Rescued From Self-Obsession Part 2

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. It's natural to be selfish.

It's natural to put yourself first and to make yourself look good. And it's also natural to sin. Until we're redeemed by faith in Jesus, we will never be free of our obligation to sin. But once that transaction takes place, we are set free from our old master to serve Christ.

From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, some wise person once said that joy was Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. Well Dave, you know that's true, but I need to tell you that is very difficult, putting ourselves last.

After all, we wake up in the morning, we go to bed at night, we work during the day. We're always thinking of ourselves, aren't we? But you know, the gift of joy, and I like to use that word gift, the gift of joy comes to us through the Holy Spirit and enables us to not put ourselves first as we generally do.

But it's a struggle, isn't it? But joy can come from the outside. Jesus said, these things I have said unto you that your joy may be full, and of course it comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. You know, I believe that these messages can be of great help to you as a believer. The messages are entitled, Rescued, What God Did to Save Us, and these messages can be yours so that you can listen to them again and again, and we're coming near the end of the series, so I encourage you to get the series, and along with it, we send you a personal study guide. Here's what you can do. Go to RTWOffer.com.

That's RTWOffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. For a gift of any amount, these messages can be yours. But speaking about the source of joy, speaking about the source of victory, we have to hurry now and open our Bibles as we continue our study in the book of Romans. Well, the only way out is really death. When you die, you no longer have any obligation to your master. You die.

And what the Bible is saying here is that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, those who believe in him are put into him in such a sense that they died to the slavery of sin that we had in Adam, as it says in chapter 5, and they are now alive to Christ. Bottom line, they have absolutely no obligation to obey the old nature and the old Adam. The obligation has been broken.

Maybe a better illustration for us to get our handle on is something like this. Let's suppose that you lived in a condo association, and the landlord is very mean to you. He barks out orders. He's an extortionist. Tells you if you don't give him more money, you're going to be in trouble. He's going to turn you in.

And you live in fear, and you're just subject to him moment by moment. Then eventually that condo is actually sold. The complex is sold, and it has a new owner who is kind, who is loving, who is trying to win your heart and do what is best for you. Now, that old owner can still show up. He can still shout to you through the windows. He can still meet you on the sidewalk and hassle you, and you can still feel the same fear that courses through your body.

But you know what? Your obligation to him is over. It's done. You don't have to obey him anymore. You can if you want, but you don't have to because you have died to any obligation you have to that owner. And so the Apostle Paul says, in Jesus Christ, we die to any obligation that we had previously to be slaves of sin. We died to that, he says. Your obligations to sin are over.

What a wonderful truth. And then he goes on to say, consider it so. You know, for example, the Apostle Paul says, consider it. I'm in verse 11 now. So you must consider yourselves dead to sin. I memorized the book of Romans many years ago when I was very much younger in the King James version of the Bible. That's why when I quote scripture, I still sometimes quote the King James. And at this point, I loved what the King James, how it translated it. It said, reckon yourself to be dead.

Now you have to follow very carefully. Reckoning itself doesn't make you dead because it's not a fanciful thing that you do that has some magical qualities to it. If you're reckoning something that isn't true, it's of no value. Reckoning, of course, is an accounting term, I should say. And isn't it wonderful, mathematics is the only thing that we finally get right. Two plus two is equal to four all over the world. We get that right. Everything else sometimes becomes a little bit more complicated.

But reckoning itself doesn't do it. Example, I have here my wallet. Let's suppose I'm buying gasoline. And let's suppose I'm not using a credit card.

And I want to pay for it in cash, assuming that the station still takes American money. And so I have an empty wallet. I have an empty wallet.

But I say, I'm going to fill it up. And then I'm going to go into the station because on the way to the station itself where you pay, I'm going to say, I reckon I have $50. I reckon I have $50. I reckon that I have $50. Open up my wallet. It's empty.

The reckoning didn't do anything. But let's suppose before I leave home that morning, that morning I put $50 into my wallet. And I know it's there. By the way, one time something like that happened to me. I knew that the money was there, but one of my daughters had raided my wallet.

So you always have to reckon on facts. That's where this is going. What if I knew for sure in the morning I put in $50? As a matter of fact, I've got $50 here. You see that? See that $50? I put it in there.

Now I go to the filling station and I fill it up for $48.50. I now reckon as I take out my wallet. And I reckon. And I reckon with confidence.

Why? Because my reckoning is based on a fact. I know that I'm reckoning something that actually is true. My Christian friend, we've come to an impasse in this message that you need to get.

