Man Making an Image of God

V1 Servant

δοῦλος doulos; from 1210; a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): — bond(-man), servant

V2 He has an earthly lineage. He is the Son of David.

V4 …declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead

He is the Son of God for He is God born of God. He is the Son of man for He is God born of man. He is the only way that man can know God.

Declared- to define to mark out the boundaries or limits (of any place or thing) 1b to determine, appoint

We have to understand that it’s not His death on the cross that declares Him to be the Son of God. All men die:

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Instead, it’s His resurrection from the dead that declares Him to be the Son of God. It proves that His Spirit is the Spirit of holiness.

Boundaries have been determined. He alone is the Son of God. He alone is the one proven to be without sin. While two men walked on earth w out sin, only one man died without sin and robbed the grave of its victory:

1 Corinthians 15:54-55

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

V 12 …comforted together

Robertson suggests, "Instead of saying that he had a spiritual gift for them, he wishes to add that they also have one for him." He translates, "That I with you may be comforted," and adds, "My being comforted in you with you, a mutual blessing to each party (you and me)." The word "comfort" usually carries with it the idea of consolation which is not Paul's thought here. The word is sumparakaleo, "to strengthen with others." It is a mutual strengthening, brought about by Paul's ministry among them and their association with him, that the apostle is speaking of. The fellowship of the saints.

V 14  debtor

1 Corinthians 9:16

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

V 15 preach the gospel εὐαγγελίζω euaggelizō; from 2095 and 32; to announce good news

V 16 …for it is the power of God unto salvation

1 Corinthians 1:18.                                  2 Corinthians 4:3 lost

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

V 17 in it the righteousness of God ESV

Ch 3 Jesus is God’s righteousness manifested on earth

Ch 4:3 faith allows man to receive God’s righteousness

Imputed

It is like the proffered hand of a drowning man that makes it possible for the life guard to save him. There is nothing meritorious in the act of a drowning man in stretching out his hand in order to be saved. It is the efficient medium through which he is saved. Thus, the act of faith on the sinner's part is not meritorious but only the efficient medium through which God is able save him. The "it" therefore refers to the outstretched hand of faith of a sinner reaching out for salvation that God grasps in His own to lift him out of the mire of sin and place him upon the Rock, Christ Jesus

Ch 5 righteousness give access to grace and is a free gift given by God to man based on faith and made available through the cross

Ch 6 you’re no longer a slave to unrighteousness but a slave of righteousness

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Isaiah 64:6

6 But we are all as an unclean thing,

and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf;

and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

V18 … For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against…

Suppress

to hold back, detain, retain

The idea is there are men who suppress the truth of God’s word. There is an attempt by the powers that be to stop the progress of God’s word and kingdom message.

V 21 …neither were thankful

Obscure: to cover with darkness, to darken

Vain- empty

Imaginations- thinking, reasoning, discussions

God is removed from their thoughts the word thankful is eucharisteo specifically used often to describe a prayer of thanks before a meal. Thankfulness and acknowledgment towards God is a really big deal. Illustration of a farmer and his meat and piece of bread.

They let their minds be empty of Him. He darkened their hearts towards Him

The text is focused on the wicked heart of man, but it would be foolish to forget who is the source of the wickedness that is in the heart of man and that the whole purpose of evil is to steal God’s glory.

V 23 two words in verse 23

1. Glory

2. Image

Glory

This verse is focused on pointing out that the deceitful heart of man is determined to refuse God of His glory, His worship, His honor, His acknowledgement that is due towards Him as the sovereign creator of the universe, the sovereign creator of humanity.

While Satan isn’t mentioned in the passage, we would not be acknowledging the full story if we did not acknowledge the created being that started this thought and placed it into the heart of man.

Isaiah 14:12-14

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!

how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:

I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Ezekiel 28:2

Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

Ezekiel 28:15-17

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Image

Ezekiel 8:10

So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel.

Exodus 32 golden calf both Egypt Apis and Canaan Baal rain-- crops

What did the god Apis do?

Apis brought fertility to crops, virility to Egyptian kings, and protection to the dead. As the Apis bull incarnate in Memphis Egypt, he lived in the temple of Ptah and participated in ceremonies, festivals, and acted as an oracle.

God gave humanity an image to worship

Colossians 1:15

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Colossians 1:19-20

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Colossians 2:9-10

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

V 24 Wherefore God gave them up

to give into the hands (of another)

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

V 25

…changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator

They worship the creation,  the earth, their humanity, Their identity, their sexuality, they form and fashion a God to their liking that meets the pleasures of their desires and their definition of love.

