Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

Living by faith starts by (1) submitting our heart to Christ as our Lord and trusting in Him as our Source, and then (2) building our lives upon Him as our Foundation by HEARING and DOING His WORDS (1Cor 3:11, Matt 7:24-25, Col 2:6-7). There are 3 Dimensions to the problem of SIN: *(1) IMPUTED SIN. Through our union to Adam, we were in a legal state of guilt in Adam. *(2) IMPARTED SIN – we inherited a SIN-NATURE in our flesh from Adam through physical birth. When Adam sinned his spirit died (cut off from God’s life) and a sin-nature came into his flesh (bringing his body under the power of death), and he became a slave of the sin-nature (SIN). SIN acts on man’s soul to cause him to live independently from God (the independent soul-life). SIN was transmitted by physical birth from Adam to every human being through their father, with the exception of Jesus, who had no sin-nature (2Cor 5:21). So, we all have SIN in our flesh (1John 1:8). The inherited sin-nature made us all sinners by nature. We were all conceived in sin (Ps 51:5), born slaves of sin (John 8:34), under the power of sin (Rom 3:9). commit SINS. *(3) Our PERSONAL SINS, which we commit when we yield to SIN. (1) On the Cross, Jesus has set us free from the PENALTY of sin. (2) Now by His Spirit within us He is setting us free from the POWER of sin. (3) At the future Resurrection, He will set us free from even the PRESENCE of sin. (1) Christ dealt with our state of sin (our imputed sin from Adam) by becoming the 2nd Adam, offering Himself as our Representative Head, instead of the first Adam. He lived a perfectly righteous life, and on the Cross He accomplished a Great Exchange, by offering up His perfect righteousness to God on our behalf, and taking all our sin. So when we receive Christ as our Lord, we are taken out of Adam and put (baptised) into Christ. Then this exchange is immediately accomplished in us, so all our sin is remitted, and we are given His perfect righteousness (imputed to us as a free-gift), putting us in right relationship with God. As IN ADAM we were all in a state of sin, before we committed any sin, even so IN CHRIST we were put into a state of perfect righteousness before God, even before we committed any righteous act. On this basis, we are declared righteous (justified) and fully accepted by God in Christ. On this legal basis, we can now receive life from God through faith (Romans 5:1,2,17-19). Now we are under grace (Romans 6:14,15), and qualify to receive God’s abundant grace. (2) However, believers still have a sin-nature in their flesh, as the new birth only changed our spirit; so as long as we live in our flesh, we still have SIN to deal with (1John 1:8). But Jesus came to set us free from SIN (John 8:34-36). He did 2 things to make it possible for us to live in victory over sin: *(1) He provided a NEW BIRTH for our SPIRIT, and put His Holy Spirit within our spirit. Our spirit was made alive with Christ, and raised with Christ far above all sin and evil powers (Ephesians 2:5-6). Our spirit consists of His resurrection life, which has already overcome sin and is perfect in Christ. Also, the Holy Spirit indwells our spirit, so He has set our spirit, the core of our being, completely free from sin (2Cor 3:17). God has restored our spirit as His base of operation in us, and as we live by His grace thru faith and walk in the Spirit we will not sin, for the power of the Spirit is greater than the power of sin in the flesh (Gal 5:16). Thus, He gave us His imparted righteousness in our spirit, by which we can live in victory over the imparted sin in our flesh, by the power of His Spirit. The more we let the Spirit fill our soul, the more our soul is freed from the power of sin-nature, by His Presence within us (2Cor 3:17). Romans 8 describes how to walk in victory over SIN in the flesh. It starts by establishing that through His imputed righteousness, we are in a legal state of righteousness before God, and so have full access to His Spirit of grace to walk in victory over sin. This is the foundational truth for victory (v1,2). *(2) The 2nd thing Christ did for us is that on the Cross, is He JUDGED SIN in the flesh, so that it no longer has any right to rule over you, so now you can choose to submit to Christ and His righteousness and grace flowing from the Spirit, rather than to your old slave-master of SIN in your flesh (v3-4).

