Gospel and Spiritual Growth Series by Pastor David K. Spurbeck, Sr.

 

Message #51 -  May 5, 2002  Synopsis and Outline

 

THE DECEITFULNESS OF THE SIN NATURE AND THE SAINT

 

 

Many things have happened since I sent my last synopsis as you know from my email.  This one should have been done the week before Pat's departure but it was set aside because we had a multitude of other things on our plate.  As I look back, God had planned the last series of good works for Pat's life and we needed time to share in those good works (Eph. 2:10).  It is truly amazing how many of those works were fitted into her last two weeks as she was able to relate to others whether saints or unbelievers.  God received an abundance of glory in those things.  I will send a separate email with something of a report and some of my thoughts in these past days. 

 

This message was preached the Sunday before her Tuesday morning departure into the Presence.  As we traveled home from church, she said that she wished that all of our saints had been there to hear this important message.  The Word of God had been impressed on her concerning how the sin nature thoroughly deceives the saints and she wanted other believers to be warned and on the alert for the deception that they have within them in their sin nature.  We talked a great deal together about these truths and the value of this material for all believers.  She always would take the synopsis and outlines and rework them for the website because she knew how important the material is.  This was a part of her good works and service to the Lord.  It was also a part of her support of my ministry in the Word.  I will continue to send out messages and synopses by email but will probably delay putting them on the Internet until I can figure out how to get them on and in her format.

 

The title of this message is "The Deceitfulness of the Sin Nature and the Saint."  The core outline is the same as the previous outline with an additional section on the concepts of deceit from other New Testament passages in I. C.  The law tells the individual what the qualities of the sin nature are.  With the law, the sin nature either conforms by its own capabilities or rebels against its restraints.  The law exposes the sin nature for what it is and presents a great challenge for the sin nature and its various attitudes and actions. 

 

Romans 7:11 says, "For the sin nature taking [2nd aor. act. part.] opportunity through the agency of the commandment thoroughly deceived [1st aor. act. ind.] me and killed me through it."  The sin nature takes the opportunity ("occasion" AV) to thoroughly deceive the believer through the agency of the commandment.  The verb translated "deceive" in the AV is a very strong word.  It is strengthen by the adding of a preposition to the root "deceive."  Under I. C. 1. is a list of the five forms of the root used in the New Testament.  I have given an extended definition under 2.  The easiest way to understand the word is that it means "to fake someone out." In the form in this verse, it means "to thoroughly or completely fake out."  It creates an appearance of being one thing while actually being another.  Under 3. I have a list of things that deceive as they are described in Scripture.  Under 4.  I have a list of the things or persons that are deceived.  The focus of this message is on the sin nature and its capability for completely deceiving the believer.  Hebrews 3:13 also refers to the deceitfulness of the sin nature as well as Romans 7:11.  "But be exhorting yourselves each day, while it is called today, lest any one out from among you be made hardened (or stubborn, obstinate) by the deceit of the sin nature."  In verse 12 Paul admonishes the Hebrew Christians to be on the alert that any saint would have within them a malignantly evil heart of unbelief.  The heart is the center of intellect, emotion and will.  All three of the elements may be used by the sin nature to manipulate the believer into self-delusion concerning his or her behavior related to the appetite of the sin nature.  The result is that the believer stands away from the living God living as though God has no right to his or her life.  Hebrews 3:13 shows the extent to which the sin nature deceives or fakes the believer out.  The believer is convinced that unrighteousness is acceptable.  As a result, the believer stands away from the provisions of grace for present tense salvation convinced that unrighteousness is right.  This is described as a hardness that affects the person.  The intellect rationalizes the activity of the sin nature as perfectly acceptable to the person and to God.  The believer's feelings or emotions respond in complete agreement because the feeling has also faked them out.  The will is bent so that God's revealed will no longer is valid for the person.  An obstinence is evident as the believer defends his or her actions and attitudes.  It is amazing how far a believer will go to justify unrighteous actions when he or she is living in the sin nature.

