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THE OLD MAN
GOD'S TRUTH ABOUT SIN:
Sin is missing the mark. It is missing God's requirement of holiness
We all miss that mark (Rom 3:23)
Sin is a transgression or a trespass. It is going past God's boundaries of
holiness, and going into unholiness and sin (God says, "you shall
not!" We say, "we shall!" We do what He says we are not to do.)
Sin is lawlessness. It is rebelling against God and His moral laws (I Jn 3:4)
Sin is also not doing what we should do (James 4:17)
GOD'S TRUTH ABOUT FALLEN MAN FROM ROMAN 1-3:
1. Men know about God, but purposely blind themselves to the truth
(1:18-23, 25)
Men suppress the truth - exchange the truth of God for a lie (1:18, 25)
In Godlessness - purposely eliminate God from their lives
In wickedness - purposely choose what they want for themselves:
(1) even when it harms others
(2) even enjoying it when it harms others
Men choose to go from light to darkness (1:21) (darken their own hearts)
Men choose to not make the appropriate response to God - to worship and thank Him (1:21)
Men choose to worship His creation instead of worshiping Him (1:22,23,25)
2. God gives men over to sin, so they can experience the full result of their choice (1:24-27)
When God is removed, fleshly desires control rather than are controlled.
Sin perverts and twists sex into something ugly.
3. God gives man over to depravity and wickedness (1:28-32)
Selfishness at its worst (1:29)
Arrogance at its worst (1:30)
Cold-heartedness at it worst (1:31)
Godlessness and wickedness at its worst (1:32)
They know that God will judge them; yet they applaud evil!
This is man's lowest - UTTER DEPRAVITY!
4. Even the religious person rejects God (2:1-3:8)
We see our sins through rose-colored glasses (2:1-3)
We think that because we are experiencing no consequences for our sin,
that we are getting by with it (2:4-10a)
We think that God will show favoritism toward us (2:10b,11)
We think that our knowledge about God will help us (2:12-16)
We think that because we have taught about God, that we are superior to
others (2:17-24)
We think that because we have participated in religious rituals that we
are superior to others (2:25-29)
We think that our national heritage will help us (3:1,2)
We think that our arguments will help us (3:3-8)
5. The conclusion: No one is righteous! (3:9-18)
We are all in the same boat (3:9)
No one desires God or desires to be like God (3:10-12)
It shows in our words (3:13,14)
It shows in our actions (3:15-17)
"There is no fear of God before their eyes!" (3:18)
6. God's law declares us all guilty and silences all of our arguments! (3:19,20)
The law's purpose is to show us that, in our hearts, we are all rebels against God (Gal 2:16; Rom 5:20,21; 7:7-12)
The proper response? God be merciful, to me a sinner! (Luke 5:8;
18:9-14; Isa 6:5)
GOD'S TRUTH ABOUT FALLEN MAN:
We were born……..
1. A sinner (sinful) - Rom 5:12-14, 16-18; I Cor 15:22; Ps 51:5
2. Spiritually blind - I Cor 2:14; II Cor 4:4; Eph 4:17,18
3. Slaves of sin - Jn 8:34; Rom 6:16; 8:7; Col 1:21; Tit 3:3; Isa 64:6
4. With impure hearts - Mk 7:20-23 (Mt 15:9); Jer 17:9; Mt 5:21,22
We were all born sinful - Isa 64:6; Isa 53:6; Eccl 7:20; Ps 143:2; I Jn 1:8,10
We are unable to come to God - Jn 6:44, 8:47
WHAT GOD USES TO CONVINCE US OF OUR FALLENESS:
The conviction of the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:8-10); parents' discipline (Provs 22:6, 22:15, 6:23, 10:17, 29:15); trials in life (Prov 3:11,12; Deut 8:3-5); the Scriptures (Heb 4:12,13); the Law (Rom 3:19,20, 5:20,21, 7:13); Godly testimony of Christians (Jn 17:20-23; 13:35; Mt 5:13-16; Acts 2:47; Phil 2:14,15); preaching in God's power (Rom 1:17; I Cor 2:1-5); Prayer (Col 4:2-4; I Tim 2:1-7); the Cross (Jn 8:27,28), emptiness without God (Eccles 1:2,3); Jesus' life (Jn 1:9); jealousy when others come to Christ (Rom 11:13); God's direct action (Jesus' appearance to Paul on the road to Damascus)
NOW, THAT WE HAVE HEARD THE BAD NEWS, WE ARE READY FOR THE GOOD NEWS!
RESOURCES: GLEANINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURES - MAN'S TOTAL DEPRAVITY by Pink; ROMANS (Chapters 1-3:20, two volumes) by Lloyd-Jones; INTRODUCING CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE by Millard Erickson, chapters 20-22
ASSIGNMENT: 1. Give one example of man's fallen state from what you see this week (in you or others). Suggestions: man's blindness to God, man's selfishness, man's hardness to the truth,…
2. What, in the list above, did God use to convince you of your sinfulness and your need for a Savior?