Sin

Johnny Harrell

April 16, 2022

Leviticus 23 is where we find all of God’s Holy Days listed, and they teach those of us in God’s Church at this time about the way that we are to live our lives, and it gives us God’s plan. So we come before our God on these appointed times.

So let’s turn over to Leviticus 23. We look at this just about every Holy Day season and this is where we find the Sabbath, at the beginning of Leviticus 23, and we can see the instructions that were given for the Sabbath day.

But down in verse 4, this is where we find about this Feast. Leviticus 23:4 …holy convocation which you will proclaim at their appointed times, and it gives us the day of the Passover and it tells us the fourteenth day of the first month, that is when we celebrate the Passover.

And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And seven days you are to eat unleavened bread. And on the first day you will have a holy convocation and you will do no customary work in it, but you will offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. And the seventh day will be a holy convocation, and we will do no customary work in it, also.

This is what was given to Ancient Israel, and it was a physical thing that they were to do. They were to eat unleavened bread during this Feast of Unleavened Bread, and we are to do the same. But when Christ came upon the earth, and he became the Passover, a spiritual meaning was given. It’s given to you and me at this time, and a lot of it was given through the inspiration of the holy spirit to the apostle, Paul.

We recognize that this physical act of putting leavening out of our homes has a spiritual meaning. It has more meaning to those of us in God’s Church than it did to Ancient Israel because it’s symbolic of something for you and me. It’s symbolic of putting and keeping sin out of our lives.

All of these days teach us about God’s plan. But this Holy Day is much about sin. That is the subject today, Sin.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is about how we are to live our lives. The apostle, Paul, explains to us about a way of life that we should live. So, today we will see how he addresses sin, and we will look at some of the scriptures that he wrote in God’s book about this subject. We understand that this season that we keep is about sin, and it’s about how we keep sin out of our lives.

Paul explains a lot to you and me about our nature that is in each and every one of us, and without God inspiring Paul to write these things it would be hard for you and me to understand what this nature is in mankind. So, God gave it through the inspiration of His spirit to Paul to write, write it in God’s book, and by what he wrote we understand that the law is spiritual, and it has to do with a way of life, God’s way of life.

So, let’s turn over to Romans 7 and that’s where we will begin. Romans 7:14. We will begin to see what he was inspired to write. Romans 7:14. It’s where it was written that The law is spiritual. So, Paul is telling us here (let’s notice what he’s saying, and what he recognized), he said, I am carnal. So, that is something that you and me really understand. Paul wrote that the law is spiritual, and he said that he was carnal, and he was sold under sin.

So, what was he speaking about when he made these statements and wrote it in God’s book? We understand he’s speaking about being enslaved to sin. When this happens we understand that we are in captivity in Satan’s world, when we find our self in sin. So, that’s the message that Paul is writing about.

We understand this, and we understand that is why we have to keep repenting because we are in Satan’s world still and we continue to sin even though we have God’s spirit, and that is much of Paul’s message. We have to go before God on a continual basis to forgive us of our sins, and there are some sins that we have to repent of over and over, and some sins we have a hard time getting a handle on.

Paul said that we are “sold under sin.” So, what does this mean to you and me? We will see how he addresses this.

Even though we are in God’s Church and have God’s spirit, God’s holy spirit, we still have to deal with this world. But we are still blessed because of what God has given to you and me, His spirit. We’re blessed because the penalty of sin has been paid for you and me by what Christ did. We understand the death that he endured. It was a horrible, horrible death; he was beaten with a cat-o-nine tails that just tears pieces of the flesh from the body. We understand that he was unrecognizable for who he was because of the beating that he took.

But we understand that we are still coming out of Egypt. That’s the term that we use. We understand what is being said by this term, by this terminology, “coming out of Egypt,” “coming out of sin.” We are taught during this Feast of Unleavened Bread a way to live our life. God is delivering us, and we understand this, and He’s teaching us through the Holy Days and through the sermons that are given.

God teaches us through this Holy Day season of Unleavened Bread. Once we were baptized we began to understand things about this way of life, and we began to understand that it is a way of life that we should never turn back from. At baptism we said to God that we accepted His Son as our Savior, and we told Him that we would live this way of life. That’s what we said at baptism; so we should never turn back from coming out of Egypt.

