The Roadmap to Maturity | Part 2

Rollover fighting studio submit was to see Byron Tyler here. Mercury warned the CEO of lobar fighting jury. We have been in a series this month in January called back to the basics. I really enjoyed it. Love it and it's a reminder to all of us that are we doing the basics well are we doing the simple things well, you know, because I believe that it is not obedient in the simple things God will not move onto the next thing and so this or this is a great reminder to go back to the fundamentals of our faith and to make sure they were living those out in a way that's pleasing to God also might ask you, why are we spending this time in the basic skill give me the means letting you move to something you know deeper, and I think that question can be best answered by Adrian Rogers himself. He had this to say I don't know that we have been distracted from the basics.

I don't believe we know the basics.

I'm amazed as I go about speaking in various places and I meet church leaders, deacons, and I hate to say it. Sometimes pastors who are very shallow on the very basic rudiments of the Christian faith.

And so what are we coming back to the basics are up to the basics. Rediscovering our discovering. It is time that Christians understood what they believe and why they believe it is impossible to build a good building without a firm foundation and so many are living in the area of emotions and I'm not opposed to emotions. I shouted ballgames and I smile when the grandbaby comes in the room but emotions will carry us through.

We've got to have some rocksolid faith.

Some faith was spiritual steel and concrete in it and that's the reason we're doing this series back to the basics we carry. We always enjoy hearing from the listeners is they tell us about how the program is encouraging them in their walk with Christ is a response. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for these powerful messages in the work you all do, so that men like me can grow in their faith and encourage you all absolutely that's while we coming to work every single day right is that we are by the grace of God through the word of God impacting lives. It reminds me of some verses I read in my quiet time this morning.

Second Peter three take care that you were not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability and is so important that we have the basic foundation of our faith and they were growing in that anymore. Growing were moving forward because it were not moving forward in Christ right were moving backwards there.

There's never time when you're just standing still and so I think that's a great word to all of us. But that's up to us but nobody can do that for us as right and I think through this sermon in this series we have some opportunities to help people get to where they need to be what is a great tool based out of the series back to the basics called what every Christian ought to know, and its owner website and LWF.org and it is Adrian Rogers. It is best what what he's most passionate about.

I is vintage Adrian Rogers.

It is 50 years of ministry poured into one program and I would encourage the listener your Bible Fellowship class, your family, your neighbors, your coworkers get it, use it as a mighty tool to draw closer to the Savior is an eight week program, individual study on all of the basics we been talking about during the series. So I encourage you to go to the website LWF.org and you can stream it.

You can also download it and watch it will change your life was not a Rogers would say we are moving believers in maturity and ministry.

Well today's message the roadmap to maturity part two here's Adrian Rogers. We divide people in the different categories we say this upper-class middle-class lower-class. There is this or that, but it's not the blue book of society of the bankbook of finance but it is God's book the Bible that puts us into these three categories of persons.

There is the natural man. There is the spiritual man.

There is the carnal man either you're a natural man a spiritual man, carnal man.

Your natural woman, a spiritual woman are a carnal woman now you say what you want me to categorize myself. Obviously I want to be a spiritual person, but you see the Bible is like a roadmap to guide you to get where you need to be one thing important about any man, no matter what method is a map is not of much value to you and let you know one thing where you are now. You don't know where you are now. What good is the map, but if you know where you are now you can say I'm here this is where I need to get to. So here's what I want us to do.

I want us to ask three questions.

The first question I want to ask and I want you to answer.

Are you a natural man doing what comes naturally. What you say yes, that sounds pretty good to me to do what comes naturally.

Well, the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 2 in verse three you are by nature the children of wrath. The Bible says in our own nature. There is nothing good. We are by nature children of wrath, the natural man is born into the natural world and therefore he is blind to the spiritual world. Look in verse 14 but the natural man receive is not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness on the him now watch this. Neither can he know because they are spiritually discerned. That is there spiritually understood. Now look at the word receive you see it there in verse 14 the natural man receive is not that word receive literally means to welcome he is not welcome spiritual things.

He has no appreciation for spiritual things. Now go back to chapter 1 and look in verse 18 for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. You see that look again in verse 14 but the natural man receive is not the things of the spirit of God there foolishness on the him you see he's born in the natural world. He is blind to the spiritual world he doesn't enjoy the true things of God. The Bible says he does not welcome the things of God, and neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned.

They are spiritually understood when you talk to an unsaved man about Jesus and he may remonstrate with you and he may say I just don't see don't argue with brain.

He doesn't see he is telling the truth he jobs doesn't see he is born to the natural world. He is blind to the spiritual world and therefore he isn't bound to the material world.

