100:00:00,860 –> 00:00:11,260When that little one is born, she looks a picture of innocence and you hold her in your200:00:11,260 –> 00:00:16,580arms and you think, oh how lovely and wonderful and perfect she is.300:00:16,580 –> 00:00:22,139You need to know what you’ve got there.400:00:22,139 –> 00:00:29,040And what you’ve got there is a wonderful gift from God who will bring you joy and delight.500:00:29,680 –> 00:00:36,400And a little rebel whose heart is bent on crowning herself as Lord.600:00:36,400 –> 00:00:37,900That’s what you’ve got.700:00:37,900 –> 00:00:40,480Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:40,480 –> 00:00:41,860I’m David Pick.900:00:41,860 –> 00:00:46,820I’m glad you could join us today and Colin, I guess anyone who is parented, grandparented1000:00:46,820 –> 00:00:52,639or even babysat a small girl or boy knows what you’re talking about here.1100:00:52,639 –> 00:00:54,279That’s right.1200:00:54,400 –> 00:00:58,220That was true of you and me when we were born into the world, true of our children, true1300:00:58,220 –> 00:01:00,380of my grandchildren.1400:01:00,380 –> 00:01:06,279We love them so, so very much, but there’s no such thing as being born in innocence.1500:01:06,279 –> 00:01:11,040There’s a principle that’s at work within all human nature, and it’s for that reason1600:01:11,040 –> 00:01:15,599that we need the grace and the mercy of God and that’s the reality of every wonderful1700:01:15,599 –> 00:01:17,680new life that’s born into the world.1800:01:17,680 –> 00:01:22,540So as a parent or grandparents, we need rules and we need to enforce rules.1900:01:22,540 –> 00:01:27,820So when we think about what a good parent is and look at God’s law, maybe we can see2000:01:27,820 –> 00:01:29,120a parallel?2100:01:29,120 –> 00:01:30,120That’s right.2200:01:30,120 –> 00:01:33,059And there’s a really important practical issue here.2300:01:33,059 –> 00:01:39,980I mean, if parents believe that fundamentally, the instincts of their children are good,2400:01:39,980 –> 00:01:43,260that at the very heart, goodness reigns.2500:01:43,260 –> 00:01:47,500Well, the natural outcome of that is going to be to say, well, let’s give them everything2600:01:47,500 –> 00:01:51,099they want because what they want is good, and they know what is good.2700:01:51,320 –> 00:01:53,019Now, that’s going to be a complete disaster.2800:01:53,019 –> 00:01:57,720Because what the Bible is telling us, that’s actually not what’s true at the very core.2900:01:57,720 –> 00:02:03,559Foolishness, the Proverbs say, are bound up in the heart of a child.3000:02:03,559 –> 00:02:09,880And for that reason, there really is a place for setting boundaries and rules and having3100:02:09,880 –> 00:02:12,240discipline within family life.3200:02:12,240 –> 00:02:13,240That’s really important.3300:02:13,240 –> 00:02:17,119These are biblical concepts, and each family has to work out how to do this.3400:02:17,119 –> 00:02:21,679Now, we’re looking in the Scriptures at a very important statement in 1 Timothy in3500:02:21,679 –> 00:02:22,679chapter 1.3600:02:22,679 –> 00:02:28,279We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.3700:02:28,279 –> 00:02:32,899And in practical terms, in family life, what that means is there do have to be some rules.3800:02:32,899 –> 00:02:34,919There to be some boundaries.3900:02:34,919 –> 00:02:38,839But don’t ever think that the rules that you make for your children will be the means4000:02:38,839 –> 00:02:40,600of leading them to Christ.4100:02:40,600 –> 00:02:42,800It’s grace that will lead people to Christ.4200:02:42,800 –> 00:02:46,399But we’re going to see that rules also play their part.4300:02:46,639 –> 00:02:50,119So this is very, very practical as we look at the Bible together today.4400:02:50,119 –> 00:02:51,699Let’s do that.4500:02:51,699 –> 00:02:56,619So join us if you can in the first book of Timothy, Chapter 1, as we continue the message4600:02:56,619 –> 00:02:58,000Gospel Freedom.4700:02:58,000 –> 00:02:59,759Here is Pastor Colin.4800:02:59,759 –> 00:03:09,220The law is good if one uses it properly.4900:03:09,220 –> 00:03:13,380What then is the proper use of the law of God?5000:03:13,380 –> 00:03:16,800I