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Happy Mother’s Day

*Illustration: The first time we saw she had it.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

When you die, why should God let you spend eternity with him?

“I was good enough.” 
“I have lived a good life.” 
“I wasn’t that bad, or as bad as him.”
"I have tried to do whatever God wanted me to do.”
“Not my fault.  The devil made me do it.”

Do you truly believe that you are a sinner?  Your future is at stake in answer to that question.

Our statement of Faith says that “We believe that we are sinners by nature and choice.”

Read Romans 7:7-13

The purpose of law or rule is to reveal that which is sin. (7)

• Without the law we would be sinning and dishonoring God without knowing it.
  
  
• We would be destroying ourselves ignorantly.

The very moment a rule or law is spoken our flesh is aroused to break it.  (8)

• The law creates a tension, an internal war.
  
  
• Everything inside of you is now curious as to why not.

Sin brings death and separation from all that is good. (9)

• Death in your relationship to your Maker.
  
  
• Death to life to all relationships in that unchecked we will innately separate ourselves from each other.
  
  
• Death to all that will bring lasting joy in life.
  
  
• Final death and separation from God for all of eternity.

Is the law bringing a curse by its mere existence? (10-14)

• The law is holy, righteous, and good. (12)
  
  
• It is meant to preserve your life. (10)
  
  
• We need the law to point out sin and become disgusted by it. (13)
  
  
• You cannot feel comfortable in your sin when the law keeps exposing it.

Read Romans 7:14-23

We are guilty by nature.

• Sin has purchased (“slave”) territory in you, by the nature you have inherited and by the choices you have made. (14)
  
  
• There is a desire to want to do and be good, but you don’t have that nature. (18, 21)
  
  
• There is a battle for your soul: Your Flesh vs. The Spirit. (23)

We are guilty by choice. 

• When we know the good we ought to do and don’t do it, we have chosen to sin.
  
  
• Disobedience is a choice.
  • Disobeying that which we know by the written law.
  • Disobeying that which we innately know by God’s design of us.

Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

Romans 5:19 “For just through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners…”

Help!!!  I cannot win this battle.  Romans 7:24

The death that becomes us due to sin, has been paid for.

Romans 5:19 “For just through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

ABC’s to Faith in Christ Jesus that saves us from death.

                  Admit you are a sinner.

                  Believe that Jesus died and was raised to life.

                  Confess with your mouth that He is your Lord.