Breaking the Sin Habit

This morning I want to introduce you to a friend of mine. His name is Angus and I like pass the young he loves haggis is a follower of Jesus.

He's married his three children as a member of Calvary's very likable individual and very much involved in ministry over the last several years Angus has taught Sunday school at Calvary.

He served as an usher song in the choir and even served in a leadership position but Angus is a problem he struggles with sin. In particular, he has a besetting sin and any comparison with anyone here this morning is entirely intentional missing habit defeats Angus time and time again, he knows he's doing wrong and he understands the Scriptures, and he often feels discouraged. He feels defeated and so we ask is this pattern of sin normal in the Christian life is Angus. A true follower of Jesus Christ. What would you say to him if Angus came to you and told a little of his story.

What would you say to Angus salvation. We understand this, certainly a free gift of God's grace, but is Angus presuming on the grace of God as he asked for forgiveness over and over again with this question brings us to Romans six, Romans chapters 6, seven, eight. I believe in the very epicenter of the spiritual life as we besetting Romans, we find either Romans chapters 1 to 3 and four deals with the great truth of justification by faith.

That is the very heart of the gospel, and we been saying about that that were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and I was we come to Romans chapters 5, six, seven and eight. Paul is dealing with the results of justification with the fruit of justification. What we can call the whole of the gospel and no in Romans six when looking at this all-important subject of sanctification.

Don't be afraid of the word is a theological word, it means holiness what is holiness. Holiness is becoming more and more like Jesus. So here's a question. How can the authentic followers of Jesus Christ break the sin habit is a just a matter of letting go and letting God is at work we been learning that Christ died for us. That is our justification but were also learning.

I trust we are in a regular message and messages are no mistakes that I died with Christ, that is my sanctification and Paul is a great preacher and proponent of God's free grace is sovereign grace and salvation. Yes, we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. But Paul is making.

It also abundantly clear as were going to see in Romans chapter 678 those who are truly saved by the grace of God live different lives.

It is true.

He said if you open your Bibles to Romans six, he said of the end of Romans five you'll remember. Romans five verse 20 where sin increased, grace abounded all the more praise God that is true. Yes it is true but is also true.

As we look at verses one and two of chapter 6 that those who die to sin can no longer live in it. The question while if there is more grace when there is more sin, and the more sin you have, the more grace abounds. Why not then continued to live in sin and have more grace post is absolutely not as a basic misunderstanding as he asked the question in verse two. How can we who die to sin still live in. I we read from verse 14 of Romans 64.

Sin will have no dominion over you. What a glorious statement to understand what Paul is saying for the follower of Jesus Christ to those who are truly saved by his grace.

Romans six verse 14.

Look at it in your Bible sin will have no dominion, no mastery over you know what learning that are sanctification as we grow more and more like Jesus.

As we follow him. Our mission here at Calvary is being in making authentic followers of Jesus Christ. So as were saved by grace on the begin to follow Jesus something wonderful happens is something supernatural that would become more and more like Jesus lets out sanctification is what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Peter says at the end of second Peter chapter 3. Those three keywords are important in Romans six I said them before first one is no second word is consider. And the third word is present so you offer and we thought of the first two words. Know and consider before but I want to recap, this is Paul continues his argument. He is a wonderful logical representative truth on the foals of truth and somewhat repeats himself because we need to hear it over and over again, don't we. Something to know there's something to consider for something to present and then Lord willing, for Sunday in August. We look at the remainder of Romans chapter 6 and think of what it means to be a slave to God. But first of all, break the sin habit know who you are in Christ. I was thought of this before and I want to emphasize it because in a sense, it can't be overemphasized.

Know who you are in Christ, your identity is in Christ and notice the occurrences of this word no verse three you not know that all of us who been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his dad. Verse six we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Verse nine, we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again � no longer has dominion over him.

Paul wants us to know these truths to understand these truths saying to the Romans. You're no longer who you once were you Romans we're Calvary church every true follower of Christ is united to Christ and his dad in his burial, and in his resurrection. Once you are in Adam unsaved lost on the road to destruction.

But there's been this fundamental change know you are no in Christ you die to sin with Christ you were buried with Christ, you were raised with Christ, raised in this righteousness with Christ and as we saw a couple of weeks ago, our baptism and water baptism pictures that identification that union with Christ as a tonight one of the joy of seeing some followers of Christ be baptized. What are they doing public testimony of what is happened to them. They are no longer the ones where they are now in Christ you realize you have a new identity.

