Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nyberg. I'm speaking this morning from
Genesis chapter 6, and I've entitled this message, Sin and Grace. Sin and Grace. I'd like to read verses 5 and
verses 8 of Genesis chapter 6. Now here is sin. Verse 5, and
God saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually. Now there's sin. The wickedness
of man was great, Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually. Now, let me read verse eight.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Now, please listen
to this statement very carefully. It takes the grace of God to
understand sin. Now, we may understand the problems
sin brings, we've all experienced it, but I'm talking about an
understanding of sin. Not everybody understands sin. It takes the grace of God to
understand sin. And it takes an understanding
of sin to understand the grace of God. Now let me repeat that. I want you to think about it.
It takes the grace of God to have a true understanding of
sin. And it takes an understanding
of sin to understand the grace of God. In the human experience, sin
began with Adam. Romans 5.12 says, for by one
man, sin entered the world. There is such a thing as sin.
Sin is against God. If there's no God, who's to say
what's right and wrong? But there is a God, the God of
the Bible. As by one man, sin entered the
world and death by sin. So death passed upon all men.
in that all have sinned. When Adam sinned, you and I were
in him. When he sinned, we sinned. What he did, we did. And when he's talking about death,
no doubt physical death is included, but that's really not what he's
referring to. He's talking about spiritual death. Now let's go
back to Adam eating of the fruit. What happened? The scripture
says his eyes were opened. And he knew he was naked. Now
he was naked before the fall. But something has happened. He
has now got an evil nature. And it's a completely different
knowledge of nakedness. Now there's shame and there's
sinful thoughts. He's become dead in sins. He
knew he was naked. What's the first thing he did?
He tried to make himself a covering of fig leaves. That represents
salvation by works. He no longer wants to be in God's
presence. He hides from the presence of
God. He now has a fear of God, and this is not the good kind
of fear that's the beginning of wisdom. This is a fear that's
born of hatred of God and dislike of God. He never confesses his
sin. He never asked for forgiveness.
All he does is blame God. He's become a victim. The woman
that you gave me, she gave me of the fruit and I did eat. Now
there we have sin, a sinful nature. That is the case with Adam. Now, we read in verse five, This
is what happened as a result of Adam's sin. This is what is
the truth with regard to you and I. And God saw. Now, God is the only one who
sees things as they really are. You and I don't. We don't have
a clue, really. But God does. We may think things
like, well, I've got a good heart. I've got a free will. I can do
my best. I'm sincere. That's what we may
see, but here's what God sees. And what God sees is what really
is. And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Now that verse of scripture is
one of the most important verses in all of the Word of God. And
if I don't enter in to what this is saying with regard to myself,
I will never understand the grace of God. Now this is a description
of me, and this is a description of you. The wickedness of man
was great in the earth, and he's not even talking about the deeds.
He's talking about the imaginations, the intentions, the inclinations,
the motives of the heart, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart were only evil continually." Now, don't
miss those words. Every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually, non-stop. And that's why the
scripture says the plowing of the wicked is sin. If you think
of a wholesome activity, you would think it would be plowing,
going out and plowing a field to grow crops, maybe to feed
the poor. That seems like such a good thing to do, but the scripture
says the plowing of the wicked is sin because who does it? That
is the problem. Every faculty of man is under
the dominion of sin. Every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart, his intellect, His affections, His will, His
conscience is under the control of sin, and that renders every
action sin. Now, does the Bible teach this?
Yes. 1 John 1.8, if we say we have no sin, present tense, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1.10, if
we say we've not sinned with regard to any action, we do,
including this sermon I'm preaching. If we say we've not sinned, we
make him a liar. And his word is not in us. You
see, he says we do. Every imagination and the thoughts
of his heart is only evil continually. Now let me tell you what that
says about me and you. I hope you can see this. That says that
everything I do is sin. You see, you don't become a sinner
when you sin. You sin because you're already
a sinner. Everything I do is sin. Every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart. I cannot not sin. I can't grit my teeth and close
my eyes and think I'm going to go five seconds without sin.
I cannot not sin. Every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually. That means that I can't look
down my nose in judgment upon anybody. because all I am and
all I do is sin, it's all my fault, and I have no claims on
God. If he leaves me to myself and
lets me go to hell, just and holy is his name." Now that's
the scriptural representation of man. Every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And that's God's testimony view.
