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[0:00] This is the final week of Being Human, our series on the doctrine of man. Just to remind! We're doing a new series every half term, so this will be the last one of this series.

[0:23] And then we'll have a break next Sunday. And then the Sunday after that we'll be beginning a new series on the afterlife. So what happens to humanity after death? What happens to the believer, the unbeliever? We're going to look at the end times, Christ's return, and what will eternity look like for the believer? What will eternity look like for the unbeliever?

[0:44] So stay tuned in for that. Harry's going to take the first session, and I'll take the rest because I'm going to wait that first Sunday. Let's do some book mentions. I've mentioned these all before, but Westminster Confession of Faith throughout all this year, this is going to be our guide. So if you don't have one, they're just a pound in the bookstore.

[1:02] The stuff on sin that we looked at last week, and we're going to be looking at this week as well, just the first half. This book called Pride by Matthew Roberts. He's the minister up in the IPC Church in York. He was my minister when I was a student. This book is fantastic on understanding sin and desire and what's going on in this movement, in this pride movement at the moment. And then this has kind of been our, you can see, our textbook for this hard term. This is the doctrine of man. What is all the stuff that I've been talking about?

[1:34] Made in the image of God, covenant of works, sin, glorified humanity, redeemed humanity. It's all in here. If you want kind of a little quick book to read on that, that's good. I might even, if we have time, I might do a quiz at the end with you guys. Maybe you can win this. Let me pray and then we'll get stuck in.

[1:56] Lord God, we thank you that we can know who we are because you have told us and you have made us. You are our creator and you have spoken to us. We don't need to figure out who we are on our own. We don't need to define ourselves, but that you give all things to us, life and breath and everything that we are. We are made in your image. Lord, would you please help us to understand that, to grasp that and to live in the way that you call us.

[2:28] Help us to understand sin today. Help us to understand salvation, redemption in Christ. And we ask all this for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So as I said, this is the last in the series of being human. And I hope this has been helpful to understand who we are as humans and how God has designed us. And what we've been doing through this half term, have you seen, is we've been moving from unfallen humanity, looking at the blueprint of how God created and designed us. And we moved then on to last week to fallen humanity, how what we are has actually changed in the fall. The blueprint has been corrupted.

[3:13] And we ran out of time last week. So I want this week, I want us to finish off thinking about sin and fallen humanity. And then in the second half, we're going to move even further. We're going to look at redeemed and glorified humanity, what we are now in Christ. So let's go back and remind ourselves of what has happened to us in the fall. And let's start to apply it. So this is the first point, fallen humanity. Our desires are corrupt. So when we looked at the fall, we saw something actually changed in Adam and Eve, didn't we? Something changed in their hearts and their minds, that they started to feel and think differently about God and think differently about the world.

[3:57] How did they react to God? They wanted to run and fear him. And they started to love and trust the creation rather than the creator. And so in the fall, humanity didn't only become guilty, we did become guilty, but not only that, but something actually changed in us. Our minds and our hearts have become broken. They're not functioning properly. They're now functioning in an evil way, in a way that's opposed to God. So we're not good people that do sinful things now and again. No, we are sinners.

[4:38] And Genesis 6, 5 was a key verse to see that. It was just a few chapters after the fall. Look how God sees humanity. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. This is us. Every part of the human, down to the core of our being, our heart, it's all evil, corrupted, even down to our thoughts and intentions and desires. So we're designed to be made in the image of God, but now we are broken images of God. So like a mirror, we're meant to reflect who God is, but now we are shattered and warped mirrors, ugly distortions of true humanity. And the language the Confession used, our guide, the language the Confession uses is we have corrupt natures. So Adam and Eve in the fall corrupted their nature. So 6.3 of the Confession, they, Adam and Eve, being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, all their children, all the generations that flow from them, descending from them by ordinary generation. So a human nature is just everything about us, right?

[6:07] Heart, mind, body, desires, thinking absolutely everything about us. And corrupted means rotten, ruined, poisoned. So our very being has now become corrupted with sin. And so we're not as, we're not 100% saturated with evil. Do you remember the illustration I gave last week of, if we're a glass of water, what's happened before was like a big drop of poison has gone in the water and it's just spread everywhere. So it's not only poison, but there's not a single place that you can taste that's not poisoned. And Adam and Eve passed that nature down to us, you see, by ordinary generation, ordinary giving birth. So every human is born sinful, born with an inclination and a pull toward evil, toward evil, toward sin. So we don't, we're not born innocent and then we become sinful.

