The Sinfulness of Sin.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] All right, go ahead and have a seat. Welcome to Village Church. [0:03] If this is your first time here. [0:04] My name’s Steve, one of the pastors here at Village Church, [0:07] and I’m always grateful to see each and every one of you. [0:09] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open up to Romans, Chapter five. [0:13] We’ll be starting in verse twelve this morning.

[0:15] But before we get to that, I do want to let you know that tentatively [0:21] on May 17th, if everything goes according to plan, [0:26] then we will launch Sunday morning services at our new facility [0:30] on Sunday morning, May 17th. [0:33] Now, whatever changes you need to make to your calendar [0:35] so that you will realize that on the day that it comes, make those changes.

[0:41] Just giving you a lot of advance notice. [0:43] Now, that is subject to change based on closing dates. [0:48] And you know how it goes. [0:49] If you’ve ever purchased a home, you just never know [0:51] what documentation from eighteen thirty you may need.

[0:56] But if everything goes according to the current plan, [1:01] we just want to let you know, we’ll be in our courthouse road facility [1:04] on Sunday, May 17th. [1:06] There’s there’s a second change in that as well. [1:09] And that is we’ll be moving to one service on that Sunday. [1:13] So so yeah, apparently some of you have been going to two.

[1:18] I don’t know. [1:19] I don’t think they changed anything for most of you. [1:21] But good for me, right?

[1:24] I get a break. [1:26] But so we’ll have one service 10 a.m. [1:31] starting on May 17th, one service 10 a.m. [1:35] So there’s two changes you need to realize is May 17th is the first one. [1:39] New new facility. [1:40] Secondly, one service 10 a.m.

[1:43] Please come here next Sunday. [1:47] So so don’t go there next Sunday. [1:49] Come here next Sunday. [1:50] We’ll still be here next Sunday. [1:52] But if you come here on May 17th, no one will be here. [1:57] And except for you and everybody else that forgot.

[2:01] And so then you’d have to drive further to go to the other facility. [2:04] So just go to the other facility. [2:07] But we’re very excited about what God’s going to do. [2:11] And in light of him, enlarging our territory, giving us a new place [2:14] to live his mission and worship him to his glory. [2:18] So be praying for us in this transition,

[2:21] be preparing your heart for this transition. [2:24] God has a lot in store for us. [2:26] And I believe that. [2:28] But in Romans, Chapter five last week, if you were with us, [2:32] we kind of started a miniseries within the overarching series [2:36] of the entire Book of Romans, but a little three week miniseries

[2:39] on the doctrine of sin as a person who has faith in Jesus Christ. [2:44] So once you come to faith, how should you view sin? [2:47] How should you look at sin? [2:48] How should you think about sin? [2:50] Especially in light of the fact that you still live [2:53] in the reality of a world that is currently under the curse of sin.

[2:58] So when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, [3:01] we’re not then immediately transported into the future kingdom [3:05] that is yet to come. [3:07] We’re still waiting for that. [3:09] Romans, Chapter eight actually informs us that the creation itself, [3:13] even the world itself does things to show us

[3:16] that it is groaning in anticipation [3:19] where even the creation itself won’t be under the weight of sin any longer. [3:25] And there will just be the perfect sinless kingdom of God [3:29] where his glory reigns forevermore. [3:32] But the reality is, is that we’re not yet in that kingdom. [3:36] They were still in a fallen world that is under the stain of sin.

[3:40] And so last week, what we took a look at was Paul encouraging us [3:44] with the reality that you don’t have to be an enemy of God any longer. [3:49] That because of sin in your life, when you’re in rebellion against God, [3:53] you necessarily are his enemy. [3:56] And in a future on Judgment Day, if you remain in that, [4:00] if you die in that state of sinfulness,

[4:03] then you will incur the eternal wrath of God [4:07] as a payment for the debt of sin that you owe him. [4:11] And it will take you an eternity to pay it off. [4:14] That’s why it’s forever.

[4:17] But Jesus, God, the son came [4:20] and offered his own life as a payment for the debt [4:24] that we owe to God because of our sin. [4:27] And that’s what he was doing on the cross. [4:29] And so Paul is encouraging us, he’s saying you can trust God [4:33] because he has justly dealt with the debt

[4:37] that you owe him for your sin through his blood on the cross. [4:42] He paid the debt that you owe forever. [4:44] So if you trust in Jesus, you will never face the wrath of God. [4:50] You will never face condemnation for your sin. [4:54] Jesus has eternally and forever forgiven you of that. [4:58] But then in verse 12, he sort of transitions a little bit

[5:02] to explain to us how we can trust God [5:07] to deliver us from sin by explaining where sin came from to begin with. [5:12] So look in Romans, chapter five, starting in verse 12, [5:15] the scripture says to the apostle Paul, therefore, remember, anytime [5:19] he says, therefore what he’s actually reminding you of, he’s saying, [5:24] we just talked about something that’s pretty important

[5:26] on what I’m about to say. [5:27] So remember, he’s talking about since redemption [5:30] is real and can be trusted because of the perfect savior [5:34] substituting himself for you, [5:38] just as sin came into the world through one man [5:40] and death through sin.

