A Different Spirit
Philadelphia Baptist Church
8/26/2007 Sun. p.m.
A Different Spirit
Matthew 5:38–44
Introduction:
Christians are too often satisfied to be unlike the world in the way they look, but our “unlikeness” is something far deeper than that!
In fact, the teaching of Scripture is far different from the teaching of the world in which we live. Make no mistake about it.
I. The Spirit of the Christian Is to Be Different
A. Matthew 5:38–44
1. This is one of the most radical sections in the Bible
2. Many make the mistake of stopping with a literal interpretation
3. We must look beyond—this describes a spirit
Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth comes from several Old Testament passages (Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21); they are called the law of retaliation. This law was given to protect the innocent and to make sure retaliation did not occur beyond the offense. Jesus pointed out, however, that while the rights of the innocent were protected by the Law, the righteous need not necessarily claim their rights.
B. Matthew 6:19–21
1. This also involves very radical teaching
2. This runs totally contrary to the general spirit of our day
3. This deals with a spirit regarding possessions, wealth, etc.
C. 1 Corinthians 6:1–8
1. This section speaks to the whole area of litigation
2. This philosophy is again counter to the spirit of our age
3. The spirit involved is summarized in verse 7b
D. Romans 12:17–21
1. Our natural tendency is to retaliate, etc.
2. Our spirit is in view here as well—a spirit that seeks to overcome evil with good
II. The Reasons Why Our Spirit Is to Be Different
A. We are citizens of a different country—we operate under a different set of laws
B. We are products of a different culture—we have the foreigner’s struggle with culture
C. We are tied to a different standard—society has various standards of conduct
D. God is our source—we can go against the world’s culture because we are not dependent on it
E. We are driven by a higher motivation—our purpose is (or ought to be) to glorify God instead of what drives our society
F. We work with different priorities—we have (or should have) a different set of things that are important
G. We expect different rewards—“They have their reward” summarizes our society, but we are seeking an eternal reward
III. The Implications of Our Different Spirit
A. It changes how we think
1. Christianity is a thinking man’s religion
2. The most common problem is that we don’t think enough
3. Christians ought to first think differently
B. It changes how we approach life
1. Our lives have another dimension
2. Everything ought to be filtered through the grid of our different spirit
3. There are some important questions we always need to ask—what would the Lord have me do in this situation?
C. It changes how we act
1. There is a specific relationship between thinking and conduct
2. This has a very specific effect on our lives—what we do and don’t do about particular situations
D. It changes how we view philosophy
1. It should make us very leery of worldly philosophies
2. Some specific effects:
a. Be careful of “how to” books
b. Be careful of counsel
c. Be careful of “good business practice”
Conclusion:
Paul neatly summarizes in 1 Corinthians 2:12 the spirit that ought to characterize us.