God’s Kingdom is coming to this earth, and we will be changed one day, but we all commit sin until our change comes. God wrote it, had it written in His book that the law is spiritual. Paul said that he was carnal. He wrote about the dilemma that he found himself in and he said, “For that I would,” in other words, what he wanted to do, that is not what he did. We understand what Paul is saying.

We have to repent quickly when we find our self in sin. We always have to choose. We always have to try to make right choices with God’s spirit, the help that you and I have. All of us want to live the way of life without sin. We want to do that all the time. But we know about this flesh, our human nature that we have, and the selfishness and the pride that is in each and every one of us. We have these weaknesses, and all of a sudden, we find ourselves in sin – sometimes over and over. Sometimes for the same sin.

No one wants to do this, but as Paul said, we are carnal, and we begin to understand this. He said, “We are sold under sin.” So, we are in captivity to sin when we find our self in sin, so that’s what Paul is saying.

Romans 7:14 is where he wrote that The law [was] spiritual, but [he] was carnal, sold unto sin. This is where he said over and over for what he wanted to do he always did what he hated. But he always agreed with God’s law that that law is good. But he said that it was no longer he, it was the sin that dwelt in him. That’s how he found himself in sin because it was part of him.

He said, For I know that in me, the flesh, nothing good dwells. So he knew about this nature that he had, and he said, for to will is present with [him]. In other words, he wanted to do what was right and to live God’s way of life. But he said it was the evil that he found himself doing, and that’s what he practiced, but he said it was no longer he that did it because what he wanted to do in his mind was obey God. We understand what he said.

Let’s notice in verse 21 what he wrote. He said, I then find a law, that evil, that’s what he called it, is present with [him]. The one that wanted to do good. He said, I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, but I see another law in my members warring against the law of [his] mind and bringing me into captivity. For the law of sin which is in [his] members. He said, Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? And he said, I thank God through Joshua the Christ our Lord. And let’s notice, So, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

If Paul had not written these things in God’s book with God’s inspiration helping him explain it, it would be hard for this human mind that is in us. But God had it written in this book so that we can begin to understand how these things could be. We find our self in these situations that Paul is writing about and it’s the very thing that we hate as well. The very thing that gets you and me in trouble is this human nature that we all have.

After we were baptized we began to really start to understand what it’s all about. We begin to realize that we are in a spiritual war, and we are in the fight of our life for our spiritual lives. We realize that it’s always a fight in this human body with this human nature that we have, the pulls of the flesh that is in each and every one of us.

So we realize that it’s about a way of life that God tells you and me about, and it’s about the way that we should think with this mind, because that’s where everything has to change, in the mind. That’s where it first has to take place. We have to think differently after we are baptized. We have to learn the way that God wants us to think from that time forward.

That’s what this Feast of Unleavened Bread is about. This season is when we focus on sin, and this Feast teaches us by putting leaven out of our homes, a physical task. But it has more meaning. It has a spiritual meaning for you and me. But we find that that physical task is not possible because we always find some leaven that we miss. The very first thing I found last Feast was a whole box of sin just staring at me, just sitting there looking at me. I wonder in my mind how could I have ever missed this? So I failed just this very simple task, this physical task of putting leavening out of our home.

We find ourselves in sin sometimes and we don’t see that sin. So, that’s a valuable lesson that we learn at this Feast of Unleavened Bread. The physical thing that we do teaches us spiritual lessons.

God tells us to be at oneness with Him and His Son, to strive to be of the same mind of Him and His Son. So, the battle for this mind begins to take place and we understand then that we have to fight for this way of life, and we have to really understand that we are in a spiritual war for our spiritual life.

Verse 17; let’s see what else was said. He wrote, It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in [him]. It’s because of this nature that we all have. We are all physical beings and mankind has succumbed to these lusts that are in mankind. These lusts have caused so much pain, so much destruction of lives in human beings, so much pain because of these lusts, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” this human nature. It stinks but it’s a part of us, and because of this nature that we all have it has caused so much pain, so much suffering. Paul is telling us much about our human nature that is part of all of us.