The Foundation for our being, character and life is the PERSON of CHRIST Himself (1Cor 3:11, Isa 28:16, Col 2:6-7). He is not just the Foundation for our eternal salvation, but for our very being and everyday living (Ro 1:16-17). "The RIGHTEOUSNESS of God is revealed from (saving) FAITH to (living) FAITH; as it is written: “(1) The JUST (by FAITH) shall (2) LIVE by FAITH” (v17). (1) First we are JUSTIFIED (made righteous) by FAITH. When we trust in Christ, His perfect RIGHTEOUSNESS is IMPUTED to us (put to our account) - a legal transaction based on the Great Exchange accomplished on the Cross. We stand before God on the basis of His perfect righteousness, so God accepts us, just as He accepts Jesus. Christ and His imputed righteousness is our forever, firm foundation for our eternal salvation, and life today, ensuring our eternal life. On this legal basis God instantly gave us the New Birth. The imparted righteousness of Christ was applied to our spirit. Now we are justified by faith, we are now to LIVE by FAITH in Christ, our living Foundation, looking to Him and leaning on Him as our Source of life, rather than trusting in our own soul. As we trust in His Life in us, He sanctifies us by His Spirit, and we receive His imparted righteousness (grace) into our souls, inspiring and empowering us to do His will (Phil 2:13). The more we submit to Him and trust in Him as our Foundation, the more He fills us with His love and empowers us with His grace. Thus He is our Foundation for our everyday life. Living by faith starts by submitting to His Lordship and opening our hearts to receive His love-gift of His Spirit and His Word to us. Then by depending on the Spirit of grace, we must put His Word into practice (Matt 7:24-25). The first 2 Foundational Doctrines are (1) REPENTANCE from dead works and (2) FAITH toward God (Heb 6:1-2). They describe the necessary attitude of our hearts, to live our lives on Christ, living from the supply of His grace, trusting in Him as our base of operation. We must REPENT from the old way of operating from our independent soul-life, trusting in self, which only produces dead works, and instead embrace the new way of trusting in Christ as our life, which produces the fruit of the Spirit (Matt 10:39, Rom 7:6, John 6:63). The new way is living under grace, by faith in Christ's life within us. He is the only One who can save us from the penalty, power and presence of sin. In the old way of living under law, we make laws and principles our basis for living, and try to live them out from our own soul. Sin is the opposite of holiness and righteousness. Life under righteousness brings life, but life under sin brings death. God designed us to be holy to God, filled with His Spirit of righteousness, empowering us to live a life of righteousness by trusting Him as our Source, and thereby producing good works. The essence of sin is rejecting this way of depending on God, and instead going our own way, living out from self as centre. Our own soul-life, rather than God’s life, becomes our base of operation (Isa 53:6). The problem of sin is on 3 dimensions. *Level 1 of SIN is the STATE of SIN (imputed sin), due to Adam's original sin, the representative head of the human race. When he sinned, we all sinned in Adam. This is IMPUTED SIN (Adam’s sin was put to our account). All men are born legally in a State of Sin, simply from being in Adam. As a result spiritual and physical death came on all men (Rom 5:12-21). *Level 2 of SIN is the SIN-NATURE or IMPARTED SIN. When Adam sinned (1) his spirit died (disconnected from God’s life), (2) he received a sin-nature in his flesh (imparted sin), replacing his spirit as the controlling power over his soul, causing his soul to operate in pride, independently from God (the independent soul-life). The sin-nature is called sin (1Jn 1:8, Rom 6:6,7,11,12,14), sin in the flesh (Rom 8:3), the body of sin (Rom 6:6). We inherited a sin-nature in our flesh from Adam by physical birth (John 3:6).We were born slaves to sin (the sin-nature), and can't set ourselves free. *Level 3 of SIN is PERSONAL SINS. We commit sins when we yield to the sin-nature in our flesh (John 8:34). By the Cross, Christ provided the answer for all 3 dimensions of SIN. Dan 9:24 predicts Christ will: "(1) finish the TRANSGRESSION (Adam’s original sin), (2) make an end of SINS (forgiveness for personal sins), (3) make atonement for INIQUITY (our sin-nature).” (1) Jesus dealt with our STATE of SIN in Adam, by coming as the righteous 2nd Adam, offering Himself to us as our new Head. When we receive Him as Lord, God takes us out of Adam and puts us into Christ, and His perfect righteousness is imputed to us as a free-gift. Instead of Adam's imputed sin, we now have Christ's imputed righteousness, and on that basis God declares us forgiven & righteous (justified by faith).

