What Does God's Word Provide for the Christian--Part five
What Does God's Word Provide for the Christian? • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
1. True understanding of the Scriptures should be the reason we study them.
1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding; 2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law. 3 When I was my father’s son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, 4 He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live. 5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
A. This should drive us to buy the truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding and sell it not.
23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
1. The truth is the bases for the other three.
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
A. The truth was written for our learning and this is where wisdom, and instruction and understanding comes from.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1. Wisdom is being thoroughly equipped for every good work and it comes through prayer and study of God’s word.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
A. Instruction and understanding are what make up wisdom and are also dividends of study.
1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
B. It is through this endeavor that we become pleasing to God and learn how to rightly divide His world.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1. It is also through this procedure that we learn not to twist the scriptures to our own destruction.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
A. It is also through this procedure that we grow in grace and knowledge.
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Body:
1. God’s word provides everything the Christian needs to understand the Scriptures and avoid twisting them.
A. God’s provides the means through His Word for his servants to have the right heart condition.
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.
1. It is through the renewing of your mind that you produce the right heart condition within yourself.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
A. God provided Christ through the Word to be our example of how to have the right heart condition or attitude.
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
1. When we follow His example we learn how to have the right heart condition which is key to both understand and learning not to twist the scriptures.
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
B. Time spent with God’s Word is necessary for both understand and learning not to twist the Scriptures.
1. In the NKJV Psalm 119 mentions the word meditation or a variant of it 8 times.
2. In the NKJV of the book of Psalms the word meditation or a variant is mentioned 12 more times.
3. The word teach or a variant is in the NKJV of Psalms and Proverbs a total of 31 times and usually refers to being taught by God.
4. The word instruction or a variant is in the NKJV of Psalms and Proverbs a total of 32 times and usually refers to being instructed by God.
5. These principles are also in the New Testament.
1. Meditation on God’s Word.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
2. To be taught or instructed by God.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
6. Faith comes from these things.
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
7. Discipleship comes from learning how to be instructed and taught by God.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
8. Time spent with God’s Word is necessary to obtain understand and learn not to twist His Word.
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
C. Learning to love the truth is necessary for both understanding and learning not to twist the Scriptures.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
1. If you do not love the truth then you will not be saved because if you do not love the truth then you have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
A. It is in loving the truth that we will diligently seek God by faith.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
B. It is in loving the truth that we will seek first the kingdom of God.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
C. It is in loving the truth that we will love Christ and keep His commandments.
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
D. It is in loving the truth that we will give diligence to present ourselves approved to God and rightly divide the word of truth.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
E. It is in loving the truth that we will be willing to be sanctified by it.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
F. It is in loving the truth that we will desire not to twist the word of God.
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
G. It is in loving the truth that we will desire to come to know and understand the truth.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Conclusion:
1. Are you taking advantage of what God has provided through His word so that you can understand the Scriptures?
A. Is your heart condition right?
B. Are you spending enough time with God?
C. Do you love the truth enough to truly desire what is right?