THE REAL YOUThere have been many great struggles down through history but none greater than the one we want to consider today.

I think of King Solomon's classic struggle with the two women claiming to be the baby’s mother. Solomon had to decide and you know the story of how he determined which was the babies real mother.

FINDING YOUR TRUE IDENTITY

IMAGE OF GOD Objective: Foundation #1 – To understand man as created

  INSIDE OUT

Objective: Foundation #2 – To understand man after the fall and after the new birth

IDENTITY RECOVERED Objective: How to recover your stolen identity

IDENTITY TESTED Objective: A test to determine if your lost identity has been recovered

INCREDIBLE TREASURE Objective: To know the power of God available to you

  INHERITANCE OF GOD

Objective: To know the completeness and greatness of Christ’s sacrifice for you

IN CHRIST Objective: To provide the key to consistent living for the believer

THE REAL YOU

Part 4Identity Tested

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” Romans 7:4

IDENTITY TESTED

Review – Recovering Your Stolen Identity We are addressing the stolen identity of the born again believer Your identity may be stolen but not your citizenship If you are still an alien you don’t have an identity to be stolen

Romans 6 – 2 weeks ago The penalty for your sins was paid for by Christ’s blood on the

cross The power over your sin nature was broken by your death with

Christ The latter was something to know and believe. Your response was to daily hand yourself over to God as His alone

Your Response Not only recognized but applied Not only your position but your condition Not a hyphenated Christian But living under the power and control of the Lord

IDENTITY TESTED

A Basic QuestionHow do I know in reality if my identity has been recovered?

Candida Gutierrez 32 year old

Houston teacher

Remember Candida Gutierrez from part 1How would she know if her identity had been recovered?By going to the bank and trying to borrow money!

What about you?How will you know if you have recovered your stolen spiritual identity?That’s what we want to look at today.

REASON FOR THE STRUGGLE

Romans 7:15 to 23 The famous struggle that men have struggled with for ages! The good I want to do I don’t do, and the evil I don’t want to

do I do. Question?

Is this struggle something that characterizes your life as a Christian?

I do not do the thing I would like to do (verse 15) I do the thing I don’t want to do! (verse 16a)

The Test This is like borrowing money from the bank! If you find yourself in this struggle then you have failed the test You didn’t get the loan Contrary to popular opinion, this is not intended to be the

Normal Christian experience

Pass?Fail?

REASON FOR THE STRUGGLE

Interpretations of Romans 7:15 to 23 Is this an unregenerate person’s experience or that of a Christian? Paul uses the first person throughout So is he referring to himself before or after meeting Christ on the

road

Before After

REASON FOR THE STRUGGLE

Interpretations of Romans 7:15 to 231. This was Paul’s experience as a Jew before meeting Christ [false]2. Paul was so sensitive to sin that this is himself as a Christian [false]3. Paul in the 3 days after meeting Christ in Acts 9:9 (Kelly ~1890)

[maybe]4. An illustration of failure to believe Romans 6 & 7:1-6

This is not the “Normal Christian Life” (Nee ~1939) This is an indication of spiritual immaturity! This indicates that you haven’t got it!

Nee “Grace means that God does something for me; law means that I do something for God.The trouble in Romans 7 is that man in the flesh tried to do something for God. As soon as you try to please God in that way, then you place yourself under law, and the experience of Romans 7 begins to be yours.”Kelly “It is evident that the state described (Romans 7:15-23) is not that of deliverance; it is not therefore the normal state of the Christian, but one of transition.”

REASON FOR THE STRUGGLE

The struggle is in reality the struggle of a believer under law:

Notice it is a struggle between the mind and the flesh (7:23, 25)Between what we know to be true and how we react to

situationsIt is the old train of Facts – Faith – FeelingsOur feelings must be based on the facts by faith not the reverse

Law of any type The Old Testament law

Moral, Civil, Sacrificial, Ceremonial OT laws The expectations of others

Acting as a hypocrite under the expectations of others Expectations of yourself

I should do this or should not do that

RELEASED FROM THE STRUGGLE

How are we released from this struggle? The Illustration: Romans 7:1 to 6

MarriedHusband & Wife

Romans 7:2a

Husband dies & Wifeis free to marry another

Romans 7:2b

Wife dies and is freed from her HusbandRomans 7:4a,6a

Wife rises and is freeto marry another

Romans 7:4b

Law You

Christ

You

Law

Law

You

You

XWho can set us free?Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (7:25)By knowing you have been crucified with Christ, been raised with Christ to a New lifeAnd by handing yourself over daily to Him as the one who owns you.

RELEASED FROM THE STRUGGLE

While you are alive you are still bound to this law principle It is not the law that has died but you have died Your co-crucifixion with Christ has placed you under a new

husband as it were – Christ Himself The rule of your new life is now Christ not law

This is why God has placed His Holy spirit within you. This is far superior to Israel past or future

RESTING FROM THE STRUGGLE

I'm resting in You LordResting in Your love You captivate my life LordBody soul and spirit I've died with You LordBeen raised anew Lord I'm seated with You LordHidden in You Lord Live Your life LordThrough my life Lord I give you my heart LordEvery fabric of my being Take my life LordMy new creation life LordMay it be Yours Lord I'm resting in You LordResting in Your love

THE REAL YOUResting from the Struggle

andResting in Christ(Your true Identity in Christ)