The Five-Fold Function of Law

Assignment Yellowstone National Park along the road that says don't feed the bears that seems to incite the torso.

What feed the bears. What is it about the sign stay off the grass makes you want to do what she is often frolic across the lawn right what is it about the speed limit sign that says 35 assortment tells you motivates you to go 4030 all human being needs to know is that something is off limits for him, the one that happens. Glad you joined us today. Today we begin a new series. It comes from Romans seven and it's called the war within in the Bible. The law is mentioned throughout all the old and new Testaments. Sometimes it's seen in a positive light and sometimes in a negative light. But God's law is a pivotal part of the gospel, working to learn how. That's true today Stevens going to take us to Romans seven verses seven through 13 will see there the apostle Paul reminds us what the law is and what it is.

Romans chapter 7 the apostle Paul has described the believer is that the law alive the spirit right verse five we sort of skipped over because it would relate to this It's go back and start just with that verse.

He says while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death the sinful passions were aroused by the law.

How does the law arouse passion, the sin will think about it. What is it about the assignment Yellowstone National Park along the road that says don't feed the bears that seems to incite the tourist to what feed the bears so bears die along that road. Every winter coming, especially the young ones to depend upon the tours for food. What is it about the sign stay off the grass makes you want to do what she is often frolic across the lawn right what is it about the speed limit sign that says 35 assortment tells you motivates you to go 40 x 30 what is it about the library that whenever you go in there you have this compelling urge to talk loudly. All human being needs to know is that something is off limits for him to want to have it and it starts very young doesn't I watch one television show sometime your young children one at a time put in a room one corner were lots of crowns and bicycles, tricycles and all sorts of games and things like that and then on the counter nearby was just a simple little plate with some cookies on it in the adult told the child as they brought them and wanted timeless and you can do anything you want this really comply with anything you want to play with but you can't have any cookies until I get back I'll be back in about a minute or two minutes. It was so fascinating to watch as the hidden cameras revealed that awful agony in their little hearts. One little girl went over the plate just stood there and said I can have any I can't have any I can't have any one little boy came over looked at and then went over in the corner banged his head against the law. Why because they were told they couldn't do it at all. The agony of that battle.

If they had said like welcome to this room you like, not on the toy early to pick up a crown that little plate of cookies probably wouldn't have that much attraction to them, but because they were told you can't have that you can do anything else. What they want that which was forbidden. Think about it for moment. Ladies and gentlemen, what was it about that one tree that one fruit when they had every tree in the garden with all of the fruit they could have any, and all that they cared to have you find Eve standing before that tree coveting desiring lusting after wanting why was forbidden and that nature was being promoted by the evil one who would use that commandment with that nature within her that had not yet send and bring about sin. The problem was in the law.

You have any further that one problem was sin residing within is dormant that would come to life. Why, why think about it. Why would a king against the command of God in the book of Joshua Steele, a Babylonian garment that he could never wear publicly, why would he so covered the gold and silver coins that he dug a hole in the ground and put in because he could never spend them publicly why do that because he was told he couldn't. Why would Ahab want Naboth's vineyard. He had acres and acres and acres of vineyards why that one because that didn't belong to any wanted.

I would Dimas leave the church, where God was moving in such miraculous ways. The church that was expanding and growing and reaching. Why would he ever leave that for a few things in the world because he been told he couldn't have those law was not the problem. The nature of man is the problem and it covets that which doesn't belong to it law that defines the danger and sin takes it from their number two not only does the law got defined sin law of God destroys self-righteousness. Verse nine and I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin became alive I died. In this commandment, which was to result in life proved to result in death.

For me, Paul.

Ladies and gentlemen is giving his personal testimony here you're allowed to take a peek into his diary speaking very personally. Here he is saying there was a time when I felt secure I was a lot cheaper. I did the best that I could. I was up I was a Pharisee among Pharisees and those 365 provisions of the law. I kept them as best that I could. I followed all the regulations and all those things which were important to us is given by Moses, I I was from the very beginning circumcised on the eighth day.

I was a fastidious keeper of the law.

I was even pursuing these people called Christians because they were dishonoring the law of Moses. I wanted to wipe them from the face of the your to bring glory back to the God of the law within the text is the commandment came and I died. Then the commandment came, there are a dozen opinions about when he speaking when this commandment came, I believe to be theologically correct.

