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Turning the Tables (Romans 2:1-5) | Louis Azuma
00:12 Paul's Message: Take Your Own Sin Seriously
02:41 Understanding God's Wrath
05:09 Knowledge vs. Righteousness
07:55 Common Lies About Sin and Salvation
13:16 God's Patience and Urgency of Repentance
17:29 The Danger of Presuming on God's Patience
23:21 The Condition of the Heart
30:05 The Need for a New Heart
35:21 Concluding Prayer and Reflection
Transcript
most people would say, I'm a good person, right?
2
:Or, those people are worse than me.
3
:And maybe especially with what
we talked about last week, right?
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:Maybe you're thinking, well, I know
that maybe I'm, I know I'm a sinner, but
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:I'm not as bad as those people, right?
6
:Well, here in Romans two,
Paul is gonna turn the tables.
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:He's gonna say, well, maybe you
think those people over there deserve
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:God's wrath, but what about you?
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:So our main point tonight is to take
your own sin as seriously as God does.
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:Take your own sin, as
seriously as God does.
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:When we look at other people and see
their sin, what we're gonna find out
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:tonight is that actually makes us just
as guilty when we look at other people
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:and see all their sin and say, oh, well,
I can't believe they're doing that,
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:or I can't believe they're doing that.
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:It actually points the finger back at
us because we expose our own sin because
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:we are guilty of the exact same thing.
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:So look up in your Bibles at
Romans chapter two, verse one.
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:Therefore, when you see it, therefore
in the Bible, what do you ask?
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:What's the therefore, therefore, right.
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:Well, the thing that Paul just said
in verse 32 of chapter one says these
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:people, they know what God says, but.
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:They don't just approve the people who
sin or they don't just know what God says.
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:They approve the people who sin.
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:They celebrate people's sin.
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:Right?
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:It is like these are like the
worst kind of people, right?
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:They're not just sinning.
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:They're proud of it.
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:They're not just sinning.
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:They're telling other people,
Hey, you should go keep sinning.
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:That's great.
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:They have parades about how they
should be proud of their sin.
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:He's saying these people, maybe Paul,
maybe you're thinking as you read this.
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:Oh yeah, I'm not, I'm glad
I'm not like those people.
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:Then what does Paul do?
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:Therefore, because of that, right?
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:Or based on that, you have no excuse.
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:Oh man, he's like talking to
an imaginary person, right?
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:You have no excuse.
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:Every one of you who judges for
in passing judgment on another.
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:You condemn yourself because you, the
judge, practice the very same things.
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:Verse two, we know that the judgment
of God rightly falls on those
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:who practice such things, right?
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:So everyone knows that the, that sinners,
these who do these things and, and
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:live this way deserve God's judgment.
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:But then he says by saying that you're
actually condemning yourself because you.
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:Do the same things as the people
that you say deserve God's wrath.
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:Verse three, do you suppose?
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:Oh man, you who judge those who practice
such things yet do them yourself, that
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:you will escape the judgment of God.
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:So what Paul's doing here in this letter,
right, he's, he's establishing something.
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:We talked about his thesis, right?
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:Was that, that the gospel
shows us God's righteousness.
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:And the first thing about that
is that God's wrath is righteous.
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:These next few chapters, chapter
one, chapter two, chapter three,
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:are all about God's wrath and why
God is righteous, why it's the right
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:thing for God to show his wrath.
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:And what Paul is saying is
God's wrath isn't just right
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:for those people over there.
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:It's also right when it's directed at you.
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:You deserve God's wrath too.
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:Not just those people over there, not just
those really bad sinners, not just people
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:who say bad words at school, but you.
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:You deserve God's wrath too,
because you, by noticing that those
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:people are sinners, you're noticing
the things about yourself too.
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:You are put, you are actually
putting yourself in the
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:same bucket as those people.
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:But Paul's audience, they might not be
thinking they're under God's wrath, right?
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:They're saying, well, those gentiles
who do those bad things, right?
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:But we're Jews.
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:We know about God.
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:We're God's chosen people.
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:We have God's promises.
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:Heard all these things from
God, and maybe you are thinking,
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:well, I grew up in the church.
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:I know all these things about God.
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:I have, you know, liked church.
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:I, I like God, I, I I do
all these things for God.
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:I serve in his ministry.
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:Maybe that's what you're thinking.
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:I, I grew up, my family's a Christian.
