Thesis: To define and make the hearers more aware about the points of attack concerning sin, thus enabling them better walk in the light of God’s word (1 John 1:7; Ps 119:105), thereby submitting to God and resisting the devil (Ja 4:7).
Text: Mt 4:1-11
Mat 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Mat 4:2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Mat 4:3 And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." (lust of the flesh; misuse His miraculous powers for self instead of others)
Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"(Jn 6:63; Mt 6:33)
Mat 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple
Mat 4:6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" (pride of life; nothing will happen to Me because I AM God’s Son)
Mat 4:7 Jesus said to him, "Again (also) it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (if you think you are going to force God’s hand you are sadly mistaken; we need to be content where God puts us and learn from our situations instead of always trying to change them)
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Mat 4:9 And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." (lust of the eyes; always wanting more, all!)
Mat 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"(these kingdoms are purposed for God’s will, not mine, I only worship/serve God! not you)
Mat 4:11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Introduction,
1. In this Matthew’s account of the gospel we see what is known as “the temptations of Jesus.”
2. Sin is the common enemy of all mankind, including our Lord.
3. In Gen 3 in the Garden we saw the wrong way to deal with the temptations of Satan.
4. Thus sin first entered the world, and physical “death” was passed to all individuals, because being ousted from the presence of God, man was also separated from the tree of life (Gen 3:22-24) which enable him to live forever.
5. Yet even though physical death has been mankind’s lot since that day, so also has been spiritual death, for all the accountable have sinned (Rom 3:23), following in the footsteps of Adam and Eve, for on that very day they died spiritually just as God promised (Gen 2:17) because of sin.
6. Spiritual death is plainly depicted by the apostle Paul in Eph 2, turn there (Eph 2:1-3) . . .
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Eph 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
7. Spiritual death is also seen in the case of the pleasure seeking widow in 1 Tim 5 (1 Tim 5:1-6).
1Ti 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers,
1Ti 5:2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
1Ti 5:3 Honor widows who are truly widows.
1Ti 5:4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
1Ti 5:5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,
1Ti 5:6 but she who is self-indulgent (gives herself to pleasure) is dead even while she lives.
8. We need to keep in mind that “death” is merely a “separation”
a. Physical death is the separation of body and spirit (Ja 2:26),
Jas 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
b. Spiritual death, a separation between man and God (Isa 59:2).
Isa 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
9. In Matthew 4 our Lord shows us the proper way to handle the wiles of the devil, not by following one’s own feelings, but by wielding the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (Eph 6:17), I think it is very interesting that the first recorded words after His baptism are “it is written,” in imitating Christ this also ought to be ours (1 Cor 11:1)
10. Just as all those who have lost that pure and holy part of the Divine image through their imitating of Adam and Eve in view of God’s laws, those that believe in Christ are able to gain that image back (Jn 5:24) through the gospel, in other words, what was lost through sin (fellowship with God), is regained in Christ (reconciliation back to God).
11. Now, through the grace of God which has appeared, bringing salvation (Tit 2:11; Jesus Christ and His gospel), any person, whosoever wills, can have the hope of eternal life (fellowship) with our heavenly Father (Tit 1:2).
12. Therefore in this lesson we will take a closer look at that which can keep us from that heavenly hope, “sin,” in order that we may be more able to deal with the wiles of the devil, ridding ourselves all the more of the ignorance of his devices, and as is our custom, we will look at the problem of sin from three basic perspectives
1) Sin defined.
2) Sin delivered.
3) Sin defeated.
I. SIN DEFINED.
A. The word translated “sin” in our NT is the word “harmartia” is translated by a linguistic expert as thus . . .
Thayer Definition:
1a) to be without a share in
1b) to miss the mark
1c) to err, be mistaken
1d) to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong
1e) to wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin
2) that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act
3) collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many
The Bible, God’s word (knowledge from God), gives us all things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3), that includes defining the enemy of mankind, “sin” (turn to 1 John 3:4).
1Jn 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness (the transgression of the law; KJV).
1. Simply put, sin is the violation of God's laws, and without law there is no sin (Rom 4:15), and since we know that Jesus died for sin, it must exist, or He died in vain, thus there must be law.
2. Also the apostle John affirms that there is indeed sin which the Christian needs to deal with, thus law, in the New Covenant, (look at 1 John 1:8-10) . . .