He would be referring to that moment of his conversion. When the lawgiver appeared in blazing glory over that road to Damascus and knocked him off his horse and blinded Paul and the words were heard, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me sad. It all came together he thought he was upholding the honor of God, and he was fighting against the one who was God. And at that moment, his self-confidence and all of his religious accomplishments in his self-righteousness he would consider. From that moment forward, rubbish because he had come face-to-face with the lawgiver, and it revealed the corruption the true sinfulness of his heart. He had not been upholding the honor of God. He had actually been violating the honor and glory of God through his son and that wonderful expression evidencing his conversion to this resurrected one.

He said okay what you want me to do Lord you are now a master and sovereign of my life. The one I persecuted in the form of these believers.

I now turn my life over to you. Resurrected Galilean Lord master sovereign. What are the lawgiver. Paul brought them to a point where he realized that he had not kept all of the lawn. He use this one commandment is an illustration and destroy the self-righteousness number three the law of God declares the deception of sin. That's another function of the wall. Look at verse 11 for sin, taking opportunity for the commandment, deceived me to kill it deceived me. Have you ever been to see the verb translated deceived his intensive its tenants could be rendered or amplified.

It completely, absolutely, totally deceived me. I cannot begin to recount the times and the people over 17 years of ministry that I have encountered unbelievers totally deceived by their sin, even after being warned of those who claim to know Jesus Christ deceived in sin that had crept back into their life and they were warned, even though they were headed for a precipice. They were deceived by sin. I wondered about that thought began to write some things down that I believe Paul would refer to here as he talked about sin, deceiving McGivney 345 of them. Sin deceives us regarding satisfaction sin says I'll satisfy that desire, and it seems to temporarily satisfy within what happens.

The desire comes back only stronger since is all satisfy that to and it comes back later, but the duration of time between lusting more wanting or needing that possession or that thing more that person Gary Richman. Amana referenced a few times over the years used to work for the Los Angeles zoo in wind of the ministry told the story. One of his books, which ought to get the great books about a zookeeper named Julie Julie was part of his division that had sort of inherited this little baby raccoon. Evidently raccoons when their little are much like little puppies their cuddly and lots of antics still allow you to pet them and in fact Julie would be seen as she sort of adopted this little raccoon and named it bandit you could see her about her duties with little bandit perched on her shoulder.

Gary knew better and he warned her said listen Julia 24 months. Raccoons go through a glandular change. Yeah, I know all about that but now I listen they can attack without provocation. Once they reach that stage all she would say in Gary Richman wrote her answer was always the same. It will be different for me. So she resisted the warning and over time, this record of course grew. Now 30 pound raccoon that could do as much damage as a large dog and sure enough, Richman wrote three months after my last warning. Julie underwent plastic surgery for severe facial lacerations sustained when her raccoon attacked her for no apparent reason. That's the deception of sin is that it won't hurt you.

It'll be different for me to say, do not be deceived, God says through Paul in Galatians 6. Seven. Don't be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever you so that you will reap when you cheated on a test.

Nobody saw you when you feel that your income tax form. Nobody saw you when you feel that your expense report when you had that secret planning on you had that evil desire, and maybe even acted out upon it. Maybe you're here today in your planning.

Tomorrow to follow after that sin, which you been planning for weeks.

Sin is deceived you, and it satisfy or hurt you in the nobody's really get to know that's a lie. Hundreds of thousands of men in the last five years I have read of entered the world of Internet pornography deceived by one single live. Nobody see whatever you do in private. Anyway, nobody will ever see no one affect you in public. That also was alive.

It makes you who you are in public. You have been becoming who you are right now in private because you spend more time alone than with anybody else. Sin deceives Jesus said nothing is hidden except to be revealed, nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light. Mark chapter 4 verse 20 2B sure your sin will find you what find you and give you another point. Sin deceives you regarding Shane. It says what you did or planned or saw or said is really sin all the reason to be ashamed about that. In fact, wanting something is another way of needing something you should never withhold from yourself what you need. So the things that you want.

