The Blessed Man is Not

Blessed

Happy — To consider fortunate.

If before the noun, it is translated as Blessed; often after a noun it is translated happy.

Proverbs 14:21 “21 He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.”

Proverbs 16:20 “20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.”

Proverbs 29:18 “18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.”

True Joy, happiness is only found in the Lord

Psalm 16:11 “11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

John 15:11 “11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Romans 15:13 “13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Walks not in the Counsel of the Wicked.

Walk Counsel

Here is a term of movement. It is someone who has heard of something and think to try it. It is the first step.

Counsel — respected advice

Here is the area where we first give up. We start to listen and consider the words of the world, their wisdom.

Compromise (By Os Guiness)

Assumption — Another authority is assumed to have truth.

Here is the start and the easiest to see from the outside.

What was believed that caused a changed. Who did they listen to, where did they go for counsel? What books were read?

What differs from before? One or two key points.

The Church has failed so we must change how we do church.

The church is run by God, to change church is to go against God. It is His body and He is the one who promises to build it.

The World has become Modern. Man is no longer primitive, so we must....

We have studied, tested and seen....

Experience has taught us over time....

Abandonment — Previously held truth is dropped.

This truth is usually biblical truth. The wisdom of Eternal God is set aside.

Adoption — A process of shifting occurs as this truth influences all other truth.

To harmonize our belief system, much will change, if not in theory, than in practice.

Lip service is still given to the old truths, but the new truths guide our feet.

Assimilation — The Old system of belief is adsorbed into the New system.

This is what we have always believed!

Discernment:

What is being said? Look for the buzz words… (new paradigm, new dynamic…)

Who or Where is the bottom line.

Modernity cares about two things most. Money and Self.

Does this glorify God or Man?

Follow the bouncing ball.

Look where the movement came from. ( Weak areas, doctrines, errors will often promulgate.)

What has changed at the present time?

Check for contemporary conceit.

Newer is not better, or wiser, or more powerful, especially in Spiritual matters. (God is eternal, His truths never change.)

What is overlooked?

Is there a doctrine, teaching that would contradict this?

Is there something that is being repressed or redefined?

Knowing Doctrine and doctrine over time is important.

Find the tension.

Faith is like a trampoline with truth at the center.

Psalm 119:160 “160 The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

Remember the Foundations. (Psalm 11:3 “3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” )

Found in the Bible Alone. (Truth from other sources is the quickest route to error.)

Matthew 7:13–16 “13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”

Clearly taught in Scripture?

Essential to saving Faith?

Doctrines we are forbidden to pains of damnation.

1 John 1:8 “8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

1 John 1:6 “6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

1 John 4:2–3 “2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

2 John 7 “7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

1 Corinthians 16:22 “22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!”

Is it summed up in Jesus Christ? 1 Corinthians 3:11 “11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Does it rest on Justification in Christ alone, through grace alone, by faith alone? Galatians 1:9 “9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

Stand Way

Standing is to stay in a place. You might not have joined them completely in running to do evil, but you now stand with those who run, cheering them on in your hearts.

Way of sinners. — Here is the path of the unrighteous, yet you find yourself agree with them, supporting their decisions.

Jude 15 “15 to execute judgment on all,

to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds (advice, counsel of the wicked is not convicted)

which they have committed in an ungodly way, (Their way was ungodly…)

and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”” (They scoffed at Him.)

Sits in the seat of the Scoffer

Sits — A place of rest. You have chooses to sit down, and to dwell on a regular bases here.

Scoffers

These are unrepentant, publicly vocal, set to do evil.

Proverbs 9:7 “7 “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.”

Proverbs 13:1 “1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”

Proverbs 21:24 “24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.”

2 Peter 3:3–6 “3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.”