Marks Of Maturity - The Christian And Sin

Maturity Is for Everyone and the Difference Between Salvation Birthmarks and Growth Marks

Okay, today. I want to just take a little time I had done something back in June three weeks on marks of maturity and one of the things I tried to highlight was an Aspect of our Christian life as it relates to sin and I want to delve into that a little bit more this morning.

Because I just kind of touched on it back then but in order to see the big picture I wanted to just kind of do a quick review and then we'll get into that aspect a little bit more detail the Christian and Sin as it relates to our maturity in Christ two preliminaries.

They have you in your handout there the first preliminary is Number one that maturity is for everyone. Maturity is for everyone. It's not just something for as the Marines would say for a few good men.

It's for everybody in the body. Can somebody read you have some of your scriptures already printed there somebody read Colossians 128 for us, which is our Team verse on our bulletin every Sunday. Yes, Eve.

Go ahead. Thank you. Notice. No less than three times Paul mentions the term everyone, right? Warning everyone teaching everyone that we may present everyone mature in Christ. That's the goal is to bring everyone to full maturity in Jesus Christ.

So maturity is for everyone. That's a foundational truth. We need to know secondly There is a distinction between marks of Christian maturity and birthmarks of salvation. Which is you'll see that in your notes.

I'll repeat that there is a distinction between Marks of Christian maturity and birthmarks of salvation. Let's look at a couple passages there first John who can read first John 2 and then we'll have somebody read first John 3.

Eric first John 2. Thank you. By this we have come to know it didn't we know that we have come to know him Salvation. So it's your ology if we keep his commandments. We're not saved by Obedience, it's not a workspace salvation.

We're saved by grace alone, but John's authorial intent in his epistle was first John 5 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God in order Purpose that you may know that you have eternal life.

So these are just Evidence birthmarks of salvation one of them is obedience. How about first John 3 somebody read that please Brian? Amen. We know that we have passed out of death into life same language that John the Apostle Heard Jesus say in John 5 24 verily verily or truly I say unto you He who believes my word has eternal life and has passed from death to life.

So John is saying here. How do we know that we have passed out of death to life? One of the evidences or birthmarks of salvation is because we love the brothers. You have to twist my hand to come to church.

Love to be in the fellowship of the brethren. So a birthmark of salvation is love for the brethren. So these are these are birthmarks of salvation. These are not marks of maturity. Obedience love for the brethren, of course, those things will grow as we mature now, why is it so important?

Do you think to distinguish between a birthmark? What's a birthmark of salvation? Versus a mark of maturity. Why is that important to distinguish between the two? Excellent. Okay, because Christians can be mature and still be saved.

Very good. Why else? Yes. Yes. Okay, good. Okay. Yes, amen. So if the birthmark is something you have naturally because we're born of God as we heard last week We are born from above born of the Spirit.

It's a work of God in saving us. So those happen Supernatural actually through the Lord, but those other things are Goals that we are to mature in the process of our Christian faith. Another significant thing I also think along with those is I had a discussion a few years ago when I was pastoring with one of the elders is that a lot of times when we see somebody or we're working with somebody is a person that this elder was working with and I was discussing with him the state of this person's Spiritual life and maturity.

The other would say to me. Well, I I think he's a Christian, but he's not mature yet. And I and as I was talking with him, I said well Maybe he's not even saved in the first place because you can't expect somebody who's not saved that God hasn't saved and caused Regeneration to progress to maturity just so those of us who have children.

It's the same in the physical realm a Baby doesn't have maturity, right? But yet there's signs of life. My little one is is eating up a storm. He's gonna eat us out of house and home. But he's not eating steak yet with his dad because he hasn't reached that maturity level, but he's still eating.

So what this is important also is because a lot of times it can give people a false sense of security. People say well, I'm saved to that person say but they're just not mature yet. Well, do they have the birthmarks that John is talking about it here obedience loving the brethren.

Those are signs that God produces in a person because of Regeneration. So a lot of times we use them and say well this person has never shown any Signs of a new creation 2nd Corinthians 517 and yeah, it's just because they're immature.

Well, it might be because they haven't been saved in the first place. So it's important to distinguish between the two. All right. Let's look at the six marks. Just kind of a brief overview. There's a nine marks ministry.