Being truly means should be those things which you allow yourself to have an is no shame in fulfilling and meeting your needs. Does not sound wonderful. That's the logic of the deceived mind to people think like that has sin actually been able to deceive people to think that which is wrong. Could be right that which they shouldn't have, they can have that which God would condemn is something that God would be pleased with. Have you been watching the news 12 years ago, the Episcopal Church set a policy you know what the policy was sexual relations were appropriate only within heterosexual marriage 12 years later. As you know, they have made history as the first mainline Protestant denomination to appoint an openly homosexual bishop.

I watched some of the delegates speak on television and I'll never forget one little lady stepping up to the microphone and saying, but the Bible says it's wrong and you would think she was from another planet. How old-fashioned can you be the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America go to just 24 months ago to launch a committee to quote re-examine its policy against same sex activity. We all know that this is not picking on the Lutherans by the way, or the Episcopalians effectiveness County we have a Baptist Church with a lesbian pastor. Frankly, I am not surprised that the world would go the way of the world that it would continue to slip along Romans chapter 1 from turning their back on creator God doubting creation and his ability to create all there is to violating the law to ultimately landing where you not only practice sin. What you stand on the sidelines and you applaud those who sin. Sin deceives and what God condemns is twisted now to becoming an expression of dignity. God calls it sin. How do you come to this.

It comes when you are under the deceptive influence of sin and you violate and ignore and repudiate and redefine the law of God so deceives in regard to satisfaction and safety and secrecy and shame when more sin deceives in regards to security people say and think under the deluding influence of sin will God will let man out there one day God will overlook my sin. That is true.

On one hand but twisted, dangerously twisted, on the other hand, I had an admitted adulterer.

Tell me a few weeks ago. God can understand that I have a sinful fallen nature and that we live in a fallen world needs you let me in. He's got a grace true to a certain point, but dangerously twisted. He said it really didn't matter.

I so it does matter.

In fact, I'm reminded that anybody's sins without shame is not secure, of heaven, there simply reflecting perhaps to their own mind and those around them that they are headed for hell not heaven. It does matter.

Listen to the word of God.

This is in Stephen's opinion, this is God's listen to the word of God.

Do not be deceived. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, those who practice sexual relations outside of marriage, nor adulterers, those within the marriage confine, nor homosexuals, nor thieves nor the covetous, nor drunkards nor violators nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God that is that mean if you committed any of the sin you can get in. Well, later on in the next verse pulses such were some of you and us. The point how many of you are sinners when we just take a poll, how many of you sin today or you can send tomorrow and the next day. Let me just see Johansson.

I can't believe it.

On her 17th anniversary. We just recognize everyone and here's a center of this church. And so it is true. The apostle John clarifies a little bit of the fog when he wrote whoever practices sin is not born of God.

The key verb to practices in the perfect tense it means to sin over and over and over again to relish and cherish that sin the live there without any shame, my friend.

If you practice sin without repentance without remorse without guilt without shame without ever being able to ask God, please rescue and save me from this you happen to be exhibit a of someone deceived by sin, and sin. I'm here to warn you as one of those little stop sign. Sin does not satisfy. It is not safe. Sin is shameful.

Sin is never done in secret, and sin will never lead to security within the kingdom of God, but may in fact be paving your way to hell. Paul says here in Romans chapter 7 as he shares his own personal testimony that sin deceives his own life. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees.

He kept the law. He promoted the law. He wanted to honor the law.

He loved God and yet one revelation I believe it is conversion of the true law by the lawgiver, and he realized his nature was corrupt. He was filled with consciousness just one he was guilty of that and to be guilty of one James Reitz is to be guilty of how many guilty of all. The law of God define sin it destroys self-righteousness. It declares the deception of sin. Now number four the law of God delineates a holy standard. Look at verse 12. So then the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Only somebody who is holy, can conceive of something holy in its perfection. Only someone righteous and perfectly good could create a standard that is righteous and perfectly good thoughts the law. Ladies and gentlemen is a revelation of the character of God, and to abandon the law means to abandon God to walk away from this book means you walk away from the God who inspired this book, thus the laws a revealer of the wonderful God he is. That's why Joshua could be challenged to meditate day and night in the law and there and he would find true success is why David could sing all how I love thy law.

119 why David could sing further in Psalm 19. The law of the Lord is perfect for storing the soul.

