Sermon Central
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Legalism Versus Holiness Series
Contributed by Dan Borchert on Sep 23, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Legalism Versus Holiness, we all want to live holy lives, but sometimes we cross the line and being to live legalistic lives, were is the line?
Getting on the Same Page As God About Legalism verse Holiness
Introduction
A. Close your eyes.
B. Everyone’s eyes Closed?
C. Do not start thinking about lunch
D. Do not start thinking about that nice juicy steak you will be enjoying
E. Do not start thinking about the sweet potato with just the right amount of brown sugar and butter
F. Do not start thinking about the yummy tasting roll that will be on the side
G. Do not start thinking about the cold coke that you will be enjoying with your meal
H. Keep your eyes closed. How many of you are hungry? Ok open your eyes
I. I told you not to think about that stuff and you all did
J. Unfortunately that is what we often do in our spiritual lives
K. We start making a list of stuff that we can not do and we begin to focus on those things
L. Those things start looking attractive, we start getting interested in them…and we are trapped in them
M. Then the same thing that we were trying to avoid, we sink into
N. How do we prevent this stuff from happening?
O. We are going to look at chapter 7 and see what the law teaches us about legalism and holiness
P. Now the law is the instrument we use to measure sin
Q. We are going to look at
1. The authority of the Law
2. The purpose of the Law
3. The inability of the Law
II. The Authority of the Law (1-6)
A. Explanation
1. Paul starts off by giving us an illustration
2. In this Illustration we have two people who are married
3. The husband then dies
4. The lady is then free to remarry
5. Ok that makes perfect sense rights? Well read on further
6. Upon first reading this we naturally assume that the law is the husband and we are the wife
7. But take a close look at verse 4, we become the husband
8. Now if the husband, who died, wants to remarry what must happen? (Pause)
9. Exactly! He must come back from the dead
10. That is what Paul is trying to teach.
11. We died to the law; but in Christ, we arose from the dead and are now “married” (United) to Christ to live a new kind of life!
B. Application
1. What does this mean for our lives
2. Most people when they read this passage stop at the part that they are release from the binding of, to carry out the illustration, marriage
3. But we should not stop there
4. Take a good look at verse 6. It is true that we have been released from the law
5. But, we are now “Married” or united with Christ
6. Because of this marriage or union we need to carry out our responsibility
7. Now understand this is not about a set or rules this is not about meeting certain standards
8. When we start viewing all of this as far as meeting requirements we miss the point
9. This is an act of service done out of love and appreciation for God
10. The law is an act of rules, this new law that we are under once we accept Christ, is a marriage.
C. Illustration
1. Time to embarrass George and June. They have been married for about 51 years now. When they took their vows the made a commitment to serve each other. That means when one of this get sick, who do you think is right their to help? That means when the Doctor tells George not to be our in the cold, who do you think make’s sure he is not out in the cold despite how bad he wants to be. For them it is not about rules, it is not about meeting requirements, it is about serving each other with love
2. That is the type of “marriage” God wants from you.
3. That is the type of love and respect God is calling you too.
4. When George and June serve each other out of love and appreciation, it is no longer about a list of do and don’ts
5. It is about love and service. The same is true with your relationship with Christ
6. You move from the legalistic, what do I have to do attitude, to a obsequious attitude
7. Let me define that word obsequious means ready and willing.
8. Serve God not out of a requirements, serve God with and obsequious attitude
III. The Purpose of the Law (7-13)
A. Explanation
1. Paul then does his favorite technique of responding to the critics question before they ask it, after everything that he wrote, he knew that they would ask:
