Christ Loves Sinners, So Why Stop Sinning?
A Tim Keller Sermon Summary
When we put our trust in Christ, God accepts us as His children, no matter how bad we are. In other words, salvation is received, not achieved. So then why should we change the way we live? If we are free to live in whatever ways we want, why not live as we have been?
First, we must recognize that we aren’t really free. We either obey God or we are slave to something else (Romans 6:12, 16). This “something else” is what we treat as paramount. When we lose it or can’t get it, we blow up in anger, are paralyzed by fear, or lose interest in life. This idol can be our wealth, fame, power, family, abilities, friends, achievements, beauty, or health. Inherently, this object of our attention can be good, but when our desires for it become excessive, it becomes our security and significance. Gradually, it controls us, becoming our cruel and dominating master, our god. We become its slave, and we will suffer.
But now we are Christians. We are united with Christ, engrafted into His death and resurrection (Romans 6:3, 5; Colossians 3:1-3). We are reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit, via a power that will one day renew the cosmos (Titus 3:5, Matthew 19:28). Now, God lives in us. In Christ, we sit at the right hand of God the Father. We must recognize the magnitude of our new status. Don’t settle for lesser gods. In Christ, we are free of sin’s control (Romans 6:6).
But it is difficult to break from our deeply ingrained habits and desires. These gods have been our master for so long.
To change our slavery mindset, we must constantly remind ourselves of our new status in Christ (Romans 6:11). But we might mistrust God and worry that God will abuse us as our master. Instead of reverting to our familiar, sinful ways, we must constantly remind ourselves of the love of Christ, who gave up everything to suffer for us (Philippians 2, Mark 10:25).
In light of His love, wisdom, and power, it makes sense to obey God and change our ways of living. With God living in us, we gradually will come to live according to our new status in Christ.
A summary of a Tim Keller sermon:
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/perfect-freedom-5497/
https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/perfect-freedom/
First, we must recognize that we aren’t really free. We either obey God or we are slave to something else (Romans 6:12, 16). This “something else” is what we treat as paramount. When we lose it or can’t get it, we blow up in anger, are paralyzed by fear, or lose interest in life. This idol can be our wealth, fame, power, family, abilities, friends, achievements, beauty, or health. Inherently, this object of our attention can be good, but when our desires for it become excessive, it becomes our security and significance. Gradually, it controls us, becoming our cruel and dominating master, our god. We become its slave, and we will suffer.
But now we are Christians. We are united with Christ, engrafted into His death and resurrection (Romans 6:3, 5; Colossians 3:1-3). We are reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit, via a power that will one day renew the cosmos (Titus 3:5, Matthew 19:28). Now, God lives in us. In Christ, we sit at the right hand of God the Father. We must recognize the magnitude of our new status. Don’t settle for lesser gods. In Christ, we are free of sin’s control (Romans 6:6).
But it is difficult to break from our deeply ingrained habits and desires. These gods have been our master for so long.
To change our slavery mindset, we must constantly remind ourselves of our new status in Christ (Romans 6:11). But we might mistrust God and worry that God will abuse us as our master. Instead of reverting to our familiar, sinful ways, we must constantly remind ourselves of the love of Christ, who gave up everything to suffer for us (Philippians 2, Mark 10:25).
In light of His love, wisdom, and power, it makes sense to obey God and change our ways of living. With God living in us, we gradually will come to live according to our new status in Christ.
A summary of a Tim Keller sermon:
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/perfect-freedom-5497/
https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/perfect-freedom/