ENCROACHMENT OF DECEITFUL PHILOSOPHIES - Part 1 - Acceptance

This is a general statement I have heard through the years from believers that go to other churches that may have been in a more traditional baptist type church when they were younger.

“I was never happy.”

“I never had a good view of myself.”

“I never was free.”

“Now I don’t feel guilty anymore.”

The honest truth is - a life of a person who is following God can have peace, joy, and contentment. As a matter of fact, God’s Word says that is what our live in Christ should be like.

But there is a philosophy that has creeped into the church, into lives, that is how we ought to feel all the time.

The Bible is not a book that teaches that. While, as we said, God wants us to have peace, joy, and contentment in our lives - He does not want you to have those things in the midst of your sin.

There are several philosophies that have gained popularity in society that are also influencing the churches. The first one we are are going to talk about - and its important because of how especially decieving this philosophy can be and that is ACCEPTANCE.

On the surface the word acceptance does seem to a problem. Should we not be accepting. Should we not accept a person for who they are before God. How could there be a problem with that?

I. Defining acceptance

Let’s look at the definitions that are related to our use of the word acceptance.

favor and favorable reception

Kind; friendly; affectionate.

approval

to like; to be pleased with; to admit the propriety of

propriety means the appropriateness of something or that it conforms with established norms and manners.

the act of assenting or believing

II. THE WORLD’S DEMANDS

It is pretty simple, they say they want to be accepted.

The truth is it isn’t that want common respect and courtesy that is common for all people - a respect of life and liberty. They want you to accept it and bless it.

They will not be satisfied until that you embrace what their sin is - they want you to like it in your face.

A. They demand that you accept them and their sin

Every man or woman has the potential of salvation.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 (KJV)

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

It doesn’t matter what a person has done - how far they are gone, there is hope among the living.

But there is no hope amongst those who will not repent.

Their agenda is not that you tolerate them it is that you accept their lifestyle.

Indeed one of the local mega churches, probably one of many came out in support of the sinful behaviors of homsexuals and transgenders.

"Regardless of a person’s sexual or gender identity, we love them and welcome them, as does God. What was shared this weekend was never meant to hurt anyone, and we deeply regret that it did. This is a topic that warrants increased care and empathy and we’re sorry that didn’t happen this weekend. Crossroads also does not financially or otherwise support any political organizations and their platforms including the Center for Christian Virtue, where this weekend’s speaker is employed. We have no intention of being activistic in this or any other political space. Our main goal has and will always be to bring people to Christ."

B. They use the slow approach

Remember that the BIble said of Satan, he was sly, crafty, shifty, deceitful - he had an agenda in Genesis to see man sin. Satan has the same agenda. More and more he is in your face - but he also like to use the slow approach.

The lesson from Lot

Genesis 13:7-13

They key lesson from Lot was that at one point he was walking with another godly man step by step.

Then he looked at the world.

He saw them

He came near them

He started living near them (he pitched his tent toward Sodom)

Then, he was used to them, and started living with them as one of them.

He never saw how far he had gotten.

He got used to them to the point that he actually ended up accepting the sinful practices of Sodom and by Genesis 19, he had lost his family.

C. They use “Bait & Switch”

Have you ever heard of the term “bait and switch?”

They sell and promote one thing and the switch to another.

They sell you one one thing and give you another.

Consider Enrichingkidz.com.

VIDEO

Now there are many sins that are hidden.

Most sin we don’t see. But sin is out in the open.

The world wants to be justified. The world wants to be blessed.

They want to be blessed in their sin. Society is constantly saying don’t judge me. You don’t understand.

You haven’t lived my experience.

They say we are hurting kids by telling them no. We are not letting them be their authentic selves.

III. Accepting Sinfulness is Sin

I’m just not going to do it. I’m not going to bless sin, I’m not going to accept it. I’m going to preach against, work on in my own home, in my own life, and work on it in my relationship with God.

Here is a key verse:

Proverbs 18:5 KJV

It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

Eph 5:1-18

A. Sin should not be named among us vv.3-4

B. Unrepentant sinners have no inheritance v.5

C. Don’t be deceived v.6

D. Don’t partake with them v.7

E. Walk in the light v.8

F. Prove what is acceptable v.10

G. Our stance concerning sin and sinners v.11

1. Have no fellowship

2. Reprove sin

H. Don’t even speak of those wicked things v.12

I. Walk in wisdom vv.13-16

IV. ACCEPTATION IS REALLY AGAINST BIBLE TEACHING IN ALL ITS FORMS

This philosophy that has permeated our culture as well as churches today and that is this philosophy of acceptance.

This philosophy takes many forms.

When I refer to the philosophy of acceptance - there are four areas I would like to apply it.

A. The philosophy of accepting myself

Paul never accept himself; Job loathed himself. Most people that serve the Lord struggle with accepting themselves. Read Romans 7; Read the book of Job when compared to God and seeing his righteousness

We at times do and it usually to our chagrin later and we have to say - I’m am failure.

B. The philosophy of others accepting me

Demanding that other people accept my person no matter what. That is not biblical nor is it practical.

1 Corinthians 10:29 KJV

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

Have you ever noticed that as a Christian - if someone else isn’t a Christian they don’t accept you. And guess what we don’t demand that they do it. No one should be made to violate their concious.

C. The philosophy of my accepting of others

God’s word forbids me to just accept a person in their open sin.

Can I accept a person in general sense that they are a person before God who needs to be saved and needs someone to care for them and touch their lives? Of course.

But the Bible has instruction about that which we have arleady dealt with from Ephesians 5.

D. The philosophy of God accepting me

Hebrews 12:28 KJV

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

1 Peter 2:5 KJV

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

God is not going to accept our person in our sin. Even as a Beleiver, when I sin, God does not look upon it. He cannot.

Colossians 3:25 KJV

But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

V. THE UNDERLYING GOAL OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF ACCEPTANCE - Self-Justification

But as I pondered this issue and asked the Lord to lead me in preaching about it in this series, I believe that the issue is and has never really been about accepting others, though it involves that on the surface. The ultimate goal for to accept everyone is that everyone might accept me.

The issue is man wanting to justify himself. He wants to be able to absolve himself of wrong doing, of judgment, of error.