Text:
Romans 7:18-21:
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Romans 8:14-17:
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Theme:
Not Severed But Hindered
Introduction:
- The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Romans during his third visit to the city of Corinth.
- Romans was written for two primary reasons: 1)to reveal the Gospel that God has no respect of person and is a God for the Gentiles also, and 2)to correct the legalistic teachings found in the area at the time.
- The book is written in seven parts spanning from the conviction of all under sin as in Romans 3:23 where it states that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” to the outflow of Christian love shown in Paul’s salutations to the various believers in Chapter 16.
- The texts outlined in this study realize the truth of our relationship with God!
- No relationship …no peace…no life more abundantly…no POWER
- How do you get into a relationship with God?:
- He reaches out to you –
- Jeremiah 18:6 says, “O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”
- Also, the hymn says, “Love lifted me. Love lifted me. When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.”
- In response, you reach out to him —
- The old hymn says it best, “Father, I stretch my hands to thee. No other help I know. If thou withdraw thyself from me, oh, whither shall I go?”
- Either way, the result must be a submission to the Word, Will, and Way of God!
- Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
- John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
- 2John 1:6, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
- SUBMIT, OBEY, & LOVE God in maintaining our relationship with Him
- He reaches out to you –
- What has happened when the power of a relationship with God is not felt?
- You are a non-believer and your relationship with God was severed when you were born!
- Psalms 51:5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
- Without belief in God, you will go to hell!
- Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
- You have a zeal for God and your relationship with God was severed but can restored.
- Romans 10:2, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
- Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
- You are a believer and your relationship with God is not severed again…but merely hindered.
- This is the context of this study.
- You are a non-believer and your relationship with God was severed when you were born!
Body:
- The theme contains the words of comfort that apply to a common scenario for the believer.
- As Paul stated so well in Romans 7:21, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.”
- Can you hear or remember the words:
- “I keep on messin’ up”
- “I’ll com back to church one I get my life right
- “No matter how hard I try, there is always something holding me back”
- “I’m tired of being down here. I want to go on to Heaven.”
- The Believer faces the struggle of a constant war on the inside
- Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
- The greatest adversary is the FLESH!
- Why? Because Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
- The flesh cannot consistently do good for good reasons. That is why we have to DIE TO THE FLESH!
- Romans 8:13, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
- Matthew 16:24, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
- Instead of following the FLESH, we should follow JESUS
- Follow His WORD, WILL, and WAY
- The Believer sometimes thinks that to struggle means that something is wrong ==> NO
- We all sin and have sinned!
- Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
- We are supposed to be “tried” just like Jesus was tried!
- Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
- However, only Jesus is to remain untainted – WE MESS UP and God knows it before we even do it!
- Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
- We all sin and have sinned!
- What do we do about our mistakes???
- Get frustrated, turn away, or depressed.
- God is not “hearing my prayer”
- God is silent
- God doesn’t love me any more
- God has taken back my salvation
- None are correct…what has happened is that the relationship is NOT SEVERED but just HINDERED due to our shortcomings.
- We need to get back into a right relationship with God!!
- 2 Chronicles 7:17-18, “And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.”
- A right relationship is based on obedience to God’s command!
- John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
- Get frustrated, turn away, or depressed.
- So, don’t waste time wondering about your strained relationship with God…just fix it!!
- It’s not severed
- John 10:29, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
- It’s just hindered!
- I can’t pray like I used to
- I can’t sing like I used to
- I can’t preach like I used to
- I can’t love like I used to
- I have no power
- I have no peace
- I have no joy
- I have no vision
- It’s not severed
- Can you hear or remember the words:
- As Paul stated so well in Romans 7:21, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.”
Conclusion:
- Fix it!!!
- Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
- Consequences of not “fixin’ it”
- 1 Samuel 12:15, “But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.”
However, if your house is in order, you can enjoy Jehovah-Shammah, The Lord Is There.
- Colossians 2:6, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
- Don’t worry about the mistakes that you make because they won’t sever your relationship; however, they can hinder the relationship.
- This is when we can lean and depend on Jesus, the Christ. We need Him and can’t do without Him.
Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
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