A Call to Worship

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-8-2025

Psalm 81

 

A.  I do not want to spend much time on what constitutes worship and what does not, but this topic does need to be addressed. There are many modern-day practices labeled as worship that do not align with the Scriptures. 

 

1.  Worship defined:  to prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): - worship.  I define worship as worth-ship.  Telling God what He is worth to us personally.  Though worship is required in the local church, it is also an individual thing. 

 

2.  Worship is not merely emotion, although it can evoke emotion. Worship is not something that needs to be generated or worked up by a “Praise Leader” (a cheerleader) or “Praise Band. (modern, worldly music)”

 

B.  This Psalm opens with a vibrant call to worship. God's people are summoned not with solemn whispers but with joy and loudness. The emphasis is not just on singing but singing unto God our strength, recognizing Him as our source of power and deliverance.

 

C.  Worship is not an emotional experience; it is a declaration of truth. When we sing, we declare who God is — our Strength, our God, the One who delivered us as He did Jacob. Believers today should not be silent saints. Our worship ought to reflect the power and majesty of our God, not a cold routine. Every service, every prayer meeting, every song — must be a joyful expression of who God is.

 

D.  What defines worship in the Scriptures:

 

1.  True worship is in the beauty of holiness, not worldliness.  Psalms 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 

2.  True worship is gladness and thankfulness, not emotion.  Psalms 100:1-5  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  (2)  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  (3)  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  (4)  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 

3.  True worship is praise of God, not of man.  Ephesians 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

 

4.   True worship is in spirit and truth, not flesh and false doctrine.  John 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.

 

5.  True worship is a heart thing, not a ritualistic service.  Psalms 150:1-6  Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.  (2)  Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.  (3)  Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.  (4)  Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.  (5)  Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.  (6)  Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

E. Now, let us examine these verses concerning worship by dividing the Psalm into four distinct parts.

 

1.  Verses 1-4.  The Command or Call of Worship.  Worship is not optional to God.

 

a.  Verse 1.  Singing loudly and making a noise is appropriate.  This includes me!  I sing loud, not to be heard, but because I enjoy it.  Psalm 100 said, “Make a joyful noise,” not a mournful one.  Singing to the Lord is a great thing.

 

b.  Verse 2.  Getting involved is required.  Bring a song, a musical instrument, and join in with the congregation.

 

c.  Verse 3.  Be faithful at the time appointed, each time of assembly and worship.

 

d.  Verse 4.  The assembly is of God.  God loves the called-out assembly of the church.

 

2.  Verse 5-6.  The Testimony of Worship.

 

a.  Worship is not just a happy time or circumstance.  Joseph was sold into slavery, falsely imprisoned, and forgotten for two years.  Worship?  Most would be so down in the dumps that worship would not be an option.

 

b.  Joseph worshipped despite his troubles.  Everyone around him saw the testimony of God that he had, and, because of his integrity, he was eventually elevated to the second-in-command position in all of Egypt.

 

c. Later, Joseph understood what God was doing, but in the process, he was no doubt confused yet worshipped Him.  Do not allow your circumstances to conflict with your worship.

 

d.  True worship is because of Who God is, what God has done, and what God can do!

 

3.  Verses 7-12.  The Warning of Worship.

 

a.  Verses 7-9.  This recalls God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. He heard their cries in trouble and answered them — not because they were righteous, but because God is merciful.  We must remember what God has delivered us from. Spiritual amnesia is dangerous because, when we forget His past mercies, we become ungrateful in the present.

 

b.  God’s blessing should cause worship.  God was good to Israel; and look around, God is good to us.  Never take the blessings of God for granted. 

 

c.  Verse 10.  Always be thankful.  Just open your mouth and God will fill it with praise.  Worship is a wonderful response to God’s goodness.

 

d.  Verse 11-12.  BUT!  What a terrible response to God’s goodness.  God’s people would not hearken to His words.  They willfully ignored God, so God gave them up to walk in their ways.  This invoked the judgment of God instead of the blessing of God.

 

4.  Verses 13-16.  The Promise of Worship.

 

a.  Verse 13.  God's desire for His children is the path of obedience, blessing, which causes worship.