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:We, we do the Christian things.
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:What Paul would say to you is that
it's not just those people out
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:there that deserve God's wrath,
it's the people in here too.
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:Everyone deserves God's wrath
just because you know more about
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:God and more about his word, more
about what he says is wrong, right?
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:Verse one was talking about you
can, you can tell when people sin,
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:you know, oh, that's wrong, that's
wrong, that's wrong, that's wrong.
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:Oh, yeah.
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:They shouldn't be doing that.
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:They shouldn't talk like that.
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:That person, you know, with really
the, you know, sin is idolatry
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:and, and it's really clear.
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:They worship themselves.
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:Maybe you can say all those things.
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:You, you notice all these
things about people at school.
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:In your family, you notice all the
sin in your siblings and you're
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:like, yeah, I, I'm really good
at noticing other people's sin.
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:I'm really good at knowing what God says.
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:I know a lot about the Bible.
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:What Paul is saying is just because
you know a lot doesn't mean that
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:you can escape God's wrath just
because you know the right thing.
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:Just 'cause you know right from wrong.
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:Just 'cause you notice other people's sin.
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:Doesn't exempt you, doesn't
set you apart from God's wrath.
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:In fact, it actually
makes you more guilty.
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:So our first point tonight is don't assume
that knowledge equals righteousness.
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:Don't assume that knowing more
makes you righteous, makes you holy.
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:Don't assume that knowing more
means that you don't deserve God's
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:wrath as much as those people who
don't know, who don't go to church.
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:Don't serve in kids' ministry who don't
know right from wrong the way you do.
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:Don't assume that it's, it's really easy
to assume that it, it's really easy to
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:assume that because you're associated
with church, because you, your parents
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:are Christians because your dad's a
pastor because your parents serve that.
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:Oh, I, I must, I must be okay.
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:I'm not as bad as those people.
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:I know God hates all sin, but
he must hate their sin more.
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:And that's simply not true.
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:Don't assume that knowledge
equals righteousness.
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:And, and I think it's, it's funny 'cause
we do this a lot with, with knowledge
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:and, and a lot of other things, right?
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:For example, I, I know a lot about sports.
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:I know a lot about, I, I could tell
you about the strengths of Cover two or
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:Cover four and why you should run, you
know, why Peyton Manning hates Cover four
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:and how it doesn't work and whatever.
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:I could tell you all that stuff.
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:I could tell you about random baseball
players from the:
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:and Matt were actually doing this quiz
the other day on Sparkle, which was
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:naming like random baseball players
from the:
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:We did great.
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:I, I know a lot about sports.
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:It doesn't mean I'm an athlete, right?
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:Know a lot about sports doesn't mean I
can swing a bat or throw a touchdown just
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:because I know a lot about something.
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:Actually, it actually makes me feel
worse when I do play the sports, right?
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:Because I know how it's supposed to
be and I'm like, yeah, it's not me.
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:I'm not doing that right.
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:I can't, I can't do that.
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:Knowledge actually makes
you more accountable.
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:It doesn't make you.
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:More righteous, knowing what's
wrong actually heightens
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:what you should be doing.
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:So just because you know more, just
because you, you've heard all the right
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:things and can regurgitate the right
answers in small groups and impress
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:your, your leaders and trick your parents
into thinking you're a Christian, it
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:doesn't make you any more righteous.
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:It actually actually puts more
responsibility on your plate.
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:Just because you know a lot
doesn't mean you are righteous.
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:There's a few.
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:What I'm gonna be doing with
a lot of these points is, so
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:every point is an assumption.
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:Don't assume something, and I'm gonna
give you some common lies that I think
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:would be really easy for you to fall for.
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:Okay?
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:So our first lie, seeing other
people sin means I'm holy.
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:Seeing other people's sin means I'm holy.
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:That's our first lie.
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:That you are probably really tempted to
buy is, oh, well, I notice all the things
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:that my friends are doing wrong, right?
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:I, I notice when they're just drawing
on their worksheet and not taking notes.
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:I notice when they're goofing off in
small groups, I notice when they're
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:disobeying their parents or they're
gossiping at school or they're living a
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:double life, I notice all those things.
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:That means that I'm holy,
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:not true.
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:That's a lie.
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:Just because you notice other people's
sin does not mean you are righteous.
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:Does not mean that you're a
good Christian, does not mean
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:that you are right with God.
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:The Pharisees, right?