Someone says, I don't see that. Well, it's true whether you see
it or not. Somebody says, I don't accept that. Well, it's true
whether you accept it or not. This is God's testimony. And
remember, God sees not as man sees. Man looks on the outward
appearance. The Lord looketh on the heart. Somebody says, I've got a good
heart. No, you don't. The scripture says the heart is desperately
wicked, deceitful above all things. Who can know it? And let me tell
you where you're gonna see the truthfulness of this. It's not
by looking at yourself, it's not by comparing yourself to
somebody else. The cross is the proof of this. When God left man to himself
to do what he wanted to do, man nailed God to a cross in hatred
of him. Now that's the true picture with
regard to me and you. And God saw, this is sin. And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of
the thoughts that went through his heart, his mind was only
evil nonstop. That's God's testimony. And then we read in verse 6,
And it repented the Lord that he made man on the earth, and
it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy
man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man
and beast. This is talking about the flood
he was going to send. And the fowls of the air, for
it repenteth me that I've made man. Now this is language given
to accommodate our weakness. God is immutable. That means he cannot change.
He never changes his mind. He didn't look at this thing
with regret and say, I made a mistake in making man. This is given
to accommodate our human weakness and to show us his heart. It
grieved him at his heart when he saw the sinfulness of man. Now here is grace. Verse 8, but
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Question. Was Noah somehow not
included in Genesis chapter six, verse five? And he was a cut
above that. He was better, he was more righteous. He was more
obedient, he was a better man. And that's why God gave him grace. No, not at all. If that is the case, I'm in trouble,
and so are you, and salvation is not by grace at all. but by
works, if Noah was seen to not be as bad as that description
of those men in verse five. But it doesn't say Noah was a
cut above the rest of mankind, but Noah found grace, unmerited
favor in the eyes of the Lord. Now here's what this looks like.
Here's a New Testament scripture, Colossians chapter one, verses
21 and 22. And you that were sometimes alienated
and enemies in your mind, by wicked works. Yet now hath he
reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present
you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. You were alienated. You were
enemy. But what did he do? Through his
death, he made every believer, everybody he died for, holy and
unblameable. and unreprovable in his sight. Now that is grace. And this is actually the first
time we read the mention of grace in the scriptures. Now Noah was
included in that description. Look in verse 11 of this same
chapter. And the earth also was corrupt
before God and the earth was filled with violence or cruelty.
And God looked upon the earth and behold, it was corrupt for
all flesh. This is including Noah. This
is including me and you. For all flesh had corrupted his
way upon the earth. Our sinfulness is our fault.
And God said to Noah, the end of all flesh has come before
me for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold,
I will destroy them with the earth. This is talking about
bringing on that flood. Now, Noah was just as bad as
everybody else. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. That's very much like another
New Testament scripture, and you hath he quickened who were
dead. in trespasses and sins, wherein in times past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation
in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of
wrath, even as others, but God." There's the difference. Not but
you, but God. who is rich in mercy, for his
great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are you
saved. Now the grace of God. I want to make seven statements
with regard to the grace of God. Now these statements will be
meaningless If you don't have some understanding of the first
part of this message, seeing that every imagination of the
thoughts of your heart and my heart is only evil continually
in his sight. That's what he sees. Now, if
you have an understanding of that, it's only because of the
grace of God. You look at sin the way everybody else does.
Well, I make mistakes. I do bad things. But you don't understand
it's a nature that makes everything you do bad. It makes your breathing
bad. It makes your speech bad. It
makes everything about you. That's what sin is. All have
sinned and come short of the glory of God. Now, if you have
some understanding of sins because the grace of God has taught you
that, what a blessed thing to be taught you're a sinner. And
it's only a sinner that has any understanding of grace. Now let
me say these seven things with regard to the grace of God. Number
one, all of God's grace is in the Lord Jesus Christ. I can't say that strong enough,
The grace of God is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now listen to this
scripture, Ephesians chapter four, verse 32, be kind, tenderhearted. forgiving one another even as
God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. He didn't forgive you if
you're forgiven. He didn't forgive you because
you asked for forgiveness. He didn't forgive you because
of your sincerity. He didn't forgive you because
you confessed those sins. He didn't forgive you because
you promised you'd never commit those sins anymore. There's one
singular reason for forgiveness, only one. Christ's sake. All of God's grace, all of God's
blessing, all of God's mercy is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1.3 says, Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed
us. Not he will if, he hath. If I'm a believer, he has blessed
me. He hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings, like the forgiveness of sins, like being elect, like
being justified. like being redeemed, like being
born again, like being given the gift of a new heart, like
being given the gift of faith, like being given the gift of
repentance, big and adopted child, on and on, all spiritual blessings. He hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Paul said to Timothy, Not be
strong in grace, but be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord. God will not speak to, nor be
spoken to, apart from Christ and all of God's grace, all of
God's favor is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, how thankful I am
for that. What if you had to look for a
reason in me to give me grace? I'd be in trouble and so would
you, but all of God's grace is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly,
the grace of God in Christ Jesus is eternal. That doesn't mean
simply that it will never end. It also means it never had a
beginning. The grace of God in Christ Jesus
is eternal. You see, God is eternal. God
is not bound by space and time the way you and I are. God is
eternal, and God's grace is eternal. Somebody says, what do you mean
by that? Well, what the scripture means. Ephesians 1.4, according as he
hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him. 2 Timothy 1.9, He saved us. He called us with a holy calling.
