Sacred Living in a Secular Society

The Answer

There is a question that is swirling among American churches?

What are we going to do? What happens next?

The very core of America religious life is forever being degraded.

An Overview of Romans 1 – 2

The source of sin – The suppression of the truth through unrighteous deeds (1:18).

The manifestation of sin – (1:28–32) The judgment of sin – The wrath of

God (1:18)

An Overview of Romans 1 – 2 The lost voice against the sins of the world is

the result of the presence of sin in the Church.

The sin-problem in the Church stems from a taking-for-granted of the mercy and grace of God (2:4)

God will deal with every person according to his/her deeds. Herein, we find balance between faith and works. (2:6)

The prevalence of sin is the result of the rejection of the truth.

Therefore, for the Church to regain its ability to speak effectively against sin, it must first

(1) embrace the Truth and (2) repent of sin.

Okay, then what is the answer?

What is the Truth?

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.6 among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ.

The answer is found in the first few verses of Romans

Paul gives us the answer…

The Gospel

1. There is a PROMISE (v. 2)

2. There is a MANIFESTATION (v. 3)

3. There is a DECLARATION (v. 4)

4. There is a TRANSFERANCE (v. 5a)

5. There is a PURPOSE (v. 5b)

6. There is an INVITATION (v. 6)

God is a God of promise(s)…

which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.

1. Noah prophesied in the midst of great sin.2. Moses prophesied before Pharaoh and to a wondering,

complaining nomadic people3. Samuel and Nathan prophesied before sinful leadership4. Elijah and Elisha prophesied in the midst of wicked kingdoms5. David prophesied as he worked though his own sin and failure6. Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied in the midst of the judgment of

God against the nation of Israel7. The ‘Minor Prophets’ prophesied to reprobate nations8. Daniel prophesied in a land that was not his own and for a time

he knew not of

And in all of this, God’s promises remained true…

If God’s promises were true in the trouble of times past, then His

promises remain true in this present turmoil.

Acts 11. There are things that God has placed firmly in

His own authority – God is in control (v. 7)

2. For everything else, He has empowered you to live a faithful life – He has given the Church overcoming power (v. 8)

3. Until the day Christ returns just as He as promised (v. 11)

concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.

Acts 1:6 “Will You at this time restore the Kingdom of Israel?”– The Jews struggled with Jesus’ fulfillment of their

expectations of the Messiah– They never understood the bigger picture– God’s promise to Abraham “And in you all the

families of the earth shall be blessed” (12:3)

concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.

Jesus became a manifestation of God’s ‘promises in progress’…

We must be encouraged. We are living in the manifestation of God’s promises

in progress.

and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

The Resurrection –Declared Jesus’ Spiritual and Natural power

over death– It cemented Jesus’ legacy of moral purity

The Resurrection set the stage…–The great goal of God’s promises is victory

over death through Jesus Christ.–The standard for attaining these promises is the

life of Jesus Christ – one of holiness and moral purity

Through Him we have received grace and apostleship

The Resurrection… –Becomes the medium through which spiritual

things of God are transferred into the lives of humanity.

–Ephesians 2:5 “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved”

Through Him we have received grace and apostleship

The Resurrection…The New Birth…–We receive God’s grace.–God prepares our hearts to be receptive to His

divine influence upon our lives.

Our prayer should be …God fill us with your grace – Kindle our

hearts with the flame of your mercy, loving-kindness, and truth.

Through Him we have received grace and apostleship

The Resurrection…The New Birth…–We receive a calling (apostleship).–God prepares our hearts to be receptive to His

divine call upon our lives.

1 Peter 2:5 “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy

priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.

The Church has a single purpose: to be the image of Christ to the world until the

day that He returns.

1 Timothy 2: 1 – 4 “1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”–Through our prayer life (v. 1) AND –Through our public life (v. 2)–The Believer finds acceptance in the eyes of

God (v. 3) AND–The Believer finds an effective witness in the

eyes of men (v. 4)

among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ

Paul extends an invitation to every

individual:(1) To be saved by grace and (2) To

become a witness of the resurrecting power of Jesus

Christ.

New Birth

Disciple

Witness

New Birth

Disciple

Witness

Sacred Living in a Secular Society

The Answer