We Lived in the Lusts of Our Flesh

In this part of the sermon: The fifth aspect of the description is introduced: the real motivation for all unregenerate activity is 'the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind.'…

Comparing the process of understanding true motivation to using a spiritual stethoscope to hear the heartbeat of dead sinners, revealing what truly drives them.

They are in accord with the standard of the world. Being moved and powerfully influenced by the devil. But when you as it were peel off the external veneer of what seems to be. And you get down and put the spiritual stethoscope upon the heartbeat of dead sinners.

14:54 - 15:14 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The totality of humanity, separated from God under the dominion of sin, is flesh.

Illustrates the innate human awareness of desires from a young age, as seen in children throwing tantrums for lollipops, showing they are 'a bundle of desire'.

that sprang out of our condition as separated from God, sprang out of our condition as being enemies and aliens from God. Let me say in summarizing my effort to try to expound the phrase, as personal consciousness begins to dawn, every one of us is aware of desires. We want to enjoy things. That's why little kids throw temper tantrums when they can't have the lollipop that they've set their affections on.

29:42 - 30:18 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The totality of humanity, separated from God under the dominion of sin, is flesh.

Describes how individual temperaments and backgrounds lead each person to 'cut his own channel' to float down the 'stream of fleshly' desires, whether as a proud Pharisee or a debauched criminal.

Every one of us cut his own channel. Consistent with our temperament, our background, our associations, and all those other factors, so that every channel we cut was a channel to do what? To float down that stream of fleshly.

30:57 - 31:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace from the heart the testimony of scripture concerning the universality of sin, putting yourself in the middle of it with holy shame.

An extended quote from Martin Luther's treatise on the bondage of the will, highlighting his conviction that this doctrine is the 'very heart of the gospel' and the 'hinge on which all turns'.

That funderer from Germany, Martin Luther, in writing his treatise on the bondage of the will, which was an answer to a theological treatise by Erasmus, the great moderating principle of the Reformation, Luther said concerning this issue that we're talking about this morning, the precise place of the human will in the scheme of salvation, Luther felt that this was the very heart of the gospel. He says to Erasmus, you alone have attacked the real thing. That is the essential issue. You've not worried me with those extraneous issues about the papacy, purgatory, indulgences and the like.

43:36 - 44:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace from the heart the testimony of scripture concerning the universality of sin, putting yourself in the middle of it with holy shame.

A quote from J.I. Packer commenting on Luther's 'amazing vigor' in defending the bondage of the will, explaining that for Luther, the gospel itself was in jeopardy.

In my understanding of what the real issue is, you and you alone have seen the hinge on which all turns. And you alone have aimed for the vital spot. For that I heartily thank you. For it's more gratifying to me to deal with this issue." End quote. And James Packer commenting on this goes on to say, free will was no academic question to Luther. The whole gospel of the grace of God he held was bound up with it and stood or fell according to the way one decided that issue. This is the explanation of what Warfield calls the amazing vigor of Luther's language.

44:33 - 45:16 Read in full sermon

The point: If fighting the doctrine of the bondage of the will, forget it as a theological proposition and get on your knees to tell God it wasn't that bad with you. If you can't, then you are a Christian.

Illustrates how the will, though active, is in bondage to the flesh and mind, using examples of a child scheming to steal candy and a student choosing to cheat on an exam to gratify selfish desires.

No, no. When those appetites said as a little child, look, you want your sister's piece of candy? Then you wait until she's out of the room and you scheme and you make plans in the reasonings of your mind to gratify that lust of your flesh. And you did the things willed of the flesh and of the mind when you stole that piece of candy and then sneaked off to eat it and it felt so good going down, but then the conscience had a way of making it taste bitter in your tummy.

48:30 - 49:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Believe the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, as your only hope, not yourself, the church, or any preacher.

Compares self-help religion, which 'comes out of flesh and feeds flesh' and is easily sold, to the gospel, which 'slays' pride by hinging all hope on Christ's work.

Give us a big chorus of spiritual self-help. And we could sell it by the carloads today. Because flesh responds to all self-help religion. It comes out of flesh and feeds flesh.

58:44 - 58:58 Read in full sermon