I'm gonna start a new one called six marks. Six marks of maturity and the first few I'm just gonna just what go through we're not going to spend a lot of time discussing because I want to focus on the aspect of sin in our Relationship to it as believers in terms of the process of maturity.

Doctrinal Purity and Christological Clarity as Marks of Maturity

Okay, the first one we talked about was doctrinal purity the first Mark of maturity. Can somebody read Ephesians 4, please? Yes, Carla. No, that's fine. Keep going. Excellent foundational passage. You should know not necessarily the verses by heart, but you should know this reference.

This is a foundational passage in terms of Christian maturity in the body of Christ. Notice that the reason Christ he is a reference to Christ. Gave pastor teachers evangelists to equip the Saints ultimately for what?

Goal. Notice in verse 13 until we all attain. That's the goal attain to what to the unity of the faith and to mature manhood. The goal of God given these People to us pastors shepherds evangelists is that we attain maturity fullness of Christ as Paul puts it in verse 13 and notice the ultimate purpose statement in verse 14 so that We may no longer be children carried about by every wind of doctrine.

So I'm not just picking. Okay, let me see. Let me just try to pick from the clouds what I think is marks of maturity. I'm going to scripture and seeing where does scripture talk about maturity and what are those characteristics of maturity and we see here clearly that Paul is referring to maturity.

Notice a what's a characteristic of a child in this passage. A Spiritual infant is characterized by what? Okay, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. A Child does not have a biblical discernment.

A mature Christian is able to discern biblically. That's an important mark of maturity. That's part of the reason we offer here at the Church Institute of Biblical Studies to encourage people in the area of doctrine.

So we're not tossed by every wind of doctrine in theology. That's very very important. You see this happening all the time with all the false teachers that are out there nowadays. Anyway, let's go on to the next one.

We had covered this already just by way of review. So we get the big picture number two Christological clarity. Colossians 128 we read that already. I won't read it again. But notice it says there that we proclaim him him we proclaim and actually in the Greek it puts The word order in that way to emphasize Christ is the one we proclaim.

It's emphatic. We proclaim Christ. We don't proclaim entertainment. We don't proclaim humanistic philosophy. We proclaim him ultimately for what purpose. To present everyone mature in Christ. You cannot mature without Christ.

So to proclaim Christ, you have to have a solid understanding of not only who he is But also what he has done. That's why it's okay that we weren't in 1st Corinthians this morning and pastor Mike did the central passage in the Gospel of Matthew.

Because it helps us refocus our hearts and our minds on Jesus who he is and what he's done for us. Number three a Teachable spirit who can read those two verses from Proverbs for me a third mark of maturity.

Stephen. Thank you. I love the Proverbs bearers open rebuke and hidden love by the way. If you want to know if somebody loves you're not rebuke him. Just kidding. Don't just rebuke for that moment. You can figure out if they were wise or not.

But we have to have a teachable spirit never get to the point and even in the process of maturing in the faith. You never none of us have ever will ever arrive. If I had a tag on here, it would say on me still a work in progress and.

That's encouraging, isn't it? We're all still a work in progress. Which means that when when we are when somebody does approach us for with a rebuke or a word of encouragement or exhortation. We need to receive it with a teachable spirit rather than be defensive about it.

Sin, Regeneration, and the New Relationship Believers Have to Sin

Okay, the last three which we're going to focus on this morning on sin. Before we get into that I want us to have a little understanding of sin before we talked about how it relates to our maturing in the faith.

Okay, so let's do. For those of you who don't come to IBS, we're gonna do a little IBS class here. I'm our theology the doctrine of sin. Okay, so help me out here. You're gonna teach the class. Define sin for me Brian.

What against the Holy God? Offense it's an offense against the Holy God. Okay, very good. Somebody else. Yes, Bruce. Okay, missing the mark of what God's righteousness notice in both those definitions.

It goes back to God's holiness. God's righteousness. Very good. Anybody. Breaking God's law breaking God's law. Very good. Okay. So it's an offense against the holiness of God. It's missing the mark of God's righteousness breaking God's law.

Let me give you a few others that I just listed willful disobedience and rebellion against God. Having self on the throne and not having God on the throne. It's not keeping the greatest commandment which is what to love the Lord our God with what.

