Christ Died to Deliver us from the World

The Narrow Way: A Review of Non-Conformity and Separation from the World

0:00 The following sermon was delivered on Sunday morning, October 29, 2006, at Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Let us again turn in our Bibles, this time to Matthew chapter 7, and I shall read in your hearing verses 13 and 14. Toward the end of what is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, often designated a manifesto of the kingdom, our Lord Jesus Christ, continuing to speak, says, Enter in by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For, or how narrow is the gate, and compressed, difficult, restricted the way that leads unto life, and few are they that find it. Let us again pray and ask the help of God's Holy Spirit.

1:20 Our Father, as once again we focus our attention upon these profoundly, solemn, sobering words of our Lord Jesus, I pray that I may preach as one who truly believes them, as one whose eye sees the end of the wide gate and the broad way, the flames of the pit that reach up to consume all who miss the narrow gate and refuse to walk upon that restricted, and compressed way. God, give to me a fresh baptism of the felt urgency of these things, and give to each one who sits in this building and listens with the outer ear. Oh, God, give the inner ear, we pray, for our good and for your glory.

2:34 Amen.

2:40 The narrow gate. The compressed or difficult way, and the attainment of eternal life are, according to Jesus, inseparable. In other words, if you are serious about ending up in heaven when you die or when Jesus returns, you will be found there as one who came through the narrow gate and walked upon the difficult, the compressed, and the restricted way.

3:22 None are on the way or the road to heaven who miss the narrow gate. None are through the narrow gate, but those who are found on the compressed way, and none attain to life but by the gate and the way. In the face of these words, Jesus warns us of the ever-present, popular, and easy alternative of a wide gate and of a broad way, but one that ends not in life, but in destruction. Having identified the four major pieces of spiritual baggage that must be discussed, discarded if we are to enter the narrow gate, we have been seeking to identify what it is that makes the way or the road a difficult, a compressed, a restricted, a narrow road. And in so doing, I've been operating with the principle

4:40 that that which makes the way narrow is nothing more or less than an extension into the whole, the whole of life, of the issues dealt with at the narrow gate. And so we have seen from our Bibles that the way, the compressed, the narrow difficult way, is the way of continually clinging to Christ as the only ground of our acceptance with God and the only source of our strength to live a life well-pleased, to God. Secondly, that the difficult way is the way of a serious pursuit of universal obedience to the will of Christ as determined by the word of Christ. Thirdly, that the difficult way is the way of a serious pursuit of universal gospel holiness, both of heart and of life. And last Lord's Day, we began to examine, or several Lord's Days ago, the fourth reality that makes the way of a kingdom lifestyle a difficult or a narrow way. It is the way of a serious pursuit

6:01 of increasing non-conformity to and separation from the world and its ways as a molding influence upon our lives. And for two Lord's Days, I've been attempting to prove from several key texts of Scripture that the compressed, the difficult, the narrow way that leads to life is indeed the way that I've described as non-conformity to and separation from this world's system. First of all, we looked at our Lord's description of all of His true disciples as given to us in John 15, 19, John 17, 6, 14 to 16, the sum of which are these words, they are not of the world. When He draws us to Himself by bringing us through the narrow gate, our fundamental identity is no longer that of worldlings, those whose lives are shaped by the standards, the perspectives, the goals,

7:16 the ambitions, all that comprises a world system, a system of men and things living and existing in alienation from God and under the governing power of the Devil. A true disciple is not a worldling. We are not of this world. Though we are called upon to remain in this world system, to function as light, And as salt, we are not of it.

7:49 And so if you are of this world, you are not a believer. You have never pressed through the narrow gate of radical biblical conversion. Then we went on to consider further text, first of which was the entreaty of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12, 1 and 2. Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

8:21 And then the simple command of John in 1 John 2, 15 to 17, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Then we proceeded last Lord's Day to look at what I call both the vivid and the unmoved. And the shocking analogies of James.

8:47 The vivid analogy, James 1, 27, Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Though this is not the sum of true religion, to show compassion and to pursue an unspotted life before God, wherever there is true religion, those two things will inevitably be present. And so we learn from that first vivid analogy that we are to keep our spiritual garments unspotted from the world. And then the two shocking analogies in James 4, 4. He addresses those who are flirting with worldliness as adulteresses, underscoring that to follow God, that to flirt with the world is to be guilty of spiritual adultery. And so not only are we to keep our spiritual garments unspotted from the world, we are to keep our love undivided with the world. And then in the latter part of James 4, 4, we are to keep our loyalty unrivaled by the world.