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began. We're bound to thank God always
for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from
the beginning chosen you. to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. The Lord said, come ye
blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. Before I formed thee in the belly,
I knew thee. Now, if I can't trace the grace
that God has given me to eternity, it's not the grace of God. All of God's grace is in Christ,
and all of God's grace is eternal. Thirdly, the grace of God is
sovereign. The grace of God is sovereign. God sovereignly selected Noah
as the object of his grace. Noah was singled out by the grace
of God. Noah was included in that description
of what God saw, but Noah was singled out by the grace of God. 1 Corinthians 4, 7 says, for
who maketh thee to differ from another? You see, you take God's
sovereign, listen to these words, you take God's sovereign, distinguishing,
discriminating choice of who he gives his grace to out of
grace, and you no longer have the grace of God. You know, if
you don't believe election, that God chose who'd be saved before
time began, you don't really believe grace. It's impossible.
You believe you had something to do with it. But no, God's
grace is his sovereign grace. Salvation is of the Lord. Fourthly, the grace of God is
saving grace. It's all in Christ. It's eternal,
it's sovereign, and the grace of God is saving grace. Now, listen real carefully. Grace
is not offered to you. And it's up to you as to whether
or not you'll accept it or reject it. No, God's grace is saving
grace. By grace, you are saved. Not
grace is offered to you. By grace, you are saved through
faith. And that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God. Not of
works, lest any man should boast. God's grace always saves. Peter said, we believe that by
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they.
You see, saving grace, it's electing grace. It's justifying grace,
being justified freely by His grace. It's redeeming grace,
paying for your sins. It's life-giving grace, where
He gives you the new birth, and everything that's included in
the new birth, like faith and repentance and love to Himself.
It's preserving grace, you're kept through His grace. It's
glorifying grace, it is saving grace. Not an offer. And fifth, the
grace of God is free grace. Free grace. Really, all of these
descriptions of grace are inherent in the word grace, in Christ,
eternal, sovereign, saving, and free. Romans 3.24 says, being
justified freely. That means without a cause, by
His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now, if you have anything to
bring to the table, you're disqualified from grace. The only ones who
are saved by His grace are the ones who are saved freely. There
was no cause in them. If I'm not a Genesis 6.5 sinner, If I'm not a Genesis 6-5 sinner,
God saw the wickedness of man, me, was great in the earth and
every imagination and thoughts of my heart was only evil continually. I have nothing to bring to the
table. God's grace is free. Nothing is required of me to
get his grace. God's grace is free grace. The only condition to meet is
you don't have any way of meeting any conditions. God's grace is
free to that person. And sixth, the grace of God is
righteous grace. Now understand this, grace doesn't
just put sin, sweep it under the rug. No, all sin must be
punished. God's righteousness is revealed
in the gospel. And look at this description
of Noah. Verse nine, these are the generations of Noah. Noah
was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked
with God. Now, Noah was a sinner. He proves that when he gets off
the ark. You read that ninth chapter and you look at what
he was guilty of doing. Yet God says he was a righteous
man and a just man. Well, is that a contradiction?
No, it's not. You see, the sin of Noah became
Christ's sin. He willingly took it upon himself
and he put that sin away and made it not to be and he takes
his righteousness and causes it to be Noah's righteousness.
Just as Noah's sin became Christ's sin, Christ's righteousness became
Noah's righteousness, and it is righteous grace. It is a grace
that exalts the righteousness of God and makes sinners righteous
before God. And last, Grace of God makes
a man walk with God. In verse nine it says, and Noah
walked with God. Now the scripture says, how can
two walk together except they be agreed? They can't. Noah was
in complete agreement with God concerning the character of God,
concerning his own sinfulness, his own need of Christ. He saw
the beauty of Christ and he walked with God by faith as every believer
does. Without faith, it is impossible
to please God. For he that cometh to God must
believe that he is. Every believer possesses this
faith, the gift of God, that causes them to walk with the
living God. Noah walked with God. Now we
have this message on CD and DVD. If you call the church right
or email, we'll send you a copy. This is Todd Nyberg praying that
God will be pleased to make himself known to you. Amen. To receive
a copy of the sermon you have just heard, send your request
to todd.nyberg at gmail.com or you may write or call the church
at the information provided on the screen.