This is very, very critical. It is true that you, if you believed on Jesus, are crucified with Christ. That you were taken out of the old Adam and you were put into Jesus in such a way that you have no obligation to sin anymore. Your obligations are over and therefore it is over and therefore it can be said you are legally dead to sin. Jesus purchased the victory for you on the cross.

Hear this carefully. On the cross, Jesus died for me. But on the very same cross, I died with Jesus. The blood of Jesus that was shed for me gives me my forgiveness and my cleansing.

The victory of Jesus on the cross and my identification with him is the basis of my victory over sin. God doesn't just save us to get us to heaven. God saves us that we might live holy lives that break the power of sin in our lives. That's why I'm glad next time I'm preaching another message on the same passage as we move through the last part of Romans chapter 6, because it's truth we have to get.

John Owen, who wrote a book on this, a Puritan, said this, that you and I should kill sin if not sin will kill us. Sin in the life of a Christian is very serious. Yes, I know that there's forgiveness, but if we deliberately sin, or if we look at sin as if it's no big deal, we are really compromising our love for Christ. And what we're really saying is this, that sin was so hideous that Jesus died and made this beautiful sacrifice that we might be forgiven of our sins. But now we go along and we think it's not that bad after all, and we take what is hideous to God and it becomes a part of our lives. Sin in the life of a Christian is very serious. Yes, I know that there is forgiveness, there is cleansing, and we've all struggled with sin, believe me.

I have and you have too, but it cannot be treated lightly. Shall we continue in sin that grace may increase? God forbid.

God forbid. Its power has been broken. That's why we sing the song, you know, he breaks the power of canceled sin. He forgives us the sin, and then he cancels the sin, but he also breaks its power, and you need to see it as having been broken on the cross.

Let me discuss a little bit more as to what we're really talking about. The way of victory in the Christian life, it is grace, grace, not law, that gets us out of sinful habits. It is grace, not law, that gets us out of sinful habits and sinful burdens. And we need to understand this.

You know, the whole idea, should I continue in sin that grace may abound? Let me give you an illustration. Let's illustrate it with a young woman who falls in love with a husband who wins her over because of his kindness, his love, and his thoughtfulness. And he wins her over, and then they marry, and he, because he's a person of integrity, says under no condition ever, ever, ever, no matter what you do, I will never, never, ever, never, never divorce you.

So can you imagine her saying, what a great deal. I can now sleep around because after all, you know, he's promised me he's never going to divorce me. And the more I sin and the more I sleep around, it demonstrates his wonderful grace and forgiveness. And to that, the Apostle Paul would say, God forbid. Jesus dies on the cross to rescue us. He redeems us. He puts us into himself in such a way that the power of sin is broken. And then we turn around and say, well, let this continue in sin that grace may abound.

May it never be. Here's a final lesson here as we try to become who we really are in Christ, which is really what the Christian life is all about. Final lesson is this, that right living ultimately is based on right believing. You have to believe the right thing, and then you'll live the right thing.

And as your pastor, I am not so much concerned in teaching you how to live, though that of course is part of it. I want to, by God's grace, teach all of us, myself included, how to believe. Because if we believe, we will experience the blessing of God. Remember this, without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he rewards those who diligently seek him out. And you say, well, if this is all true that you presented today, why do we have to go to church?

Why do we have to do this? And the reason is this, because you and I struggle with believing, don't we? We struggle with believing the victory of Jesus on our behalf, and God intends that it is in community, praying together and bearing one another's burdens that we are able to access the power and the victory which is already legally won for us in Jesus Christ our Lord. In Romans chapter 8, the Apostle Paul is going to say this. He's going to say that we should put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit of God.

If you by the Spirit, he says, put to death the deeds of the body. And that's why I'm thinking and praying about it, and you can pray along with me, but in several weeks I'm thinking of beginning a series of messages on the Holy Spirit, because it is the Spirit's power that we need to know about so that the truths of Romans 6 are both understood, they are believed, and they are acted upon. Now, as I come to the end of this message, I need to tell you that we are going to be having again people in the aisle who are willing to pray with you, prayer partners, because some of you have come here with heavy burdens, and it may pertain to what I've said, it may not pertain to what I've said.

Some of you are bearing burdens for your children and your grandchildren, or you may be going through a time of financial reversal and pain. Maybe it's the rupture of relationship, and God intends that the truths of his word be experienced within the life of community. Yes, we have to believe right, but we have to believe right together. So that we become a part of it. That's why the book of Romans, especially in chapter 12, begins to talk about spiritual gifts and relationships within the church. But I do conclude with this, particularly for those of you who have no idea what your relationship with God is like.