Verse 19 he said, For the good that [he] wants to do, that’s not what [he] does, and he calls it evil. That’s what he practiced, and it’s because of this human nature. That’s what he called it. He didn’t want that to be a part of his life, but he always found this in his life, this human flesh. There are some things that we get caught up in Satan’s world and that’s what Paul is explaining to you and me.

We know that Paul always wanted to live the way that God said to live his life, but he also understood that he was in a battle in his flesh, and he would be in that battle, that war as long as he was in this flesh. But he tells us much about sin in God’s book and he tells us much about the lusts of man. But he says that that is just the way with man until our change comes.

We understand, really, why we need a Passover. We understand that we have to have that Passover to help us, and it’s because of these lusts that we find in this flesh that we’re speaking about. There had to be a Passover so that God could forgive you and me of our sins, so that God could live in each and every one of us.

We have to continuously overcome in this flesh, but something has to take place in the mind to do it. We have to have God’s help, God’s holy spirit to help us, and then we have to think differently with that spirit.

If we are doing the things and following God’s way of life and not succumbing to the sins in Satan’s world, if we do that, we are always growing and overcoming in this fight when we live God’s way of life. But sometimes even when we have the best intentions in this flesh we find ourselves back in sin, and it blindsides us sometimes.

So when these thoughts that come into our mind that should not be there, God says that we are to bring them into subjection quickly. Don’t let it go any further. Nip it in the bud.

Verse 22 Paul said [He] delighted in the law of God according to the inward man. So, he’s actually speaking about the mind and that which God has given to you and me in our minds (that’s what he’s speaking about), so that we can begin to understand about a way of life, a way that God instructs you and me to live.

God’s way of life is taught to you and me during this Holy Day season of Unleavened Bread. We love the way that God reveals it to us in the Church of God, and we come to understand more and more about the way of life as we move through God’s plan that we should live. We have to live in this flesh by what God says through God’s word in this book and through the sermons that are given during this Feast season. Holy Day to Holy Day, and Sabbath to Sabbath also.

It’s not about what we think, it’s about what God says. We are learning now how to live our lives, and it’s not just through the Feast of Unleavened Bread that we are to live this way of life, it’s always about God’s way of life that we are to live all of the time.

Paul said that he “delighted in the law of God after the inward man.” But he saw another law that was in his mind also, therefore, the battle that ensues. But here it’s talking about a law in his mind, that it is about God’s way of life. It’s also in our minds. That’s where the law is instilled in you and me, in our minds.

We can see that this is where the war is fought, and we understand that this is where the battles are fought. We understand that it is a spiritual war that you and I have to fight. We need to recognize that we are in this fight for the rest of our life as long as we’re in this flesh.

As I’ve said before, Satan does not have a great battle on his hands to entice mankind through the lusts that are in man. Paul understood it and he understood the power of sin that sin has, and he understood why we would always have to repent. We need to do it quickly now, brethren.

Paul is explaining about the law of sin that was in his members, in his flesh, and this is where Paul is explaining it to you and me so that we can understand about this human nature and about the way of life that we have to live.

And until we are no longer in Satan’s world this human nature will plague you and me. All of us have this selfish and prideful nature. We will have it until our change comes. So, we have to have help to deal with this nature, we have to have God’s holy spirit to help us. We know we have to have help. We understand this.

Verse 24. Paul understood that unrepented sin would lead to death in the lake of fire. That’s where it will lead eventually if we leave God. It will lead to death for an eternity. That’s why Paul said what he did, Who would deliver [him] from the body, [his] body of death? We know how it has to take place. We understand we have to have that Passover. We understand what Christ did, the suffering he did. But he paid that penalty for sin for you and me and for all of those in the future that will accept God’s offer and live this way of life.

We understand that God is bringing you and me out of captivity and that we are coming out of Egypt, so to speak. We’re putting sin out of our lives as we are coming out of Egypt, coming out of captivity. We understand it’s through the Passover that we are being delivered.

But when we look around on the horizon and we look at man’s world, Satan’s world, we understand that this world is in total captivity, and they don’t have a clue at what is taking place. So, when you and I look at Russia and what they’re doing today, attacking their neighbor because Putin wants what is theirs. That’s what it boils down to. He wants what they have. He wants what somebody else has, and when we look at China it’s the same. We understand they’re biding their time because they want Taiwan. They want what they have.

