Your Relationship With Sin

Your Relationship With Sin: An Evaluation
1 Peter 4:1-7

I. Have you SAID your FAREWELL? (4:1-3)

Sin is a done deal. This means two things. First, sin has been completely removed by the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross (Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins).

Secondly, this means that sin is not supposed to be our master anymore! (Matthew 6:24 - no man can serve two masters!)

God wants you to come to the church, but have you been to the cross? If you come to the church on a faithful and regular basis, you will receive encouragement, comfort, power, and challenge to face the world, but if you come to the cross of Jesus Christ just one time, it will change your life forever. The church can lead you into that change, keep you going in the right direction, and help you lead others to the same change, but the actual change will come from the Cross.

Read Romans 6:11-14

II. Have you SECURED your FREEDOM? (4:4)

Peter is saying, "Those people who live for sin, those persons who do whatever they want and have no regard for a Godly life...they think you are weird because you now live for a Savior that you have never even seen!" (Recall 1 Peter 1:8-9).

Galatians 5:1 tells us that it is for freedom that He set us free, and to STAND FIRM in that freedom. In other words, freedom is not free! It came at a high price - the shed blood of God’s Son, the Lamb of God. Therefore, FIGHT for that FREEDOM. Do not let anyone take it from you! Now that you have been SET free from sin, STAY free from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Imagine Iraq 10 years from now. Let’s assume that peace and stability has come, and the Iraqis are now enjoying a free nation, but then they decide they want old Sadaam back, because, on second thought, he wasn’t so bad.

Well, this sounds crazy, but why would anyone who has experienced the freedom only Christ can give go back to that which use to imprison them? Be free!

III. Will you STAY FOCUSED? (4:5-7)

It is very common for people to believe they will not answer to God for their lives. While most people believe in God, they do not believe that they will answer to God for the live they led.

This is nothing new - it is as old as the Bible.

Read Psalm 10:2-6, and then especially Psalm 10:13

Also read Philippians 2:9-11. Notice that one day, everybody will acknowlegde Christ as LORD. Every knee - those who loved him, those who hated his name, and those who never could bring themselves to faith, will bow before on either trembling knees of worship or trembling knees of fear and proclaim Him LORD.

However, not "every tongue" will confess that He is Savior.

That is a CHOICE we make on earth. The end of all things is near; therefore, STAY FOCUSED on the fact that "the King is coming, the King is coming, I just heard the trumpet sounding, and now His face I see, oh the King is coming, the King is coming, PRAISE GOD, He’s coming for me!"

Invitation: You’ve been to the church. Have you been to the cross?