How the Fall Affects Us, Part 2

Today on Senate life with Katie Greer the course and for all of this is I want to be God. I want to be in control.

Repentance is the same for all of us, I surrender my right to do that and recognize that you were the Lord, the good news for you, no matter who you are is a Jesus. Christ came to save sinners and it doesn't matter what kind of sinner you are matters which our Savior.

He is with easy to look at the things listed in Romans chapter 1 and think what was wrong with those people teaches us that the same idolatry in the hearts of people throughout history still exist today. Jenny shows us that while we all stand under judgment of a righteous God is also a merciful God who spares us through his grace.

This message contains teaching from Scripture with mature content.

In this the beginning of this message on yesterday's program you can listen online@greer.com strength after getting free. I know struggling with same-sex attraction is dealing first and foremost with the question of why God did not answer their prayer to change them with people with same-sex attraction really ought to be first and foremost recipients of our compassion. That is, it makes same-sex behavior any less simple anymore than it would make outburst of temper or envy or materialism was simple. This means we don't always get to choose our weakness or corruption. That means that gay and lesbian people are not worse sinners than other people there not a different kind of sinner than the rest of us. They just got affected with a different dimension of the Kursk and that changes how we think about it and how we talk about it. She there are three ways I see is really going wrong with this in the church at large three ways we go wrong one. One, we believe God generally care about this got ugly care about this. He does is crystal clear in this passage, as well as at least five other passages in the old and New Testament passages like for example 1st Corinthians work honestly could not get any clear, do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers, or men who have sex with men nor thieves of the greedy nor drunkards or slanders or swindlers.

Anybody who willfully and obstinately says this is who I am a what I'm going to do. These people will not inherit the kingdom of God, he says, but I was I was born this way I don't dispute that some of us were born with a propensity toward selfish ambition or maybe a raging temper. The Bible's message is that we all need to be born again you understand that possessing a desire innately doesn't make it right right possessing the.desire innately to make it right, anger, ambition, or certain sexual desire not right just because they come from deep inside of me if I would like to approach my wife and say you know sweetheart you will have to be married to the most beautiful woman I know for two decades or sometimes also find myself occasionally attracted to other women just like the only conclusion that I can come to is that I was born polygamist and not to be true to myself sweetheart so must have the relationships with other women.

Rocket was there.

While not have to be true to myself and smack you upside the head with a tube of for right, because just because that desire come from you, doesn't mean that it is a right or healthy desire. The fact that we possess these desires innately just shows that we have corrupt hearts and we need to be born again and that's Paul's whole point you can't reform your way into heaven. Religion and law doesn't have the power of God. You gotta be born again from above. The gospel is a resurrection power that you will have in yourself. That's what you and are hopeless without Jesus. I've got desires.

I can't overcome you got desires you can overcome Jesus as the one who overcomes, therefore, you must be born again. The gospel message is not let the day become straight gospel messages. Let the dead become alive and that is impossible apart from the power of God, which leads me to the second way that I see is going wrong here. Number two. We think it's the worst sin.

Paul lists homosexuality is simply one corruption among many you look at the rest of the list.

Here's a question when I read that list. Do you think of deceit and boasting as equally depraved about greed.

Do you think of green as equally depraved as homosexuality about a rebellious attitude against her parents do you see that as equally depraved. Paul would in another one of Paul's letters Gordon talked about the pride that comes from religion and it obsession to do everything right and be better than everybody else has the same kind of idolatry is not equally depraved in your book. People were judgmental people who look down on others and try to be a certain kind of good weather to good mom, good husband and a good Christian so they can look down on people is that equally depraved to same-sex attraction.

It should be.

I mean in terms of frequency of mention of the passion with which Paul talks about it. It would appear that quite a few other sins are more egregious in God's eyes, that homosexuality throughout Jesus's ministry is life.

We see him demonstrating freight just incredible sympathy for those caught in sexual sin and great animosity toward the religiously proud if I Jesus one time. Not one time ever said that it was difficult for the same-sex attracted to go to heaven. He did say it was easier for a camel to go to the eye of a needle than it was for religiously proud, or materialistically successful person to enter into the kingdom of God that is not to say that same-sex behavior is not simple just to say that we often present it differently than the Bible does the worst sin. The course in the same behind all the other sins is one that we are all alike guilty and that is replacing God's rule, with our rule replacing ourselves to the center where he belonged. Only when we grasp this truth, we become ministers of the gospel when we understand what Paul did, that we are the worst sinner that we know only when you understand that, will you understand that Jesus came to die for you that there is nobody he didn't die for and when you finally realize that in your soul you'll stop being a judge mental pharisaical dispenser of the wall and will suddenly become a gospel witness in your life will no longer be characterized by judge mentalism and fundamentalism to be characterized by compassion for loving your neighbor like somebody made in the image of God and feeling compassion for them and their weakness, you will begin to treat them first and foremost like people who deserve compassion, not scorn or judgment or political voting block that we need to marginalize when you understand that then what that means is that you become a person who will, for example, stand up and be among the fiercest advocates for the preservation of the dignity and the rights of LGBT people because we recognize that gay and lesbian people are essentially just like us.

