• I Corinthians 3:1-7

I look to be served instead of to serve.

• II Corinthians 8:9 – Jesus served so that we could be spiritually rich. He is our example of service.
• Philippians 2:6
• Mark 10:42-45 – We need to be looking for ways to serve others.

I choose instant gratification instead of delayed gratitification.

• Genesis 12:2, 4; 15:4; 21:5 – Abraham had to wait 25 years for Isaac to come!
• I Samuel 16:1, 13; II Samuel 5:4 – David had to wait a long time to become king.
• Hebrews 13:4 – Wait for marriage.
• “Not microwave culture. Crockpot culture!”
• Hebrews 11:24-26 – Moses had patience and looked to the reward.

I get defensive instead of reflective.

• Genesis 3:11; 4:8 – Adam and Cain tried to shift the blame.
• Acts 18:25-27 – Apollos reacted in a mature way to correction.

• Romans 6:15-7:12

Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:15-7:6)?

• No! If we go back to sin, we’re a slave to sin.

• This chapter strongly refutes the Calvinist idea that obedience is not necessary for salvation.
• Deuteronomy 30:15-20 – Choose life! God is laying out the possible choices and the outcomes here just as He does in Romans 6.
• Romans 7:1-6 – Just like a widow is released from the law concerning her husband and many marry another, so the Jews died to the Law of Moses (and all people died to any law system, Romans 3:20-22) and can be joined to Christ.

Is the Law sin (Romans 7:7-12)?

• God’s law showed us what is sin. The law itself is not sin.
• Galatians 3:19
• Once we know the law, we start recognizing sin within ourselves. The sin was there the whole time, but we suddenly start realizing it.
• Deuteronomy 6:24 – God’s law is for our own good!

Introduction

• Luke 8:15

We’re frustrated by the challenge.

• Hebrews 5:11-14 – The Bible is a deep book! Some truth is deeper and takes more effort to understand.
• II Thessalonians 2
• Romans 8:26
• I Corinthians 11
• Luke 19:1-10 – There are many simple truths in the Bible that are valuable to understand.
• Galatians 5:22-23
• Ephesians 1:7
• If you don’t understand a passage, make a note and pigeonhole it for further study later.

We’re just plain biased.

• Jeremiah 42:5-6, 17; 43:1-4 – They did what they wanted to, regardless of God’s word.
• Galatians 5:21 – Drunkenness is a sin!
• Ephesians 4:32 – Forgive each other.
• What’s the point of reading and studying if we don’t obey?
• I Peter 3:21 – Baptism saves! Bias can cause us to overlook the simple meaning of a passage.
• Romans 4:10 – Abraham was counted as righteous before he was circumcised.
• Acts 15:15-19 – Amos talked about how to deal with Gentiles. The Jews had overlooked this for 800 years! We can have the same problem because of our own bias.

We’re reluctant to admit, “I don’t know.”

• Mark 12:18-25 – The Sadducees did not understand the scriptures regarding marriage or resurrection.
• There are certain things we just don’t know!
• Deuteronomy 29:29
• Acts 4:12 – Jesus is the only way to salvation. What about the tribe isolated in the jungle? We don’t know, but God is fair and righteous, and He can work it out.

We’re afraid of the application.

• John 9:16, 20-23 – The parents of the formerly blind man were afraid to say anything about Jesus because of the Jews.
• John 12:37, 42-43 – Many believed, but were afraid to act on their belief.
• I Corinthians 6:9-10 – We can’t be scared of applying these verses.
• Galatians 2:12 – Even an apostle (Peter) succumbed to fear!
• Acts 2:38
• John 16:33

James 4:7 – If we don’t submit to God, the rest of it doesn’t matter!

• Notes from an article about abuse:

  • Psalms 40:1-4

  • Abuse can be a horrible pit that few escape from.

  • Psalms 59:1-4

  • Psalms 55:12-14

  • Who inflicts the wounds when abuse occurs? Often it is the ones closest to you.

  • How wounds torment victims

  • “There are truths that I know. My father taught them to me.”

    • Proverbs 11:29, 17; 20:1

  • On alcohol:

    • Proverbs 23:29-35; 19:19; 10:7; 15:13

• If you are being abused, GET HELP. Do not wait and allow the situation to get worse. Find a trusted family member, friend, or fellow church member. If necessary, involve the authorities.

My soul

• Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7 – We were made in God’s image.
• John 4:24
• Hebrews 12:9 – We inherit physical characteristics from earthly parents, but spiritual characteristics from God.
• Genesis 9:3, 6 – The difference between humans and animals.
• Acts 7:59 – Stephen prayed for his spirit to be received by God.
• Psalms 90:1-4, 10 – The body lasts for a while, but the spirit flies away.
• I Timothy 4:7-8
• Luke 12:19-20 – Lay up spiritual treasures!
• Mark 12:25 – Nothing can compare to the value of my soul!
• Matthew 16:26 – One soul is worth more than the world!

God’s love

• I Peter 1:3-5, 9, 6 – God is interested in saving our most valuable possession.
• I Thessalonians 4:16-17 – God offers an eternal solution.
• Matthew 25:46 – The righteous will receive eternal life. God wants us to come home forever.
• Romans 8:35-39
• Galatians 5:1-4

Take-aways

• Do the smart thing – save your soul.
• Accept God’s love.