★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria
22nd February, 2015
SERMON
* Topic: Dealing with the Natural Man
* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur
* Theme: Growing up in Christ
* Sub-Theme: Intentional Growth
* Service Leader: Elder (Mrs) Royina Lot
★ 1 Corinthians 2:14 → " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
* People are generally divided into three (3) groups.
* The way you respond to the things of God determine the category you belong to:
1. The natural man
2. The carnal man
3. The spiritual man
* Every one in Church belongs to either one of these categories.
→ The categorization is personal. Every one knows exactly which group he belongs to, without being told.
* Today's focus is on the Natural man.
* The "Adamic nature" (in man) is the result of the fall of man (Adam) in the Garden of Eden when he disobeyed God
* Everyone born of a woman is subjected to the Adamic nature (by default)
* Romans 3:23 → 'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.'
* We inherited this Adamic nature at birth but it was not originally what God planned for man (at the creation)
* Adam fell from God's original plan for him willingly (through the choices he made) and we were affected by it
* The different terms used in the Bible to refer to the Adamic nature:
→ The Adamic nature operates like a law that must be obeyed by the natural man who is bound to it
* No matter how hard the natural man tries to stop sinning, he cannot. He is dominated by the power of sin and he cannot liberate himself
* The end of the natural man is eternal death
* Jesus came to get rid of this nature and to liberate us from the power of the law of sin and death
→ This is the physical manifestation of the Adamic nature in man
→ A man who yields to sin is living in accordance with the old order of things
★ 2 Corinthians 5:17 → "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
* How to Identify the natural man:
→ He is not born again
→ He is not transformed
→ He is not liberated from the power of sin
→ He does not access divine revelation (because he does not have connection with God)
→ He knows nothing about the things of God
→ He operates in the realm of the natural (within His 5 physical senses)
→ His choices are controlled by his fleshy impulses (not by the Spirit of God)
→ He is the Servant of rebellion. (He antagonizes God at every opportunity)
* What Causes people to have this Adamic nature?
→ We were born with this nature
★ Romans 5:12 →"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
* Consequences of living in Sin (indulging the Adamic nature):
→ Eternal condemnation
→ Subjected to the wrath of God
→ Alienation from God
* How to Overcome the Adamic Nature:
★ 2 Corinthians 5:21 →"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
* NOTE: It takes God to save a man from the nature of sin. God has already made that provision through His son, Jesus Christ
* Jesus Christ has made the sacrifice. All you need to do is to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour
* Jesus has already declared you "not guilty", but you must believe and accept Him
★ Acts 4:12 → "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
* It is possible for a "natural man" to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.
→ No matter your sin, there is hope for you in Jesus
* As a Christian, are you bothered that some people around you are still living in sin?
→ What are you doing about it?
* NOTE: If you are not born again, you will not see the Kingdom of God
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☆ PASTOR'S CORNER
Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians divided the whole human race into three, according to their responses to the things of God (the natural man, the carnal man and the spiritual man). Every person in Church falls into one of these categories.
The natural man does not access divine revelation; he knows nothing of the things of God. He lives life under the sense of flesh. He sees spiritual things as foolishness. He lives according to Adamic nature. He is lost.
The natural man remains God's enemy unless he yields to the conviction of the Holy Spirit by accepting Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour. What kind of man are you?
☆ MISSION CHARGE
"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved."
→ Charles H. Spurgeon
☆ QUOTE
"Jesus himself did not try to convert the two thieves on the cross; He waited until one of them turned to him."
→ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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