People made in the image of God like us and deserving of all the dignity and respect that we desire for us for our children. There is no them so policy is just big old weak means you want to see in the face of every sinner, a reflection of the corruption that afflicts your own heart. You want to see in their face, the fruit of the rebellion that you have participated in that how you read Romans one. Here's 1/3 way that we do wrong number three. Assuming it's hard for LGBT people to get to heaven only say something really really clearly okay homosexuality does not send you to hell you know that because heterosexuality does not send you to heaven. What sends you to hell is refusing to allow Jesus to be the Lord and center of your life, regardless of how that manifests itself in my manifests itself in your refusal to let Jesus be Lord over sexual your sexual life. Yes, but it might manifest itself in your refusal to let Jesus be Lord over your money in my room rear manifests itself in your refusal to let Jesus control your career.

It's not where you express your rebellion that matters, it's the fact that that rebellion exists in your heart, Rosario Butterfield, whose story I share with you before he or she was a practicing lesbian very outspoken professor of literature and women's studies at Syracuse University, a culture warrior on the far left. She said it was Romans one that brought her to faith in Christ. The pastor who led her to Christ refused.

She said it first to argue with her about her lesbianism. He told her that according to Romans one, the real issue was who got to call the shots in her life. The real issue according to Romans one is how she defined herself how she sought fulfillment. It was Romans one Rosario explains that revealed my heart to me. In Romans one. She said Paul showed me that all of us go through the same thing that he went through in the Garden of Eden in the Garden of Eden. He suddenly found herself asking who has the right to declare what is good. Rosario said I had to realize I had to do the same exact thing. I decided that my desires determine what's good or God's design. Who was the Lord of my life is my desire for God's word she says homosexuality is not the core of our rebellion against God. I desire to God is Jesus. What that means is that repentance for the gay or lesbian person looks fundamentally the same as it does for the straighter the religious person.

Repentance me saying.I'm sorry for elevating my desires of your will. I am sorry for attempting to try to define my identity apart from your design for me.

I am sorry for taking on myself the authority to decide what is good in my life. I am sorry for seeking satisfaction and self-fulfillment, rather than from giving glory to you. I recognize Jesus as the Lord and so I turn over control to him, that's will repentance looks like for a day straight, rich, poor, young, old, to Gentile, black and white person. We all come to Jesus in the same way the course and for all of this is I want to be God.

I want to determine what's good I want to be in control. Repentance is the same for all of this, I surrender my right to do that and recognize that you were the Lord and then salvation looks the same as all of us because it's Jesus washing away the stain of our sin and filling our hearts with the resurrection life gives us the ability to begin to wrestle with these corrections.

The good news for you, no matter who you are is it Jesus. Christ came to save sinners and it didn't matter what kind of sinner you are, the matters what kind of Savior. He is bottom line, your bottom line here. Paul's approach to homosexuality is neither what we in our culture will call classical liberal or classically conservative you listed as one of many examples of the corruptions that come from a society that is rejected God and replaced ourselves and our desires. At the center where he belongs rebellion in which all of us have alike participated equally just want to say listen because very clear if you were here you are somebody who struggles or possesses same-sex attraction. I want you to understand very clearly that God loves you as much as he loves me.

I want you to understand that as his representatives under were very poor reflection of him, but as his representatives. We love you and we love you regardless of the way that you feel the way that you feel like you are. We do not believe that your sexual identity defined you. We believe that you are first and foremost a child of God created in his image. That is what the gospel says to people and whatever whatever place we find ourselves. We find that ultimately is one kind of sinner, and one kind of Savior bulges is one more verse and the cousin very important kind of implications and that's what's what's it that verse 30 2C. Although we know God's just sentence that those who practice such things deserve to die. In other words, we all know in our hearts. There's a right from wrong.

We know that God is against the wrong. But not only do we do these things. We even rationalize and sometimes even applaud those who practice them. If you only begin to see as you look back in history we see that idolatry has produced the most tremendous sense throughout history since we look back on now and we can clearly see how corrupt they were in at the time they were institutionalized and they were applauded. It was corruption in them that we can see clearly now, but they couldn't see that it was idolatry. For example, that we know drove some of the most brutal conquest in history at the time these conquering warriors were not treated like the prey people are treated like heroes. They were mighty victorious heroes.