The 3 Foundational Baptisms: (1) BAPTISM into CHRIST by the Holy Spirit. (2) BAPTISM in WATER by representatives of the Church, and (3) BAPTISM in the SPIRIT by Jesus Christ. WATER BAPTISM is a Sacrament - a symbolic physical act, that has a spiritual effect. BAPTISM in WATER is commanded upon all believers, for them to testify outwardly and publicly of their Baptism into Christ (which happens at the moment of salvation). In Water Baptism we act out what God has done in our spirit, when we were baptised into Christ. We were identified with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Our old spirit-man was crucified and buried with Christ, and we were raised with Christ as a new man into a new life. In Baptism, we confess our faith, testifying to what God has done for us and in us, which releases God's Power in our life (Romans 10:10). You have to be saved (be a believer) before being baptised. Infant baptism is not biblical. Biblical Baptism is Believer’s Baptism: “He who (1) BELIEVES and is (2) BAPTISED will be saved” (Mark 16:16). The word ‘BAPTISM’ means to IMMERSE, like a garment dipped into a die. The result of this union is permanent change. Thus by definition, Baptism must be by full immersion. Water Baptism is a picture of our death, burial and resurrection with Christ, which is why God ordained it to be by full immersion. Sprinkling with water is a man-made substitute (tradition), which does not fulfil the picture. Christ COMMANDS all His disciples to be BAPTISED in WATER, as their ordained act of obedience and public testimony that they are a follower of Christ. Thus it is not an optional extra. Water Baptism is an act of obedience to Christ. To refuse baptism is disobedience. Jesus Himself was baptised to give us an EXAMPLE to follow, and said it was the RIGHT thing to do (Matthew 3:13-16). Jesus was already righteous, so His Baptism was not to make Him righteous, but to ‘fulfil all righteousness’ in His life (it was an important act of obedience to God). Jesus was bringing in a new kind of Baptism – His Baptism is the MODEL and PROTOTYPE for CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. He is our EXAMPLE. In being baptised we are FOLLOWING the EXAMPLE of our Lord, and so demonstrating we are truly His disciple. Thus by our obedience we are fulfilling God’s righteous requirement for our life. When you obey God in Baptism, you can ask and expect the Holy Spirit to fill you and empower you for ministry, just as He did for Jesus. You are dedicating yourself to God to be His disciple, and God’s Spirit will come upon you to empower you to fulfil your call. *1. Jesus was baptised to give us an EXAMPLE to follow. *2. The risen Jesus COMMANDED that all those who believed in Him through the Gospel should be baptised (Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:18-20). BAPTISM is the ordained, public initiation into DISCIPLESHIP for all believers (Matthew 28:19). A DISCIPLE is someone who follows and obeys His Lord’s example, teachings and commands. So if you have not even obeyed His FIRST command to you as a new believer (to be baptised in water), you can’t really call yourself a true disciple. BAPTISM is part of the GREAT COMMISSION of spreading the GOSPEL to ALL people, because the required response to the Gospel is FAITH in Christ, evidenced by WATER BAPTISM. *3. The early Christians diligently practiced Water Baptism by full immersion in obedience to Christ's command (Acts 2:38,41, 8:12,35-39, 9:18, 10:44-48, 16:31-33, 19:5-6). *You are doing 2 things in your Baptism: (1) You are making a PUBLIC TESTIMONY and DECLARATION of your faith in Christ as your Lord and Saviour. (2) You are committing yourself to Christ as His disciple, saying: “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.” In BAPTISM we (1) DEDICATE ourselves to do God’s will, and (2) CALL on Him to fill us with His POWER to do it. Jesus is our example, for He was BAPTISED in the SPIRIT, when He was BAPTISED in WATER. BAPTISM is a spiritual BATH. The natural WATER is a symbol of the spiritual WATER (the Holy Spirit) that WASHES us clean: Acts 22:16: “Be BAPTISED, and WASH away your sins, CALLING on the Name of the Lord." Paul's sins had already been forgiven (9:5-6,17). FORGIVENESS means God has forgiven us of that sin and does not hold it against us. Even when we are forgiven, we can still feel the shame, guilt and stain of that sin in our conscience, and so we also need to receive an inner WASHING or CLEANSING of our conscience. At his BAPTISM, Paul (1) received a WASHING away of his sins (especially his persecution of the believers), and (2) he also CALLED on the Name of Jesus to fill him with the Holy Spirit, so that he would be empowered to fulfil his ministry. So Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17) at His Baptism. Speaking in tongues is the outward sign of being filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:4), and Paul spoke in tongues (1Corinthians 14:18).