 

Ephesians 4:22-24 describes the quality of our existence in our old position in Adam as a lifestyle of conduct or behavior in a state of decay (or corruption) governed by strong desires that faked us out.  They created a false reality and we accepted their validity.  "With the purpose that you put off concerning your former manner of life the old man (=old position in Adam) having been corrupted (or decayed) according to the lusts of deceit (i. e. that fake one out), and with the purpose of being renewed in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new man (i. e. the Christ) as a garment the one created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Eph. 4:22-24).  The grace believer does not need to be corrupted by the lusts that always faked him or her out before he or she was saved but can live in the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) which is the Body of Christ with Christ as its Head.   The sin nature grasps the opportunity by the commandment to deceive the believer thoroughly and to separate the saint from the practice of life in Christ.  A Christian living in the sin nature can be so faked out that they believe that acts of sin clearly identified in the Scriptures are seen as acceptable and even righteous.  This is irrational and it is impossible to rationalize with such a carnal believer because they are totally faked out.  Only the intervention of the Holy Spirit can overcome the mindset, emotions and desires of such a saint.  Such deception isn't just in the realms of the blatant works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5 but also involves the more acceptable religious works of the flesh.  There are true believers that are in churches and other organizations that completely justify the heresies and religious superstitious awe that they continually hear to their own ruin and to the ruin of their families.  They faithfully attend and bask in the light of the error while defending their own view of present tense salvation that is no grace salvation at all.

 

Romans 7:12 is a verse greatly honored by those who want to live by the Mosaic Law as Christians.  The law is holy and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.  The Law is holy in that it has a quality that sets it apart.  A single reference to the holiness of the Torah is found in Psa. 19:7-9.  It is set apart and it identifies that which sets one apart from God.  The commandment has three characteristics:  holy, righteous and good.  The commandment has been identified in seven:  "You will not lust."  It sets apart in that it changed the focus of a law believer from what others had to what God expected.  It is right because God says it is right.  It is good because it is useful (cf. vs. 16 and 1 Tim. 1:8). 

 

Romans 7:13 shows that the law was useful and not to be ignored because it exposes the sin nature as being exceedingly sinful.  It is inherently filled with lawlessness and acts as though there are no divine restraints upon it.  A believer who chooses to live in the sin nature essentially rejects the only source of power that can help deliver him or her from the sin nature. Paul says that the law is "spiritual" in verse 14.  This refers to the human spirit as the center of rationale.  That is to say, it is reasonable to the human spirit.  Paul expresses his frustration with the sin nature saying "But I am fleshly, having been sold under the sin nature."  Without divine intervention every believer could never be victorious over the lusts that come from the sin nature and war against the soul. 

 

A Christians does not need to be thoroughly deceived by his or her sin nature.  God has provided for that need in Christ.  Colossians 3:1-5 sets a standard for the believer's frame of mind.  In Christ a believer can function independent of the sin nature.  When one's frame of mind is directed in a proper manner, the sin nature has great difficulty in faking out the believer who has it all in his or her position and possessions in Christ.

 

When the believer is faked out by the sin nature, life is totally confusing and God cannot receive glory from the saint.

 

Last Sunday and this Sunday we are sharing senior sermons so that I will not be speaking.  I had planned to tie off the Qualifications for Bishop book and to have begun the process of proofing.  God had other plans and I am thankful in all things, for all things and at all times.  His timing is always best!

 

Enjoying the peace of God even in emptiness,

 

DKS

 

 

THE DECEITFULNESS OF THE SIN NATURE AND THE SAINT

 

Romans 7:9-14

 

Proposition:   To examine the role of the law in exposing the sin nature for what it is and to have a reason for the saint to avoid the sin nature and the law by the grace of God.

 

        Introduction

              A.  The Problem with the Law for the Believer

              B.   The Potential for the Sin Nature with Law

              C.  The Purpose of the Law for the Sin Nature

              D.  The Preference for Grace Over Law

 

TRANS:     The sin nature will deceive the believer if his or her guard isn't up.  This moves the believer into the sphere of separation from God.

 

   I.  THE CONFUSION CREATED BY THE SIN NATURE BRINGING DEATH – THE OPPORTUNITY TAKEN BY THE SIN NATURE TO DECEIVE – THE DECEPTION BY THE SIN NATURE AND ITS KILLING – Romans 7:11

        A.  The Sin Nature Takes Opportunity Through the Commandment

              1.  See Verse 8

              2.  Seizing the Opportunity

 

        B.   The Agent for Deception Is the Commandment

 

        C.  The Thorough Deception by the Sin Nature and Its Appetites

              1.  The Words Used for Deception in the New Testament

                  a.  avpata.w (apatao) – verb – 3 times (Eph. 5:6; 1 Tim. 2:14; Jas. 1:26)

                  b.  avpa,th (apate) – noun – 7 times (Matt. 13:22; Mk. 4:19; Eph. 4:22; Col. 2:8; 2 Th.

                        2:10; Heb. 3:13; 2 Pe. 2:13)

                  c.  frenapa,taw (phrenapatao) – verb – one time (Gal. 6:3)

                  d.  frenapa,thj (phrenapates) – verb – one time (Tit. 1:10)

                  e.  evxapata,w (exapatao) – verb – five times (Rom. 7:11; 16:18; 1 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor.

