Sermon Tone Analysis
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Romans 7:1-6
Introduction
Something in human nature makes us want to go to extremes; a weakness from which Christians are not wholly free.
chapter 6- On the one hand- "Since we are saved by grace, we are free to live as we please."
license
chapter 7- On the other hand- "We are saved by grace, but we must live under Law if we are to please God" legalism
license------------------------legalism
license ill.)-
Russian munk named Rasputin of the Romanou family- "...as those who sin most require most forgiveness, a sinner who continues to sin with abandon enjoys each time he repents more of God's grace than any ordinary sinner."
-where sin abounds, grace did much more abound-
-grace is freedom- not free to sin, but free not to sin
I Peter 2:16 "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God."
equal and opposite error- legalism (ch.
7)
(read vss.
1-6) (timely and important issue)
Almost every growing Christian understands the experience of Romans 6,7.
not articulated as well as Paul
ill.) my own experience
When I got serious about growing, I set standards, ideals (good, high, biblical)
-dating
-intellectual development
-spiritual growth and discipline (prayer, Bible study, etc.)
-physically (exercise, athletics, etc.)
for awhile the spiritual progress was very fulfilling- I was experiencing spiritual life and growth like never before.
Out of necessity (increased understanding_ the standards became higher- my attainment of those standards became less fulfilling (out of reach consistently)
I began seeing more deeply into my own heart and found sins I didn't know were there.
Everything crumbled around me!
(looking back on the pilgrimage) My Christian experience had gone from elation over new spiritual achievements and growth to frustration and guilt over a sense of shortcoming.
-all the while my desire to please God had remained constant.
(it's not that my desire had changed, my experience had changed)
Without realizing it, I had moved into '"legalism" and was learning the truth about sin, the Law and myself.
redefine:
legalism- "the belief that I can become holy and please God by obeying laws."
-measuring spirituality by a list of do's and don't's
the legalist fails to see the purpose of God's Law and the relationship between law and grace.
Major 1st century battle- Paul's fight to deliver men from the Law and acquaint them with the depths of God's grace.
-the question Paul raises in chapter 7- "Does the law help us, as believers, to handle the problem of sin in our lives?"
yes and no
yes- up to a point- It will help us define the problem (v.
7ff)
no- the law is no help at all when it comes to delivering us from sin.
In fact it makes things worse.
v. 1 paraphrased (Conybeare) "You must acknowledge what I say or be ignorant."
-not under law or go on in spiritual ignorance
I speak to those who know the law
(back-up) What do we know about the law?
purpose?
purpose #1. to restrain men until they find true freedom in Christ (Galations 3:23, 24)
-tutor exercised restraint, disciplined the child
-gov't laws are imperfect reflections of God's law-restrain
purpose #2. to reveal the awfulness of sin
-Romans 3:20-epignosis- full knowledge
-Romans 5:20-increase?
-ill.)
prohibition "Do not touch!"
contradiction!! - restrain evil and stimulate evil- the law contains two elements
-command- inwardly stimulates rebellion
-penalty- externally restrains action
purpose #3. to establish guilt
-Romans 3:19
"accountable" better than "guilty"- (stronger)- not only broken law but, under obligation to suffer penalty for what he has done.
understand this effect of the Law
the Law condemns; produces a sense of defeat, despair
ill.)
never a pat on the back
-police stop you to congratulate you?
-never in dean's office
People react to this despair in different ways:
(test yourself) Four marks of a legalist (very subtle- still believe we are acceptable by Law)
#1.
Proud of their record
(doesn't sound like discouragement)
diversion to cover, despair
Point out areas of success to keep us from looking at areas of failure, ex.- business success, rotten marriage
ill.)
awareness that some ministries looked cancerous the closer one got to the center.
(numbers, projects, programs- no godly fruit, spiritually cancerous)
#2.
Critical of others
another diversionary tactic
-get your eyes off me and my short-comings by holding up someone else's faults
-very unforgiving
in the absence of a Spirit-produced quality of meekness grows a critical attitude toward others
#3.
Reluctant to admit error or fault in their lives.
ill.)
Colson's characterization of Nixon in 'Born Again' said- even when Nixon obviously had a cold-nose running, eyes red, sneezing,- he'd never admit it.
He felt so heavily the standard of conduct expected of him that he'd pretend he was living up to it, even if he wasn't.
Waren Wiersbe "In my pastoral experience, I have counseled many people who have suffered sever emotional and spiritual damage because they have tried to live holy lives on the basis of a high standard.
I have seen the consequences of these attempts: either the person becomes a pretender, or he suffers a complete collapse and abandons his desires for godly living."
(Be Right, p. 73)
like the Pharisees of old- pretending righteousness
#4.
Subject to times of inner boredom and depression
The Law is doing its work of condemnation which produces depression of spirit, discouragement, defeat.
Did you know this about the Law?
We must if we are to understand this passage.
If you know this, you can see it is a major problem in churches today.
-set up a standard of "pleasing", "holiness" that comes by observing laws-- pride, critical, reluctance to error, depression
Paul gives an illustration to help us understand our relationship to Law
vss.
2-4
You and I are the woman in the story.
She has two husbands- one after the other.
Paul's point is what the death of the first husband does to the woman's relationship to the Law.
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