10:09 For James says, Whoever would be friend of the world, makes himself an enemy of God. And we resurrect the state of enmity towards God and God's enmity to us if we flirt with and seek to be friends with the world. So then, if we are not doing these three things, seeking to keep our spiritual garments unspotted from the world, to keep our love undivided with the world, to keep our loyalty unrivaled by the world, then we have, according to James, no pure religion before God and the Father, we are guilty of spiritual adultery against God, and we are resurrecting our enmity in our relationship to God. Now this morning, that's the end of my review, I want to consider this question. Why is this matter of a growing nonconformity, conformity to the world, and increasing separation from the world a matter so prominent in connection with the narrow road that leads to life? I trust if you believe your Bibles, you are persuaded from the consideration of these seven basic key texts

11:36 that indeed separation from the world is a vital, and necessary, a dominant component of the walk upon that narrow, compressed, restricted, difficult road that leads to life. If those seven texts don't persuade you, you refuse to be persuaded. But I trust you are persuaded. And if persuaded, then the question should come to mind, why?

Why Separation from the World is Central to Christ's Death (Galatians 1:3-4)

12:07 Why is this matter of growing nonconformity, growing nonconformity to the world, and increasing separation from the world a matter so prominent in connection with the narrow road that leads to life? Why is it so? And the answer in summary form is this. It is so because separation from the world is central to the purpose for which Jesus Christ died on the cross.

12:44 That's the answer to the question. This issue of separation from the world is so much a part of that narrow road because it is central to the purpose for which Christ died upon the cross. And to the extent that we are not increasingly separate from the world, we to some degree, and it sounds blasphemous to even say it, but it's true, we frustrate the very purpose for which our Lord groaned and cried out in agony and was inundated with the horror of the wrath of God upon the cross. This issue is crucial because separation from the world is central to the purpose for which Christ died upon the cross. And I want you to look with me at two key passages this morning, possibly if I have time, a third, which makes this unmistakably clear. Unmistakably clear.

14:02 Where the death of Christ is mentioned in terms of its purpose in the closest relationship to separation from the world. And the first text is Galatians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4. Galatians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4. After identifying himself as a bona fide apostle, and then those to whom this letter is sent, the churches of Galatia, the apostle writes, grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. And mentioning Jesus Christ as the conduit of God's grace and God's peace. He then identifies this Jesus Christ in this way, who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us out of this present evil world according to the will of our God

15:26 and Father. Note that there are three profound and basic things that are set before us with respect to the death of Jesus. First is, Christ died for our sins. These words identify the character or the nature of our Lord's death upon the cross.

15:54 Who gave himself for our sins. Jesus' death upon the cross was not primarily an astounding display of love, though it was that. Nor was it an amazing example of other-oriented and selfless heroism, though it was that. Rather it was essentially and primarily a sacrifice for sin.

16:29 It was the death of one who voluntarily took upon himself the liability of the guilt of our sins and with that liability his, he dies as a sacrifice for sin. In the language of Isaiah 53 6, though all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one of us to his own way, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Or 2 Corinthians 5 21, for he, God the Father, hath made him, God the Son, to be sin for us. And this language, who gave himself for our sins, is the standard language to set forth this fundamental truth that in the death of Christ, God the Father was dealing with God the Son as though he were the guilty one. He is charged with the guilt of our sins. And in the language of Romans 8 32, God the Father spares not his own sin. So that's the first profound statement concerning the death of Jesus of Nazareth.

17:51 Christ died for our sins. And those words I say identify the character or the nature of the death of Jesus. It was a substitutionary sacrificial atonement for sins. The language, penal satisfaction, those are words that point to this reality.

18:15 He is being punished. He is being dealt with by the Father in the court of heaven while hanging upon the cross. He is giving himself the just for the unjust. But now the second profound and basic thing concerning the death of Jesus is bound up in the next words.

18:36 Look at the text. Who gave himself for our sins, that's the nature or character of his death, that. Here now is a clause of purpose. He gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us out of this present evil world.

19:00 He died for our sin addresses the nature and the character of his death, a substitutionary sacrifice. These words point us to the purpose or the intention of his death upon the cross. If you ask the average professing Christian why did Christ die, the most popular answers would be he died to save us from hell. And that's true.

