Sermon, February 6, 2011 - How Bad Can it Be?
Romans 2.17 – 3.20
A. CAN YOU USE RELIGION TO COVER UP SIN?
1. Going by a religious name [2.17]
a. Jew
b. Christian
2. Having a religious book [2.17-18]
a. The Law
b. The Bible
3. Undergoing a religious ceremony [2.25]
a. Circumcision
b. Baptism
Human beings are comfortable
with what is outward, visible, material & superficial.
What matters to God
is a deep, inward, secret work of the HS in our hearts. [Stott]
B. NO! SIN IS A MUCH DEEPER PROBLEM
1. Sin makes us GUILTY before God [3.9]
a. No excuse [3.19]
b. Ignorance of the law is no excuse [2.12-13]
c. Subject to punishment [1.32; 5.12; 6.21, 23]
2. Sin makes our whole being NOT RIGHT [3.10]
a. Mind [11a]
b. Will [11b-12a]
c. Behavior [12b]
d. All that we are [13-15, 18]
e. Result: misery [16-17]
3. Sin makes EVERYONE guilty & not right [3.10b-12]
The way of escape…[3.21-22a]
John Olson