This world is the only world that he knows he is a materialist, pure and simply has no capacity for spiritual things. Now that's the first category let's move to the second category persons. The first category is the natural man. Now the second category, there is the spiritual man verse 15 but he that is spiritual. Now the natural man does what is natural heat does what comes naturally, the spiritual man does what comes supernaturally the spiritual man is not been born only once he's been born twice look if you will, in verses 1112 for what man knows the things of a man Savior except the spirit of man which is in him. Even so the things of God know of no man, but the spirit of God not notice verse 12 now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is God. Now let me give you three marks of the spiritual man the spiritual man lives by the spirit.

Verse 12 says he has received the spirit of God, that is, this man has been born twice.

He's been on the spirit. What is salvation. Salvation is not merely getting man out of earth and heaven.

It is getting God out of heaven into Maine.

He received the spirit of God. He has been born again learn this about Christians.

Christians are are not just natural people who decide to do better. Christians have been radically dramatically supernaturally changed by something called a new birth, he receives the spirit of God and God moves in the him God inhabits his humanity. Now don't get the idea that a Christian, therefore, is like a tadpole who becomes a fraud. You see, there is a frog in every tadpole and he just keeps maturing you become a fraud. That's the kind of Christianity. Some people believe in, they think well I go to church and learn to do better. I'll grow up and be the frog I want to be a Christian is not like a tadpole who is become a frog. I Christian is like a frog who is become a prince by the kiss of grace.

It is a miracle.

It is a miracle. It is not just simply a change, a gradual change becoming more what we are by nature it is becoming what we could never be, by nature he is a person number one is by the spirit. He has received a new life and because he lives by the Spirit, he learns from the spirit now look in verse 12 now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God not want to, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. When you receive the spirit you receive the organ of spiritual knowledge that you might know God not remember the natural man.

Verse 14 he did receive the things of the spirit of God for their foolishness on the him he can't know them, because there spiritually discerned there spiritually understood so when a man receives God he receives when he is born again he receives life from the spirit. He lives by the Spirit, and he learns by the spirit. When you get saying even if your little child God turns the light on in your soul.

The Bible says the spirit of man is handle of the Lord. What does that mean when God wants to illuminate you. He takes your human spirit. He puts the oil of his Holy Spirit and that human lamp, and God illumines you from the inside.

The spiritual man lives by the spirit.

He learns from the spirit and he is liberated through the spirit missionary this look down verse 15 but he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged. No man, what is that mean judges all things that mean he sits on the bench and he says this is right. This is wrong on stalking that inward discernment actually. Some translations give this way, the spiritual man is earns all things. He has a different value system. He sees things through a different lens. Actually this word is earn is a legal word and what it means is this it means to make an examination and on the basis of that examination make Marlon spiritual judgment spiritual makes an examination and on the basis of that examination.

He makes Marlon spiritual judgment. But what is the difference between the natural man who tries to that and the spiritual man while the spiritual man. He sees with the mind of Christ. Look, if you will, in the last verse in chapter 2, but we have the mind of Christ. When a man receives the spirit of God, he learns to the spirit. He lives through the spirit he is liberated through the spirit because this world system doesn't squeeze them into its mold. He sees through things he sees what is happening in today's world is not like the marching millions that are going on to oblivion and going to hell as a value system that is completely different.

He sees things from God's viewpoint has the mind of Christ, and he sees through this world is not bound to the material world is liberated, his memory by the spirit of God. He sees through things. Now the Bible says he is earns all things judges all things, but no man judges him. What is that mean it means he understands the unsaved man, but the unsaved man that understand him as a what makes him tick Boise where a post-Boswell face both hope that they think we are limited but related.

I mean, they think that somehow we have jumped the track. The Bible says they think it strange that we don't run with them and in excess of right they think that we are the funny one like that woman went the psychiatrist had the Friday only had two strips of bacon over each year. She said I came to see about my brother they really think that we are the funny one. He was spiritual is earns all things. He judges all things, but no man judges him. They don't understand him. They don't know what makes him tick. I had a preacher friend down in Florida.

He was a drummer in a nightclub nightclub abandon the spirit of God got hold Hugh Beasley got saved in. He really was in the wrong place. He knows doing the wrong thing. He became a my pastor and evangelist, but he took his drumsticks on one night and just drop his use. He said no.

I just got well I just got well that everybody else is crazy busy. He deserves all things, but he cannot be understood.

No one understands him so one of the marks of the spiritual man. He lives by the spirit. He learns from the spirit he is liberated through the spirit now is move on to the third category that you found yourself you maybe you have maybe you have regular lateral man born into the natural world, blind to the spiritual world bound the material world.

