A Better Way
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Scripture
Scripture
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—
21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Main Idea: To maximize Christian living we must change the way we live and our perspective
Major questions in the Text:
Tension in the text:
Introduction:
Introduction:
This morning as believers, Paul offers us a bold NEW WAY to live for those who have entered into the Kingdom of God. He told us in the preceding verses that it is UNITY is the goal! Christ through his sacrifice on the cross has unified us to:
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
He has informed us that God loved us so much that when Jesus went back to the father he left gifts that would keep us connected and nurture the growth of his beloved church:
8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Paul is letting us know that God has created systems and position to bless the body and assist in it’s growth. This morning as we study, we see Paul giving instruction to help the people of God avoid the natural pitfalls of the flesh.
I. The Patterns of the Perishing
I. The Patterns of the Perishing
He reminds us that our status has changed and we no longer are to follow the PATTERNS of the PERISHING.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
This morning Paul is giving a PROTECTIVE and INSTRUCTIVE message. He is seeking to protect the church from the dangers of stagnate growth or lukewarm living.
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
In a search for gratification, many have left the one thing that would bring them happiness. Those things are the borders parameters, boundaries, covering and the direction of God. For it is the natural position of the flesh to move further and further away from God. Paul mentions in vs 17 “ The futility of their thinking. Intellectual arrogance is a condition that keeps many away from God. Paul says that arrogance darkens their hearts. The worst part is that they don’t even realize it. Romans 7:23;7:25;8;20
mataiotés: Vanity, futility, emptiness
Original Word: ματαιότης
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: mataiotés
Pronunciation: mah-tah-yot'-ace
Phonetic Spelling: (mat-ah-yot'-ace)
Definition: Vanity, futility, emptiness
Meaning: vanity, emptiness, unreality, purposelessness, ineffectiveness, instability, frailty; false religion.
Topical Lexicon
Usage: The word ματαιότης is used in the New Testament to describe the transient and futile nature of worldly pursuits and the emptiness of life apart from God. It is often associated with the concept of vanity in the sense of pursuing things that ultimately do not satisfy or have eternal value.
They have become callous and unrepentant to sin. The people Paul describe have become used to sinning and participating in activities that have detrimental results in the long term. Jesus even mentioned:
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus is literally telling us to look at the long term results of our behavior. He is warning the world not to pursue gratification today in short-sighted attempt for pleasure. Paul is telling us not to fall prey to harmful, sinful living.
We have people at all stages of their Christian walk and the following scriptures may be new. We are going to take time to read them together. To some God is going to give a fresh perspective. But I urge all of us to read with an open heart and an eager spiritual ear.
There is no casual or harmless sin!
1 Cor 6:18-20, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs 20:1, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
The Believer is REQUIRED to avoid sin
Romans 6:1-2 1 Cor 6:20 1 Corinthians 6:12, Romans 13:14, 1 Cor 10:23
Many people pursue intellectualism as a way to feel safe and superior and they fill themselves with knowledge but not God knowledge.
Paul lets us know that intellectual arrogance can lead to temporary gratification, has ultimately driven them farther away from God.
I A. Extra Scriptures
I A. Extra Scriptures
1 Cor 6:18-20, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs 20:1, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
II. Lukewarm Living
II. Lukewarm Living
19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
Paul says they have “Lost all sensitivity”
This means they have lost all moral and spiritual conscience. They are like frogs in water. The standards of morality become negotiable and they are eased.
What Paul is telling us is that immoral and unGodly behavior doesn’t always manifest overnight. Sometimes it’s a process. To become desensitized takes time. If something is lukewarm, the indication is that it was once Hot. And here’s the indicator that this is happening….. Persistent Dissatisfaction with a constant insatiable lustful desire. Vs 19 in the NIV says “ A constant lust for more”
Power Principle: Lust is not always sensual. Sometimes it is Aspirational. It remains unsatisfied.
Paul is encouraging believers to pursue a different life and a different worldview fueled by Kingdom directives. Paul is offering a better way to live! Paul is encouraging us to put on the new man.
We must be careful not to mistake the overly religious man for the new man. This means that you need the right influences to live the correct way that God wants to live. There is a worldview in culture, There are worldviews even in the church, But I want a worldview of the kingdom. What do you mean?
Worldviews in Conflict
The Culture seeks freedom from God
The Carnal seek freedom and God
The Disciple seeks freedom in God!
The Culture seeks freedom from God
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
The Carnal seek freedom and God
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
The Disciple seeks freedom in God!
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Each Particular worldview prompts a particular response which reaps a specific harvest.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Always Remember
Sinners pursue sin for happiness
Religious seek moves of God
Disciples see God himself
Paul is telling us that
15 while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
III. The Remedy
III. The Remedy
Paul is calling the believer to a Higher standard of living. He is encouraging them to MAKE THE CHOICE to follow the path of Life! The choice is OURS!
20 But you have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
