0:00:10.598,0:00:12.674 Pastor Tim, my question to you is 0:00:12.674,0:00:15.785 what is habitual sin? 0:00:15.785,0:00:19.655 Or what does it mean to persist in sin? 0:00:19.655,0:00:22.081 If an individual has victory over certain sins 0:00:22.081,0:00:24.965 like pornography, anger, cussing, etc., 0:00:24.965,0:00:27.885 while growing in righteousness and sanctification, 0:00:27.885,0:00:30.138 but falls under the force of temptation 0:00:30.138,0:00:33.015 into a sin like lying, 0:00:33.015,0:00:35.329 but he habitually resists it; 0:00:35.329,0:00:37.526 only occasionally falls, but when he does, 0:00:37.526,0:00:39.134 he grieves over it. 0:00:39.134,0:00:40.890 He has a heart to give up that sin 0:00:40.890,0:00:43.050 and is grieved every time he commits it. 0:00:43.050,0:00:48.543 Can you say he is habitually committing sin? 0:00:48.543,0:00:52.407 Well, first, why would he even bring that up? 0:00:52.407,0:00:54.296 Because obviously, there are some 0:00:54.296,0:00:58.986 pretty radically important texts in Scripture 0:00:58.986,0:01:00.761 that talk about you can know 0:01:00.761,0:01:02.891 whether you're a Christian or not 0:01:02.891,0:01:06.938 based on whether you practice sin or not, right? 0:01:06.938,0:01:09.666 So let's look at them. 0:01:09.666,0:01:13.975 Probably the most emphatic, the clearest 0:01:13.975,0:01:17.214 in all the Scriptures that I can think of 0:01:17.214,0:01:18.676 - now there are some others - 0:01:18.676,0:01:21.385 but the first one that jumps to my mind is 0:01:21.385,0:01:27.887 1 John 3:7-10 0:01:27.887,0:01:33.153 You guys, this is interesting right? 0:01:33.153,0:01:37.035 This is more than interesting. 0:01:37.035,0:01:38.529 This is critical is it not? 0:01:38.529,0:01:40.940 If I say to you, 0:01:40.940,0:01:44.249 which by the way, the Bible does, 0:01:44.249,0:01:46.505 well, let's read it. 0:01:46.505,0:01:51.409 "Little children, let no one deceive you." 0:01:51.409,0:01:52.804 Now that's key! 0:01:52.804,0:01:54.193 Because what he's saying is 0:01:54.193,0:01:56.356 if you get this wrong, you're deceived. 0:01:56.356,0:01:57.955 Don't let anybody deceive you. 0:01:57.955,0:01:59.642 In other words, there are a lot of people 0:01:59.642,0:02:01.380 likely out there in the religious world 0:02:01.380,0:02:03.764 that are teaching you something that's contrary 0:02:03.764,0:02:05.735 to what's about to be said. 0:02:05.735,0:02:07.153 So, don't be deceived here. 0:02:07.153,0:02:09.603 He means don't be deceived 0:02:09.603,0:02:11.118 because this is an area where 0:02:11.118,0:02:13.034 a whole lot of people are. 0:02:13.034,0:02:16.619 So you better listen carefully. 0:02:16.619,0:02:23.472 "Whoever practices righteousness, is righteous, 0:02:23.472,0:02:26.670 as He, God, is righteous. 0:02:26.670,0:02:29.276 Whoever makes a practice of sinning 0:02:29.276,0:02:30.778 is of the devil. 0:02:30.778,0:02:33.484 For the devil has been sinning from the beginning. 0:02:33.484,0:02:36.197 The reason the Son of God appeared 0:02:36.197,0:02:39.648 was to destroy the works of the devil. 0:02:39.648,0:02:41.861 No one born of God 0:02:41.861,0:02:43.725 - if you've been born again - 0:02:43.725,0:02:48.071 no one born of God makes a practice of sinning. 