want to offer three answers.5100:03:16,800 –> 00:03:21,000We’re not under the law but we cannot forget the law.5200:03:21,000 –> 00:03:24,860How are we to use it properly as Christian believers?5300:03:24,860 –> 00:03:29,440How does it function for us today?5400:03:29,440 –> 00:03:32,160Three answers.5500:03:32,160 –> 00:03:35,479Three proper uses of the law.5600:03:35,479 –> 00:03:42,039Number one, the law restrains rebels from evil.5700:03:42,800 –> 00:03:47,639Now I think it is very clear that that is what was in Paul’s mind here in 1 Timothy5800:03:47,639 –> 00:03:48,679chapter 1.5900:03:48,679 –> 00:03:51,300Notice what he says in verse nine.6000:03:51,300 –> 00:03:59,919We also know that the law is not made for the righteous but for lawmakers and rebels.6100:03:59,919 –> 00:04:05,940Now let’s remember straight away that that is what we all are by nature.6200:04:05,940 –> 00:04:08,880And that is why we need the law.6300:04:08,880 –> 00:04:11,759We need the law in our land.6400:04:11,759 –> 00:04:14,759We need the law in our homes.6500:04:14,759 –> 00:04:21,880And we need the law in the Bible because we live in a fallen world and by nature, we are6600:04:21,880 –> 00:04:24,359rebels.6700:04:24,359 –> 00:04:26,720And the law restrains, how?6800:04:26,720 –> 00:04:31,559The law restrains simply by threatening punishment.6900:04:31,559 –> 00:04:33,059That’s how the law works.7000:04:33,059 –> 00:04:38,320If you do this, something bad will happen to you.7100:04:38,320 –> 00:04:41,679And that makes the rebel think twice.7200:04:41,679 –> 00:04:48,179Good laws, whether they be in a home, whether they be in a nation, and certainly where they7300:04:48,179 –> 00:04:53,600are in Scripture, this is what they do, they restrain rebels.7400:04:53,600 –> 00:04:57,119Good law, in other words, acts as a deterrent.7500:04:57,119 –> 00:05:00,339Here’s the second proper use of the law.7600:05:00,339 –> 00:05:07,299Not only is the law given to restrain rebels from evil, but the law is given to us to lead7700:05:07,299 –> 00:05:10,959sinners to Christ.7800:05:10,959 –> 00:05:18,660Now you find this in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 24 and 25, where it’s stated so clearly.7900:05:18,660 –> 00:05:25,540The law, Paul says there, was given, was put in charge, to lead us to Christ, so that8000:05:25,540 –> 00:05:28,380we might be justified by faith.8100:05:28,380 –> 00:05:30,100That’s why the law was given.8200:05:30,179 –> 00:05:36,119The law was given, he says, to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith,8300:05:36,119 –> 00:05:41,260and then he says, now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of8400:05:41,260 –> 00:05:42,579the law.8500:05:42,579 –> 00:05:51,239Now what he’s saying here is this, if you take God’s law seriously, as opposed to superficially8600:05:51,239 –> 00:05:56,899as the rich, young ruler did, if you take it seriously and you examine yourself in the8700:05:56,899 –> 00:06:04,420light of God’s law, begin anywhere you like, you will come to the conclusion that you are8800:06:04,420 –> 00:06:13,859a sinner, and that conclusion doesn’t come to us easily because it is our instinct to8900:06:13,859 –> 00:06:17,540feel that we are deserving.9000:06:17,540 –> 00:06:21,739It is our natural instinct to feel that God owns us and that what he owns us is much better9100:06:21,739 –> 00:06:26,619than what he gave us as part of our rebellion.9200:06:26,619 –> 00:06:35,420And God uses the law to waken us up to reality, which is that God owes me nothing.9300:06:35,420 –> 00:06:42,059What I deserve from God is Hell, me.9400:06:42,059 –> 00:06:46,140And when you understand the law and when the Holy Spirit works the law into your own mind9500:06:46,140 –> 00:06:49,140and heart, you will come to that conclusion too.9600:06:49,140 –> 00:06:53,040It will completely transform your position before God.9700:06:53,040 –> 00:07:01,119You’ll cease coming before him with a clenched fist and you will come before him with a sense9800:07:01,119 –> 00:07:07,980of one who is utterly dependent upon mercy and grace.9900:07:07,980 –> 00:07:13,459Now Paul actually tells us in the New Testament his own experience