Sola Scriptura
Notes
Transcript
Is the Word of God Sufficient?
Is the Word of God Sufficient?
Defense of Sola Scriptura
Defense of Sola Scriptura
-What is Sola Scriptura?
Wikipedia: Sola scriptura (by scripture alone in English) is a theological doctrine held by some Protestant Christian Denominations that the Christian Scriptures are the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice.
sola scriptura rejects any original infallible authority other than the Bible. In this view, all subordinate authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures and is therefore subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible. Church councils, preachers, Bible commentators, private revelation, or even a message allegedly from an angel or an apostle are not an original authority alongside the Bible in the sola scriptura approach.
Ligonier Ministries:
The Reformation principle of sola Scriptura has to do with the sufficiency of Scripture as our supreme authority in all spiritual matters. Sola Scriptura simply means that all truth necessary for our salvation and spiritual life is taught either explicitly or implicitly in Scripture.
Westminster Confession of Faith:
The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.”
Martin Luther said “a simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it”
John Calvin:
But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the church. As if the eternal and inviolable truth of God depended upon the decision of men!
William Tyndale:
I defy the Pope and all his laws . . . if God spare my life ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough, shall know more of the scripture than thou doest.”
Sola Scriptura means that the Bible is sufficient. It is all we need to know God.
Attacks on Sola Scriptura
Attacks on Sola Scriptura
Is the Bible sufficient for us today?
-we live in an age of constant attacks on the sufficiency of Scripture
-While many claim that they believe the Bible is authoritative and inerrant, many do not live as if they believe the Bible is sufficient (all that we need)
-So many Christians today claim that they receive direct revelation from God
Linda Fehl, founder of Rapha Ranch, sells a tape with a song titled, “The Holy Ghost.” She says the song was given to her by the Holy Spirit as she was being healed of cancer. An editor for a Christian publisher once told me he receives submissions every week from charismatics who claim God inspired them to write their book, article, song, or poem. My editor friend noted that the manuscripts are often poorly written, filled with bad grammar, marred by factual and logical errors, or full of poems that either mutilate the language or attempt to rhyme but just miss.
What about Harold Camping, and many like him, who claimed he knew the day that the Lord was coming back. He made a prediction … and was wrong.
A somewhat well-known Baptist Theologian named Roger Olson, claims “Second, there’s what I call “conversional piety”–the personal relationship with Jesus Christ in which God may speak directly to a Christian’s heart/mind giving guidance and direction beyond scripture.”
-Unfortunately, claims like this are made frequently even in conservative Christian circles. People even in our kinds of churches end up with a “God told me . . .” or “God said to me . . .” kind of theology or language.
-We feel as if we need special visits from God, or an audible voice from God
-We sometimes say things like “I was sitting in the airport, and God spoke to me and said ‘go witness to that man over there.’”
-As stated earlier, many books and songs have been written by people who claim that God told them to write these things
-False teachers like Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland and many others go around claiming that God speaks directly to them and gives them direct revelation
-So often, Christians claim that they hear God speaking to them
-All you have to do is go to google it
“The first time, I was napping and my name was called out to wake me up in time to pick up my daughter from school. The second time, I was in church and prayed for my mother to be baptized. I clearly heard, ‘Your request is already granted.’ Three months later, my mother joined the Lutheran church and was baptized. The third time, I was in the hospital experiencing pain in my back. I clearly heard a gentle voice say, ‘Jesus’ back hurt worse than this!’”
“There is no specific time to hear God’s voice since he is a constant in my life… Sometimes it is a prompting to ‘do it this way’ or ‘at this time.’ Other times a phrase on TV will answer an ongoing problem. That’s when I usually say, ‘Ok, God, I get it!”
Our administrative assistant Corlette Ruffin gave us an example of what happens when one doesn’t listen to that insistent voice. One evening, she was in bed when a friend called to ask for a ride to work. Corlette grabbed her keys and—still in her PJs—hopped in her car. She heard a voice shout, “Put on some clothes!” but she ignored it. After all, it would be a short trip, and she’d stay in the car. Well, halfway there, her car hit a pothole and blew a tire. A kind stranger pulled over to help. “The worst bag lady would have looked red-carpet-ready compared to what I looked like,” Corlette said. “I just kept thinking back, I really should have listened to the Lord!”