0:02:48.071,0:02:50.533 For God's seed abides in Him, 0:02:50.533,0:02:53.111 and He cannot keep on sinning 0:02:53.111,0:02:56.161 because He's been born of God. 0:02:56.161,0:02:59.673 By this, it is evident who are the children of God 0:02:59.673,0:03:01.601 and who are the children of the devil. 0:03:01.601,0:03:03.633 Whoever does not practice righteousness 0:03:03.633,0:03:05.551 is not of God, nor is the one 0:03:05.551,0:03:07.183 who does not love his brother." 0:03:07.183,0:03:09.751 Now, listen to this. 0:03:09.751,0:03:11.116 Listen to this again. 0:03:11.116,0:03:13.899 "Whoever makes a practice of sinning 0:03:13.899,0:03:18.296 is of the devil. 0:03:18.296,0:03:20.539 He cannot keep on sinning because 0:03:20.539,0:03:22.512 he has been born of God." 0:03:22.512,0:03:24.056 If you have been born of God, 0:03:24.056,0:03:25.704 you cannot keep on sinning. 0:03:25.704,0:03:27.301 That's what the Bible says. 0:03:27.301,0:03:29.850 If you practice unrighteousness, you're of the devil. 0:03:29.850,0:03:31.546 If you practice righteousness, 0:03:31.546,0:03:36.278 that is the surest proof that you are born of God. 0:03:36.278,0:03:38.697 Now is this not important or what? 0:03:38.697,0:03:40.445 Because somebody's going to say, 0:03:40.445,0:03:42.833 and we need to say this, we need to ask this, 0:03:42.833,0:03:45.225 all of you are thinking, 0:03:45.225,0:03:49.038 well, from the time I claim I was saved, 0:03:49.038,0:03:51.672 I've sinned. 0:03:51.672,0:03:54.926 In fact, I've been quite keenly aware 0:03:54.926,0:03:58.249 that I've sinned. 0:03:58.249,0:04:02.881 When does that sin that I've committed 0:04:02.881,0:04:06.055 bring me into the category of being 0:04:06.055,0:04:08.240 a habitual sinner 0:04:08.240,0:04:10.837 that's of the devil? 0:04:10.837,0:04:14.121 And when is my sinning so reduced 0:04:14.121,0:04:16.417 that I'm one of those that does not keep on sinning 0:04:16.417,0:04:18.360 and I evidence that I've been born of God? 0:04:18.360,0:04:20.048 I mean isn't that a question that 0:04:20.048,0:04:21.626 you would like to have answered? 0:04:21.626,0:04:24.076 Isn't that a pretty critical deal? 0:04:24.076,0:04:27.468 Look. 0:04:27.468,0:04:31.356 When you have a situation where it is said, 0:04:31.356,0:04:33.738 this is how you know you're a Christian; 0:04:33.738,0:04:36.185 this is how you can know you're not a Christian, 0:04:36.185,0:04:37.541 here's the evidence, 0:04:37.541,0:04:40.126 by this, it is evident. 0:04:40.126,0:04:40.873 Whoa. 0:04:40.873,0:04:43.251 There's the evidence. 0:04:43.251,0:04:45.092 There's no more important question 0:04:45.092,0:04:46.508 on earth to ask than 0:04:46.508,0:04:47.834 how you can know you can be 0:04:47.834,0:04:49.630 a true believer. 0:04:49.630,0:04:52.120 How do you know you are indeed a true one? 0:04:52.120,0:04:55.486 And here's the evidence. 0:04:55.486,0:04:59.885 True believer practices righteousness. 0:04:59.885,0:05:03.227 True unbeliever practices unrighteousness. 0:05:03.227,0:05:04.388 Son of God. 0:05:04.388,0:05:07.322 Son of the devil. 0:05:07.322,0:05:10.497 Wow, we better be able to answer that question. 0:05:10.497,0:05:13.768 When is my sinning so habitual 0:05:13.768,0:05:16.311 that I'm not over here anymore 0:05:16.311,0:05:20.756 and I'm over here? 0:05:20.756,0:05:23.947 We need to answer that. 0:05:23.947,0:05:25.537 Ok. 0:05:25.537,0:05:28.619 Listen again. 