There are 7 Foundational Doctrines in Hebrews 6:2: “The FOUNDATION of (1) repentance from dead works and (2) of faith toward God, (3) of DOCTRINE, (4) of BAPTISMS, (5) of laying on of hands, (6) of resurrection of the dead, and (7) of eternal judgment.” The doctrine of DOCTRINE (the TEACHING of God's Word) refers to the Bible's teaching on the importance and centrality of the WORD of God in our lives, and therefore the necessity of receiving right teaching and having correct doctrine. God's WORD is TRUTH (John 17:17), and the mark of true disciples of Christ is that they abide in His Word by hearing and obeying it (Matthew 28:18-20). In this way we grow spiritually and experience freedom from sin (John 8:31-32, 1Tim 2:4, 1Peter 2:2). God's WORD is our SPIRITUAL FOOD, and so it is necessary for our spiritual strength and growth (Matthew 4:4): “My WORDS are SPIRIT and LIFE” (John 6:63). God’s Word contains His life, Spirit and energy: “The WORD of God is LIVING and POWERFUL” (Hebrews 4:12). “ALL SCRIPTURE is given by INSPIRATION of God (literally: ‘God-breathed’), and is profitable” (2Timothy 3:16). “The WORD of God which LIVES and ABIDES FOREVER” (1Peter 1:23). “FAITH comes by hearing, and hearing by the WORD of God” (Romans 10:17). “Blessed are those who HUNGER (for God's WORD) and THIRST (for the SPIRIT of God) for righteousness (from God), for they shall be FILLED” (Matthew 5:6). God provides: “WINE that makes glad the heart of man, OIL to make his face shine (the HOLY SPIRIT), and BREAD (the WORD), which STRENGTHENS man’s HEART” (Psalm 104:15). We must EAT the WORD of God: “Man shall not LIVE by BREAD alone, but by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The process of EATING the Word is MEDITATION. This involves (1) VERBALISING it, (2) PERSONALISING it, (3) VISUALISING it, and (4) MEMORISING it. This way you will digest it, and it will become part of your soul (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3). Hearing God's Word is the one necessary thing for your life (Luke 10:39-42). We are like PLANTS or TREES, growing from God’s SEED planted within us, when we received the Gospel: “born again of incorruptible SEED through the WORD of God which lives and abides forever” (1Peter 1:23). In 1Corinthians 3:6,7, Paul said: “I PLANTED (the seed, by preaching the Gospel), Apollos WATERED (the seed, by teaching the Word), but God gave the increase (growth).” As we consistently meditate on God's Word, we receive the continual watering of the Holy Spirit, which causes us to become strong, stable and fruitful (Psalm 1). The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8) reveals that the Kingdom of God operates through the SOWING of the SEED of the WORD of God. The SOIL represents a man’s HEART. “The SEED is the WORD of God” (Luke 8:11). “The sower SOWS the WORD” into men’s hearts (Mark 4:14). The Parable reveals 4 kinds of soil (heart condition), and it reveals how to become good soil that brings forth much fruit. The WORD of God has to have FIRST PLACE in your life if you want to produce good FRUIT. If you believe that God’s Word contains His Power to produce good results, you should give it your BEST ATTENTION. Those who are GOOD SOIL put the WORD FIRST, by keeping on HEARING (receiving the WATER of) the WORD, giving their full ATTENTION to the WORD, and