Problems of the Flesh and the Heart

Romans 7:5-6.  spiritually flesh is used a couple ways by Spirit through Paul

5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.

6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

σαρκικός

1. governed by mere human nature not by the Spirit of God

2. having its seat in the animal nature or aroused by the animal nature

3. human: with the included idea of depravity

1. Flesh- the new man living the desires of the old man because he’s living through the power of the old man

2. Sinful passions- desires of the old man

3. Law— makes demands on the old man  but doesn’t give a helping hand

4. Members— the body parts that act out the sinful passions of the fleshly old man, because he has no spiritual power to overcome because he is under law, and law’s power is self instead of Spirit and sin’s power is the law. If you, through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13)

An admittance of:

1. I was wrong

2. I can’t do it. Please Lord help

Have you ever been in a place as a Christian where your love for God is encouraging you to be pleasing to Him, but there are things in your life that you know He’s not pleased with and those things are becoming frustrating to you, so you want them gone, but you don’t know how to get rid of them?

Kenneth Wuest describes the psuchikos, sarkikos and pneumaticos man

In Romans 7, Paul is speaking to Christian’s who have not yet learned to walk in the Spirit and are attempting to live Christianity in their flesh, under a form of law (performance) and they’re failing.

KJV Motions instead of passions. Other ways this word was translated: afflictions, sufferings, affections.

3 main thoughts are being addressed:

Romans 7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

1. New life in Christ results in death to our relationship with sin—the power of the passions are broken in the new life  through (faith).

2. New life in Christ results in death to our relationship with Law— not learning about the new birth/new life results in people trying to live “right” through will power, which is a system of self-performance. Self-performance/ will power cannot result in victory over the power of sin. Sin has power and is a spiritual problem. The problem of sin requires a spiritual power (Holy Spirit). While the Law is spiritual, it cannot give power over sin, because man is carnal (Romans 7:14 NASB). The Law is based on the performance of self/ there is no indwelling presence of the Spirit for power.  Galatians 3:10 The Righteous Shall Live by Faith for all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and DO THEM.”

3. There is a new life in Jesus that results in a translation into a new kingdom that you cannot see with physical eyes, hear with physical ears, or smell with a physical nose. It’s a spiritual kingdom. The spirit of the man comes alive to God and God’s Spirit comes to abide in Him. He becomes a new spiritual creation that is living in both a spiritual and a physical realm. Through the new birth, we have been placed into a new spiritual dimension/ atmosphere. The natural mind tries to cross over into this world, but earthly wisdom does not work here. Logic, intellect and earthly wisdom doesn’t work here. Faith brings in the harvest of this realm.

Romans 6:14

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

This is such good news for us because we are told by God’s word that we no longer have to live under sin’s dominion. We can be free not only in the members of our flesh but in the vestiges of the fall that want to hide and linger in our soul. Our mind, our will and our emotions can be given over to God as we cooperate and joint participate with the Holy Spirit in handing Him the pruning shears, the scalpel, the bellows— “here you go Lord, have your way!” It’s the conversations of bitterness and manipulation that we have in the office. It’s the things we watch in our darkened rooms, the manipulative schemes that we plot in our minds in order to get our ways on the job, in friendships, in church relationships, in ministries… these vestiges/remnants of the fall that are hidden in the heart, the soulish part of the inner man, in our mind, our will, our emotions.

Nowadays there is so much talk about demons hiding in the lives of believers. From their childhood or through open doors that we’ve opened after our new birth. Personally, I don’t have a problem with that. I believe that it’s a possibility that can happen, but let me say this, do we think that the blood of Jesus, the cross of our Lord isn’t strong enough to break the tie of a demon in our lives? The scriptures prove that He is and that He has. Furthermore, the scriptures prove that normal Christianity is not the struggle with a demon; instead, it’s the fight of faith and a struggle with the flesh. The refusal to see self, the refusal to die to self, the refusal to allow the word of God to speak to self, the refusal to imagine that I could be wrong and someone else could be right, the refusal to die to what I want so that God can really have His way in me. All these truths can be dealt with through a proper heart posture to God and His word. Something that is crucified is dead. I have pondered these thoughts before. Let’s pretend that it’s possible and a believer has a demonic stronghold in an area, but they refuse to believe that there could be such a thing. And they refuse to let go of that area themselves.

But it’s more likely that the problem is the flesh vs a demon, because it’s more consistent with New Testament truth that it’s the flesh vs a demon in the life of a truly converted individual.