We can see that it’s these lusts in man that are bringing this world to a crescendo that our minds cannot comprehend, and if God did not send His Son back to this earth there would be nothing left. There would be no flesh left alive upon this earth because of these lusts that are in man.

Paul said that he thanked God through Joshua the Christ, his Lord, because he understood that that’s how he would be delivered from the body of death. It’s the same for you and me. We understand that we have to have our Passover. That’s how it’s done and that’s the only way that it can be done. There is no other way.

There is a war that Paul recognized that he was in, and that’s why he said, “with his flesh he served the law of sin,” because it was in him. That’s where it’s at, those lusts that are here. He said he’s going to do things God’s way, but that’s not what happened. I’m sure Paul said things just like we do. We all do it, and I’m sure he did it too.

We’ve all said things and the minute we say it we wish it had not come out of this mouth. All of us are guilty of this, that little tongue, and that’s what Paul’s saying. It’s just in us, therefore we sin, even though it’s unwilling sometimes. But we all do it.

So, let’s turn over to Romans 12 and let’s see what was written here in verse 1. It says, Romans 12:1—I beseech you, therefore, brethren, through the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. So how do we do this? We put to death the body. That’s how we do it. That’s what we pictured at baptism. When we went under the water that’s what it pictured, to put to death the body. That’s what we pictured. That was the agreement that we made.

When we come out of that water it painted you and me a picture. Now once we come up out of that water we are to walk in newness of life, a newer way. That’s the way that God says. To do that, that means we have to think differently from that time forward, and it’s a new picture that we will paint from that time forward. We have to think differently. We have to become a new man or a new woman. So, it’s about the mind to do this. It’s about the way we think.

When we do this, begin to do this, we begin to come out of Egypt, so to speak, to come out of sin. That’s the terminology that we use, coming out of Egypt. Then we should present our bodies a living sacrifice and we should want to live a different way of life, and to think differently from that time on from baptism.

We want to put to death the old self. All of us want to do this. We don’t want to go back in Satan’s world. We all want to walk in God’s world from this time forward.

Let’s notice the rest that is said, that [we] present our bodies holy, acceptable to God. So, it’s about a way of life, a way of life that God is instructing you and me now. It’s through this Feast of Unleavened Bread that much is explained.

Let’s notice he says, that’s our reasonable service. That’s what God expects. That’s what He expects us to do. So, it’s about a way of life that you and I should live from baptism, a way of life that is acceptable to the Great God of this universe and His Son.

Let’s notice verse 2—And do not be conformed to the world, Satan’s world, and not to take part of it, but be transformed. So, let’s pay attention to what’s being said, through the renewing of our minds. In other words, think differently through the spirit that God gave you at baptism, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

So, how do we prove it? We prove it by living it. That’s how we do it. We do it by living the way that God says we are to live our lives. There are choices that you and I make, and we have to choose this way of life. God does not force this way of life upon anybody. Even after we’re called and have God’s spirit it’s choices. We choose. When we choose this way of life something begins to happen in the mind. It begins to be transformed. Something is being formed in each and everyone that does this. It’s called character and character is being formed.

I hope you understand what you have been offered, to be part of God’s Family, to become Elohim. This world, Satan’s world is coming to an end quickly now. What you’ve been taught during this season of Unleavened Bread, you’re being taught about a way of life, and it’s being instilled in this mind, and when we yield to God we have help, help to fight this fight, to fight this spiritual war that we find our self. The more that we do this and the more that we try to be at oneness with the Great God of this universe and His Son the more we will be blessed as we strive to do that, that very thing, live the way that God says to live.

Let’s turn over to Romans 8:1. It says, There is no condemnation to those who are in Joshua the Christ. But if we fail to repent of sin there is condemnation, brethren, and we are cut off from God’s spirit when we do this. But if we are always repenting when we sin, we’re able to remain in Joshua the Christ and Joshua the Christ in you and me.

I guess better said, if we don’t cut our self off, if we repent quickly. It needs to be done quickly. I hope that everybody understands, everyone understands that when we sin we are cut off from God. That’s the reason we need to repent quickly because we’re cut off.

