romans
chapter 7
verse 17
to 13
Paul describes
how indwelling
sin
or remaining
sin
works in us
with such
ease
he starts
off the
section by
saying
well look
here's the
irony
God's
commands
are good
by virtue
of being
God's
commands
they've
got to
be good
for one
thing
Paul says
the goodness
of God's
commands
is they
actually
expose
our sin
but
says
Paul
the irony
is our
old
rebellious
distorted
sinful
nature
can actually
take God's
command
and twist
them
and manipulate
them
to bad
effect
in us
that's
what he's
arguing
he said
something
good
can be
actually
used
for bad
effect
in us
as Christians
and then
he goes on
to illustrate
that
so he
says
our sinful
nature
is opportunistic
and what
he means
by that
is
it's
never
a spectator
it's
never
on holiday
it just
waits
for an
unguarded
moment
and suddenly
it rises
up within
us
and it
tricks us
into doing
something
that we
know
jolly
well
is
useless
and
without
profit
to us
perhaps
it's
tricking us
into going
back to the
tired old
pathway
to happiness
and satisfaction
that we
had tried
for years
in our lives
before we
became
Christians
and suddenly
it appears
appealing
again
where did
that come
from
our old
sinful
nature
is just
opportunistic
waiting to
rise up
and trick
us
our old
sinful
nature
Paul says
here
actually
provokes
us
to do
the wrong
thing
we know
this experience
we might not
recognize the
language here
but we know
the experience
you were
praying
you were
praying
and concentrating
and enjoying
the Lord
in prayer
and then
suddenly
you realize
that somewhere
along the line
your focus
has actually
been shifted
from God
onto yourself
how did
that happen
how did
I move
so far
and not
even realize
it was
happening
your focus
has now
become
your desire
to build
your own
kingdom
when you
started off
with a desire
to see
God's
kingdom
built
all in
the one
prayer
verse 10
our sinful
nature
says Paul
even uses
good things
to ruin
us
now again
we know
the experience
of that
don't we
so for instance
we so often
find that
struggle
we don't
actually
reject
God's
grace
because we
see the
benefit of
it far
too much
but what
happens is
that we
at the same
time remain
convinced
that our
own religious
actions and
efforts
in addition
to God's
grace
will somehow
or other
make us
more acceptable
to God
and make
us feel
better
because we're
contributing
to our
salvation
see how
our old
sinful
nature
has just
taken
something
good
and made
it so
bad
don't get
rid of
grace
that's
really
important
so we
keep
grace
God
says
seek
for
obedience
and we
seek
for
obedience
but we
think it
helps
make us
more
acceptable
to
God
the
examples
are
endless
and we
know the
pain
of this
experience
don't we
every single
day we
know the
pain of
this
experience
so with
that
understanding
of the
foundation
the
foundation
is
who we
are in
Christ
that's
what we
have
to keep
coming
back
to
now we
can
step
into
the
context
of
assurance
and the
context
of
assurance
my
friends
is the
struggle
to live
an
undivided
life
for
Christ
a few
years ago
there was a
documentary
on TV
I know
most of
you won't
have watched
it therefore
because it's a
documentary
but it is
I would
recommend it
instead of
some of the
other
anyway
a few
years ago
there was a
documentary
on TV
called
Struggle
Street
somebody
remember
it
right
okay
so
what it
did was
feature
the voices
and stories
of people
living in
public
housing
areas
in suburbs
in western
Sydney
it was a
very sad
thing really
created a
lot of
controversy
but it
was very
sad
because what
it did
was on
the one
hand expressing
their hopes
and aspirations
just like the
rest of
they had their
hopes and
aspirations
of a good
life
but their
hopes and
aspirations
were constantly
being thwarted
by their
context of
unemployment
and crime
and substance
abuse
and the
more you
watched
the more
the gap
opened up
Struggle
Street
well Paul
says in
these verses
here
chapter 7
verse 14
onwards
welcome
to Struggle
Street
the normal
experience
of Christians
as our
hopes and
aspirations
of serving
and obeying
Jesus
are constantly
thwarted
by that
opportunistic
trick
deceitful
sinful nature
that remains
within us
our aspirations
of being true
to who we are
in Christ
our aspirations
of being