-For other Christians, they want a feeling from God
-This is why Christians often seek spiritual highs
-They will re-dedicate themselves to the Lord over and over again
-Or they will constantly get reassurance of salvation
-They are struggling emotionally, and need something to give them a kickstart
With all the ambiguity of how God speaks to us, I want to ask the question today: Is the word of God truly all I need?
2 Timothy 3:13-15
2 Timothy 3:13-15
Paul is writing to his son in the faith, Timothy, shortly before Paul is going to die
Vs. 13
-Evil men will grow worse and worse
-This is referring to vs. 1-9
-These are men who are characterized as lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, etc.
-These are men who take advantage of others
-Men who are always resisting the truth
-Men who have corrupt minds
Vs. 14
-In contrast, Timothy is instructed to continue in the things he has learned and been assured of, as well as knowing whom he has learned these things from
-What did he learn, and who did he learn it from?
-Let’s answer the second question first
-We know that Timothy had learned primarily from Paul
-He is called Paul’s son in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2)
-Timothy also learned from his godly mother Eunice and godly grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5)
-Paul describes these women as having a sincere faith.
So, what has he learned that he needs to continue in?
Vs. 15
-Whatever has been taught him by his godly mother and grandmother, and definitely what has been taught to him by the Apostle Paul is based on Scripture
-He tells Timothy that you have known the Holy Scriptures from childhood!
-Timothy grew up having the OT taught to him from the youngest age
-Notice how Paul wants him to continue in the Scriptures though!
-Just because you’ve grown up in church, hearing the word of God at home and at church, doesn’t mean you’re good!
-You might feel like you’ve heard it all before, and you now you’ve got it!
-First of all though, I highly doubt you remember everything in the whole Bible
-But secondly, we always need to be listening to and receiving the Word of God
-I’m going through pride to humility with the teens and with my mission trip group
-Every time I go through it, I’m rebuked
-We MUST continue in the Scriptures
Notice what the Scriptures do:
-“which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ”
-The Scriptures are sufficient for salvation
-We must receive the Scriptures in faith, but it is even the Scriptures which help produce faith in us
-Here’s what the Bible teachers about how Scripture leads us to salvation:
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
We see then, that Scripture is what is necessary for someone to repent and place their faith in Christ
-There is no need for visions of God, audible messages from God, or anything of the like. The Word of God is what produces saving faith in people.
-The Scriptures, or someone teaching us the truth of Scripture, is what God uses to bring us to salvation
-That’s why catchy phrases like “preach the Gospel wherever you go, use words if necessary” is complete baloney
-No one gets saved purely by you being a nice person!
-If you don’t share the Gospel with them, they will go to hell thinking you’re a nice person
-The Scripture shows someone how they can pass from death to life
Why does the word of God lead to salvation?
-one of the biggest reasons is because the whole Bible points to Jesus Christ
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Even in John 1, John calls Jesus the Word of God
-Why?
-Because Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God
-He is the fulfillment of all Scripture, in that the whole of Scripture ultimately points to Him
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
All people need Jesus, and He is found in the Scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Vs. 16
-All Scripture
-This mainly speaks of the OT, but also would include the teachings of Christ, and can also include the whole NT
-Already by this time, Paul was quoting Christ and calling it Scripture (1 Timothy 5:18), and Peter talks of Paul’s writing as Scripture (2 Peter 3:16)
-All Scripture is given by inspiration
-the literal translation is that it is “God-breathed”
-All Scripture is given to us by direct revelation from God
-Scripture is God’s self-revelation
-Although we can look at creation around us and see God’s eternal power and God-head, there is so much about God we can never learn just by looking at creation around us
-Therefore, God chose to reveal Himself to us
-This does not contain everything to possibly know about God, since how can a book with a finite amount of books, chapters, and verses fully describe and detail an infinite God?