[5:43] And so death spread to all men because all sinned [5:47] for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given. [5:50] But sin is not counted where there is no law. [5:52] Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, [5:56] even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, [6:00] who was a type of the one who was to come.

[6:04] Pray with me, our father. [6:08] You are so good. [6:10] We are so thankful [6:13] and grateful for the work of redemption [6:16] that you have done through your son, Jesus Christ. [6:19] Lord, thank you. For salvation.

[6:24] Lord, we live in a sinful world, and my prayer this morning [6:27] is that you will give us hope upon hope [6:31] through our faith in Jesus, [6:33] that as we face this world around us, that we will not despair, [6:38] but instead we will constantly go to the gospel of Jesus [6:40] for encouragement to know that you are victorious

[6:44] and you will forever be victorious. [6:47] This in the name of Jesus, I do pray. Amen. [6:51] There’s two ways of looking at this text, and one way that I would say [6:55] is probably the most popular way is that we go to Romans, Chapter five, [6:58] starting in verse twelve, to look at the source of sin, [7:02] to look at where did sin come from,

[7:05] where did it had it come upon all of us? [7:07] And so we just go there as an explanation for sin. [7:10] But the fact of the matter is, is that the emphasis [7:13] that Paul is actually giving here is not so that we would just see [7:17] sin and an explanation for sin. [7:20] But instead, he’s actually going to use

[7:23] the origin of sin or what could be called original sin [7:27] as an explanation of why we can trust Jesus, [7:31] that since sin entered the world a certain way, [7:34] so we can also trust that salvation will enter the world in a similar fashion. [7:40] And so do not be hopeless because of sin, but instead be hopeful [7:44] because of Jesus.

[7:46] And what we actually see when we begin in verse twelve is this reality [7:49] that I think Paul is dealing with as a presupposition to all this [7:53] is that it is very difficult to be hopeful in this world. [7:57] Is that when we look into the world, the longer you live, [8:00] the more acquainted with sin you’re going to become, [8:04] because you’re going to see pain, because you’re going to experience

[8:07] the suffering, because you’re going to see no other word for it, [8:11] but evil people doing evil things. [8:14] And it’s going to appear like evil is triumphing. [8:19] It’s going to look like the bad guys are winning. [8:22] It’s going to tempt us to despair when we experience [8:27] and or see others experiencing pain that we don’t want them to experience.

[8:33] And so Paul is bringing that into light right now, [8:37] and he’s going to first explain why it’s there. [8:41] And then secondly, he’s going to say, don’t despair, [8:45] because just as sin entered the world, so has hope entered the world. [8:52] But first, let’s deal with the reality of sin. [8:56] Number one, the scripture tell us in verse twelve that sin came to everyone.

[9:02] Adam in the Garden of Eden, that’s who he’s specifically talking about [9:06] when you’re saying just to send into the world through one man, [9:10] he’s referring to Adam is saying just as Adam represented [9:15] the entire human race that is descended from him. [9:20] You see that if you are born in this world, [9:23] you can trace your heritage to one forefather.

[9:27] And that is Adam in the Garden of Eden. [9:30] And so Paul is actually informing us that what we see in Genesis one through three, [9:35] this is not a fairy tale. [9:36] This is actually the explanation. [9:38] This is what happened. [9:40] This is how sin came into the world, that Adam and Eve were created

[9:43] to be the father of all who lived. [9:47] But something went terribly wrong. [9:49] And that is what you see almost seemingly raining in this world right now. [9:56] And so to explain the pain, he goes to the root of the problem. Sin. [10:00] He’s saying sin came through one man. [10:06] Paul wants us to understand that we are all under the weight

[10:10] of what one man did. [10:13] And that one man is Adam. [10:15] Here’s how the scripture puts it in Genesis, chapter two, starting in verse fifteen. [10:18] He says the Lord God, the one who created all Yahweh, [10:23] took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. [10:27] And the Lord God commanded the man saying,

[10:31] you may surely eat of every tree in the garden, [10:34] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. [10:39] For in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die. [10:45] God is not ambiguous. [10:47] God is clear. [10:49] God looks to Adam.

