Sermon Cloud

Hypocrisy is the number one criticism of the church today from young adults aged 20-29. 

• During a recent study found within “Lost and Found” by Ed Stetzer, 67% agreed with the following statement, “The church is full of hypocrites, people who criticize others for doing the same things they do themselves.” 
• As a result, 90% of that same population feels that they can have good relationship with God without ever being involved in a church.
• Take that in for a moment. 
  • 2/3’s over the American population in the 20’s think the church is nothing but a bunch of hypocritical windbags. 
  • 9/10 of folks in their 20’s think they don’t need the church at all to have a good relationship with God. 
  • That doesn’t happen by accident. 
  • For 20-29 year olds to feel that they  way means that more than likely the generation preceding them and the church of the present are doing a pretty poor job of representing Christ, walking in humility, and emphasizing grace over performance.
  • The painful truth though is that the church IS full of hypocrites, and the church IS guilty of criticizing people for the very things that they do themselves.   
    • People within the church tell others not to lie, but lie themselves. 
    • People within the church tell people to not have sex before marriage and then so many have sex before marriage. 
    • The divorce rate within the church is as high if not higher than it is outside the church. 
    • Churches proclaim that the love of money is the root of all evil, but the most popular speakers in Christianity flaunt a message that inflames a greed and desire for personal gain that is almost unparalleled any where else in the world.  
    • Listening to the most popular pastors in Christianity right now makes Bernie Madoff and the executives from AIG blush. 
    • Practically I wouldn’t ask any of you to raise a hand if you waited until you got married before having sex. 
    • I wouldn’t want to know the percentage of you who have never cheated on your taxes. 
      • And any of you are dying to tell me that you waited in the first and never cheated in the latter, then you are guilty of self-righteousness. 
      • Here is the good news though:  if we are all hypocrites, which we are, then we are in good company. 
        • This week in the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul himself, is going to lay out the most heinous of desires in his heart. 
        • He will fearlessly expose both his hypocrisy and his hope.  In it, we are to find ourselves in agreement with both. 
        • We are to agree that we are hypocrites.  We tell people to not do the things we do.  But we are also to agree with Paul’s hope which is found in Christ. 
        • Since we are all hypocrites, let’s answer this Big Picture Question:

Big Picture Question:  What hope is there that anyone might overcome sin and walk in repentance and obedience?

Romans 7:14-25

• Now last week, Paul did everything in his power to drive into us that though the scriptures teach us about our sin, the scriptures are not sinful in and of themselves. 
  • Instead, what they actually do is expose our need because of our sinfulness while simultaneously meeting our need by teaching us of Jesus Christ.
  • We also talked about how without the active and ongoing knowledge of the scriptures, we are both blind to our sin and helpless to its power.
  • As many of you know, we left the passage last week sort of in a hangup.  The passage was clear that there was wisdom available, yet there was also a temptation to ignore the scriptures.  What help is there?  This week, we are going to see part of the answer.
  • Now before we go any further, I think it would be helpful to talk a minute about our author, the Apostle Paul.
    • He was a Pharisee which means he was an expert on the scriptures of the OT and more than likely had most of it memorized in the original Hebrew and in the Greek.
    • To begin with, he hated the church and actively persecuted and oversaw the execution of Christians.  Take that in:  Paul’s mission was to make sure that people who confessed Jesus as their savior were murdered.
    • BTW, he did it all these kinds of actions thinking that they were pleasing to God.
    • Then, Jesus Himself appeared to Paul, then called Saul, on the road to Damascus and saved him. 
    • Paul was called to be the Apostle to the Gentiles.  Along the way, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote 13 of the books of the NT and founded or co-founded a dozen or so churches.
    • Apart from Jesus, many people feel like Paul was the most influential person in the establishment and growth of NT Christianity, and you can’t reall argue with that.
    • Keeping who Paul is in mind, let’s read verse 14-20