Now we look back on these epics of history we say listen to them.

If it is Martin somebody's land still there stuff right there.

Women take their children take everything that belong to them. That's depraved. We see that now, but they didn't see that them because they were blinded by their idolatry. It was idolatry in our own country that led.

For example, to the unfair treatment of indigenous peoples. It was idolatry that fueled our nations for Linda's history of slavery and oppression.

You can read our founding documents. Thomas Jefferson and our other founding fathers. They knew it was wrong. They know it but they rationalized it because it was good for the economy and they didn't want to upset the status quo tragically. That's why many of the Christians of the time who should have known better. Didn't speak up we know, for example to some of her slaves arrive on and on the on American shores in the East Coast of Jamestown were brought by Dutch trader. The English there in the early 1600s refused to take them into slavery, but none of these people made the image of God, like us, we can't take them as slaves instead what it is they put them in this indentured servant hood program work. Eventually they could buy their own freedom. Now that's not a great economic system, but it better than slavery. Within 50 years the same English in one generation had now change their thoughts on the image of God in the African and decided that they really were okay to buy and sell as slaves because historians say they figured out how much slavery could lead to economic gain. In other words, we knew we know but we didn't know because we didn't want to know Martin Luther King Jr. was clear that he was not introducing into American culture.

Some new truth he was calling us to reckon with what we knew instinctively already to be true. What was in our very creed. As Americans, that all men are created equal and all are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Words written by a man who owned slaves, so we know we know always knew but we didn't know because we don't want to know because of her idolatry, and so we practiced it and approved it and applauded it and institutionalized it. Even our racism and bigotry exist, we still know we still know but we don't want to know. And so we don't know see we look back on these things now right. We recognize them as corruption. So how could they have been so blind to how corrupt those things were. Yet we continue to practice the same idolatry and are equally blind of corruption that our idolatry fills our society with in many ways the at the bedrock of the pro-choice agenda is a commitment to protect idolatry. I want to be the one. Instead of God, who determines the life or death of the baby based on not his design, but how it affects me but going to the Planned Parenthood side Planned Parenthood website and a pulled off on their explanation of their commitment to abortion elective abortion they said and I quote everybody has their own unique and valid reasons for having an abortion. Some of the many different reasons people decide in the pregnancy include whether or not a relationship with somebody they want have a baby with what's not Jewish is not a good time and the like to have a baby. They want to finish school or focus on worker achieve other goals before having a baby or they just don't want to be a parent but when I realize that there are number of you that every likely might be struggling with this right now. I know that we have women in this church who have had abortions under the summer currently experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, and I know that you are hurting and you are confused and maybe felt like in the situation you didn't have any other options in the role these pressures at Ron you need to know what to choose and I want to make this any harder than it is a generally don't.

We are here for you to walk with you in that is why understand why you're conflicted when I get into something like this but I just I want you to think about this the most important question we have to consider in this question and any question of this type is. It is this is the baby inside the womb, human life is it made in the image of God, and if so, what are the creators designs for that baby and is it ever right to willfully take innocent human life. I've always believed that women and men should have control over their bodies, which is why I have to be against elective abortion because it destroys an innocent female or male body without their consent. People say what about rape or incest. Listen now to say a tragic and unspeakably painful situation but just ask is the child at fault for how they got there our day not still innocent human beings when people asked that question will usually mean is this baby came to me. The woman was painful and tragic events of my life.

Should I be forced to bear the burden of something that just reminds me of that pain and it certainly is a heart rending situation. But again, here's the most important question. How does a civil and just society treat innocent human beings that remind us of painful events by killing them again. The question is whether this is a human being made in the image of God and is it God's design for us to protect innocent human life or to use it or dispose it when it's convenient for us because of what about those babies that we know him and the mentally disabled or have some kind of significant deformity, are they not still made in the image of God. If so, then they deserve our protection. Who gets to determine whether a baby lives or dies. Is it the creators design which is an innocent people made in the image of God is overprotection or do we get to deny that when it's inconvenient for us bundle even if your even if you're unsure you like, well, you know, scientifically, medically, I'm not sure when the baby actually becomes a human being and you have all these questions even even if we just suspended that question from an action is pretty clear, but if you suspended in your site were not sure if it's a human being laughing about is like this.

If you go hunting with a friend and you your friend get separated and as your other hunting. Suddenly, something rustles in the bushes and it might be a deer or it might be your friend just went take a shot.