[7:05] No, we are born sinners. That's Psalm 51, in sin did my mother conceive me. And the reality of a corrupt nature is particularly relevant to how we understand our desires.

[7:19] Because since our natures are corrupt and our hearts evil, that means what we want, what we naturally want and love, our desires are corrupt.

[7:35] So do you remember this image? So we are designed for our hearts, our desires to be toward God, to love him and worship him and to only be directed that way, right?

[7:46] But what has happened in the fall, our desires naturally just want and love sin. So you can think that this life has been broken in the fall.

[8:01] And where do our hearts only point? Towards sin. This is how we naturally are. Our moral compass is broken and only points to sin now.

[8:13] Our minds are set on flesh sin. That was Romans 8, do you remember last week? We are naturally hostile to God. We point towards sin. We want that. We don't want God.

[8:26] We are by nature children of wrath. That's Ephesians 2. And so what we want, what we love and desire, what we think is good, is actually sin.

[8:39] That's why Isaiah says, woe to those who call evil good and good evil. And our minds are dark and incorruptible. So we convince ourselves that this is all true.

[8:51] We come up with arguments and try to organise the world to say, oh yeah, no, no, the way that we're pointing, this is actually good, this is actually true. But actually, it's all upside down.

[9:03] And our desires are stuck in this position. This is our default. And this is why Jesus says we are slaves to sin. This is why Paul says, without Christ, we are enslaved to sin, ruled by it.

[9:18] It's like this master that just sends our desires this way. And this is why the idea of being true to yourself, trusting in your heart, that's why that is so dangerous.

[9:32] You hear that phrase a lot, don't you? I mentioned last week, it's the message about every Disney film. But the heart and our desires are not something to trust. But actually, Jeremiah 17, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.

[9:50] And this understanding of sin and humanity is so, so important right now. This could not be more key to how and when we live right now.

[10:05] Because this is exactly the opposite of how the world thinks, isn't it? And I want us to engage now with how the world thinks. I want us to apply this understanding of sin to try to explain and address two common types of thinking that we find in the world and even in the church.

[10:22] And so I've two scenarios out there written for you in that dotted box. And I want you just to think about them, analyse them and answer what is wrong with this understanding of humanity.

[10:36] And also try to answer, why do people believe this so strongly? It's not just a belief, it's a strong belief, isn't it? So break out into groups and discuss that and then we'll bring it back in a few minutes.

[10:50] Do both of them, everything in that box.

[11:04] And try to discuss both, try to have a good pace. And try to discuss that and discuss that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and that and Thank you.

[12:20] Thank you.

[12:50] Thank you.

[13:20] Thank you. Let's do one more minute. If you're not on the second one, just move on to that.

[13:32] Thank you.

[14:02] So the first one, I won't pick on anyone for this, but put your hands up if you've got thoughts, if you think your group was discussing some good things. So the first one, I'm part of the LGBTQ plus community and the church needs to support us.

[14:17] I can't help the way I feel. I was born this way. And so I need to be true to myself. Does anyone have any thoughts? What is wrong with this understanding of humanity?

[14:33] Go on, Judy. We all, our first inclination for all of us, whatever our sins that they be, we all want to be true to ourselves.

[14:46] Yeah. Yeah, exactly. We're going to come on to that in Redeeming Humanity.

[14:57] But that first part that you said, absolutely true. Look, we want to be true to ourselves, don't we? We're set in this position. And so that's where our desires are.

[15:07] We want to be like this. How about the phrase, I can't help the way I feel? Well, actually, no. How about the phrase, I was born this way.

[15:18] And so I need to follow this. How can we think about that? I think that's exactly right. We are born this way.

[15:29] We need to have our thoughts and desire to be true to God instead of our sins. Exactly, exactly. So let's unpack what they're saying.

[15:40] So I was born this way. Therefore, I need to follow this way. Right? And so in a way, they are right. They are born this way. We are naturally born like this.

[15:52] Adam and Eve, by ordinary generation, we are born with corrupt nature. So our desires naturally are towards sin. So in a way, yes, you are right. But to then say, I was born this way.

[16:05] Therefore, it's good. And I need to follow it. Now, that's an entirely different thing, isn't it? Because if we're to say that, what are we saying? We are saying evil is good and good is evil, aren't we?

[16:18] And actually, just follow the logical conclusion of that. I know people who say this don't follow it. Thankfully, they don't follow the logical conclusion. But let's say, I was born this way.

