Truth That Changes Lives

Guest (Male): The call of Jesus Christ on Christians is to repent. The call of Jesus to seekers, to lost people, is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

Thank you for joining us on Truth That Changes Lives. Pastor JP Jones is the senior pastor of Crossline Community Church in Laguna Hills, California, and a professor in biblical studies at Biola University. Today on Truth That Changes Lives, Pastor JP will be giving us a message from a series entitled, "All About Jesus." Let's listen as JP gives us part two of "Dealing the Death Blow to Sin."

JP Jones: This is a message of hope. Repentance is a message of hope. Repentance is a good message because it sets us free and it leads to transformation. The alternative is just say no. Just say no. Just say no. Do you realize that doesn't work? In the last 20 or 30 years since the "just say no" campaign was presented to our youth, percentage-wise, more kids smoke, more kids drink, more kids use drugs. Just say no doesn't work. It just doesn't work.

There's no logic behind it and there's no power to follow through on it. One psychologist, in tracking some of the statistics on this, has written that a study of athletes who were tracked with using steroids had two groups. One group was told, "Just don't use steroids." The other group was given information about the downsides and the consequences of steroid use, and they were given alternatives in terms of other means for exercise and physical development.

They tracked them a year later and they found that the kids who had received balanced information used fewer steroids than the kids that were just told, "Don't use steroids." Another study in Australia tracked beachgoers. One group was warned that if they don't use sunscreen, their skin will fry. The other group was given information about the skin and the potential damage of the sun and possible sunscreen options.

They tracked them a year later and found out that the ones that just received the negative message didn't use sunscreen, and the ones who were told about the possible damages from the sun, but also the alternatives, did use sunscreen. The implication is that "just say no" doesn't work. Maybe you've come to church, maybe you've been around church for a long time, and that's what you think the Bible is saying. That's what you think God is saying. That's what you think this preacher is saying: just say no. That is not the message of the Gospel.

The message of the Gospel has a logic behind it and has the power to activate it. What's the logic? When we come to Jesus, we lay aside the old self, we put on the new self, and we begin a process of spiritual renewal. Jesus actually comes into our lives, so it makes sense to put to death, to get rid of, and to stop. What's the power source? Christ is in us. We are being renewed. We can draw upon the power of Jesus to put to death, to get rid of, and to stop.

The message of Colossians chapter three is a strong message for us to repent. You might be going, "Wow, that's an interesting Mother's Day message to hear." I just preach them like I see them. Paul in Colossians is telling us that Jesus is the answer. Our new life in Jesus Christ is real, and our new life in Jesus Christ calls upon us to put to death some things, to get rid of some things, and to stop other things.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now you must rid yourselves of all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips, and do not lie to each other.

We need to put to death some sins. I take it from this list and from what's being described here that while all sin is sin, and all sin has the power to separate us from God and from one another, some sins are more destructive in their impact. Some sins require a more drastic response. Some sins we need to put to death. Not just slap, not just punch, but give the old Dim Mak death blow.

The word "put to death" is a Greek verb, *nekroo*, which means to make dead, to deprive of power, to make impotent. The word is used several times in the New Testament. It's used in Romans chapter four three times to describe Abraham as physically unable to procreate. He was, in his physical body, dead with respect to being able to have an heir. We are to spiritually take action so that we actually put to death sin because of its destructive power in our lives.

These sins are sins of the passions and sins of the desires: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. We have to literally kill them. Romans chapter six says, "Consider yourself dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Do not let sin reign in your mortal body." Whatever it takes to stop sin, we need to be willing to take that action. That's what Colossians 3 and Romans 6 are describing.

Because these particular sins—immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed—are sins of our desires and our passions, we think about them, and we fantasize about them. We plan how we can commit them, and then we commit them, and then we become addicted to them, and they define us. That is why it says in Colossians 3 to put to death immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. When these particular sins have a hold in our lives, we are idolaters. We are actually worshipping them rather than worshipping Jesus Christ. When you go back to the top ten in Deuteronomy chapter five and Exodus chapter 20, the Ten Commandments, the first four commands are all about keeping God first.

Anything that takes the place of God in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives is idolatry. Immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed have the capacity to hook us, to control us, and to define us so that we are idolaters in carrying out those desires. What is God's command to us? Put it to death. Deal drastically. Do whatever it takes. It needs to be first-degree murder. Not manslaughter, not second-degree murder. It needs to be premeditated. We need to think about it, plan it out, and get the resources necessary and the people who can help us. We need to do whatever we need to do to kill the reign of sin in our lives because it literally will destroy our relationship with God and we will worship it rather than worshipping God.