 

b.  Verses 14-15.  Spiritual and physical protection. I have often said that I would rather be on a foreign field of service in the will of God than to be in Laurens, SC, out of the will of God. Safety is of the Lord!

 

c.  Verse 16.  God reveals what could have been. He desires to bless, protect, and provide. “Honey out of the rock” refers to supernatural provision from unlikely sources. God’s will is always to bless His children, but the blessings of God are found in obedience to and worship of God.

Theology: The Doctrine of The Holy Spirit - Pneumatology - Part 1 - Divine in His Person

Temple Baptist Church - 6-8-2025

John 14:15-18

 

Introduction:

 

A.  The context of our text.

 

1. In John chapter 14, the Lord Jesus prepares His disciples for what is to come: death, burial, and resurrection.  He begins this discourse with “Let not your hearts be troubled.” 

 

2.  Heretofore, our Lord had been their Comforter.  Notice the words “another Comforter” in John 14:16.  “Another” means one who is like or the same.  Verse 26 says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name.”

 

John 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 

3.  These are two beautiful verses, 16 and 26, declare the Trinity.  In verse 16, “I” is Jesus Christ, the “Father” is obvious, and “Comforter” is the Holy Spirit.  In verse 26, “Comforter,” which is the Holy Ghost, “whom the Father will send,” and “in my name” who is Jesus Christ!

 

4.  “Another” is key here.  The Holy Spirit is God and is completely like God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This leads to another phrase found in verse 18, where our Lord said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you!”  Romans 8:9 and 1 Peter 1:11 equate the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Christ.” 

 

5.  An amazing verse!  The Person of the Holy Spirit will completely take the place of and be the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the believer.

 

Matthew 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

John 14:8-10  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  (9)  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?  (10)  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

 

The Trinity – three in one that make up one.  Three distinct Persons that are eternally united.

 

6.  **Acts 2:1-13.  The fulfillment is found in Acts chapter 2, verses 4-8: the fullness, the filling of the Holy Ghost.  The fulfillment of the coming of the Comforter has been skewed by the “tongues” in our day.  Something to be discussed more fully in the days to come, but the tongues spoken were 16 known languages, each understood by 16 different hearers.  Unknown to the speaker because they were not fluent in these languages, but known by the people who spoke them as their “heart languages.”

 

B. The Holy Spirit is mentioned over 100 times in the Old Testament. In the New Testament alone, there are about 261 passages that refer to the Holy Spirit. He is mentioned 56 times in the Gospels, 57 times in the book of Acts, 112 times in the Pauline Epistles, and 36 times in the other books of the New Testament.

 

C. Despite this, there is considerable confusion and misunderstanding regarding the Holy Spirit. Many cults deny that He is a Person and that He is God, claiming the Holy Spirit is merely a “force” or an “influence” or the “conscience.” 

 

D.  Conversely, the Charismatic Movement, which has significantly penetrated today’s religious world, places enormous emphasis on the Holy Spirit—teaching practices such as “ecstatic and unintelligible utterances” in some unknown spiritual tongue (biblical tongues were known languages to the hearer, but not the speaker), along with false “healings” and “exorcisms.”

 

E.  In Theology, we find the word “Pneumatology,” which is derived from the Greek word Pneuma, which means “breath” or “spirit,” which metaphorically describes a “non-material Being.”  Pneumatology describes His person, deity, personality, and work.

 

F.  Who is the Holy Spirit?  The Holy Spirit is referred to in many ways in the Bible.  Here are some: Holy Spirit, which refers to His person; Holy Ghost, which refers to His work; Spirit of God, which refers to His union in the Trinity; Comforter, which refers to His solace to the believer; and Spirit, the One who indwells the believer.

 

1.  He is God and one with God, the third person of the Trinity. The Bible declares the Trinity, though the word is not found there.  However, the principle and truth of the Trinity are consistently found throughout the Bible. 

 

2. I often quote a Theological statement that I learned years ago, which bears this truth.

 

“God is one God, manifesting Himself in three persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.  These three are all co-equal in all power and attributes.”