19:29 The scripture tells us it is Christ who delivers us from the wrath to come. Or others might say he died in order to open a way to heaven. And that is true. Peter said he died the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God now and in the age to come.

19:50 But that's not the language of this text. This text tells us first of all his death was a rescue operation. The word used for translated deliver is a very strong word. It's a compound word.

20:08 Exireo and it's the word used to describe what happened to Joseph who was delivered from his afflictions and troubles. Acts 7.10 When God brought the people of God out of Egypt by his mighty power that's called a deliverance a rescue operation in Acts 7.34 You remember Peter was in prison and God sent an angel and God rescued him out of the hand of Herod.

20:42 That's the word used in Acts 12 in verse 11. And when Paul was delivered from the murderous mob Acts 23.27 this same verb is used. So whatever the purpose of the death of Christ was we are to think of it as a mighty gracious spiritual rescue operation who gave him self for our sins that he might rescue us.

21:13 And from what was the cross of Christ intended to rescue us? Again look at the text. His death is intended to be a rescue operation from this present evil world or age. I said a couple of weeks ago when trying to give you a working concept of what is this world from which we are to be delivered as the people of God that two basic words are used one that is translated in other settings as age.

21:48 And that's the word that is used here. His death is to be a rescue operation from this present evil age. Now the Bible speaks this side of the cross of two ages. The age that now is and the age which is to come.

22:09 In Matthew 12 in verse 32 Jesus speaks of sins for which there is no forgiveness in this age and in the age to come. In Ephesians 1.22 the apostle speaks of our Lord Jesus being exalted to a place of unrivaled authority and power in this age and in that which is to come. So this age is things as they now are.

22:40 And notice how this age is described by the apostle. He says it is this present evil age or world. Referring to that system of men and things with all that is involved in the whole fabric of life of men of men and things alienated from God and under the control of the powers of darkness. And here we are told that Christ died in order to rescue us out of this present evil age. The powers of the coming age are that which breaks in upon the life of a man or woman when the gospel comes not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance. And so the powers of the age to come break in upon the soul of a sinner enabling that sinner to press through the narrow gate because in the powers of the age to come all of one's values what's important what do I need to really cling to what do I need

24:08 to really trust what do I need to really love all of those things are radically altered by God's regenerating power and it is in the powers of the age to come that someone takes the baggage to which they have come from birth the baggage of self-righteousness and self-sufficiency and they cast it away from the heart the baggage of self-will as the governing principle of life they cast it away from the heart the baggage of the practice and the love of sin they cast it away from the heart forever the things that are not attached to the sight and soul of the prince of darkness when God breaks in with the powers of the age to come there is this radical conversion not only dramatic as you must have

25:28 a dramatic conversion a radical conversion a radical conversion the conversion that goes to the roots that's the meaning of radical that which goes issues are self-sufficiency those root issues are self-will and self-determination the root issues of the world break in by the Holy Spirit there is a radical conversion and entering through the narrow gate planting one's feet upon a narrow way fundamental deliverance from slavery to this present is why

26:26 make it so evil determined their thinking

27:49 about right to come have broken their fundamentally radically delivered present and upon that narrow way fundamental radical deliverance went off the baggage of a voluntary love and attachment to this world they are now committed to a life of but then the third thing told to us in this text not only the nature of Christ's death the purpose of Christ's death but now we are told something about the originating source or cause kata and our father

29:10 Christ as a sacrifice for sin Christ's death as a sacrifice with the intention that he might deliver a people from this present evil world we are perfectly in accord with the sovereign will and purpose of God the father Christ voluntarily undergoes the suffering but he does so in keeping with the will of his father you remember the agony in Gethsemane he began to be amazed in sore trouble and it all focused on this matter of the cup apparently the father was giving to the son an intensified understanding of what would be involved to go forward to the cross and when he sees that cup full of the wrath of his holy father he shrinks from it and in shrinking he cries oh my father if it be possible let this cup pass from me but what were the next words nevertheless not my will but yours be done he dies according to the will of our God and of our father and not only

30:39 was his death as a sacrifice for sin according to the will of the father but the purpose of that death is equally tied to the will of our God who loved the world that he gave his only begotten son why did he give him for this purpose not only to offer a sacrifice for sin that would take away our guilt and make it right for God to receive us in the glorious privilege of justifying grace but also that all of us would be delivered from this present evil age that's the will of our God and our father not to have people say oh yes I've come through the gate of conversion and the world dictates their thinking about their entertainment how they will come into their eyes and into their ears how they will respond to emotional trauma they are

