NOTE: We had some technical difficulties with the audio for this lesson. The first few minutes were lost and we had to change microphones part way through the lesson. My apologies. -MRW

Hairesis – factions, heresies, divisions

• I Corinthians 11:19; II Peter 2:1; Acts 5:17; 15:5; 24:5, 14; 26:5; 28:22
• All these groups had their own interpretations of the law.
• There should be no “church of Christ” doctrine. There is only the gospel. We always have to go back to the one source of truth.
• Ephesians 4:1-6
• II Samuel 15:1-6 – Absalom carefully converted people to his cause. Don’t allow this behavior in the church!

Phthonos – envy, envying, envyings

• “… pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness” (Zodhiates)
• “… envy desires to deprive another of what he has, jealousy desires to have the same or the same sort of thing for itself” (Vine)
• Luke 11:53; 19:35-40
• Matthew 27:17-18
• How do I deal with envy within myself?
• How do I help others that may be envious of me?

Methe – drunkenness

• Luke 21:34
• Romans 13:12-14

Komos – carousing, revelings, orgies

• The idea is that of wild, out of control parties, often associated with drunkenness.
• I Peter 4:1-5
• We are to be soberminded, looking for good things to do.

“and things like this”

• These things will keep up out of heaven!
• Galatians 5:4 – We can fall from grace!
• Galatians 3:26

Introduction

• Romans 4:1-12
• “Impute” means to put to one’s account whether in relation to sin or righteousness.

All have sinned

• Romans 3:12, 23; I John 1:8-9
• There are two ways of life – sin or righteousness.
• This leaves us with four possibilities:
  • No escape – not compatible with the love of God
  • Saved in sin – not compatible with the justice of God
  • Live so righteously that merits forgiveness – not possible
  • God imputes righteousness – Romans 4:6-8
• Since God imputes righteousness, this leaves two possibilities:
  • Man lives so good that God counts him righteous because he has merited forgiveness.
  • Because of man’s faith in Christ, God forgives him, i.e., imputes righteousness to him (Romans 4:6-8; Psalms 32:1-2)
• Since God’s forgives sins and imputes righteousness, this leaves two possibilities:
  • God counts man righteous even though he is not actually righteous.
  • God counts man righteous because God imputes righteousness to him, forgives him, puts righteousness to his account. Thus, man is actually righteous.
• This leaves one possibility:
  • Man is not saved by his own righteousness, but by the mercy of God. Titus 3:5
• Imputed righteousness does not mean that Christ’s personal righteousness is accounted as mine. It does mean that my unrighteousness has been seen and forgiven, as made possible by the sinless life and sacrificial death of Christ and by my complete trust and reliance upon Him!
• Thus, God’s amazing grace is seen:
  • In giving the gospel
  • In His continued forgiveness to those who walk in the light (I John 1:7)

Conclusion

• If we walk in the steps of that faith of Abraham, God will not impute sin unto us; rather He will forgive us – impute righteousness unto us. And forgiven we will be righteous by the grace of God.

• Hebrews 11:13-16
  • v13 – “These all died in faith” – what a compliment!
  • v16 – Like them, we seek a heavenly country.
• Hebrews 11:17-19 – Abraham’s great faith in offering Isaac
• Hebrews 11:20 – II Kings 8:20 – Esau became a great people as promised.
• Hebrews 11:21 – The blessings of Jacob came to pass for Ephraim and Manasseh.
• Hebrews 11:22 – Joseph spoke of the exodus and knew that God would deliver the Israelites from Egypt.
• Hebrews 11:23-29 – Moses was hidden “by faith” – evidently his parents somehow knew of God’s plan or hid him because they thought it would be sinful to allow him to be killed. Moses could have had all the money and power he wanted, but he left Pharaoh’s house to serve God.
  • v27 – When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he did not fear Pharaoh, but trusted God.
  • v28 – Here we see the power of the blood in saving the firstborn from death. The blood itself had no power except for God’s promise. Today, Jesus’ blood has a similar power to save us in a spiritual sense.
• Hebrews 11:30 – By faith, the people did what God said and the impregnable walls of Jericho fell down.
• Hebrews 11:31 – Rahab protected the Israelite spies and helped them escape. Rahab was a harlot, but she turned in faith to God.
• Hebrews 11:32-40 – Even though all these showed great faith, they did not receive what was promised. (See Hebrews 9:15.) All of these were looking forward to the coming of Jesus. Through Jesus they, like us, receive forgiveness of sins as was promised.

Introduction

• Acts 2:36-41

Let’s talk about “going forward.”

Traditions must fit within truth, not truth within traditions

• James 5:16
• There’s nothing specified about when one must confess.
• The “altar call” tradition seems to have started in the 1830s.
• We are not bound by any tradition outside the Bible.

Church announcements don’t replace obedience or God

• Acts 8:22 – Confession is needed, but it doesn’t replace anything that needs to happen between you and God.
• “Going forward” is not the same as repentance or forgiveness.

Some sins/repentance require public attention; others do not

• I Timothy 5:20
• Matthew 5:23
• Matthew 18:15-17 – Some sins can be handled in private.

Get my attitude right

• James 5:19-20 – Christians should be the first responders coming to help someone in need.
• Luke 15:1-32 – Rejoice with those who repent!
• Matthew 18:21-22 – Be ready and willing to forgive.
• II Corinthians 7:9-10

Galatians 6!

• Galatians 6:1-2 – Help those who need it!
• Galatians 6:3-5 – Get to work and help!
• Galatians 6:6 – The helper and the help-ee share the things of Christ.
• Galatians 6:7-10 – Help anyone caught in sin, but especially brothers in Christ.
• Galatians 5:22-24
• These things take time, effort, and love!

Zelos – jealousy, emulations

• II Corinthians 9:1-2
• Exodus 20:5
• II Corinthians 11:2
• Jealousy can be good or bad.
• Acts 5:12-18
• Acts 13:42-43 – The Jewish leaders thought of themselves as defenders of the truth, but really they were acting out of jealousy.
• James 3:13-17

Thymos – outbursts of anger, wrath, fits of anger

• Luke 4:28-30 – They were so angry they were ready to murder Jesus!
• Acts 19:28
• Matthew 5:21-22 – This is how important it is to control your emotions!
• James 1:19-20 – To help control anger, slow down.

Eritheia – selfish, ambitions, disputes, strife

• Philippians 2:3

Dichostasia – dissensions, seditions

• Romans 16:17-18 – Every disagreement is not wrong. It’s the ones that go against God’s word that are wrong.
• I Kings 18:17-18 – Elijah was not the troublemaker – Ahab was!
• I Corinthians 5:11 – Who’s causing the conflict? The one who is sinning!
• Matthew 15:12-14 – Jesus never apologized for offending people with His teaching!
• Luke 11:45-46