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JOHN 6:7-11

"THE SPIRIT'S REPROOF"

Intro: Every person receives on various occasions that awareness that man is a spirit. Or
       perhaps you see that an accident is inevitable and there escapes from your lips an, 
       "Oh God."

I. WITH THE SPIRITUAL AWARENESS COMES THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUDGMENT.
        A. (Sin) The recognition of my own failure.
                1. Word means "to miss the mark."
                        a. The mark is perfection.
                        b. Amazing how far you can miss it.
        B. (Righteousness) A view of the ideal.
                1. I may admire the ideal even desire.
                2. Still aware that I can't attain.
        C. (Judgment) The ultimate consequence of my failure.
        D. This awareness is brought to us by the Holy Spirit, but let us look more closely at
           His witness.

II. "OF SIN BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT ON ME."
        A. We are prone to think of sin, because 1 lied, I cheated, I stole.
                1. Of sin because you do not believe in Jesus.
        B. Sin is like a deadly incurable malady for which only one remedy has been found.
                1. If you were bitten by a rabid dog and refused to receive the Pastuer
                   treatment.
                        a. They would say you died of rabies. Technology true.
 b. Actually you died because you refused the treatment.
                2. And so with sin only one cure, if you die in sin it is only because you
                   have refused the cure God has offered.
        C. When Jesus died, He canceled the sins of the world.
                1. "And God made Him to be sin for us..."
                2. "And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquities..."
        D. There is not only one sin that can condemn a man.
                1. The refusal to accept God's remedy.
        E. I can assure you today no matter who you are or what you have done, God has
           provided forgiveness.
                1. Should you stand in that day before God's judgment throne only one issue
                   involved.
                        a. What did you do about His Son Jesus Christ.

Ill. "OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER."
        A. What does the accession of Jesus actually say to man?
                1. God was saying this is the righteous standard that I will
                        accept.
                2. We so often err because we measure ourselves by man's
                        standards.
                        a. I sometimes get stuck into going to some of these club meetings
                           where men are re-enforcing each other by extolling the others
                           virtues.
                        b. As man heaps his praise I often wonder what does God think of him?
                        c. The works for which he is being extolled were often motivated by a
                           quilt complex.
        B. God will not bend the rules, any righteousness less than Jesus Christ will not be
           acceptable.
                1. That is why Paul the apostle more legally righteous than you could ever
                   hope to be gladly forsook that' path that he might follow in the way of
                   Christ.

IV. "OF JUDGMENT BECAUSE THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD IS JUDGED."
        A. We are prone to think of the future judgment of sinners.
        B. Because Satan has been judged he cannot exercise dominion
                over you except by consent.
                1. The works of Satan were judged at the cross.
                2. Jesus through his death on the cross provided victory for you.
        C. God has made no provision for the reformation of the flesh.
                1. It has been condemned to death as the only solution.
                2. We need to recognize the work of the flesh.
                3. We need to reckon the fleshly nature dead.
        D. Satan has been judged but as for me there is therefore now no
                condemnation.