32:07 determined that the world will not dictate to them how to wrestle with the struggles of the soul and emotional trauma the world says for everything that is in my thinking about how I wrestle with poverty how I wrestle with emotional trauma how I wrestle with the quirks and kinks in my personality and the tendencies that lead me into this or that particular sin the word of God is going to govern me not the world for I or I can be to what I am not but what I am not not able to be to what I am not capable of I cannot be able to be of what I am capable of at

Negating the Cross: The Danger of Worldly Flirtation

33:31 This text answers that question by making plain that such a non-conformity to the world, increasing separation from the world, is rooted in one of the major purposes for which Christ endured the gruesome agonies and suffering of the cross. Therefore, insofar as we flirt with, dabble in, seek pleasure from the things of this world, we negate the very purpose of the cross. I want that to sink in.

34:15 Insofar as we flirt with, dabble in, seek pleasure from the things of this world, those things... The things that are shaped by the lust of the flesh, the desire to enjoy things at the expense of the norms of God's Word.

34:37 The lust of the eyes, the desire to have things at the expense of the norms of God's Word. And the vain glory of life, the desire to be somebody in the eyes of others at the expense of the norms of God's Word. Insofar as we flirt with, dabble...

34:58 Dabble in, seek pleasure from these things of the world, we negate the very purpose of the cross. To some degree we betray the agonies of Gethsemane, the horrors of Golgotha, the darkened heavens, the cry of dereliction and abandonment.

35:21 Insofar as we allow the world to dictate our views of truth and error, right and wrong, modesty and immodesty, how to deal with anxiety and worry and depression, how we are to deal with human conflicts, how we are to shape our roles as men and women, husbands and wives. Wherever you turn, the world has its Bible. It's authoritative Word, constantly seeking to shape you. That's why Paul says, Be not conformed to this.

35:58 This world, let it and it will. But we are to be the people described in Psalm 1, those blessed people who do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, the worldlings. I am appalled to think that young couples in this church would watch Super Nanny and think you can learn something about child rearing. All these behavior modification tricks, I've watched it enough to have my soul in any way molded into the thinking and the practice of any parents in this place.

36:43 The assumption that you never tell a child she's a sinner, the actions that they're doing are wicked and displeasing to Almighty God. Oh yes, you may pick up a little technique here or there that half an ounce of common sense would tell you anyway.

37:03 Rather than pouring over the book of Proverbs saying, Oh God, teach me how to train my children, how to use the rod wisely and tenderly and with balance. Oh Father, teach me. Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. That counsel can come in words.

37:26 It can come in images. I dealt with a young woman some years ago struggling with anorexia, and I knew her family well enough to know she didn't have magazines, like Cosmopolitan and some of the other ladies' magazines laying around or lying around to get her image of what being a woman was all about. I knew the home too well. I said, let me ask you, good housekeeping, family circle.

37:59 Was it the pictures of the ads of the women behind their sinks and in their kitchen that put the idea that skinny was desirable? She said, yes.

38:10 The world! The world was teaching a young woman, one of us from the world's concept of how we ought to look physically, that our thinking would be hammered out on the anvil of our Bibles. Blessed is the one who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly regarding the training of our children, regarding how we should appear physically with respect to what is acceptable. World magazine is not the word of God about the movies you ought to watch.

38:50 If God ever gives me the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Coffin, I have some questions I want to ask him with respect to the movies that he said, well, there's this and this and this, but that would be a good way to spend an evening with your family.

39:05 My friends, don't allow this world, even world- to be your altar of what ought to come through your eyes and the eyes of your children.

39:18 Whatsoever things are lovely, true, pure, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. The counsel can come through pictures. It can come through movie reviews.

39:38 I read the movie reviews in world magazine. I read the ones in Time, not Time, in the Times, in the New York Times. I get the secular assessment of them. When I hear the Christians go, because that's the end thing to do, and you've read that it was the blockbuster movie the previous weekend.

39:59 Look in 45 million. Oh, I don't want to be out of it. And when people begin to discuss it, in God's name, to go through my eyeballs, because I've got so much rotten, stinking junk in my heart, it answers to what's in my heart. And I think thoughts and I kindle desires that I know are displeasing to God.

40:31 Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. And that counsel is coming to us in what we see, in what we hear. In Supernanny, that counsel is also coming to us, not only by popular magazines, coming to us in sitcoms. It's coming in so-called good, innocent movies.