We need to put it to death and we need to keep it dead. That is the hard part. We can make a spiritual decision at a conference, at a church service, or after studying the word, but it's following through on that spiritual decision on a daily basis. You know the story about the guy in Alaska who had the dogs. He had a black dog and he had a white dog. He would come into town and have the dogs fight each other, and then people would bet on who would win.

Sometimes the black dog would win, and sometimes the white dog would win. The guy always bet on the dog that would win. If the black dog won, he had bet on the black dog. If the white dog won, he had bet on the white dog. He always won. The people in the town said, "How is it that you know which dog's going to win?" He said it was really easy. The dog that he fed that week won, and the dog that he starved that week lost. When we feed sin in our lives, sin wins. When we starve sin, righteousness wins.

We need to put to death and we need to starve the sinful impulses of immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed because it is idolatry. Now, some things we need to put to death; other things we need to get rid of. Verse eight: "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." This word "get rid of" is the Greek verb *apotithemi*. *Tithemi* means to place. *Apo* is a preposition that means away. It literally means to place away from you. It's used sometimes to describe casting off, putting off, or laying aside.

In Hebrews 12, James 1, and Ephesians 4, this word *apotithemi* is used in a metaphorical sense of taking off the clothes of the old nature or the clothes of the flesh. The idea is when you're wearing something that's just dirty and stinky and sweaty, you just want to take it off. Yesterday we were working out in the yard. I was working on my bank. It was a hot day yesterday. By the end of the day, my shirt was just sweaty and stinky. I just wanted to take it off. We need to see some sins in our lives as sweaty, stinky stuff that we've just got to get rid of. We've got to take it off.

If we don't see it that way, we won't take it off. If we think we are smelling good with an anger scent or a malice perfume on, or that filthy language is such a good cologne, we won't do anything about it. We will spray more on us. Notice all these sins, whereas the sins related to what we need to put to death are sins of passion and desire, these are all sins related to interpersonal relationships. It's in our interpersonal relationships and in our speech that we have anger, malice, wrath, slander, and filthy language coming out of our lips.

Jesus said that by this all men will know that you are my disciples, by the love that you have for one another. If our relationships are filled with anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech, there's no love being demonstrated. Husbands, you have to get rid of anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth towards your wives. Parents, you have to get rid of anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth towards your kids. Kids, you have to get rid of anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth towards your parents. As followers of Jesus, the body of Christ, we have to get rid of anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech from our mouth. It destroys. It robs of grace.

Ephesians chapter four, talking about the kind of communication that we ought to have with one another, says to put off falsehood and speak truth. We are members of one another. In your anger do not sin; don't let the sun go down on your anger. Don't give the devil a foothold. Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but speak what is helpful and gives grace to others that might build them up according to their need. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed.

Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and all malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. Our words as followers of Jesus Christ are to be filled with truth and grace towards one another. Anything that destroys or robs truth and grace from someone, we need to get rid of. We need to rip it off like we would a stinky shirt.

Some things we need to put to death, some things we need to get rid of, and some things we just need to stop. Verse nine: "Stop lying to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices." It's the verb for lying in the present tense with the negative prefix, and it's in the imperative. It's a command. Anytime in the New Testament grammatically where there is a negative command relating to a present tense action, it always implies stop doing something that you are doing.

The NIV says, "Do not lie to one another." Stop lying. If God says to you, "Stop lying," what is God assuming you're doing? You're lying. We're all a bunch of liars. You say you are not a liar, but you just lied. We need to stop it. Some things we need to put to death, some things we need to get rid of, and some things we need to stop.

There's this great sketch on Saturday Night Live with Bob Newhart, the comedian. He plays a psychologist. It's really funny. This woman comes in for counseling. She's very nervous about talking to a therapist. It's the first time she's ever done it, but she has a real struggle. Bob Newhart's the counselor and he's listening to her. They finally discuss what the counseling situation is going to be.

He says, "Okay, tell me what your problem is." She says she has a phobia, a fear. He asks what her fear is. She says, "I'm afraid that I'm going to be buried alive in a box." He says, "Okay, I hear you say that you're afraid you're going to be buried alive in a box. Has anyone ever buried you alive in a box?" She says no. He asks if anyone has ever tried to bury her alive in a box or threatened to bury her alive in a box. She says no.