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
a. The gospel is called; the Law of Christ (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2); the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; (Rom 8:2); a Law of faith; (Rom 3:27), the Law of God (Rom 8:7); the Law of liberty; (Ja 2:12); and the perfect Law of liberty (Ja 1:25).
b. Though the apostle Paul and James affirms that there is law, yet we are not under it (Rom 6:14)
Rom 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
c. Therefore law it is there, but we are not under it, it is not hanging over our heads like a boulder waiting to crush us, but rather it is there for our learning (Rom 15:4), waiting for us to embrace it willingly, in order that it may be written upon our hearts (Heb 8:10)
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
3. The laws of God from all dispensations (Patriarchy. Mosaic; Christian) can be put in four basic categories.
1) Moral laws.
i. Which concern things such as greed, lying, drunkenness, stealing, fornication (sexual sins), murder, and such like.
2) Ceremonial laws.
i. These concern the laws of worship, such as, the Lord’s supper is to be a memorial, women are not to preach but rather men, only men with holy hands are to lead prayers, we are to teach from God’s word, we are to sing to God, giving as we have been prospered from the heart, and all things are to be done in an orderly fashion.
3) Civil laws.
i. Under Moses there was an elaborate system of civil laws, under Christ we are merely told to obey the governments (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17), yet we need to keep in mind at all times the Divine Governor (Acts 4:19; 5:29), when authorities ask us to do something opposed to God’s will “we must rather obey God than man” when forced into a choice.
4) Arbitrary laws (just because God said).
i. Such as God said not to eat of a certain fruit, Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son, blood put on the doorposts and lentils, the circling of Jericho for seven days, Naaman dipping seven times in the Jordan, the verbal confession of Christ; baptism (immersion) for the remission of sins.
3. When any of these laws are not carried out as prescribed, then transgression, lawlessness, sin occurs.
4. We therefore must acknowledge that sin exists, and could bring about dreadful consequences, repercussions, in this life and the next, most importantly the practice of certain sins (mortal sins;1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21) ultimately results in eternal separation from God (Isa 59:2; Matt. 7:21-23; 1 Pet 3:12).
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
Isa 59:2 but your iniquities (plural) have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins (plural) have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who keeps saying to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will get into the kingdom from heaven, but only the person who keeps doing the will of my Father in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn't we?'
Mat 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who practice evil!'" (lawlessness).
B. Today, many try to explain away sin . . .
1. They say that the truth is subjective; each one of us has our own standard within us, which “we” must follow, but this makes man his own God, and shadows the problems of Israel of old as in the time of the judges, as seen in (Judges 21:25).
Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
a. When Israel got to this stage, God would bring in a conqueror to oppress them, seeing that they rejected God’s ways and followed their own, I believe that is where we are at today in this nation.
2. Some say that criminals are not responsible for their actions, they are merely the victims of their parents, or their teachers, or some other individual or circumstance,
a. But God states that “each one of us shall give an account of himself to God.” (Rom 14:12), “The soul that sins (plural, i.e. practice), it shall die” (Ezek 18:20).
3. It is said that drunkards aren’t sinners, they are sick, mentally and physically, and that this disease is passed down through our genes,
a. While God said everything He created was very good (Gen 1:31), therefore these over a period of time, learned to do evil in the sight of God, being led by Satan, and are held accountable for this sin by God.
4. Some say homosexuals (sodomites) and lesbians are merely living alternative lifestyles;
a. But God says that these practice an abomination (Lev 18:22), and shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10).
5. Yet these people don’t need Sigmund Froyd, or Marcus Welby, they need the Great Physician; Jesus Christ, Who gets to the root and shows us the severity of these problems (Mk 7:21-23).
C. Many base what is good or bad upon their “feelings,” and define sin as that which “hurts others.”
1. But God states that man’s feelings used as a standard for righteousness is an erroneous view (Pro 14:12; Jer 10:23).
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death.
Jer 10:23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.
2. For often times that which is good, seems to hurt . . .
a. Leaving sinful vocations for the sake of the gospel may hurt one financially.
b. Families may have to be broken up for cause of unscriptural marriages.
c. Many times those that have their sins exposed by the light of the gospel seem to be wounded emotionally.
d. Leaving the company of our old sinful friends who often provoke us to the imitation of their ungodliness may seem to inflict the hurt of loneliness upon us.
e. Yet in the long run, these are for our good, and assist us in getting to heaven.
d. Like the title of that old TV show, we need to understand that “Father knows best.”