40:57 Do you think that pride and prejudice is morally neutral? It's not morally neutral. It reflects a perspective on life that in great measure is shot through with secular humanism. It reflects.

41:11 Oh, yes, there's some good things and some good values. Yes, I know. But to just sit back and let pride and prejudice roll over your soul, you're taking the counsel of the ungodly. You're allowing impressions about what romance is and how romance ought to be governed, to be dictated by the world, and to do so undiscerningly, passively to absorb.

41:40 It's another thing to critically analyze. And filter and develop your capacities of discernment.

41:52 How utterly naive some of you are. You think the world is just out there declaring you no man's land. It's not going to touch you. No, it's out to squeeze you into its mold.

42:03 And Jesus died to deliver you, to deliver me out of this present evil age.

God's Grace Teaches Denial of Worldly Lusts (Titus 2:11-12)

42:13 And he did that according to the will of our God and Father. Well, the second time. The second text I want you to look at with me.

42:22 And I know some of you are going to go out here and say, that poor old man, he is pathetically antiquated. Well, when you can rewrite this passage and prove that your way is making you more heavenly minded, you come and tell me. More spiritually minded. More hungry for your Bible.

42:45 More thirsty for communion with Christ. Titus chapter 2.

42:52 Titus chapter 2. In verses. 1 to 10, Paul has delineated in some detail the kingdom lifestyle that he is to teach with authority.

43:10 He is to teach specifically to these various categories in the churches in the Isle of Crete. He is to speak to old men, to old women, to young men, to himself, and to servants or slaves. Then in verse 11, he begins to tell us why. Paul begins to tell Titus why he must teach such things.

43:36 Notice verse 11 begins with the little word for. That's a translation of the Greek word gar, which is a little particle in the Greek language which often indicates logical connectedness. When you're trying to tie things together in a logical relationship, use the little word gar. And one wise Greek scholar.

44:01 Said to his students who tended to ignore the guards, let gar be gar. In other words, he was underscoring the little gar is as inspired as some of the great big words that translate such things as righteousness and salvation and justification. Why is Paul telling Timothy to give this specific, detailed kingdom lifestyle instruction to old men? To old women, to young men, to himself, and to slaves, he's going to tell them, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. This is a difficult verse to translate. You'd get the impression that you have two verbs, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. But the only real finite verb is appeared.

45:02 For the grace of God. Has appeared.

45:06 And the next finite verb is instructing us.

45:12 So what are we dealing with here? Well, let me give you several suggested translations. Fairbairn. For the grace of God, having salvation for all men, was manifested.

45:24 Lenski. For then has appeared the grace of God, saving for all men, educating us. For the salvation, bringing grace of God, has been revealed. Revealed to all men.

45:37 All of these are possibilities. But the central thought is, in the person and work of Jesus Christ in space-time history, God's grace has been fully displayed. It has been manifested. That's the bottom line to verse 11.

45:56 In the person and work of the Lord Jesus, God's grace, His unmerited favor that brings salvation, suited to and ought to be. Offered to all men, has made a full disclosure. It's been manifested. Verse 12.

46:13 We are then told that that grace appeared, teaching or instructing. And the word that is used is not the simple word for teaching, but the one often translated disciplining or training. So God's grace has appeared, and in its appearance, it comes as a teacher with a rod in its hand. It comes to instruct and to enforce instruction by discipline.

46:41 And what does it teach? Wherever God's grace in Jesus Christ comes, as God intended it should come, it comes as the teacher to instruct and to enforce that instruction. And what is the substance of that instruction? Negative and then positive.

46:59 Look at the negative. Teaching us that denying ungodliness. Godliness and worldly lusts or desires, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. When grace comes, it comes teaching negatively that we are to deny, to repudiate, once and for all, two things, ungodliness, what is patently anti-God.

47:43 Whatever is unlike God in His moral perfections is ungodliness. But then the more refined things that we are to deny, worldly lusts or desires, those desires which are characteristic of the world, society divorced from God. His law, His grace, and behind that society the control of the Prince of the power of the air. Whenever grace comes, it comes with a negative message.

48:21 It tells us there is something to deny. If we are to embrace the message of God's grace, there is to be a repudiation of ungodliness and worldly lusts. In other words, there is a repudiation of ungodliness and worldly lusts. words, grace teaches us to say no as well as teaching us to say yes. When God's grace in Christ comes to us in the gospel, it bids us say yes. Say yes to the offered Savior. Say yes to the offered salvation. Say yes to forgiveness. Yes to pardon. Yes to acceptance. Yes to the gift of the Spirit. Yes to the promise of eternal life. Yes to the promise of God's presence. Gospel comes, the grace of God comes, and it tells us, say yes to Jesus. But it also teaches us to say no.