0:05:28.619,0:05:30.985 Just listen to these verses. 0:05:30.985,0:05:32.833 Now, let's go back to this. 0:05:32.833,0:05:34.441 It says don't be deceived. 0:05:34.441,0:05:35.878 You think there are people out there 0:05:35.878,0:05:37.317 in this world who teach 0:05:37.317,0:05:41.116 you can be a true Christian and just keep on in sin? 0:05:41.116,0:05:42.858 Folks, it's everywhere. 0:05:42.858,0:05:45.183 Some of you go to churches where that's taught. 0:05:45.183,0:05:46.094 Let me tell you, 0:05:46.094,0:05:47.605 that is a damnable lie. 0:05:47.605,0:05:49.086 It is a lie right out of hell. 0:05:49.086,0:05:50.589 Don't be deceived by it. 0:05:50.589,0:05:52.278 We've got people all over this city, 0:05:52.278,0:05:53.384 let me tell you about it, 0:05:53.384,0:05:54.500 I'm going to say names, 0:05:54.500,0:05:58.873 right over there at CBC up on 1604, 0:05:58.873,0:06:01.182 a woman that my wife talked to this week 0:06:01.182,0:06:04.305 called up there and was concerned about her son 0:06:04.305,0:06:06.336 was going to be baptized there. 0:06:06.336,0:06:07.866 She said she wondered about 0:06:07.866,0:06:10.245 do you examine their testimonies or anything. 0:06:10.245,0:06:12.796 She said she was concerned. 0:06:12.796,0:06:15.325 She didn't believe that there was true repentance there. 0:06:15.325,0:06:16.726 The woman said, "Oh m'am, 0:06:16.726,0:06:19.000 we don't require repentance." 0:06:19.000,0:06:20.164 Let me tell you what, 0:06:20.164,0:06:21.704 that's damnable. 0:06:21.704,0:06:23.350 And I'll call that church out. 0:06:23.350,0:06:26.284 That's damnable. 0:06:26.284,0:06:28.361 We don't do any favors telling people 0:06:28.361,0:06:29.772 that that church is ok. 0:06:29.772,0:06:33.539 They're teaching a lie that sends people to hell. 0:06:33.539,0:06:37.093 I'll tell you, John wasn't messing around. 0:06:37.093,0:06:39.463 Don't be deceived. 0:06:39.463,0:06:42.172 Because multitudes are. 0:06:42.172,0:06:43.737 And you want to see where it is? 0:06:43.737,0:06:45.114 You guys know the verse. 0:06:45.114,0:06:47.189 Many are going to say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord." 0:06:47.189,0:06:48.904 And He's going to say, "I never knew you." 0:06:48.904,0:06:49.989 And what does He say? 0:06:49.989,0:06:51.202 It's not everybody that comes along 0:06:51.202,0:06:52.501 saying, "Lord, Lord." 0:06:52.501,0:06:54.568 It's not everybody that's been baptized at CBC. 0:06:54.568,0:06:55.531 What does He say? 0:06:55.531,0:06:59.625 Who's going to inherit the kingdom of heaven? 0:06:59.625,0:07:02.452 Those who do the will of the Father in heaven. 0:07:02.452,0:07:03.342 There it is. 0:07:03.342,0:07:05.016 Practicing righteousness. 0:07:05.016,0:07:07.325 They do the will of the Father in heaven. 0:07:07.325,0:07:08.578 What does James day? 0:07:08.578,0:07:10.790 Don't be deceived. 0:07:10.790,0:07:17.694 It's not the hearers, it's the doers. 0:07:17.694,0:07:20.126 1 Corinthians 6 0:07:20.126,0:07:22.999 Paul says, "Don't be deceived. 0:07:22.999,0:07:26.992 The unrighteous do not inherit 0:07:26.992,0:07:29.643 the kingdom of God. 0:07:29.643,0:07:33.774 Folks, this is taught everywhere. 