This question of identity is so important we have and you identity in Christ. One of Paul's favorite expressions. For the believer is you are in Christ is going to talk in chapter 8 about the new power the power of the Holy Spirit, brother, sister, you have a new identity. You're in Christ you have a new power and the power of the Holy Spirit. And I can't overemphasize the importance of grasping what Paul is saying in Romans six. Know your identity in Christ. I find that so many of us who are followers of Jesus Christ. In a sense, have forgotten or have never really known who we are. The problem with that is if you don't know your true identity. You will be easily persuaded to have a false identity or there's a lot of false identities in contemporary evangelicalism was one where our spirituality is measured on our subjective feelings on own emotions on our experiences for people who have that identity. Christianity is always is all about feeling good about themselves. Everything's got to be up peaks. Everything's got to be the music's always got to be logged in fact the left of the better. The matter was like a secular pop concert door like a nightclub but this kind of spirituality is based on my feelings is about my feelings, my opinions, my emotions, God gives us emotions and emotions are important as human beings, not to disparage them. But if you base your Christian life on your emotions, you're going to be at sea that is no doctrinal foundation. There's no base on when the storms of life that we were singing about, we fall apart because we don't really know through identity others.

Another common false identity, perhaps at the other end of the spectrum is aware those who base their spirituality on the knowledge you say, but John you you you are saying within know certain things. Yes, we are we are to know certain things we ought to know doctrine, but there's a tendency to for us to judge our spirituality and to judge the spirituality of others based on our knowledge based on how much we know and adherence to rules and regulations and Paul says elsewhere that such a knowledge puffs up people. It's intolerant at least applied at least the judge. Mentalism and it leads to a cold, cold legalism. Paul says in verse six of chapter 7 he says we don't serve under the old written called, no, no, not football but in the new life of the spirit. Both extremes are false identities very common license song to say love you love Jesus.

That's all that matters. And as you like. License. On the other hand, legalism, rules, regulations, do's and don'ts judge mentalism and I suppose as followers of Christ, therefore honest, we tend to gravitate and sway between these two don't way between license and legalism both on a denial of what Paul is saying a life of abundant grace. Paul brilliantly and passionately is presenting this going to prevent the spiritual balance you want in your life I want in my life was going to provide spiritual balance at Calvary church to know that identity in Christ. Do you know a brother or sister who you are in Christ.

It is Christ to save your it is Christ who sanctifies your Christ is our justifier, and these also are sanctified and Paul is saying know if you understand who you are in Christ you will know then that our union with Christ sets us free from the power of sin and a part of that Christ resurrection.

What did that Duke demonstrated that our Savior's master over sin and over � an over evil. He arises triumphant. Sin has no claim on him that can hold them to conquer sin is alive forevermore, Paul is saying never ever to die again.

No, because brother sister you are united with Christ. You also have died to sin.

Verse two again. Can we who died to sin still live in it the power of sin and sickness powerful is I don't need to argue for the public of sin in your life. You know what it is. It's a strong mass that it dominates you so easily, but the power of sin has been broken in the life of the believer through our union with Christ, we have died to sin, but sin is not die to us. Each one of us feels the pressure of sin, the way every single person here is tempted to sin no sin has not die. To me, but I have died to sin in the sense that Satan is no longer my master and therefore please hear this. Those who are true followers of Christ do not persist in living in certain you say is that really true John. I know some people who are truly saved by Baylor very sinful lives well in your Bibles to first John what does John say that stores the end of your Bible. John writes three little letters. First John chapter 3 verse six verse 26 no one who abides in him keeps on sinning. No one who keeps on sinning has either seen them on the on him little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous is Christ righteous gas united with Christ. Whoever makes verse eight whoever makes a practice of sin is of the devil for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil will think about tonight as we think of the work level.

Verse nine no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him and we cannot keep on sinning because he's been born of God.

By this it is evident to the children of God, and who are the children of the devil.

Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

John is very clear. This teaching is he saying he was and is not what you say you say you love Jesus doesn't mean you do you truly love Christ. If you are united with Christ.

There is a change now, not perfection. John says that if you say you without sin you're deceiving yourself now is not arguing for sin was perfection but he is arguing as Paul is arguing for a basic change in the life of the believer.