49:20 It teaches us to say a resolute no. To what? Both to ungodliness and to worldly lust. What?

49:30 Ungodliness. That's the more severe word. Anything that is patently anti-God. Anything that is unlike God in His moral perfections.

49:42 Romans 1.18 says, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. There's our word. An unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in unrighteousness. It is our ungodliness that has provoked the wrath of God. It is our ungodliness that caused that wrath to fall upon our blessed Lord. Jesus as our sin-bearing substitute. And when He is bearing the just wrath of God against ungodliness, He cries out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? So when the message of God's grace comes in terms of a crucified Savior who dies for our ungodliness, surely it is ethically and morally impossible to behold the bleeding Savior and cling to Him. To that which puts Him on that cross. As John Newton said, a bleeding Savior I have viewed, and now I hate my sin. Grace always teaches us to say no, to deny, to repudiate ungodliness, but also worldly lust or desires. Those things that have their taproots in society's desires,

51:02 its values, its perspectives. All of them growing out of its alienation from God and its control by the devil. It was the world that put our Savior to death. Worldly religion existing in external formalistic rituals. It was the world of unprincipled men who could be manipulated and pressured.

51:31 Worldly Herod and worldly Pilate. And the worldly mob. And surely when we embrace the Savior who is hated by the world, as He said, you know that if the world hates you, it hated me before it hated you. Society divorced from God, alienated from God, though very religious, that was the world that put Him to death.

Living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in This Present Age (Titus 2:12-13)

52:00 And now we are told to deny worldly lust and desires. Grace teaches us to deny them, but then positively. Look at the text. Not only does it instruct us to the intent that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, that's the negative, we should live soberly and righteously and godly. Now notice, in this present age, this age from which Christ died to rescue us, in this very age, surrounded with all of the influences of ungodliness, all of the influences of worldly lust, grace teaches us in this setting to live how? Righteously. I'm sorry. To live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present evil age. Grace never teaches us to live to the hilt, our so-called liberty,

53:06 is open Zhiqra teaching us. It teaches us to live , first of all, soberly. That is, a self controlled life, in touch with the realities of spiritual issues. The recognition that I have remaining sin.

53:24 I have to contend with the wiley, vicious devil, and around me is the world that wants and seduce me... And spatter me, and divide my loyalty to Christ.

53:36 And to live soberly…. Soberly does not mean, I say, well, if God hasn't forbidden us, we can indulge it with impunity. That's stupid. It's unbiblical.

53:50 Grace teaches me to live a sober life, a self-controlled life, in which all of my appetites and passions and activities are controlled by spiritual sobriety. The Scripture says, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may swallow down.

54:17 If you believe there's a predatory animal out to make a meal of you, you don't act carelessly in that context. You watch and you pray lest you enter into temptation. A world seeking to squeeze you into its mold. No grace teaches me.

54:38 That in this present age from which Christ has rescued me, I am yet to live with all of the horrible, wretched realities of my indwelling sin and my proclivity to this and to that excess and to this and to that indulgence. I'm to live soberly. And I'm to live righteously, which most likely points in the direction of my horizontal relationships. I'm to live by the right standard.

55:08 Of God's word, I am to seek so to live that, as I would that others should do unto me, I do unto them. I am so to live that I do not indulge any liberty at the expense of causing my weaker brother to stumble. I am to so live that my life will be a prod to holiness and to greater faithfulness. I am to so live in my relationships to others.

55:38 That. By love, I make myself the slave of others. And then I'm to live holily, piously, most likely referring to my reverence for God. Fair Baron, in his excellent commentary on the pastoral epistle, says, We may not say, perhaps, that in these words the apostle intended to mark a threefold distinction of moral duty, but commentators have not unnaturally observed, they do, in fact, admit of special application to oneself, one's neighbor, and God, soberly expresses the self-command and restraint which the Christian should always exercise over his thoughts and his actions, justly the integrity that should regulate all his dealings toward his fellow men, and godly or piously indicates the state of mind and conduct he should maintain in his relationship with God. In his relationship to God. And all these are given as distinctive features of the life he should lead. He should be ever living.