D. Sometimes sin is defined as “that which society frowns upon,” this is basically a “majority standard.”
1. We can look at Nazi Germany and see that the “majority standard” was definitely wrong in that nation, the same could be said of the nations of mideast today, they either follow Alla or Moses, but not Christ. And in this nation, society has rejected God and His truths, and to openly live the faithful Christian life is frowned upon, and many consider inappropriate to the point that many are being brought to court who attempt to be true to God while in this world.
a. Yet God states that the majority should not lead us away from Him (Ex 23:2).
Exo 23:2 You shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt you speak in a cause to turn aside after a multitude to wrest justice:
b. Jesus states that the majority will not agree with the Way that leads to life eternal, thus few will find it (Matt. 7:13-14).
Mat 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Mat 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard (difficult) that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
c. Today in our nation murder (abortion), promiscuity (sexual looseness; fornication), sodomy, lesbianism, adultery, foul language, immodesty, seeking gain because of discontent at one’s financial situation at another’s loss (gambling), self-glory, and covetousness are all becoming acceptable, if not already accepted as a majority standard, yet, God's states that these sorts of things will put one in the lake that burns with fire (Rev 21:8).
d. When we survey the ages, the majority has always been wrong (in the Garden, before the Flood, in the Wilderness Wanderings, in the time of the Judges, in the Divided Kingdom, during the Captivities, during the time of Christ, during the time of the Apostate church, and today in the liberal, modernistic church), it has always been only a remnant that has been faithful (Joel 2:32).
E. God teaches also that besides the transgression (violations) of His particular Laws, (sins of “commission”, you “commit” them) there are other ways that one may sin. . .
1. If one does not do good, when the opportunity and ability to do such are available (Gal 6:10), one commits sin, this is referred to as “the sin of omission” as seen in (Ja 4:17, turn there).
Jam 4:17 To him therefore that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.
a. Some think “not doing wrong” is enough to be pleasing unto God, but one must not commit (practice) sin, “and” do good, to “do good” is to “work righteousness,” it states in Ps 119:172 that all of God's commands are righteousness, thus doing Gods commands (practicing righteousness; Acts 10:35; 1 Jn 3:7) fulfills this sin of omission which includes “good works” and all other acts of loving faith prompted obedience concerning the gospel of Christ.
b. Also note that this verse (Ja 4:17), does not teach that if one misses a chance to “do good” he sins, but rather that the Christian life is one characterized by doing (practicing) good when opportunity and ability arise, (“do good” is a present active verb), summed up Ja 4:17 teaches “one does not purposely withhold doing good as a way of life,” and in that context the “doing good” is including God in one’s so called secular life (his business or job), God is not to be second fiddle to no one or no thing (Mt 6:33).
Mat 6:33 But seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
c. He is over all, through all, and in all (Eph 4:6), and that includes our all of our lives, inside and outside of the assembly (1 Pet 1:15-16).
1Pe 1:15 Instead, be holy in every aspect of your life, just as the one who called you is holy.
1Pe 1:16 For it is written, "You must be holy, because I am holy."
2. And there is the sin against one’s conscience, as seen in (Rom 14:23, turn there)
Rom 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
a. This verse is set in the context of matters of opinion, not matters of doctrine, and concerning those opinions, one cannot violate his own conscience, to do so is sin. The reason for this is that the conscience it that instrument which God gives us to discern right or wrong in view of His laws, it works in conjunction with the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:8) which we receive at belief (Eph 1:13; Gal 3:2), to repeatedly over-ride it damages it, and it ceases to operate properly and will cause us to be practicing sin and not even know it, this is not God’s will for mankind, for He wants all to be saved (1 Tim 2:4).
b. Therefore we have seen that “sin” is the violation of God’s laws, there are “sins of commission” “sins of omission” and “sins against one’s conscience,” this is a basic look at “sin defined.”
II. SIN DELIVERED. (We could also restate this point as “the avenue through which sin comes about”; i.e. “temptation,” turn to 1 John 2:15-17)
1Jo 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
1Jo 2:17 And the world is passing away, and also its lust: but the one who does the will of God lives (abides) forever. (NASB)
A. These (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride [vain glory] of life), are the three avenues through which temptation to sin takes place, no matter what the sin, one of these has been worked upon by Satan.