I think we forgotten the assembly you think our Christian living is so much like the unbeliever busted the young was praying for the city. I don't know how many true believers that are in Charlotte. But there are thousands upon thousands of all of the churches in Mecklenburg County, hundreds of them, some true, very small, some very, very large, so that are thousands upon thousands of people living in this country who say the followers of Jesus Christ. But I asked what difference is it really make could it be that we are deceived and that we've allowed the standards of the world to come into our homes into our lives into our churches into our very hearts. Paul is saying listen you are united with Christ and if you are united with Christ you been set free from the power of sin in your life together six Roman six verse six we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin your slaves to sin, the body of Satan is the instrument for expressing sinful acts know our body.

This flash is not evil. It comes from God, but sin uses her body. Sin tries to control us tries to control her body. And Paul is saying that the power of sin and the reign of sin in the life of the believer has been broken through our union with Christ, we have changed kingdoms once I was in the kingdom of darkness. Now I'm in the kingdom of light.

The kingdom of God. Verse 14 for sin will have no dominion over you, that truth is foundational for our spiritual life and verbally walk I ask you, do you know your identity.

Do you understand who you really are in crisis after Augustine was converted that he lived a very sinful life before he came to Christ, but after he was converted one of his lovers came to Augustine and said Augustine it is. I trying to tempt him yes replied Augustine, but it is no longer a high obesity he realized he had a new identity. He was no longer who he was once was that things are different now that something happened to me when I gave my heart to Jesus things I love before had passed away things I love far more have come to stay. Things are different now. Something happened to me when I gave my heart to Jesus.

So I ask you, brother, sister, or things different from you. Most of us here, the vast majority of us here this morning claim to be followers of Jesus. I'm asking him things different in your life. The really being a radical change in your life. New creations in Christ united with Christ.

He conquered sin.

Paul is saying in verse 10, and he lives eternally. We are freed from the power of sin in our life and therefore must not keep on living as if sin were not master break. Listen habit first. No who you are in Christ.

Secondly, break the sin habit. Consider that you died to sin and alive to God in Christ we can verse 11 so first you know not considered so you also must consider yourself what dad to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Once I was spiritually dead, that in my trespasses and sins, but no, I'm saved by the grace of God. I'm not alive to God in Christ time to consider myself dead to sin. Verse 12. Let not sin. We listen to this this morning.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies to make you obey their passions.

This is the first exhortation in Romans. We want to be doing doing doing follow single principle of one you to know certain truths now you know that you understand your identity know I want you to consider that you personally have died to sin and alive to God in Christ accept and believe you are that to sin through your union with Christ.

You see, John II feel the pressure of sin. Buster Caswell mentioned that I mentioned as well. Yes, I feel the pressure of sin. Yes, sin is very much alive, that is true but you and I must consider this that the power of sin in our lives as followers of Jesus has been broken. Jesus Christ broke that power when he rose from the dead. He lives to God and that you and alive to God said and that's for you to live what in the newness of life so important that we grasp. This isn't but I think some of us still consider out identity based on our past. Here is an individual before they came to Christ 25 years ago I was an alcoholic and then the grace of God that person is saved for 25 years later there still think I'm an alcoholic. An individual before they came to Christ was very immoral and they still think of himself like here is someone who 10 years ago really mess up their marriage, but unfaithful reminded and they still think of themselves like that here is someone who was a bench liar before the came to Christ they still think of themselves as that and perhaps other people remind them of it was a businessman before he came to Christ was a fraud only cared about was a quick buck and he was prepared to lie in sheets in order to be successful in business and make money. But now he's come to Christ. New identity, Paul deals with that in the grade passage in first Corinthians 6 Jesus talks to the Corinthians inside some of you were drunkards, as some of you what tomorrow. Some of you will fraud some of your swindlers. Some of you were homosexuals but he says no. First Corinthians 611 but such where some of you but you were washed, but your sanctified, but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and that the Spirit of God was your identity. No longer is your identity.

Consider your new identity. I'm dead to sin and I'm alive to God I wonder. Thinking of yourself in terms of the problems of the struggles of the past. Is this what it means to be part Megan. The old is gone, the new has come.

Satan tries to drag us back and some people even in the church we should not want to drag us back to the sin and the problem of the past normal on wall claims sanctified are being justified, new creation in Christ now says Paul. Verse 11 again, consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, I love verse 12.