56:47 For the heiress, Zesomen, sums up into one ideal whole in this present world, notwithstanding there is so much in it to tempt to a contrary course. Christ died. Christ died. To rescue me out of this present evil age, God's grace comes in the gospel, and in the person and work of Jesus it comes offering full pardon of all of my sins.

57:19 A just standing in the court of heaven, adoption as a son or daughter, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the pledge of everlasting life, all of the covenant commitments of this gracious God who's revealed his heart in the person and work of Jesus. A just standing in the court of heaven, adoption as a son or daughter, the pledge of everlasting life, all of the covenant commitments of this gracious God who's revealed his heart in the person and work of Jesus. And I must learn to say yes to all that he says in this full display of his grace, but that grace also comes teaching, instructing that I must deny ungodliness and worldly lust and live in this present age a sober life, a just and a righteous life, a life marked by righteousness. A pervasive reverence for God. Well then, in verse 4 to 13, look at the text. I am also to live a life that looks to the future.

58:22 Grace teaches me that though I have all these blessings now, they are but the down payment. And grace teaches that if I am to live this way, I long for the time when I don't have to do it anymore in this present world, when it will no longer be to live a life of worship, when it will no longer be to live a life of worship, when it will no longer be to live a life of worship, when it will no longer be to live a life of worship, No longer be this present evil world in which I live out a life of righteousness, a life of love. It will be in the new heavens and in the new earth. Therefore, grace teaches me to look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the glory of the great God in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christ Died to Redeem and Purify a Zealous People (Titus 2:14)

59:04 And now, verse 14. I hasten to verse 14. Having mentioned Christ as Savior, in what sense is He our Savior? Now the Apostle expounds it. Here's the foundation of this whole section.

59:21 This Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us. There's the fact of His death in our room and in our stead. But now look at the purpose. Who gave Himself for us.

59:36 Who gave Himself for us in order that, here we have a hymn, a clause of purpose, in order that, why did He die? That He might redeem us from all iniquity. The word redeem means to release by the payment of a price. And while the death of Christ is fundamentally a turning away of the wrath of God, it is a propitiation.

60:00 In addition to that, it is a release. And look at that for which He died. He died to release us from bad English. But look at the text.

60:10 Who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity. The word translated iniquity is the standard word for lawlessness. He died to release us from the power and the practice as well as the guilt of all lawlessness.

60:31 What is lawlessness? Failing to love God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength. And love my neighbor as myself. Christ died to redeem me from all unrighteousness.

60:45 Positive now. To purify to Himself a people of His special possession. Zealous of good works. That's what He died for.

60:55 To have a people unto Himself marked as a people of His own possession. This is language right out of the Old Testament. In the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. These are the words.

61:07 Words that are used when God says there in Exodus 19.5. In Deuteronomy 14.2.

61:14 After entering into covenant with His people. Keep my laws and my statutes and you shall be unto me a people of possession. You will be mine. You will be my special people.

61:28 And Jesus died that not only we would be redeemed from all iniquity. All lawlessness. But purified to Himself. A people of His own possession.

61:41 And what would mark us? Zealous of good works. Consumed with a zeal and a passion to do that which is pleasing in God's sight. In every facet of our lives.

61:57 That's the end for which He died. And though the word here is not used worldly. Remember no little part of that. Verse 12.

62:06 Denying ungodliness. And worldly lusts. Tied in with Romans 12.2.

62:13 We are not going to prove that is experience in ourselves. The good acceptable and perfect will of God. Unless we determine the world will not squeeze us into its mold. But that we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

62:30 In order that we may prove what is the good acceptable and perfect will of God. Christ did not die. To give us a pacified conscience. And set us loose.

62:43 To quote. Enjoy all our Christian liberties to the hilt. He didn't set us free to sin. And much of what goes under the guise of Christian liberty in our circles.

62:56 Can be demonstrated from the word of God. To be sinful indulgence.

63:02 Careless indulgence. Worldly indulgence. And I am weary. Of Christian liberty.

63:10 Being the blanket over half-baked non-zealous for good works. Christian living. We should be outdoing one another. Outstripping one another.

63:25 In our passion to do good works. Not to earn our acceptance with God. But because we have been freely accepted on the grounds of what Christ has done for us. So two passages.

The Cross Crucifies the World to Us (Galatians 6:14)

63:44 They clearly. Teach. Do they not? That the reason the way is narrow.

63:50 The narrow way of increasing non-conformity to. And separation from this world. It's the way. It's the way.

