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

 

Message #50 – 4-28-2002 – Synopsis and Outline

 

THE LAW'S USEFULNESS FOR THE SIN NATURE

 

The Mosaic Law was useful when it came to the sin nature.  Without the Law there was no clear standard that would expose the sin nature for what it was.  When a grace believer willingly submits himself or herself to the Law, the sin nature steps to the front either by attempting to fulfill the Law by religious works of the flesh or by attempting to show that it doesn't need to submit to such standards.  The Law was designed by Jehovah to curb the sin nature.  It put specific restraints on the appetite of the sin nature.  Grace provides victory over the lusts from the flesh and so there is no need for the Law to step to the front.  The Law exposed the sin nature and the extent of its sinfulness.

 

In Romans 7:9 the commandment came and the sin nature comes back to life.  Prior to the Law the sin nature was only regulated in a minimal sense.  With the coming of the Law and the "Thou shalt not covet or lust" commandment, the sin nature came to life.  The AV translated the word "revived" which in the Greek actually means to come to life again.  At this point I chose to discuss the use of the term "revival" in Christendom.  I was raised with "revival" meetings and many churches were praying for "revival."  The concept of "revival" is Arminian in origin.  These people believed and still believe that one can lose his or her salvation.  They deny the fact of eternal security.  In other words, they believe that one can lose eternal life.  As a result, meetings were held to get everyone saved again and hence a return to the life that they had lost.  Sad to say, "revival" has come into conservative Christianity and among those who accept the New Testament teaching of eternal security.  The notes under I. C. go through the key passages in which the English word "revive" is found in the AV.  All of the Old Testament examples relate to the verb that means to make alive or to live.  The hymn "Revive Us Again" takes its words from Psalm 85:6 where Judah is returned from captivity and seeks life as a nation that it had before.  In Psalm 138:7, David expects physical sustenance and strength in times of trouble or distress and assault by his enemies.  Hosea 6:2 (cf. 1-3) deals with the return of the rain to sustain physical life after divine judgment.  Hosea 14:7 again deals with the provision of a quality of life to those who return to the land in the Kingdom.  Isaiah 57:15 anticipates the giving of life to the humble spirit and to the heart of the contrite ones.  In no case in the Old Testament does "revive" refer to a spiritual revival.  In the New Testament the verb used in Rom. 7:9 refers to the return to physical life in Luke 15:24 and Rev. 20:5.  Romans 14:9 is the only place that refers to Christ's return to life after His death (notice the unusual word order).  Here in Romans 7 it refers to the return of the sin nature to life.  When the believer counts himself or herself to be dead to the sin nature, the sin nature cannot come to life again.  If one does not appropriate Romans 6:11, the sin nature will quickly revive and dominate the person.  The "revival" aside provided another case for the Christian's watching for misused terms in the church and Christendom. 

 

Romans 7:10 addresses the confusion created for the person by the sin nature.  The very commandment that provided life when it was obeyed under the Law brought about death.  A spiritual believer who is confronted by the sin nature can easily apply the Mosaic Law to the lust from the sin nature and when that happens he or she dies to the resurrection life provided in Christ.  Originally that Law brought life and now it continues to bring life.  The problem is that it brings the sin nature to life again.  From a spiritual grace perspective, this is death to the new nature and rejects the provisions of grace in Christ Jesus.  Living under the commandment prevents spiritual living for Christians.  When the believer reckons his or her sin nature as dead, he or she sees the facts as God does and lives in the work of Christ victorious over the lusts that have been overcome by the reckoning. 

 

I ran out of time here so ended the message.  Points III. – VI. have been converted over to this weeks outline with some expansion on the subject of deception from verse ll.  The result is that you will see most of the outline next week.

 

We have had a blessed week in many ways.  Classes have gone well.  We had a Seminary dinner here last night that was a blessing.  The testimonies are always an encouragement. 

 

Thursday we received word that one of our members at Valley had entered the presence of the Lord.  Dorothy Sanders was 82.  She and her husband moved into a mobile home across from the church in Cherry Grove more than 10 years ago.  They would come across the street for services.  Henry passed away in 1993 and I had the services and was with the family through the last hours of his illness.  Dorothy was raised in East Texas and still had a bit of that East Texas accent.  She wanted to be a member at Valley very much and went through our prospective members' class.  Ultimately she gave a clear testimony to the saving work of Christ and belief in the gospel.  She continued to drive out to church for Sunday School and Morning Service.  She had suffered from heart problems and Wednesday night her heart stopped for the last time.  We will have a memorial service next Saturday at Valley Baptist Church in Cherry Grove at 1:00 p.m.  I continue to pray for the salvation of her family members.

 

We continue to enjoy an Oregon Spring with the Spring flowers blooming throughout the area.  The rain helps with the profusion of color.  Though sometimes the weather will blow off or wash off the blossoms on the trees prematurely.  It is such a blessing to see the power and Godhood of our great God.

 

Highly favored in Christ,

 

DKS

 

#50 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth

Valley – April 28, 2002 p.m.

                                                                                                                              

THE LAW'S USEFULNESS FOR THE SIN NATURE

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 merrily rolled along without law.  It gratified its appetites and was not constrained.  When law came, this changed.  The sin nature now was activated by the fact that the law exposed the sin nature and showed exactly how sinful it was.  When law is in effect the sin nature is revived. It comes to life again.

 

  I.   THE COMING OF THE COMMANDMENT BRINGS THE SIN NATURE TO LIFE AGAIN – THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO MAKE A CHOICE – DEAD TO THE SIN NATURE OR LIVE TO THE SIN NATURE BY THE COMMANDMENT -- Romans 7:9

        A.  The Activity of a Continuous Life without a Law Then

        B.   The Arrival of the Commandment at a Point

        C.  The Association with the Sin Nature Revived

              1.  The Concept of Revival in Church Comes from Arminian Heresy

              2.  The Misappropriation of the Concept from the Old Testament – from hy"x' (chayah)

                  a.  Psalm 85:6; 138:7

                  b.  Hosea 6:2; 14:7

                  c.  Isaiah 57:15

              3.  The Teaching of the New Testament – avnaza,w (anazao) (five times)

                  a.  Physical Return to Life – Luke 15:24, 32; Rev. 20:5

                  b.  Christ's Return to Life After His Death – Romans 14:9

                   c.  The Sin Nature's Return to Life – Romans 7:9

        D.  The Application of the Truth in Romans 6:11

              1.  The Pointed Death

              2.  The Appropriated Death

 

TRANS:     There is confusion concerning life and death and the believer.  When the believer lives subjecting himself to the law, he is functioning in the sin nature.  When he dies to the sin nature, he lives as he appropriates his position in Christ.

 

 II.   THE CONFUSION CONCERNING THE COMMANDMENT AND THE PERSON – THE OPERATION OF THE COMMANDMENT AND LIFE AND DEATH – DISCOVERY OF LIFE AS DEATH IN RELATION TO THE SIN NATURE -- Romans 7:10

        A. The Law Set a Standard for Life

            1.   Controlled the Sin Nature

            2.   Prevented Death Penalty

            3.   Life in Sin Nature Preserved

        B. Grace Found the Law to Death

            1.   Living Under the Commandment Separates from God

            2.   Living Under the Commandment Prevents Spiritual Living

 

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.

 

III.  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

        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.

 

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

        A.  The Law Is Holy (Quality that sets apart)

        B.   The Commandment Is

              1.  Holy

              2.  Righteous

              3.  Good

 

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.

 

 V.   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 7:12

        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.

 

 

VI.  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