I’m a Christian—Now What? - Part B

We are to have a spirit directed white spirit not of flesh dominated life.

That's the negative. Positive the spirit directed life that's possible. Jesus said when the helper comes with you will be in you, and he died give our lives to Jesus spirit begins dwelling in us to connect with Skip Skip shares how the Holy Spirit works to maturity in your faith. We want to invite you to follow Skip on social media to get important updates and biblical encouragement. Just follow Skip on Facebook, twitter and Instagram all the latest from Skip and from this ministry that at Skip Heitzig at Skip HDI teams. The IG Romans chapter 8 as we dive into the teaching with Skip Heitzig in order the first things I heard us. A young man before I gave my life to Christ is that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That was good news to me but then I found out something else.

The devil hates you and has a miserable plan for your life, and there often fighting over souls force God gives us the choice to say yes to one or the other but the devil hates you and he wants you to be miserable. He wants you to be stuck in the mire and the mark of your past and unfortunately a lot of Christians are they going to grow a little bit and they stop there's no really continual progression. Somebody once said a Christian is a man who feels repentance on Sunday for what he did on Saturday and is going to do again on Monday. We tell you that's not a definition of a Christian. That's the definition of a defeated Christian now after regeneration.

We get those words again the after regeneration. Forgot awakens life in us and we see our need for Jesus and then you come to Jesus and we go from regeneration to justification, which mean God's God declares you righteous then we go to adoption. He places you in the family then then there is this there is sanctification we become mature, we grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now want to clear this up or make it clearer for you. Justification is instantaneous. God declares you righteous you say yes to Jesus, child of God put into the family of God. Justification is instantaneous. Sanctification is not sanctification is continuous justification is entirely God's work, you can earn it, you can add to it.

It's something he does. But sanctification is with human cooperation. So this is where we are working together with God to grow holier. That is, we are not passive when it comes to our sanctification. We noticed kickback let go and let God.

We have to have to have to actively cooperate with the Holy Spirit for victory. Now the question is how do we do that what we do will. Here's a nice little summary for us.

Paul says also in the book of Romans, this time in chapter 6, verse 11 and 14. He says likewise you also racking your selves to be dead indeed to sin was at me and reckon yourself. It means consider or count on this as a fact.

This is an established fact.

Reckon yourselves to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its loss for sin shall not have dominion over you. Another way that is worded shows me that there is an element of human control.

Don't let sin reign reckon yourselves to be dead. Reckon yourselves alive to be God. This talks of coal operation. God wants to do it.

God gives us power to do it power to grow power to mature. We have to cooperate with too many Christians live on the right side of Easter, but the wrong side of Pentecost.

Too many Christians live on the right side of pardon, but the wrong side of power too many Christians are out of Egypt, but they never make it to the promised land. They wander in the wilderness continually wander in the desert.

Martin Luther said you can't stop birds from flying around your head but you can certainly stop them from building a nest in your hair so we must cooperate with what the Spirit wants to do and make progress, not sinless, but we sin less so. We have two distinct experiences post salvation. We have position adopted in the God's family we have progress victory over the flesh when we give you 1/3 proof proof this now is the positive not the negative. The negative is saying no to certain things, but now the positive is the proof. What we display that others can see this is the increase of spiritual fruit so verse 14 we take you to that Paul puts it this way for as many as are led by the spirit of God.

These are the sons of God, just let that soak into you, for a moment as many as are led by the spirit of God hears the idea we are to have a spirit directed life a spirit not of flesh dominated life. That's the negative to positive a spirit directed life that's possible. We have the best helper in the world. The Holy Spirit, Jesus said when the helper comes, he will be with you. He will be in you and he will guide you into all truth. He's going to direct you. He will lead you even Jesus himself.

It says in the Gospels the spirit led Jesus into the wilderness Holy Spirit is a gentleman. Hope you know that he doesn't for shooters and cajole you. He doesn't drive you as a bully you he leads you.

Some people talk about being driven. I'm a driven person I'm driven by the spirit know you're not.

Also, purpose driven life. No, it's a spirit led life.

The Holy Spirit leads people and that's the idea.

He is a leading you directing your life now as you are led as you are directed by the Holy Spirit instead of your old nature found in nature. The results of that spirit directed life is fruitfulness. That's the proof I'm talking about, take it out of her 16 and put all these thoughts together. Verse 16 continues.