64:05 That Jesus died. To secure for his true people.

64:11 I began by stating it was my purpose to answer the question. Why is this non-conformity and separation from the world. So. Prominent in the way.

64:21 I answer because Jesus died to make it that way. We've looked at these two texts. I close by simply quoting. And briefly commenting upon.

64:33 Another text in Galatians. And perhaps this will flower into a separate message. I don't know dear people. I never intended this was going to be seven messages when I started.

64:46 And I'm not quite sure. Where it will end. But look at Galatians. Six fourteen.

64:54 Far be it from me to glory. Save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then Paul could have gone on to say by which or through which. My sins are pardoned through which I have irreversible acceptance with God.

65:11 Through which. I have a host of things but notice what he says that cross did for him. God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord. Jesus Christ through which.

65:27 The world has been crucified unto me. And I unto the world. The cross on which Jesus died. Which procured Paul's salvation and he'd been arguing passionately.

65:42 Throughout this entire letter. That we are saved by Christ alone by faith alone. Now he says that cross that secured his. Salvation.

65:56 Is the cross by which he was crucified to the world. And the world was crucified. Unto him. What do you mean.

66:10 I don't know if I understand all he means but surely it's this much. You say to him Paul. How much attraction does the world have. For you as a Christian.

66:22 He says it has it much attraction. As a cadaver. Hanging on a cross with its eyes being plucked out by the buzzards. And the fly swarming over its.

66:35 Flake. That's how much attraction this world has to me. How did that happen. When I understood the cross on which Jesus of Nazareth hung.

66:48 For there I see the one time when this world system could touch deity. They had deity incarnate in their hands. They could touch him. They could see him.

67:03 They could hear him. They could buffet him. They could put a crown of thorns on him. They could impale his hands on the cross.

67:14 This world system shows its attitude to my savior. It put him on a cross. Therefore this world has no more attraction to me. Than a cadaver hanging on the cross because of what it did.

67:29 To my precious savior. All of the foul. Powers of hell that operate. In this world system including.

67:40 Worldly religion which in great measure lay behind. The death of Jesus from the human standpoint. He says all of that sinister power. In all of its insidious workings came.

67:55 To its most foul expression. When the only time this world had deity in its hands. It hung him on a cross. And whatever hangs my savior on the cross.

68:08 Has no attraction. And I'm crucified to the world. It has given me such an alternate kingdom lifestyle. That the world thinks I'm crazy.

68:21 One of its rulers. When dealing with me say Paul much learning has made you mad. You're out of your tree. My lifestyle so exposes.

68:36 The sham. The hypocrisy. The emptiness. Of this world.

68:42 My ability to sing with joy when my hands are in the stocks. And blood is dripping down my back from an unjust beating. My lifestyle. Exposes the emptiness and the shallowness of this world.

68:59 That they regard me. Like a cadaver hanging on a cross. This notion you're going to win the world by being like it is nonsense. You win it.

69:11 When it becomes crucified. To you. And you to it. And that lifestyle redolent and bursting with the life of God.

69:21 And the joy of the Holy Spirit. Drinking at the unseen fountains and streets of Christ and the common communion with him. And God has some hungry souls that say what is it that makes you what you are. And then you tell him.

69:46 The cross. Is the instrument to crucify the world. To you. And you to the world.

Prayer for Deliverance from Worldly Influence

69:53 May God grant that we will so internalize the realities of that cross that Paul's experience will be ours. And no longer are we going to look for a way that's a nice big broad way in which you don't fornicate and you don't commit adultery and you don't murder and some of the grosser forms of ungodliness. But we carry with us a host of worldly lust. Worldly vows.

70:24 Worldly values about stuff and things and possessions and entertainment and a host of other things that do not have their tap roots in a heart that is enamored with Christ and soaking in the word of God. But just rocking along under the impulse of a worldly pressure that for the most part shapes our thinking. Our words. And the details.

70:55 And the details of our lives. And the details of our lives. From such may God deliver us. Let's pray.

70:59 Let's pray. Let's pray. Our Father, we confess to you with shame that we have altogether been too susceptible to the courtship and influence of this world. Give us such a sight of your Son and all that he bore that we might be delivered, rescued from this present evil world.

71:34 Let us pray. By your grace and the operations of the Holy Spirit, we may more and more be able to say with the Apostle Paul, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus, by which the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Hear our prayers for Jesus' sake. Amen.