I told you earlier that the entry point of the Christian life is accepting Christ as Savior, and the sacrifice that was made on our behalf. And I came across this information regarding J.P. Morgan. J.P. Morgan, a very famous name, of course, in the financial world. Now, in another era, when the original J.P. Morgan died, he was such a multi-millionaire, it was found the year before his death he had made his will.

It consisted of 10,000 words, 10,000 words, and 37 articles. He made many transactions, some of which, get this, could disturb the financial equilibrium of the world. You money lovers should listen up, because apparently he knew how to make money.

But there is one transaction that evidently stood out in Mr. Morgan's mind of supreme importance. In his will, he said this, I commit my soul in the hands of my Savior, full confidence that having redeemed me and washed me with his most precious blood, he will present me faultless before the throne of my Heavenly Father. I entreat my children to maintain and defend at all hazards and at any cost of personal sacrifice the blessed doctrine of the complete atonement of sins through the blood of Jesus once offered, and through that alone.

Wow. The things that we seek after, money, fame, even good health, will never get us into the heavenly kingdom, or doing good, so far as that's concerned. It comes only by entrusting ourselves to a Redeemer who died, whose blood is sufficient for you and your sin, no matter what it may be.

Jesus paid it all. He is the victor, and we participate in his victory and blessings. I'm going to ask now that we stand, and prayer partners, would you take your place? You'll notice that if you're in the balcony, there are going to be prayer partners at the head of every stair that is up there.

Just stay here for a moment. We are going to pray together. And as you have a spiritual need, the prayer partners are there to pray with you. And what they are committed to do is to simply find your first name, give them one sentence as to what your need is, and they will pray with you. And also, if you'd like them, they'll follow up with you, and they'll remember you in prayer all week. If God has talked to you, would you talk to one of those prayer partners? Father, as we sing together now, may your Holy Spirit give great freedom, and we ask that spiritual victory shall be won, because we've prayed in the blessed name of Jesus, and his very, very adequate blood. Amen. My friend, I see myself as so blessed.

Blessed because I've had the opportunity to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior at about the age of 14, and now throughout the years having the opportunity of explaining the gospel and preaching the gospel to many people. And you know, the ministry of running to win, and I've said this before, exists to get the gospel of Jesus Christ to more than 20 countries of the world to as many people as possible. And you make that possible, by the way, with your gifts and your prayers. You know, this series of messages on the book of Romans, and by the way, we are getting close to the end of the series, it can be yours. For a gift of any amount, you can go to rtwoffer.com. That's rtwoffer.com, or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now, I'm going to be giving you that contact info again, but I want to remind you that the title of the series is Rescued, What God Did to Save Us, The Best News You Will Ever Hear in All Your Life, right there in the book of Romans. So, I believe that this series of messages can be a blessing, and along with the messages, by the way, we will send you a personal study guide so you can go in depth in meditation on the good news of the gospel, Rescued, What God Did to Save Us. Go to rtwoffer.com. R-T-W, offer, of course, is all one word, rtwoffer.com.

Or if you prefer, call us at 1-888-218-9337. It's time once again for you to ask Pastor Lutzer a question about the Bible or the Christian life. As moral standards keep declining, the language in our culture grows ever more coarse.

Kim Erickson lives in Savannah, Georgia, and listens to Running to Win online. This is Kim's question. I have a question about using the Lord's name in vain. This sin is mentioned in the Lord's Prayer. It's my understanding that God's name is to be hallowed. How should we react when we hear people using his name in vain? Kim, first of all, it's very important for you to realize that the unsaved use the name of God in vain so loosely and so often they aren't even aware of the fact that they are breaking one of the commandments, and many of them probably wouldn't care even if they knew it.

So, here's what I suggest. Rather than you rebuking someone publicly and humiliating them over this, why don't you talk to them privately? Talk to the person who uses the Lord's name in vain and explain why they shouldn't and why it's important. After all, to use the name of the Lord God in vain is serious because it really belittles God. And isn't it interesting that even those who profess often that they don't believe in God still will use God's name in vain?

So, that's very important. Speak to them. Speak to them also about Jesus Christ because sometimes they use his name in vain. And why use Jesus Christ? Why not use Julius Caesar?

Well, the answer is because there's something about Jesus that people recognize as being divinity. So, I would say handle it privately. Have a discussion. Use it as a bridge to explain the gospel to people. If they continue to use the Lord's name in vain after that, there's nothing you can do except to pray for them and keep loving them. Thank you, Kim, and thank you, Dr. Lutzer. If you'd like to hear one of your questions answered, go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer, or call us at 1-888-218-9337. That's 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. Breaking free from old patterns involves reckoning oneself dead unto sin, but alive unto God. Next time, what this is all about. This is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.