 

3.  The Holy Spirit is eternal.  Hebrews 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

              4. He is Omnipresent.  Psalms 139:7-10  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  (8)  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (9)  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;  (10)  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

 

5.  He is Omniscient.  1 Corinthians 2:10-11  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  (11)  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

 

6.  He is Omnipotent.  Matthew 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

 

G.  The Holy Spirit’s relationship in the lives of both believers and non-believers. 

 

2. The Holy Spirit’s relationship with the lost sinner.  John 16:7-8  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  (8)  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

 

a)  The Holy Spirit convicts the Sinner.  “reprove”

 

b)  The Holy Spirit convinces the Sinner.  “of righteousness … judgment”

 

c)  The Holy Spirit draws the Sinner. John 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

d)  The Holy Spirit converts the Sinner.  John 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

 

3.  The Holy Spirit’s relationship with the believer: born again, blood-washed, eternally saved children of God through faith in the Gospel and repentance from sin.

 

a)  The Holy Spirit baptizes the Saint.  1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 

b)  The Holy Spirit seals the Saint.  Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

 

c)  The Holy Spirit fills the Saint.  Ephesians 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

 

d)  The Holy Spirit communes with the Saint.  2 Corinthians 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.

 

e)  The Holy Spirit prays for the Saint.  Romans 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

f)  The Holy Spirit teaches the Saint.  John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

g)  The Holy Spirit comforts the Saint.  John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

h)  The Holy Spirit corrects the Saint.  Hebrews 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Spirit!

 

H.  He is the Holy!  Holiness is a definite quality that is attributed to the Lord.  There are over ninety references in which the Spirit of God is called “the holy Spirit of God.  As the holy one that lives within us, He alone can make us have true holiness. 

 

J.  The Holy Spirit bears record of our salvation in heaven.  1 John 5:6-13  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  (7)  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  (8)  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.  (9)  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.  (10)  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.  (11)  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  (12)  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  (13)  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

 

K.  The Holy Spirit only glorifies Christ Jesus and not Himself.  John 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

 

Conclusion:  Don’t let somebody’s teaching or preaching rob you of the joy of knowing more about the Holy Spirit as God.  He is in the Godhead, coequal with the Son and the Father. In D. L. Moody’s sermon on “The Holy Spirit,” he said that a man came up to him and said, “Mr. Moody, you speak as if you had a monopoly on the Holy Spirit.”  Mr. Moody’s reply was, “No, decidedly, no! But I do trust that the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on me.”  The question of the hour is this:  Does the Holy Spirit have a monopoly on you?”   

Our Foundation Is Christ

Temple Baptist Church - 6-4-2025

1 Corinthians 3:9-11

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  The most crucial part of any structure is the foundation upon which it stands. It matters not how well-built or beautifully constructed; if the foundation is flawed, the structure will not stand the test of time.

 

1.  Lately, there have been several “sink holes” in the most-used portions of Laurens. Parking lots and entrance drives to businesses are now inaccessible until they can be fixed. The problem was not the pavement; the issue lay with the foundation underneath.

 

2.  Our spiritual foundations are the same.  Water slowly eroded the ground beneath the pavement, causing it to sink. The problem with the saints of God is similar. Unseen sin or apostasy gradually erodes the spiritual foundation of the child of God.   

 

Psalms 11:3  If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

 

B.  In our text, we find Paul, the wise masterbuilder (architect or craftsman), laying the only foundation upon which the believer can build, and that foundation is Christ Jesus.  When a person gets saved, from that day until death or the rapture of the church, the believer builds on Christ.

 

C.  Here are some foundations that we need to make sure are right.

 

1.  The Foundation Of Our Salvation – 1 Peter 2:1-10

 

Isaiah 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

 

                    a.  It Is A Laid Stone – I lay in Zion (Calvary)

 

                    b.  It Is A Foundation Stone – Jesus Christ

 

                    c.  It Is A Tried Stone – The Salvation Of God Works

 

                    d.  It Is A Precious Stone – To the Child Of God

 

                    e.  It Is A Sure Stone – No Wise Case Out, Shall Be Saved

 

1 John 2:25  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

 

Make Sure Your Faith Is In Christ Alone!

 

2.  The Foundation Of The Local Church - Matthew 16:13-18

 

Ephesians 2:19-22  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

 

1 Timothy 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 

a.  Teach your children to have confidence in the Church.  Teach them to be faithful to the church, to tithe and give to the church, to participate in the worship of the church.