0:07:33.774,0:07:34.910 Jesus Christ says, 0:07:34.910,0:07:36.680 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' 0:07:36.680,0:07:38.543 and do not do the things I say?" 0:07:38.543,0:07:40.222 Back to 1 John. 0:07:40.222,0:07:42.626 You say that you know Him and you don't keep His commandments, 0:07:42.626,0:07:44.604 you're a liar and the truth isn't in you. 0:07:44.604,0:07:45.706 I'm telling you, folks, 0:07:45.706,0:07:47.806 obedience and keeping the commandments, 0:07:47.806,0:07:50.215 a practicing of righteousness, a hunger and thirsting 0:07:50.215,0:07:51.711 after righteousness, 0:07:51.711,0:07:54.429 it is the very evidence. 0:07:54.429,0:07:58.218 By this it is evident who are the children of God, 0:07:58.218,0:08:01.112 and who are the children of the devil. 0:08:01.112,0:08:04.354 Well, what can we say? 0:08:04.354,0:08:06.684 Here's what I would say. 0:08:06.684,0:08:09.813 What does the Bible teach? 0:08:09.813,0:08:12.793 For one, we know the Bible doesn't teach perfection. 0:08:12.793,0:08:14.978 When it says you practice righteousness, 0:08:14.978,0:08:20.501 it doesn't mean that you've achieved perfection. 0:08:20.501,0:08:25.943 Paul says in Philippians that he had not yet attained. 0:08:25.943,0:08:29.183 In 1 John 2, you remember what John wrote? 0:08:29.183,0:08:34.020 He said, "little children, I write to you sin not. 0:08:34.020,0:08:39.734 But if you do sin, you have an Advocate, 0:08:39.734,0:08:43.615 Jesus Christ the Righteous." 0:08:43.615,0:08:46.592 And basically, we want to encourage people not to sin. 0:08:46.592,0:08:48.099 What does the proverb say? 0:08:48.099,0:08:49.964 Though a righteous man do what? 0:08:49.964,0:08:53.065 Fall. How many times? (seven) 0:08:53.065,0:08:55.657 But, what does he do? 0:08:55.657,0:08:57.141 He rises. 0:08:57.141,0:08:59.187 Now that's the thing. 0:08:59.187,0:09:02.475 You see, the person that practices unrighteousness 0:09:02.475,0:09:05.262 doesn't rise. 0:09:05.262,0:09:07.422 They drink iniquity like water. 0:09:07.422,0:09:09.283 We find that in Job. 0:09:09.283,0:09:11.697 Basically there's none righteous, no not one. 0:09:11.697,0:09:14.319 This is the picture of the unregenerate person. 0:09:14.319,0:09:16.000 Do they do good? 0:09:16.000,0:09:17.381 They don't do good. 0:09:17.381,0:09:18.615 There's none that does good. 0:09:18.615,0:09:20.025 They're under the power of sin. 0:09:20.025,0:09:21.380 Basically, what you find 0:09:21.380,0:09:23.499 is that they're dead in sins. 0:09:23.499,0:09:25.345 They're dead in trespasses and sins. 0:09:25.345,0:09:27.773 They're basically held in bondage. 0:09:27.773,0:09:29.375 What do you find about the person 0:09:29.375,0:09:30.627 that's been set free? 0:09:30.627,0:09:32.864 Romans 6, like verse 17, 0:09:32.864,0:09:36.740 I thank God that you who were once slaves of sin 0:09:36.740,0:09:39.861 have become obedient from the heart. 0:09:39.861,0:09:42.657 To what? To the Word of God. 0:09:42.657,0:09:44.819 This is the evidence. 0:09:44.819,0:09:46.988 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst 0:09:46.988,0:09:48.183 after righteousness. 0:09:48.183,0:09:49.798 They'll be satisfied. 