                       11:3; 2 Th. 2:3; 1 Tim. 2:14 [TP])

 

              2.  The Meaning of the Root

                  a.  To deceive, seduce into error; to cheat, beguile; to fake someone out for one's

                       personal advantage

 

                  b.  To deceive thoroughly; delude, beguile

 

              3.  The Mechanisms of Deception

                   a.  Empty Words – Eph. 5:6

                  b.  Riches – Matt. 13:22; Mk. 4:19

                  c.  One's Old Position in Adam – Eph. 4:22

                  d.  Unrighteousness – 2 Th. 2:10

                  e.  Evil Men Causing Division and Scandals – Rom. 16:18

                  f.   Serpent (Satan) – 2 Cor. 11:3

                  g.  One's Own Self – 1 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 6:3

                  h.  The Sin Nature – Heb. 3:13; Rom. 7:11

 

              4.  The Thing/Persons Deceived

                  a.  Some Believers – Eph. 5:6; Tit. 1:10

                  b.  His Own Heart – Jas. 1:26

                  c.  The Ones Who Are Perishing – 2 Th. 2:10

                  d.  Man Deceives Himself – Gal. 6:3; 1 Cor. 3:18

                  e.  Hearts of the Simple – Rom. 16:18

                  f.  Eve – 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14

                  g.  Believers – Rom. 7:11; Heb. 3:13

 

              5.  The False Impression Made by the Sin Nature

                  a.  Personal Daily Encouragement to Keep from Being Hardened by the Deceit of the

                       Sin Nature – Hebrews 3:13

                  b.  Former Manner of Life in One's Position in Adam Is Corrupt from Deceitful Lusts

                       – Eph. 4:22 (-24)

                  c.  The Sin Nature Grasps the Opportunity by the Commandment to Deceive Me

                       Thoroughly and to Put Me to Death – Romans 7:11

 

        D.  The Killing of the Person by the Commandment

              1.  The Weapon – The Commandment

              2.  Perpetrator – The Sin Nature

              3.  The Victim – The Person

 

TRANS:  The law of itself is not sin or evil.  It has characteristics that involve what is holy, righteous and good.  Hence, it is not to be denigrated.

 

 II.   THE CONTENTS OF THE LAW AND ITS COMMANDMENT – THE ORDER OF THE CHARACTER OF THE LAW AND COMMANDMENTS – THE DESCRIPTION OF THE QUALITIES OF THE LAW -- Romans 7:12

        A.  The Law Is Holy (Quality that sets apart) [cf. Psa. 19:7-9]

        B.  The Commandment Is

              1.  Holy

              2.  Righteous (Psa. 119:138)

              3.  Good – cf. vs. 16 (1 Tim. 1:8)

 

TRANS:  The law does a good thing.  It shows exactly how sinful the sin nature is.  The whole problem is that the sin nature separates man from God without divine intervention.

 

 III. THE CERTAINTY THAT BY LAW THE SIN NATURE MIGHT BECOME EXCEEDINGLY SINFUL – THE OVERVIEW OF THE SIN NATURE EVIDENCED BY THE LAW – THE DIRECTION OF THE LAW EXPOSING THE REAL CHARACTER OF THE SIN NATURE – Romans 7:13

        A.  How Can the Good Become Death?

        B.  May It Never Be So

        C.  The Evidence That the Sin Nature Is a Quality of Sin

        D.  The Effort of the Good that Brings Death

        E.   The Expectation That the Sin Nature Might Become Exceedingly Sinful

        F.   The Establishing of the Standard by the Commandment

 

TRANS:  What a believer knows about the law and the sin nature creates a dilemma.  The flesh is a stronger power over the person that the person himself without divine help.

 

IV.  THE CONTENTS OF THE INFORMATION WE INTUITIVELY KNOW – THE OBSERVATION OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE LAW AND THE PERSON – THE DILEMMA FOR THE BELIEVER AND THE LAW – Romans 7:14

        A.  The Reality of Intuitive Knowledge

        B.   The Reasonableness of the Law – pneumatiko,j (pneumatikos) = reasonable to human

              spirit = emanating things of the human spirit

        C.  The Recognition of the Fact That One Is Carnal – sarkino,j (sarkinos)

        D.  The Responsibility to the Sin Nature as a Purchased Slave

 

TRANS:  Paul continues expressing some of his frustration with the sin nature.  It will always overcome a believer when the believer tries to handle it himself without God's intervention or with God's provisions.  Victory over the lusts from the flesh can only take place when one is living above the law and the sin nature in Christ.

 

      Conclusion

              A.

 

              B.

 

              C.

 

              D.

 

 

© by David K. Spurbeck

Valley Baptist Church

P. O. Box 99, Gaston, OR 97119