[10:50] He says, look at all of this fruit. [10:53] It’s yours. [10:54] I put one limitation on you. [10:56] And that is that one tree. [10:58] God makes it very clear. [10:59] He doesn’t leave Adam and say, hey, there’s a tree in here.

[11:01] I don’t want you to eat from a good luck finding it. [11:04] No, God declares this is the one. [11:07] Stay away. Don’t eat. [11:10] Because if you do. Death.

[11:17] What the scripture is telling us is that in that reality, [11:23] Adam served as a representative of you and I.

[11:30] You may say that’s not fair. [11:32] Why didn’t I get a call?

[11:35] Your life serves as a reality. [11:38] You would have done no differently.

[11:42] And so in that moment, Adam chosen by God, [11:46] whom because of the gospel, we can trust to make that choice. [11:49] Adam represents every one of us.

[11:54] Not because God was trying to kill his joy, [11:58] but because God was trying to preserve his joy. [12:03] The commandment exists, and in the judgment of breaking the commandment, [12:07] you see the reason behind it, because God wants your life to flourish.

[12:15] God says if you eat of that tree, your life will not flourish. [12:20] You will die. I’m not trying to take your joy. [12:23] I’m trying to preserve your joy is what God is saying, [12:26] because the moment that you eat of that tree, death will enter into the world [12:32] and it will have a say in your life. [12:36] It will take it until this point of Adam’s disobedience with God.

[12:40] He was not acquainted with death. [12:42] This is a reality that we are not familiar with, but Adam was. [12:46] He experienced intimate communion with his creator, [12:50] an unrestrained relationship where there’s no barriers, there’s no divide, [12:55] there’s no hard times of prayer, there’s no wandering of his mind away from God [13:00] onto other things. Instead, Adam and God are in sync.

[13:04] God says, use our communion, use our fellowship. [13:09] And here’s where you go. [13:10] But here’s where you do not go with it. [13:12] And Adam went that way. We don’t know how long it was. [13:16] We don’t know if it was an hour. I don’t know. [13:18] It’s probably 10 minutes because I know how my heart wanders.

[13:23] And so Adam goes to the tree with his wife and gentlemen. [13:27] He wasn’t off playing cornhole when Eve’s being tempted by the serpent. [13:32] He’s right there, probably. [13:34] We’re certain because she immediately turns to Adam. [13:37] She doesn’t have to call him. [13:40] He’s just there, not doing his job of protecting his wife.

[13:46] So Adam and Eve disobey God, and the scriptures telling us [13:49] that in that moment, Adam represented us all. [13:51] And from that day forward, death has reigned. [13:54] Sin has entered into this world. [13:57] There’s inherited guilt from the sin of Adam. [14:02] And everyone born after Adam is born with the stain

[14:06] of that moment of disobedience on their life. [14:09] Sin is inherited from father and mother [14:14] to every child ever born since. [14:16] So if you’re wondering why life is so hard for you, [14:19] if you’re wondering where your sinfulness came from, [14:22] this is what Paul’s telling you.

[14:24] He’s saying it came from the one who represented you all. [14:26] You are all sinful. [14:28] And just as an aside, what Paul is explaining here [14:32] is also why the genetic argument of sin to excuse it [14:37] just doesn’t work, in my opinion. [14:39] It’s an unreasonable thing.

[14:41] The inherited guilt looks like that. [14:45] So to use the excuse that I was born that way, [14:48] to use the excuse that I was born with a predisposition [14:50] to a certain type of disobedience, [14:53] when someone says that to me, my response is, probably. [14:57] We’re all tempted in different ways, are we not?

[15:00] There are some things that don’t tempt me at all [15:01] that you may find really attractive, and vice versa. [15:06] And so the genetic argument is probably valid, [15:10] even though science hasn’t come to any real conclusions [15:12] about it. [15:13] I say, yeah, I think you were probably born

[15:15] with predispositions to certain sins, [15:17] but it doesn’t excuse them. [15:19] Because God gives you his commands in light of them, [15:23] and he gives you death as the reality of the harm of them. [15:26] So what God is saying here, he’s saying you are born [15:29] into a world that is tainted by sin.

[15:33] And the Psalmist, David, understood this very well [15:36] in Psalm 51.5. [15:37] This is not something new. [15:38] This is something that’s been understood [15:39] for thousands of years. [15:42] When David writes in Psalm 51.5, he says,

[15:44] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, [15:46] and in sin did my mother conceive me.

