The Epic Life - Bob Hallman

12. Dead or Alive (Romans 6:1-14)

One of the dangers of preaching salvation by grace in Christ alone is that there will always be a few who will pervert that grace of God to suit their wishes – usually manifested in two distinct and equally erroneous responses:1. Some will think that grace gives them a license to sin
Jude 1:4 “For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
The Corinthian church was a good example of this kind of abuse.2. Some will think that the potential abuse of grace must be curbed through laws and regulationsa. They attempt to keep the Old Testament law (moral and ceremonial)b. They establish various man-made laws to curb the sinful nature.They insist that conformity to countless man-made regulations and ceremony. is necessary for true godliness and is essential to counter man’s propensity to abuse God’s grace. 
Although the intentions are good and even noble – to protect and bolster the pure gospel – the theology is unbiblical, and the experience is miserable! 
Illustration: Alcohol and our previous church “policy”Paul anticipates the objections that his critics might have regarding salvation by faith in the free gift of God’s grace.
Enjoy the message. 
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life
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11. Choose Your Champion ( Romans 5:12-21)

1. In Romans 1:18-3:20 we discovered that the whole world stands accountable to God for our sin and rebellion against God. And that His wrath is being revealed against all ungodliness. And against those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
2. However, we also discovered in Romans 3:21-5:11 that circumcision, the keeping of the Law, or any religious ritual can't remedy our situation. The only remedy is found in accepting by faith the gift of God’s Son, Jesus Christ
Enjoy the rest of the message. 
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

10. Rejoicing in Righteousness (Romans 5:1-11)

In this section of Romans, the hopelessly lost sinner who received a right standing simply by believing in the promised Messiah of God, now stands justified before Him.
The believer who was once under the wrath of God is now set free to exult with great joy in the salvation of Jesus Christ.There are several notable characteristics of this passage:1. The bold confidence of its chain of assertions2. The surprising irony that joy can come from suffering3. The change from plural to personal singular in Paul’s writing.In chapters 3 and 4, Paul has established that salvation comes only on the basis of God’s grace working through man’s faith. Man’s only part in becoming saved is to receive forgiveness and reconciliation freely in faith from God’s gracious hand. The person who trusts in anything else, including obedience to the law or circumcision or baptism or any other human work, cannot be saved. 
Faith has always been the only way to salvation. There is no other way! But how is our salvation maintained or preserved? Is it by faith or by good works?If the preservation of salvation depends on what believers themselves do or don’t do, their salvation is only as secure as their faithfulness, which provides no security at all. According to that view, believers must protect by their own human power what Christ began by His divine power,
Enjoy the message.
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

9. Abraham’s Righteousness – Part II (Romans 4:13-25)

Last week, we discovered that Abraham was not justified by circumcision, but by faith in God.
In the text we are considering today, Paul takes his teaching on justification by faith alone a step further by saying that just as Abraham was not justified by circumcision, neither was he justified by observing the Mosaic Law
Enjoy the rest of the message, 
 
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

8. Abraham’s Righteousness – Part I Romans 4:1-12

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible teaches that salvation is by faith alone!But this offends our natural thinking because we assume that justification (or a right standing with God) should be the reward of those who do good -- and withheld from those who do evil. We want to get our salvation the old-fashioned way, “We want to earn it!”
This has been one of the most successful ploys of Satan in averting mankind from discovering the path of salvation. If Satan can confuse and undermine the doctrine of salvation by faith alone then he can fulfill his diabolical plan to take as many men, women, and children into the pit of hell with him. So, it has been his intention to convince people that they can be made right with God and guaranteed a place in heaven by performing certain rites and ceremonies.
Because of this, every false religion of the world is based on some form of salvation by works. Some are more sophisticated and attractive than others, but they all share the common false belief that man can earn his way to heaven.