All our heart soul mind and strength. I mean you I've heard you've probably heard it said. Sins of omission and things of commission sins that we commit and sins that we omit. Well, you just take that one commandment and every person stands guilty before God.

Sin is that which we possess at birth because our inherited corrupt nature. Remember David in Psalm 51 he said in sin did my mother conceive me. How about this one? Sin is that which is imputed credited to my account from our federal head Adam.

Romans 519 says for as by the one man referring to Adam by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners. So a person might say to me. Well, I'm really haven't sinned. My heart is pretty decent.

Guess I can say it here. But remember when I was first courting my wife you see here good. I'm safe. When I was first courting my wife and getting to know my in-laws my mother and my future mother-in-law claimed that she was sinless.

So being the Greek that I am to prove my point across as I was sitting in their living room I got down on my knees and fell prostrate before her so you can imagine that was quite a shock to her. It's probably my father-in-law was probably thinking my daughter's gonna marry this guy.

So she asked me what are you doing? I said well as far as I know my Bible because you claim you have never sinned. The only one who's sinless is God himself and Jesus Christ incarnate. Therefore you are to be worshiped and that's what I'm doing right now.

You think that got the message across? But even if somebody doesn't sin think they sin, okay. We're talking about pre-christ pre before God has saved us that a person is guilty because of the federal headship of Adam it's credited to that person's account.

A Friend of mine had a problem with that said that that's not fair for God to do that. What God is not fair. How does he not show partiality? The Bible says in James that God is not partial. God is showing partiality to credit Adam sin to my account when I you know.

How is it charged to my account through the one man's obedience the many more made sinners? I said, you know what you're right. It really isn't fair but I think what's even more or less fair is that God would take Believers one who is saved their sin and put it on Jesus Christ on the cross so that he bore the wrath for me.

Now that's even more for in a less fair. And if you want to talk about fairness, what's even the word? The worst of all is that God will look upon me Through the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Now, let's talk about fairness. But that's what sin is in essence. It's as Isaiah 53 says going astray from God turning to our own way right. Romans 3 23 for all of sin and fall Short of the glory of God.

He's a standard basic biblical definitions of sin. Question who is affected by sin. Who is affected by it? Everyone okay, everyone. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. What I've sins consequences by the way.

Death okay wages of sin is death from in 623. Judgment Hebrews 9 27 is appointed for man to die once and after that to face judgment enmity with God. Very good Bruce. Eternal separation from God. Very good death judgment enmity before God.

Eternal separation from God. Brian. What's that. All of creation the world, okay good. Yeah, exactly just another hand. Excellent Carla. Okay, grieve the Holy Spirit. Very good. If I did that back in May, I think Ephesians 4.

How about this? Paul describes. Remember what happened at the cross? I love that song. The power of the cross. I was talking about it with Dave earlier that on the cross Jesus bore the wrath of God. Therefore when Paul describes the gospel in Romans, which pastor Mike is gonna do in 16 weeks.

I'm looking forward to that. The gospel how does he begin. Verse 18 of chapter 1. Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Romans 1 18 and 1 16. I'm not ashamed of the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes first for the Greek.

I mean first for the Jew then for the Greek. For in the gospel a righteousness. From God is revealed verse 18 for the wrath of God is revealed. Against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

One of the consequences of sin is bearing the wrath of God. The wrath of God has to be satisfied. That's what propitiation is. And if it's not Jesus on the cross for those who repent they will bear the wrath of God.

The consequences of sin. A couple more questions as we get into this a little bit more in terms of our Christian maturity before God saved us. Before God saved us. What was our relationship to sin? How would you describe our relationship to sin before God saved us?

Say that again. Okay. Slaves to sin. I have two people saying slaves. Can't get a third one. No see. We loved our sin. I like that. We loved our sin. We were slaves to sin. We loved our sin. Anyone else Bruce.

Justified our sin rationalizing it. Yes Carmen. Ah. Okay, so we didn't even think we were sinful. We're oblivious. We're good righteous moral citizens. Yeah, according to the human standards very good slaves to sin.

Remember Romans 6 to highlight what the lady said here Romans 6 a couple of times Paul as he goes through that passage. He says we're slaves to sin or I love Jesus passage in John 8 you should know the truth, right?

