The reasons I am a member of the church as God would have it

The right authority

• Acts 20
• II Timothy 3:16-17
• II Peter 1:3
• Jude 1:3 – “the faith,” delivered once for all
• John 14:26
• II John 1:9

The right name

The right plan of salvation

• Matthew 7:24 – One must hear and obey.
• Romans 10:17 – Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God.
• John 8:24 – One must believe.
• Faith must be active. He must confess faith in Jesus.
• Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38 – Baptism is required. The gift of the Holy Spirit is salvation.
• I Peter 3:21

The right congregational worship

• Acts 20:7 – “on the first day of the week,” “Paul preached”
• I Corinthians 14:26
• Singing – Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
• Prayer – I Timothy 1:8; Acts 2:42
• Lord’s Supper - I Corinthians 11:25-26
• Giving – I Corinthians 16:1-2
  • This is the only way a local church is authorized to purpose to make money to do the work God has specified.

The right congregational work

• Support preaching - I Corinthians 9:6-14
• Benevolence under some circumstances
• Discipline under particular circumstances – I Corinthians 5

The right structure or oversight

The right life

• James 1:27

Introduction

• Matthew 12:35
• What is the reasoning we need to have in place to determine what is obscene?
• Ephesians 5:12

Principles

• Ephesians 1:3-14 – If you have hope in Christ, there is a direct connection between your thoughts, conduct, and speech.
  • Why did God adopt us?
  • What was God’s aim in choosing us?
• Ephesians 2:1-10 – Paul describes a transformation in the Gentiles (and himself). They had died to sin, as we should.
• Ephesians 4:17-24 – Is what we are doing, saying, and watching after the likeness of God?
• Matthew 7:15-20 – We are known by our words!
• Matthew 12:33
• Ephesians 4:29 – What should our speech be? Something that is timed appropriately and will build another up.
• Ephesians 5:1 – Be imitators of God.
• Ephesians 5:4
  • Filthiness: disgraceful or improper
  • Silly talk / foolish talking: the talk of the unwise
  • Coarse jesting / crude joking: speaking in a crude, debased way
• Ephesians 5:3, 5 – See II Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; I Thessalonians 4:3

Application

• Is it wholesome?
• Who am I trying to impress?
• Galatians 5:12
• Harsh language in the Bible was used to point out sin.

Introduction

• I John 3:16
• Luke 10:30

We ought to look for opportunities to help people

• Luke 10:30-37 – Parable of the good Samaritan.
• Helping people means some amount of sacrifice.
  • The Samaritan sacrificed time, money, and goods to help.
  • The more we can live with a little bit of margin, the better we position ourselves to be able to help when the need arises.
  • I Timothy 6:18
• Love your neighbor! Luke 10:27-29
  • The Samaritan felt compassion for the man.
  • Ephesians 4:28, 22-27 – Work so that you can give to others.
  • James 1:27 – God always made provision for widows and orphans.
• Generosity is part of our service to God.
  • Matthew 25:40

When a Christian is in need, the church can jump in

• Pertinent passages:
  • Acts 2:44-45
  • Acts 4:32-35
  • Acts 6:1-3
  • Acts 11:27-30
  • Romans 15:25-26
  • I Corinthians 16:1-3
  • II Corinthians 8:3-4, 14
  • II Corinthians 9:1
  • I Timothy 5:16, 5
• There is a difference between personal funds and church funds. God has limited what church funds can be used for.
• II Corinthians 9:12 – Being generous builds fellowship between saints.

What’s the best way to help someone?

• Acts 6:1-2; Philippians 3:7-11
• Money is not the answer to everything. The most valuable things are spiritual.
• The best thing to give someone is the gospel.

Therefore, did that which is good become a cause of death for me (Romans 7:13-16)?

• Paul emphasizes again that the law is good but sin is the problem.

The struggle against sin (Romans 7:17-25)

• Temptation does not go away just because we are Christians. We must continually fight against temptation. Our victory will come through Christ.
• Compare Galatians 5:17.
• Paul was writing to Romans here. His message was to Christians.

No condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1-17)

Flesh vs. Spirit

• There are differing views on what the word “spirit” means in this passage. Whatever spirit is it is in contrast to the flesh. What is the contrast?
  • Is it fleshly mind vs. spiritual mind?
  • Is it flesh vs. the Holy Spirit (through the Word of God)?
• Jeremiah 10:23; Acts 26:9 – A spiritually-minded man can only be spiritually-minded by the word of God.
• Romans 1:9; John 4:24
• Can the same word refer to different things in the same passage?
  • Yes!
  • I Corinthians 2:10-13 – “spirit”
  • Luke 9:60 – “dead”
  • Romans 9:6 – “Israel”
  • II Corinthians 5:21 – “sin”
  • I Peter 3:1 – “word”

• I Samuel 8:4-22

Obey God precisely

• I Samuel 10:8 – This order to wait was apparently a standing order.
• I Samuel 13:7-14; 15:3-28 – This occurred some years after the events of I Samuel 10:8. Saul waited seven days, but not the full seven days.
• I Corinthians 10:5-14 – All these things were written for our instruction.

Take responsibility

• I Samuel 13:11-13 – Saul made excuses for his sin.
• I Samuel 15:13-24 – Saul blamed the people for sin, but took ownership for good things. This is not an honorable way to handle sin. Contrast Saul’s behavior with that of David when he sinned.
• Ephesians 6:4 – Being the spiritual leader of the family is a duty given to fathers. Don’t pass the buck!
  • Current day example: Dads on Duty
• Genesis 3:12-13 – Blaming others didn’t work. Everyone got punished.
• Stop making excuses and be the kind of person God wants you to be.

Step up and get involved

• I Samuel 17:2-25, 37, 45 – David was willing to face Goliath.

Trusting in the Lord

• David trusted in God to defeat Goliath.
• Daniel 3:17-18 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted in God.
• Proverbs 3:5

Get involved

• Titus 1:9-11 – Action is required to combat false doctrine.