Dominion—to be lord of, to rule, have dominion over

Sin is still a problem in the life of believers

Hamartia— is to miss the mark

The mark is Jesus… to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong

Matthew 15:1-20

Traditions and Commandments

1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, Honor your father and your mother,’ and, Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

9 in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

What Defiles a Person

10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Hebrews 4:12-13

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all p Pnaked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

According to this scripture, the word of God is a mirror of the heart. Part of its purpose is to reveal to us the thoughts (deliberation) and intentions of our heart.

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Pure- purified by fire in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit

Psalms 24:3-4

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?

or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;

who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,

nor sworn deceitfully.

1 Peter 3:4

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

In this case, Peter is taking the position that:

1. The women that read are true converts

2. He is assuming that the love of Jesus that was planted in their spirit when they became one w the Lord has travelled through the bridge of their hearts and entered their souls affecting the way they are willing to think, feel and desire.

3. That the truth of God and a love of God has so settled in their hearts that like a well spring of life two things are happening: 1. Their flesh that wants to do it their way or another way is crucified and willing to move out of the way and 2. The truth of God and love of God is going to sacrificially flow like fountain out of them

Matthew 22:37

-- Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

John 14:15

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 14:21

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

John 14:24

Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

John 12:47-50

47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

1 Peter 1:13-25

Called to Be Holy

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Until You and I are One

Genesis 1:26

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Image- Hebrew- ṣelem >> from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol: — image, vain shew

Words used to describe image in Hebrew:

1. Shade

2. Phantom— shadow

3. Idol

Think about this… God formed man out of the dirt/clay of the earth. He formed and fashioned him with His hands like a craftsman forms and fashions a piece of clay into an image of his liking. No wonder it’s so offensive to God for man to fashion an image with his hands that he worships as God, and no wonder, the antichrist will demand that all mankind will worship an image as though it were God.

God’s purpose of fashioning man with His hand was that man was to be a reflection of His glory, a shadow of His likeness, a representative of His purpose. When we see man walking upright as a bipedal being, we should not imagine that this was God’s intent and purpose regarding image. Rather, the reflection was His character and His glory. Like the late Michael Heiser said, “Man was intended to be an ‘imager’ of God’s glory.” Wherever man went, God’s image, character and glory was reflected on the earth. He would have God’s mind on the matter. He would rule dominion on earth the way that God would rule dominion on earth.

God gave him power to have authority and dominion over the whole earth. It was his duty to rule, reign and subdue. The creation was to be under His dominion and control.

Image- Greek—eikon>> icon- a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol

Ephesians 4:24

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Before we move too quickly, I would like to talk about the “new man”, but I would also like to talk about the word “created”. Adam was created and formed by the hand of God. The new man that has experienced the new birth has been recreated in Christ— if true conversion has taken place place (Titus 3:5). Regeneration—“re-gened” if you’re not being convicted and changed, don’t be fooled, you’re either not converted or you’re living in rebellion against God, His will and His word!

1 Corinthians 6:17

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

2 Peter 1:4 partakers koinonos common-union “a sharer” I’m sharing His nature because, in my spirit, I’ve been made one with Him.

2 big problems in the lives of people who call themselves Christians:

1. Rebellion/stubbornness—sins of witchcraft and idolatry (1Samuel 15:23)

2. Doubt and unbelief will cause a person to be uncertain to what the truth is or what the answer for the problem is (James:5-8)

Colossians 1:13-16

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

If you’ve been converted, you have been delivered and translated. You either believe it, doubt it or are rebelling against it. If you’re rebelling or doubting, don’t be confused why you’re being tossed.

He (creator) lives through you: you are His vessel

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I don’t know who or what you or other people may think they have living in them, but the word of God says that I have Jesus living in me. I’m possessed by the creator of the universe. He created dominions, principalities and powers, and He lives in me, so those entities surely don’t have power over me. That is His word.

Colossians 3:10

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Whatever was lost in Adam was regained in Christ, but more so because Jesus is greater than Adam and Jesus lives in us. The potential of what God can and will do through us is limitless:

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Whatever He wants to get done, we are His answer, we are His vessel as we believe the truth and yield, I said yield and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way. If He needs a dead man raised, I am His man, if He needs a devil cast out, I am His man, a healing, a message preached, I don’t care what it is. If He wants it done, we are the ones!

The problem we have is that our soul man (mind) limits us from believing what God’s word says.

Ephesians 4:23-24

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness  and true holiness.

