Who do you love? A spouse, a child, a friend? What do you love? What consumes your thoughts and your dreams? What consumes your time, energy and money? What do you love the most in this world? Who do you love in this world, more than anyone else? Who has your heart? Who or what do you truly love?
Do you love Him-Jesus Christ? Do you love the sinless Son of God who gave His life as a ransom for many? Do you love the One who bore the wrath of God as He hung on the cross? The One who bore the wrath that rightly should be placed on sinners like us? Do you love the One who shed His innocent blood and died for guilty sinners like you and me? Do you truly love the One? Do you love the only begotten Son of God? Do you love Him?
Do you just say that you love Him or do you really love Him? Do you honor Him with your lips but your heart is far from Him? Do you claim Him as your Lord and Savior? Have you truly surrendered your life to Him? Have you been redeemed? Have you been bought with a price? Are you abiding in Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you saved? Are you truly saved? Does your life reflect it? Have you been born-again? Are you spiritually a new person? Does it grieve you when you sin against Almighty God? Does it bother you when you sin? Do you hate your sin?
Do you love Him or do you love your sin? It really is that simple. Do you love Him or do you love sin? You spend time with the one you truly love. Do you love God? Does your life show it? Do you read your Bible every day? Do you pray to the God of the Bible every day? Do you tell others about Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Or do you “hide” your Christianity from others? Are you a “closet” Christian?
What are you doing out here tonight? Are you sharing your faith in Christ with others or are you looking to get drunk or high? Are you looking to hook up with someone? Why are you out here tonight? What has your heart? What are you longing for? Do you long for a closer relationship with Jesus or are you out here trying to satisfy the pleasures of the flesh?
Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides for ever (1 John 2:15-17). Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God (James 4:4).
Listen to these words of Scripture starting at Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:1-17)
Many times in these verses the apostle Paul says that believers, true followers of Jesus Christ live not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. We walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. I ask you again, what are you doing out here tonight? Are you out here serving God or are you out here living for the flesh – to please your lustful desires ?
The carnal mind is enmity against God. James 4:4 said that friendship with the world is enmity with God. If you are a friend of the world, in other words if you love the world, if you love worldly things, if you lust after worldly pleasures, you are the enemy of God. These should be scary words to you tonight if this describes you. Do you really want to continue being God’s enemy?
When you are truly saved, you are no longer in bondage to sin. Jesus has set you free from bondage. So true followers of Christ, those who have been born-again, are debtors to Christ. We are His servants. We have been bought with a very high price – His own precious blood that was spilled when He was unmercifully beaten and while He hung on the cross. Jesus was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes we are healed. So when you are truly saved, you gladly serve Him. You are grateful that He took your punishment for you. You are honored to serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
In verse 17 Paul says that we suffer with Him. Professing Christian: How have you suffered for Christ? Walking down an aisle, crying a few tears and saying a little prayer is not suffering for Christ. So how are you suffering for Christ? Is fulfilling your lustful passions suffering with Jesus? Of course not. If you are living for the flesh, if you are living for yourself, you are still dead in your trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Do not be deceived. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
When you are really saved, God takes away your heart of stone and He gives you a heart of flesh. You are a new person, you are born-again. It really is this simple: Either you love Him or you love sin. Jesus said that you are either for Him or against Him. You either gather people into the kingdom of God or you push them away. He said that you will know His disciples by their fruit – in other words by their works. Your works don’t save you, but when you are truly saved, you want to honor and please God. You want to be used by Him to help further His kingdom.
Jesus said that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. He also said why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not the things that I say? He said if you love me, keep my commandments. Who or what do you love tonight? Are you saved or have you just given God lip service?
Do you really hate the sins that you once loved? Or are you still jumping neck deep right back into them? Who or what do you love? Who or what do you serve? You are either a servant to Jesus or a servant to sin. Do you love Him or do you love sin? It really is that simple. You may even try to fool yourself, but you cannot fool God. If you have never truly turned away from your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ, please do this tonight. Don’t put this off.
Get right with God. Jesus is the only way of salvation. Repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Be saved. Cry out to God to save you. Love Him. Love Jesus. Surrender your life fully and completely to Him tonight. Admit that you are a sinner and that you need to be cleansed. Confess your sins to God Almighty and then turn from your sins. Turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. Please don’t continue racing down the broad road to destruction.
Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Confess and forsake your sins and be converted. Repent and believe the Gospel. Do this tonight and be saved. Then you will live for Jesus and not for yourself. Then you will truly love Him and hate sin.
(This message was lifted up on the square in downtown Springfield, MO on July 25, 2014)