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:They were really good at calling out
other people's sin and then they did
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:not get along with Jesus very well.
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:So seeing other people's sin
does not mean you are holy.
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:Actually, it makes your sin worse
because you should know better.
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:If you're so good at calling
out other people's sin, why
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:don't you call out your own?
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:That's what Paul is saying.
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:Are you, is your knowledge
really helping anyone?
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:No.
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:Right.
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:You're just being prideful
and looking down on people.
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:You're not loving others.
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:You're, you're pridefully
comparing yourself.
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:You're saying, well, I'm
better than this person.
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:Right?
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:You, you, you know, all these things
that people should be doing, and all your
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:knowledge does is puff you up and make
you prideful and put other people down.
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:It's not loving anyone,
it's not helping anyone.
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:It's not good for anyone.
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:All it's really doing is making you more
accountable to God because you're seeing
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:all these bad things other people do,
but maybe your heart is really prideful,
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:just like the people you're calling out.
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:Another lie that you might be tempted
to buy is that knowing a lot about
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:the Bible makes me a Christian.
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:Knowing a lot about the
Bible, makes me a Christian.
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:That's not true.
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:James two talks about this.
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:He says, you know that God is one great.
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:Even the demons know that,
you know, God exists.
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:You know, all the best arguments
for, for why God exists.
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:You, you know how to explain
the Trinity to someone.
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:You can, you can ace the, the gospel test
and do the umbrella and all that stuff.
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:Great.
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:That doesn't save you, that
doesn't make you a Christian.
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:Knowing a lot of information is helpful,
but it doesn't do anything for you.
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:Unless you trust Jesus, unless you
love Jesus, unless you love people.
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:So it's easy to buy the lie and to
assume, oh, I know a lot about the Bible.
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:That means I'm a Christian.
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:I grew up in church.
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:I memorized verses.
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:I am familiar with all these passages.
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:That means I'm a Christian.
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:That's not true.
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:Knowledge doesn't make you a Christian.
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:What's the result of your knowledge?
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:That's what I would ask you is the
result of your knowledge worship.
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:Love for God, right?
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:Is what you learn about God,
what you learn from his word?
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:Does that make you worship God?
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:Or does that make you look down
on people because you're like,
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:oh, I know more than them.
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:I'm, I must be holier than that,
that person, they don't know how
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:to pronounce Habakkuk, but I do.
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:I must be a great Christian.
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:God doesn't really care whether
you can pronounce Habakkuk.
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:God cares that you understand the message
of Habakkuk and love him because of it.
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:And trust him because of it.
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:Similar.
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:The third lie would be knowing
that the gospel, knowing what the
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:gospel is, means that I'm saved.
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:Right?
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:Knowing the gospel means
I'm saved by the gospel.
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:Not true.
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:Not true.
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:There's a lot of people that
know the gospel that aren't saved
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:and similar, right?
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:You're, you're equating
knowing with trusting.
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:You're equating knowing with loving.
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:That's not true.
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:So don't, don't make the mistake of
assuming I know a lot, I know the gospel.
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:I've heard it before.
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:It doesn't mean you're a Christian,
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:or maybe you even know that knowing
the gospel doesn't save you, it still
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:doesn't mean you're a Christian, right?
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:Unless you believe the gospel.
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:Unless you embrace Jesus,
you say, Jesus, I trust you.
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:I need you to give me righteousness.
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:I don't have any.
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:I need you to take away my sin.
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:I can't do that, and I want to
turn for my sin and live for you.
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:That's what saves you not knowing that.
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:So what Paul is saying here is
that God's wrath rightly falls on
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:everyone no matter how much you know.
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:And in fact, his, his wrath, you
could even argue, falls heavier
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:on you because of what you know,
because you should know better.
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:So don't assume that knowing
things means that you're righteous.
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:So that phrase at the end, right?
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:It's, it's easy to trick yourself that
you will escape God's judgment, right?
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:Well, I know that those people are
gonna go to hell, but you can trick
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:yourself into thinking, well, I probably
won't because I know these things.
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:Or, I'm good.
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:I'm good enough.
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:But it's also easy to trick yourself
because you assume that you can.
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:You can wait.
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:You can become a Christian later.
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:And that's exactly where Paul
goes with our next verse.
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:So look at verse four with me here.