And the truth shall do what? Set you free. The Jews are like what why should be we be set free? We're not slaves to anyone. We have Abraham as our father. Jesus's response to them is he who sins is a slave to sin.

But if the Son Jesus sets you free you shall be free indeed. So we were slaves to sin. How about Ephesians 2 1 we were dead in our sins, right? Spiritually dead. How about since the work of salvation since God has saved.

What does a believers relationship to sin happen at that point? Once God saves a Person before they were slaves to sin. They were not. Okay, sin has no power over us. Okay, somebody else sin has no power.

Yes. Okay, we are able because of regeneration to choose to do what's pleasing to the Lord Brian. We hate sin in contrast to what Stephen said we're seeing the contrast here loving sin before hating sin.

Slaves to sin not being not being slaves to sin not having sin doesn't have the power over us Bruce. When we sin now, it drives us to the cross. The power of the cross that was the song I was referring to earlier.

When we've seen it drives us to the cross. Turn with me to first John quickly, I don't think that's in your notes. As we get into the last three Marks of maturity as it relates to sin. First John 1 and I'll they're listed in in there for you.

But this passage isn't first John chapter 1 first. If somebody can read verse 10 and then somebody else will jump to the first John chapter 3 verse 9 now remember John's authorial intent. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

So that you may know that you have eternal life. Okay, so he's writing to believers. I write to you who believe in the name of Son of God. What's he say in this opening chapter in verse 10? Flow if we say we have not sinned.

Somebody says I've not sinned. We make God a liar and his word is not in us. I'd rather trust God's word and trust what a person says. So the very cleared the Apostle John says as believers. Of course, we know verse 9 if we confess our sins and that's on the heels of that that John says this as Believers we still sin, but what else does he send chapters 3 verse 9?

Yes. Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Thank you. How was the Spartan race by the way? No one who is born of God can go on sinning keep on sinning for God seed abides in him. He cannot because he has been born of God.

That's part of the miracle of regeneration. Now it doesn't mean that we are it's not perfection. It's direction. It's not the perfection of your life as a mature and reaching maturity. It's the direction of your life.

Christians still sin John says but it's not the dominant pattern of their life. They don't. Continue to keep on sinning when we do sin as Bruce mentioned it drives us to the cross. So let's bring these together in the last three marks of maturity the four and five I had discussed last time briefly with you and I'm going to introduce the sixth one to kind of round off this aspect of Sin in our lives number for a growing awareness of our own sinfulness.

That's definitely a mark of maturity and we simply get it as you seen your notes and as I discussed back in June the Apostle Paul of his Maturing process in life when he wrote first Corinthians. He referred to himself as the least of the Apostles.

When he wrote Ephesians later He referred to himself as the least of all the Saints and by the end of his life when he wrote first Timothy He considered himself his view of himself was on the foremost the chief of all sinners.

So as we mature we see more and more of our sinfulness. We become there's a growing awareness of our own sinfulness how because we become as we become closer to the Lord we realize more and more of who he is in all of his Holiness and majesty and that reveals more and more of our sin.

But yet at the same time there's this it's kind of two sides of one coin. Is it not number five? Steve mentioned before we were saved. We love sin Brian said after God saves us. We hate sin a growing hatred of sin.

Somebody read Romans 7 there. It's right in your notes. Yes, Janet. Thank you. Hmm. Thank you. That's a passage. I'd highlighted last time that When Paul is writing this not only is he a saved person.

He's a mature Christian. Okay, so we know the things I do don't want to do. I do the things I want to do. I don't do but he noticed. What I highlight there is he does the very thing. He hates he hates in it's something that he detests.

Question so as we mature we have both a growing awareness of our own sinfulness and Yet at the same time a growing hatred for sin. How are those two things they seem to be paradoxical? How are those two things coexist in a Christian's life as?

We mature. Yes. Okay. Very good. Excellent. Did everyone hear that? So we the new man in the old man the constant tension that we have within us. Very good. Yes, Linton excellent. Galatians 2 20 that's one of the first verses I learned as a baby Christian.