of this.10000:07:13,459 –> 00:07:15,839You can read about it in Romans chapter seven.10100:07:15,839 –> 00:07:20,880He says, I would not have known what sin was except through the law.10200:07:20,880 –> 00:07:25,739And of course you remember that as a Pharisee, the apostle Paul was one who studied the10300:07:25,739 –> 00:07:29,239law and even prided himself in keeping the law.10400:07:29,239 –> 00:07:31,519So how did the law waken him up?10500:07:31,519 –> 00:07:36,299Well he tells us, it was the Tenth Commandment that got him.10600:07:36,299 –> 00:07:40,799See, he was superficially thinking that I’d not murdered and had not committed adultery10700:07:40,799 –> 00:07:42,279and so forth and so on.10800:07:42,279 –> 00:07:46,679The Tenth Commandment says you shall not covet.10900:07:46,679 –> 00:07:51,279And he says this in Romans 7, I would not have known what coveting really was if the11000:07:51,279 –> 00:07:56,920law had said do not covet, but sin seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment11100:07:56,920 –> 00:08:00,720produced in me every kind of covetous desire.11200:08:00,720 –> 00:08:07,279In other words, he says, I was going through life thinking I was a very righteous person,11300:08:07,440 –> 00:08:14,459and then I realized that my whole life was about myself, it undid me.11400:08:15,179 –> 00:08:20,720Now that’s what the law does, and thank God for it.11500:08:20,720 –> 00:08:25,480But when the law brings you to that place that Paul discovered, that Isaiah discovered11600:08:25,480 –> 00:08:34,799in the Holiness of God when he says, woe to me, I want you to remember this, that when11700:08:34,799 –> 00:08:41,640the law convinces you of sin, God’s purpose is through that to bring you to Christ.11800:08:41,640 –> 00:08:48,599So make sure you get to the place where God is drawing you.11900:08:48,599 –> 00:08:58,719The law was put in charge to lead you to Christ so that you might be justified by faith.12000:08:58,719 –> 00:09:03,239Not so that you should be left languishing with your newly discovered sense of guilt12100:09:03,359 –> 00:09:09,619and failure, but that by discovering the sense of guilt and failure, by seeing the reality12200:09:09,619 –> 00:09:13,900of your own position in God, you might turn to Christ in a way you would never have done12300:09:13,900 –> 00:09:20,400otherwise and be justified by faith.12400:09:20,400 –> 00:09:29,140Remember this, that as soon as the law does a work in a man or a woman’s heart, Satan12500:09:29,140 –> 00:09:32,679is crouching at the door.12600:09:32,700 –> 00:09:39,080And when you become convinced of your own sin, the enemy will speak to you, I’m sure12700:09:39,080 –> 00:09:41,599something like this.12800:09:41,599 –> 00:09:48,760He’ll say, so you see that you are a sinner now, do you?12900:09:48,760 –> 00:09:57,539So you are, and there’s no hope for you.13000:09:57,539 –> 00:10:00,520One writer has put it this way, I find this so helpful.13100:10:00,679 –> 00:10:10,719When the law strikes home to a man he stands between God and the devil, each intends to13200:10:10,719 –> 00:10:15,239use the law to achieve exactly the opposite goal.13300:10:15,239 –> 00:10:20,640The devil seeks to bring a man to destruction and death, God, however, wills that he should13400:10:20,640 –> 00:10:21,960be blessed and live.13500:10:21,960 –> 00:10:24,320Do you see that?13600:10:24,320 –> 00:10:29,520When you become aware of your own sinfulness through the law and by the work of the Holy13700:10:29,520 –> 00:10:33,640Spirit you stand right then between God and the devil.13800:10:33,640 –> 00:10:36,239You may be standing there right now.13900:10:36,239 –> 00:10:42,900Satan wants to use the law to lead you to despair, for you to go out of the service14000:10:42,900 –> 00:10:47,080saying there is no hope for me, I am such a wretched failure, I don’t even belong14100:10:47,080 –> 00:10:49,179here!14200:10:49,179 –> 00:10:55,059God wants to use the law to lead you to Christ, for you to say I have found forgiveness today14300:10:55,159 –> 00:11:00,299in this savior, a new life in him, and there you are, you’re standing right now between14400:11:00,299 –> 00:11:02,780God and the