1. Outside influences “only” are used by the evil one to work on the inside of a person, Satan, throughout time, never has, nor ever will, work directly upon the heart of person.
2. He doesn’t have to, he simply uses things outside of the body, which entice one’s God given desires beyond the limits God has ordained, and sin is thereby manifested.
a. For example, God has given the desire for sexual intimacy to mankind in order that a husband and wife may desire one another, be married, be faithful to one another for life, and bear children, all unto His glory.
1) But when someone exercises these desires outside of a scriptural marriage, or in other perverted ways (beastiality; sodomy, lesbianism, etc.) it becomes sin.
b. Also God has given us an appetite in order that we would eat enough food to be sustained, thank Him, reverence Him, love Him, and keep His commandments;
1) But when we practice gluttony, if the taste, or the being full, becomes more important in our lives than God, it becomes sin.
c. The same could be said about any other of our God given attributes, when abused, taken beyond their God given limits and purpose, they become sin, James agrees with this concept (look at Ja 1:14-15).
Jam 1:14 but each one is tempted, when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Jam 1:15 Then when the lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin: and when sin is accomplished (fullgrown), it brings forth death. (NASB)
d. Thus it is easy to see how our lusts (unbridled, unlawful desires) are acted upon by Satan through outside influences producing temptations, which “if” followed, lead to sin, which thereby leads to spiritual death, separation from the Most Holy and High Jehovah God, for it is written concerning God in the sight of sin (Hab 1:13a)
Hab 1:13a You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong,
B. In the Garden of Eden (Gen 3), Satan worked on all three avenues of temptation concerning Eve.
1. The forbidden fruit was good for food (the lust of the flesh).
a. The forbidden fruit was a delight to the eyes (the lust of the eyes).
b. The forbidden fruit would make one wise, just like God (the pride of life)
i. Eve even stated to Satan God's command (Gen 3:3) . . .
Gen 3:3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
ii. Satan told her it was not true, he said God was a liar, and she fell for it.
iii. Eve and Adam failed miserably, and the first sin was committed, sin entered the world, spreading throughout all mankind.
2. In the Wilderness Satan also worked on all three avenues of temptations concerning Jesus.
a. Misuse your miraculous powers and make these stones bread so you can “eat” (the lust of the flesh).
b. Satan “showed” Him all the kingdoms of the world and said “these kingdoms will I give You, if You will worship me” (the lust of the eyes).
c. Jump off and test God, surely He would not let You, the very Son of God perish (the pride of life).
i. But unlike Eve, our Lord “believed” God’s commands, and stated “it is written” and “did” the Father’s will, and was triumphant over Satan, even though Satan attempted to change, twist and misuse God's word.
ii. Another note, in Luke’s account it states that Jesus was also tempted “during” His 40 day fast (Luke 4:2), and Satan departed from Him for a season (Luke 4:13), implying that he came back.
iii. We do know that Satan attempted to work through Peter’s words that Christ should not go to Jerusalem and be crucified (Matt. 16:23), and in the Garden of Gethsemane where Christ struggled concerning that (Luke 22:28), and probably other numerous times, yet through belief and application of God's word and steadfast prayer, He was able to submit to God (even though He seemed to struggle at times), and thereby resist the devil (Ja 4:7).
iv. This is the same way that we, who are born again, can be triumphant today against the snares of the evil one, by faith (1 Jn 5:4), which comes from God’s word (Rom 10:17),
1Jn 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
v. In other words, by believing and knowing God’s will, which is revealed in His word (2 Tim 2:15, 1 Pet 2:2).
2Ti 2:15 Give diligence (study) to present yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby:
vi. And being “doers” of His word through application thereof in our lives (Ja 1:21-22).
Jam 1:21 Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jam 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
vii. Jesus puts it this way (Mt 7:24-25) . . .
Mat 7:24 "Therefore, everyone who listens to these messages (words) of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock.
Mat 7:25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock. (ISV)
viii. The flip side is also true (Mt 7:26-27) . . .