[16:31] Therefore, I need to go that way. Right? What about people with the most evil, evil desires? Are they born that way?

[16:42] Yeah. Should they follow that? Even those people saying it would be like, no way. And so there's an illogical, an inconsistency in what they're saying.

[16:55] How about the second one? I've never felt comfortable in my body or in my assigned gender. So I must be in the wrong body. And that needs to change.

[17:07] It is harmful to not let me follow how I feel. Did anyone get on to this one? I guess it's similar to the first one.

[17:18] They're constantly their feelings. They're sinful feelings. Yes. Yeah, yeah. It's, again, it's starting to explain what's going on.

[17:30] People are following desires, feelings, how they naturally think they are and are born. This is all explained by corrupt natures, corrupt desires, isn't it?

[17:42] And so think about Adam and Eve. Their desires were opposed to God. And so are ours. That means we're not seeing reality in the right way, are we?

[17:55] So if we're Adam and Eve, think about Adam and Eve in the garden. Their natural desire was to fear God, right? To think, I don't want to follow him. I want to run away from him.

[18:06] He's not worthy to worship. Is that true of reality? No. God is worthy to worship. But their natural desires think otherwise to the reality of the world.

[18:17] And so what's going on, particularly in the transgender movement, people's desires aren't corresponding to reality. But they're thinking, no, no, but I'm feeling this way.

[18:31] So this must be how reality should be. And so I'm going to change reality to fit how I desire. Do you see that? And again, these feelings aren't reliable.

[18:46] Our hearts are deceitful. And also, let's think back to the male and female session a few weeks ago. Do we remember what my definition was of male and female?

[18:59] It wasn't about feeling, was it? It was about calling, right? God calls men to fill this world, to form this world, sorry, and to sacrifice and protect.

[19:15] And God calls women to fill this world and to nurture it and give life and colour to it. And so it's not about how we feel. We may naturally not feel like we want to do that.

[19:28] The sin of Adam was, you know, I don't naturally want to sacrifice myself or protect Eve. But it's not about how we feel or what we think we are. It's what we're called to as men and women.

[19:41] And our bodies are going to indicate that. Our bodies signal what that calling is. And so we don't change our bodies because we don't want that calling. No, we look at our bodies and say, okay, this is my calling.

[19:54] I need to follow God in my design. And so our understanding of sin and humanity, it's key right now. Now, must we say, we must always love these people, have compassion on them.

[20:08] Jesus saw helpless sinners and had compassion on them, right? He was never aggressive towards them. But that doesn't mean condoning what they're saying.

[20:20] And we need to see that desires are not reliable. They're not something to be followed. And in fact, Jesus has come to set us free from these desires. And we're going to see that next.

[20:30] But I'll stop for a minute of questions, if we have any questions there. So we're going to move on to redeemed humanity next. There might be some questions at the end, so let's keep moving.

[20:50] Now, I want us to end by seeing what Christ has done for fallen humanity. I want us to see what it means to be redeemed humanity.

[21:05] And I want us to focus specifically on what has changed in us now we're in Christ. So, yes, in salvation, guilt has gone away and we have the forgiveness of sins.

[21:17] And yes, we have new destinies with eternal life. Praise God. All that is true. But I want us to focus specifically on what has changed in us. Because when Christ saves us and we become united to Christ, something actually changes in us.

[21:35] Just like in the fall, something actually changes in us. In Christ, something actually changes us. In who we are, what we are. And so I want you to break out into groups again.

[21:45] Look up these passages about redeemed humanity. And I want you to find out what has changed. So look up these passages and answer these questions. Try to work quickly because all three of them are really important, particularly Galatians.

[21:58] So make sure you get to Galatians. So I'll give you a few minutes for that. Thank you.

[22:21] Thank you.

[22:51] Thank you.

[23:21] Thank you.

[23:51] Thank you.

[24:21] Thank you.

[24:51] Thank you. Thank you.

