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By David Watson

Benchley, April 8, 2012

• Acts 26:9-11 – Paul speaks about his former days of persecuting Christians.
• We don’t want to be in the category of people who are sincerely wrong!
• People become sincerely wrong by following false standards of authority:
• Conscience
• Proverbs 14:12; Acts 23:1; I Corinthians 4:3-4 – Paul lived with a good conscience even when persecuting Christians. God was the source of authority, not his conscience.
• Wisdom of people
• I Corinthians 2:4-5 – Our faith must rest on the power of God.
• I Corinthians 1:18-20 – God will destroy the wisdom of this world.
• Jeremiah 10:23
• The majority
• Matthew 7:13-14 – Many enter through the gate that leads to destruction.
• Family tradition
• Matthew 10:37
• Galatians 1:13-14 – Paul was zealous for his ancestral traditions even though they were wrong.
• People become sincerely right by following the Bible.
• Galatians 1:1,11-14 – Paul was clear about where his teaching came from.
• I Timothy 4:1-7 – Instructions for Timothy for sticking to sound doctrine.
• I Timothy 6:1-5 – More warnings about sticking to sound doctrine.
• II Timothy 2:15

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, February 26, 2012

• Acts 22:1-11 – Paul is struck blind on the way to Damascus.
• He saw Jesus (Acts 9:6).
• He saw that he was a sinner (I Timothy 1:15).
• This was a revelation to him because he thought he was doing God’s will.
• We must study the word of God so that we will know what sin is.
• He saw being religious was not enough (Philippians 3:5-8).
• Paul saw that the religion of his parents was not enough.
• He saw conscience is not a safe guide (Acts 23:1).
• I John 3:20-21 – The intellect, emotion, willpower, and conscience are all parts of the Biblical “heart”.
• He saw he must change when wrong (Philippians 3:5-8).
• An honest man will change from error to truth when he learns the truth.
• He saw the tragedy of living a lie (Galatians 1:15-17).
• He saw prayer does not save the sinner (Acts 9:11)
• Paul couldn’t just pray and be saved. He had to do what God commanded him to do.
• He saw that baptism is necessary for salvation (Acts 22:16).
• He saw that he must make Jesus’ word the rule of his life (Galatians 1:6-12).

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By David Watson

Benchley, January 25, 2012

• Peace with God
• Acts 10:36; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:11-22 – Peace with God is the restored relationship we have with God through forgiveness of sins.
• If we want peace with God, we can only have that through Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:34-36)
• Peace with self (conscience)
• John 14:27; 16:33; Philippians 4:6-9 – True peace with self only comes as a result of true peace with God. A clean conscience is a blessing from God.
• I Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8; I Timothy 1:15 – Did the apostle Paul have peace with self? Yes. We must recognize the difference between a guilty conscience and regret.
• Peace with self does not require spiritual amnesia. It requires current service to God and humility from past sins.
• Peace with people
• Romans 12:18; Colossians 3:12-15 – To what extent can and should we achieve peace with others? We must achieve peace with others to the extent that it depends on us (and we can do so within God’s law).

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By David Watson

Benchley, March 20, 2011

• I Timothy 4:8 – Godliness is profitable now and in the future.
• A mess
  • II Samuel 11:2-15; 12:14 – the mess created by David’s sin with Bathsheba
  • Hebrews 12:15-17 – Esau lost his blessing and birthright.
• A guilty conscience
  • Genesis 42:21-22; 50:15 – the guilt of Joseph’s brothers after selling him into slavery
  • Matthew 27:3-5 – the guilt of Judas after betraying Jesus
  • Acts 24:16 – Paul tried to avoid guilt the rest of his life.
• A ruined conscience
  • I timothy 4:2; Titus 1:15 – We are born with pure hearts, but it is possible to ruin our consciences with sin.
  • Ephesians 4:17-19 – Sin hardens our heart.
• Bad habits
  • Acts 8:9-24 – Even after being converted, Simon is tempted by the power of the apostles’ spiritual gifts.
  • Hebrews 10:25 – Skipping the assembly can become a habit.
• Effect on others
  • Galatians 2:11-13 – Peter carried others away in his hypocrisy.

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By David Watson

Benchley, April 11, 2010

• Applications, continued:
  • Don’t make yourself stumble.  II Peter 1:5-7,10-11
  • Edify through the authoritative word of God.  Ephesians 4:12
    • II Corinthians 10:8; 12:19 – Paul wrote to edify.
  • Don’t cause another to violate his conscience.  Revelation 2:14; Matthew 13:41; 18:6; I Corinthians 8:4,7; Romans 14:3,14-17
  • Choose your words carefully.  Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6