 

b.  Teach your children to obey the preaching of God’s Word.  Teach them that God’s Word is right and that it can be trusted.

 

c.  Teach your children to have confidence in the Pastor.  Teach them to respect God’s man, to love God’s man, to honor God’s man, and to befriend God’s man.

 

d.  Make sure we keep Christ the Preeminent One in the Church!  It belongs to Him!

 

3.  The Foundation Of The Home – Luke 7:47-49

 

Psalms 127:1  Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

 

a.  The home is the strength of America.  The home is a place of peace and spiritual prosperity: prayer, family devotions, love, and respect.

 

b.  The home is the strength of the Church.  I thank God for both the faithful families and individuals who make up the church. 

 

4.  The Foundation Of Our Faith - 2 Timothy 2:14-19

 

2 Peter 1:19-21  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

a.  Satan cannot destroy it; therefore, he tries to discredit it (A good book, but not a perfect one)

 

b.  Satan cannot destroy it; therefore, he tries to confuse it (By flooding the market with perversions)

 

c.  What can the righteous do?  (Stand for the old King James Bible and in the OLD PATHS without apology and teaching our children to do the same)

 

          Make Sure The Word Of God Is Our Final Authority!

 

5.  The Foundation Of Our Reward – 1 Corinthians 3:9-11

 

1 Corinthians 3:8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

 

2 John 8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

 

a.  Our Service’s Foundation – “Jesus Christ”

 

b.  Our Service’s Folly – “suffer loss”

 

c.  Our Service’s Fruition – “receive a reward”

 

Make Sure Our Service Is Faithful And Our Motive Is Right!

Let Me Never Be Not Ashamed

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-1-2025

Psalm 31

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Psalm 31 is Davidic.  This wonderful but flawed man, after God’s own heart, had a complex and difficult life, from his youth to his death.  I cannot reiterate enough the fact that God’s people face a myriad of troubles in this life, some we personally caused and others that we did not. 

 

B.  Hardship, troubles, trying times, and sickness are not necessarily signs of sinfulness or weakness.    When I think of hardships in life, I place Job, David, and Paul at the head of the list. 

 

1.  These Davidic Psalms are both encouragements and warnings.  Each of these men lived hard lives at times.  The warnings are plain to see.  All three of these men were godly men who were utterly devoted to serving the Lord, and life did not always treat them well.

 

2.  Though a life lived for Christ may not be the easiest path to walk, it is the most rewarding.    God mentioned them!  Their lives counted for something here on earth, and their reward would be eternal.

 

C.  In this Psalm, as in most of the Davidic Psalms, we find David crying out to God for deliverance.  Throughout the Psalm, David shifts back and forth from crying in despair to faith in a God who cannot and will not fail.

 

D.  Thus, we find the application to be made concerning all of us.  I believe that the key to this Psalm is the word “ashamed,” which is used twice.  Verse 1 and verse 17.  The phrases in which the word is used differ in tense. 

 

1.  Verse 1: “Let me never be ashamed” is in the future tense.  “Never” takes it from the present to the entirety of David’s life.  In verses 1-3, David expresses his faith and blessed hope in the Lord.

 

2.  Verse 17: “Let me not be ashamed, O LORD” is present tense.  “Not” speaks of the present and the situation at hand.

 

E.  Verses 1-3.  David’s Plea.  David’s Plea is based upon:

 

1.  The Person of David’s Trust: “O LORD”

 

2.  The Prayer of David’s Trust:  “ Bow down thine ear to me”

 

3.  The Promise of David’s Trust:  “ be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.  For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 

 

F.  Verses 4-13.  David’s Predicament. 

 

1.  David’s enemies are having a “field day” with this great man of God.  Sometimes, in each of our lives, that happens.

 

2.  Verse 4.  “ Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me.” 

 

David is tangled in the Net.  The enemy set a trap for him and he is now in it.

 

3.  Verses 9-10.  “Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.  (10)  For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.” 

 

David has been in the net for a while now and his spirit is overwhelmed.

 

4.  Though his enemies mock David and his God, David is resigned to God’s time in verses 15-16. God’s time and God’s way is not only the best way, it is the only way.