[25:52] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. if you're not on to Galatians yet go on to it now if anyone's on Ephesians see my altar class thank you thank you okay let's wrap it up well done working quickly okay

[27:42] Ephesians 4 let's try to answer these fairly quickly Ephesians 4 if we naturally have a corrupt nature or self what has happened to that nature or self Leah so yeah you've got to go back now sorry we've learnt something in Christ anyone from your group can chip in okay yeah so positively we're renewed yeah exactly and what's happened to the old self exactly so in Christ we've learnt to put off the old self to and do you see how it's described corrupt through deceitful desires it's just this is this the old nature's been put off thrown away when we come to Christ and as Leah said now we're renewed in our minds we've put on the new self it says a new nature and what is the new self like it's did you see the language there created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness does that ring any bells that's the image of God language isn't it so what's happening to us when we come to Christ and we're redeemed by him

[29:31] God is restoring the image of God he's restoring the broken mirror recreating the blueprint he's making us truly human again so we start to desire the right things again do you see we're remade in true righteousness and Romans 6 saying a similar thing what's happened to our old self Sue Sue Lofthouse I'll go to someone else sorry Naomi Romans 6 yeah yeah what's happened to our old self it's died it's died yes do you see that we've been crucified died so how do we escape this old nature that we have well we need how do we put it off we need to die crucify buried and that's what's happened when we're in Christ and see do you see we're no longer enslaved to sin anymore we're set free our default position is no longer locked into this desire for sin our desires aren't captive they're set free and now it says we're alive to God that we have a newness of life desires toward God now it's talking about a new nature here and what's all this explained by what part of

[31:01] Christ's work Christ's death and resurrection we're united to Christ in his death and resurrection our old self dies with him on the cross and our new self raises with him in the resurrection so Galatians 5 okay how does the Holy Spirit change us did anyone get on to this hands up have you got on to it Dave Fels did you do that you did go on do your best how does the Holy Spirit change us we say basically now have two sets of desires within us so there's the desires of the flesh and the desires of the spirit and we should try we should be led by the spirit exactly then there's a whole different set of fruit that comes from us yes yeah and then it shows us what those desires are like yeah exactly so do you see in verse 16 it says walk by the spirit so that means live walk language in the New Testament it's just live live by the spirit so and what does the Holy Spirit do stops us gratifying the desires of the flesh so it stops reduces these desires and he gives us new desires of the spirit inside of us good godly desires like that list like love joy peace patience kindness this all desires toward God

[32:28] God and so this is really important when Christ saves us the slavery of this desire is broken okay we're not locked into this anymore the power breaks and God brings in new desires into our hearts new spiritual desires just given by the spirit desires new desires toward God and notice David mentioned that both desires in the Christian this side of heaven both desires remain did you see that so the spirit stops us gratifying these it becomes less and less the pull towards sin because the Holy Spirit stops them but they will linger but the overall pull is found in the spiritual desires and so the line is restored the line upwards is restored in redemption and so let me bring all this together and there are three things

[33:39] I wanted to see from this three subheadings redeemed humanity have a new nature when we are saved the old corrupt nature dies and we become a new person that's why the Bible uses the language of born again we hear that John 3 1 Peter 1 and we become a new restored version of ourselves a new with a new centre of being a new heart that's why Ezekiel in Ezekiel 36 says in the new covenant you're going to have a new heart all this when we are united to Christ death and resurrection the cross and the empty tomb are not only about forgiveness and they really are about forgiveness they're not only about forgiveness but they're actually about change a new nature and that means my second sub point redeemed humanity have new desires when Christ gives you his spirit we're raised to new life and we have new spiritual given by the spirit desires that are opposite pull us in a different direction to the sinful desires and I really want us to remember this today okay our corrupt desires will not be gone entirely this side of heaven remnants of our old nature will remain our old desires remain and so there are a couple of ways to understand it it's kind of like the fatal gangrene has been cut off right but little bits of infection remain or it's like the war has been won over sin but little skirmishes still remain in the

[35:32] Christian life and the spiritual desires are fighting back against it and that's why we have commands like put to death your sin or take up your cross and deny yourself the old desires remain but we now can fight back we're not slaves anymore locked into this position and the spirit is empowering us every day to live this new life toward God with these new holy desires but both desires will exist this side of heaven every Christian will feel the pull of desires in both directions and this I know for all of us this is really frustrating we find in our hearts as Christians the desire for sin things of our old life and we hate them don't we they make us miserable but we also have the desire for God we love

[36:44] Jesus and we want to please him and obey him we desire holiness and we feel this pull in both directions and it's agonizing isn't it and the apostle Paul expresses this exact frustration look at Romans 7 look what he says for I delight in the law of God in my inner being I have these desires toward God but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members and what's the frustration wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death this is why we all find a war inside of ourselves and this is why the Christian life is such a battle we're constantly fighting the old desire and this should really help us to understand our own hearts because if you find in yourself as a

