GRACE OF GOD SERIES PART 3 GRACE ABOUNDS MUCH MORE2007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

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Date: 2007-12-02

Title: Grace Of God Series Part 3 Grace Abounds Much More

Teacher: Jerry B Simmons

Series: 2007 Grace Of God Series

Teaching Transcript: Grace Of God Series Part 3 Grace Abounds Much More

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. We've been spending the last couple of weeks looking at different elements of the grace of God. We started out in Titus chapter 2 looking at an overview of God's grace.

Last week we talked about salvation and learning about grace and what does grace mean in regards to salvation. I've shared with you already that grace is one of those words that covers so much it's really difficult to nail down a nice little neat definition for us that encapsulates everything that grace means. And so we're taking the time in the next several weeks to study what grace means in different areas of our lives.

Basically, the word grace means unearned and undeserved favor, or we've also looked at it as grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. Last week, as I said, we talked about this concept.

Grace that we have in relationship to salvation. What it means that salvation is by grace. I would encourage you, if you were not here, to obtain the CD from the sound booth and make sure to get that and listen to that because it's so important. It's really first and foremost, for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It's a gift of God, not of works.

lest anyone should boast. We need to know about the grace of God in regards to salvation because it's by grace that we are saved. As we continue our study this morning, though, we need to look at the next thing about grace. And, man, I was sharing with my wife and I've shared with some of you as well, the difficult thing about doing a study like this on the grace of God is not finding texts and things to share, but understanding

And figuring out, well, which ones do I share and which ones don't I? And how do I fit all of this into one message? And so I'm just going to combine first and second service today. And second service will just join us midway through and we'll get a good grasp of grace. No, of course, I'm just kidding.

It's difficult, though, and so I would encourage you as I share different portions and I make reference to different passages that you would write those things down and spend some time on your own meditating on these things because there's so much more that I'm not able to share. What does grace mean when it comes to sin?

What does grace mean when it comes to sin? In Titus chapter 2, when we looked at the overview, Titus there in chapter 2 tells us that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men and that it teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.

In Titus 2.14, he tells us that Jesus gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed. What does grace mean when it comes to ungodliness and worldly lusts in our lives?

What does grace mean when it comes to my lawless deeds that he came to redeem me from? Some of these truths that we will be looking at, they overlap. Some of the things we talked about last week carry over and and vice versa. But that's OK.

Remember Paul in writing to the Philippians in Philippians chapter 3, he says, Hey, for me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. These are things that we need to know. These are things that God wants to remind us of. And so some of these things, yes, they are also related to what grace means in regards to salvation. But we'll be looking specifically at what does grace mean in regards to sin?

First of all, you can put your bulletin here in Hebrews chapter 4. We'll come back to it. But turn with me to Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5.

Answering the first of three questions this morning. The first question this morning is, what about my past sin? What does grace mean in regards to the sin that I committed before I became a Christian? All of the things that I did, all of the things that I was involved in. What about that sin that was in my past? Romans chapter 5 says,

has the answer for us. Look at verse 19. It says, "...for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners..." That's you and I. We were made sinners. "...so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."

So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's from this portion that I titled the message this morning. The title is Grace Abounds Much More.

Isn't that an awesome thing to know? Grace abounds much more. Of course, the word abound, it means to overflow. But then even much more, it's it's way more than is needed, way more than what is required. Grace abounds much more. Paul says there in verse 19, look, we're all sinners because of what Adam did. But because of what Jesus did, we will be made righteous again.

And by our faith in him, we will be made righteous. And where sin abounded in your life, grace abounded much more. Grace takes care of that sin in your life. Whatever sin is in your past,

Know that it's taken care of by God's grace. You don't have to beat yourself up over that sin or feel like a second class Christian because of what your past life was like. However much that sin was in your life, grace abounded much more. There was much more grace than your sin could catch up with. God's grace abounded.