I love the beginning part of that because you see that tension. I have been crucified with Christ and Paul says I no longer live. Okay, so you're dead. You no longer live but yet later on. He says that you just highlighted Linton.

So very well the life. I live by faith. In the Son of God, so I'm living by faith in the Son of God and yet I've been crucified. I don't live. Well, what's which one is Paul you schizophrenic or what?

No, is that tension? That's it's that holy tension of I've been crucified with Christ. But yet because of that I live by faith by trusting in the Son of God. Excellent. Okay, let's get to the sixth one.

So we're talking about sin and how it affects us as we mature in the Christian life. We have a growing awareness of our own sinfulness. But yet at the same time a growing hatred for sin as we mature in the Christian faith.

Let me give you number six you have it there in your notes and this is the new one. A growing awareness that nothing good dwells in my flesh. A Growing awareness that nothing good dwells in my flesh. By the way, if some of you came late Brian, do you have any extra copies you can pass out?

I don't know if you've got any left over but okay, they're over there, but you can grab them over there. So a growing awareness that nothing good dwells in my flesh. Romans 718 the same passage in Romans.

Can somebody read that verse, please. Go Joe. Okay. Again. That's that passage in Romans 7 when we see God. I mean Paul's Holy tension as a mature believer that he's wrestling there and he knows that nothing good dwells in him in his flesh.

So as we mature in the Christian life. We don't say this is not a mark of maturity. We don't say I'm mature enough. I can handle it rather. We say I know my flesh the corruption that still remains. Listen to this.

It's not in your notes actually turn to it just to show you the power of the flesh. Genesis 4 and sin as it relates to us even as Christians. Yes God has saved us from the power of sin and is continuing to do so.

But we have the corruption that remains with us in the flesh. Genesis chapter 4 verses 6 to 7. Can enable if someone would read that please. Yes. Well, go ahead you haven't read yet, yes, thank you. That's what's known in the scripture as a personification.

Personification is when you take something that's Inanimate and make it as if it has life so to speak notice how he talks about sin as if it's a person. You do not do well sin is doing what? He says to Cain it's crouching at your door and Its desire is for you.

What a strong description of sin. That early on in the scripture God gives to us sin is crouching at the door and his desire is to have you. But you must rule over it. So we need to have a growing awareness that nothing good dwells in our flesh.

We need to understand our flesh the remaining corruption that remains and house. How sin can come if you have this awareness as you mature in the Christian life? Then you'll not have the attitude I can handle this.

I'm a strong Christian if you begin to think that way. The red light should be going off. Okay, let's look at two examples from scripture to to support this thing that we're talking about how is Sin related to us in terms of maturing in the Christian life this last one.

Especially that we understand that we have a growing awareness that nothing good dwells in our flesh. So that when we are confronted with temptation the temper comes along. Satan like a roaring lion. Peter says Peter ought to know better and we're gonna look at Peter in a second that we don't say.

Ah, I'm a strong believer. I'm a Christian Spartan. I can do it. Turn with me to Luke 22. We're gonna look at two examples from scripture on this Peter from the New Testament and David from the Old Testament.

Luke 22 verses 33 and 34. Okay, we there can someone read that please. Go up. We know the story and later on if we read the rest of the chapter. We know that truly Peter did deny the Lord three times, but he said and he meant it Lord, I am ready to go with you not only to prison but to death.

Now I want to in order to understand the impact of this reference I had you purposely read those verses first go back a couple of verses and let's read verses 31 and 32. Because that's on the heels of what Peter just said and this is Jesus talking to Peter if somebody can read that.

Pradeep, thank you. Thank you. So here Jesus tells him, you know, by the way, we saw this morning that and we'll look at that briefly again that you know when The Lord calls you by Satan. That's not a very good thing and When he when he addresses your name, by the way at this point when he addresses Peter he had already switched his name.

He wasn't Simon anymore. He was Peter. We know that from Luke 6 earlier. But yet here as if Jesus is trying to say wake up Peter I'm addressing you by your old name before I came to you Simon Simon and you repeats it twice.

And he says what to him saying the man to have you that he might sift you like wheat. But you are a strong mature Christian Peter you can handle this. No, what did Jesus say why would Peter persevere?

