Respectable Sins

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Respectable Sins

• The Good News

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Introduction

• Respectable Sins Jerry Bridges
• 21 Chapters, Chapters 4-6 today
• Through March 16, with two breaks
• Sunday School Class Aaron LaFortune
• The Book is available from our bookstore see
  Stephanie Nget.

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Its About Sin in the Body

• This series is about sin among believers the
  subtle sins of believers gossip, selfishness,
  unkind words, etc.
• I am not free of these sins. (None of us are!)
• Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
  Matthew 71, NIV

4
Review God Judges All Sin

• We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us
  has turned to his own way and the Lord has laid
  on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 536
  NIV
• The most important reason why sin is very, very
  bad is because it was put on Jesus on the cross.
• Jesus Christ suffered for each and every sin that
  we take so lightly! gossip, unkind words,
  impatience, anger at others

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Respectable Sins

• The Good News

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1 Timothy 115

• This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should
  accept it Christ Jesus came into the world to
  save sinnersand I am the worst of them all.
  NLT

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Not Only in the Past

• Paul I am the worst of them all
• Since we know that Paul grew to be much like
  Christ in his character and actions, how can he
  say this?
• All disciples of Jesus, as they grow in maturity
  to be more like Christ, become more aware and
  more sensitive to their own sin.

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1 John 18-10

• 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling
  ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if
  we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and
  just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
  from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not
  sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing
  that his word has no place in our hearts. NLT

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Good News Two Promises in 1 John 19

• Forgive our sins
• Cleanse us from our sins

10
We Need the Gospel

• The gospel is for sinners.
• Christians sometimes think the gospel is only for
  the lost people who need to be saved.
• Once we trust in Christ, we think the gospel is
  only for those who are still unbelievers.
• However, we are all still sinners!

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Step One

• Face the reality of the sin that is still in me.
• Not no one is perfect
• Not half-hearted I guess I acted selfishly
• Instead I am a selfish person, and each selfish
  act is a symptom of the selfishness and sin that
  lives in me.
• When we face our sin, we feel guilty. (Because
  we are guilty!)

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Psalm 321-5

• 1 Blessed is he
• whose transgressions are forgiven,
• whose sins are covered.
• 2 Blessed is the man
• whose sin the Lord does not count against him
• and in whose spirit is no deceit.
• 3 When I kept silent,
• my bones wasted away
• through my groaning all day long.

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Psalm 321-5

• 4 For day and night
• your hand was heavy upon me
• my strength was sapped
• as in the heat of summer. Selah
• 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
• and did not cover up my iniquity.
• I said, I will confess
• my transgressions to the Lord
• and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

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Step Two

• Know that your sins are forgiven. God does not
  hold them against you!
• Psalm 325b I will confess my transgressions
  to the Lord and you forgave the guilt of my
  sin.
• Isaiah 536b and the Lord has laid on him the
  iniquity of us all.

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Not Alone in the Battle

• God is not against us, but for us (Romans 831b)
• He loves us, and takes our problems to be his
  problems including the problem of sin!
• The truth I am a very bad sinner, but I have a
  great and powerful Savior.

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Eat the Gospel Every Day

• Psalm 10312
• Isaiah 4325
• Isaiah 536
• Psalm 321-5 or Romans 47-8
• Romans 81
• Psalm 1303-4

• Isaiah 118
• Isaiah 3817
• Micah 719
• Ephesians 17
• Colossians 213-14
• Hebrews 812
• Jeremiah 3134

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Step Three

• Since our sin is forgiven and our guilt removed,
  we are grateful and encouraged.
• The gospel motivates us to deal with sin to
  put it to death.
• The only sin that can be successfully fought is
  sin that is forgiven!

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Good News Two Promises in 1 John 19

• Forgive our sins
• Cleanse us from our sins

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Two Stages of Cleansing

• Deliverance from the dominion of sin
• Freedom from the remaining presence and activity
  of sin

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Accomplished Fact

• Colossians 112-13 giving thanks to the
  Father, who has qualified you to share in the
  inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of
  light. For he has rescued us from the dominion
  of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of
  the Son he loves NIV

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but Still a Struggle

• Sin is dethroned, but wages a war to regain power
  to control our lives.
• For the sinful nature desires what is contrary
  to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to
  the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each
  other, so that you do not do what you want.
  Galatians 517 NIV

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Living by the Spirit

• Galatians 516 So I say, live by the Spirit,
  and you will not gratify the desires of the
  sinful nature.
• Live under the controlling influence of the
  Spirit of God, depending on Him.
• Dependent Responsibility
• We are responsible to obey, put sin to death,
  remain branches attached to the vine but we
  totally depend on the power of the Spirit.

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Co-Laborers with God

• Accept Responsibility

• Depend on the Holy Spirit

Dependent Responsibility
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What We Should Expect

• As we walk by the Spirit, we will see Him working
  in us and through us to clean us from the sin
  that remains in our lives.
• We will not be perfect, but we will see progress.
• Do you sincerely want to address the sin in your
  life?
• Then you can be sure that God is at work in you
  to make it possible!

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How Does God Cleanse Us?

• Convicts us of sin
• Empowers us to put sin to death
• In things we do not see
• In trials and circumstances

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Romans 828-29

• And we know that in all things God works for the
  good of those who love him, who have been called
  according to his purpose. For those God foreknew
  he also predestined to be conformed to the
  likeness of his Son, that he might be the
  firstborn among many brothers. NIV

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James 12-4

• Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you
  face trials of many kinds, because you know that
  the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may
  be mature and complete, not lacking
  anything. NIV

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Directions for Dealing with Sin

• Apply the gospel.
• Depend on the Holy Spirit.
• Recognize your responsibility.
• Identify specific respectable sins.

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4. Identify Specific Respectable Sins

• Over the next weeks, expect God to identify
  particular respectable sins in your life.
• Ask God to reveal to you those sins!
• As a sin is identified, consider what situations
  lead to that sin in your life.
• Anticipating circumstances that lead to sin is a
  huge help in putting that sin to death!

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Directions for Dealing with Sin

• Apply the gospel.
• Depend on the Holy Spirit.
• Recognize your responsibility.
• Identify specific respectable sins.
• Memorize and apply appropriate scriptures.
• Develop the practice of prayer.
• Involve one or a few believers with you.

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Pressing On

• Remember, our sins are already paid for and
  forgiven.
• We commonly live in complete denial of our sin.
  We make excuses to deny how bad it is.
• The Holy Spirit exposes sin for what it is.
• Prepare to be humbled. Everyone.
• There is a prayer room available.
• Should you go and pray with someone?