Is more than sufficient for the sin of our past, no matter what type of sin that was. Grace abounded much more. Now, you might say, well, Jerry, you don't understand that my past makes Pastor Cisco look like an innocent five year old. Doesn't matter where sin abounded. Grace abounded much more.

We have the example of the Apostle Paul, as we've seen many times, looking at the subject of grace. Because he sets himself up and says, God set me there as a picture so that everybody would know the extent of God's grace. Saul of Tarsus, later becoming the Apostle Paul by the grace of God, the man who persecuted the church and put people to death and brought people to renounce Christ and blaspheme the name of Christ. Saved by the grace of God.

Where sin abounded in his life, grace abounded much more. Or you remember the woman at the well in John chapter 4. Jesus is there lovingly ministering to her, an adulteress. She's had five husbands. The man she's with now is not her husband anymore.

Yet God showed grace upon her where her sin abounded. Grace abounded much more in the same way in your life. Whatever is in your past, where sin abounded in your life, no matter what it was, it's adultery, it's murder, it's whatever. Hey, where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.

Your past sin does not hinder your relationship with God today. Your past sin does not affect your access to God because where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Second Corinthians 517 familiar to most of us. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. That past is gone. It's passed away. It's no more. All things become new. It's not like a cell phone. This last week I had some trouble with my cell phone. The screen died on me and so I had to get a replacement.

And so I got my replacement and I was so excited. I always like the new technology, the new things, the new gadgets. Right. And so I got it and I open it up. And of course, when you first get the phone from the factory, it's well, it's completely blank. There's no phone numbers, no addresses whatsoever.

No calendars, you know, events or anything scheduled on your calendar. It's just completely new. That's how we are in Christ. But what's the first thing I did? Well, I took out my SIM card and I put it in my new phone and I transferred over all the junk I had on my old phone onto my new phone. Right. In the same way, Christianity is not like that. If anyone is in Christ, they're

You're a new creation. Now, that doesn't mean you take your SIM card of all your old things and you put it in your life and now you're still filled with junk, but just a Christian. No, God says, if you're if you're in Christ, all those old things have passed away. Whatever is your past, where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. All things have become new.

Remember Ephesians 2.1. Let me try that again. Ephesians 2.1. And you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins. We used to be dead, but he resurrected us. Our old life, our old nature, those sinful things that we used to be involved in, they remained in the grave covered by the grace of God. And he made us alive. A new creation.

Brand new, nothing lingering from the past. What about my past sin? It's taken care of. Now, what if this morning you are still dead in your trespasses and sins?

you still have opportunity to make those things pass. If you've never given your heart to the Lord or you need to get right with God, you still have opportunity to make those things pass, to become a new creation, to have those things completely swept away as far as the east is from the west. God gives you that opportunity because in your life where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. What about my past sin? Paul says, no.

Wherever it abounded, grace abounded. You don't have to be caught up with that. Don't be concerned about that. It was taken care of at the cross. Now let's look at our second question this morning. The second question is this. What about my present sin? Okay, I understand that as a Christian, all things are new. I understand that I gave my heart to the Lord. And so, you know, those things, they're taken care of at the cross. But in my life, I've noticed that I still sin. Okay?

And I've done horrible things since I've become a Christian and I've involved myself. And there's times where I've backslidden and I've gotten involved in this junk and and filled my life and sometimes flat out rebellion against God. What about my present sin? What about the things I'm involved with currently? What about the things I did yesterday? What about the things I'm doing right now while Jerry's teaching? What about the things in my life presently?

What about my sin right now? That's where we go back to Hebrews chapter 4. We'll spend the bulk of our time here this morning. Here in Hebrews chapter 4, I would encourage you to read the surrounding verses on your own time. There's great things that God wants to speak to us. But the author of Hebrews here is speaking about arrest. That's two words, a rest, not being arrested, arrest.

In verses 9 through 11, the point is that there still remains this rest for the people of God, for the children of God. He says in verse 11, let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest. There's a specific rest that the author of Hebrews is referring to. And I believe I'm sharing with you this morning that the grace of God is what he is referring to here.