intentional in
choosing righteousness
over sin
our aspirations
to demonstrate
the mind
of Christ
in our
everyday life
these things
are constantly
being ambushed
or if you like
run off the
road
by opportunism
of our
indwelling
nature
the remnants
of our old
rebellious
sinful nature
or remaining
sin
will always
try to get
the upper
hand in us
on says
Paul
therefore
we must
struggle
to keep
the mind
of Christ
now
I want you
to understand
that Paul's
focus here
in these
verses
is not
on how
many times
he gets
it right
as opposed
to how
many times
he gets
it wrong
that's not
his issue
at all
he's not
a bean
counter
what he's
interested in
and what he's
trying to
establish here
is what he
calls a law
or a principle
verse 21
he describes
the principle
so I find
it to be a law
now what he
means by that
is not the law
of God
it's not the
ten commandments
it's just a
principle is what
the word means
here
I find it to
be a principle
that when I
want to do
right
evil lies
close at hand
the principle
is that Paul
recognizes two
realities
simultaneously
in his life
as a Christian
two combatants
if you will
which are
who are at war
within him
on the one
hand
is what he
calls his
mind
and the idea
here is his
renewed mind
in Christ
what he calls
here his
innermost
being
verse 22
his new
desires
the new
desires of
his heart
for obedience
and worship
of God
verse 18
Paul is
really clear
that it's his
new mind
his new
desires
which define
him
and which
he wants
to operate
on and
express
what we
heard in
Philippians
was the
mind of
Christ
Paul has
no illusions
as to
where he
wants to
be
and how
he wants
to be
but on the
other hand
he says
here's the
principle
what he
calls the
law of
his
members
that is
his flesh
in a
different
verse
18 and
25
the body
of death
verse 24
that is
those are
all
descriptions
of the
old
distorted
sinful
self
remnants
of that
and they're
in battle
and four
times in
these verses
Paul affirms
his hopes
and aspirations
for obedience
and faithfulness
and pairs
it each
time
with a
very honest
recognition
of another
reality
pushing him
to be
quite the
opposite of
what he
wants to
be
when I
want to
do right
evil lies
close at
hand and
I find it
pushing me
to do the
very opposite
of that
thing I
want to
do
the very
thing I
know
defines
me
and there's
the struggle
he ends
up doing
that which
he hates
and which
he knows
makes a
mockery of
the gospel
my friends
if we're
going to get
the foundation
and context
of assurance
right as we
move into
Romans 8
over the
next few
weeks
we need
to start
by acknowledging
that the
struggle
is real
and
endless
and
painful
as
repeatedly
we find
ourselves
choosing to
act contrary
to who
we know
we are
in Christ
but in
that struggle
we're not
alone
remember
actions
are not
always
evidence
of inclination
actions
are not
always
evidence
of inclination
Paul admits
to confusion
and frustration
he can sense
it as he
writes here
he knows
failure
and expresses
a strong
sense of
disappointment
in himself
he knows
that all
too often
unguarded
moments
have allowed
his old
distorted
sinful nature
to get the
upper hand
in a particular
decision
or a particular
situation
or a particular
circumstance
but he also
knows
that his
struggle
and his
failures
do not
define him
that his
actions
at those
points
do not
reflect
his
inclinations
he knows
he is defined
by newness
of Christ
and the new
inclination
of his
heart
is to love
and serve
Jesus
and to act
in accordance
with who
he is
in Jesus
so my
friends
with Paul
we need
to learn
to talk
to ourselves
in the
struggle
we need
to say
these
sorts
of things
is it
possible
that while
I'm locked
in struggle
I'm actually
engaged
in the
wrong
struggle
that is
I'm still
struggling to
be good
enough
or to win
acceptance
before God
well if that's
where your
struggle is
then you need
to say to
yourself
hey
I need to
remember
as a
Christian
as one
united with
Christ
I'm already
completely
accepted and
loved
and free
I don't
have to
struggle for
acceptance
that would
be a
wrong
struggle
I need
to struggle
to express
that
newness
life in
my
actions
or perhaps
you say
to yourself
well am I
thinking that
because I'm
locked in
struggle and
the struggle is
so painful and
so unrelenting
