In this week’s podcast Elder Bob Bashawaty talks of the henoiuness of sin and the grace of the gospel.
Harvest Detroit West
Treasures in the Field - 1 John 1
(upbeat music) - Good afternoon and welcome to Treasures in the Field. We are here with Elder Bob, good to have you Bob. - Good to be here, as always. (laughing) - So hopefully you had a chance to check out Bob's message. If not, Bob, if you can give us just a quick reveal what you blessed us with on Sunday. - Well, I hope it was a blessing, but we talked about the evil nature of sin and I tried to contrast it with the majesty of God, the holiness of God. Sometimes we don't take God, we don't recognize God for who he truly is and how much, how he's transcended and how he's so lofty and how much he hates sin. And so we don't realize to the degree we should on how evil sin is. And that's kind of what I wanted to bring out. I talked about several aspects of that and how sin is rebellious and how it's ungrateful and how sin is hard work and it's enslaving, stuff like that we talked about. - Yeah. - Yeah, I thought it was a good message. I think those messages are very important for us and they can never be something that we should shun away from. But I do like, I was the point that you made that I think I was talking to somebody earlier and I think it is very applicable is that we have changed the names of sin. And so as a matter of fact, I was listening to a podcast and it was pointing out how it used to be called, it used to be called sodomy, then they were homosexuals, then they were gay. And it was all these words to just take away from that or even the idea of the murder of innocent babies is just now this ambiguous word of abortion. And so can you impact why it's important that we shouldn't allow these softer names for sin to infiltrate our addiction as Christians and to take us away from understanding the just heinous nature of sin? - Sure, and I use one of MacArthur's story about the preacher who preached a really strong message on sin and one of the elders came up to them afterwards and said, "I think you might have offended people "by being so direct." And so he pulled out a bottle of poison with the label on there and he said, "Should I change the label to say wintergreen "instead of poison?" The idea being is the importance of identifying how evil sin is, we lose the impact if we try to reduce the name of it. And so you're right, instead of saying adultery, we say it's a romantic rendezvous or something and we lose the impact of how evil things are by renaming them. A homosexuality, like you said, is an alternative lifestyle. Abortion, murder is Planned Parenthood. I mean, that's just things that soften the idea and then Christians, unfortunately, I think are becoming insensitive to it. I mean, the stuff we see on TV is so filled with bad language and representations of, I don't think there's a show on TV that doesn't have some homosexual in it as part of the show. And so we get so used to watching that stuff that we become desensitized and we don't realize what an affront that is to a holy God. - Yeah, yeah, I think way too often, we, like, I think like you were mentioning that your Harvard Summit was about sin and that very word is offensive to some people and they prefer to think, okay, I'm not a sinner, I just made a few mistakes. And I don't find, oops, mistakes in the Bible too much, I find that you sinned against God. And that's the word in the language that the Bible uses and I think if we allow the world to relabel it, then it takes away from the heinousness of it. - Yeah, and the thing that I hate the most is the excuses, well, I'm only human. We hear that a lot and Christians even say that and so they accommodate their failures and the amount of sin they allow in their lives because that's their excuse. And, you know, the Christian, our pursuit should be for holiness and righteousness. Now, you know, if we fall into sin because of an overwhelming temptation or something, but for us to accommodate that it's okay to have a little bit of sin in your life is really an affront to God. - Yeah. - You know, we're supposed to be Christ-like, we're supposed to be out of Adam and in Christ and the old man is crucified on the cross, all that stuff from Romans. And for us to say it's okay for us to have a little bit of sin, whether it's, you know, language or overeating or, you know, what you watch on television, you know, we're really missing the whole point of being a child of God, don't you think? - Yeah, I really do. And as a matter of fact, I was listening to the sermon again and I was struck how you were noticing how sin is is the reason for our problems with our interpersonal relationship, and you were speaking about sin and how it is just, it's the problem that of every human being. And I've noticed that sometimes when I say something, some people hear something slightly different and I saw giving you a chance to help us make sure we don't make a mistake of viewing sin as some outside power that acts against my will, but actually sin is the problem that we have within ourselves, that is not separated from me. So it's not like that evil thing, kind of like, I don't know if you remember this when back when I was growing up, there was a phrase the devil made me do it. - Oh yeah. (laughing) - So it's this idea of well, you know, it's not me to do it, it was this evil sin that made me do it. And how it was important for us to recognize