[15:53] You don’t have to be nuanced to understand the plight of sin. [15:58] Is that when you look in a crib, [16:00] and you see that beautiful little baby, [16:02] and they are, they’re something else, [16:03] especially when they’re yours, [16:04] and you look at them, and they’re so beautiful,

[16:06] and you say, how could this child possibly be in iniquity? [16:10] How could this child be conceived in sin? [16:12] And then at 3 a.m., you find out how.

[16:16] Babies are cute at 3 in the afternoon, [16:17] not so much at 3 a.m.

[16:21] He says, hmm, there’s some curse there.

[16:26] I experienced that last night. [16:29] It’s very close to heart.

[16:33] The reality is, is that I don’t have to teach [16:35] my children disobedience. [16:38] They just do. [16:40] I’ve never once taught my child, hey, don’t do what I said. [16:45] If you do, you’re crazy. [16:47] What’s wrong with you?

[16:49] I don’t have to teach them to throw a fit [16:50] when they don’t go their way. [16:53] I mean, you have to be even crazier [16:54] to teach a child how to throw a fit, [16:56] but they do it, and I never once had a tutorial as to how. [17:00] They just know, my daughter just knows to flop.

[17:03] She’s worse than LeBron James. [17:05] I mean, she just flops right there on the ground, [17:07] starts screaming, I can’t reason with her. [17:09] She’s a sinner.

[17:12] She’s displaying original sin in that moment [17:16] for me to behold, and in that moment, [17:18] I see a revelation of the truth [17:20] of what Paul is saying right here. [17:23] He’s desperately in sin in need of a savior.

[17:28] And so this inherited guilt that we have [17:31] is something that’s very important for us to understand, [17:34] and something that’s very important for us to see. [17:37] When Adam sinned, everyone sinned. [17:41] Not that we come out immediately jumping [17:44] at every chance we have to disobey God’s law,

[17:47] but instead, the world has been drastically affected by sin. [17:52] We see that we are born with the stain [17:55] that happened in the Garden of Eden, [17:58] and we don’t sin and therefore become sinful, [18:01] but instead, we are sinful, therefore, we sin.

[18:07] Our default mode is not one that runs towards obedience [18:11] and worship of God, but rather, [18:14] it is one that pushes us towards sin. [18:17] Therefore, we have to understand that original sin [18:20] affects every one of us, and we know it. [18:23] I don’t think this is anything that should enlighten you,

[18:24] but you should just understand it. [18:27] Great philosopher G.K. Chesterton once said [18:29] that the effect of the original sin [18:31] is one that literally has thousands of years [18:34] of human history as evidence.

[18:38] You can point to any number of things in this world [18:40] to say something’s off in us, something’s wrong with us, [18:44] from pain to relational turmoil to war and famine [18:48] to hate to illness to disobedience [18:51] to greed and selfishness. [18:54] The evidence is overwhelming.

[18:59] Paul goes to the one thing that every one of us [19:02] has in common to prove his point. [19:05] That’s number two this morning, [19:06] that death reveals the seriousness of sin. [19:11] Death reveals the seriousness of sin. [19:13] Note what he said again in verses 12 and 13.

[19:15] He says, just as sin came into the world through one man [19:18] and death through sin. [19:22] He’s just saying, you want the ultimate revelation of sin? [19:25] Death. [19:26] He says, and so death spread to all men, [19:28] therefore we can see all men sinned,

[19:31] for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, [19:34] but sin is not counted where there is no law, [19:37] yet death reigned.

[19:40] See, Apostle Paul is pointing to the ultimate declaration, [19:43] the ultimate revelation that something’s off, [19:45] and that is the fact that all of us are going to die. [19:50] If the Lord tarries, every single one of us will face death, [19:53] and here’s the truth that you gotta see. [19:55] He uses as an example, because the longer you live

[19:58] in this world, the more acquainted [20:01] you will become with death. [20:04] First, through your own life.

[20:07] As you age, you’re going to be experiencing [20:10] some great revelations that you’re not who you used to be, [20:13] you’re kind of fading a little bit.

[20:17] In the Genesis account, in Genesis chapter 319, [20:20] God, in his curse, explains it this way. [20:23] He says, by the sweat of your face, [20:24] you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, [20:27] for out of it you were taken, for you are dust, [20:30] and to dust, you shall return.

[20:34] What he’s saying is, death is gonna be for me, [20:35] for many of you, the slow burn.

[20:39] See, it’s not gonna happen the moment that you sin, [20:41] instead, you will slowly begin to experience [20:43] the effects of sin until the moment that you die. [20:46] You get weaker and weaker. [20:48] No matter how many chemicals we try to put in our bodies [20:50] to prevent it, it’s gonna happen.

[20:53] You’re going to face it. [20:55] Your back is going to begin to have pain. [20:58] Illnesses will take longer to recover from. [21:00] Some, you won’t. [21:02] Death is this one universal truth [21:05] that we can all understand.