[37:48] Christian you find in yourself desires that you think no Christian should feel this and you hate it and you think why is this that I want this to go away if that's you don't be discouraged because that's all of us okay we all feel that we all have this pull in both directions and it doesn't mean you're not a Christian that's the normal reality of the Christian and in fact if you hate these desires and you just want to love the Lord Jesus actually be encouraged because that means there's life inside of you doesn't it if you feel the pull in both directions it actually means that's a sign of life it's a sign that God is working in you someone once gave me the illustration I think about it often it's like if you see a stream going and you see a fish floating on top going with the stream right just floating down what does that tell you about the fish you look at that fish is dead right there's no life there's no fight in it but if you see a fish floating upstream fighting against that current what does that say about the fish that fish is alive right and if you find that fight against sin in you that is a sign of life isn't it that is

[39:19] God raising you raised you from the dead with this new desire and so you can think of humanity in four states four states so creative humanity it was made we were made without sin and it was made without sin with these desires for God but there was always the possibility for sin right because it was the covenant of works there was a possibility to sin maybe he will maybe he won't but we know that he does but that's how we created we're created the desire for God but in the fall what happens the desire flips and it's only locked into sin but in redeemed humanity there are now both desires the and then in glorified humanity what's going to happen the desire for sin is going to go and it will only be for God and in us now you could say we are now not able to not sin it's now possible to not sin because we have these new desires and so in redeemed humanity what is

[40:35] Christ doing he's making a new humanity I'll finish in two minutes hold on redeem humanity is the new humanity this is what the church is this is what Christ is doing with us with a new humanity so just look at Colossians three do not lie to one another seeing that you have put off the old self with his practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed!

[41:01] in knowledge after the image of its creator in the church Christ is renewing the image of God he's recreating a new humanity what we were was a distortion of true humanity to be fallen it's actually to be less than truly human but in the church Christ is restoring the image of God he's fixing the mirror that's his big project and purpose with the church people with new natures and new desires desires to love God and worship him people truly reflecting and glorifying God renewed in knowledge and righteousness and holiness with our minds and moral compasses being re-centred to true righteousness you can think the church is God's new humanity in Christ God is forgiving our sins and he's changing us he's making his bride beautiful and he's doing this more and more in this church more and more in your life and that's what sanctification is as you put to death your sin in the power of the spirit and you grow in holiness and your desires increase more for

[42:13] God and those sinful desires shrink and shrink that is God remaking you into a true image of God truly human again and one day we will be fully restored in the new creation we will be sinless that pull of desire that you feel it will be no more and sin will actually be an impossibility I've said this before on the day of our resurrection we will open up our eyes and we will feel very strange firstly because we won't feel any pain in our bodies and that will be amazing but also we will feel something strange in our hearts something very new we will realize I can't sin we will feel that there are no more sinful desires anymore!

[43:12] I actually can't sin and that is where we're heading that is what Christ has saved us for a new humanity with new desires and a new nature living in the new creation and that is glory which means glory has already begun now look how the apostle Paul talks about our sanctification our change now 2 Corinthians 3 and we all church we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord we are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another this is what Christ has come to do and he is doing in you now he's come to bring us to glory and it's already begun in your heart now and one day we will be truly and fully human again I think we've got time for one or two questions if you have any questions

[44:21] I've got a question for you and you can win this book for free okay to be made in the image of gods means we're made in true three things what are those three things we're made in true knowledge okay no one listening no no let me give one more question okay one more question Galatians 5 what desires do you have as as Christians as as Galatians 5 love okay yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah just that yeah so they're the positive desires are they're the only desires you have or just that yeah just that

[45:33] Galatians 5 two desires desires of the flesh there you go um hope this series has been helpful just to remind that so no Sunday next Sunday it's it's half devil Sunday after we'll start a new series on the afterlife heaven hell the resurrection angels and demons and the devil return of christ the millennium and what's eternity look like for us so come back for that in two weeks let me pray lord god we thank you that we are fearfully and wonderfully made made in your image and we thank that in christ we are being restored into that image that we are your chosen people that we love that you are recreating that you have given glory to you you are remaking us from one degree of glory to another lord we pray that we would walk in the spirit that we would love the

[46:34] Lord Jesus that you would help us to obey your lord please encourage us in the christian life this side of heaven help us to love you and desire you we pray this in Jesus name amen say again oh answer the first question we're made in true knowledge righteousness and holiness knowledge righteousness and holiness yes so Yeah.