This says, There is no condemnation to those who are in Joshua the Christ, who walk not after the flesh, “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life,” but after the spirit. In other words, those that are choosing this way of life. But we have to choose. God doesn’t force us, as I said earlier. If we are choosing we’re starting to understand about that spiritual war and those spiritual battles that we all have. It’s a choice to fight these battles.

I know all of our desires are not to sin. I don’t think any of us wants to sin, to have sin in our lives. I think all of us want to choose what is right, because I think that’s why you’re here at this Feast of Unleavened Bread, because you want this way of life and because you are choosing this way of life. I think that’s why you are all here.

We all choose to learn more about our God and more about His ways and more about the way that He says we are to live our lives. That’s why you’re here, to face these battles that we’re speaking about, to face them day by day, week by week, year by year, so that we can become more at one with our God and His Son.

We understand the penalty that was paid so that we can make these choices, so that we can choose and make the changes that we need to make to move forward in God’s plan. So we need to do whatever it takes, whatever that might be (it doesn’t matter what it is), just do whatever it takes to remain in God’s way of life.

Paul said that we are debtors, not to this flesh, to live according to this flesh. He says, If we live according to the flesh we will die. Unrepented sin will put us in the lake of fire. But if by the spirit we put to death the deeds of the body we will live.

Verse 2—For the law of the spirit of life in Joshua the Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, in other words, here is God’s laws but we are weak, mankind is weak, this flesh is weak, and we know this.

We know the story of Israel. It’s written in God’s book for you and me. We know what they did with God’s laws that were given to them. God led them in the desert for forty years to teach them about the Sabbath day, and we know He taught them other things as well. When we come down to our time what has mankind done with just that little bit of knowledge about the Sabbath day?

They were given the 10 Commandments, and we know that story of Israel. We know that it was the day of Pentecost that God’s laws were given, the 10 Commandments. We know how they rebelled over and over and over through time. So, we understand that we have to have something, that we have to have God’s spirit. We have to have help to live this way of life. But we understand that even when we do this we find our self in battle for our life, our spiritual life. We understand that it’s a constant, ongoing battle.

We’ve seen so many that have turned back, so many that walked side-by-side with you and me on God’s Sabbaths, and they have gone back into Satan’s world. Now they do not have God’s spirit to teach them, to learn God’s way of life. Hopefully, no one here will cut themself off from God from this time forward.

Let’s look at verse 3—For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, exactly what we’re speaking about. Israel is a good example of that very thing. We know that they rebelled over and over against their God.

Let’s notice what is said: God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh—so let’s notice what’s being said—on account of sin. To make a way for you and me. That’s why He did it. Because we know the stories of Ancient Israel and they couldn’t do it because they didn’t have what you and I have.

Let’s continue …he condemned sin in the flesh. We know that Christ lived a perfect life, and he became our Passover so that you and I could have the forgiveness of our sins. He came and died so that you and I could live this way of life, and for all of those that will accept God’s offer in the future and live this way of life.

But for now, there are minds that are being molded and fashioned in those that have God’s spirit, and that’s you, the Church of God that is preparing for God’s Son to come back to this earth. We are being taught through this season of Unleavened Bread about sin, and we are being taught how to keep sin out of our lives by a physical thing that we do, by putting leavening out of our homes and learning through the spiritual examples that it teaches you and me, just like it taught me last year about the hidden sins that I have. We have to want this way of life and we have to fight for this way of life.

In just a little while when the sky lights up, there will be some others that will want to know what is taking place. You have a front row seat to see those things unfold before your very eyes. I think some will begin to listen when the sky lights up.

We can see a prelude of what’s going to happen by what Russia is doing now, and we are able to watch it on a live TV screen, brethren. It’s horrible what we see, the disregard for human life that is taking place.

Verse 5—Those who live according to the flesh set their mind on the things of the flesh. But when one does this in the Church of God we know what’s taking place. We know that there is sin involved and we understand that pain is going to follow them when they go back into Satan’s world.