[21:07] That some people live old lives, die in their 90s. [21:12] I mean, some over 100, but here’s the reality, [21:14] they still die.

[21:19] And just this past year, we’ve been acquainted [21:21] that some don’t live in this earth very long at all. [21:25] And the curse of sin is seen [21:26] as babies pass on into eternity.

[21:31] But Paul’s point is still the same. [21:34] If you look in yourself, you see death, [21:36] but so much so, if you look in the lives of others, [21:39] you will still become acquainted with death, [21:41] and the older you get, the more you will see die.

[21:45] Paul says, this is the curse of sin. [21:49] This is the weight that every one of us are living under. [21:53] You will die.

[21:56] There are three deaths [21:58] that are connected with the curse of sin. [22:01] We see those three throughout scripture. [22:03] The first one is the one that Adam and Eve experienced immediately. [22:07] That’s the spiritual death. [22:09] At the moment that Adam and Eve sinned against God,

[22:12] something amazing changes in the book of Genesis. [22:14] You see Adam and Eve hide from God. [22:18] You’re seeing two people who are in an intimate relationship with God, [22:22] this perfect union in worship of God, [22:24] and in a moment, they lost it, and they’re hiding from God. [22:27] They don’t want to be seen by God any longer.

[22:31] Communion disrupted, union gone. [22:35] That’s the spiritual death that you realize in this world [22:38] as you struggle through doubt and faith. [22:41] But then the second is physical death. [22:44] That’s the one where God looks to Adam and Eve, [22:46] and he says, work’s not going to be fun anymore.

[22:48] It’s literally going to break your back. [22:51] And then you will, through this life, [22:54] become acquainted, you’ll return to dust. [22:56] You’ll physically die. [22:57] But there’s a third death connected to the first. [23:01] And that’s what Revelation 21.8 calls the second death.

[23:04] Revelation 21.8, we read, [23:06] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, [23:08] as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, [23:13] their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, [23:17] which is the second death.

[23:21] John the Revelator writes that all those who die in their sin [23:25] and note that he still connects it to sin. [23:28] He says all those who die in their sin apart from Christ, [23:33] it’s not just physical death that they need to fear, [23:34] but it’s also the second death, [23:36] and that is eternal separation from God,

[23:38] where they will endure his wrath for eternity, [23:41] his payment for their sin.

[23:44] Friends, that is why sin is so serious. [23:47] God has not been silent on what sin has brought to us, [23:51] nor has he been silent on the redemption from it. [23:54] Because of sin, we will all physically die, [23:57] and that remains even for those who have been redeemed by Jesus. [24:01] And I believe that physical death remains

[24:03] so that we will have a revelation of what sin costs all. [24:08] God has not removed that from us, [24:10] but instead he sends his Son through it, [24:12] and therefore he will send us through it. [24:13] But just as Jesus rose from the dead, so can we.

[24:18] Light of eternity. [24:20] Through faith in Jesus, though, [24:22] the other two can be removed immediately.

[24:27] You can know God in this life, [24:31] and have assurance to never face eternal condemnation [24:36] if you trust in Jesus.

[24:40] You see, there’s two realities in that, and the first one, [24:44] there’s important distinctions in dealing with sin [24:47] in light of both death and redemption. [24:51] And that culture must hear of redemption. [24:56] But in order for the culture around us to understand both [24:59] the relevance of redemption,

[25:01] but also their desperate need from redemption through faith in Jesus, [25:04] we must deal with the realities of sin and death. [25:09] But beware, there’s much tension in witnessing about that, [25:13] because culture, when dealing with sin and death, [25:16] they hear us say, [25:17] icky people that are gross.

[25:20] That is in no way what we’re trying to communicate. [25:24] Instead, we’re dealing with eternal separation with God. [25:29] That is why you desperately, believer, [25:32] need a theology of sin in your life. [25:35] You need to understand that it will offend. [25:39] There’s no way to remove that, so it’s okay.

[25:42] But it is not our responsibility to soften the blow. [25:48] Instead, it is our responsibility to explain its relevance in life [25:54] as well as eternal life.

[25:59] And Paul says clear right here, [26:01] when he says that where there is no law, [26:05] death still reigns. [26:06] He’s telling you that the law is not the ultimate revelation of sin. [26:10] He’s saying death is.

[26:13] Apart from the law of Moses, death reigned in every life, [26:16] because there’s a period between Adam and Moses where there is no law of God. [26:20] But Paul’s point is, they all died, didn’t they?