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

• To be jointly formed

• Having the same form as another

• Identical or Siamese twins

• I am re-gened

Romans 12:2-3

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye **transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the  measure of faith.

conform to the same pattern (figuratively): — conform to, fashion self according to

Colossians 2:15

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:16

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Colossians 2:18

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Colossians 2:19

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Don't Let Sin Revive

Romans 7:9 KJV

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

This topic is for people that are ready and willing to surrender to God’s will. What I mean by that is this, when people are living in failure, there are usually one of two reasons:

1. The person is saved and wants to live for God, but doesn’t know how

2. The person is not really interested in living for God, right now, they’re living for self.

God’s power and grace is sufficient to break through and give the victory, but if a human refuses to yield his will and surrender to God’s will, that person will remain in bondage until he or she is willing to surrender—many times it starts small and grows, but there will be joint participation with the Holy Spirit, and that is who I am talking to.

Alive- to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead)to enjoy real life to have true life

Romans 7:9 AMP

Once I was alive…But when the commandment came, sin lived again and I died…

Galatians 3:12 ESV

But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”

Leviticus 18:5 ESV

You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.

Romans 10:5 ESV

The Message of Salvation to All

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.

Doing vs believing

Go back to Romans 7:9

**Doing is Law/ Law is performance focused

Believing is Faith focused

Trusting in Law or self performance results in frustration and failure (Galatians 2:21)

Believing or faith in Jesus results in God’s righteousness- where there is righteousness, there is grace and where there is grace, there is victory

Romans 4:3 ESV

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:5 ESV

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Galatians 3:6-7

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

Galatians 3:9

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Romans 3:24 ESV

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 5:1-2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Grace vs law

Trying to do something instead of being something by believing something. The next question is do you want to be something new or does a person want to remain their old man? There is a part that is contingent on the believer— Submission to the truth. The truth says that we have to die to self.

1. Die to sin

Romans 6:1-2 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

What do you mean I died to sin? When did I die to sin?

2. Die to the law

Romans 7:4 ESV

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

3. Die to flesh

Galatians 5:24 ESV

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

When God Let's Man Have His Way

Romans 1:16-18 ESV

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Before we talk about people suppressing the truth and its results, let take a look at the importance of embracing truth:

1. The Psalmist reveals that truth leads to the presence of God…

Psalms 43:3

O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

Psalms 24:3-4

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

2. Truth in a human heart brings God pleasure… thou desirest truth ESV delight…Strong’s pleasure

Psalms 51:6-7

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The Lord’s eyes aren’t blind. He doesn’t need glasses to see into a human heart. He has a spiritual microscope that He uses to examine the intricacies of the human heart. You need help with your heart. I need help with my heart.

After his sin with Bathsheba, King David writes a song and sings…You search my heart. You have a way of dealing with me. if it’s truth you want in my heart to lead me up your holy hill, I’m in need of your help. Take that sop of blood and smear it all over my heart, wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

Jesus is ultimately the fulfillment of truth. Conversion brings truth into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth, we will find ourselves on the holy hill. In the presence of God being led by His Spirit.

3. Truth in  heart of a believer is an expensive …

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Romans 1:16-18

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Romans 1:22-32

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Through the ages unrighteous men have influenced society, have made man god and have now said to us, “You are god, you are who you want to be, you do what you want to do. We reject God, we reject His word, we reject His truth.

Listen very closely… it’s important that you understand what I am about to say. We are watching the degradation of society unveil before our eyes. What we see so far out in the open is nothing compared to what they do in their secret chambers. But you must understand that if you— suppress the truth of God in your life, the wrath of God will be revealed from heaven in your life also. This is a spiritual truth. It cannot be avoided. This wrath is different than the wrath that will occur as described in the book of revelation.

This is wrath is what happens to humans when God allows them to have their way in their own hearts. Darkness overtakes them, sin overwhelms them, they find themselves doing things they never imagined they could or would do. The guilt begins to pile up on them.

But good news, good news, good news—truth is only a whisper away!

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,

A reprobate mind is one that has been rejected by God.

boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Proverbs 29:27

An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.

Proverbs 29:27

An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

1 John 2:20 CSB

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge.

1 John 2:21

I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth.

The Riven Side: Part 1 and Part 2

Romans 7:22-23

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

In our world laws carry weight and authority. The Laws spoken of in Romans 7:22-23 speak of laws that govern the spiritual realm and have an affect or result in our physical world.

1. the law of God after the inward man

2. law of my mind

3. the law of sin which is in my members.