We have to know what God says about what is right and what is wrong, and we have to know that it is not about what we think, it’s about what God says. God says that there is a way of life that seems right to man that results in death. We know this is about what happens when we sin, when sin is not repented of. But also this takes physically upon this earth with man’s carnal mind, with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”

And just what Putin is doing now, we see it on the TV. I think he is justified in his mind that he is right, what he’s doing is right. He’s justified it. We can see that man can’t wait to use these nuclear weapons, and Putin is threatening to use them now.

So, we see it taking place and we know that it’s going to happen, and it’s not long now. We know that man would annihilate every living thing upon the face of this earth if we did not have God’s plan to send His Son back to this earth.

Verse 6 God tells us, For to be carnally minded is death. That’s exactly what’ll take place. They will kill every living thing.

We know that unrepented sin, which is worse than death that we see on the TV, because it would lead to death for an eternity. That’s what it’s speaking about here. So, we understand that when this happens, when someone cuts themselves off from God’s spirit, we understand that God cannot work with that person anymore, the ones that cut themselves off and does not repent.

We know that this carnal mind is enmity against God and when we look at human nature and when we look at what God calls the carnal mind, we know that it’s speaking about “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” When we break it all down that’s what it boils down to, and these things are an enemy to God and it’s an enemy to God’s way of life. That’s what these lusts are.

Verse 6. The rest of this verse tells us, But to be spiritually minded is life and peace, and because the carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God, nor can it be, God tells us that this carnal mind is hostile, against Him. So, we can see the battle that takes place in the mind. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if—if—if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you. So this is why we have to repent quickly, because we do not want to be cut off from God’s spirit. But that’s exactly what happens when we sin, we are cut off from that flow of God’s holy spirit.

Let’s notice what the next verse is saying. If anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is not his. Exactly what we’re speaking about. You have to have God’s spirit.

Verse 10—If Christ is in you—let’s notice what’s being explained—the body is dead because of sin. And let’s notice the rest: But the spirit is life because of righteousness, because of what God accounts to you and me as righteousness. He will live in us because sin, the penalty, has been paid for by Joshua the Christ. All of us face battles in this flesh, and sometimes we sin, but we are striving to live God’s way of life, the way that He says we are to live. So, we must repent quickly.

Verse 11—If the spirit of Him who raised Joshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised him from the dead will also give to your mortal bodies through the spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, we are not debtors to the flesh to live according to the flesh. We are not to live that way of life. We are debtors not to this flesh.

So let’s understand what’s being said, because this is Satan’s world and what he uses. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if through the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. Just like the agreement we made at baptism, to put to death the body. That means the deeds of the body. We put to death these deeds and this human nature and the carnal things that are inside you and me. That’s our fight and that’s the battle that ensues, the battle for our mind. It’s ongoing and it will be ongoing until we’re changed.

Verse 15—For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption. This is better said, by sonship, by whom you cry out Abba, Father.

God made us this way for a purpose, and if we are choosing this way of life, and if we choose what God shows you and me, and if we want God in our life, God will forgive you and me every time, every time we sin. That’s what’s being said.

We know about the unpardonable sin, and hopefully none of us will ever partake of that one. Outside of that, unpardonable sin, we are forgiven over and over. God understands about this “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” As long as we’re in this body we’re going to have to deal with sin, until we’re freed of sin. So that’s the war that we are in, and it’s a constant, ongoing war.

Verse 14 tells us For as many as are led by the spirit (through the spirit) of God they are the sons and daughters of God. It takes place in the mind through God’s holy spirit. We have to yield and obey what God says in this book about a way of life. God will continuously forgive us, as I’ve said before.

But I’ve said this before, and I’ve used this example before. But it’s like riding down the road and not paying attention, not focused on the road. Most of us are riding in the ditches or on the shoulder of the road most of the time. So there’s a lot of forgiveness that has to take place. But the best place of life that God says is up where the road is smooth. But with us, with our human nature we’ve got to ride where it’s bumpy all the time. Some of our heads are constantly hitting the top of the car. But we want to follow God. It’s in our minds that we want to follow God, and that’s where it comes from. But with us, with our nature, we’ve got to ride where it’s bumpy all the time.

Let’s turn over to Ephesians 2. When we begin to comprehend about our human nature we realize that human nature stinks. That’s the only way to explain it, it just stinks. At baptism that’s when we start to understand about this human nature that we have and these lusts that are in man. We have to recognize what we are, and we have to see our self as God sees us, and that’s what this Feast is about. It’s about seeing self and seeing how easy sin can get control of us.

