What is the Straightened Way? Part 7

The point: Periodically lead the professing people of God in a season of intense self-examination by the standard of the Word of God.

This story illustrates the proper answer to a sinner asking 'What must I do to be saved?' – pointing them to 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.'

And that we may above all else come to know aright Your salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. We ask these mercies in His name. Amen. Now if a man or woman, or a boy or a girl, made acutely aware of his or her condition as a hell-deserving sinner, were to make known to You, the Lord Jesus Christ, their awareness of that hell-deserving state, and out of a terror-stricken spirit were to cry out to You, What must I do to be saved? How would You answer that man or woman, that boy, that girl? Well, I trust Your answer would approximate that which Paul and Silas gave, to a man, who out of his acute se...

3:46 - 5:10 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Though it is resident it is not president. Though it remains it does not reign.

This analogy refutes the idea that the flesh and Spirit are two equally sized powers, emphasizing that while the flesh is resident, it does not reign in a true believer.

He says the flesh is constantly lusting against the Spirit indicating that in true believers who possess the Holy Spirit there is yet this element of the flesh to be reckoned with. That element which would move us away from what is pleasing unto God and the flesh is constantly lusting against the Spirit and the indwelling Holy Spirit the third person of the Godhead who dwells in us is lusting against the remaining influence of the flesh and these are and it's a strong word in the Greek contrary the one to the other. There is an irreconcilable warfare going on within the breast of every true Ch...

23:52 - 24:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: They have crucified the flesh with the affections or passions and the lusts thereof now friends i didn't write this i didn't conceive it the holy ghost has declared that every true christian has undergone a dealing with …

This metaphor explains that 'crucifying the flesh' means handing over sin to be executed, like a condemned criminal, repudiating its mastery and deliberately practicing sin as a way of life.

they have crucified the flesh with the affections or passions and the lusts thereof now friends i didn't write this i didn't conceive it the holy ghost has declared that every true christian has undergone a dealing with sin that finds no less an analogy than that of handing over a condemned despised outcast criminal to be hung up on a tree and executed now the verb here is in the active this is not exactly the same as romans 6 where we are said to have been crucified with christ something has been done to us this is they that are of christ they have crucified the flesh with the passions and th...

35:33 - 36:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine if any of the works of the flesh are dominant in your life, as this indicates a lack of biblical grounds for claiming to be 'of Christ Jesus.'

This analogy describes the believer's posture toward sin: it is nailed to a cross, and despite its cries for mercy, it is consigned to death because it put Christ on the cross.

as a way of life and their posture toward it is that it is nailed to a cross and while hanging there and perhaps the imagery is that of gradual death here though it is not in romans 6 and while it cries to be taken down and strives to have mercy shown to it we say no as surely it was as it was my sin that put my savior on the cross out of love for him and out of regard for the ugliness of sin in the light of his blood shedding and the shrouded Crowded heavens and the cry of dereliction. I care not what my sins cry for. For mercy, for pity, for indulgence. I consign them to the cross because th...

36:55 - 37:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine if any of the works of the flesh are dominant in your life, as this indicates a lack of biblical grounds for claiming to be 'of Christ Jesus.'

This metaphor, echoing Jesus' words, illustrates that crucifying the flesh means being ready to 'hack off' or 'gouge out' even the dearest passions and lusts.

Lest we deceive ourselves and say, oh yeah, in some general way I consign the flesh with its passions and its lusts. The passion and lust is dear as right hand and right eye. Here's the parallel concept in the words of Jesus. You're ready to hack it off, to gouge it out.

38:23 - 38:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine if any of the works of the flesh are dominant in your life, as this indicates a lack of biblical grounds for claiming to be 'of Christ Jesus.'

This metaphor describes a false, sentimentalized view of God as one who 'wouldn't hurt a flea' and is 'nothing but one big blob of unconditional love,' contrasting it with the biblical God.

Who is this idol? Who is the big celestial blob of unprincipled gush called God? Who wouldn't hurt a flea? Who's nothing but one big blob of unconditional love?

41:02 - 41:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Keep in step with the Spirit, who always points you to own your sin, own Christ alone as the hope of salvation, and repudiate yourself and sin.

This metaphor explains 'walk by the Spirit' as falling in line and keeping in step with the Spirit, who consistently leads believers in the path of Christ and holiness.

Now here's the capstone exhortation. If we live by the Spirit, that is not the if of doubt or uncertainty, but if, that is, since we have life by the Spirit, since we are spiritually alive, because of the indwelling of the Spirit who has united us to Christ and being of Christ, we have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof, by the Spirit let us also walk. And a different word for walk is used here, has more the connotation of military marching. Let us fall in line and keep in step with the Spirit.

45:26 - 46:09 Read in full sermon