devil.14500:11:02,780 –> 00:11:04,500And the proper use of the law is what?14600:11:04,500 –> 00:11:07,880To lead you to Jesus Christ.14700:11:07,880 –> 00:11:12,460And as often as we become as Christian believers aware of our own sin and our own failing,14800:11:12,460 –> 00:11:13,460to do what?14900:11:13,460 –> 00:11:14,460Despair?15000:11:14,460 –> 00:11:21,739No, but to draw fresh near to Jesus Christ in whom our complete redemption is found.15100:11:21,739 –> 00:11:25,020The proper use of the law is to lead you to Christ.15200:11:26,020 –> 00:11:28,520That’s God’s purpose.15300:11:28,520 –> 00:11:32,960You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Gospel Freedom.15400:11:32,960 –> 00:11:37,340Part of our series 10 Distinctives of a Gospel-Centred Church.15500:11:37,340 –> 00:11:41,320If you’ve missed any of the messages in the series, you can easily catch up or go back15600:11:41,320 –> 00:11:47,500and listen again by coming online to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk.15700:11:47,500 –> 00:11:51,039Back to the message now, here again is Pastor Colin.15800:11:51,039 –> 00:12:02,059Restrains rebels from evil, leads sinners to Christ.15900:12:02,059 –> 00:12:10,619Third, the law points believers to a life of love.16000:12:10,619 –> 00:12:19,099Now, this is very important and wonderfully, wonderfully freeing.16100:12:19,099 –> 00:12:26,159The New Testament makes clear, time and again, that you can sum up the whole of the law in16200:12:26,159 –> 00:12:30,619one single word, and that word, of course, is love.16300:12:30,619 –> 00:12:36,940You have that in Galatians 5, 14, the entire law is summed up in a single command, love16400:12:36,940 –> 00:12:38,200your neighbor as yourself.16500:12:38,200 –> 00:12:43,460Or in Romans 13 and verse 10, love does no harm to its neighbor.16600:12:43,460 –> 00:12:46,419Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.16700:12:46,419 –> 00:12:51,059You remember supremely, of course, when someone asked Jesus what is the first and greatest16800:12:51,059 –> 00:12:53,020commandment, what did Jesus say?16900:12:53,020 –> 00:12:57,400That you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself,17000:12:57,400 –> 00:13:01,739and then Jesus said, all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.17100:13:01,739 –> 00:13:06,260In other words, that really sums up the whole thing right there.17200:13:06,960 –> 00:13:19,000Now If you can sum up the whole of the law in one word, love, it stands to reason that17300:13:19,000 –> 00:13:24,619when you are trying to figure out what it means to live a life of love, you can work17400:13:24,619 –> 00:13:29,919backwards and find some explanation as to what that really looks like.17500:13:29,919 –> 00:13:35,200So for example, when Christ calls us to live a life of love, which is Ephesians 5.2, the17600:13:35,260 –> 00:13:39,599law spells out for us what that means.17700:13:39,599 –> 00:13:46,119Living a life of love means honoring my father and my mother.17800:13:46,119 –> 00:13:51,200Living a life of love means not committing adultery.17900:13:51,200 –> 00:13:53,239It means telling the truth.18000:13:53,239 –> 00:14:00,559It means rejoicing in what God gives to your brother and sister without coveting what18100:14:00,559 –> 00:14:01,979they have for yourself.18200:14:01,979 –> 00:14:04,679That’s what love means.18300:14:04,679 –> 00:14:10,599You envy what your brother or your sister has, you don’t love them.18400:14:10,599 –> 00:14:15,020So I need this instruction.18500:14:15,020 –> 00:14:21,739We are not so wise that we know what a life of love is.18600:14:21,739 –> 00:14:28,659So I want to suggest to you as a Christian believer, read the New Testament backwards.18700:14:28,780 –> 00:14:33,500In other words, let the Old Testament inform what is summed up in the New.18800:14:33,500 –> 00:14:38,520When the New Testament says, live a life of love, let the Old Testament spell that out18900:14:38,520 –> 00:14:40,140for you.19000:14:40,140 –> 00:14:46,419Open up your understanding, guide you, instruct you, show you what it is that you should pursue.19100:14:46,419 –> 00:14:52,239Challenge you, move you in your own understanding