Ephesians 2:1—And you—let’s notice—who were dead in trespasses and sin, that’s what God says, we were dead in them, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, Satan’s world. …according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

Most of mankind just lives and dies in Satan’s captivity never understanding anything about this life, this human life, never understanding why mankind was put upon this earth. They just live and die without this knowledge. Most never look for answers anyway. But that is why the Great God of this universe has the Great White Throne in the 100-year period of time, a time when they will be offered God’s way of life and they will be offered Eternal life. God is telling us about Satan, and he is out there working. We know that it’s a demonic spirit that he has and there are many demons that help him.

God says he’s like a roaring lion. We have all seen pictures of a lion when it captures its prey, and we know how they tear their prey apart. And a lion, when it is hunting, when he captures that prey it’s very vicious, brethren. That’s the example that is given about Satan when he captures his prey.

Verse 3—Among whom we once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. All of us were using this human nature. God says that this is the way that all of us were living, all of us.

Verse 4—But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. And raise us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Joshua the Christ. Let’s notice…that in the ages to come He might share the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us in and through Joshua the Christ.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God. Let’s notice...not of works lest anyone would boast, for we are His workmanship, that’s what we are, created in Christ Joshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Also, we had our conduct in times past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, just living however we wanted to live.

We were partakers of these lusts just like everyone else, deciding for our self what was right and what was wrong. We were making those same choices, and we did it in Satan’s world where things look good. Satan makes it look good in his world. It’s got a good paint job on it sometimes. But we know that that’s just a façade.

Let’s turn back over to Galatians 5. It’s just one book back. Galatians 5:16. God tells us a way of life and He instructs us in the way that we should live. Paul has explained to us how it’s in the mind, and God says this in His book, verse 16—let’s notice—Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. So, that’s how we do it. We don’t ride in the ditches. We focus on God and His way of life.

It’s just what Paul said earlier, “The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.” So, speaking again about this war that takes place.

Verse 18—If you are led by the spirit you are not under the law. This is talking about the penalty of the law, we understand this. Now, the works of the flesh are evident, which are—let’s notice what the very first one on the list—adultery. It causes so much heartache for man, for men and women. It’s destroyed so many families, destroyed so many lives, destroyed so many lives of children, so many divorces because of this very thing.

And it goes on, and notice this, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissentions, heresy, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry, and the like. It’s a lot! It’s a lot there because of these lusts.

…of which I tell you beforehand, let’s continue, just as I also told you in times past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. It will not take place, if you are caught up in any of these things. But the fruit of the spirit—let’s notice the difference—love, joy, peace—peace—longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. Sounds like a good way to live to me.

And those who are Christ’s, what all of us said at baptism when we came up from that water, we are to walk in newness of life. That’s the way that we just read, those fruits of the spirit. When we came up from the water that’s what we are to do. We are to walk in that newness of life by doing those things.

I hope all of us want to live this way. It says, If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit. In other words, live this way of life. That should be our focus, to do what God says to do, to live God’s way of life. And let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

We are told to walk in the spirit, and we will not fulfill these lusts of the flesh. This is the way to stay on the smooth part of the road (and that’s what God is telling you and me), so that we can stay up on the pavement where it’s smooth. If we’re able to do this all the time – and I know that’s what all of us want to do – but no, we have to ride on the shoulder most of the time. But the good news is there’s a way to ride on the smooth part of that road even if it’s just for a short period of time while you’re crossing over from one ditch to the other. That’s usually the way it is. But we want to strive to live this way of life. We want to strive to ride on that smooth part of the road. We have to constantly repent to ride on the smooth part of the road.

But it’s hard to stay on that smooth part because of these things that Paul tells us about. But it’s the way that God made us, for a reason, to overcome. So, these are the things we have to overcome, the things we’re looking at today. That’s part of the war. That’s part of the battle for you and me so that something can be created in each and every one of us.

Verse 16; let’s back up. If we’re walking in the spirit and we’re fighting this fight, so to speak, running the race, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. But this does not mean we won’t slip. We will slip and sin because of our nature. But we can see that we have help.