[26:24] Therefore, they’re sinful. [26:26] Paul’s dealt with that already, [26:28] in dealing with the fact that those in this world who’ve not heard the law of God, [26:31] they have the law written on their hearts through their conscience, [26:34] the fact that they know right from wrong, [26:35] the fact that everyone develops some type of system of morality,

[26:38] and the Apostle Paul is saying that even before the law of God came into this world, [26:42] people were still dying for their sin. [26:44] And it was for sin that they died.

[26:47] And this is why you can engage a culture dead in sin with no fear. [26:55] We should not act as those who are afraid of getting the culture’s sin on us. [27:02] That’s not the way it works. [27:05] If you are redeemed from your sin through faith in Jesus, [27:08] you will never have any sin to pay for in eternity. [27:13] Therefore, you can engage the culture around you with the hope that’s in the Gospel

[27:17] to redeem them from their sin with no fear [27:21] that they’re going to get a little bit of their condemnation on you [27:23] and you’re going to have to wash it off later. [27:25] Instead, you can walk right into a culture that is dead in its sin [27:29] and you can be a witness of the truth of the Gospel in light of sin and death.

[27:36] When you think that you’re going to get any on you, [27:37] so you separate yourself from culture, that’s absolute foolishness. [27:40] We engage with truth and love with the knowledge that those who are redeemed by faith [27:46] will never face condemnation, [27:47] but we must engage with the purpose of faith undergirding our truth. [27:53] So you engage the culture with an agenda.

[27:57] If you’re a follower of Jesus, every relationship in your life has to have an agenda. [28:01] It’s the Gospel. [28:03] Anyone that says otherwise is foolish.

[28:06] But you must understand that in that, that sin is sorrowful. [28:11] So when you begin to engage the culture with this truth that Paul is engaging us with, [28:15] understand that it’s going to cause tension in your life and the life of those around you [28:20] because there’s a tension in dealing with sin in this world. [28:23] There must be an understanding of what it means to engage the issue of sin [28:27] that causes death with love.

[28:30] But understand this, love is not accepting of everything. [28:37] Love is discerning. [28:39] Love is hope-giving because it comes from the Gospel. [28:45] The only true ethic of love that you can present to anyone is the ethic of the Gospel. [28:50] The fact that sin and death reign apart from a loving God who sacrifices his life for us. [28:56] But this is why we cannot excuse or celebrate culture’s sin with them.

[29:07] Here’s where wisdom of the Gospel in your life is absolutely necessary [29:12] and why you need to develop a theology of sin in your life. [29:16] There’s confusion over being a sinner and dealing with a culture’s sin. [29:23] You cannot celebrate that which you know causes death. [29:28] You can’t do it. [29:29] And understand, here’s the difference.

[29:31] When you sin, when you disobey God in some way, [29:37] you screwed up, you’re disobedient, you deal with it, you confess it to God, [29:46] you repent of your sins, sins covered. [29:49] You are not solemnizing, you’re not celebrating sin just simply by sinning.

[29:58] You’re engaging in sinful behavior because you’re not perfect yet. [30:03] But here is a key difference in understanding what celebrating sin is. [30:08] If you were to engage in sinful behavior and instead of sorrow, [30:13] you throw a celebration, you throw a ceremony in order to celebrate that [30:19] which brings judgment from God. [30:21] Friends, that is the opposite of repentance.

[30:25] You’re doubling down on your sin. [30:27] You’re saying, not only did I make a mistake, [30:30] but now I want to blaspheme God by celebrating my disobedience. [30:37] That is not what faith tells you to do. [30:39] And friends, to use a current example, because we must engage this issue, [30:45] we must realize that gay weddings are a deceived world’s attempt to

[30:51] solemnize and celebrate something that God finds abhorrent. [30:56] That is the difference. [30:59] It is one thing to sin. [31:02] It is another thing to celebrate sin. [31:06] Because when it becomes a celebration, that is when it becomes absolutely [31:12] blasphemous and faith rebuking rather than faith receiving.

[31:19] We cannot call a world to repentance as we applaud their ceremonies of death.

[31:27] Second Corinthians, Chapter 11, verse three, the Apostle Paul warns the church [31:31] at Corinth by saying this. [31:32] He says, I’m afraid that as a serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, [31:37] your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. [31:42] And what Paul is mentioning in that text is Genesis, Chapter three, verses four and five. [31:49] The serpent said to Eve, You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it,

[31:55] your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. [32:01] So it’s Satan saying to Eve in that moment, he’s saying, what’s the big deal? [32:07] It’s actually great, and it will make your life better with less tension. [32:13] Go your own way. Be your own person. [32:16] Friend, sin must not be trifled with. [32:22] It will deceive you. And in the end, death.