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:So we just talked about, Hey, do you
think you can escape God's judgment
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:verse four, or do you presume that means
like to assume something to presume
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:means like, oh, you think something's
gonna happen and it really doesn't?
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:Like, maybe you presumed that the,
um, that the Packers were gonna
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:destroy the Browns last week and then
they actually lost to the Browns.
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:You, you maybe presume that
and you thought it was gonna
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:go one way and it didn't.
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:Right.
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:You think one thing's
gonna happen and you don't.
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:So, or do you presume on the riches
of his kindness, God's kindness
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:and forbearance, that means like.
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:He's really good at putting up with you.
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:You presume on his kindness, his
forbearance, his patience, not knowing
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:that God's kindness is actually
meant to lead you to repentance.
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:God's not just being patient with
you so you can do whatever you want.
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:The reason that God hasn't unloaded
his dump truck of wrath on you that
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:you've been building up is not just
because God's like, oh, well, it's fine.
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:No big deal.
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:Just keep living your way.
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:It's 'cause he is being patient with
you because he wants you to repent.
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:So our second assumption that I don't
want you to to fall for is don't assume
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:that God will be patient forever.
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:Don't assume that God
will be patient forever.
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:So I am younger sibling.
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:And um, I'm very grateful that I
have a very patient, older brother
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:because when I was growing up, I
prided myself on being very annoying.
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:Like if you told me I was annoying,
I took it as a compliment.
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:I was like, thanks.
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:That's great.
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:So I was very annoying to my older
brother and he was probably like,
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:I don't even know how he was this
patient, especially 'cause he wasn't
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:even a believer for most of that.
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:And I don't know how he did it.
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:He was super patient, but because
I knew he was patient, it made me
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:think I could get away with stuff.
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:I would actually bother him more
because I knew he was patient.
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:'cause I knew my brother was really
nice and I knew he wouldn't hit me back.
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:I knew he wouldn't go tell my mom.
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:I knew he wouldn't just knock me out.
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:Right.
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:He could have, I knew he
wouldn't do it, so it actually
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:made me more annoying to him.
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:'cause I knew I could
do whatever I wanted.
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:I think some of you guys
might be doing that with God,
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:you know, God's patient and so you
say I can become a Christian later.
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:God's patience actually makes you less
inclined to repent of your sin because
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:you say, I can do that when I'm older.
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:I know God's patient, I know
God's kind, so I can wait.
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:He'll, I'm sure he'll give me a chance.
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:I can just go through high school.
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:And then when I get, uh, when I get
to college, maybe I'll think about it.
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:And then actually when I have a fun
college experience and, and live it up
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:in college, then I'll become a Christian
when I settle down because you think, oh,
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:God's patient, I can, I can just do that.
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:You're assuming that God will
actually keep being patient.
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:You don't know that God
doesn't have to be patient.
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:You realize that, right?
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:And even if you're a
Christian in the room, right?
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:I think it's easy for us to
assume, oh, I'm a Christian.
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:I'm saved, I'm forgiven.
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:God will be patient with me.
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:I can.
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:I can deal with this sin later.
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:I can keep watching those videos.
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:I can keep saying these words.
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:I can keep doing these things.
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:I can keep thinking these thoughts
because God's patient, he'll forgive me.
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:It's okay.
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:There's not a lack.
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:There's a lack of urgency there.
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:'cause you're like, oh, I'm a Christian.
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:I'm safe.
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:So this goes both ways.
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:Don't assume that God will
always be patient with you.
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:So our first lie that I want
you to not buy is that one.
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:You can become a Christian later.
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:That's the first lie.
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:I can become a Christian later.
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:Now the the truth I want you to replace
that with is you might not have later.
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:You might not have later.
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:You could die in a car accident tonight.
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:You could.
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:You might not have later,
but also you might not want
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:to become a Christian later.
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:Remember what we talked
about in chapter one?
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:God might hand you over to your
sin and let you, he says, fine,
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:you don't want me Keep sinning.
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:And he might hand you over to your
sin and you'll never want to become
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:a Christian in the first place and
you'll, you'll never turn from your sin.
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:You're presuming on God's patience.
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:You're assuming that, oh, I
can pick and choose whenever
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:I want to become a Christian.
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:You realize that becoming
a Christian is a gift.
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:God doesn't have to let
you become a Christian.
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:You have no right to become a Christian.
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:You like maybe you've never
thought about it before.
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:You have no right to become a Christian.
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:God doesn't have to let
you into his family.
