Keeping God at Arm's Length

Introduction

Meaning of Keeping someone at arm’s length

To avoid being very close to or friendly with someone or something

May have good reason

Toxic friends

Former partners

Toxic relatives

In the case of your relationship with God it’s

Maintaining a standard for God that does not interfere with the glory of self

Dangers of Keeping God at Arm’s Length

1. Spiritual Vacuum

When you keep God at arm’s length then you create an spiritual vacuum.

Nature abhors a vacuum - What is a vacuum

Any absence of a regular or expected person or thing WILL SOON BE FILLED by someone or something similar.

Matthew 12:43–45 ESV

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

2. Diminished Biblical-view and an ever increasing Worldview

Secular Worldview

Mankind is the ultimate norm by which truth and values are to be determined.

Biblical Worldview

Your understanding of who you are, how you are to live, and how you determine good from bad come from the teachings of the Bible.

What percent of Christians today hold a Biblical Worldview?

17% of Christians who consider their belief important and attend church regularly have a Biblical Word view

83% 61 - mixture of new age reality, 51 - not absolute truth, not one can know the meaning a purpose of life, 33 - government should control everything to make sure everyone gets their ‘fair share”, 29 - meaning and purpose come from working hard and living your best self.

Christians need to be more discerning

No longer normal to be a Christian in our culture

Christians are often living more as an extension of the secular world today than as a distinct light to it

Every thing has become very self-centered. You be you instead of what God has created you to be.

You got this instead of God is in control

Live you best life instead of live to give glory to God

Live your truth instead of obey THE Truth

Christian get mad when you point out false doctrine. You’re suppose to love one another

No guilt in habitually continuing in sin. Lives look no different than a non-believer

Unhealthy and unbiblical level of mixing political views with theological views and Christian identity. Regardless of what label you choose to give yourself.

Sexual immorality: shacking, gender fluidity identity under the guise of being loving

Jesus did not dine with sinners to show agreement with, or endorsement for their sin. He was providing a loving way for them to leave their sin for a much greater life in Him.

Choose between Bible and science with science being the more educated choice

In my own life in manifest itself as forgetting God’s promises, prayerlessness, unforgiveness, bitterness, or failing to know how I’m suppose to respond in an tough or unexpected moment

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Colossians 2:8 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

1 Peter 2:11–12 ESV

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

1 John 4:6 ESV

We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

We live is a culture where

Feelings are the ultimate guide

Happiness is the ultimate goal

Judging is the ultimate sin

God is the ultimate guest

and “Should” is an offensive word

How then to I NOT keep God at arm’s length

LOVE GOD

Matthew 22:36–40 ESV

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Note that Jesus said that Loving God is the greatest commandment.

ANY OTHER COMMAND MUST BE OBEYED WITHIN THAT CONTEXT

What is means to love others - depends on what it means to first Love God

To love God is not up for guesses. He has revealed how we should love Him in His Word

Matthew 23:37–38 ESV

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate.

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

1 John 5:2 ESV

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

1 John 2:3–6 ESV

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Luke 6:46 ESV

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Make a Deliberate, Conscience Decision to Study His Word

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Exercise Self-Deprivation

Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.