• I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind

When we talk about the Law of sin, in essence, we are talking about the sinful nature. Some other ways to say that would be the source of sin, the factory of sin, the power of sin, or the noun of sin.

But we were separated from the old life that was dominated by sin when we were born again. Illustration of the drape

What is sin?

Romans 14:23.    Judgment against self, with anything, not certain we should, we shouldn’t

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

James 4:17

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

It’s important for us to consider these passages because sin is not always what we like it to be. I say like it, because we conveniently choose the stuff that others struggle with but we don’t. In our minds, it protects our spirituality and places us in an elevated position.

Sinful things we might struggle with and not consider sinful

1. Submission to authority

2. Living in fear

3. Watching unclean things

4. Manipulation—manipulation has a root called control

5.   Unteachable—know it all spirit  

                                                        Battle in the mind

V 7:23 The law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

We have to establish some vocabulary here so that we can make sure that we are on the same page:

1. the law of sin—(sinful nature) when I connect that to my members, now I have one aspect of the meaning of the word flesh. While it’s true that the word for sin is hamartia and the word for flesh is sarx, so hamartia means sin and sarx means:

• the meat of an animal (as food),

• the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), what is external,

• or as the means of kindred) [flesh and blood—family]  why is human nature weak and frail & full of passions??

• human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially),

• carnal(-ly, + -ly minded), flesh

2 thoughts:

1] both the body as opposed to the soul and spirit

2] a carnal mind

can both be labeled the flesh, so with that said, it’s important for us to know that the soul is not completely disconnected from the flesh [because the mind is part of the soul: mind, will, emotions = soul]

And the soul is not completely disconnected from the Spirit, we know the word can separate them.

Flesh is used to describe a carnal mind and the mind is part of the soul. A carnal mind is the opposite of a spiritual mind. Can a Christian have a carnal mind?

1 Corinthians 3:1

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.                                              Pneumatikos.           Sarkikos—fleshly

1 Corinthians 2:14 psychikos—soulish

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So the soulish or natural man can be a Christian who does not think with the mind of Christ; instead, he operates in a carnal mindset, with his own mind, without a renewed mind.

Ephesians 4:20-23   renewed- renovate

20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

So the soulish part of man known as the mind can partner with sin and operate carnally or fleshly, which is not God’s will and anything that is not of faith is sin.

Return to the drape illustration but keep the face/ head on the opposite side

And that’s where I feel the Lord wants me to spend the rest of the time…looking at the laws in relation to the mind—specifically the renewed mind/ the mind of Christ.

1. the law of God after the inward man

2. law of my mind

3. the law of sin which is in my members.

How does my inward man affect the law of my mind? After I’m saved, the Spirit of God lives in me. God told Jeremiah 31:33 that in the New Covenant, He would write the Law of God on the heart. My interpretation of that is this—when I got saved the Holy Spirit came to live in me. In what part of me does He live? His Spirit lives in my spirit and so I can know right from wrong spiritually, but the mind of my soul man may not be convinced. The renewal of the mind is more than just reading your Bible. The renewed mind is a mind that is gaining revelation. Revelation comes from the Holy Spirit, but without knowledge, it’s difficult to gain revelation.

Knowledge—wisdom—understanding

Illustration: I don’t like algebra, so I skip class and refuse to do the homework. Okay, and you will fail the test unless you’re an absolute genius and being a genius won’t get you through spiritual life. No, you have to have knowledge, then apply the knowledge in your daily life and with the help of the Holy Spirit, through the word and daily applying the word will result in wisdom and through this, the Lord gives revelation.

Romans 8:1 we all have aspects of our mind that are carnal

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit—a carnal or un-renewed mindset can fall under condemnation

So if I’m operating in the law of God I will have freedom- right?

Romans 8:2

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

Take the drape and throw it over the head and behind

So now let’s define the Law of God as [The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus] then the Law of sin [sinful nature] will not affect the Law of my mind [my soul/mind will line up with my spirit and believe what God says instead of what I’m trying to believe based on the negative influences of the enemy.

The flesh is the opposite of faith. Faith is all about abiding in a specific place and not allowing yourself to be disconnected. I can’t forget a thought the Lord gave me once from the song rock of ages. There is a word in the song that says let the water and the blood flow from your riven side be a double cure.

Song - Rock of Ages Cleft For Me

The word riven means to be split. God took a rib out of the first Adam to make him a bride and God split the ribs of the last Adam and grafted into Him a Gentile bride:

Romans 11:17

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

John 15:4-5

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.