-But this book does contain everything that God wants us to know about Himself and His plan, and it is given directly by Him, through Spirit-filled men
-Because it is from God, it is therefore infallible and inerrant, since our holy, righteous, and truthful God is not capable of confirming or giving anything contrary to truth.
-Every last part of the Bible is inspired by God. From Genesis to Revelation, from OT to NT, from history, prophecy, poetry, wisdom literature, Gospel, Epistle, and Apocalyptic Literature, all of it is inspired and God-breathed
-It is authoritative in our lives
-We don’t argue with the Bible
-We don’t negotiate with the Bible
-We don’t edit the Bible
-We don’t add to the Bible
-We don’t take away from the Bible
-We don’t pick and choose what we like and don’t like in the Bible
-We don’t reinterpret the Bible to fit our needs or desires
-We submit to it, we reverence it, we heed it, we love it, BECAUSE it is the very Word of God Almighty
-There are so many churches today, and small groups, community groups, Bible studies, group chats, etc. where its a “let’s just all get together without any kind of judgment and let’s just all discuss this passage and how it makes us feel and what it means to me, where no one is wrong and every feeling or interpretation is valid.”
-Absolutely not! The Bible is to be studied expositorily, in context, seeking to understand God’s intended message and purpose, and NOT every interpretation is equally valid or correct. God’s word is not based on your feelings or what you think it should mean to you. We do not reshape the Bible, the Bible reshapes us
Furthermore, All Scripture is profitable
-it is useful
-I once heard a famous atheist say that if you go into any bookstore in America, and pick up any book on the shelf, it would be more helpful and relevant than the Bible or other holy books
-Baloney!
-The Bible is the most relevant, helpful, and authoritative book in human history. It always has been and always will be
-Maybe a more modern, southern view: I was at waffle house, and an older lady who was a waitress told me something to the effect of: “I loved this one church I used to go to because my pastor told tons of stories about his life. It was just awesome and relatable. I don’t wanna go to a church where all they do is talk about the Bible and this verse and this chapter.”
-My friends, all the motivational speeches, all the wisdom that the smartest men and women can muster in all the world is not more helpful or profitable than the most seemingly insignificant or obscure passage in all of Scripture. I would rather someone come up here to the pulpit and read from Leviticus or one of the geneologies than the most sought after motivational speaker in the world come and give it their best shot at imparting wisdom.
-Scripture is profitable and useful for what?
Doctrine and reproof:
-This is the positive and the negative
-Doctrine is what is right
-What does the word of God say
-I know that many people get weird idea when they hear the word “theology”
-Maybe you think of a stuffy professor arguing or debating some obscure fact of the Bible. When I was young, I thought something similar
-I want to encourage you, if you think that theology is irrelevant or not important, than my dear brother or sister, you need to mature out of that kind of thinking
-The truth of the Word of God on matters such as the Deity of Christ, His Incarnation, His Death, His Resurrection, His Second Coming, how to be saved, how to live holy lives, etc. are often matters of physical and spiritual life and death
-You need to be a life-long student of doctrine, always seeking to know God better through the truths of His word
Reproof:
-What is wrong
-The Bible corrects our mistakes and often our bad theology
-I guarantee that every single person here believes something that is unbiblical
-But how will you ever know that if you don’t study the word of God
-I remember a couple months ago, I was listening to a sermon on Spotify at the gym, and the speaker started out by saying “here’s what the Bible says on this issue.” And I thought to myself, “I don’t think that’s what the Bible actually says. He’s gonna really have to show me a convincing argument from Scripture to have me believe that.”
-20 minutes later, I had realized I was dead wrong on what I used to believe
-The bible shows us what is wrong. Reproof
Correction and Instruction in Righteousness:
-This is once again dealing with the positive and negative aspects of something, and these 2 things point us more to the practical side of daily living that flows out of our theology
Correction:
-how to get right
-The word of God rebukes me for my bad theology and my bad living, so then how do I fix it?