I hear you saying you have a fear that you're going to be buried alive in a box. She says she has a fear that just comes upon her all the time and she's paralyzed. He says he has some words of advice and some counsel about that. She asks if she should write them down. He says, "It's just two words. You can write them down, but I think you can remember them. Whenever you have this fear of being buried alive in a box, I want you to remember these two words. Are you ready? Stop it! Stop it!"

She says, "But I'm afraid." He says, "Stop it!" She says, "I'm afraid I'm going to be buried alive in a box." He says, "Stop it! But stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" For the next 10 minutes, she says whatever and every time she says something, he just goes, "Stop it! Stop it!" Colossians 3:8: stop it! But I'm a liar. Stop it! But I lie. Stop it! But I want to tell things that aren't true. Stop it! But I've always lied. Stop it! My dad was a liar. Stop it! Everybody around me lies. Stop it! I lie. Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

This is lying. It's it. Stop it! Stop it! That's what the text says. It's so amazing. We've conditioned ourselves to think God would never say things like that to us. Oh yes, he does. Some things we need to put to death, some things we need to get rid of, and some things we just need to stop. We need to put to death immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.

We need to get rid of anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech from our mouth. We need to stop lying. The call of Jesus Christ on Christians is to repent. The call of Jesus to seekers, to lost people, is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. To followers of Jesus, we need to repent. We need to deal a death blow to sin.

Some sin we need to put to death, some sin we need to get rid of, and some sin we need to stop. If the shoe fits, wear it. There is tremendous healing and release and freedom when we are just honest with God and we confess our sins. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin, and the power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to put to death and get rid of and to stop.

Maybe that's what you need to do, and you need to do it now. You need to do it today. You need to say, "God, I've been playing games, and I need to be devoted to Jesus Christ. I've been half-hearted, and I need to be fully surrendered to Jesus Christ. I've been a really poor representative of Jesus to my neighbors and friends, and I need to put to death, and I need to get rid of, and I need to stop."

Or maybe you're here and today is the day of salvation to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. We're going to bring our worship band back up. We're going to close off our worship this morning with an opportunity for all of us to respond to God. If God is speaking to you and pointing out something in your life that is displeasing to him, that is inconsistent with being a follower of Jesus, that is in the list in Colossians as something you either need to put to death or get rid of or stop.

Say yes to Jesus Christ and put it to death. Say yes to Jesus Christ and get rid of it. Say yes to Jesus Christ and stop. Maybe as a part of your worship and your relationship with God, you want to express that tangibly. This is an altar up here. It's just a stage, but right now it's an altar. It is an opportunity for you to come up here and offer a sacrifice to Jesus. That sacrifice is you, your body, your life.

Don't let anything stop you from getting right with God. Don't let anything stop you from doing business with Jesus. Don't let anything stop you from surrendering whatever it is that's interfering with your relationship with God. We're going to have a closing song. It's a song of invitation, and the invitation is for you to respond to whatever it is the Holy Spirit is leading you to do.

Let's pray. Lord Jesus, I pray that you would reign in our lives and that we wouldn't let sin reign, but instead we'd surrender to you and your grace would make us strong. Holy Spirit, I invite you to speak to me, to every one of us here right now. Lead us to worship you, to present our bodies to you a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to you, which is our spiritual service of worship. Lead us to stop being conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. I pray if there is anyone here this morning who needs to make some kind of decision and some type of presentation of their life, they would do it right now in holy worship to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Guest (Male): What a great message for all of us today. Pastor JP provides us with great insight. That is why we'd like to make it available to you on CD. Just get in touch and mention today's date. We'll send it your way for just $5. Or if you'd like to support this ministry, you can write us at Truth That Changes Lives, 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, California 92653, or give us a call at 949-916-0250.

For your gift of $25 or more, we will send you a signed copy of JP's new book, *Facing Goliath*. Please join us every Sunday at 9:00 or 11:00 AM at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills. The address is 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, California 92653, or check us out on the web at CrosslineChurch.com.

We want to help you in your relationship with Christ. Please get in touch with us at Truth That Changes Lives, 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, California 92653, or call us at 949-916-0250. On the internet, you will find us at CrosslineChurch.com. We hope to see you at one of our services every Sunday at our new campus in Laguna Hills. For more information and directions, please go to CrosslineChurch.com. Please join us next time on Truth That Changes Lives.