that even when we talk about how sin is evil, sin is destructive, sin is cursing, but not separating it from the fact that sin is not some outside power, it's a negative effect or a curse that we as human beings bear. - Yeah, that's a good point, Randy, 'cause people don't like to take responsibility anymore for their actions. - It really is sad and so you look at an outside influence and that made you do it and it's just not the way it is. I mean, we have to recognize our own, what does James say that we're drawn away by our own lust? - Yeah. - And so when you entertain your own lust and allow it to develop in your mind and then it enters into your actions and before you know it, you're a slave to some kind of behavior that is dishonoring the God. And I really think that any little sin will lead to more and more sin and ultimately you'll become enslaved to that behavior just like an alcoholic or a drug addict or somebody who's hooked on a pornography, all that stuff begins small and then it starts to overtake slowly. Almost like, what's that old thing about a frog and a whole water. - Yeah, that's how you boil a frog is you put him in, I guess, lukewarm water and he relaxes and then you slowly turn the heat up and by the time he realizes it's boiling water, he's hooked. (laughs) - That's the same with sin, right? I mean, you entertain a little bit and then it gets more and more and before you know it. And you know, as well as I do that, the initial enjoyment is lessened and so you try more and more to recapture that initial enjoyment and that's how it gets you. Satan is a wily guy, you gotta watch out for him. - Yeah, he's wily and I think the sad part is we can remember our conversion days that we were kind of like Ephesians said, we were like the rest of them. We were running in sin, trying to please the flesh but by God's grace, we recognized that there was no satisfaction, it's like you sang. The first time was always like, wow, that was amazing. And then it's like any addiction, you're chasing that first time feeling and it never is as amazing as we made it out to be the first time. - And for being honest and frank to the audience, sin is fun, right? - I mean, it is fun to have a drink and get a little high and lose your inhibitions and enjoy yourself but the joy is short lived, like Hebrew says, it's only for a season until it enslaved you. And then now you're in bondage to it and it's not fun anymore, it's a, yeah. So we gotta be aware of it and just pursue that short time of pleasure, you really need to be aware of the long-term consequences. - Yeah, which I think was a great point that you made. It was a warning that you gave to the young people and don't allow peer pressure to push you into a place you know is sinful. And I think that's the warning that we had to make sure every Christian known, not even young people, even older people can fall to the peer pressure. So especially in this culture. - Oh, and what's frightening is now you read about these drugs that are out there that all you have to do is do it once and you're completely addicted. - Yeah. - That's scary. I didn't realize that there was such strength in some of these drugs but you know, those people that peddle them, they want you to be locked in and they're customer forever. But it's very frightening environment we're in. - Yeah. - And praise God, we have a God who still loves us and is willing to lead us to Christ for salvation and eternal life and the joy of knowing that we have assurance of that. - Yeah, yeah. I remember thinking as you were one of the young people there was a young lady. I grew up with a church fellowship that we was and it seems to be a very, very quiet, good young girl. And she goes off to college and peer pressure to drink and she overdid it. And so she died because of alcohol poisoning. And my heart goes out because I'm pretty sure when she took a drink she thinking, okay, this has helped me get accepted and you know, to live or whatever 'cause it's a different environment. I'm not around my churchy friends and just trying to fit in and it just is a bad end. - Yeah. - And the sad thing is I hope that we realize that every compromise that we do for sin is it has that potential for a bad end. - Amen. Yeah, yeah, I gave you that story and if you, I can't repeat it here but if you look on the message I did the story on Pietro Bandinelli who was the model for Jesus Christ or Leonardo Da Vinci but later on in his life because of sin, he was then became the model for Judas with an evil face. And so sin had taken him from being a choir boy to a beggar on the street that was addicted to whatever. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah, I thought it was a very good message but I think what I do love is that sometimes we like to gloss over to sin part and but there was not, then leave us with this depression. You left us with the good news and maybe you can remind us of what the good news is. - The whole message was so depressing at the end I said sin is really bad news that's what makes the good news so good. And it's like the comparison, you know when you look at a diamond you always put it on a black background so it sparkles the best and that's the whole thing. We saw the blackness of sin but therefore then we see the forgiveness of God and the majesty of his love for us because the good news is that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for that sin and then rose again the third