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:God doesn't have to to let
you get Jesus righteousness.
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:God has every right to send you to hell.
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:You have no right for even the
chance to become a Christian.
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:So don't assume that you can
become a Christian later because
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:you might not have later.
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:You might not want to later and
you won't even make it till later.
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:God doesn't have to let you repent.
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:He can hand you over to your
sin and let you keep sinning.
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:And I know that's intense.
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:I know that's heavy, and I'm
telling you this because I love you.
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:That's the same reason God tells you this.
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:He's patient with you because he's kind.
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:God is so kind.
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:He lets you like my older
brother, keep offending him so
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:that you might repent one day.
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:Because if God wasn't patient with
you, he would send you to hell and
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:you wouldn't be able to repent.
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:God is so patient with you and so kind.
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:Even as Christian, right,
as Christians, we still sin.
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:And God doesn't say,
well, too bad you're done.
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:You're unadopted not part
of my family anymore.
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:I'm taking away Jesus righteousness.
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:You're done.
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:You're not justified anymore.
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:God doesn't do that.
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:He's so patient with us.
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:He wants us to repent.
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:That's the point of God's kindness
is, is to lead us to repentance.
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:The reason that God hasn't killed you
yet is because he wants you to repent.
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:So don't assume that you can
become a Christian later.
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:I also don't want you to assume another
lie that you might believe is that nothing
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:bad happens right away when I sin, right?
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:And this goes for Christians
and non-Christians.
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:If you're not a believer, you
think nothing bad happens when
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:I sin, I can get away with it.
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:I know maybe God knows about it, but
he's not gonna do anything about it.
402
:It's fine.
403
:Or I can get away with it.
404
:It's okay.
405
:Well, really, that's not true, right?
406
:You can't, you can't escape
the consequences of your sin
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:because one, every time you sin,
if you're not an unbeliever, it
408
:hardens your heart towards God.
409
:You're saying you're, you're
actively rejecting God.
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:Or every time you hear a sermon
like this and just ignore it
411
:and, and wait till next week.
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:Wait till whenever or say,
oh, well, not right now.
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:You're actually making it harder for
you to become a Christian because
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:you're hardening your heart towards God.
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:So bad things happen when you sin.
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:Even if it's not like, oh, I
sinned and then I got caught
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:and I got consequences for it.
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:That could happen.
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:But also it impacts your heart and
I think the Christians in the room,
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:hopefully you, you feel this when you sin.
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:You feel that that
relational distance from God.
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:You've offended God, it's
harder for you to pray.
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:It's harder for you to love people.
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:Your sin always hurts
you and God and others.
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:We actually were talking about this
with my community group last night.
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:We were talking about how envy
actually makes it hard for you to love
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:people you don't really think about.
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:Oh, envy, that's like a private sin.
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:It doesn't impact other people.
430
:If you're envying someone, it's really
hard for you to love that person, right?
431
:It's really hard for you
to pray for that person.
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:It's really hard for you to
be rejoicing with that person.
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:It's really hard for you
to bless that person.
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:So your sin actually also impacts
your relationship with others too.
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:So actually there are consequences for sin
even if you don't feel them in the moment.
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:And then the third lie that you
might believe is that my sin is okay
437
:because God is patient and kind.
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:So it's not a big deal, right?
439
:God will forgive me anyway.
440
:Not a big deal.
441
:Just because God is patient doesn't
mean he's okay with your sin, right?
442
:Just because God doesn't do anything
about your sin, doesn't mean it's okay.
443
:Just because I would poke my brother
and annoy him and throw pillows at
444
:him and take away his blanket when
we were sleeping and roll off the
445
:bed with it, doesn't mean that it's
okay for me to do those things.
446
:Right.
447
:So just because God doesn't
do anything about your sin in
448
:the moment doesn't, it's okay.
449
:It is so easy as a Christian to
say, well, God will forgive me.
450
:It's okay.
451
:I can give into this temptation.
452
:Not a big deal.
453
:That's simply not true.
454
:You have to think about God
is actively being patient.
455
:It's not like God's default is like
to not feel anything about your sin.
456
:God's default is to be just to be
righteous in wrath towards sin, and
457
:he is actively patient to say, I'm
not going to pour my wrath out on you.
458
:I'm going to to be patient and
withhold my wrath from you.
459
:So God's patience is meant to lead you
to repentance, even for Christians.