 

Psalms 31:15-16  My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.  (16)  Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.

 

G.  Verses 1, 17.  “Ashamed!”  David’s greatest fear was not being ashamed of himself but the possibility of being ashamed of God. 

 

1.  Ashamed – to be embarrassed or humiliated.  To lose confidence in something or someone.  The biblical definition is “disgraced.” 

 

2.  We have all been ashamed of ourselves, but none of us wants to arrive at the point where we are ashamed of God or the things of God. When trouble assails us, the world often asks, “Where is your God?” or “Why would God allow this to happen to you?”

 

3.  God help us to have the mindset that David had:  “Let me never be ashamed” in the future and “Let me not be ashamed” in the present.

 

H.  Now, by application, if a man after God’s own heart is affected in such a manner, we as God’s children are not exempt.   What does the devil want us to be ashamed to talk about or associate with?

 

1.  Never ashamed of our Saviour.  Often, in the presence of the world, we are afraid to tell the lost about our wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

 

2.  Never ashamed of our Salvation.  Telling others of not only our wonderful Saviour but also of our great salvation.  I traded hell for heaven and got an incredible deal!  A new hope and a new home. 

 

3.  Never ashamed of our Sanctification.  Not flaunting our new lives in Christ as that exalts self while expressing the wonderful change that God has made in our lives, which exalts Him.  I love my new life in Christ.  It is undoubtedly a lot better than my life without Christ.  I would not go back to where I was before Christ found me.

 

4.  Never ashamed of our Scriptures.  Bible believers are simply that, Bible believers.  The world and religion do not want to have a “final authority.”  I may be ignorant and unlearned, but I believe and love my Bible.  I do not follow what people say about my Bible; I just follow my Bible.  I am proud of my Bible, the King James Bible.  It is not a version; it is the Bible!

 

5.  Never ashamed of our Sanctuary.  God has given us a wonderful people who assemble in a wonderful church.  We are old-fashioned, but so are the Old Paths trod by our fathers, wherein is the good way.  We may be few in number, but we are one in spirit with no divisions or strife.  This is a great place to call home.

 

6.  Never be ashamed of our Siblings.  Our brothers and sisters in Christ!  Not a perfect one in this church.  We are one.  We are God’s children and should treat one another with love and respect.  We are all family.  Satan is a divider, but thank God, He is a unifier! 

 

7.  My prayer is “Dear Lord, never let me be ashamed!”  The day may come when I can no longer pastor because of physical or mental difficulties, but I want this church and church family always to be my church and church family! 

Let Not Sin Therefore Reign In Your Mortal Body

Temple Baptist Church - 6-1-2025

Romans 6:12-13

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Romans 5-6 swing back and forth between Adam and Christ Jesus, obedience and disobedience, and sin and death, grace and righteousness, and eternal death and eternal life.  What is Paul driving home to the believer?

 

WE HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED; WE HAVE BEEN UNITED WITH CHRIST; WE ARE DEAD TO SIN; WE HAVE BEEN RAISED AGAIN TO NEWNESS OF LIFE!  ONE DAY WE WILL BE GLORIFIED!  WELL, GLORY!

 

1.  The context flows smoothly throughout chapters 5-7. Look at the wording. 

 

Chapter 5: Therefore, by whom, and, and, and, for, for, but, much more, for, and, wherefore, for nevertheless but, and, for, therefore, for, moreover, that as!

 

Chapter 6: What, know ye not, therefore, for, knowing, for, now, knowing, for, likewise let not neither for, what then, know ye not, but, being, for, but, for.

 

Chapter 7: Know ye not!

 

2.  I continue to try to teach our people that context is crucial and cannot be ignored in order to properly understand what the Bible is teaching.

 

3.  Context:  Romans 5:12 – “Wherefore”  Romans 5:18 – “Therefore” 

 

4.  Questions:  Romans 6 - Five questions asked, Verses 1-3, and verses 15-16.   When God asks you a question, He also gives you the answer so that YOU WON’T GET IT WRONG.

 

B.  Verse 12 speaks of sin in your mortal body.  We live in a sinful world and sinful bodies.  This is a fact that needs to be reiterated repeatedly. 