14 for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

• Here is Paul, the person by which we understand much of Christianity sharing his honest and heart wrenching struggle with sin.
• Now some people dispute whether or not Paul is talking about himself in this passage because of the grossly apparent struggle with sin.  For some folks, it just seems impossible that someone who God did so much with could speak about sin as such a struggle.  Because of this, the choices about who Paul is talking about could be either:
  • A person who does not know Jesus.
  • An immature believer in Jesus, or
  • Paul Himself and by application, every believer in Christ.
  • Let’s take a couple of seconds here to run through this because I think it is important.  Knowing who Paul is talking about here determines all the application.
    • First, is Paul talking about someone who does not know Jesus?      
      • The concern here is there is a contrast between the spiritual law and the carnal person.  Can a believer be carnal or is that speaking of a unsaved person?
      • Well, Paul makes it clear in other areas like I Corinthians 9:27, Galatians 5:17, and Philippians 3:12-14 that the believer still struggles with sin.
      • In addition, the picture here is of a person struggling AGAINST sin because they WANT to obey.  These types of actions are inconsistent with the passion of one who is a slave to sin.
      • So though we may need to explore further what it means to be carnal, the passage does not seem to be talking about unbelievers. 
• Some think this passage must be speaking about an immature believer if their struggle against obedience is as severe as what Paul’s describes.
  • Though this might be an immature believer, the struggle here is not something that only an immature believer would experience. 
  • In fact, the closer you get to Jesus, the more you hate your sin and cannot stand that your do what you do not want to do.
  • So that would mean it could also be a mature believer.
• No, Paul is talking about himself and hence all Christian believers.  There is a struggle against sin.  Because the Spirit lives in the believer, they want one thing but often do the exact opposite. 
  • If Paul, a great and Godly man struggled with sin, then of course, you do as well. 
  • If Paul has insight as to how to understand and overcome sin, then you should listen. 
  • If that insight is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is imperative you listen.
  • So let’s look at his advice. The first step is understanding and overcoming sin is Humility: 
    • In verse 14, Paul says that the law of God is good and that apart from God, he and every other believer are just flesh and under the slavery of sin. 
      • To ever have any hope of walking in obedience instead of continuing in sin, humility is necessary.  And what that humility looks like is to finally come to the end of your self.
      • If you are struggling with a particular sin, you need to look at it and say, “I am flesh.  I have no hope at ever overcoming this sin, but the law of God is good.  My hope is found there.  The truths of God are powerful and they can help me overcome this sin.”
• Think about it in this way.  How does scripture say that all of creation came into existence?  By the word of God.  God is so powerful that He speaks and the physical creation comes into existence out of nothing.  That is how powerful the word is.  The Word of God speaks things into existence.
  • So why would you try to overcome anger without the power of the word of God?
  • Why would you try to be disciplined in your eating habits without the power of the word of God?
  • Why would you try to raise your children without the power of the word of God?
  • Why would you try to do anything without the power of the word of God? 
  • You are flesh, created being.  The word is the avenue by which God creates.  That is real power.
• Paul reiterates this again in verse 18.  He tells us that no good thing inherently dwells within us. 
  • Your corruption of sin is so great, that you will produce no good work, good thought, or good action, within yourself.  Those things are beyond you.  The word of God is your hope.
  • Humility is the avenue by which you walk before the scriptures seeking help.
  • The second step in understanding and overcoming sin is living with a sense of Desperation. 
    • In verse 15, Paul says in the struggle against sin, he does not do what he wants to do. 
    • Paul knows the he shouldn’t covet or steal or lie or look at porn or be unforgiving, but he does what he hates.  He knows what not to do, but he does it.  He knows what he should do but doesn’t do it. 
    • So often in the struggle against sin, we just have a, “Oh well, I did it again,” attitude.  We tolerate sin like we tolerate biting our nails or some other bad habit.
    • Sin is not a bad habit.  Raising your fist to God and actively sinning against His holy and known will is not a bad habit.  It is not a hangup or proclivity of your personality.
    • It is you ascending the throne room of God and demanding He step down so you can rightfully take your place. 

• That is sin, and you must become desperate for holiness before any change will take place.  You must walk before God in all humility and say, “I cannot do this. 
  • I cannot speak kindly.
  • I cannot turn the other cheek.
  • I cannot read my bible
  • I cannot quit looking at porn.
  • I cannot quit abusing my body through mutilation, overeating, laziness.
  • I can’t stop being an arrogant fill in the blank.
• Then, you begin to make progress.
• Paul reiterates this in the second half of verse 18.  He says, “I want to do right, but I cannot.” 
• That is the proper heart attitude of desperation necessary for real change to take place in your life.
• One last thing before going onto the next step:  this attitude of desperation against sin, though it is frustrating is actually a gift from God. 
  • If you are fighting against sin then your faith is alive.  You aren’t blindly giving into the sin that is killing you.  You are in the war. 
  • If you are here, if you are actively frustrated by your sin and in a battle to kill it, God has gifted you with this attitude. 
  • It means that you are gradually becoming more like Christ.
  • The third step in understanding and overcoming sin is Recognition.  You see there is a contradiction in the life of each believer.  Though they are declared legally innocent and found without sin in the eyes of God because of Jesus’ work, sin still resides as is seen in verses 17 and 20
    • You see, through Christ, you are perfect and holy.  You are fully a child of God and no longer His enemy.  All of Jesus’ righteousness or goodness is given or imputed to you.
    • Every good thing He did and every bad thing He did not do are credited to you.  God looks at you and says, “That child of mind is Holy.”
    • Yet there is another aspect of this recognition.  Sin still resides in your heart and is going to reside in your heart until one day you present in worship with Jesus in Heaven.
    • Do you remember the story of the Prodigal Son?  There were two sons in that story.  The younger one who took off and spent all of his Father’s money and the other older dutiful son who stayed behind while the younger when to a kegger.
      • When they younger one came home, his response was, “Just make me a slave.”  The Father’s response was, “No you are my son.  Go get a robe and a ring for this kid.  I’m not going to treat you like a slave.”