-The word of God is profitable for that
-it teaches us how to get on the right path
-“how shall a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed according to Your word.” Psalm 119:9
-As Christians, we need constant correction
-I remember as a young kid, we went to some amusement park, and there was a ride where 2 passengers got in this tiny car, and you would actually get to drive it. The cars were self-propelling, so it was constantly going forward. But there was a rail that would keep the cars on track. So if you didn’t stay on course, you would just constantly bump the rail. I rode on it with one of my parents, and was very small, but I remember, I couldn’t stay on track. And so we were constantly bumping on this rail.
-The word of God corrects us. It has the ability to keep us on track and set us right when we submit to it in humility
Instruction in Righteousness:
-it teaches how to stay right with God
-We need to continually be instructed
-We need constant wisdom from God’s word
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
So the Bible is profitable for:
-doctrine
-reproof
-correction
-instruction in righteousness
Or:
-what’s right
-what’s wrong
-how to get right
-and how to stay right
To what end?
-“That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”
-The word of God makes us complete
-What does that mean?
-the next phrase answers that question
-“thoroughly equipped for every good work”
-the Word of God equips us to live rightly, to live wholeheartedly for God
-Now I’m not much of an outdoorsy person
-I have 2 friends that are though: their names are Justin and Jeremy
-They’ve tried to talk me into maybe going on a camping trip with them before, and it’s just not something that sounds all that fun to me
-Fun trips include wifi, AC, a really nice bed, TV, a hot tub, and a beach
-I’ve suggested maybe us going to a hotel and me staying in a room and opening the window, and then they can sleep in a tent outside in the parking lot. That sounds more fun to me
-But let’s just say that I decide to go with them on a week long camping trip in the mountains of North Carolina
-I show up at the spot we’re going to start, and I have a tank top, shorts, flip flops, and 1 granola bar and a bottle of water for the week.
-I am not very well equipped or ready for what is coming this next week!
-I need to be equipped, and then trained on how to do all the wilderness-y stuff necessary to survive!
God’s Word equips us for every good work!
-How do I become mature in Christ?
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
-How do I keep from sin?
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
-How do I become a person of understanding and wisdom?
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
-How do I become a disciple of Christ, and someone who sees things for how they really are?
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
How do I become a successful Christian in my walk with Christ?
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
How can I bear fruit as a Christian in all situations?
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
How can I have joy in the Lord?
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
How can I be a Christian is effective in good works and in ministry?
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
How can I be sanctified for use for the Master?
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
-You may be asking “Scripture is great! But what I really want is to experience something! To hear something from the Lord audibly or to see something. I really need an experience like that!
we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
We have something more sure than even personal experience — we have the written word of God.
-Well, surely God still speaks to us directly right?
-In countries where there is little to no access at all to the Word of God, sometimes God does use dreams or visions. But these seem to a lot of times be just to point someone to where they can find a Bible or meet a Christian.
But by and large, no, God does not speak directly to people anymore today.
-How can you say that?
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
If God were to still appear and speak directly to individuals, that would mean it is just as authoritative as Scripture is. God cannot REALLY mean something in Scripture, and then only kind of mean something when He speaks to people
-Since God is not giving continuing revelation and adding to the Bible, then God is not speaking to people like that still today
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
“If you want to hear God speak, read the Bible. If you want to hear Him speak audibly, read it out loud.”
Charles Spurgeon said that in his ministry, there was not a week that went by that he didn’t have people come to his office claiming to have a message from the Lord to him. His words are very blunt and direct, and I won’t read all of them except these few sentences.
“Whatever is to be revealed by the Spirit to any of us is in the Word of God already—He adds nothing to the Bible, and never will. Let persons who have revelations of this, that, and the other, go to bed and wake up in their senses. I only wish they would follow the advice and no longer insult the Holy Spirit by laying their nonsense at His door.”
2 Timothy 4:1-2
2 Timothy 4:1-2
Verse 1
-Paul is charging Timothy with something very very important
-He’s charging him before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead
-what is this all important charge?
PREACH THE WORD!
Why?