460
:Maybe it's an individual sin that
you're, you're working through and
461
:you aren't taking it very seriously.
462
:And the reason God hasn't
exposed you yet is because he
463
:wants you to repent on your own.
464
:He doesn't wanna do it the hard way where
he has to expose your sin to other people.
465
:He, he wants you to repent and,
and not have to do it the hard way.
466
:So God's patience is meant to lead
you to repentance, and it's because
467
:he's kind, he loves you and he doesn't
want you to, to keep living in your
468
:sin, which will kill you, right?
469
:He doesn't want you to, to keep licking
that knife and choking on your own blood.
470
:He wants you to, to turn
from that and repent.
471
:So eventually what we're gonna
see here is that Paul points out
472
:that these people have the exact
same problem as everyone else.
473
:Right.
474
:Even the self-righteous people, even
the people who know a lot about God,
475
:even the, in this case, the Jews who
were God's chosen people and had God's
476
:promises and, and had this whole history
of, of God associating himself with them.
477
:Even these people have the same
problem as the people from chapter one.
478
:So look at verse five of chapter
two, but because of your hard and imp
479
:penitent, that means like unrepentant.
480
:Your heart and impendent heart, you
are storing up wrath for yourself
481
:on the day of wrath, when God's
righteous judgment will be revealed.
482
:So what Paul is saying here
is that your, your unrepentant
483
:heart is piling up God's wrath.
484
:That's kind of crazy to
think about it, right?
485
:Like imagine if every time you sin.
486
:You like put, imagine like you have
this like big, this big like dump truck,
487
:like a dump, like, and every time you
sin, you put a rock in it, and every
488
:time you sin, you put a rock in it.
489
:You're storing up wrath for
yourself and one day God is
490
:gonna dump that avalanche on you
491
:if you're not covered by Jesus.
492
:Jesus didn't take God's wrath for you.
493
:One day you will suffer for all
of your sins, every single one,
494
:and it's hanging over your head.
495
:You're storing it up.
496
:Maybe you think you're
getting away with your sin.
497
:You think no one knows about it.
498
:You're storing it up and you're
piling it up and it's a, at any
499
:moment it could avalanche down on you,
500
:and one day that will happen.
501
:And it's the right thing for God to do
because you, we want people to do that.
502
:We, we want God to do that
for, for bad people, right?
503
:We want God to do that for Hitler.
504
:We want God to do that for murderers.
505
:We want God to do that for pedophiles.
506
:But what about for me and you?
507
:We deserve the same thing
because we have the same problem.
508
:You see that it's a heart problem.
509
:It's not a knowledge problem,
it's a heart problem.
510
:So our third assumption is don't assume
that your heart is in good condition.
511
:Don't assume that your heart is in good
condition, that your heart is alive.
512
:The Bible says your heart starts off
dead, your heart starts off hard, and God
513
:needs to do something to it to make you.
514
:Alive to, to give you a real true life.
515
:So don't assume your heart
is in good condition.
516
:You might assume, for example,
when you buy a car that the
517
:engine is in good condition.
518
:That might be an assumption you have.
519
:So I bought a car almost a year
ago, actually more than a year ago.
520
:I bought a car and I was like,
great, I got a car 'cause my
521
:other car got hit by a tornado.
522
:Long story.
523
:Um, and I was like, cool, I have a car.
524
:This is gonna be, this is awesome.
525
:And I made sure I got a white car.
526
:'cause in Texas it's like a
million degrees in the summer.
527
:So that way, you know, and
not, not any black interiors.
528
:'cause I was like, this is
gonna, I don't want an oven for
529
:a car, I want a car for a car.
530
:So I was like, great.
531
:So I had this car and like a month later,
um, uh, some, the check engine light comes
532
:on and I was like, that's super weird.
533
:And I couldn't, my RPMs wouldn't
go above two, like:
534
:So I have like, I'm like,
I driving on the freeway.
535
:My, my pedal's like on the floor
and I'm going 60 miles an hour and
536
:my RPMs are not going above two.
537
:And I was like, okay, this is really bad.
538
:So I take it to this shop and I take
it and they like said they fixed it
539
:and whatever, and I was like, great.
540
:And I was driving, um, Ezekiel and
Carson and Caleb to winter revival.
541
:Um, the same thing happens.
542
:We're getting on DNT, we're
going south to to winter.
543
:Revival, same problem, exact same problem.