The don't let sin clean like a king in your body you will send us sin. Once the takeover you think you can control sin by yourself. You think you can just send a little bit impossible. Sin takes over slightly old story of the of the come alongside the tent and that gets its nose in the 10th and before the mind knows that the whole family was in the 10th and the time comes falling down is what sin does know we don't dabble with we don't entertain it for the micro seconds or less.

Evil desires are opposed to God and send abuses our natural desires and sin acts as a cruel tyrant realize that the sin is a tenant for the sin of it done for you so well. I put some pleasure from it. Yes, but only for a short time, but think of the impact on but now with this reign of sin.

The fact that sin was king in your life. The fact that sin was in control, that has no broken. Let not sin reign in your mortal body brother. Don't be a slave to your passions. Why do you allow your evil desires to dictate what kind of person you are and how you should live your no longer the slave of sin.

It's true you can still listen to his voice and you can still sin but you don't have to. Why are you laughing sin bombshell around why you are allowing Satan to control your that control that power has been wonderfully broken by our Lord Jesus Christ, you are no longer slaves to sin.

Consider that you died to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, that one more note. Consider, by the way, consider for the grammarians is an habitual present. This is something you must every day. I must consider myself dead to sin and alive to God third. Break the sin habit presents your body is as beautiful. We do this today.

Present your body not to sin but to God versus 1314 do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness represent yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness, for sin will have no dominion over you since you're not under law but under what grace that is presenting something you must do at the present is to put something at the disposal of other the picture is of the military picture of that of the soldiers presenting their weapons to the commander coming up for Judy with the weapons of war and saying to the commander, not what you want me to do here they are.

Here are my instruments.

Here are my weapons and the man soldier is awaiting the instructions of the command. That's a picture and Paul gives a negative and then the positive, negative, first part of verse 13 Dawn present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness is in this very practical your mouth Dawn present your mouth to lie to blast curse to be abusive in your hometown, don't present your body to greet to immorality during the present your members to sin as John Owen says be killing Satan or it will kill you.

Couple of weeks ago I gave the illustration of the weeds in my yard and I have a picture of what I thought I would find made talked about the weeds in my yard. One of you would say couldn't plywood your yard. I'm sure it Christ competence and plastered the young mentioned that one of the members would say let me come over and weed your yard, but it didn't happen here Kevin so I'm I'm trying again.

Here is an actual weeds from my very small yard and noticed the green part of a bigger part of the green and white know the white is underground. That's the roots thinks often, we look at sin and we cut off the top to make ourselves respectable. We clean up a little bit, but we don't do the hard work member pulsates in Colossians 3.2 � your Ashley members put them to death.

Mortify I was the old-fashioned word because these habits and my friend Angus. They go very deep say he's been committing some of the sins a long time on the side of programmed in his mind, and when is lonely when his vulnerability he he he revamps them over and he's never done the hard work, as it were, to understand his identity and to deal with that sin, brother and sister. You know what that sin is in your life why you keeping presenting the members of your body to set you need to do the hard work before God to confess your sin and to deal with it.

This is a deliberate decision. This is a decisive decision.

Sin is using the members of your body to wage warping the size and first Peter 211 beloved as pilgrims and strangers.

I urge you to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. You realize your war and the war and I have it and this is how I went Pentagon or something and someone is trying to kill me. The last thing I would do if the cell by the way, try this foolishness wouldn't why do you take members of your body and present them to sin. What the sender and wages war against your soul destroys you.

It will wreak havoc in your life, the devil promises some short-term pleasure says you like no one else that isn't really sin other than the devil is all kinds of strategies but you know you know it's stop presenting the members of your body to sin, tongue terms can be unkind. Some of us talk to quickly hands can be used to hurt someone can fix can go in places they shouldn't go. Paul says in first Corinthians 6 that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Why, then, and you're a member of Christ's, you're part of the very body of Christ, why would you take that body which is a very temple of the Holy Spirit in presented in an act of immorality to a prostitute or in the morality, why would you do that stop presents your body not to sin but to God when wonderful thing to do is each day to present my body to God to send this is a radical break from the past doesn't. This is something I can do in my own strength. I don't need to do in my own strength because I'm united with Christ. This victory is my victory and his wisdom is my wisdom. His righteousness is my righteousness and sanctification is my sanctification and the grace of God provides that enablement is an interesting Paul after telling us about this presentation says in verse 14 for sin will have no dominion over you since you're not under law but under grace.