0:09:49.798,0:09:52.496 Here's the thing: 0:09:52.496,0:09:54.212 Romans 8:13 0:09:54.212,0:09:56.784 If by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds 0:09:56.784,0:09:59.300 of the body, 0:09:59.300,0:10:02.094 you will live. 0:10:02.094,0:10:04.590 Those who set their minds upon things 0:10:04.590,0:10:09.646 of the flesh, 0:10:09.646,0:10:10.939 they have a death sentence. 0:10:10.939,0:10:12.410 Those who set their minds upon 0:10:12.410,0:10:13.416 things of the Spirit, 0:10:13.416,0:10:16.024 those are the children of God. 0:10:16.024,0:10:20.328 Those are the ones that have life. 0:10:20.328,0:10:22.506 And so, what are we talking about here? 0:10:22.506,0:10:23.928 Are we talking about sinlessness? 0:10:23.928,0:10:24.623 No. 0:10:24.623,0:10:27.339 We're talking about people, who when they fall, 0:10:27.339,0:10:28.655 they rise. 0:10:28.655,0:10:31.539 They're like the sheep that's thrown in the mud. 0:10:31.539,0:10:33.428 You take the pig, you throw them in the mud. 0:10:33.428,0:10:35.216 What do they do? 0:10:35.216,0:10:36.400 They stay there. 0:10:36.400,0:10:37.744 You throw a lamb in the mud, 0:10:37.744,0:10:38.622 what's he do? 0:10:38.622,0:10:39.936 He scrambles out. 0:10:39.936,0:10:41.655 He wants to get the mud off of him. 0:10:41.655,0:10:43.686 Because it's not natural anymore. 0:10:43.686,0:10:46.109 You know what we find in Scripture? 0:10:46.109,0:10:47.717 Old things are passed away, 0:10:47.717,0:10:49.224 all things become new. 0:10:49.224,0:10:50.780 I'll tell you this, 0:10:50.780,0:10:56.226 though the Christian is not perfect, 0:10:56.226,0:10:58.587 they come into such newness, 0:10:58.587,0:11:01.883 they come into such radical difference, 0:11:01.883,0:11:03.980 they come into a situation 0:11:03.980,0:11:06.170 where now they are putting to death sin. 0:11:06.170,0:11:07.632 They have triumph. 0:11:07.632,0:11:09.604 They're not totally defeated like before. 0:11:09.604,0:11:11.008 They're not a total slave. 0:11:11.008,0:11:12.675 They've become obedient from the heart. 0:11:12.675,0:11:14.213 They have desires of obedience. 0:11:14.213,0:11:16.366 They hunger and thirst after righteousness. 0:11:16.366,0:11:17.845 It's a longing. 0:11:17.845,0:11:20.047 They're longing to do what's right. 0:11:20.047,0:11:21.078 And you know what? 0:11:21.078,0:11:23.614 They're succeeding at it. 0:11:23.614,0:11:24.910 There's a fight. 0:11:24.910,0:11:27.718 Those who by the Spirit put to death 0:11:27.718,0:11:29.367 the deeds of the body, 0:11:29.367,0:11:30.974 all of a sudden, there's battle, 0:11:30.974,0:11:32.040 there's warfare. 0:11:32.040,0:11:35.412 Sometimes the Christian feels like 0:11:35.412,0:11:37.355 the battle rages so strongly, 0:11:37.355,0:11:39.253 they feel like they're not saved at times. 0:11:39.253,0:11:40.388 But let me tell you something, 0:11:40.388,0:11:42.122 there wasn't a battle when people were lost. 0:11:42.122,0:11:44.973 You know what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7? 0:11:44.973,0:11:47.476 He's commending the Corinthians 0:11:47.476,0:11:48.948 because they repented, 0:11:48.948,0:11:50.674 and he says there's a sorrow that 0:11:50.674,0:11:52.728 leads to repentance, 0:11:52.728,0:11:55.242 there's a grief that leads to repentance, 0:11:55.242,0:11:57.282 versus the grief or the sorrow 0:11:57.282,0:11:58.938 the worldly sorrow, it doesn't 0:11:58.938,0:12:00.869 lead to repentance. 0:12:00.869,0:12:03.516 It doesn't lead to a godly repentance. 