544
:Um, so I take it back and this is
like in, this is like six months
545
:later, or no, four months later.
546
:So I took it back and they
were like, oh, that's weird.
547
:I wonder what happened, you know,
and they try to figure it out and all
548
:this stuff, and they say, well, we put
more oil in the engine, just drive it
549
:around some more and see what happens.
550
:I was like, thanks guys.
551
:So I did that and I think I had to
take it back one more time and then
552
:it seemed fine and it was great.
553
:Then on the way back from summer
Revival, I was driving with you
554
:two and, and, uh, miss Allie.
555
:And, um, I literally turned
to her and I was like, watch
556
:my, watch my car break down.
557
:And literally like 30 minutes
later, same thing happens.
558
:Check engine lights on,
pedals on the floor.
559
:I can't go above.
560
:And so this is a year
later, same exact problem.
561
:So I, uh, took my car back.
562
:To this place, which praise
the Lord for warranty.
563
:Um, 'cause I didn't have
to pay for any of this.
564
:Um, so I took my car back.
565
:I didn't have my car for all of August.
566
:Um, they were trying to figure out what
was wrong with it and all this stuff
567
:and they ended up replacing the engine.
568
:Like I got a new engine
for my car for free.
569
:Uh, but I got a new engine for
my car and so far it works great.
570
:Um, but allegedly it's fixed now.
571
:What I learned is not to assume that
my engine was in good condition,
572
:just because they fixed it.
573
:I didn't assume.
574
:So now what I do is I try to break my
car, um, because what happens is when
575
:my car, when I accelerate, like to get
on the freeway, that's when it happens.
576
:So every time, actually, every time I,
I'm at Ezekiel's house for partners.
577
:I accelerate really fast when I leave
to see if it'll break the engine.
578
:And so far it hasn't done that.
579
:Um,
580
:um, anyway, but I, I assumed right?
581
:You would assume, oh, I, I got a new
car, it should have a good engine.
582
:Right?
583
:Or you assume I took my car in the
mechanic, it should have a good engine.
584
:Right?
585
:And I learned very quickly
to not assume that.
586
:I think a lot of people
assume that your heart.
587
:Is in good condition that your heart is
primarily oriented towards good things.
588
:You assume, oh, there's
a country song about it.
589
:Most people are good.
590
:You assume that, oh, my
heart is, my heart likes God.
591
:My heart doesn't like sin.
592
:You assume that about yourself
and that's actually not true.
593
:'cause what do we just
hear about our heart?
594
:Our heart is, is hard and unrepentant.
595
:Okay, so the first lie that I don't
want you to believe is that good
596
:morals and what I call churchianity.
597
:Actually I didn't come up with
that phrase, someone else did.
598
:Um, good morals and churchianity
means you have a good heart.
599
:That is not true just
because you have good morals.
600
:Just because you, you know right
from wrong doesn't mean your
601
:heart is in good condition.
602
:'cause actually everyone
has a hard heart, right?
603
:A good outside doesn't mean
you have a good inside.
604
:Just 'cause your car is clean
doesn't mean the engine works.
605
:So don't assume that good morals
and growing up at church means
606
:you have a good heart actually.
607
:Your heart loves sin.
608
:Your heart loves sin.
609
:Your heart looks for opportunities to sin.
610
:Your heart actually doesn't need
even need to be taught how to sin.
611
:It figures out how to sin on its own.
612
:Another lie you might believe
is that procrastinating.
613
:Repenting isn't being hardhearted
because you think, well, I'm not
614
:rejecting God, I'm just putting him off.
615
:I'm just saying I'll do that later.
616
:Now, as you all know, procrastinating
is still rejecting, right?
617
:Like if I, if I said, Hey, we talked about
bad textures a couple weeks ago, right?
618
:A bad texture.
619
:Really what they're saying is,
you're not important to me, right?
620
:Because we all know if you are really like
super, super, super important to them.
621
:Like if they had a crush on you or you had
a right, they would respond immediately.
622
:Right?
623
:You know that, you know that if,
if, if the right person texts them,
624
:they'll respond, but you're not
a priority, so you're not gonna
625
:get the immediate response right.
626
:When you're pushing off repenting,
whether as a Christian or not, you're
627
:telling God, you're not important to
me because I have better things to do.
628
:I have more important things to do.
629
:Procrastinating saying I'm, I'm
gonna become a Christian later.
