This broadcaster has 536 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
April 21, 2022 8:00 am
Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. You know he died for my sins.
I still stand know he dies condemnation for why you walking vendors. Jesus died for them. That's a very important thing to do without question, so prices are sacrifice is the sin bearer is my high priest who intercedes for me and this means when I came to Christ.
I transferred all my sin and joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us God's word meets our work. Finally, when a leading you see because Roman seven. Paul talks about his sin and how disappointing.
And we all identify with you knowing you'll use it to someone euros, 12 o'clock, you may say what I did was simple. But Paul send all the time says right there Roman seven. He's a sinner.
Well yes, but maybe not in the way you think Paul says in verse 14 for we know that the law spiritual, but I'm of the flesh sold in bondage to sin.
I know that he said for what I am doing.
I do not understand what I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I'm doing the very thing I hate, for if I do the very thing I do not want to do. I grieve the loss confessing that the law is good. So now no longer my the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me, for I know that nothing good dwells in me that is my flesh for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not for the good that I want. I do not do I practice the very evil that I do not want but if I am doing the very thing I do not want.
I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil was present to me the one who wants to do good.
I joyfully concur with the law of God in my inner man, but I see a different on the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Conclusion wretched man that I am going to set me free from the body of this death, thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then he sin on the one hand, I myself with my mind. Observing the law of God, but he said on the other with my flesh the law of sin. Paul says here what all of us know even though you became a Christian and your sins are forgiven, how many all everything and pastoring the present and future.
But Paul said but sin remains in me my sins are forgiven, but sin remains and is that I find and by the way, when Paul is talking about this. He's talking about something a little differently. You might think Paul is saying that I have moments that I don't do what I know I should be doing in and of doing things I shouldn't know them, you rest your mind. I don't think he's committing adultery, murdering people, robbing banks, I don't believe that.
I think it's a Paul's talking about it all. He's talking about what he knows to be sent.
So I heard people want to use, but Paul send all the time. In one sense, but not in the way you want to use it. It's different, I can illustrate this. I've done it many times in the past, many years ago.
Here we brought a man named and Alden Gannet who was the president of Southeastern Bible college and he preached on first John 19 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us more night since he preached that verse silly standing up.
The pulpit and he said, and this very morning he was staying at a house of a couple in Lakeview. He said this very morning I was in my I send and I had to use first. On one night. Now all the people at Internet hey hey hey this is a something and I were sitting right over there with my wife. And he said, as I was reading the Bible.
My mind wondered and I immediately confessed his sin to God and everyone over here went and looked at me like that sin, that sin you have for him is is a godly man that sin that's a Paul's talking about you not using talk about the stuff were talking about when we talk about sin in our lives is and I know I should be doing and he says oh wretched man that I am, how my going to be delivered from this and then he gives us the answer Jesus. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That's when delivered, but then he says something even better.
Chapter 8 verse one.
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now I am my sins forgiven, but there's no condemnation.
Let me put it this way there's no guilt you see what the skill due to you condemns you. That's what guilt does see guilt. I'm guilty. I've been condemned. He said there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I mean I think that's is an amazing thing when you think about it. Christ died not only for your sins. He died for your guilt there's no condemnation. I don't have to be condemned. He says it is an interesting thing when you think about it because often in the context here. There's a lot of accusing whenever you sinner disappoint you accuse yourself we have an enemy is called Lucifer and he is also called the accuser and so you can end up finding yourself in a battle all the time when he keeps saying you're not worthy you're guilty you're not really a follower you're guilty who you really are as a person is guilty he said I have to worry about that is no condemnation for me. Remember the book of Hebrews spells a lot. Not only do Christ dies the sacrifice, but he's our high priest, and it says that he intercedes for us so every time Satan, the accuser accuses you before the throne of God. What does Jesus do shows God the father's hands and said pay for what this is what the like pay for.
He intercedes for us. In other words, every single sin, you could be accused of is already been paid for, so there's no condemnation that goes along with your sin or there shouldn't be God goes out of his way to try to explain this to us.
These are just a few of the verses that God says how he thinks about your sin. First, your sin is out of his sight. You have put all my sins behind your back.
Isaiah 3817.
It's recent you put all my sins behind her back. Now here's one thing you know for sure you can see with minor back got something your sins and report them on my back looking.