As that rest, that rest that he's speaking, speaking of is the grace of God were to be diligent to enter into the grace of God. Why do I say that? Well, he defines rest for us in verse 10. He says, for he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his rest.

That rest that he's referring to is the time or the place in a person's life where they cease from works. Now, that is the continual battle against grace. It's grace and works or sometimes faith and works. Is my relationship to God based upon God's grace or is it based upon my works? It's based upon God's grace.

The rest he's referring to is when you stop working for your salvation. You stop trying to, by your works, relate to God. It's when you finally realize that you cannot be saved by your own efforts. It's when you stop trying to relate to God on the basis of whether you've been good or bad. If you try to relate to God on the basis of your works, you're

you will work yourself to death and still not obtain right relationship with God. I read this story, news article from Tokyo this last week, of a man who worked himself to death. He works for Toyota, and they were saying in the article that it's a very common problem there that

That they overwork, they take less than half of the holidays that they're allowed. They work many, many hours of overtime. In fact, this gentleman who died in this article had worked 106 hours of overtime in that month that he died. And he died from an irregular heartbeat as a result of exhaustion from just overworking himself.

They were saying it's a big problem in Japan. Between the years 2005 and 2006, they received hundreds of requests and petitions from family saying that because of their work conditions, because of working too many hours and working too hard, employees' deaths were caused by the workplace. This is what will happen to you and I if we try to work for our salvation, work for our relationship with God.

That's why God says, look, it's not good for you to try to work. It's not good for you to try to relate to me in that way. There is this rest that you can enter into. Stop working. Instead, enter into the rest that I have prepared for you. How do you enter into that rest? Well, chapters three and four of Hebrews are talking about that. And

It's all by faith that you enter into that rest. How do you enter into the grace of God? By faith, we enter into the grace of God, believing in what Jesus has done for us, believing in what he has said. We enter into his grace and we don't relate to him based upon our works. That's something it's probably familiar to you, but it's not tedious for me to remind you.

Your relationship with God is not based upon your works, whether good or bad. You understand that? Let me say that again. Your relationship with God is not based upon your works, whether good or bad. Your relationship with God is based upon his work, which was completed at the cross.

Jesus said it is finished. The work is completely done. There's no more works to be done in regards to our relationship with God. He did it all. He took care of it.

And so the author of Hebrews there in verses 9 through 11 is making the point, look, there remains a rest and let's make sure, let's be diligent to enter into that rest and not get stuck and not be caught up in trying to work for our salvation and work for our relationship with God. But let's enter into grace by faith, but be diligent to enter in. Then going on in our portion, verses 12 and 13 says,

What is the author of Hebrews talking about? We are familiar with this portion because it talks about the word of God. And often we use this verse and point out how effective and powerful the word of God is. And that is true. But the point of these two verses is there at the end of verse 12. Talking about the word, it says that it's a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Then in verse 13, he says, "...there is no creature hidden from his sight."

He goes on to say that all things are naked and open and ends it with a chilling saying that we must give an account to him. Here's the point. God knows everything. His word discerns, dissects every thought, every intent, the deep, dark secrets, the deep, dark things of our hearts. It brings light to the dark crevices of our hearts and our souls. His word discerns.

Opens us up completely so that there is no creature hidden from his sight. No one is hidden. There's nothing that can be kept from God. All things are naked and open. He sees every detail. He knows your thoughts. God knows your heart. He knows what you did yesterday. He knows the thoughts that you've had just sitting here in service this morning. And you will give an account to him for your life. You will give an account.

God will say, you were there in service. I was speaking to you. We spent some time in great worship and there you were hating your brother, lusting over that person. You will give an account for your heart. You will give an account for your life. And God knows everything. So there's nothing that can escape him. You can't get past anything or you can't pass anything by him. He knows everything.

He knows every detail. He knows exactly what you struggle with. He knows the areas that you are weak. He knows when you are trying to relate to him based upon your own works. He knows about every wicked thought and every sin. He knows if you did it intentionally or accidentally. He knows if you did it in rebellion or in defeat. He knows every detail about the sin of your life.