7. A Righteousness from God (Romans 3:21-31)

Summary of last week:Paul exposed the comprehensiveness of man's depravity: no one is righteousHe then described the fruit of man's depravity: words and deeds are evilFinally he stated the cause of man's depravity: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
Paul has backed all sinful mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, into the totally dark and seemingly inescapable corner of God's wrath ((1:18-3:20)This situation presents a dilemma for both God and man.1. From God's perspective, sin demands the full expression of His wrath and punishment.Yet, God loves man and desires reconciliation2. From man's perspective, sin eliminates the possibility of a right standing before God.Yet, man also longs to be reconciled to GodThere are only two ways to be right with God:1. Through human achievement -- living a perfect life without sin2. Through divine achievement -- trusting wholly on Christ' sinless perfection.Having presented us with a seemingly hopeless situation, Paul now begins to open the window of divine grace that lets in the glorious light of salvation through the righteousness that God Himself has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ.Enjoy the rest of the message. 
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

6. No One is Righteous (Romans 3:1-20)

Story: "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian AndersenA certain emperor who was quite vain and concerned with appearances.He hired a group of clothing designers to make him some new and expensive clothes.They promised a garment that would be so magnificent, so refined, that only the wise and pure in heart would be able to see it.
Then these con men went to work pretending to weave.The king's officials checked on the progress of the work, and though they couldn't see any clothing being produced, rather than be accused of being foolish and impure, they reported to the king that the garments were extraordinary!
Well, you know the rest of the story:
The king, not wanting to appear stupid, also claimed the new clothes to be beautiful!
He gave the designers medals and then paraded through town in the buff as the whole city praised the beautiful new clothing, lest they be thought of as fools.
However, one little innocent boy timidly finally said, "The emperor has no clothes!" 
At once everyone acknowledged the truth of the statement and the hypocritical pretense of an entire nation was stripped away.
The moral of the story:People, through peer pressure and social stigma, can be influenced into denying what would otherwise be plainly obvious.
The world says that man is basically good. Our persistent problems stem from lack of education, substandard environments, lack of economic opportunity, lack of government intervention, and poor self-esteem. This view is continually reinforced by psychologists, liberal media and even religious leaders.
But in chapter 3 of Romans, Paul strips away the psychobabble and diagnoses our real problem: we are sinners! We may not like to hear that. We may resist it. We may reject it. But it is true, nonetheless. The problem of mankind is sin. Until we admit that the root of all evil in the world is found in the heart of every man woman and child on the face of the earth, any human effort to eliminate the effects of sin will fail.
Paul had spent a great deal of time, going from place to place, teaching the principles found in the book of Romans, so he was very familiar with the fundamental objections that the Jewish mind would raise.
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

5. The Fruit of Hypocrisy (Romans 2:17-29)

In chapters 1 and 2, Paul has shown that both Jew and Gentile alike, are guilty before God.
In the second half of chapter 2, Paul strips away the hypocritical and legalistic false securities of the religious Jews of that day. 
Illustration: Ray Comfort's style of evangelism that addresses the conscienceof the person.
(Living Waters, https://www.youtube.com/thewayofthemaster/videos) 
 
Enjoy the rest of the message
Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

4-To Judge or Not to Judge (Romans 2:1-16)

Last week we considered the wrath of God that is being revealed against all godlessness and wickedness of men. In chapter 1:18-32, Paul is primarily focusing his attention on unbelieving Gentiles. And I'm sure Paul's Jewish readers were cheering every word! 
The Jews believed that everyone else would be judged except the Jewish race. They actually believed that they were immune from God's wrath simply because they were Jews. They never dreamed that they were under the same condemnation. 
They even took a certain delight in looking on the unbelieving Gentiles with a critical and disdainful eye. 
Now Paul anticipates their hypocritical response and spends chapters 2 and 3 confronting their sin of self-righteousness and by showing with great force and clarity that, before God, they are equally guilty and condemned.
Enjoy the rest of the message.
Blessings,The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com
 

3-The Wrath of God Revealed (Romans 1:18-32)

A disease or illness has to be diagnosed before an appropriate cure can be administered. In the same way, a person must be convinced of his guilt before God before he will be interested in God's forgiveness. He must be aware of his danger before he will be interested in the way of escape. He must understand the wrath of God before he can appreciate the salvation of God.
Paul, without apology, describes the depth of our wickedness and our deserved punishment before he reveals the soaring heights of the grace of God. 
Enjoy the rest of the message.
Blessings, The Epic Life3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com