IS IT WORTH IT?

Bulletin

Dan Peters
11/10/24 - Morality

IS IT WORTH IT?

When I read Romans chapter 8, I am given several reasons why Paul thought it was worth denying himself of all sinful pleasure of the body or mind. So to strengthen our resolve to live a godly life, let us examine this chapter carefully. Here are the negative consequences of giving in to the flesh.
8:6 “For the mind set on the flesh is death”.
8:7 “Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God”
8:8 “those in the flesh cannot please God”
Walking according to the Spirit of God is not always easy, but we now have three reasons that should stop us. I do not want to die, i.e. kicked out of God’s presence like Adam and Eve. I do not want to be found “hostile” towards God.
For God to look at me as looking at an enemy is a terrible thought. For a moment Jesus looked at Peter as an enemy, “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matt. 16:23). Do I want Jesus to call me Satan also? But if I give into the flesh, I’ll be on Satan’s side. How terrible the thought! The reason Jesus called Peter “Satan” is because, Peter didn’t set his “mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” (Mat. 16:23). The third point is that I “cannot please God” if I am going to give in and sin. So for these three reasons alone it is worth it to keep fighting the fight of faith. But now let us examine the positive reasons why it is worth denying the flesh by setting my mind on the Spirit.
1. “the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” 8:6
2. “all those who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God” 8:14
3. “you have received a spirit of adoption as son by which we cry out Abba! Father!” 8:15
4. “if we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” 8:17.
We now have 7 reasons, 3 negative and 4 positive to consider, “is it worth it”?
What are some of the sins of the flesh to avoid? Romans chapter 1:18-32 lists several: 1) not honoring God 2)not giving thanks to God 3) idolatry 4) lust 5) worship of man 6) homosexuality 7) greed 8) envy 9) murder 10) deceit 11) malice 12) gossips, etc. These are the sins of the flesh and of the fleshly mind.
So what’s the worst sin in the list? Someone said that the worst sin is, “the one I am most comfortable with”. There are greater and lesser sins according to Jesus (John 19:11, etc.), but we should try to identify our own weakness. Once I have identified my comfortable , I need to kill it. Paul will say it this way, “but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (8:13). The mind must be actively seeking to glorify God in body and spirit. I must keep asking what does Jesus want of me. Jesus always kept his Fathers will in the forefront of his mind. I can’t imaging Jesus being comfortable with any sin in any of the lists of sins. Now that I have joined him, I too must do likewise.
Jesus lived about 30 years of his life without sin. Then one day thereafter he was baptized, he heard the voice of his heavenly father, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." (Matt. 3:17). God said, “well-pleased”. If you could have stopped Jesus right then, and asked him while his clothes were still wet after baptism, “well Jesus, was it worth keeping yourself away from sin, to hear those words from your Father in heaven?” How might he have replied? Dan Peters