Maybe your spiritual man live by the spirit you learn from the spiritual liberated through the spirit are maybe maybe you're a carnal man now the natural man does what comes naturally, the spiritual man does what comes supernaturally but carnal man does what comes on naturally McConnell man is sort of a spiritual monstrosity eating the fish your file. He's one of these persons who has been saved but yet he is a very strange person. Look, if you will, in verse three and my brethren cannot speak of you as the spiritual night calls them brethren. They were in the church but is under carnal, even as under babies in Christ's, and I fed you with milk and not with me for hitherto you were not able to bear neither, yet now are ye able to give you three marks of a carnal man. First of all, the carnal man is a Christian but he is defeated, you know, any defeated Christians. He is defeated first one speaks and verse two speaks of his inability he doesn't have victory. He doesn't have the ability to do a thing that a mature man ought to do. He cannot walk spiritually cannot war spiritually. He cannot work spiritually. He just is marked by his in ability. He is a baby and he says, my brethren, could not speak unto you as to spiritual but is on the carnal, even as unto babes in Christ 90s not talking about little physical babies talk about spiritual babies. Did you know that in this church. We got a lot of spiritual babies and some of them have been babies for 40 years babies for 40 years now. There is a legitimate childhood.

I guess I will go back that will babysit for baby and that mom is holding the baby right now. I think that's we babies in our home when we my sons are grown. Now I it was a thrill first time when my son said to me dad that. But one of them want to say to me dad dad today.

I think that swatting is all right for baby to be a baby, but the problem is that we have folks who have never grown up. Paul said I couldn't speak of you was spiritual. You haven't been liberated through the spirit I had to speak to you like little babies you are defeated.

Carnal Christian is really kind of a contradiction in terms, like speaking about heavenly devil. Now I want to say this that I believe in the Christian world today, the average Christian is carnal. I didn't say the normal Christian because the average Christian is not normal. I think it was Dr. Vance Hafner who said that the church today is so subnormal that when a person becomes normal to the rest of the people he seems abnormal deceit when I talk about a carnal Christian. I must say I believe that the average Christian is, but not a normal Christian a normal Christian is a spiritual Christian that's normal. Don't think that you have attained if you become a spiritual Christian like something one ought to be a spiritual Christian.

It is the Christian who is doing that which is natural.

He is defeated and he is dependent look, if you will, in verse two Paul said, I have fed you with milk and not with me for hitherto you were not able to bear neither, yet now are ye and Paula saying I have become you a spiritual nursemaid you coming at me preach and I give you a bottle again all the carnal Christians if they grow it all their dependent upon spoonfed sermon they depended upon some teacher some pastor to teach them that will come to church on Sunday.

Let the pastor give him a bottle and burp them on the way out to me that they are defeated and I'll take the third mark of a carnal person. Not only is he defeated, and not only is he dependent but he is divisive continue to read here.

He says in verse three for ye are yet carnal. For whereas there is among you in the evening and strive and did visions. Are ye not carnal, and walk as men. That is, as other men for a while. One sale I am up all my love brother Paul is my favorite teacher and preacher so full of doctrine says I am of Apollo's will. I love brother apologists.

He's such a wonderful order. Pulses are you not carnal Linda Spalding who is a policy administered by will be believe even as the Lord gave Everyman.

I planted polished water, God gave the increase. What happened to this church. They were dividing up over trifles babies policy July babies ever notice how babies and children get upset over trifles. I took the family fortune are Family Court about all hundred and $50 that it and decided we were going to go in 1962 San Francisco to a Southern Baptist convention. We rented a travel trailer so we could take our children with well all the way out to San Francisco. I've never been any where that far from home. This was our big trip. When we got there the Fisherman's Wharf pot always heard a Fisherman's Wharf restaurant timing pricey restaurants back then I think of me was maybe seven dollars and that was a lot I said Joyce lessee, Fisherman's Wharf. She said all right let's bring our family and that we got a table by the window that food in the Isle of Man are San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf, nice restaurant, let my son order from the menu when you get right have a big time. I looked over quivering gold tears coming down his cheeks coming. This is our big moment is that ankle biter said them sans what's wrong choose all my food he'd ordered beats and the beet juice had run across the plate and I want to tell you folks. I mean here we are. And some people choose one. I didn't beat the Jews out him babies, children watch them in the churches.

These are the people who are divisive. It is all people who can all have their favorite preachers. They had their favorite teachers and they will tell the difference between Tweedledee and pre-will be they will have far more difficult in churches with so-called carnal people and I would drunkards or anything, just, people that they are defeating their dependent in their divisive math woman.

He does what comes not the spiritual man. He does what comes, carnal man.

He does not do you have the markings of the natural man, the spiritual man or colonel man to come today to prayerfully figure out where you are in your relationship with Christ. Ask God to show you and if you have questions about who Jesus is what he means to you. If you want to begin that relationship were discovered.

Jesus page.

It L WF.org/radio to find resources and materials that will answer questions you may have about your faith again L WF.org/radio and click discovered Jesus, thanks for studying in God's word with us today convicting message from Pastor Rogers but one of the most powerful statements was a Christian is not like a tadpole is become a frog.

A Christian is like a fraud prints kiss to love that I hope to be experienced kiss of rings please join us next time. For more profound truth simply stay right on love