as a result they bear GOOD FRUIT, 30,60 or 100-fold, depending on the MEASURE of ATTENTION (of HEARING) that they give the WORD. Thus Jesus' main point of application that He made with a loud voice at its climax was: ““He who has EARS to HEAR (the Word), let him HEAR and KEEP on HEARING (the Word)” (Luke 8:8). Later when He gave the interpretation of the Parable, He also gave the interpretation (explanation) of His main point in Luke 8:18: “Take heed therefore HOW you HEAR (what measure of attention you give to hearing the Word). For whoever has (EARS to HEAR), to him more (blessing, fruit and growth) will be given; and whoever does not have (EARS to HEAR), from him will be taken even what he seems to have.” Likewise Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has (EARS to HEAR the Word) shall more (life, blessing, growth) be given in abundance, but whoever has not (EARS to HEAR the Word), what he has shall be taken from him (by satan).” Likewise Mark 4:24: “The MEASURE (of ATTENTION) you use (in HEARING the Word), it (blessing, fruit and growth) will be MEASURED to you, and to you who HEAR (the Word) shall MORE (fruit) be GIVEN.”

REPENTANCE from dead works (Hebrews 6:1) means turning away from our old way of living by the flesh, depending on ourselves, living out from our own self, living from our own soul as our base of operation. Flesh (what we produce from ourselves) has no lasting value and does not please God (dead works). We need to learn live a new way: LIVING by FAITH, depending on GOD as the SOURCE of our LIFE, living under GRACE (God’s operational power in us), living and walking in (the power of) the SPIRIT. When different THINGS happen to us in life, we need to know how to RESPOND. We can either RESPOND (1) in the FLESH, which produces DEAD WORKS, or (2) in the SPIRIT, by operating in FAITH. In these situations, we need to apply the foundational doctrines of REPENTANCE from dead works (our flesh reaction) and FAITH toward God (our faith response). It’s not what happens to you, but how you respond that defines you, and determines your success or failure in life. In this message, Derek teaches 4 vital REBOUND Techniques: *(1). How to rebound from SIN, by coming to God and CONFESSING your sin (1John 1:9, Psa 32:1-5, 51:1-12). The flesh reaction is to hide and run from God (Gen 2:8-9). *(2). How to REBOUND from SUCCESS and BLESSING, by GIVING THANKS to God, acknowledging God as the Source of that blessing. That way, you keep yourself connected to God as your Source, and His grace will continue to flow to you (Proverbs 3:9-10). The flesh reaction is to become proud and forget God, to focus on, find your satisfaction and trust in that blessing. As a result, you disconnect yourself from the grace of God. *(3). How to REBOUND from SETBACKS and TRIALS. The flesh reaction to trials is to get discouraged and to blame God. The faith response to trials is to actively and purposefully REJOICE in God, thanking Him for working them for our good and eternal glory (Romans 8:28, Matthew 5:10-12, James 1:2-4,12, Romans 5:2-5, 2Cor4:17-18, 12:9-10). *4. How to REBOUND from HURTS and OFFENCES. The flesh reaction is to nurse and rehearse it, and become bitter and unforgiving. The faith response is to FORGIVE quickly, from the heart (Ephesians 4:32, Mark 11:25,26, Matthew 6:14,15).