We have to consider before we act, and it has to be stopped when it enters the mind. That’s where it needs to be stopped. God tells you and me to bring our thoughts into subjection. That’s the way God explains it, to stop it in the mind, to bring it under subjection so that we can ride on the smooth part of the road.

We understand that these lusts we have been looking at starts in the mind. God used a harlot in His book to explain things. He used a man because men are usually drawn to women through the eyes. That’s where it takes place for men. But we can reverse this, and women can understand what is being said just as well. It’s not a hard thing to reverse it in the mind.

We understand this world is going to be cleaned up in a just a little while; that process will begin. You have a front-row seat to see the beginning of this very thing. Mankind will have to learn those things that you know in the mind already. You know about the correct way to live.

The Kingdom of God is just on the horizon, brethren. When we look out on the horizon of the world scene with just Russia and China, just those two and their nuclear weapons. There are others that have nuclear weapons as well, that could use them. But Russia and China is on the forefront right now, especially Russia. But those two nations, who do you think they’ve got those missiles pointed at? Do you think Russia has them pointed at China, or China pointed at Russia? We know where they are pointed. They’re pointed at the U.S. and other Israelites nations.

Let’s turn over to John 8:31. God created you and me and the rest of mankind, and He’s the one that shows you and me the way that we are to live, the way that will bring about happiness and peace, peace of mind and enjoyment of life as we live the way that God says to live. Man’s mind has to be changed to do this and they have to have help.

John 8:31 let’s notice what was written. Then Joshua said to the Jews that believed on him, If you continue in my word… “Continue in.” We know what this means. Continue in, abide in. We hear this at every Passover, “continue,” “abide,” “dwell in,” “remain in.” The “remain in” is the most important part.

Once we have God’s spirit we definitely want to remain in God. We don’t ever want to lose God’s spirit. But that’s what’s being said that You are my disciples indeed, in other words, if we don’t cut our self off from God’s spirit. The only way that you can be a disciple is to have this spirit dwelling in you and me.

Let’s notice the rest and what it says, And you will know the truth. That’s why you’re here, because you know the truth. You know God’s plan for mankind.

Let’s turn over to Romans 6 and we will begin to finish up. Romans 6:12 God tells us more and He said, Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you may obey it’s lusts. The ery thing we’ve been talking about. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourself to God as being alive from the dead.

We need to recognize that we were dead in our sins until God opened this mind. We were baptized, and we received God’s holy spirit and had the forgiveness of our sins by our Passover. God tells us to present ourselves before Him “as being alive from the dead.” I hope you understand what’s being said.

Let’s notice the rest “and as your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” In other words, correct way to live life, the way that God says to live life through this Feast of Unleavened Bread. So, this we can see is what we should do. We can see that there is always a choice for mankind as long as we’re in this flesh, to choose what is right and what is wrong. But we understand that we have to have God’s spirit to do these things. We know the stories of Ancient Israel. Without God’s spirit they just rebelled over and over.

So, the Days of Unleavened Bread is about showing you and me how we should choose. Choose life. Choose to live life by keeping sin out of our lives.

Verse 16 is explaining the choices that have to be made. Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey you are that one slave whom you obey; whether sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked in that though you were slaves to sin, yet you obey—let’s notice—from the heart (better said “the mind”), the mind, and the right choices through this mind, through the holy spirit are being made.

So we can see it summed up right here, the form of doctrine through while you were delivered. And having been set free from sin you became slaves of righteousness. Because of the choices that were made, brethren, and those choices are made in the mind.

Paul said—let’s notice—he speaks in human terms, Because of the weakness of our flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present our bodies as slaves of righteousness for holiness. God is telling you and me the right way to live. Choose life is what He says.

For when you were slaves of sin you were free in regard to righteousness—and let’s notice—what fruit did you have? In the things which you are not now ashamed, speaking about sin of the past. Some sins will haunt you for a lifetime even though you have been forgiven.

For the end of those things is death. Unrepented sin, it is spiritual death for an eternity if you end up in that lake of fire.

But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, in the end everlasting life, eternal life.

And verse 23—For the wages of sin is death, eternal death if unrepented sin is there, but the gift of God is eternal life in Joshua the Christ, our Lord.