0:12:03.516,0:12:04.658 You know what? 0:12:04.658,0:12:06.707 There are people who are sorry for sin. 0:12:06.707,0:12:07.416 Why? 0:12:07.416,0:12:08.827 Because of the consequences. 0:12:08.827,0:12:10.639 They're sorry for what it's cost them. 0:12:10.639,0:12:12.361 They're sorry they committed adultery 0:12:12.361,0:12:14.411 and they lost their children and they lost their family. 0:12:14.411,0:12:16.115 They're sorry that their sin has cost them 0:12:16.115,0:12:17.253 all their money. 0:12:17.253,0:12:20.402 They're sorry that it's cost them their reputation. 0:12:20.402,0:12:22.102 But I'll tell you what, 0:12:22.102,0:12:27.020 there's a godly sorrow in God's children. 0:12:27.020,0:12:30.215 They are sorrowed that they have offended God. 0:12:30.215,0:12:32.079 And though they fall seven times, 0:12:32.079,0:12:33.799 they rise up out of it. 0:12:33.799,0:12:35.748 And you know what? 0:12:35.748,0:12:38.391 The Scripture says that they love God. 0:12:38.391,0:12:39.639 They keep His commandments. 0:12:39.639,0:12:40.823 Jesus Christ said, [br] 0:12:40.823,0:12:42.868 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 0:12:42.868,0:12:46.203 You see, it's more than just a starchy, 0:12:46.203,0:12:49.217 grit your teeth kind of obedience. 0:12:49.217,0:12:51.161 He's our Abba Father. 0:12:51.161,0:12:54.317 We suddenly have an endearment. 0:12:54.317,0:12:56.318 There's a longing, there's a hunger; 0:12:56.318,0:12:57.806 it's something we want to do. 0:12:57.806,0:12:59.927 It's a relationship we want to nurture 0:12:59.927,0:13:01.820 and we want to maintain. 0:13:01.820,0:13:02.597 Do we fall? 0:13:02.597,0:13:03.386 Yes. 0:13:03.386,0:13:04.334 Is there grief? 0:13:04.334,0:13:05.283 I'll tell you this. 0:13:05.283,0:13:06.904 You as a child of God get in too much 0:13:06.904,0:13:08.252 of a pattern of sin - 0:13:08.252,0:13:10.551 what's going to happen? 0:13:10.551,0:13:12.569 The Bible says in Hebrews 12 0:13:12.569,0:13:14.684 that God disciplines His children, 0:13:14.684,0:13:16.147 and if you can run in sin 0:13:16.147,0:13:17.522 and God doesn't come for you 0:13:17.522,0:13:19.628 and doesn't discipline you, you are a bastard. 0:13:19.628,0:13:21.560 You are not a true child of God. 0:13:21.560,0:13:22.785 Lay that down. 0:13:22.785,0:13:24.703 If you can toy with sin, and your Father 0:13:24.703,0:13:25.765 doesn't come for you. 0:13:25.765,0:13:27.876 One of the greatest assurances in my life, 0:13:27.876,0:13:30.671 is that any time I have strayed, 0:13:30.671,0:13:33.278 He has come for me. 0:13:33.278,0:13:36.400 That is great assurance in that. 0:13:36.400,0:13:37.859 You know what? 0:13:37.859,0:13:41.920 From the days of John the Baptist, what? 0:13:41.920,0:13:43.429 You find in Matthew 11, 0:13:43.429,0:13:45.656 from the days of John the Baptist until now 0:13:45.656,0:13:47.705 the kingdom of heaven is taken by violence. 0:13:47.705,0:13:49.500 The violent take it by force, folks. 0:13:49.500,0:13:50.523 Let me tell you this, 0:13:50.523,0:13:52.317 the Christian life is battle. 0:13:52.317,0:13:53.863 There is a severing of hands, 0:13:53.863,0:13:54.929 a cutting off of feet, 0:13:54.929,0:13:56.435 a plucking out of eyes. 0:13:56.435,0:13:57.212 I'll tell you, 0:13:57.212,0:13:59.640 if your life is not battle with sin - 0:13:59.640,0:14:01.899 I'm not saying you have perfect victory all the time, 0:14:01.899,0:14:04.048 I'm not saying you don't fall at times. 