-Because this is the God-ordained way that people get saved and that Christians grow in faith and maturity
-This is one reason it’s so important to be faithful to the preaching and teaching of your local body!
-You must be here to hear the word of God faithfully exposited each and every service. This goes on Sunday school, worship service, afternoon service, and Wednesday nights
-When the word of God is exposited, you need to be there
-Furthermore, even beyond that, you can meet with your discipler to study the Word
-You can maybe get a group of men or ladies from our church and study the word
-Find someone, someone you really respect for their walk with the Lord, and beg them to teach you
-There’s also a wealth of good teaching and preaching available for free
-Go to Pastor and ask him to recommend some good preachers to listen to through the week
Why do that??
-Because we NEED the word!!
Why is preaching the word so important?
-Because the time is coming when sound preaching won’t be endured, but people are going to want teachers to scratch their itching ears, and will be turned aside to fables (vs. 3-4)
-We must be in the word, and be under the teaching and preaching of the word if we want to be all that God wants us to be!
of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
-What a sobering passages
-Brothers and sisters, maybe there are some of us here who ought to be teachers by this time, being able to really disciple others. Maybe having been saved for years, and yet we are still infants because we are not really seeking God in the word
Do you see how important Scripture is??
-We believe in the Sola Scriptura
-Scripture alone
-It is sufficient and necessary for us
-We need the Word of God
Application
Application
Stop seeking any kind of direct or special revelation
-There is no need to seek hearing God’s voice. This is not only misleading, but can be highly dangerous
-“If you wish to hear God speak, read the Bible. If you wish to hear God speak audibly, read it out loud”
-Stop seeking any kind of visions or dreams.
-God has spoken through His Word
2. Stop worshipping kinds of feelings or spiritual experiences
-It is not wrong to feel joyful
-It is not wrong to feel supremely happy and content
-It’s not wrong to feel overflowing during a worship service or while singing to God
-These things are not wrong, and I hope you do feel these ways at time
-We ought to worship in spirit and in truth. I am not in any way advocating an emotionless Christianity. Not in any way
-But this is not the ultimate test of your relationship with the Lord.
-I get nervous when people talk much of “sensing His presence.”
-We have God’s presence. He abides with us forever through His Holy Spirit (John 14:16 )
-Stop making your Christianity all about your feelings and emotions
-Put that energy into knowing God through His revealed Word
-Forgiveness isn’t a feeling
-Salvation isn’t a feeling
-Holiness is not a feeling
-Being close with God is not a feeling
-This also means: stop seeking some spiritual kickstart every couple weeks or months when you don’t “feel close to God anymore”
-There are people who constantly re-dedicate themselves to the Lord
-Or they get assurance of their salvation
-Or they go to camp and make some kind of decision for Christ
-These things can be very good!
-But we must never look to these things as shortcuts to godliness or holiness.
-Oftentimes they can become ways of trying to become a mature Christian without dedicating ourselves to the Word of God (1 Peter 2:1-2)
3. Stop seeking to find God’s will in mystical ways
-We often try to discern God’s will through our feelings
-“I just don’t have peace about this.” Or “I have peace about this.”
-Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24)
-What people often mean is “I don’t feel good about this.” Or, “I do feel good about this.”
-Does God call us to do things we don’t “have peace about?”
-Have you ever confronted someone over there sin?? It’s terrifying and heart wrenching
-Have you ever witnessed to someone that was super intimidating?
-Your feelings should not be your primary guide for discerning God’s will
-Can God use our feelings or intuition? Yes! Does He promise to guide us with that infallibly? Absolutely not.
-Stop seeking God’s will through “signs”
-Marshall Islands illustration
-Don’t “put out a fleece”
-If I pass 3 red cars on the way to the gas station, then I know God will want me to take that job
-Brothers and sisters, that is not how we discern God’s will for our lives
-What is God’s will for my life?
-saved (John 3:3 )
-Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:18 )
-sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3 )
-submissive (1 Peter 2:13-15 )
-suffering (1 Peter 5:10)
- “but I want to know God’s sovereign will, or what’s called His secret will”
-You can’t, so stop trying!