But verse 32 I Jesus have prayed for you. The intercessory work of the second member of the Trinity. That's why in 1st John one of the references we read that if we say we have no sin. We make him out to be a liar and this the truth is not in us if you continue in chapter 2 the thought continues.

Don't let the chapter make you think that that's the break in the thought. He says in chapter 2 John says that we have when we do sin. I write these things so that you may not sin, but if you do sin as believers, we have an advocate with the Father.

Jesus Christ is your advocate and that's what Jesus is saying to him here and it's on the heels of that. Despite that Jesus said that to Simon Peter said no. No. No, I can handle this. I won't. I'll go to prison and death with you spiritual chest pumping.

Why do you think later notice how pastor Mike brought us to Peter the epistle because what Peter writes is from his Personal experience with the interactions he had with the Lord. Why is it in first Peter chapter 5 Peter writes this?

Let's turn to their first Peter chapter 5 verses 5 and 6 to show that Peter would at that stage did not have a growing awareness of His flesh. And that's what he responded the way he did but later on he learned about it.

Look what he says in chapter 5 of his first epistle verses 5 and 6. Dave. I saw your hand earlier. Would you mind reading that? Thank you. Thank you. Excellent. But wait a second doesn't the aunt Peter and Paul in conflict here.

Doesn't Paul see in the great epistle to the Romans chapter 8 if God is for us. Who can be against us? Peter says here that when it comes to humility God opposes whom the proud. But he gives grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. Well, in essence, you can call this mark of maturity. Humility when you have a growing awareness that nothing good dwells in your flesh. It's it's humility.

It's growing in humility and understanding that. The flesh is still alive and kicking in me think with me we don't have to turn to it from this morning. Matthew 16 Peter's confession of Christ. You are the son of the Living God.

You are the Christ the son of the Living God. The father revealed that to him, right and. Yet right after that Jesus says I'm gonna go to the cross and The same Peter who just said the confession Says starts rebuking him.

He began to rebuke him and pastor Mike highlighted and this will never happen to you. Get thee behind me Satan. There we go. Growing awareness of our own flesh. Peter there who confessed Jesus at the same time.

Also told Jesus that should never happen to you. It was a rebuke to him. All right, let's look at the Old Testament this example of David. Actually, if somebody can look up 1st Samuel 13 verse 14. 1st Samuel 13 verse 14 and then somebody else in the New Testament Acts chapter 13 verse 22.

I'm just going to highlight the character of David here as Testified by God himself to show us how he also to with this mark of maturity at a stage in his life in his life. 1st Samuel 13 14. Go ahead Ezra.

Thank you. Thank you Samuel there the prophet is talking to Saul and telling him this information. And notice what it says of the Lord. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. So this is the Lord himself seeking someone after God's own heart.

Okay, who has acts 13 22? Deep thank you. Excellent question who testified of the character of David there according to the scripture God. So we know that's true of David because God said it God doesn't lie and he is the one who sought him out and he found somebody God that says here in Acts 13 a Man after his own heart who will do all my will.

Okay, so this is David. All right. Turn all together. Let's go to 2nd Samuel 11. 2nd Samuel chapter 11. And I'll read it this time because I'm going to do a little. I have a little license with this passage.

Don't worry. There won't be any heresy here. Because that would not be doctrinally pure. But I want I want to highlight to you here how David whom God himself testified was a man after his own heart. Willing to do all his will.

What happened here? I'll just read the first five verses and you can follow along with me. We know the rest of the story, but I want to highlight the beginning. 2nd Samuel chapter 11 beginning in verse 1 in the spring of the year the time when kings go out to battle.

David the man after God's own heart Sent Joab and his servants with him in all Israel and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David the man after God's own heart remained at Jerusalem.

It Happened late one afternoon When David the man after God's own heart arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house that he saw from the roof a woman bathing and the woman was very beautiful and David the man after God's own heart sent and inquired about the woman and One said is not this Bathsheba the daughter of Elion the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

So David the man after God's own heart Sent messengers and took her and she came to him and he lay with her now. She had been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Then she returned to her house and the woman conceived and she sent and told David the man after God's own heart.

I am pregnant. God found a man after his own heart and yet we see here as We're talking about this sixth mark of maturity a growing awareness that nothing good dwells in my flesh. David took license there he saw the fruit and took.