of what a life of love actually means.19200:14:52,239 –> 00:14:55,880Now let’s take another example.19300:14:55,900 –> 00:15:03,500In the New Testament, Christ calls us believers to be generous.19400:15:03,520 –> 00:15:05,919But what does that mean?19500:15:05,919 –> 00:15:07,700What is generous?19600:15:07,700 –> 00:15:12,799Well, you could read backwards to the Old Testament, and then you will find that God’s19700:15:12,799 –> 00:15:17,280people gave a tenth of all of their income to the Lord.19800:15:17,280 –> 00:15:19,320You may say, now, wait a minute.19900:15:19,320 –> 00:15:21,000Are you making a rule?20000:15:21,000 –> 00:15:22,000No.20100:15:22,859 –> 00:15:31,820What I’m saying is this, I’m inviting you to use the law to inform you in pursuing the20200:15:31,820 –> 00:15:35,640generosity to which Christ calls you in the Gospel.20300:15:35,640 –> 00:15:39,520That’s why it’s useful.20400:15:39,520 –> 00:15:43,219So read the New Testament backwards.20500:15:43,219 –> 00:15:47,140And it follows—read the Old Testament forwards.20600:15:47,140 –> 00:15:51,099In other words, whenever you’re back in the Old Testament, you’re reading a law.20700:15:51,119 –> 00:15:54,859You’ll sometimes have times when you say what in all the world has this got to do with me?20800:15:55,380 –> 00:15:57,780Read the Old Testament forwards.20900:15:57,780 –> 00:16:04,619Remember that the law is not an end in itself but it is a sign that points forward.21000:16:04,619 –> 00:16:09,739Now, there is nowhere that we see this more clearly than in Our Lord’s teaching on the21100:16:09,739 –> 00:16:12,239Sermon on the Mount.21200:16:12,239 –> 00:16:13,239There is a pattern there.21300:16:13,239 –> 00:16:17,700You remember how the Lord Jesus said, You have heard it said, but I say to you … you’ve21400:16:17,760 –> 00:16:24,440heard it said, but I say to you … you’ve heard it said, do not murder … I say to21500:16:24,440 –> 00:16:29,039you don’t be angry with your brother … you have heard it said, do not commit adultery21600:16:29,039 –> 00:16:33,359… I say to you, anyone who looks on a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with21700:16:33,359 –> 00:16:35,280her in his heart.21800:16:36,359 –> 00:16:39,440Now in every case what is happening here?21900:16:39,440 –> 00:16:43,820Jesus is going further than the law.22000:16:43,820 –> 00:16:44,820Think about it.22100:16:44,820 –> 00:16:47,119The law says don’t murder.22200:16:48,059 –> 00:16:54,659Jesus says I’m taking you further, I want you to forgive your brother and I want you22300:16:54,659 –> 00:16:58,739to do it in the power of the Holy Spirit.22400:16:58,739 –> 00:17:00,359The law says don’t commit adultery.22500:17:00,359 –> 00:17:03,479Jesus says I’m taking you further.22600:17:03,479 –> 00:17:08,520I want you to pursue a purity of heart in the power of the Holy Spirit.22700:17:08,520 –> 00:17:15,020Jesus right here is telling us how to use the law properly.22800:17:15,020 –> 00:17:19,459It points us to the new life in the Spirit.22900:17:19,459 –> 00:17:24,180So I think that the key question to ask of any command in the Old Testament is simply23000:17:24,180 –> 00:17:27,339this, to what does this point me in Jesus Christ?23100:17:27,339 –> 00:17:31,900Not to an end in itself, but to what is it pointing in Jesus Christ.23200:17:31,900 –> 00:17:37,500The command about murder is pointing me to forgive my brother.23300:17:37,500 –> 00:17:39,339That’s not less, of course, that’s more.23400:17:39,339 –> 00:17:43,540If I forgive my brother, I won’t murder him.23500:17:43,540 –> 00:17:46,420And the command about adultery points to purity of heart.23600:17:46,420 –> 00:17:49,140That’s not less, it’s more.23700:17:49,140 –> 00:17:52,339If I have a pure heart, I will not commit adultery.23800:17:52,339 –> 00:18:00,180Now, this principle of reading the Old Testament forward will help us in other laws that may23900:18:00,180 –> 00:18:02,859have different applications today.24000:18:02,859 –> 00:18:06,900Let me just give you one or two examples from the New Testament.24100:18:06,900 –> 00:18:11,900The command about circumcision in the Old Testament, what does that point us to in Jesus24200:18:11,900 –> 00:18:12,900Christ?24300:18:13,540 –> 00:18:15,780Look at Colossians 2,11 and 12.24400:18:15,780 –> 00:18:20,719Paul says it points to the distinct newness of life that is ours in Jesus Christ.24500:18:20,719 –> 00:18:21,819That’s what it points to.24600:18:21,819 –> 00:18:27,520It’s a marvelous thing and it’s much more, it’s much deeper.24700:18:27,520 –> 00:18:31,459God’s promise to the Israelites when He says that He will bring them into the promised24800:18:31,459 –> 00:18:38,420land and then God’s threat to the Israelites that they may be moved from the promised land,24900:18:38,420 –> 00:18:42,780what in all the world does that have to do with me as I read it as a Christian today?25000:18:42,780 –> 00:18:48,160Well, it is pointing me forward to something far greater.25100:18:48,160 –> 00:18:55,640That there is a life, a blessed life with Christ again and there is a hell outside of25200:18:55,640 –> 00:19:04,040the blessing of God for me to flee, command about the Sabbath, pointing me forward.25300:19:04,119 –> 00:19:10,819Hebrews and chapter four to resting in Christ and rejoicing in God as I anticipate eternity25400:19:10,819 –> 00:19:12,180to come.25500:19:12,180 –> 00:19:17,219I need that today.25600:19:17,219 –> 00:19:26,079When you use the law properly you will see that Christ takes you where the law cannot25700:19:26,079 –> 00:19:27,640go.25800:19:27,640 –> 00:19:33,280The whatever the law speaks about the Lord Jesus Christ takes you deeper and the Lord25900:19:33,280 –> 00:19:38,380Jesus Christ takes you further.26000:19:38,380 –> 00:19:47,599There is no command that you must lay down your life for Christ, you couldn’t legislate26100:19:47,599 –> 00:19:48,599that, could you?26200:19:48,599 –> 00:19:51,619You couldn’t write a law about that.26300:19:51,619 –> 00:19:56,099But believers through the centuries have gone there, not because of a law but because of26400:19:56,099 –> 00:19:59,219love for Christ.26500:19:59,219 –> 00:20:06,119There is no law that could say you must liquidate assets for the advance of the gospel.26600:20:06,119 –> 00:20:10,760Couldn’t legislate that.26700:20:10,760 –> 00:20:14,800But believers through the centuries have done that in every generation for the advance of26800:20:14,800 –> 00:20:17,760the gospel.26900:20:17,760 –> 00:20:22,680There is no command that can say you must leave your home and your loved ones and take27000:20:22,680 –> 00:20:28,800the gospel to the other side of the world but well you could not legislative that, believers27100:20:29,000 –> 00:20:35,400in every generation have done that because love takes us beyond the law.27200:20:35,400 –> 00:20:41,380Love takes us to places in devotion to Christ that the law could not reach which is why27300:20:41,380 –> 00:20:47,160Paul says the love of Christ sustains us which is totally different than a wooden kind of27400:20:47,160 –> 00:20:50,560immoralism.27500:20:50,560 –> 00:20:56,180So folks as a church we want to be a body of believers who make a proper use of God’s27600:20:56,180 –> 00:20:58,479law.27700:20:58,479 –> 00:21:00,579Some churches make much of law.27800:21:00,579 –> 00:21:02,959That’s really the thing that gets in the central place.27900:21:02,959 –> 00:21:05,760That’s what impresses people in what they are talking about most.28000:21:05,760 –> 00:21:09,900We want to make much of grace.28100:21:09,900 –> 00:21:11,979We want to live by the power of the Spirit.28200:21:11,979 –> 00:21:20,979We want the love of Christ to take us further than the law could ever go.28300:21:20,979 –> 00:21:23,900One illustration then we are through.28400:21:23,900 –> 00:21:26,260Many of us I think will have seen the Fire Proof movie.28500:21:26,260 –> 00:21:27,459Have you seen that movie?28600:21:28,439 –> 00:21:32,060It’s the story for anyone who didn’t see it a couple whose marriage is on the rocks28700:21:32,060 –> 00:21:36,660and the husband makes a commitment to take practical steps each day to try and rekindle28800:21:36,660 –> 00:21:39,859the love that was once in their marriage.28900:21:39,859 –> 00:21:43,060And there are many issues.29000:21:43,060 –> 00:21:45,540One of them is pornography.29100:21:45,540 –> 00:21:48,780The