Book of Romans - Ch. 8. Vs. 1-10 (02/13/2000)

Park Meadows Church

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of the dead has become real, which was spoken to me by God, saying,

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I am the God of Abraham, I am the God of Isaac, I am the God of Jacob, God is not the God of the dead, but the risen.

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Where is that? Matthew 22, 29 -33.

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Well, next week, find the verse that says he is the God of the dead.

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Find that verse. Where?

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So he is the God of the dead as well as the living. It is said whether we are what?

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Yes. So whether we are alive or whether we are dead, we still belong to him.

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So we are dead on the earth. So we are, by Matthew 22, 29 -33, we are not, or he is not the

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God of the dead. But he is. Turn it on,

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David. David, turn it on.

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The point I was trying to make was that you have to always look at the context. Always.

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Because the Bible does not argue with itself. Now, a couple of notes before we get into Romans 8.

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The next time someone plays the organ or the piano, when they are finished, let's go up to the piano or the organ and begin to praise the organ, tell it how wonderful it is for it to give us such beautiful music, and how just thankful we are that the instrument is part of this church.

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What do you see that's wrong with that? Now, hold on to your hats or your seat.

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Are we not doing the same thing when we brag on people that sing or play the organ?

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They are just an instrument. We are just instruments to be used.

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That's all right to thank people for what they do. But please remember, each one of us is just an instrument to be used by God.

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I didn't get much reaction to that at all. That's right.

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I'm glad you added that it's all right to thank people for doing the Bible, because I would say if you had a

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Bible, that's right, to encourage one another within reason.

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So bragging too much can be a great crime. Absolutely. And some of us have a lower threshold of pride than others.

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One other statement or one other question. Does the gospel aim at improving man's circumstances?

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Anyone else dare to venture an answer? Greg says no.

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That's right. Well, just give me a yes or no.

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Well, rephrase the question one more time. Does the gospel aim at improving man's circumstances?

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No. What does it aim at? To burn.

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Well, that's true. I was in hopes you'd keep it in the same context. The gospel does not aim at improving man's circumstances.

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It aims at improving the man. So don't keep searching the

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Scripture to improve your circumstances. David, can you make

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God do anything? No. Now come to chapter 8 in the book of Romans.

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One of the things most preachers today is anxious to improve man's circumstances. Exactly.

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They have to go back for another program. In 1

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John, the third chapter and the ninth verse, let me just read it to you. Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.

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Come next week with a short written paragraph explaining 1

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John 3 .9. We know it's true. I want to get your thoughts on it.

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1 John 3 .9. Very short paragraph. Now, Romans 8 .1.

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There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

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Now the rest of the words in that verse, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, have been misplaced.

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They're repeated again in verse 4 where they should be, but not here.

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Here it sounds as though our salvation depends upon our walk. And we know that's not true.

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There is therefore now no condemnation. Greg, what does condemnation mean?

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Those of you listening by tape, he pulled out a big dictionary. Alright, so we could say there is therefore now no reason or occasion for condemning you.

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For the law of the

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Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

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What was the law of sin and death? That's right.

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The law of sin and death was the law of Moses or the Ten Commandments. What happens when there is no law?

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There is no death. But there is no sin where there is no law.

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That's right. Paul says, for until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

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We're back to that word impute again. I hope you all remember that. Now the law of the

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Spirit. Let me read again. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

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My question is, what is the law of the Spirit? Russell?

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The law of the Spirit is what? He said that's what's made me free from this law of sin and death.

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All right.

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Anytime you don't know what the answer is, just say Jesus Christ. Joe Holmes told me years ago, or told the class, if you'll answer all of Moses' questions with Jesus Christ, you'll be right 90 % of the time.

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The law of the Spirit is the authority which is exercised by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit.

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He operates under the law of the Spirit. Our new nature could not break the power of sin.

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Now let that soak in. Our new nature could not break the power of sin.

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What else did it take, Greg? It took this law of the

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Spirit. It took the coming of the Holy Spirit. Because if we just had the new nature, we would not be able to be placed into Christ.

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Of course, that's what gives us the new nature. Only the coming of the higher authority and power could accomplish this.

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The Holy Spirit operates on the new nature. There being no condemnation on the

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Spirit. Now, you're going to have to listen close this morning because there's some very outstanding truths here.

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There is no condemnation on the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Do you understand that?

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And the fact that there is no condemnation upon the Holy Spirit is not based on his conduct, but rather on his position in Jesus Christ.

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But in no way is it us. It is

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Christ Jesus. There is no condemnation on the Holy Spirit.

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But the fact that he's not condemned is not based on what the

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Holy Spirit does. It's based on where he is. The Godhead.

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The only thing in existence that really exists is what? What was the universal answer?

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Only, in this case, it would be God the Father. God is the only thing that really exists.

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Is somebody waving at me? I didn't hear the last part.

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We're supposed to try the Spirit. But if we do not have a ruler, we'll do no good to try.

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We have to be in Christ before we can even begin to try the Spirits. I'm not sure that I heard everything you asked or stated.