The Spirit himself bears witness or brings testimony testifies. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and became a postdoc about Paul is referring once again to a Roman adoption ceremony. That's the overall genre of this paragraph.

Roman adoption in a Roman adoption ceremony. There were always several witnesses, people who would be there to watch what happened and testify what happened or why was that necessary because, let's suppose that the new father the one adopting the son into the family dies later on in a dispute arises over inheritance rights, land rights, who owns what will this is a child of the family. There's going to be a witness or several who will step forward in both. I was there when it happened. I saw the whole ceremony that is an adopted child. That child has all the same rights I testify to the validity of that position so that if even other sons natural born sons were born and part of the family before him. That would not affect the adopted child's right as a co-heir or a joint heir in the family. With that in mind. Look at verse 17 and if children, then bears heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him that we also may be glorified together element is kind of type a couple at loose ends in Judaism. This is different if you know the Old Testament know that in Judaism if you had a couple sons born in the family.

The oldest son got a double portion double the inheritance much more than the second born son not in a Roman adoption in a Roman adoption. All the children were equal natural born and adopted so God adopt us into his family. The Holy Spirit was present when it happened. I've had people say how do you know your safe, easy. I was there when it happened.

But not only that the Holy Spirit was there when it happened and he brings testimony he is a witness. He validates my adoption key validates our son ship or daughter ship.

Sony says the spirit of God.

Verse 16 bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. This, in that distant mean Paul doesn't have in mind some mystical voice whispering to us from the Holy Spirit going you are really saying really you are. This is the Holy Spirit hearsay didn't mean that because I know a lot of people who've heard that voice and think they're saved or not the ideas much simpler than that. I think it is referring plainly and simply, and obviously to what the Bible calls the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit that's the proof I want to show you that go to Galatians chapter 5 just a moment where Paul the apostle speaks of spiritual fruit. It's a classic section of New Testament Scripture Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 listen to how Paul puts it, I say, then walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh, loss, or wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. These are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish, but if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contention, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, NV, murders, drunkenness, were revelries and the like of which I told you beforehand, just as I have told you in times past that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God that this is very similar to what we just read in Romans. If you live according to the flesh, you will die. You live according to the spirit. You will live. Verse 22 but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law, and those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the spirit. Let us also walk in the spirit he speaking about spirit dominated life, spirit, controlled life, and these are the character traits. This is what the Holy Spirit produces in our lives, and when he produces that in our lives. Those things give us assurance. They are benchmarks that we belong to him. Jesus put it this way.

Every tree is known by its fruit. Every tree is known by what it produces is supper. What a person claims.

I said some words 10 years ago I prayed this little prayer. It's not by the bumper sticker they have on their car. It's by the fruit that is being produced by the Holy Spirit.

This is the proof the increase of spiritual fruit. John Stott one of the best commentators I've ever read and is now in heaven said the Christian should resemble a fruit tree not a Christmas tree for the godly decorations of a Christmas tree are only tied on whereas fruit grows on a fruit tree you know it comes to spiritual fruit.

It's really a matter of just sticking close to Jesus being led by the Spirit you can look at his wife and bassoonist stay close to Jesus. Jesus put it this way, if you abide in me, you will bear much fruit, so just abide in him to stay close to him. If you ever watched a fruit tree get fruit they don't sweat fruit trees. Uncle Anthony hard hard day than a month ago happened, all they do the branches hang in there. The ends of the branches. Hang in there the little Apple is escrowing just hangs in there just stays close stays connected and you bear for fruit. So this brings up this issue comes to being led by the spirit you have to want to be let. Again, he will not drive you he will not force you. He will not bully you. You have to have an active your own will and submit to him.

Think of it this way is like a conductor with an orchestra conductor knows all the right moves the right be the right cadence knows when there's a break when there's a turnaround.

There is a key change and gives that direction to the orchestra but if somebody playing an instrument in the orchestra doesn't want to follow the conductor is going to be a train wreck is not to be harmony.

There's going to be this harmony and disarray.

Imagine for instance in the orchestra.

The tuba player wanting just to sort of break away from the pack and give a tuba solo. There's nothing good about it. Tuba solo to sand.

