SIN & SALVATION SEPTEMBER3, 2023

SCRIPTURE
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with Him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water (natural) and the Spirit (supernatural). Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at My saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the One who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.” For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” John 3 (selected)


A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NICODEMUS

Nicodemus was “the teacher of the Jews” & it’s likely he represented the others.

Pharisees believed much like us: a future resurrection from the dead, angels & demons interfere with humans, free will, Scripture, politically conservative, etc.


SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS

All people are born spiritually blind: “…no one can see the Kingdom of God…”

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so (physical & spiritual) death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Romans 5:12

“Scripture does not tell us that we are sinners because we sin; rather, it affirms that we sin because we are sinners.” R.C. Sproul
1/ There is a breach in our relationship with God.


2/ There is a brokenness in our being.

Humans are all broken in spirit, in soul, & in body.


3/ There is a blindness in our spiritual eyes.

The non-believer is increasingly ignorant.

To be human means to be part of an evil system & have no idea of its wickedness.

Sin is far more nefarious & far reaching than making a mistake! It is a cosmic rebellion against the Almighty God that has the power to damn a soul!


The non-believer is increasingly confused.

In an effort to fix what feels broken, people attempt to figure it out on their own.


The non-believer is increasingly apathetic.

There’s a growing delusion in the world. A measure of the spirit of anti-Christ has come.

For every exchange, a new apathy appears. The Romans exchanged “glory for corruption, truth for lies, & natural relations for unnatural relations.” Rosaria Butterfield


THE WORK OF GOD

In His goodness & love, there is a moment when God illuminates the heart of a person.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them…” John 6:44

In this moment, a person must either accept or reject the gift of grace.

“The Bible reveals a God who, long before it even occurs to men and women to turn to Him, while they are still lost in darkness and sunk in sin, takes the initiative, rises from His throne, lays aside His glory, and stoops to seek until He finds them.” John Stott

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8



THERE IS A LOT AT STAKE

1/ Elements of this life are at stake.

When we understand we were children of wrath, now children of God things change.


2/ Elements of the next life are at stake.

Heaven & Hell are very real places of existence.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. John 3:36


THE PROCESS OF WHAT HAPPENS

1/ What Scripture says about those who are blind:

Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way… Is 53:6

There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (standard of perfection). Romans 3:22-23

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves… 1 John 1:8

You were dead in your transgressions and sins. Ephesians 2:1

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” John 8:34


2/ What Scripture says about the purpose of Christ’s coming:

“You are to give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Timothy 1:15

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18


3/ What Scripture says about those who are no longer blind:

Once you were slaves to sin… You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

…to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

…in (Christ) we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

…He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves… Colossians 1:13

…He has reconciled you (to the Father)… Colossians 1:22

…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17


CLOSE

God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9