This unsure which one it is the chances that it might be a deer know if there's any chance all it's a human life. You don't take the shot if there's any question about is the baby a human being than you side on the side of preserving human life. Again, I realize that I know some of you got in what felt like an impossible situation. There are all kinds of pressure, and maybe you thought you had no other option.

I need you to understand that there is forgiveness there is healing here is not judgment coming from us. We do not consider you a worse sinner than any of us. You can experience forgiveness like any of us. I'm just trying to show you that this whole discussion is undergirded by an unwillingness to trust God and do things his way, rejecting God's way just is going to lead to regret and more corruption like it always has idolatry always lead to corruption. We can see that clearly in history when we do it. It's also going to lead to corruption in our lives.

Rest trust in God leads to life.

I got to see it. This up close and really personal a way that was unexpected, last year around this time a year just made a few comments about about our commitment to love with the unwed mother and to care for her as well as the human life that she is carrying in an urge people to trust God in and do things his way. Well did know this, but there was a girl in one of our campuses to had an appointment that afternoon to go to Planned Parenthood have her baby aborted. She was a Christian and she says it was struggle with it and she said I didn't know what to do, but I just decided to cancel the appointment and I did go through with the abortion. She puts the baby up for adoption in the providence of God on there's a family that is connected to our church that adopts this baby. I didn't know any of the story at all will all of a sudden about six weeks ago on there's an appointment on my calendar now recognize the name. So the person comes in and was this couple that had never met before and their terracing. This child here and there, so we just want you to know that you are part of this girl story because when her mother decided to not go to the boarding of her for adoption. We were the ones received her in this life now is a part of of of the world know this. This is God's design right here okay this is God's design. People asked God why won't you talk about. This is kind of virtuous political it's not political. This is a human life. That's why talk about it because this is not this is this is what God's design is so easy for us to see it in other things. But then we practice the same idolatry, and it leads to corruption just the same in our lives.

Verse 32 although they know God's just sentence that only do the maven upon those who practice them to achieve wickedness is not abortion. The chief wickedness is not slavery as wicked as that is the chief wickedness is not homosexuality.

The chief wickedness is replacing God at the center of your life with yourself.

You and I cannot fathom how wicked and guilty. That is when you say to God, you will not be in charge will be in charge. You don't declare what could I declare what's good only for your glory. I live for my own. That is the chief stamp and it led not just all the sins that led to hell itself, where Paul is headed is Romans 310 were not there yet but this is where he said it. Romans 310.

There's nobody writes even one nobody, not day, not straight, not sure it's not on church or Jew or Gentile, not even one person has ever responded to God like they should. There's nobody you understand there's nobody who seeks God. Nobody both turned away all I can become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even wonderful roads throats are open graves. When you see with our tongues. We gossip, we tear down vipers benefits under our lips, mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and slander and all kinds of unkind things. Her feet are swift to shed blood ruin and wretchedness are in our past Ralston Paul says all of us fall short of the glory of God. We all stand under judgment, not just certain kinds of sinners, but all kinds of sinners, so the only hope for.

As you can explain is going to be in the blood of Jesus.

The greatest truth of Romans told you the greatest trick of Romans is the righteousness of God is not just a standard by which to judge his eyes the righteousness of God is a gift that he gives to those who admit that they have no righteousness of their own and that Jesus earned it in their place. The gospel that Paul was pointing us to is itself the power of God is the power that has the ability to cleanse us from the deepest sin and begin to heal the worst kind of corruption is not religion that you needed is not reform that you need. It is new life in Jesus Christ of Jesus Christ alone could do for you. That is the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he came not to reward the righteous.

He came to save the center and so you and I have all participated alike in this rebellion were all experiencing the corruption. But Jesus died for all of us and all of those who call upon his name can be saved Lord and forgetting the light of Jesus listening to Senate life with pastor JD Greer last week we began this new series to the book of Romans is Artie been so powerful.

Can you tell us a little bit about what to expect as we move through this book. Romans really is the crown jewel of the New Testament. It really does.

From start to finish. Lay out our understanding of not only what the gospel is but but who God is and what he's doing in the world. Martin Luther said it is impossible to read or meditate on this letter too much and I adeptly agree one of the biggest ways that we we will get us to a brand-new Romans, Bible study, which will be given in three parts is going to come visually box case that nothing you look great on the shelf and because of the importance of the book of Romans in origin of Christianity and the Bible itself is something that not only we want to experience these messages. I think you have it in there to remind you of the depth of the gospel in Romans and give you something even talk about other people unthinkably great today and remember to ask for your copy of the Romans and display box for the full set how eight 663-3520 or you can donate and replace the curriculum online@jdgreer.com interest now inviting you to join us Wednesday on Senate life JD Greer