day to prove his victory over sin. And all we have to do as people is to believe that to embrace Jesus Christ for our salvation, to depend on him only and solely for that recognize our sinfulness and our inability to enter into God's presence on our own merit but to rely and trust in Christ alone. And God in his grace will give us the free gift of eternal life. And that's good news because we know for sure that we're gonna go through life with God as our Father and Jesus Christ as our friend and the Holy Spirit as our guide. And then ultimately when we do end our time here on earth we're gonna enter into paradise and be with God forever. I mean what a blessing and why people wouldn't want that is a mystery to me. - Yeah, I think it's because they don't have the picture. I loved their presentation. They reminded me of Ephesians 4 and I think people love Ephesians 4 and 4 when it says, "But God," but Ephesians one and three was pretty much exactly like you were paying it out. It tells us of the evil state that we were in, the cursed state, the fallen state and how this state was just an offense to a Holy God. And so, but the good news is he's rich in mercy and grace. - Amen. - And so now we don't have to fall away. I think that was a great point that you made that it doesn't mean that now that I'm saved all sin is erased from my life. The God had magically took away sin. And we still got struggles, but once again, like you were pointing to, I think it was, well, definitely thought of it. I think it's first John 1-9. - Yeah. - Let's just know that if we confess, he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us. - Yeah, and I think I ended with Psalm 32 where it says that we're blessed if God forgives our iniquity, but then it goes on to say, and he also blesses those who have a pure heart without deceit. And so basically he's saying, you're gonna sin. Don't try to hide it. God knows your thoughts and your heart anyways. So just be honest with God in your confession and say, "These are the sins that I'm confessing." And he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. So I really like that aspect. It seems like as Christians, we're embarrassed if we sin. And we shouldn't be because we know that that's the struggle we have. So be honest before God and talk to him as a loving father who is there with his arms open to forgive you, just like the parable of the wayward son, the one that came back of the prodigal son. That's who I was trying to think of. - Yeah, yeah. So it was an awesome message. It was just a great focus on, I think, hopefully, I think a lot of our people appreciated the candidness of realizing the hanginess of sin and how we can't be forgetful of what sin is. But there's always the good news of Christ and His love for us and able to redeem us. Yeah, that was good. So I appreciate all the work you put in and just appreciate another great, sunny message in cells. Hopefully, and encourage people to come back next week where they have to listen to me. - Can't wait, looking forward to it. - Yeah, so God is just really-- - We're doing Psalm 46, right? - Psalm 46. - Yeah, I was reading through that there. - Yeah, really have put on my heart. And you know, as a leader, that there's just a lot of, it's a lot of what I call hard life happening with members within our church. And I know it's probably just abroad. A lot of people are just experiencing hard times. And I do love 46, approach of just letting us know that God is our strong tower. God is able to keep us in those hard times. And so, hopefully, I'll be able to communicate that to the people how God is our strength. He's our provider, and we can trust in God just because of who He is. And that could give us comfort in the times where it seems like things are not going as we want them to go. - Yeah, that's life. - Yeah, that's life. And it's just impressive. As even as I do some background study, I see that our forefathers, the early church fathers, went through a lot of stuff in their lives that we're just blessed not to encounter. So we don't see a child mortality like they did in the 1800s. But it's still an issue when your baby's sick or your child dies, they're still painful. - Oh, yeah. - Yeah, and so we gotta, like Hebrews 11 says, we have some things before us who have a testimony that God is faithful. And needs to be trusted in. - Well, hope everybody comes and enjoys that message. I know I will. - Okay, thank you. So hopefully to see you guys this Sunday and just have a great discussion in Psalms 46. Thank you, Bob, for reminding us of just the wicked nature of sin and the blessed nature of Christ as our Savior. And if you would be so kind as to pray us out. - Absolutely. Father, we are thankful for who you are and the love you have for us, which allows you to send your son to die in our place that we might have eternal life and bless you for that kind of love that while we were enemies that you chose to save us. And we just pray that we would walk in a way that glorifies you in appreciation and gratitude for who we are now in Christ and that we would be able to become a witness for you in the way we live our lives and in the speech that we speak. And I'd just commit that to you and thank you again. And Jesus said, amen. - Amen. Thank you, sir. - All right, you're welcome. - Thank you for joining us. Thank you for joining us and you guys have a great rest of your day. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)