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Oh, try. Check them out. You're going to try all of the pews to see which one fits the best.

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We're to try the Spirits. Put them to the test. But if you do not belong to Christ, you're just having experience and exercise because you're not accomplishing anything.

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You have to be saved in order to try these Spirits. Understand?

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Could you hear me? Well, that statement is absolutely true.

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We're not supposed to accept everything comes along. And we're commanded not to.

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Try them. Test them. Look at them. Was it the

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Bereans that went home and checked the Scripture? That's what

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I want everybody to do. Do not ever, ever, and if I catch you all doing it,

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I'll quit, take anything as the truth simply because I said it. Now, I try my best to never tell you anything that's not true.

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But I'm susceptible to sinning just as much as anybody else. And so is

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David. I don't mean to not trust us, but check it out.

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Read the Scripture yourself. So the only thing in existence that really exists is

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God. For what the law was powerless to do through the flesh,

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God did through His own Son. God sent His own Son in likeness of flesh, of the sin, and in regard to sin.

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He condemned sin in the flesh. Why did He do that? Why did

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He have to become flesh in order to condemn sin? Right.

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He had to be exactly as we were. Only He could not have a sin nature and condemn the sin nature.

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That's right. You can witness only what you personally have experienced.

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And if you are a true witness, that's redundant. If you are a witness, you'll be a witness to that fact even if it costs you your life.

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If you change your witness, then you're not a witness. Now, He condemned the sin in the flesh in order that the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us.

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But it was fulfilled in Him. David, how could it be fulfilled in us? Because we were in Him.

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Right. Us that walk not after the flesh, but according to the

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Spirit. Now, I have an example I'd like to give you this morning, talking about the law and the gospel.

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The housewife puts a pot roast on to be prepared for dinner. Any of you ever done that?

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Excuse me. She gets busy in the home and forgets about it until the aroma catches up with her in the back room.

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Then she remembers. Alright, she hurries to the kitchen, picks up a fork to lift the meat, but it's unable to hold the roast.

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She gets a larger fork and has the same results. The fork won't hold the meat.

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She reaches for a spatula, slides it under the roast, lifts it out onto the platter.

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The spatula did what the fork could not do. The law is like the fork.

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It's a good fork. It's a good law. But it could not hold the flesh.

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Because something was wrong, not with the fork, but with the flesh. In that case, it was overcooked.

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Which, to me, is just dumb. In Hebrews 2 .14,

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So he took on flesh like sinful flesh, not sinful flesh.

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Romans 8 .3 Remember the fork is like the law.

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The spatula is like the gospel. It would slide under and just lift it all.

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Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And it's put in here at the right place.

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Just as Jesus and His righteousness fulfilled the law, so we show that same righteousness before the

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Father in Christ Jesus. Verse 5

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For they that are after the flesh do mind things of the flesh.

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Greg, what does it mean to do mind the things of the flesh? Alright, you obey the flesh.

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Those that are after the flesh, those that are in the flesh only. But they that are after the

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Spirit, they obey the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death.

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But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Now, David, carnally minded is death.

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What's death speaking of? So, this death is spiritual death.

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To be carnally minded, how do you get to be carnally minded, Russell? What do you have to do to become carnally minded?

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Well, when I said you, I didn't mean you literally. How could a person, what does a person have to do to become carnally minded?

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So they have to be born? Did they have any choice in being born?

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So they are born. Alright. Carnally minded.

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Do what? When you are here, yes.

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The moment you come. For this reason.

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How many of you in this past week committed no sin?

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Well, how many of you in the past year have committed no sin? How many of you in the last ten minutes haven't committed a sin?

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Richard, it's because, unfortunately, well, no, I won't say unfortunately because we grow.

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But God left the old sin nature here. And a Christian does sin.

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When he sins, he is carnally minded. I know that some churches want to take over the area of their congregation.

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When you are building up your congregation. Like I was at Roblox. You have to step on people's toes and all that.

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They are all playing cards right now. So they are constantly looking the other way. But here you are preaching to teach.

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And it is the same for all of you. But it goes off this way.

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It goes off this way. Because your mind says it is not right. So here you are.

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It goes along with this. Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin.

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I want you to understand that and not be confused about it. So in the middle of the teaching.

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In the middle of the teaching he tells them to be carnally minded is death.

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He is saying two things. First, those that were never born again are carnally minded.

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And their end result is spiritual death. He is telling the born again to be very careful.

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Because any time you sin, it is carnal. You cannot sin a spiritual sin.

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It has to be carnal. No matter how good you think it is. It has to be carnal.

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Spiritually minded is life and peace. Oh, I wish we could all be spiritually minded more.

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If it is sin, it is sin. Find that scripture for me this week.

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Find that scripture this week. That is right.

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They could because they had to do certain things. And some of the things they were ignorant about.

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Say what? Say because of his ignorance?

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While you look. Yes, Russell. Beg your pardon.

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That is right. That is right.

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Yeah, yeah. It is a check on your growth.

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So then. Verse 8. So then they that are in the flesh can always please

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God. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God.

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For it is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can it be. The carnal mind is enmity against God.