0:14:04.048,0:14:06.165 But when you fall, you rise. 0:14:06.165,0:14:08.207 When you rise, you fight. 0:14:08.207,0:14:10.387 And by radical means you put it to death. 0:14:10.387,0:14:12.389 I'll remind you again of a text I brought up, 0:14:12.389,0:14:13.768 God says under the New Covenant 0:14:13.768,0:14:15.380 in Ezekiel 36, 0:14:15.380,0:14:17.864 He will cleanse you of all your idols. 0:14:17.864,0:14:18.960 And I'll guarantee you, 0:14:18.960,0:14:21.587 if you're allowed to have idols stay in your life, 0:14:21.587,0:14:23.157 and God doesn't come for you 0:14:23.157,0:14:24.555 and He doesn't discipline you, 0:14:24.555,0:14:26.527 and He doesn't rip those things away from you, 0:14:26.527,0:14:28.419 and sometimes painfully so, 0:14:28.419,0:14:29.958 folks, let me tell you, 0:14:29.958,0:14:31.639 God gives you a new heart. 0:14:31.639,0:14:34.020 God gives desires for this thing. 0:14:34.020,0:14:38.573 What this guy Aaron was describing, 0:14:38.573,0:14:40.743 the person that's grieved when he commits it, 0:14:40.743,0:14:42.711 the guy that's resisting, 0:14:42.711,0:14:44.118 the guy that occasionally falls, 0:14:44.118,0:14:45.607 but when he does, he grieves; 0:14:45.607,0:14:48.534 the guy that had major victory over pornography 0:14:48.534,0:14:51.075 and anger and cussing for some time 0:14:51.075,0:14:54.159 to fall into a lying lip. 0:14:54.159,0:14:56.097 I mean even Isaiah, you remember him, 0:14:56.097,0:14:57.740 he falls down before the Lord 0:14:57.740,0:15:00.719 and he's saying I'm a man of unclean lips. 0:15:00.719,0:15:02.390 He's realizing there his mouth 0:15:02.390,0:15:03.838 had not been perfect. 0:15:03.838,0:15:06.071 Folks, this is a battle. 0:15:06.071,0:15:07.259 It's not perfection, 0:15:07.259,0:15:10.734 but it's definitely a moving in that direction. 0:15:10.734,0:15:12.829 There is victory in that direction. 0:15:12.829,0:15:15.811 Your life has radically become something it wasn't before. 0:15:15.811,0:15:18.427 If you claim that you've become a Christian, 0:15:18.427,0:15:20.587 and you see no difference in righteousness, 0:15:20.587,0:15:23.070 no difference in obedience to the laws and commandments 0:15:23.070,0:15:24.452 of Jesus Christ; 0:15:24.452,0:15:27.599 no change in your life as far as what you're 0:15:27.599,0:15:29.641 committed to, what you hunger after, 0:15:29.641,0:15:34.037 the mind that is set on the things of the Spirit; 0:15:34.037,0:15:36.912 that's where life is, 0:15:36.912,0:15:40.068 the mind that's set on the things of the flesh, 0:15:40.068,0:15:41.470 that's death. 0:15:41.470,0:15:42.580 And let me tell you, 0:15:42.580,0:15:44.043 if there hasn't been a radical change - 0:15:44.043,0:15:46.283 old things passed away, and all things become new, 0:15:46.283,0:15:48.341 if you haven't experienced a total different 0:15:48.341,0:15:50.387 relationship with sin; 0:15:50.387,0:15:52.788 if you are not at war with sin 0:15:52.788,0:15:55.528 in a way that you never knew in your past life, 0:15:55.528,0:15:58.374 then yes, you have reasons to be 0:15:58.374,0:16:03.024 gravely concerned whether you've been converted or not. 0:16:03.024,0:16:06.237 Hey, I can tell you, 0:16:06.237,0:16:08.820 I wrestle with sin. 0:16:08.820,0:16:11.469 But I can tell you this, 0:16:11.469,0:16:15.410 my two greatest desires are to be sinless 0:16:15.410,0:16:19.322 and even before that one is to see Christ. 