that perhaps I'm
not really a
mature believer
at all
well I need to
tell myself
then that as
long as I
live in this
world I am
new in
Christ but
I'm not
finally and
perfectly free
from sin
so struggle
in the meanwhile
is actually a
confirmation of
my renewed
mind and
confirmation of
the spirit's
life within me
because before I
became a
Christian there
was no
struggle there
was nothing
he struggled
with I just
enjoyed life as
it was
or perhaps
you say to
yourself well I'm
a Christian and
I'm actually a
bit guilty a bit
uncomfortable here
because I know
nothing of the
struggle he's
talking about this
morning what
struggle I
consider myself a
Christian but yeah
I get that bit but
what struggle
well perhaps
you're not
thinking about
sin probably
perhaps you're
only thinking
about struggling
against what we
might call the
big sins or the
unrespectable sins
adultery stealing
and murdering
murder and
because you haven't
done those things
because you're not
guilty of those
things when there's
nothing to struggle
over
perhaps you're not
saying the need to
struggle
as a believer in
how you use your
time
in how you use your
money
perhaps you're not
struggling with the
notion of maintaining
purity in your
thought life
well because nobody
sees that that's not
really important
and struggling
perhaps to be like
Jesus if you're a
parent or if you're a
child or if you're a
husband or if you're a
wife or struggling to
be like Jesus with your
workmates or on the
soccer field or wherever
you find yourself
or struggling to
demonstrate the love and
commitment to church
and fellow believers that
Christ wants me to
have
see sometimes we can
find ourselves not
struggling because we've
so limited the
parameters for struggle
that we just we just
talk ourselves out of
it
we need to be talking
to ourselves
and in the midst of
struggle we need to be
able to say
with Paul
I really do delight
in the direction of
God's word in my life
I hate what I just
did because it is so
contrary to who I am
in Christ
with God's grace and
enabling I will
struggle to do it
differently next time
and friends most of all
remember you're never
alone in your struggle
verse 24 and verse 25
so beautiful
Paul expresses
frustration
I don't think it's
despair
it's certainly
frustration but I
don't think it's
despair the way it's
all put together here
wretched man that I
am I don't think it's a
it's a mission of
defeat at all
it's a it's an
expression of need
not defeat
wretched man that I
am
who will deliver me
from this body of
death who will
deliver me from this
struggle
thanks be to God
through the Lord
Jesus Christ
you're never alone
in the struggle
with Paul express the
cry of need and
indeed the cry of
confidence
the tension and
struggle will continue
until Christ returns
or we leave this world
to go to be with him
but in the meanwhile as
we heard from Philippians
in the last series he
who began a good work in
you will bring it to
completion
he will bring you through
the struggle he will
keep you safe in the
struggle
in the face of this
endless struggle you
can be confident that
the Holy Spirit will
hold you secure you
can be confident of
your acceptance and
relationship with God
in spite of your
failures in the
struggle
why can you be
confident
because of the work of
Christ for you
and in you
in the past
and into the future
my friends
don't despair in the
struggle
don't give up
struggling
don't think you can
avoid the struggle
but most of all be real
in the struggle
ask for the help of
your brothers and
sisters
desire the help of
your brothers and
sisters
look to the Lord
with confidence
and joy
and hopefulness
remember
the mark of the
Christian
is not
perfection
this side of
heaven
but the struggle
to express
who we are in
Christ
let's pray
Lord I know
only too well
the temptation
just to give up
the struggle
it's all too
hard
Lord even the
thought that goes
with that
easier to walk
away from
from the Lord
Jesus Christ
than to
continue this
endless struggle
Lord keep us
from that
I pray
help us to
talk to
ourselves
help us to
bring us
back to a
clear and
sure focus
on you
as the
ground of
our acceptance
and the
sureness of
our
completion
in Jesus
name I pray
Amen