The Secret Of Romans 7 Part 14

INTRO: We are just entering 2021. In a sense, this final message on Romans 7 is a fitting New Year's message. In a brief summary, in Romans Paul deals first with the fact that all are sinners and need salvation. This takes us to chapter 4. In chapters 4-5 he deals with justification by faith. This is pictured by Israel's deliverance from Egypt. In chapter 6 we learn that sanctification is by grace through faith as well, and chapter 7 shows us how the initial stage of sanctification takes place. The process of sanctification is a life-long one. But the initial stage is pictured by Israel's journey through the wilderness.

Many Christians, like Israel, never reach the Promised Land. They die in in the wilderness. That does not mean they are all lost. It means they never achieved the point of sanctification God wants all to arrive at and then live in victory. This failure to enter is largely due to the failure of preaching the righteous requirements of the law in our day. Sin is preached just by preaching sin, but not by exposing sins. The lack of understanding sin and the sin nature causes many to never recognize their own sinful, deceitful, nature. The teachings of unconditional love, unconditional grace, unconditional eternal security, unconditional forgiveness have distorted our view of a holy and righteous and just God. We have humanized God and deified man and most will never make it through the wilderness. Many pastors, like their adherents never make it through the wilderness.