• The older one was jealous and said, “Wait a minute I’m the perfect son.  I work hard, dangit.”  The Father’s response was, “You have always been with me and everything that is mine is yours.”
• You see, God is not asking you to be a slave with no rights and He is not asking you to prove yourself to Him like the older brother.  Through Jesus, you are a child of God.
• If you recognize this you live a life of humility and thankfulness to your Father.  That security causes you to fight your sin.
• And the final step to understanding and overcoming your sin is Agreement:  Verse 16 You actually agree that the law is good if you disobey because you are displaying the law’s very truthfulness. 
  • This doesn’t mean that you should sin more to show how much you believe the Bible – that’s ridiculous.
  • The agreement necessary here looks like this. 
    • As a believer it is your responsibility to examine your life and your actions before scripture.  That means you have to read it, know it, and hear it.
    • In that process, the Holy Spirit then causes the scriptures to pierce your mind and heart.   You begin to ask yourself whether what you say, think, and do line up with the scriptures which are a reflection of God’s heart.
    • As you see things you say, think, and do that are not consistent with scripture, you confess that the scriptures are true and you then confess your sin to God.
    • Repentance grows immensely as you expose yourself to the Word of God.  Neglect the study of the word and you will grow in sin, not obedience.
    • So, the four steps to understanding and overcoming your sin are
      • Humility before
      • Desperation in light of the struggle of sin
      • Recognition of who you are in Christ
      • Agreement that the scriptures are true
      • As we embrace those things, we can walk more boldly in verse 21.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

• Paul says that every time he tries to obey, the scriptures are right there guiding him as to how to live and believe.  If we live that ever present recognition of the word of God, we can be like Paul in verse 22.
  • Paul so loves the scriptures that He takes delight in it. 
  • Consider that for minute.  Think about what you delight it.
    • I delight in Amy and my 3 wonderful daughters.
    • I delight in what God is doing among us at Sovereign King.
    • I delight in physical exercise and hanging with friends.
• You probably have a similar list.
  • You delight in the success of your children in school, sports, and various other activities.
  • You delight in a good meal.
  • You might delight in work and what you achieve there.
• But how many of us delight in the scriptures with such intensity?  Paul did and that was why Paul was such an effective Christian. 
  • He knew that there was war raging in his mind and body, a war between sin and what he knew from the scriptures to be true.
  • He knew that the only hope was calling out to God’s wisdom as found in the scriptures.
  • He knew that he was a wretched man who needed someone to deliver him from this body of death that constantly wants to be fed, pleased, and satisfied.
  • But there is real hope.  There is a real solution to this walking, leaving, breathing, contradiction that is each of you. 
    • Call out to Jesus Christ.  Call Him the Lord of your life, not your passions.
    • Pray that God would enable you to serve the law of God in your mind because your body, your flesh wants to serve its own purposes. 
    • Find Jesus Christ in the scriptures and be transformed.
    • Folks, God used Paul mightily.  He planted churches, wrote books of the Bible, and took Gospel to the Gentiles, which is you by the way.
      • Paul was every bit a wretched, sinful man as you are.  But he walked in humility, desperation, recognition, and agreement. 
      • The life of understanding and overcoming your sin is based on those things.
      • Now as you let that sink in, I want to give us an example of what it will look like if live this life of humility recognizing our desperate need from Jesus and the scriptures to over come sin.  Let me explain.
        • Most churches have one of two personalities.  Churches are typically either a “come and see” church or a “go and tell” church.  Here is what that looks like.
        • A come and see church primarily attracts people by saying, “Hey come worship with us.  Check us out.  We have this and that to offer.”
        • A go and tell church goes into the community and tells people about Jesus and the church.  It meets people where they are.
        • Now neither is wrong but I think the attitude we take from this passage will affect which one we are.  I bet you can guess which one I want us to be…
        • You see, there is nothing wrong with being a “come and see” church.  Lot’s folks find churches and begin relationships with Jesus that way.  A friend invites you, you find a good community, you hear truth, and you have faith in Jesus.
          • The danger is if folks are only invited to come and see, they don’t always get a true picture of our humility and recognition of need.  Here, we, or you, I don’t ever really look good, here you guys look good.  There doesn’t seem to be any real problems or struggles with sin.
          • It’s smiles and hugs and we should get together.
          • But if we own humility and recognition of our sin, we will be a go and tell church.
            • A go and tell church has something so amazing to share with the world, they keep it contained to just Sunday morning. 
            • If you find real relief from your sins and real hope for your life, you have no choice but to go and tell others about it.
            • You find ways to creatively make this Gospel applicable to the lives of folks out in the world.
          • I want us to be a go and tell church.  I want the Gospel to be applicable to schools, fired departments, EMS’, police departments, movie theaters, bars, homes, communities, you name it.
            • But we have to own our humility, recognize our need, recognize who we are in Christ, and agree that the scriptures are true.
          • We do that, and we will see ourselves changed and our community change.