Look at those that's interesting, not only out of sight out of mind. Here's what is said in Jeremiah 31 for I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more. Now please understand when God says I remember your sins no more, as I've had people tell me this. You see, God says he can forget about your sin, but he's got. I can't forget God didn't forget he knows everything always has.
He doesn't forget things. This is a choice of God.
He knows the hairs on your head that's changing daily you can go to heaven talk to God and just name someone asked him how many hairs you give the answer. That's how intricately involved in life and so the point is he doesn't see Lisa's eye but I choose not to remember.
So would someone to sin against you. That's the choice you have to make not part of forgiveness. I choose not to remember. Not that I can't. I know I can't possibly forgive because I can't possibly forget what you're waiting to you totally forget before you forgive never forgiven anyone.
That'll never happen because you remember painful things, don't you remember painful things probably preschool you remember those that's not what he says. God says I remember them no more.
There out of reach. Micah 719, you would. You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea. That's interesting for them that once went once it sunk in the Mediterranean. It was gone forever.
That's what I use that expression. He said yeah I'll do that with you. I tried it I treaded underfoot and then I'll just throw it overboard in the last one even out of existence.
I even high. He said am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Here he says he bought them out. They don't exist anymore.
Erased.
That's interesting.
So you can see the depth of God goes to reassures about his forgiveness.
But what I want to keep thinking about here is it's not just a my sins are gone and removed from existence, and I can start with a clean slate that the condemnation is gone as well.
That's important to God is hard for us sometimes. I was trying to think in the Bible who would be the character that would have the most good reasons to have guilt control is life, and I came to conclusion, Paul Saul of Tarsus, just imagine what it would be like to be. He clearly orchestrated the murder of Stephen in the book of acts, and any good.
Just dedicate his life to arresting putting in jail likely torturing and even executing followers of Jesus Christ. He did it with such zeal that he was on his way to Damascus a long way for a Jew to go to get the Christian church.
There and he comes the Jesus Christ of the road to Damascus. How much guilt do you think he feels probably more than all of us combined is an interesting thing you can say all this guilt he felt, and it surely looks like it and and even think of his ministry he probably met the children of people that he put in jail or even executed in his ministry he met the parents he met siblings, friends of he probably couldn't remember before he slept the night the cries and tears of people that he persecuted because the followers of Christ which he is and yet he writes these words, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That includes me. That's an amazing thing and you got. I think how's he doing. How does he do that. How does he be able to deal with this guilt go with me to Philippians chapter 3 Philippians chapter 3.
This is a chapter in Philippians and Paul talks about your goals as a Christian.
He said my goal is to grow in Christ. My goal is to be spiritually mature.
My goal is to finish the race. My goal is to continue to grow. That's my goal, and any cyst on verse 13 brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet and I don't think any Christian while on earth would ever say they have but one thing I do. This is what he does forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Notice what is chose to do.
I forget what lies behind that be good advice for all of us. I forget that.
See if Paul, one of the remember the terrible stuff you did to the church of Jesus Christ. He could have become totally identified with that memory.
He could've made himself basically useless to God. He could've constantly victimized himself by look at what I've done, God would never want me to do anything for him. I actually persecuted his church. What kind of job did God give him.
He is the New Testament.
He is the epistles. He's the one who explains our faith. He is the perfect poster boy for one who was taken out of religion into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and so God use them in a magnificent way and the only reason Paul, let God use them as he forgot what lies behind. So if you find yourself feeling guilty of something that happened years ago and you use it to find you. It's a terrible idea. It's a terrible idea. It it will destroy your relationship that you have with God. Secondly, if I remain in guilt.
I'm mocking what Jesus Christ did on the cross. I reduce what he did on the cross. Yeah yeah I know he died for my sins, but I still stand condemned know he died so there's no condemnation so why you mocking them and condemning yourself why you going to condemn yourself. Jesus died for that. That's a very important thing to do without question, so Christ is our sacrifice.
He's the sin bearer. He's my high priest who intercedes for me and this means when I came to Christ, I transfer all my sin and guilt on to him.
That's what God says in the word of God.
That's what have you guilt so my conclude just a few implication so you are not misunderstood here first one is this one requirement I have is that when I sin I acknowledge it the God I acknowledge my sin to God.