-Use your biblically renewed mind (Romans 12:2) and think. Pray. Read the Word. See the counsel of those who are praying and reading the word. And make a decision, trusting God’s sovereignty (Prov. 3:5-6, Psalm 32:8)
4. Be a Word-centered family
-Husbands and fathers, you must be the leader of this in your home
-Men, be the lead theologizer in your home
-Do you lead your wife and your children in a love and devotion for the word in your home? (1 Peter 2:1-2)
-Are you devoted to the word men?
-Do you have time everyday where you study God’s word?
-Are you listening closely to the preaching of the word of God?
-Do your wife and kids find you studying the word at home
-Do you take time to teach your wife and children the word of God? (Hebrews 10:25)
-Do you put the responsibility of bringing your family to church consistently on yourself, or do you let it slip or put it on your wife?
-Maybe you say, “I don’t want to be legalistic about church. I don’t want my family to think that church is more important than them.”
-First of all, that’s not biblical thinking (Hebrews 10:25)
-Secondly, your wife and children NEED to be under the sound preaching and teaching of the word
-I would encourage you, every now and then, sit your wife and kids down and explain to them why you’re so faithful to church and why it’s such a big deal
-Tell them, “The reason we go to church every time our church meets is because God commands it. And furthermore, I love God. I love God and I love His people. And we don’t have ANYTHING more important going on than meeting with His people and hearing the truth of His word. There is nothing more important to me than that. And furthermore, I love all of you so much, that I want that for you as well.”
-Are longing to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord through the word (Psalm 27:4), are do you go home and sit in front of the TV after a long day of work.
-Men, maybe it’s time to stop coming home every day and sitting in front of the TV for hours, and instead go and study the word, or listen to a sermon, or watch the kids for your wives while they go and spend time in the Word.
-Moms and wives, are you women of the Word?
-What drives your thinking more? The latest blog post or reality show about some mom or family? Or does the word?
-Do you parent according to the standards of God’s word, bringing your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), or do you parent according to the newest fad?
-Does your submissive attitude towards your husband reflect the truths of the Word of God found in Ephesians 5:22-24, or today’s culture and society. Do you submit to your husband as the church submits to Christ?
-Are you more influenced by touchy feely books or TV shows or novels, or by the truth of God’s word which sanctifies us? (John 17:17)
-Is your speech kind and edifying according according to Ephesians 4:29, or do you “say it how it is” or let the “mama bear come out?”
-Does the way you handle your finances reflect the standards of the word of God in sacrificial giving as Jesus commands in Luke 6:30, or are we more influenced by the American dream or Dave Ramsey or the latest financial fad?
-Does the Bible shape the way you view your status in this world and how you ought to submit to governing authorities and love others according Romans 13:1-3 and Romans 12:14, or does Fox News or CNN shape your heart in this area?
-College kids, does the Word of God mold you into loving service for others around you Philippians 2:3-4, or have you bought into the world’s lie that college is all about you and your grades?
-Teenagers, do you seek after God through the Word and let your affections be shaped by it to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37) . . . or do you let youtube, Netflix, and video games dominate your life?
-Do you allow the Bible humble you into submission to your parents and authorities (Ephesians 6:1-3), or do you let other influences lead you to believe that it’s ok and normal to argue with your parents.
-Does the Word of God shape how you think of sexual purity (1 Thess. 4:3), or does TV and romance novels influence you to think certain things are ok when they’re not.
-Older people, does the Word of God drive you into passionate service for God, disciple-making, Bible study, and prayer, to be abounding in the work of the Lord as best you can with the strength you have (1 Cor. 15:58) . . . or have you bought into the American dream mentality that tells you that you can take it easy now that you’re retired, because you’ve earned the right to live however you want now.
-Pastors and Deacons, does the Word of God drive us to passionately serve our local church for His glory alone (1 Timothy 3), or have we allowed our comfort and ease to cause us to not serve faithfully, loving and caring for others, being examples to the flock in our own faithfulness to church, to the word, and to personal holiness