[32:27] And so when Paul mentions that in Second Corinthians, Chapter 11, what he’s actually [32:31] saying to you is saying you can be deceived by sin. [32:39] Just as Eve would. [32:41] So many people in their faith. [32:47] Are deceived. [32:49] What Paul says is that there is a moment of deception where you will begin to then deny your faith.

[32:58] And friend, you do not want to come even close to that line.

[33:03] It is not a gospel witness. [33:08] To celebrate sin. [33:10] It will create a gospel confusion. [33:14] To join the world in their celebration of sin, we are not called to excuse their sin. [33:20] We are called to reveal their sin. [33:24] We are not called to make their sin more palpable.

[33:28] We are called to explain to them the relevance of sin in their lives. [33:31] And you cannot do that while standing idly by to offer your weak applause [33:37] as they follow headlong into their blasphemy of the covenants of God.

[33:42] It is sinful and we must repent of it.

[33:49] God calls us to live in the tension of living in a world that is celebrating that which [33:56] brings death. [33:58] But we must find ways to engage them with the forgiveness that God offers. [34:04] God offers forgiveness because he is so good.

[34:10] But he also lays down penalty for sin because he is so good. [34:16] As Tim Keller puts it. [34:18] Applause for their worship of rebellion is not the way. [34:22] The truth is that you are called to engage the world with the truth of the gospel in [34:28] a thousand other avenues. [34:31] But we would rather cater to their lusts so that we won’t have to worry about that.

[34:40] Friend look into your life. [34:42] There are a thousand avenues in which you can witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ [34:46] for a world so desperately in need of it. [34:48] But instead of focusing on those ways we’re focused on how we can compromise the truth [34:53] of the gospel so that we won’t have to deal with any uncomfortable conversations. [34:58] Many times the gospel will call you to live in tension rather than to flee from tension

[35:02] because we live in a world that is still dead and it’s in. [35:08] But finally this morning understand that just as Adam represented us all so did Jesus. [35:15] So where’s the good news in all of this? [35:18] Well it’s in verse 14 verse 14. [35:21] Paul writes his death reigned from Adam to Moses even over those whose sinning was not [35:27] like the transgression of Adam who was a type of the one who was to come.

[35:34] And so there he gets to his main focus that we will go headlong into next week to explain [35:39] the unconquerable grace of God. [35:42] But he says that Adam makes it look like we cannot trust God. [35:46] But the fact of the matter is because of Adam we can trust God.

[35:52] Focus in this text is the fact that there are no two people in the Bible who are like Adam [35:59] and Jesus. [36:01] There are times in scripture where we get distracted by sin and it becomes our focal [36:05] point because we’re still struggling with that in our lives. [36:08] But here Paul is not making sin the focal point he’s saying that just as sin entered the [36:13] world God will turn it on its head and defeat it in the same fashion.

[36:17] Many are tempted to look at Adam and say unfair even in light of the fact that we don’t [36:23] break the mold that he set for us instead we sin just as he did. [36:28] There’s a revelation that we are all in Adam.

[36:33] And when we are born into this world we are born as those who are in Adam in the sense [36:38] that we all sin. [36:39] But note the first few words that he gives us in verse 12. [36:45] He says just as sin came through one man. [36:51] So the focus there isn’t on the sin coming through the one man. [36:55] He when he says just as he’s already getting ahead of himself saying there’s another man

[37:01] who’s on deck. [37:03] There’s another man who’s about to enter into the ballgame. [37:06] So just as sin came through one man there’s also one who is to come who’s going to bring [37:12] something better than that. [37:14] And we know that he’s going to offer redemption. [37:17] Adam is a type then of Christ figure in the scripture.

[37:22] He represented us just as Christ would. [37:26] The point is that he did it rather poorly. [37:30] There’s no grace in Adam. [37:32] There’s no redemption in Adam. [37:35] There needs to be redemption from Adam. [37:39] He is the representative of what it means to be a sinful man.

[37:47] Paul wrote elsewhere in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 22.

[37:53] He says that in Adam all die. [37:58] There it is again. [37:59] Bride’s Day.

[38:02] You’re going to die. [38:04] Why because you’re in Adam.

[38:08] But you don’t have to stay there. [38:11] It takes us to where we will be in life. [38:15] Not the second half of the term. [38:17] He says so also in Christ shall all be made alive. [38:24] Friend if you are in Adam.

[38:28] You will surely die. [38:32] Your death will be great. [38:34] It is to be dreaded and it is to be feared because in it there is no hope. [38:43] There’s only ruin. [38:45] Your physical death will only serve as an entry path to another death and that death [38:53] will be an even worse death.