That's what first John 19 is member if we confess confess home only go one Homo the ghetto say the same thing. I agree with God. That's what confession is. It's not patents. It's that's not confession that's not home and ago. I agree. I acknowledge with God. This is sin. He said if I if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to do what. Forgive me already for game at the cross, he means relationally forgive our sins and cleanse us from all the unrighteousness in us which part of that on right is what our guilt uses your condemned you see are not content you're forgiven and not condemned. That's what God does. But I have to have the responsibility to be able to confess it now one guide I would might use because sometimes I teach on confession.
It gets a little bit be easily misunderstood, because we know ourselves only as anyone in their know how many sins you committed yesterday, November Jesus said any thoughts assent that sinful humming to do yesterday. How about last week. So sometimes when you hear that verse you think.
Oh my goodness I would spend my whole life just confessing my sin and I'll never get back to doing anything that's not what he means. I don't think what he means is whenever I sin and my conscience makes me aware of this, I acknowledge that the God you see every little thing. Your conscious will make you aware of so you won't.
I mean this to say that the someone walked in the church and was dressed as a complete and utter street person will be stuck on the oldies bomb.
They walked on the any of you have a thought about him walking on the thought of her crush her head. Could've it been sinful. Did you know it was no mean so many things about us you think that you convey or say things that are prideful in your life to anybody was seepage of my kids I meet you see how this works.
If I was worried about that. That's it be ridiculous, but there are certain things that I know what I do. The Scripture says it is sin to the person who doesn't when I know them where I acknowledge it. That's the point I don't want anything between me and God.
And so I know when those occasions occur in my life and I think you would as well. Secondly, I forfeit the right to condemn myself, why melisma Paul said in first Corinthians 6.
You are not your own.
You been bought with a price. How can I condemn me.
I don't belong to me and neither do you.
I belong to my Lord Jesus Christ. So you he paid for you see he bought you. That's the point. So how my going to condemn myself to my guilt when I'm not even my own. I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and he's already told me you will not condemning there's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, so I don't have a right to condemn myself. Lastly, when I sin against a brother or sister in Christ, what a way do. Just like with God acknowledge it acknowledging and I apologize that's the next step.
Then I make restitution if I can sometimes is not possible and then when I do that I leave it behind me. We don't do very well this I see this all the time in counseling, especially in marriage is not, we don't acknowledge her sin with each other. We using defendant. We try to defend our sin, our attitudes or behavior and I think it's pride that stops us in doing this, I was wrong was simple. I apologize now with the person forgive you. I don't know that's not up to you. That's up to them. That's their issue before God because they should've their brother and sister in Christ because were told or commanded in the word of God to forgive each other, just as Christ has forgiven us to. That's pretty tough thing is you and I know how many times as he forgiven you. Since you've come to hundreds of thousands, tens of thousands. He said yeah that's what you need to do that part a little bit hard because he I've I've known people in the back.
She heard him say it look God forgave all my sins so they're all forgiven, so I don't have to acknowledge it to him or her. Us is tougher than I'm already forgiven by God is not Christianity is not I will love a each other brothers and sisters in Christ were to confess our sins to one another. All those things are commands in Scripture so you do need to acknowledge it, you do need to apologize and you do need to make restitution if you can, but what you don't want to do is feel guilty say look I feel so still guilty of just going to carry the skilled because if you do, you're never there to be free in Christ.
You can allow that guilt to become the defining moment of who you are, you know your past is designed to remind you of who you were. But it's not designed to define you as to who you are. Don't let that coat have an effect on your life this spring. Father, on the one hand, we know were all guilty, but for some of his father were so inadequate in dealing with it that we carry it in our life we use it. Father to give us our own identity.
We feel like a terrible disappointment to you and to others because of our guilt and by doing so, father, we find ourselves spiritually almost useless because we keep thinking were not qualified but if there's something in the word of God. It's clear the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning great is your faithfulness. New every morning. That's our faith no matter what happened yesterday or what I confess today, tomorrow is a new day and I don't have to carry the condemnation and the guilt to the morrow I am free free to love myself free to love you and free love others, may we be encouraged by the magnitude of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross who died for our sin and for his pastor broke apart on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like listening to the method one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs as Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. Yes, all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastoral sermon you can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series you're looking you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own. And remember, you can do all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org for pastoral gift card injuries and heart. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order