The wickedness and deceitfulness of your heart. And we have to give an account to him. Now, shouldn't that freak us out? Well, no, because also in this portion we have verse 15. It says, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. So we have this God who knows every detail about us. He knows our weaknesses.

He knows our shortcomings. He knows our motives and intents. He knows how we tend to lean upon ourselves and relate to him based upon our works. He knows the wickedness, the deep, dark secrets that nobody else knows. He knows it all. And we have to give an account to him. But the good news is we have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses.

Verse 15, again, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. That's the double negative. It equals a positive. It means we have a high priest who understands, who can sympathize, who shows compassion because he knows what it's like because he was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin. He knows about all our struggles. He knows about our defeats, but he can relate to

He can sympathize with our weaknesses because he was tempted in all points just like us. Now, I don't want to get into the debate of, well, how did that happen and when was he tempted? Let's just take God's word at face value. He was tempted in all points as we are. Whatever you struggled with, he was tempted in all points. I don't know. I mean, I struggle with some pretty dark things, Jerry. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. God understands.

He knows and he sympathizes. He has compassion because he's felt it. He's experienced it. What do you struggle with? Jesus knows what that's like. He didn't sin, but he experienced the struggle. He was in all points tempted as we are. Jesus, being God, became a man. He experienced man's weakness. Now, again, he did it without sin. He was sinless. He was sinless.

But not to the extent that he cannot relate to us. No, we have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses. We have a high priest who knows what it's like. Who has compassion for us. And so he does not deal with us according to our sins. Psalm chapter 103, one of my favorite psalms. In verse 10 it tells us, He has not dealt with us according to our sins. Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his mercy towards those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgression from us. As a father pities his children or has compassion on his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him. Why? Verse 14, he says, for he knows our frame.

He remembers that we are dust. He knows our frame. He knows our weaknesses. He's been there. And so he does not deal with us according to our sins. So what do we have so far here in Hebrews chapter four? First of all, there's the rest for the children of God. We enter into that rest by faith. And because God knows everything about you, he knows whether you are entering into that rest or not.

He knows your strengths. He knows your weaknesses. He knows everything. But even in knowing everything, he can sympathize with us. So now what? Verse 16. Hebrews 4.16 says, Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Here's the conclusion of what he's been saying. Here's the conclusion of what we've been looking at here in Hebrews chapter 4. Since...

We enter into the rest by faith since we cannot hide from God, since he knows our frame and since he sympathizes with us. Let us come boldly to him. That's what the author of Hebrews is saying. Look, since all these things are true, let's come to God. Let's approach him with boldness. Let's come to him.

The point of this passage is that if you let your sin keep you from God, then you are relating to him based upon your works and you're not entering in by faith. If you say, well, I can't read today because I was just involved with this or I can't spend time with God or I can't come to church or I can't have a relationship with God because look what I've just done. Look what I've been involved with. Look where I've struggled. Look where I've fallen.

Then he says, look, you're not entering in by faith. You're relating to God based upon your works. And because you did that, you think, well, now I can't come to God. Now I can't have relationship with God. Don't you know, Jerry, sin separates and I sinned. And so I'm separated from God. The author of Hebrews says, look, God knows your weaknesses. He knows everything about you. He sympathizes with you. So come to him.

Your sin is not an occasion to run from God, but your sin is an occasion to come boldly to him to find help in time of need. Well, what kind of need? Financial need? Well, yeah, you can go to the Lord with financial need. Maybe it's just talking about healing. It's not talking about sin. Well, you can come to God for healing, for the physical needs and the needs that you face in this life. But what is this verse talking about? Look what you find. Look what you obtain. Look what you obtain.

When you come to him boldly, he says, let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain what? Mercy and grace. Now, let me ask you something. When do we need mercy? Any ideas? Every day, all the time. What is mercy for? Mercy, we could define it as not getting the punishment that is deserved. Mercy is not is God not dealing with us according to our sins.

