Pastor Lloyd has titled our current series "Essential Christianity", because the fundamentals of our Christian faith is what this wonderful chapter is all about. We'll find out today that chapter eight of Romans is particularly significant for believers in Jesus Christ...and extremely encouraging I might add. We'll be examining our "No Condemnation" status here today on the broadcast.

I'm sure you've noticed the way Christmas has changed over the past several decades. What happened? Pastor Lloyd brings us back to the real meaning of Christmas today, and I can't think of anything we need to be reminded of more, can you?

Christmas is truly a wonderful day, isn't it? It's the day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God in human form, who came to this earth with one task to perform - to die for our sins so we wouldn't have to! He is a wonderful counselor! That's the true meaning of Christmas, and the subject of today's message.

We aim to complete Romans chapter seven today. Those of you who joined us last time may recall that we discussed the Christian's lifelong battle with sin. Once we enter the body of Christ, we gain a desire to live for and please God, but the old sinful nature doesn't completely disappear... creating a certain tension. Today, pastor Lloyd shows us how God has equipped us for the battle.

The apostle Paul provides nuggets of wisdom throughout the book of Romans that we would all do well to heed! When we come to Christ, does that mean all of a sudden we stop sinning? No, but while we're certainly not sinless, we will sin less than before we met our Savior.

Those of you who joined us last time may recall that we discussed the Christian's lifelong battle with sin. Once we enter the body of Christ, we gain a desire to live for and please God, but the old sinful nature doesn't completely disappear.

If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you'll be able to identify firsthand with the battle we're about to discuss here today. Once Christ enters our life, we gain a desire to live for God. Along with that remains a desire to live for sin and pleasure. It's a constant battle in every Christian's life!

We're currently studying Romans chapters five through eight, in a series titled "Essential Christianity", and we find ourselves today in chapter seven, concentrating on the first six verses. There are thousands laws in the books and occasionally one will sneak its way in, and the public can't help but wonder what it's purpose is. The law of God doesn't work that way. There is a clear, definite, identifiable purpose for its existence, and we'll see what it is here now.

On today's program, Pastor Lloyd Pulley will begin a study of Romans chapter seven, which depicts man's struggle with sin. We try to do the right thing, but we can't seem to conquer our sin. That's why Jesus Christ died on the cross! HE conquered sin and delivered us from the law.

Today on Bridging the Gap, Pastor Lloyd Pulley will show us that there is such a situation where slavery is a good thing! When we become slaves to righteousness through Jesus Christ! We're studying Romans chapter six right now, so turn there in your Bible and join us.