Sermon Tone Analysis

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Theme: How to decide on “disputable matters” — diagnostic questions:

Theme: How to decide on “disputable matters” — diagnostic questions:

Date: 06/11/2017 File Name: Romans_2016_43.wpd

ID Number:

Date: 06/11/2017 File Name: Romans_2016_43.wpd

ID Number:

I want us to revisit this theme of Christian Liberty one more time before we move out of Romans, chapter 14.

The Apostle has laid down a Scriptural principle for us: When it comes to disputable matters Christians need to offer grace to each other when it comes to conduct or issues that the Word of God does not specifically address.

Paul’s examples include the “three-D’s” — diet and drink, and days, i.e., days that one Christian believes more sacred than others.

In my life time, disputable matters within the Church have included; card playing, board games that use dice, attending movies, watching television, dancing, the uses of cosmetics, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, nose rings, men sporting ear studs, tattoos, eating certain foods, drinking certain beverages, "mixed bathing", women wearing slacks, women wear skits ... that are too short, pledging allegiance to the American Flag, shopping on Sunday, and celebrating certain religious days (like Christmas or Halloween).

I want us to revisit this theme of Christian Liberty one more time before we move out of Romans, chapter 14.

The Apostle has laid down a Scriptural principle for us: When it comes to disputable matters Christians need to offer grace to each other when it comes to conduct or issues that the Word of God does not specifically address.

Paul’s examples include the “three-D’s” — diet and drink, and days, i.e., days that one Christian believes more sacred than others.

In my life time, disputable matters within the Church have included; card playing, board games that use dice, attending movies, watching television, dancing, the uses of cosmetics, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, nose rings, men sporting ear studs, tattoos, eating certain foods, drinking certain beverages, "mixed bathing", women wearing slacks, women wear skits ... that are too short, pledging allegiance to the American Flag, shopping on Sunday, and celebrating certain religious days (like Christmas or Halloween).

In the Apostle can’t be any clearer on the issue.

“The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.”

(, NIV).

When is comes to these disputable matters, Paul says that each of us is a servant of Christ, and we are accountable to him alone.

“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?

To their own master, servants stand or fall.

And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand ... “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.

So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

(, NIV).

The ultimate goal in these disputable matters is not which side is right and which side is wrong, but peace within the local church, and the mutual edification of believers.

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

(, NIV).

That’s the Apostle’s way of saying, “It ain’t about you!”

In this area of disputable matters where the Scriptures do not speak clearly speak to a behavior being right or wrong, Paul writes that we do not destroy the work of God (vs.

20) over hills that ain’t worth dying over.

Love for the brethren is better than liberty of the believer.

It’s that last two verses of I want us to look at this morning.

If you are struggling with a conduct or issue that you’re not sure is sinful for you or not, how do you decide?

My purpose is to give you some guidance in deciding.

I. THE NATURE OF SINFUL CONDUCT

1. let me say it one more time ... the bible refers to three kinds of behavior

a. there is some behavior that, for the confessing Christian, is always wrong

b.

there is some behavior that, for the confessing Christian, is always right

c. there is some behavior that, for one confessing Christian, is wrong because it violates their conscience, but for another confessing Christian is permissible because it doesn’t violate their conscience

violates their conscience, but for another confessing Christian is permissible because it doesn’t violate their conscience

2. what do we do when we have such a profound difference of opinion over whether-or-not a behavior is sinful when the bible says nothing about it?

not a behavior is sinful when the bible says nothing about it?

a. this is what the apostle addresses in this chapter

A. SIN DEFINED

A. SIN DEFINED

1. before we go any further, we need to understand what sin is

a. just a generation ago there was fairly wide unanimity in our culture as to what was sinful

sinful

1) now, not so much

ILLUS.

For example, Gambling and divorce, both once considered serious sins, are now broadly accepted.

At the worst our society might consider them problematic, but certainly not sinful.

Americans are quickly losing their notion of what sin is, and when that is gone it will be difficult to share a Gospel that celebrates Jesus’ atonement for sin when so few think they are actually committing it.

now broadly accepted.

At the worst our society might consider them problematic, but certainly not sinful.

Americans are quickly losing their notion of what sin is, and when that is gone it will be difficult to share a Gospel that celebrates Jesus’ atonement for sin when so few think they are actually committing it.

2) people have to see themselves as sinners — alienated from God and unable to save themselves — for Christ's sacrifice to be essential

save themselves — for Christ's sacrifice to be essential

2. there are any number of words in the Scriptures that describe the nature of sin, but one word gets at its essence ... Transgression

one word gets at its essence ... Transgression

a. sin is the transgression of the law of God; it is any conduct that is contrary to God’s will

will

1) that word transgression essentially means stepping out of bounds —

a) God has drawn a line in the sand, and says “You will not cross this line without suffering eternal penalty.”

suffering eternal penalty.”

b) God has put us in a box, and says “Here are the boundaries for behavior, and if you step out of bounds their will be temporal and eternal ramifications.”

if you step out of bounds their will be temporal and eternal ramifications.”

b. the problem, of course, is that we’re all guilty of doing exactly what God has forbidden ... we’ve all stepped out of bounds ... we’ve all crossed the line

forbidden ... we’ve all stepped out of bounds ... we’ve all crossed the line

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (, NIV)

• “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

(, NIV)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

(, NIV)

1) ever since mankind’s fall into sin in the Garden of Eden, sin has been woven into our character

our character

a) we are not sinners because we have sinned

b) we sin because we are sinners, and sinning for sinners comes as naturally as

b) we sin because we are sinners, and sinning for sinners comes as naturally as breathing

breathing

c) sin is rooted in our nature, and what is inside merely comes out in the sins we sin

sin

ILLUS.

Have any of you ever bitten into a freshly picked piece of fruit only to discover a worm in it, yet when you inspected the fruit you found no hole by which the worm worked its way into the fruit?

That’s because the worm did go from the outside in, but from the inside out.

Scientists have discovered that certain moths will lay an egg on a peach blossom or and apple blossom.

As the blossom becomes a piece of fruit, the egg gets encapsulated in the fruit, and when the larva hatches in the heart of the peach it then begin to eat its way out.

Sin, like the worm, begins in our core and works its way out thorough our thoughts, words, and actions.

discover a worm in it, yet when you inspected the fruit you found no hole by which the worm worked its way into the fruit?

That’s because the worm did go from the outside in, but from the inside out.

Scientists have discovered that certain moths will lay an egg on a peach blossom or and apple blossom.

As the blossom becomes a piece of fruit, the egg gets encapsulated in the fruit, and when the larva hatches in the heart of the peach it then begin to eat its way out.

Sin, like the worm, begins in our core and works its way out thorough our thoughts, words, and actions.

c. sin has forever marred the imago dei — the image of God — in man

1) we are, according to the Scriptures dead in trespasses and sins, and accordingly are children of wrath destined for a sinner’s hell unless something intervenes ()

are children of wrath destined for a sinner’s hell unless something intervenes

()

3. so then, sin is the transgression of the law of God; it is any conduct that is contrary to God’s will

God’s will