Mat 7:26 "Everyone who keeps on hearing these messages of mine and never puts them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
Mat 7:27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed, and its collapse was total."
ix. The defining moment in these 2 scenarios is determined by our choice, do we struggle against sin (Heb 12:4), or do we succumb to it (Rom 6:11-18) . . .
Rom 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Rom 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
Rom 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
Rom 6:18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
x. We were delivered from the bondage of sin when we believed and obeyed the gospel, this how we are born again as new creatures in Christ, sin is no longer our friend, but our enemy, and God has set up a perfect system for an imperfect person to successfully deal with sin, it’s called the gospel of Jesus Christ.
xi. This is a brief look at how “sin is delivered,” we will take a closer look at how “sin is defeated” next.
III. SIN DEFEATED.
A. Before the foundation of the world, our all knowing, all powerful God set a plan in motion for the redemption of mankind, His eternal purpose, His called out ones, the ekklesia, the church, in other words, God was working on the cure for sin, before it even existed as seen in (Eph 1:3-5).
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 just as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love:
Eph 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will, (NASB)
1. And when the time was just right (the fullness of time) He sent forth His Son, born of a woman (only, a virgin; Isa 7:14; Mt 1:22-23), born under the Law (Gal 4:4).
2. He lived a sinless life (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22), in order that He could be that perfect sacrifice (Heb 7:27), in loving obedience to His Father He willingly shed His precious blood, in order that His Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.
3. And through the Son of God’s shed blood, and His perfect righteousness, which is accessed through belief and obedience to the gospel, mankind is able to be reconciled back to God, there is a path now open to the heavenly places to whosoever wills (Rom 8:2-4).
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned (sentenced to death) sin in the flesh,
Rom 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law (perfection) might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
a. So what we lost through our belief and imitation of the first Adam, we are able to regain through our belief and imitation of the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45-57) . . .
1Co 15:45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
1Co 15:46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.
1Co 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
1Co 15:50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
1Co 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
1Co 15:55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
B. And what is that plan through which we get that victory?
1. It was preached on that first Pentecost after the resurrection and ascension of Christ (Acts 2:14-41).
2. It is the same today, as it was then, there is no new plan, it is that one gospel (Gal 1:6-9), that once and for all time delivered faith (Jude 3), all the Truth that was revealed to the apostles and prophets by the power of the Holy Spirit in the 1st century (John 16:13) . . .
1) A person is to hear the word of God, the seed of the kingdom (Lk 8:11), which produces faith (Rom 10:17).
Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
2) One is to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Who died for our sins, was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and we have a living hope of following Him (1 Cor 15:1-4; 23; Mk 16:19; Lk 24:51; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess 4:13-18).
1Co 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
1Co 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Mar 16:19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
Luk 24:51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Act 1:9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
Act 1:11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
1Th 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
1Th 4:15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command (shout), with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
a. Belief (faith) in these things is the crossover point from spiritual death to life, it is the point wherein one enters into the process of “being saved” (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15), the Lord put it this way in Jn 5:24,
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
3) At belief a person receives the Holy Spirit of promise (Gal 3:2; Eph 1:13), which in turn convicts us of our sins (Jn 16:8) and leads us to repent of our life of sin, sins of commission, omission, and against one’s conscience (Acts 17:30), and realize that we need God, and His gospel in order to be saved, and are eternally condemned without it (Rom 3:32; 6:23).
Act 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4) One full of the Spirit is led to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9).
Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
5) And one is also convicted that they need to be baptized (immersed) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38a; 22:16), into the one body (1 Cor 12:13), into Christ (Rom 6:3; Gal 3:27).
Act 2:38a And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,
Act 22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
6) And then one is led to live a holy life unto God (1 Pet 1:15), having their thinking and heart renewed day by day through the Holy Spirit confirmed and delivered gospel (2 Cor 4:16),
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, do not be shaped by the desires that used to influence you when you were ignorant.
1Pe 1:15 Instead, be holy in every aspect of your life, just as the one who called you is holy.
1Pe 1:16 For it is written, "You must be holy, because I am holy." (ISV)
2Co 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
7) Fulfilling the whole of man, fearing (reverencing) God and keeping His commandments (Eccl 12:13), because we love Jesus, Who died for us (John 14:15; 1 Jn 4:19; 2 John 6), that we might live for Him (2 Cor 5:15).
Joh 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
2Co 5:15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
1Jn 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
8) This is how God “defeats sin,”