Porter Podcast

Series:  Romans

A Free Slave

ROMANS 6:15-23

We all give our lives to something. 

Grace is not a license to sin.

the ownership indicator = obedience

Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 

Romans 6:16

The exchange of masters happens in the heart.

We must not confuse liberty with license.

‌There is a difference between forced obedience and free obedience.

Principles of Spiritual Bondage

The Progression Principle: 

What you do leads to more of the same.    

The Conscience Principle: 

Your master provides your “want to’s.”

The Outcome Principle: 

Every direction leads somewhere.                                       

Death affects humanity physically, spiritually and experientially.

You can either serve sin and get what you deserve,

or you can trust Christ and get what you don’t deserve. 

Today’s Takeaways

1.    Remember sin will not rule over Christ’s people.

2.    Offer your body to Christ. He gave Himself for you. 

3.    Realize the path of Christ is life giving, now and forever. 

Series: Romans Dead to Sin

A New Identity

Romans 6:1-14

“In Christ” Realities

People who trust Christ have a changed identity.  

In Christ/United with Christ = connected to Him in a complete, permanent way.

Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 

Romans 6:4

People who are identified as “in Christ” are changed.  

When we are “in Christ,” 

·      there is a death of self. 

·      we receive a new life in Christ.

Water baptism is an important, powerful picture of our union with Christ. 

People in Christ are changed immediately and incrementally simultaneously.

Defeating sin is not automatic, but it is possible. 

Live “in Christ” Now

1.  Believe what God’s Word says about you. 

So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin 

and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11 

2.  Commit every area of your life to Christ.

But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, 

and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

Romans 6: 13 

Let your life illustrate the power of grace to changes people’s lives.  

Series: Romans

A Better Adam

Romans 5:12-21

Sin has infected everyone, everywhere.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.

Romans 12:12

death through sin    

Death comes to man in a physical way: Aging, decay, and physical death; but death is also spiritual. 

“why do people sin?”  

‌1.   We are born this way.   

Original Sin: Because of Adam’s first sin, all humanity is predisposed to sin.

Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Psalm 51:5

2.  We all choose sin personally.   

13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. 

Romans 12:13-14

before the law of Moses  

Sin is willful disobedience; therefore, people are not held accountable for what they do not know. Nevertheless, death reigns in all people, because all people do know. 

a new and better Adam

Adam is considered the federal head (representative) of the human race.  

Just as Adam is the representative of sinful humanity, Jesus is the federal head of a new,recreated humanity.         

‌‌Just like death came to all through a representative, life will come to all who will trust Jesus to represent them.

19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Romans 12: 19

TODAY’S TAKEAWAYS

‌This world, as we know it, is not as God intended.

All of humanity is sinful because of Adam and because of personal choice.

Everyone is either in Adam or in Christ.

A person’s first story does not have to be his/her last story.

Series: Romans: By Faith

Love on Display

Romans 5:5-11

Justified = Just as if I had never sinned

why we have confidence that God loves us

The Holy Spirit provides an internal witness to believers.

 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 

Romans 5:5

The cross is God’s sufficient proof of His love.  

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died

 for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that 

while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8

Christ died for undeserving people.  

God’s love is unconditional.  

Our Gospel is not performance based.

Undeserved love is the distinguishing facet of Christianity. 

Believers are promised they will not face God’s wrath.

How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 

Romans 5:9

3 types of wrath:

·      Internal

·      External

·      Eternal

Reconciliation = restoration of broken relationship

In Jesus, God accepts me as His child.   

10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom

 we have now received this reconciliation.

Romans 5:10-11

But to all who did receive him, he gave them the 

right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

John 1:12 

Series:   by Faith

Why Faith?

Romans 4:1-25

what is faith? 

Faith = Trust 

To be right with God a person transfers trust from himself/herself to Christ.

why does Paul insist on faith alone?

·      Faith is the only hope to obtain God’s righteousness.  

·      Faith is the way God gave righteousness to the people of the Old Testament.

·      Righteousness by faith alone is logical. 

“Logidzomai” (Greek) is a banking term which means to add to your account.

