Introduction:

1. Man was born to rule over the earth.

In Gen. 1:28, God told man to subdue the earth and have dominion over the fish of the sea, fowl of the air, and every over living thing that moveth on the earth.

2. Though many do not understand this principle simply stated it is this: "To rule is to serve"

[This truth will be developed in a later message. Today we will look at the truth that since the Fall of man...he has not been the ruler...but one that is ruled. Ruled by his carnal nature.]

Gen. 2:15 God took man and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. In doing this man was being obedient to His Maker and serving Him.

3. Man himself for all his intellect God has given him and position over all the earth, is himself subject to being mastered. We wish to think of ourselves as rulers and being in charge..."the masters of our fate the captains of our souls."

But deep down we know the truth....we can do a lot...but we are forces at work that are greater than we are. It is a constant warfare, we strive to exercise control, but we find ultimately we have little control over our lives.

Man can be mastered by even his own body! Over eating (Gluttony) Passions, lust, use of Alcohol, and other drugs. Lust of his flesh, lust for power, wealth fame.

Pride can dominant a person and ruin him.

4. Did you ever wonder why you rarely hear any good news? Why is there so much wrong with the world?

Why all the wars and conflict between nations?

Why all the trouble in families, why so much crime.

The Reason: A man's carnal nature strives to bring ruin to him. That is the work of the sin nature.

5. Man tries to rationalize away his sin, which in effect his own powers of reasoning working against him.

ILLUS: Like a Christian who drinks alcohol, which is a sin according to God. It was not dreamed up by the Baptists, or Fundamental preachers. I actually had a professing Christian tell me they drank with lost people, so as to be better able to witness to the lost. This man he did not want to present a "better than thou" appearance.

Rom. 6:23 Says the wages of sin is death. In other words: Man is sinner and his bent to sin will end in destruction. Sin always pays on time and in full without exception!

6. If man is not a sinner by nature the why, would not a rational man, upon hearing of the wonderful Grace of God, of the free offer of eternal life, and all that is heaven. Upon hearing that by simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and trusting in Him as their Lord....they could be free from sin and the end of sin--DEATH.

Why does not man, run to be saved?

Why, because his judgment and will is scared by the sin that his carnal nature produces. Man does not rush to Christ to be saved because he enjoys his sin. It is against his nature to want to lose that which he so enjoys.

7. Man's worse enemy is himself..that is his sinful nature.

I. MAN MUST HAVE A MASTER!

A. Every man does have a master!

1. Matt. 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

2. 1 John. 3:8 "he that commits sin is of the devil,

V10, In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

B. Man can have only one of two masters, either the Lord or Satan.

C. Many folks believe in a something much different than what the Bible teachers in relationship to salvation.

1. The world's idea is that a person earns or works to get to go to heaven. Its idea you can Serve one for a while and then the other, and when they are balanced out the one you served the most gets you!

ILLUS: A child really does good for a few days or weeks the then messes up. "But dad," he says crying and trying to justify his action, "I've been good all week!" Do you see the problem?

Liken this to a murderer who says its OK, I never murdered anyone till now! He was murderer in his heart, because over time sin grew, seared his conscience till he could murder, without his conscience stopping him.

2. The problem is that a man who does not know God has only one nature and that nature is to sin. He needs a new heart and nature and that is what God give when a man y faith believes in Christ. God gives him a new nature and a new heart.

II. THE QUESTION IS NOT ARE YOU A SERVANT, CLEARLY YOU ARE, THE QUESTION IS WHO IS YOUR MASTER.

A. The Child of God changes masters!!! This is an absolute fact, and unchangeable and indisputable truth.

II Cor. 5:17 is God truth on the matter:

"Therefore "IF" any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; BEHOLD(!) all things are new"

B. What is new???? The saved man is no longer subject to sin! There has been a change of masters.

1. The absolute sure way to know if a person is saved or not is to look and see who that person serves.

2. Jesus said in Luke 6:46. Why he said, speaking to the multitudes of people who were following him and calling Him. LORD?

3. Jesus was saying to them, I'm not your lord if you do not do the things I say.

C. Everyone is enslaved in various degrees.

1. The lost man is w/o exception is the servant of sin. Some are worse than others.

2. Some are very obvious. Swearing, adultery, murder , stealing, be cruel, crooked in money dealings, drinking and such.

3. Some are not so obvious.

Gossip, vengeance, slander, having no natural affection.

D. Hypocrites are the worse slaves. One who claims to be something he are not.

1. They have to live under the restraints and influence of true Christians and the Bible and yet they are not truly committed to Christ and by nature cannot truly enjoy the Christian life.

2. Their heart is just not in it. Christ and the Scriptures is not a real consolation to them and they do not by-in-large have true peace in they hearts.

The sacredness of the Bible and its truths are not their meat.
They must hide their true hearts.

3. What a terrible place to be in. Must act like and many times accept the things of God, and yet have no real conviction.

ILLUS: Charles Spurgeon said hypocrites are most confused and miserable people...they do not have courage enough and will to serve the Lord outwardly, or the courage outwardly to live for the devil.

They have to act like they believe something they really don't believe.
They must always be on guard.

Most Christians are very gracious toward the hypocrite. He is often patted on the back for a good deed, and yet in his heart deep down he knows he doesn't deserve the praise. There is never any true satisfaction or reward in his hollow deeds of good works.

It is much easier for a person in deep sin to be saved because he is open with his sin.