Here's a guy want to blow his own horn so the issue is are you watching the conductor. Are you looking to the Holy Spirit is your life, you allow it to be led by the spirit of God. When you do proof will be there fruit will be there so position progress proof adopted in the family victory over the flesh, the increase of fruit brings us to the fourth experience that is promise. Promise. We have glory in the future. In verse 17 he says if we are children, then we are heirs.

Heirs of God, here's a great phrase joint heirs with Christ.

I'll touch on that in a minute if indeed we suffer with him here is that we may also be glorified together. Verse 18 this is Skip ahead for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us back to that phrase joint heirs with Jesus Christ. It's really an amazing turn of phrase that we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ, meaning everything that Jesus received by divine right. We received by divine grace as part of the adoption process, including glory so that we may suffer now on this earth. One day it will be eclipsed not just by incomparable glory, but the same kind of glory that Jesus has right now with the father, John Stott once again said suffering and glory belong together. One characterizes this age. The other characterizes the age to come. This age suffering out of us know about that the last eight, nine months, the world knows about that but for those of us were adopted children of God, glory, glory. That's the perspective that is the compensation and Paul always makes reference to something coming ahead. Second Corinthians 4 verse 17 for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory suffering now glory later you go why suffering now.

Not just because we live in the world, but principally because we follow Jesus Christ in this world and and we have no right to expect better treatment from this world. Then Jesus got from this world.

They misunderstood him there going to misunderstand you, they mocked him, there gonna mock you. They said bad things and did bad things to him. They're going to do it. Also, do you. That's what Peter said first Peter chapter 4.

Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when the glory is revealed suffering present age glory future age in fact it is an honor to suffer for the right reason. It's even an indicator that we belong to him right and Paul cited Timothy all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution as part of the promise. The promise referred to here is glory.

But part of the promises will suffer persecution, which is makes the glory all the more appealing.

So, to sum it all up.

God has saved you he is adopted you he is given you the Holy Spirit to lead you to direct you to restrain you in your sinful passions, and to produce fruit in your life. He is even made you heirs with Christ, even promising you that same glory that Jesus Christ now pass so once again you're on your way to heaven, but but when you do something until you get there. Yes, you're going to heaven.

But when you do something for the kingdom of God will you make it your aim to seek first the kingdom of God to be a fruitful believer until you get to heaven, will you be committed to growing in Christ. In fact, ask yourself over the last six months.

Over the last eight months. With all this pandemic have I progressed in my Christian life because I've discovered if you haven't progressed your regressing. I love to ride bicycles. But you know when I come to a hill. I have to really engage in Netgear system because I've discovered if I'm going up a hill and I decided just do nothing.

I want to go backwards. I have to press ahead so going to heaven, be fruitful to you get there. Be committed to Christ in his case and his cause in his glory till you get I read a story years ago and I've read it since and I actually talk to different people at the aquarium about this. It could be just a certain species of shark, but an interesting thing about a shark in some cases is that if if you catch it small enough and you can find it.

It will stay the size proportionate to its environment so that it's possible to have a shark that is only 6 inches long and yet fully mature is only a tiny little shark if you release it to a large environment like the ocean. You will then grow to its normal length of about average 8 feet. I've met the cutest little 6 inch Christians, only that there Christians, but they don't grow very large.

They swim in the shallow and they swim in puddles go deeper be committed go deeper position progress proof promise go deeper. How live for Jesus and live for others that conclude Skip six message 2020 we want to share about a resource you live with purpose and hold fast to your faith making eternal impact on the date and have his normal basic human instinct which you believe the children as young as three years old already want to follow the crowd and fit in with the group of researchers found in the Duke University study Bible we learn that some of the people who made the most impact have done self defining normal here. Skip, I think. I think the Bible calls us to a holy defiance of the status quo. Paul the apostle's that do not be conformed to this world but be trans formed by the renewing of your mind to go from transform*its normal thanks to you when you get $35 or more to help explain this type of ministry today for direct line get your copies of these bold resources copies hundred 9288 four. Give online securely connectwithskip.com/author tuning tomorrow is Skip Heitzig to give you the rundown on God's angels and one other significant to his plan and to you. 34 books in the Bible talk about a 17 in the Old Testament 17 in the New Testament if you were to add up all the times that angels are mentioned, you would have almost 300 Pacific places were angels are mentioned by