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Greg, you got the book. What does enmity mean? It means a war exists with God.

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Enmity. For it is not subject to the law of God.

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Why not, David? That is right.

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If you are in a fight with somebody, you will not take time out and go over and eat dinner with them. Yes. Oh, that is right.

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That is right.

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You will not be a friend of both. God said it. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please

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God. You cannot please God in anything that you hatch up to do.

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You cannot do it. It may seem the most pious, holy, good, or whatever.

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But if it comes from your little mind, it will not please God. Did you know you can come to church,

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Sunday school, participate in everything, and still sin while doing it? How could that be,

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Greg? That is right. You do it for the wrong, what is the wrong motive?

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You can act holy. You can say the right words. Everything.

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But if you are doing it for the wrong reason, it is a sin. That is right.

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Yes, sir. It must. It is imperative.

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And God said it. It must first originate with Him. Because that is all that He will accept.

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Period. He accepts nothing from man. You remember when

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He was telling the, well,

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He was talking to the Pharisees. But some of them said, well, He said, in that day some will say, well, we have preached in your name.

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We have baptized in your name. We have done this, done that. Visited the sick, all in your name.

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And what did He say? I do not know you.

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That is an awesome statement. Never knew you.

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To be disappointed in yourself means you believe only in yourself. To be discouraged is unbelief.

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To be proud is blind. The lack of divine blessing comes from unbelief.

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Not from a failure of devotion. Real devotion rises not from man's will, but from the discovery that blessings are received from God while we are unworthy.

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Nothing I get from God has come because of my devotion. I have nothing to offer

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Him. You do not need to dedicate yourself. What you need is to know and believe that God does it all.

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This demolishes any theory that there is a divine spark in everybody. And if it is just brought out, my, they will be tremendous.

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Well, let me back up a little. The lack of divine blessing comes from unbelief, not from a failure of devotion.

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Real devotion rises not from man's will, but from the discovery that blessings are received from God while we are unworthy.

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Nothing I get from God has come because of my devotion.

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Yeah, yeah.

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Cannot. He prefaced the whole thing with that statement. And if it wasn't so serious, it would be laughable to watch some people.

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Man will even become religious in order to stay away from God. What? What?

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Remember, anything that the flesh produces is not acceptable to the

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Father. So there is not a divine spark in everybody just desiring to find

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God. In Revelation 3 .15,

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I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold. I would that you were hot or cold.

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So then, because thou art lukewarm, that's rather repulsive to me to have to drink a glass of lukewarm water.

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Neither hot or cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. The Greek says,

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I'll vomit you out. In the ninth verse, any questions or discussions after we go on?

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This has been so important. The carnal mind is death.

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The carnal mind cannot please God. We have the freedom to sin when we want to.

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He doesn't make us sin. Sin is in the mind.

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You can do the same thing that you did yesterday that was a sin, and you can do it today and it not be a sin.

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Why is that, David? The Bible says that what you cannot do is make a sin.

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All of a sudden, it makes your heart that you do it anyway a sin.

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That's right. And maybe over the night your heart has returned and gotten right, so you do it again and it's an honor unto

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God. Different motive. See, that all resides in our mind, not in our hands, and not in things that we do.

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I remember when I was young, the Baptist at that time were giving a gold star first and then bars after that for everybody that had attended

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Sunday school without missing for a year. One boy in our class got 14 bars hung on his star.

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And today he's just as lost as a goose. Verse 9, but you are not in the flesh.

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Boy, what a relief. But in the Spirit, if or since, so be that the

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Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of God, he doesn't know

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Him. He never has known Him. Once again, the

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Scripture proves that we are not carnal or sinners, but we are Spirit, and that Spirit is from God.

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In John 17, 9, it says this. This is in the Lord's Prayer for where He is praying in the garden.

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And He says, I pray for them. I pray not for the world. Think about that.

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I pray not for the world, but for them, which

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Thou hast given Me, for they are Thine. Now, go to John 3, 16.

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Joy, read that to me. How many of you have ever heard a preacher from a pulpit make the statement that that means that he loves everybody?

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Well, if that is true, if John 3, 16 means that he loves everybody, then

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John 17, 9 is a lie. You see that?

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If John 17, 9 means that he loves only his, then so does

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John 3, 16. Do you see that?

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Now, just because we don't understand it sometimes, we tend to discount it and think it's not true.

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But it is true, folks. John 3, 16 is not talking about all humans.

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Even though that's all I heard taught or preached. Yes. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin.

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But the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Now, notice something here.

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But the Spirit is life because of righteousness. It does not say the Spirit is alive.

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What does it say, David? The Spirit is life.

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But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his

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Spirit that dwelleth in you. We're going to stop here. We'll start again next week with verse 11 and perhaps review a little bit.

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I hope over the week you have time to go back over what we have discussed this morning and come with some fresh thoughts or old thoughts that you just realized.

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And let's see if we can really, really understand what he is telling us and commit it to the practice of our life.

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Now, are there any, anything from anybody? Anything in agreement or not agreement?

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I guess everybody's happy. Russell dismisses.