630
:What you're saying is, God, you're
not worth my time right now.
631
:You're worth my time later, right?
632
:Like if for example, you're
saying, well, you know, God, I'll
633
:become a Christian after college.
634
:What you're saying is, God, you're
not worth living for in high school.
635
:You're not worth it.
636
:It's not very important
for me to live for you.
637
:That's what you're telling God.
638
:So don't believe the lie that that
procrastinating isn't being hardhearted.
639
:Don't believe this is, this
is really the biggest one.
640
:Don't believe the lie that
God's wrath isn't really for
641
:me, it's for everyone else.
642
:Because that's really what
this all comes down to, right?
643
:Is we believe that God's
wrath is for those people.
644
:Hell is for those people, but not for me.
645
:I don't deserve it.
646
:Sometimes even Christians, we become
a Christian and then eventually
647
:after we grow in holiness and after
we, we kill some sin, we think, oh,
648
:I'm really not that bad anymore.
649
:I don't really deserve God's wrath
'cause look how much I've grown.
650
:And that's dangerous even
for us Christians, right?
651
:Because we can think, oh,
well, look how good I am now.
652
:We're really taking credit
for God's grace, right?
653
:What we're doing is saying, well,
look, look how awesome I am.
654
:I don't deserve God's wrath anymore.
655
:'cause of all the good things I've
done, that sounds like someone who's
656
:trusting their own righteousness, right?
657
:So if you're a Christian and, and
you're saying, you know, what God's
658
:wrath is, is really for those people
I know, like I used to deserve God's
659
:wrath, but now that I'm a Christian.
660
:You know, I'm, I'm a good person.
661
:Now that's kind of prideful 'cause the
only reason is 'cause of God's grace.
662
:Right?
663
:So, God's wrath is, is really for you,
specifically you, your sin, the things
664
:that you have done, the things that you
have thought, the things that you have
665
:felt, the things that you've wanted,
the things that you've prioritized.
666
:God's wrath is, is for you.
667
:And so when we confess our sin, right?
668
:As a Christian, when you confess
your sin to God, or for the first
669
:time when you, you want to become
a Christian and you turn from
670
:your sin, you can't sugarcoat it.
671
:You can't make excuses
for your sin, right?
672
:You can't say, well, um, that person
made me do it, or they just made me so
673
:anxious, or I just can't, I'm, I just
lost my patience 'cause they did this.
674
:That's, that's saying,
that's sugarcoating your sin.
675
:Right.
676
:And becoming a Christian means
getting a new heart, right?
677
:Not getting better, right?
678
:Like with my car, they kept
putting oil in the engine, but
679
:I really needed a new engine.
680
:And I, I hopefully for, for some of you
who aren't saved in this room, I hope
681
:you're, you're realizing that you, your
sin doesn't just need you to do better.
682
:You don't just need to, to
start reading the Bible more.
683
:You don't just need to to pray more.
684
:You don't just need to, to stop saying
those words or stop watching those
685
:videos or stop playing those games or
stop listening that music if, if you're
686
:not a Christian, you need a new heart.
687
:You need God needs to, to make you a
different person because the person
688
:that you are, the person that we all
were before, Christ is under God's wrath
689
:opposed to God, hardhearted, unrepentant.
690
:If you're a Christian,
that's who you used to be.
691
:Don't sugarcoat that, right?
692
:Don't, don't forget that.
693
:And if you aren't a Christian, don't
try to just put more oil in the engine.
694
:When you really need a new
engine, you need a new heart.
695
:You need God to change you, and
you need Jesus righteousness for
696
:everything, not just for your worst
sins, but for all of your sins.
697
:Let's pray and we'll go to small groups.
698
:God, we are grateful that
you are patient and kind.
699
:We're so thankful that you love to
forgive and so I pray even after we
700
:talked about, uh, some hard things
about sin and your wrath, I pray
701
:that we see that your wrath is.
702
:Is good because we want a God who is
just, we want a God who punished his sin.
703
:But unfortunately, we
are part of that problem.
704
:So I pray that we are more
grateful for the gospel.
705
:I pray that we are more,
um, thankful for your grace.
706
:And I pray for any students in this room
who aren't saved, that they would not,
707
:um, keep rejecting you and keep putting
off and believing lies about themselves
708
:or about you, but rather they would turn
from their sin and put their trust in you.
709
:We pray this in Jesus' name.
710
:Amen.
