Define anthropomorphism

• From the Greek anthropos (“human”) and morphe (“form”).
• The attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.
• Humanization.

Examples of anthropomorphism

God is spirit and does not dwell in temples made of hands but there are humanized descriptions of God. Why?

• John 4:24; Acts 17:24
• The command to leave Sinai
  • Exodus 33:1, 18-23
• The glory of the Lord
  • Ezekiel 1:26-28
• Heaven
  • Revelation 21:15-23
• Have not heard, seen, or even imagine
  • I Corinthians 2:9

Characteristics of God

• His face
  • Numbers 6:24-26; Matthew 18:10; Psalms 51:7-13
• His heart
  • II Chronicles 7:14-16; Genesis 6:5-8; 8:20-22; I Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22
• His hands
  • Exodus 15:1-6; Deuteronomy 33:3; Isaiah 14:24-27; I Chronicles 28:19; 19:14; Acts 11:21; 2:33-34; I Peter 5:6-7; Isaiah 40:12
• His eyes
  • Psalms 34:15; Proverbs 15:3; II Chronicles 16:8-9; Deuteronomy 11:11; Amos 9:8; I Peter 3:12
• His feet
  • Ezekiel 34:7; II Samuel 22:10; Ephesians 1:22-23
• His arm
  • Jeremiah 32:21; Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 5:15; Job 40:9; Isaiah 52:10; 53:1; Luke 1:51; John 12:38

Introduction

• Romans 2:5-8
• Doesn’t all willful sin come from selfishness?

Do I look down on others?

• Luke 18:9-14 – The selfishness and condescension of the Pharisee.
• When we fail to admit our own faults, we fall into selfishness.
• Matthew 7:3 – Fix yourself first!

Do I think revenge is sweet?

• Romans 12:17-21
• II Timothy 2:22-26 – We should be patient when wronged.

Do I think more about helping others or how they can help me?

• Mark 9:30-35 – To be great, serve others!
• Mark 10:32-37 – How could James and John be so selfish?
• Mark 10:43-45
• Let us discover the joy of serving others!

Do I neglect God?

• I Kings 12:26-30
• Hebrews 10:25, 23-24 – People were neglecting service to God.

Conclusion

• Romans 2:9-11 – God will judge our deeds.

The glory that is to be revealed (Romans 8:18-25)

• Romans 8:18 – This is quite a contrast from the first three chapters of Romans. Before there was condemnation, but now we see hope.
• Romans 8:19 - Compare Psalm 148. How do the sun or moon praise God? When things do what God created Him, they praise Him in a figurative sense.
• Romans 8:20-21 – “Subjected to futility” could be the curse upon Adam and Eve, but that doesn’t seem to match up with later verses. See II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15. Is “creation” used the same way here? It could mean Christians as the new creation waiting for the end.
• Romans 8:22-25 – See Philippians 3:20-21; I Corinthians 15:42-44. Christians eagerly await the end. The word “hope” here is used in the sense of confident expectations. It’s not just an idle wish.
• Romans 8:26-27 – When we pray, God gets the message! We know that Jesus is the one who intercedes for us. See Hebrews 7:25; I Timothy 2:1-2; Numbers 21:7; I Timothy 2:5-6. People can also pray for other people, though, not at the same level that Jesus can. God is also called our savior. See I Timothy 1:1; 2:3; Titus 3:4-6. The Spirit here could be referring to the Holy Spirit. See I Corinthians 2:11.
• Romans 8:28 – God has provided for us a path to redemption. We can be His children. He has given us all the blessings in this context. These blessings work together for the best for us. If we try to take this to mean that absolutely all things work together for good, we get illogical results, such as trying to make good come from sin.
• Romans 8:29-30 – See II Thessalonians 2:14. God knew that those who loved Him would conform themselves to the image of Jesus. This is not teaching the Calvinistic idea of predestination, in which God selects individual people to be saved, regardless of their actions.
• Romans 8:31-32 – God has done everything for us.
• Romans 8:35-39 – Nothing external can take us away from God. Only we can turn ourselves from God.

It does not reject or replace Christ

• Acts 2:38 (Acts 3:6; 4:18; II Thessalonians 3:6)
  • The apostles had authority only through Christ.
  • Baptism had power in connection with Christ.
• Romans 6:3
• Colossians 2:12 – “buried with Him in Christ”
• I Peter 3:21 – Baptism is through His resurrection.

Therefore … obey Christ by being baptized

• Luke 6:46 – Christ demands obedience!

It does not add one to a denomination

• I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27
• Galatians 3:27
• Baptism is into Christ – not a manmade organization.

Therefore … submit to Christ only

• I Corinthians 11:12-15

It does not mean your work for God is done

• Matthew 28:19-20
• Acts 2:41-42
• Romans 6:3-4
• Baptism is not the finish line. It’s the starting line!

Therefore … walk in newness of life

• Romans 6:18, 11-13
• Ephesians 2:10

It does not keep one from sinning later and being lost

• Acts 8:12-13, 18-24
• Galatians 5:4, 7 (Galatians 1:2; 3:26-27) – Paul told them they had fallen from Christ!
• I Corinthians 9:19-27 – Paul disciplined himself so he would not be lost!

Therefore … keep resisting the devil

• James 4:7
• Colossians 1:21-23
• What Does the Bible Say?

What do you think of Robert Lowery?

• Do you feel sorry for him?
  • Money/marital problems
  • Distraught/depressed
  • Overwhelmed/inadequate
• Selfish?
• Do you wonder why?
• Do you think he is unusual?

Statistics

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.
• 2nd leading cause of death for 10-34 years old
• 4th leading cause of death for 35-44 years old
• 5th leading cause of death for 45-54 years old
• There are 2.5x more suicides than homicides in the United States.
• In 2019, suicide rate was nearly four times higher in males than females.

What does the Bible say about suicide?

• Nothing direct, but there are principles.
• Six characters that committed suicide:
  • Abimelech – Judges 9:54
  • Saul – I Samuel 31:4
  • Saul’s armor bearer – I Samuel 31:4-6
  • Ahithophel – II Samuel 17:23
  • Zimri – I Kings 16:18
  • Judas – Matthew 27:5
  • Samson? – Judges 16:26-31
• God gave life
  • Genesis 2:7; Acts 17:28; James 1:18; Genesis 9:6
• Our purpose is inconsistent with suicide
  • I Chronicles 6:11; John 8:12; 7:38; I John 3:16
• I Corinthians 6:20 – Glorify God in your body!

Why do people commit suicide?

• Mental illness (depression)
• Traumatic stress (sexual abuse, rape, physical abuse, war trauma)
• Substance abuse
• Loss/fear of loss (academic, job, imprisonment, financial, relationship)
• Chronic pain, terminal illness
• Feeling like a burden to others
• Social isolation
• All of these basically relate to hopelessness.

Are you or your family at risk?

• Warning signs
• What to do
  • Talk to a respected church member.
  • I Corinthians 15:1-15, 50-58 – Consider the value Christ puts on your life.
  • Focus outside yourself, do good for others