The gospel is not self-help need without justification order sanctification is self-help. You couldn't save yourself. You can, one for your sin.

Could you and not one of us can live one second for God apart from his help the law.

The law will tell you was right global tell you what is wrong. The law commands obedience with the law has no power to give you to do the right thing. In fact, Paula said the law increases sin, so don't go back to the law is going to say that in chapter 7 back to the old written code of the law know there's a new life is the life of the spirit.

This is why brothers. This legalism is so deadly. God's grace enables us to have the victory. Sin is no longer my master. We are free not under the law were no longer bound by the Mosaic law as a rule of law is it doesn't mean we can look was like no no no you misunderstanding. Paul Paul says in chapter 7 that you died to the law that your release from the law.

Chapter 10 verse 40 says Christ is the end of the law.

No, I'm not under the law. The law condemns me below tells me what to do, but is no power to help me as I present the guards, but this is what grace is grace. The grace of God breaks the dominion of sin in our lives. What a promise no longer bound by the law. But Paul talks in first Corinthians 9 about the law of God. He talks in Galatians 6 verse two by the law of Christ. That is grace. Grace never ever encourages sin's idea that because you say your saved you can live as you like is totally contrary to Scripture know's grace, grace understood. Grace always opposes its greater than seven the more you understand the grace of God, the more's grace promotes boldness, rejoice follow Christ.

Not only did Christ die for your sins. Rejoice in the continuing transformation of your life as Christ died to sin was victorious over sin and was raised from the dead and we all of God's grace are united with our Lord Jesus Christ in this glorious victory sin is no longer my master is ready to present your body to Christ today survived on the would you do again each day presents yourself to God is the Angus my friend Angus, like all of us misremembered these three words no consider present John Newton that either of amazing Grace says I am not what I ought to be.

I am not what I wish to be.

I'm not even what I hope to be, but by the cross of Christ. I am not what I was, I am what I was you can't go on living as you once lived because you're no longer who you are you a new identity in Christ that Paul is not saying that the believer will number sin. Of course we will fall into sin and we have to confess that sin, but he is saying. How can we who died to sin still live in it. There's a fundamental change but no pursuing holiness in presenting myself to God righteousness. Some of you have heard of William Tyndale. He wrote a masterful translation of the Bible in English before King James and King James version is largely based on Tyndale's version.

Tyndale was going be monitored for translating the Bible into English, and he writes in his prologue and Romans. In 1526 he writes these wonderful words no go to reader remember that Christ made not this atonement that thou shoots anger God again neither died he for thy sins but thou shoots live still in the neither claims TV that thou shoots her time as a swine unto thine old puddle again. I like that with the picture. The picture is of the of the plague is 30, the farmer watches the pig and was the first thing the pig does goes back to the mud pool says Tyndale know that's not why God saved you, that's not why you were washed and cleansed that you would go back to the old lifestyle.

No, but that thou shouldest be a new creature and live a new life after the will of God and not of the flesh. Well said William Tyndale this morning and my senior to present your body not to sin but to God.

I'm going to pray with in the same that old hymn books a good one.

Take my life and let it be wholly consecrated, Lord, to the hard to understand the frontier and we have we have a couple teams were going to be commissioning team to Jordan and the team to Kenya, and that as we sing. I would asking just the stands in front of me that is, if the ready to present their bodies to God you still want to keep in the old puddle of your sin. We ask that you don't go on the go trip is not too much to ask. No, that people and they feel if you know going on a missions trip.

If you want to take a public stand and say my life today and making that conscious decision to present my life to God responds father, we thank you for your word or glorious passage to be told sin will no longer be our master will know about this mastery, its cruelty, the devil, but we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose again, thank you that he conquered sin.

They paid the price for sin and that is alive to God eternally. Never again to die and we thank you that through faith in Christ, we are united with him or some today father there so lost still in their sins still in the old puddle of sin is aware of never being cleansed open their eyes to see the beauty and the loveliness of Christ as our Savior is a justified is the one who will wash them and cleanse them and make them new creations in Christ and for those of us who are his followers made all of us a fresh present abilities to God and not to sin. We ask it in his name