0:16:19.322,0:16:21.116 And I know those are my desires. 0:16:21.116,0:16:26.342 And I long for those things. 0:16:26.342,0:16:28.386 And you guys just have to ask yourself that. 0:16:28.386,0:16:31.563 If you love Christ and are keeping His commandments, 0:16:31.563,0:16:33.076 love isn't some foreign thing. 0:16:33.076,0:16:37.605 Love isn't some strange, odd, alien thing. 0:16:37.605,0:16:39.449 We understand that. 0:16:39.449,0:16:41.855 Is your mind on it? What's your mind on? 0:16:41.855,0:16:43.754 When you were lost, your mind was on 0:16:43.754,0:16:46.011 all the things of this world. 0:16:46.011,0:16:47.007 It was on the gutter. 0:16:47.007,0:16:48.943 It was on money. It was on success. 0:16:48.943,0:16:51.053 It was on self. It was on sex. 0:16:51.053,0:16:53.242 It was on fun. It was on pleasure. 0:16:53.242,0:16:55.641 And it was constantly geared on how to get 0:16:55.641,0:16:57.752 those things. 0:16:57.752,0:17:00.049 The mind that is set on the things of the Spirit 0:17:00.049,0:17:03.444 is a mind that now thinks and is consumed with Christ 0:17:03.444,0:17:05.451 and righteousness and the Word 0:17:05.451,0:17:07.024 and the glory of God, 0:17:07.024,0:17:09.358 and how to love God's people, 0:17:09.358,0:17:12.325 and how to please the Lord. 0:17:12.325,0:17:15.005 If that hasn't radically changed in your life, 0:17:15.005,0:17:18.196 folks, you're still the old man. 0:17:18.196,0:17:20.378 The old hasn't passed away. 0:17:20.378,0:17:22.172 We were dead in trespasses and sins, 0:17:22.172,0:17:24.103 now we've been made alive in Christ. 0:17:24.103,0:17:25.785 If you don't know anything about that 0:17:25.785,0:17:28.471 radical transformation of life in Christ, 0:17:28.471,0:17:31.485 folks, that's the idea here 0:17:31.485,0:17:33.783 behind practicing righteousness. 0:17:33.783,0:17:35.586 It's not perfection. 0:17:35.586,0:17:38.379 But it's definitely a life of goodness 0:17:38.379,0:17:41.389 and righteousness where that is the norm. 0:17:41.389,0:17:44.033 That is habitual. 0:17:44.033,0:17:45.953 That you are striving to do what is right. 0:17:45.953,0:17:47.574 Yes, it's going to be intermixed with sin. 0:17:47.574,0:17:50.040 Yes, we fall short of loving God with all our heart, 0:17:50.040,0:17:51.178 mind, soul, and strength. 0:17:51.178,0:17:53.584 And we fall short of that every single day. 0:17:53.584,0:17:54.948 Every single hour. 0:17:54.948,0:17:56.619 But is there a radical change 0:17:56.619,0:17:58.373 to where we do want to love, 0:17:58.373,0:18:00.838 we do want to please, we do want His glory? 0:18:00.838,0:18:02.292 Yes, there is. 0:18:02.292,0:18:05.344 And does that compel us and prompt us 0:18:05.344,0:18:07.955 and move us to a life that's radically different 0:18:07.955,0:18:08.899 than before? 0:18:08.899,0:18:09.825 Absolutely. 0:18:09.825,0:18:11.395 And if you can't tell any difference between 0:18:11.395,0:18:14.006 your life now and what you claim was your life 0:18:14.006,0:18:14.888 as a lost person, 0:18:14.888,0:18:19.374 then you're still lost.