 

1. The world will not improve as sin continues to multiply. We are facing many new challenges today due to the internet, social media, the “hooked on the cell phone syndrome,” and rapidly changing moral standards that shape our consciences. Sin has become rampant and is often seen as acceptable.

 

2. The human body will not improve either. A significant amount of money is spent on ways to enhance our physical appearance and health, but little is invested in addressing our sinful nature. The reason for this is straightforward: improving our sinful nature is a personal responsibility.

 

Romans 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

 

Paul finishes his discourse concerning the depravity of his flesh with these words.

 

Romans 7:24-25  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  (25)  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

C.  In verse 13, Paul uses the word “therefore.”  It ties the verse to its context. 

 

1.  Our salvation expresses union with Christ and identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.  Death to sin and saved to a new life in Christ.

 

2.  Our union with Christ transforms our identity (who we are), liberating us from the dominion of sin and empowering us to live a new life (what we should be).

 

D.  In chapters 6 and 7 of Romans, Paul is bringing the preceding chapters to a conclusion.  From “all have sinned” to “I have sinned”  with personal responsibility in both.  If you are lost, get saved; if you are saved, stop sinfulness.  The Bible makes both plain.

 

1.  Verse 1-2.  The First question is asked and answered in verses one and two. 

 

Romans 6:1-2  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  (2)  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

 

a.  We, as children of God, have NO right to choose sin over righteousness.  Chapter five told us that Christ died for sin.  Life is full of choices, but for the spiritual child of God, the choice is biblically clear.  GOD FORBID! 

 

b.  If repentance from sin is godly sorrow, how can we choose a life of sorrow over a life of salvation

 

c.  In verse 2, we find that grace gives no permission to sin; it is a power of transformation.  Transformation comes from a renewed and right mind.

 

Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

d.  Paul and the Holy Ghost reply, “God forbid!”  That means that God forbids, and we should have the same attitude towards sin.

 

Deuteronomy 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

2.  Verses 3-7.  This section also begins with a question followed by the biblical answer.

 

Romans 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

 

a.  Who biblically taught us that we have a right to choose in the matter of sin?  We were saved from and made dead to sin in verses 6-8.

 

b. The Holy Spirit has immersed us in Jesus Christ, which is union with Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.  We are hid with Christ in God!  As Christ died and rose again, the believer dies to sin and rises to new life. 

 

Colossians 3:1-3  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  (2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3)  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

 

c. An old man who had spent many years in prison was finally paroled and became free. He could not live life outside of prison because that was all he knew. He walked into a bank and handed a teller a note which basically said that “This is a holdup” and asked for money. He knew that they would send an alarm to the police station, so he quietly awaited their arrival and his return to incarceration. We both can and should learn to live for the One who died for our sin.

 

3.  Verses 8-11.  Reckon yourself dead unto sin and alive unto Christ. 

 

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

4.  Verses 1-10.  Know – 6:1-10  When Christ died, we died with Him; when Christ resurrected, we resurrected with Him.  Satan wants us ignorant but God wants us to know.

 

5.  Verses11-12.  Reckon – 6:11-12  It is not enough merely to know our new position in Christ; we must, by faith, reckon it to be true in our own individual lives. Reckoning is faith in action, resting on the Word of God despite circumstances or feelings.

 

6.  Verses 12-23.  Yield – 6:13-23  This yielding is an act of our own wills, a step of obedience to the Lord. It is not enough to know this wonderful doctrine; we must take this final step of yielding the members of our bodies to Christ.  The word means to submit or to give way to.  At a Yield Sign, we are to yield the right-a-way to other traffic.  The word also means to bow. 

 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

 

7.  We, as God’s children, are to bow—to submit—to give way unto God in our lives.  Yielding to God takes submission to His will.  f.  Surrendering to God’s will:

 

a.  Opens Our Spiritual Eyes - John 7:17  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

 

b.  Give Us Power in Prayer - 1 John 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

 

c.  Produces Joy - John 15:10-11  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.  (11)  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

 

d.  Causes Christ to Manifest Himself To Us - John 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

e.  Brings the Filling of the Holy Spirit - Ephesians 5:17-18  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  (18)  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;