[38:56] Quite frankly be warned and be terrified.

[39:02] The hope of glory though is the fact that you don’t have to die that second death. [39:10] In Adam. [39:12] Because of the great truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ that in him shall all be made alive. [39:22] Faith was a type of the one to come but there was still one to come and that was Jesus Christ. [39:28] If you trust Jesus for the redemption of your sin, you will not die in Adam. [39:35] Yes, you will face physical death, but you will do it in Christ.

[39:42] Do you see that if you are in Adam all that you have the rest of your days are just these signs of what’s coming. [39:49] What you’re facing and you don’t know what’s on the other side, but you know based on the pain of this life, [39:55] you’re not comfortable with it and you don’t want to die because there’s no hope in your death. [39:59] But if you are in Christ friend. [40:03] You can face death with hope.

[40:08] You can go to the next doctor’s visit and hope. [40:13] You can face pain. [40:15] And hope.

[40:18] You can face the certainty.

[40:22] The certainty. [40:24] Of your death. [40:26] And hope.

[40:29] Every week. [40:31] It seems that we get more and more reminders.

[40:35] That our time in this world is not guaranteed.

[40:39] Now for a single one of us.

[40:41] We’re either a doctor’s visit a tragedy even a car accident away. [40:48] From death.

[40:52] But I’m reminded of the story of the great revivalist.

[40:57] Who’s leaving a church meeting late one evening in a tougher part of Indiana and he faces a mugger who holds a gun to him. [41:05] The mugger says, give me all your money or I’m going to kill you. [41:07] The old revivalist looks to him and says, son, are you threatening me with heaven?

[41:16] We can face death.

[41:21] With certain hope.

[41:24] Because in Christ we know that our hope will not disappoint that our hope will not put us to shame. [41:31] But rather what is waiting for us after physical death are pleasures forevermore eternal joy. [41:39] And as we sang earlier this morning, we will come face to face with Jesus who will say, welcome home.

[41:51] Eternity awaits. [41:53] Or as the apostle Paul put it. [41:56] This is for me to live is Christ. [42:00] But to die.

[42:03] Is gain.

[42:05] Your future does not have to be uncertain. [42:09] If you are in Christ, you will never face the wrath of God. [42:13] Instead, you face unparalleled hope. [42:17] Even in light of physical death. [42:19] You must understand the sorrow of sin and find joy in the eternal favor of God. [42:28] The life that Jesus Christ gives us.

[42:32] If you are in here, you’ve not believed, you’ve not trusted, I tell you. [42:38] Because you cannot deny death. [42:44] Friend, you shouldn’t deny Christ. [42:47] You should receive him with great thankfulness. [42:52] You should receive him with great joy.

[42:58] As the band comes up. [43:01] Every week we reflect on communion.

[43:06] This week, I want us to understand that communion is a picture.

[43:12] The sorrow of sin first. [43:14] It’s the picture of what your sin costs.

[43:19] It’s a picture of what hopelessness looks like. [43:24] The bread represents the broken body. [43:27] Jesus, the cup represents the shed blood of Jesus. [43:32] A symbol and sign of what sin does to each and every one of our lives. [43:39] So Jesus stands as a display of what it does.

[43:45] We often tell you, if you’re not a believer of Jesus, we ask that you don’t come and eat and drink. [43:53] Not to offend you. [43:55] But because if you don’t believe and you come and you eat and drink. [44:00] All that you have to be eating and drinking to are the sorrow. [44:04] The pain. [44:06] The destruction.

[44:08] And I don’t want you to have a meal like that. [44:10] God doesn’t want you to have that meal. [44:11] Because Jesus Christ stands as a testimony that God doesn’t want that for you. [44:18] Instead, he wants the other side of what we reflect on in communion for you. [44:24] Because communion represents the fact that Jesus endured that sorrow. [44:27] He endured that pain.

[44:28] He endured that suffering. [44:30] But on the other side of his death, he experienced victory. [44:33] He experienced life. [44:35] He rose from the dead. [44:37] And if you trust in Jesus, we come confessing the destruction of our sin.

[44:46] But we also come rejoicing in the victory of Jesus over sin and death. [44:53] The fact that he’s paid for our sin. [44:57] When you eat his life, it enters yours.

[45:03] We come rejoicing. [45:07] Because Jesus defeated it all for us. [45:12] And then when we believe, we walk away filled. [45:17] Because we’ve eaten, we’ve drank of hope that will last a lifetime. [45:27] So the first call I give to you, friend, believe.

[45:33] Believe in Jesus. [45:34] The second call I give is in the name of Jesus. [45:40] Come, rejoice.