Moral

Intro: We cannot change the past, but we can begin now to become the man God wants us to be. What you have gone over:

1. Family

2. Personal

3. Relational

4. Moral

1. Being Generous

1 Timothy 3:3 “not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”

Some researchers tell us the average Christian give less than two percent of their income to the work of the Lord.

It is always surprising to discover those who appear to be spiritual leaders that do not support the church financially at all. Being able to be a man of generosity one must commit his finances to the control of the Lord.

God loves those who give cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.”

There are guidelines that should direct our generosity:

1. Put God first.

2. Be honest

3. Help others - Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”

4. Give to support God’s work:

Regularly - 1 Corinthians 16:1–2 “Now about the collection for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.”

Proportionately - 1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.”

2. Being Just and Upright

Titus 1:8 “but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just , holy, self-controlled,”

Just - “Right toward men”

New Testament writers used the word ‘just” in two ways:

First, to become “just” describes what happens when we are saved.

Second, to be “just” describes the way we should live after we are saved.

Obviously, Paul had the second meaning in mind when he used “just” to describe a quality of Christian maturity.

It describes a person who does what is right and fair. In every area of our lives, we should demonstrate this trait.

This should be true in the workplace, if we own a business, in how we treat employees and customers.

A good Biblical example of a “just” man is Joseph. When he learned that Mary was pregnant, he was going to divorce her quietly. He was going to do what was right in a kind way.

In order to be a “just” person, we must first be justified.

That comes from a personal relationship with Christ.

We need to recognize our need for a Savior because we are all sinful Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;”

And we must call on God to be saved Romans 10:9–10 “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”

3. Loving God with Your Whole Heart

Titus 1:8 “but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled,”

2 Timothy 3:1–4 “But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,”

In 2 Timothy 3:1-4 Paul warns us of the things that will interfere with our love for God. They are:

1. A lover of oneself - Not being a lover of ourselves does not mean we have a poor self-image.

We cannot function as a mature believer without a proper view of ourselves. Of all people, Christians should have a good self-image. We know that we are valuable because we are made in the image of God. Being a lover of oneself is a view that everything is about us.

Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” C.S. Lewis

2. A lover of money - Being a lover of money means that money has become our focus. Life revolves around material things. We desire and pursue becoming rich.

Paul warns: 1 Timothy 6:9 “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.”

3. A lover of pleasure - Being a lover of pleasure will consume us and fill our lives with lust and desire.

God has provided marriage and the marriage bed to meet our needs for intimacy and pleasure.

We must resist the temptation of having these desires met outside of our wives.

Hebrews 12:1–2 - … let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

4. A hater of good - Hating what is good is the hating of Christian values.

The world and its values run contrary to God’s values. We live in a cultural battle.

We need to guard our hearts to ensure that we do not get misdirected by the world’s values. When we love what is good, we are loving God.

We can see this in commands given in Scripture.

Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 8:28–29 - We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son… 4