computer sits in the corner of the room.29200:21:48,780 –> 00:21:53,500The guy watches the screen in a darkened room at night on his own.29300:21:53,500 –> 00:21:57,599The wife knows of course what he is doing and she hates it.29400:21:57,599 –> 00:22:02,540The computer in the corner of the room almost becomes a symbol of another thing that divides29500:22:02,540 –> 00:22:04,880them.29600:22:04,880 –> 00:22:09,780And he struggles to overcome his habits because he knows what a barrier it is, but he keeps29700:22:09,780 –> 00:22:12,479going back.29800:22:12,479 –> 00:22:17,400Then one day in the film he picks up the computer, he takes it outside, takes a baseball bat29900:22:17,400 –> 00:22:21,199and completely destroys the thing.30000:22:21,199 –> 00:22:26,800And when his wife comes back she finds a little card on the table in precisely the spot where30100:22:26,800 –> 00:22:29,459the computer has been.30200:22:29,459 –> 00:22:38,540And when she opens the card there are these simple words that he wrote, I love you more.30300:22:38,540 –> 00:22:42,459I love you more.30400:22:42,500 –> 00:22:52,020The law says don’t do that, love says I do not want to do that any longer.30500:22:52,020 –> 00:22:56,459That is the transforming power of the Gospel.30600:22:56,459 –> 00:23:04,099And you say where does that love come from because the power of temptation is very real.30700:23:04,099 –> 00:23:10,099The answer is we love, because he first loved us.30800:23:10,140 –> 00:23:14,380You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith on Open The Bible with a message called Gospel30900:23:14,380 –> 00:23:19,400Freedom, part of our series, 10 Distinctives of a Gospel Centred Church.31000:23:19,400 –> 00:23:23,900And if you ever miss one of the messages in the series, you can come online to our website31100:23:23,900 –> 00:23:29,420www.open-the-bible.org.uk, and there you’ll find all the messages which have already been31200:23:29,420 –> 00:23:30,420broadcast.31300:23:30,420 –> 00:23:35,800Previously broadcast messages are also available as a podcast, on all the main podcast sites.31400:23:36,040 –> 00:23:41,160You can find them by searching for Open the Bible UK, and subscribe if you want to receive31500:23:41,160 –> 00:23:44,760the messages regularly in that way.31600:23:44,760 –> 00:23:50,699Also available as a podcast and on our website is Open the Bible Daily and that’s a series31700:23:50,699 –> 00:23:56,859of short 2-3 minute daily reflections based on Pastor Colin’s teaching and read especially31800:23:56,859 –> 00:23:58,260in the UK.31900:23:58,260 –> 00:24:05,760You can find Open the Bible Daily on our website at openthebible.org.uk, also on your favourite32000:24:06,219 –> 00:24:07,839Podcast Site.32100:24:07,839 –> 00:24:12,180Open the Bible is supported by our listeners and if that’s something you’ve been considering32200:24:12,180 –> 00:24:15,780doing, this month we have a great offer for you!32300:24:15,780 –> 00:24:22,560If you are able to set up a new Direct Debit of £5 per month or more, or a one-off gift32400:24:22,560 –> 00:24:28,520of £60 or more this month, we’ll say a big thank you by sending you a copy of John Stott’s32500:24:28,520 –> 00:24:31,520book, The Incomparable Christ.32600:24:31,520 –> 00:24:34,400It’s a wonderful book and it’s our gift to you this month.32700:24:34,420 –> 00:24:38,359When you begin to support Open the Bible financially.32800:24:38,359 –> 00:24:44,500Full details, terms and conditions are on our website thats at openthebible.org.uk32900:24:44,500 –> 00:24:46,359And you can give online.33000:24:46,359 –> 00:24:51,119Don’t forget if you do give online to leave your full name and address so we can send33100:24:51,119 –> 00:24:52,900you your free gift.33200:24:53,579 –> 00:24:58,000For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us33300:24:58,000 –> 00:25:00,459again next time on Open the Bible.33400:25:05,280 –> 00:25:09,260What sins has Christ forgiven in your life?33500:25:09,260 –> 00:25:12,199Is it something you’ve tried to forget?33600:25:12,199 –> 00:25:15,780Find out how to remember your sins redemptively.33700:25:15,780 –> 00:25:19,160That’s next time on Open the Bible.