How to Stop Sinning
February 18, 2022

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. —James 4:8
You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. —Psalm 16:11

BELIEVER BAPTISM – Physical, interactive event that helps us encounter God’s presence and affirms our death in Christ’s death.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. —Romans 6:3,4

BELIEVER BAPTISM

1. Portrayal of our death in the death of Christ
2. Identification with the life of Christ
3. Evidence something has already happened

…through faith in the working of God, who raised Jesus from the dead. —Colossians 2:12
“I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.” —Ezekiel 36:26
For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. —Romans 6:5-7
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.— 2 Corinthians 3:17
“If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” —John 8:31,32,36

Truth you know sets you free.

I am a new creation in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
I can do all things through Christ. (Philippians 4:13)


RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Book

American Muckraker by James O’Keefe

Web
gracestl.org/weekend-resources

NEXT WEEKEND
ROMANS: Ain’t Gonna Reign No More —Ron Tucker


Discussion Questions
1. What would you think if you found out your spouse didn’t want people to know the two of you got married? How is baptism similar to a wedding announcement?


2. A viral video shows a dog waiting for his owner to open the storm door. The dog had not figured out that since the glass was missing, he was free to go right through. How does that describe us at times?


3. Jesus said, “What is impossible for man is possible for God.” How does this relate to our struggle to overcome habitual sins?