When do we need mercy? When we sin. The point is, look, you sinned. God knows it. He knows everything about you. But be diligent to enter into that rest. Be diligent to enter into the grace of God. Come boldly to the throne of grace and you will find the mercy that you need, the grace that you need in that time of need. Come boldly to him. Well, but I've sinned. Of course you have.

Come boldly to him. It's an occasion to come to him, not to run from him, because he has what you need, mercy and grace. Now, when you and I become involved in sin, when we fall short, when we stumble, it's then that the enemy tries to condemn us. And very often it's then that we try to run from God. But God says, no, when you need mercy, come boldly before the throne of grace.

Sometimes we run from God because we're surprised at the depth to which we fell. God's not surprised. He knew it already. He knows everything. Everything is naked and open to him to whom we must give an account. He's not surprised. He's not shocked. He's not taken aback. I can't believe George did that. I'm turning my back on him for a couple of days.

No, he's there. Look, you fell. You stumbled. I knew it was going to happen, but I have what you need, mercy and grace. Oh, but you don't understand. I'm not just like, you know, sinning once a year. I sin quite a bit. I can't come. I mean, I'm sure he's tired of hearing me apologize for the same thing over and over again. What did Psalm 103 say? As high as the heavens are above the earth.

So great is his mercy towards those who fear him. You haven't exhausted his mercy yet. Come to him. Yeah, you struggle annually, monthly, daily, hour by hour, minute by minute. Yeah, you struggle. You fall into sin. You blow it big time. You rebel against him. You, well, you could name it. You know what's going on in your heart. God says, come to me.

You'll find mercy and grace. Don't let your sin keep you from God, but come boldly to him by faith in his son's finished work upon the cross and you will find help in time of need. If you stay away from God because of sin, then you are relating to him based upon your works instead of relating to him by faith.

You don't have faith in what he has done. Now it's because I did this and I did that. And your relationship to God is based upon whether you do good or whether you do bad. But that's not entering into the rest of God. Enter into the rest of God based upon what he has done. Let your sin be occasion to come to God, to the throne of grace, to find mercy and grace in your time of need. What about my present sin? Well,

Grace means in regards to the sin in your life now as a Christian that you are to come to God and find the grace that you need. Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. The final question, although there's many more things we could look at, it's one that we have probably all struggled with. The final question is, so why not continue in sin? Since grace abounds, wherever grace abounds,

Sin abounds. I'm sorry. Wherever sin abounds, grace abounds much more. Why even struggle? Why go through all the heartache? Why go through all the pain and misery of struggling? Why not just continue to sin and know that God's grace covers us? Why struggle at all? If there's grace, why not just give in to sin? Now, can I ask for a little bit of honesty by show of hands? How many of you have ever struggled with this thought or concept before? Anybody? Anybody? Anybody?

You better all put your hands up, okay? It's something we struggle with. It's something that enters our mind. How does this work? Well, if there's grace, well, how come I just don't just live in sin and I'll ask for forgiveness afterwards? Paul knew this struggle. Turn back with me now to Romans chapter 6. Paul knew about this struggle. And so he engraved it in God's word for us to have forever and ever. That we would know, hey, I'm not the only one who deals with this and thinks this way and struggles with these thoughts.

Why don't I just continue in sin? Since where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. Romans chapter 6, verse 1, Paul says, The answer is in verse 2, Verse 3,

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? He goes on, but we'll stop there. Here in Romans chapter six, he asked that question. Well, should we just continue in sin and grace will continue to abound then? This is there's great depth here, much more than we can get into today. But here's the basics. Paul says, look.

If that's your thought, if that's your question, if that's your attitude in life, then maybe you don't know. Maybe you're not familiar because he who died with Christ, he was baptized into Christ. Jesus was baptized into his death. You know, baptism, we talk about it's the outward show of an inward change, the death, burial and resurrection.

