Romans 6:1-4 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Pastor Kyle continues that Ephesians 1:11-14 tells us that. “In Him [Jesus} we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory”, but there is a qualifier. In Mark 16:16 Jesus says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Jesus explains in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
The Gospel is that all have sinned against God, deserve to go to Hell and have no way to remedy the situation on our own. God, in His love, mercy and grace, provided a way to forgiveness of our sin and salvation by sending His Son in the flesh to live a sinless life and die an toning death in our place on the Cross, if we repent of our sin, believe by saving faith that Jesus is the Savior sent by God, that Christ died for our sins and rose (just as the holy Scriptures foretold, conquering sin and death and imputing His righteousness upon them, transforming their “born again” heart, soul and spirit reconciled with God, adopted into the family God as a temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit as they make Jesus their Lord and obediently follow His sacred Word, Will and Way all the days of their life, until they go home to be with Him in the kingdom of Heaven. God’s grace is amazing (unmerited favor that gives sinners a salvation that they do not earn, deserve of can buy), but God grace is not cheap. It cost Christ His life and requires our repentance of sin and our steadfast belief by true faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. Ephesians 2:8 clarifies, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
That is why the unpardonable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is supposed to be a malicious and obstinate rejection of Christ and the gospel plan of salvation, or a contemptuous resistance made to the influences and convictions of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 6 speaks to proclaiming the elementary doctrine of Christ to lay a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, in the Gospel of salvation from sin, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Without repentance, there is no saving faith. Prior to repenting and believing in Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2:1-3 explains that ”You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Romans 10:8-10 “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Life in Christ or death in sin, it’s our choice. You cannot have it both ways. Hebrews 6:4-6 tells us, “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” Did they truly repent of their sin, accept the free gift of Christ and believe with saving faith in the first place?
The path of blessing requires obedience. The path of destruction is clearly marks with clear signs and the way out is Jesus Christ. We may love Jesus enough to be our Savior, but do we love Jesus enough to obey His teachings and commands as our Lord, and stop our willful sins against Him? What do you do about your guilt and shame of unrepentant sin in your life? Have we gotten off of the throne of our life and allowed Jesus Christ to take His rightful place on that throne and following Him? We are called by Jesus to progress towards spiritual maturity, purity and greater holiness every day of our lives. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Proverbs 21:3 proclaims that, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” The true pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of holiness. If you continue down the path of willful sin with no remorse or repentance, then where is your hope?
Let's continue with my notes on Pastor Kyle's message about leaving a godly legacy.
In Christ, Brian
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