After receiving Christ, we are being transformed by God's SPIRIT as we HEAR and DO God's WORD (Romans 12:1-2, 2Corinthians 3:16-18, James 1:21-25). (1) A man must first receive GOOD TREASURE into his HEART, by meditating on the Word of God and receiving His transforming life into your heart from the Spirit. This way his heart has an abundance of good treasure. (2) He must then BRING FORTH those GOOD THINGS from his HEART into his LIFE, by his words and actions. The primary way we express and release what is in our heart is by our WORDS: “For out of the ABUNDANCE of the heart the MOUTH SPEAKS” (Matthew 12:34-35). Your WORDS are very important to the final outcome of our lives (Matthew 12:37). We release the good things in our heart into our life by our words, for: “with the HEART one BELIEVES unto RIGHTEOUSNESS (right standing in the promise of God), and with the MOUTH CONFESSION (of the promise) is made unto SALVATION (the manifestation of the promise in our life)” (Romans 10:10). We must be DOERS of the WORD, and not HEARERS ONLY, otherwise we are deceiving ourselves if we think we are growing spiritually (James 1:22, Matthew 7:24-27), for we are BLESSED in our DOING of God's Word (James 1:25). Then James says that DOING the WORD starts by CONTROLLING our TONGUE – that is the first thing (James 1:26). James expands his teaching on the TONGUE in James 3, which is a chapter entirely devoted to our use of the TONGUE. He says is it the CONTROL CENTRE of our BODY and LIFE. If we can control our tongue, we are mature, and able also to bring our whole body under control (v2). We control the direction of our life by controlling our tongue, just as we can control a horse by using a bit in their mouth (v3), and just like a pilot can control the direction of a large ship, by using a small rudder, representing our tongue (v4). The tongue is also capable of great destruction, like a fire. If you do not control it, it has the power to destroy the course of your whole life. Because God set the tongue as our control centre, if we allow our tongue to be controlled by the fire of evil, then that destructive fire will spread to our whole body and life (v5-6). The tongue is like a wild beast, so we need God’s help to tame our tongue (v7-8). If we do not exercise control, both blessing and cursing will proceed from our mouth, which should not happen (v9-10). In nature, a spring either sends forth fresh water or bitter water through the opening, but not both (v11). The reason why both blessing and cursing can come out of our mouths, is that there are 2 springs or fountains within us - the SPRING of the SPIRIT and the FOUNTAIN of the FLESH. We choose which spring we yield to. Your FLESH FOUNTAIN can produce nothing good, and your SPIRIT SPRING can only produce good (v12). We need to learn to discern between these 2 FOUNTAINS, between the wisdom from BELOW (words which are earthly, sensual, demonic and produce evil fruit), and the wisdom from ABOVE, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy. Words from above flow in a Spirit of peace and TASTE good (sweet), and produce good FRUIT (righteousness and peace) - (James 3:13-18).

Join Pastor Derek as he reveals the origins of the Gospel in the Year of Jubilee, which took place on the Day of Atonement, when the Jubilee trumpeters proclaimed forgiveness, release and restoration for all, throughout all the land, on the basis of the great sacrifice made on that day (Leviticus 25). Jesus initiated the preaching of the Gospel, and commanded us to continue preaching this same Gospel. In Luke 4, Jesus claimed that His preaching of the Gospel was the fulfilment of Isaiah 61, a prophecy of the Messiah fulfilling the Type of Jubilee for all men by preaching Good News to the poor, proclaiming the Acceptable Year of the Lord, on the basis of God's acceptance of His great final Sacrifice (Isaiah 53).

Two miracles of Jesus demonstrate how we can walk in victory over the power of sin, circumstances and satan: (1) The crossing to the other side of Galilee through a storm, and (2) Walking on the Water. God has called us to be overcomers, who go over, not under!

There are 2 ingredients to every miracle of God: (1) God's SPIRIT and WORD, which are the active agents of the miracle, and (2) a receptive VOID, which is necessary to receive a miracle. This is illustrated with a number of examples.

The Sacrifice of Praise is when we thank God before we see the answer or manifestation, based on His Promise and His Name (Hebrews 13:15). This opens up a spiritual highway through which God can move (Psalm 50:23), as seen in Jehoshaphat's victory over a massive enemy army (2Chronicles 20), and Jonah's deliverance from the belly of the great fish (Jonah 2), and what happened to Paul and Silas when they prayed and sung praises in prison at midnight (Acts 16).