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure and enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true. They are righteous altogether, they are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. How could you say that you say that because the law reveals the lawgiver in the know and follow the book means you know and follow the book giver to follow the lawgivers to walk in a holy and righteous and good path, but I want to warn you, you abandon the book and you abandon the inspired word of the book and he will one day abandon you. I had a neighbor come visit me this would affect several on Thursday was the strangest day, usually home studying and the doorbell rang.

One neighbor got locked out of his house and we talked a while and talked about as best I could. Things of the Lord. He left about an hour later 45 minutes later and doorbell rang again. It was another neighbor from a few blocks away had calmed asked me a question that some of the things unrelated but after a while we steer the conversation toward the Lord you've been told I'm sure you've heard, you should never talk about religion and politics. What fun is that you shared with me his frustration with his church. I will only tell you this much is involved in a Protestant mainline denomination, which will remain nameless.

This time, he said, his frustration had been growing ever since he moved south from New York because the people in that particular region under the authority one particular man were committed to trying to rescue that church in that region, and so they came up with the idea that we can just get people to say and put into the bylaws of our procedures. This one statement at least will be allowed some little white in this growing dark place and statement was this Jesus is Lord. That's it. Jesus is Lord.

So they promoted it they pushed it they finally were able to vote on people stood upset. I had to wait till authoritative is in Jesus is in the authority of the church that still exclusive others said. He told me growing frustration. Finally the boat came and there weren't enough votes to pass. Jesus is Lord, is involved right now and starting a church outside that mainline denomination is abandon the simple truth that Jesus is Lord, that they couldn't come to say. Ladies and gentlemen, they will one day say the world will say it when every knee valves and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. One more function of the law. The law of God ultimately demands redemption by the Savior.

Verse 13 therefore did that which is good.

Become a cause of death for me may never be. Rather, it was sin in order that it might be shown to be sin by affecting my death through that which is good. Stop long enough tell you if you've ever driven, as I have up through the mountains of Pennsylvania. There is one particular stretch on the interstate is very dangerous.

There a lot of sign or signs that have squiggly marks the tell you which way the road is going to bend or signs that tell truckers to use the lower gear or signs that tell you for the next 3 miles go 35 miles an hour all the signs. If I were to violate those signs and ignore those signs and go 60 miles an hour I would go crashing through a guardrail to my death and on my way down I could not say, and would not say those signs ruin my life. Good all those horrible signs. So Paul is saying here is death brought by something good. Know the laws good. It's all rebellion against it. That is in and then he says this so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

Interesting use of words that sin would become utterly absolutely sinful. What a strange thing to say but is it you work around people who are involved in sin and they don't think it's what sinful, but when the law comes you recognize this holy and good and just standard and then you realize how far off you are. You realize that sin is actually sinful that then leads ultimately to the necessity of someone to redeem you because he answer by saying all the law can do is reveal your corruption.

Can the law help you know the laws like an x-ray is not the cure can only reveal the corruption within the disease within.

That's the function of the law. The law is not given to show you how good you have to be the law was given to show you how good you will never that's the function of the law, you cannot be saved at Mount Sinai. You must be saved at Mount Calvary, the law cannot save the lawgiver can when lawbreakers like you and me come to him and say we have nothing to offer you, but the corruption of our sinfulness and received from him that inheritance the John said, those who received him, to them he gave the power the right to become children of God. When Paul was 13 years old. According to the custom of his day. He went through a ceremony known as bar mitzvah, literally translated, he became a son of the law he promised at that ceremony to uphold the law and we know from his own personal testimony that he had dedicated his life to keeping the law. He was a son of truth of God's revelation came he had to become the son of Jesus Christ sons and daughters of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Those who do not hold their good works.

Those who hold to the finished work of the Lamb, not the law.

Thanks for being with us today here on wisdom of the heart the message you just heard is called the five fold function of the law and its lesson one in a series entitled the war within between now and tomorrow's broadcast.

I invite you to learn more about Steven and the ministry of wisdom international by visiting our website. You'll find us online@wisdomonline.org you'll be able to quickly and easily access the complete archive of Stephen's Bible teaching ministry. All of our other resources including Stephen's books Bible study guides, devotional materials, and more are available.

There will again, thank you for joining us today. I hope you will be with us for our next Bible lesson tomorrow right here on wisdom