North Side Sermons [greenwood, Sc]

1 Corinthians chapter 15 teaches us that if Christ has not been recreated from the dead then the whole of Christianity collapses. Without the resurrection, followers of Jesus live poor worthless lives with no hope. But because Jesus is alive our lives and our faith have value beyond description.

God's gift of eternal life is a gift that begins with a rescuing is from the power and domain of sin. But it's also a gift of renewal as he gives us His spirit and a new nature that results in our sanctification. The end result of this gift is eternal life.

Everybody is a slave to something or somebody. In Romans 7:16-19 we learn that we are either a slave to sin or a slave to God. Who we serve is an intentional choice that we make every day. As believers, we are slaves to God.

As Christians, we grow in righteousness as we grow to understand who we are in Christ, how sin works to defeat us, and what we can actually do to war against sin and live for the glory of God.

As believers, we need to act like who we are. God no longer sees us as United with Adam but United with Christ. In a real sense, sin is no longer our ruler or master but God is. Therefore, we must affirm the fact that we are dead to the rule of sin and alive to the rule of God.

Romans 6:1-7 is a beautiful passage that continues Paul's thought from Romans Chapter 5 of "...where sin increased, grace abounded all the more..." In Romans 6:1-7, Paul reminds us as believers that if we have indeed been born again, we are dead to sin and walk in newness of life! He explains this truth using the ordinance of baptism. The imagery of being "crucified" with Christ and "risen" to walk in newness of life is shown in baptism is one all believers can understand. Paul concludes this passage with the great news that he proclaimed in the beginning: if we are believers, we are united with Christ, dead to sin and no longer a slave to sin!

God gave His Law to man to show man his ruined condition and to show man the abundance of God's grace. The result for the believer is a deep abiding worship of God.

All of mankind belongs to one of two headships. The entire human race is either in the family of Adam or the family of Christ. While being in Adams family brings death, being in Christ's family bring life.

If God has shown us His love by justifying us through the death of His son, why would we ever expect that he wouldn't now keep us saved, a much easier thing to do? If he saved us when we were enemies, can we now not expect him to keep us saved as His son?

God's eternal plan has been to love a sinful, helpless, rebellious people, by saving them from His wrath, through the blood of Jesus Christ. God's plans never fail!

As Christians, we know that the tribulations of life are there to develop our character and prove our faith. Therefore, we can rejoice through our pain.