·      Faith alone is God’s universal, eternal means of dispensing His righteousness.

Today’s Takeaways

Human effort cannot obtain divine approval.  

Faith’s power is measured by faith’s object.  

Faith in Christ is enough to secure your salvation.  

            Is your security in Christ or in yourself?

God takes complete responsibility for ensuring our salvation. 

Series: Romans

Christ Alone

Romans  3:21-26

Christianity is an exclusive religion: Jesus is the only way to have a relationship with God.

If you believe that is true, why?  

Righteousness = having right standing with God

the law problem 

·      The law never changes a heart.

·      The law actually awakens sin.

·      The law leaves us guilty before God.

The righteousness of God is through faith 

in Jesus Christ to all who believe

Romans 3:22  

Sin is anything against God’s design. 

Sin violates God’s glory in the created universe.

In Romans, justification refers to a legal declaration of righteousness.

how are we justified? 

through redemption:       buying back; bringing back from 

destruction; or restoration

through sacrifice:              Propitiation: an offering to assuage wrath or a payment to cancel debt

Jesus didn’t simply die for you; He died instead of you.

The cross reveals God’s Justice and Mercy simultaneously.

Why we believe Jesus is the only way:

All people are sinful and by nature separated from God.

Justice demands God must punish sin.

Only a perfect Christ can atone for sin.

Hope of redemption is only found in Jesus.

His method of salvation, faith, is possible for everyone.

Wind, Snakes, and Your Mother's Womb 
College Pastor Hagan York 

Series: Romans       

Basically Good or Basically Bad?  

Romans 3:1-20

A key theological and sociological issue is “what is the nature of man?” 

Historical Christianity contends that the nature of man is sinful.

Romans 3:1-8

Privilege does not fix the human heart.  

Majority does not equal correct.   

Romans 3:9-20

We are all contaminated. 

Sin affects every area of our life. 

Sin ruins our standing before God. 

what about good actions? 

·      To be “truly good” something must be good in both form and motive.

·      Good actions must be evaluated by a larger context.

why am I not as “bad” as some people?  

·      The restraining power of the Holy Spirit

·      The fear of retribution

·      The "self-righteous" cloak of Satan

Christianity teaches there is nothing we can do about our sin. 

For us to be delivered from sin an outside agent is necessary.  

Christ died to deliver us from the judgment of our sins. 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

Romans 1:16

Series: Romans: Good News/Bad News

Religious, Moral & In Trouble

Romans 2:1-29

Righteousness = Right Standing with God

Some people believe morality and/or religion will earn them righteousness.

personal morality                         Romans 2:1-5

the judgment of God                     Romans 2:6-11

·      God’s judgment is cumulative.                

·      His judgement is just.                               

·      The final judgment will be merit based.    

·      God’s judgment is universal.  

·      God’s judgment is impartial.       

Romans 2:12-16

‌Each person will be judged by the revelation they have.  

God’s judgment will be based on obedience, not knowledge. 

No one is good enough to stand judgment much less judge others. 

the benefit of religion                   Romans 2:17-27

the heart of the matter                 Romans 2:28-29

‌Today’s Takeaways

Judging others and failing to examine yourself is a strong temptation for religious people.

  External practice does not equal internal purity.  

  God’s standard of judgement is perfection.

  The Gospel reveals that we have a Savior.

The gospel is not: judgment is gone.

The gospel is:  Jesus takes our judgment.  

  All judgment will be subject to the gospel.  

Series: Romans

The Wrath of God

Romans 1:16-32

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

Romans 1:16-17

Righteous:  Right standing with God

Romans 1:18-20

Wrath:  displeasure, extreme anger

People experience wrath because of sin; not because they have rejected Jesus.

People are separated from God before they hear about the Gospel.

No one sins in ignorance!

Why all people are held accountable

·      God has revealed Himself through His creation. (20)

·      God has revealed Himself through man’s conscience. (21)

Romans 1:21-32

God’s wrath is first experienced internally.  (21-25)

God’s wrath is then experienced externally. (26-31)

God’s wrath will be experienced eternally.  (32)