That we were included with Christ, our sin nature taken care of, our flesh gone, but were resurrected to live in newness of life, walking in the Spirit. Paul's saying, look, if your attitude is, well, I might as well just continue in sin and let grace abound. Paul says, well, maybe you don't understand. Maybe you haven't been taught. Maybe you don't know that if we have been baptized into Christ, we were baptized into his death.

So the point is, hey, if you have no problem continuing in sin, either number one, you don't know the truth or number two, you're not saved. Both are bad places to be. Either you don't know the truth that we have died with Christ or you have no problem continuing in sin because you're not actually saved. There's not new life in you. The Holy Spirit of God is not indwelling within you. Your attitude is, well, I'll just continue and let grace abound because because you don't know the truth.

Because you haven't made Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord. Why not continue in sin? Paul says, because you died to sin. And just as you believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, you need to know that that means as well you need to believe in Jesus Christ for the crucifixion of the flesh. Later on in Romans chapter 6, verse 11, he says, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin. Reckon.

Let's count yourself just as God counts us righteous in Jesus Christ. We are to count ourselves dead to sin. You died with Christ. It's a reality that you must receive by faith. Why not continue in sin? Because you died to sin. Why not continue in sin? Well, he'll go on to explain later on in the chapter. In fact, let's look at it. Verse 15 says, what then?

Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? Again, certainly not. Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey? You are that one slave who you whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness. Paul says, look, shall I continue to sin? No, because you're going to be enslaved to whoever you present yourself to. It's a matter of slavery, of bondage, right?

God set us free from the bondage to sin. But if you continue on, if you present yourself to sin, you become the slave of sin and this leads to death. Jesus said in John 8, 34, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. That word commit is in the present tense, meaning it's whoever continues to commit sin, whoever keeps on, presses forward and continues on in sin is

is a slave of sin. Why not continue in sin? Because you will be enslaved by it and it leads to death. Romans 6, 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It will destroy you if you continue in sin. The wages of sin is death.

Oh, but there's so much good things I'm missing out on. There's so much fun I could be having. So many things I could be participating in. No, the wages of sin is death. If you don't believe that, then you better go back and check your heart with the Lord. Either you don't know the truth or you're not saved. Do you believe what God says? You died with Christ. You were included with him in his death, burial and resurrection. That's what baptism is all about.

Continuing on in sin will enslave you to that sin. And that leads to death because the wages of sin is death. And so the point is, don't continue in sin. Instead, repent and turn from your sin. Now, for just a moment, I want to redirect a little bit here for the few. I pray that it's the few. The person who says, I understand those things, but I'm going to live my life how I want. And when it's time, I'll repent.

I know the truth and I know about Jesus and I know what I need to do. But right now, I just want to live my own life and do my own thing. And I'll repent when it's time. I'll know when it's time. And before I die, perhaps, or, you know, when I get a little bit older or, you know, when I get out of college or, you know, whatever time frame we set for ourselves, then then I'll continue to live. I would say to you, hey, watch out.

You are in a dangerous place. Yes, it's true. Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. But there is devastating effects in your life when you continue in sin. The fact that where sin abounds, grace abounds much more is true. Does not mean that there are no consequences or repercussions for sinful activity. David was forgiven, but the rest of his life was affected by his sin with the Shiva.

I've already shared with you, but I'll remind you. Grace is primarily about relationship with God. You cannot sin enough to affect your relationship with God. You can always turn to him. He will always receive you because of his grace. Because where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. But your sin will destroy your life. It will bring death in your life. Not only that, Ephesians chapter 4 talks about understanding being darkened.

Those who live in the flesh, those who continue in the flesh, their understanding is darkened, their past feeling. If you continue in sin, your understanding will be darkened. Right now you say, well, I understand these things and I know the truth. And one day I'll return to the Lord. But the reality is, look, you're not going to be the same person forever.

Six months from now, a year from now, 10 years from now, if you continue in sin, your understanding will be darkened. You'll be alienated from God. You'll be past feeling. Your conscience will be seared. It's a risky game to play. You won't know the truth at that time. Your understanding will be darkened. Hebrews chapter three talks about the hardened heart as a result of the deceitfulness of sin. So if you continue on in sin.

Not only will it destroy your life, your understanding will be darkened. Your heart will be hardened. You think that because you know the truth, you can live in sin and turn back later. But by continuing in sin, you subject yourself to slavery. You earn the wages of death and destruction. You become blind and your understanding is darkened. Your heart becomes harder against God. And so it's not going to be easier to repent later. If you don't repent now, knowing the truth, how do you think you're going to repent later?

It's a dangerous game to play. And you may condemn yourself to eternity in hell by playing that game. Repent. Turn. Don't continue in sin. Where grace abounds, I'm sorry, where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. That means I don't continue in sin. That means I run to God and enjoy the relationship that he has given to us. Now back to the rest of us. Hey, all of us as Christians, we struggle. We will battle. Paul tells us that in Romans chapter 7. He describes all the details here.

We will battle against the flesh for as long as we live this life. And that's why we need grace. So that we continue to run back to God. That we continue in our relationship with God. That we don't let those things hinder us. Victory is not found in rules and regulations and laws and penalties. Victory is not found in some system. Monks can lock themselves up for months and years. They still struggle with sin.

It's not about the things that we can do. We only find victory in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul said at the end of Romans chapter seven, after describing this, this battle, the things I don't want to do, those things I do and the things I do are the things that I don't want to do and the things that I want to do. I can't do them. And every time I try to do something good, I find evil is present with me. And it's this battle that's raging within him.

To the point that he exclaims, oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? And it's when we come to that point that we find victory. When we come to the point that I can't do it. I've tried it. I've done everything I can. I've tried to get victory. I've tried to overcome this area. I've tried to conquer this thing. Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me? And God says, now you got it. It took you long enough, but you got it.

Paul says, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Only by surrendering to Jesus Christ. In your struggle against the flesh, we will struggle. You cannot succeed. You must surrender. You cannot succeed. You must surrender. Surrender to God, not to sin. It's the only way that you can find victory in the Christian life. I want to read to you a quick portion from

Why Grace Changes Everything. By the way, the books are in, if you ordered one. They're in the back. If you'd like to order one, they're still available to order. Sign up on the donut table. But in chapter 8 of this book, Pastor Chuck does an incredible job dealing with this issue of struggling. It's something I believe we all need to know because as Christians, we all struggle.

Listen to what Pastor Chuck says on page 126 of his book. He says, It's simple.

They spend all their effort and energy trying to live a godly life in their own strength instead of turning their lives and struggles over to God. They keep searching for some new technique, some new method, some new program for righteousness, and none of them ever work.

As long as any of us try to deliver ourselves from the body of this death by desperately searching for another program or formula to guide our efforts, we will fail. Our help does not come until we realize the answer is far beyond our own resources. Amazingly, crying out to God in weakness is the secret to our deliverance.

The author of Hebrews says, God knows everything. He knows your struggles. He knows your difficulties. He knows your failures. Therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace. You can't do it on your own. You want victory. You're struggling. You're upset. You're frustrated. You can't do it on your own. Come to Jesus Christ. What a perfect time for us to partake of communion together. As we talk about God's grace in regards to our sin, past sin,

Taken care of by God's grace where sin abounded in my life Grace abounded much more in regards to my present sin and night continual struggle with sin God by His grace says come come boldly to the throne of grace and you will find mercy and grace to help in time of need Guys wherever you've been Whatever you've done, whatever the state of your heart whatever sin you've been involved in whatever activity you continue in now is the time to

To come to him. To find victory in him. To cry out to him. To receive the fullness of what he has for us because of his grace. They're going to pass out the bread and the cup. I would challenge you to get right with God. Draw close to him. Let him speak to you. Confess your sin to him and he is faithful and just to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You have perfect relationship with God. Enter in by faith, guys.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.