What does the scripture say?

• I John 1

• “Grace means I don’t have to do anything!”

  • I John 1:5-6; 2:3-6

  • Hebrews 5:9

  • This is a wrong conclusion!

• “Grace means I know/do everything perfectly!”

  • I John 1:8, 10; Luke 18:9-14

  • This is also a wrong conclusion!

• “Grace means I walk in the light and have fellowship with Him.”

  • I John 1:7-9

  • Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:1; II Peter 1:8

  • Walking in light vs darkness

    • I John 2:1

    • Examples of walking in the light

      • Acts 2:41 – Jewish misunderstanding abounded, but they were saved that day! They still needed to grow.

      • Acts 16:32-34 – The jailer rejoiced in his salvation even though he had much growing to do.

      • I Corinthians 1:1-9 – The Corinthians still had plenty of problems to solve, but they were sanctified in Christ Jesus. I Corinthians 15:1-2

      • Colossians 1:9; 2:20-22 – They still needed to learn and grow! They also had some false practices to clean up. Colossians 1:3-5

      • I Thessalonians 1:2-3, 9-10 – Judgment was a comforting thought to the Thessalonians. They had confidence in their salvation. They were recovering idolaters, but they had hope!

So have confidence!

• I John 2:28; 4:17 – If we are constantly fretting about the judgment, something is wrong!
• Romans 4:1-8 – Abraham’s belief saved him – not his good deeds.

Review of last lesson

• Attitudes toward money

  • Matthew 6:24

  • Luke 18:24

  • We should be actively seeking God - not riches.

Attitudes toward giving

• Five basic elements:

  • Need

    • Communicated to giver – Acts 11:22-30

    • Recognized – Luke 7:12-15; 10:33

    • Results – Exodus 36:2-6

  • Desire

    • To follow the example of Jesus

    • To be like God – Acts 14:15-17

    • To join into the fellowship of giving – II Corinthians 8:3-5

  • Prosperity

    • Our giving comes from this – I Corinthians 16:2

    • Recognize when you’ve prospered.

      • It is sufficiently.

      • It is not necessarily riches.

      • Part of sufficiency is “sufficient to give.”

    • Don’t make yourself needy by your giving – II Corinthians 8:12-13

    • As much attitude as amount

      • We should desire excellence.

      • II Corinthians 8:7

Everybody’s guilty of sin.

• Romans 1:18, 25, 29-32 – God gives us free will, but He is not happy about our sinful behavior.
• Stop pretending you’re perfect!

We try to squirm out of our guilt.

• Deny everything: “God doesn’t even exist!”
  • Romans 1:20
• Finger-pointing hypocrisy: “Yeah, those sinners sure are bad. Give it to ‘em, Paul!”
  • Romans 2:1-5 – God is an impartial judge.
• Religious hypocrisy: “Sure you don’t mean me? I’m a guiding light, a corrector, a teacher!”
  • Romans 2:17-24 – Sin is sin no matter who does it. When people are religious hypocrites, they cause others to blaspheme God.

What must we do?

• Acknowledge our guilt.

  • Romans 3:9, 23 – All have sinned!

  • Romans 3:10-18 – Paul quotes the Old Testament saying the same thing!

• Put our faith in Christ!

  • Romans 3:21-28

• Job 15:1-21:34

Eliphaz (Job 15:1-35)

• Eliphaz is not convinced by Job’s rebuttals. He again tries to point to Job as a wicked man.

Job (Job 16:1-17:16)

• Job is not impressed with his friends’ words!
• Job 16:7-18 – Job sees God as both his comforter and his tormentor.
• Job 17:1-16 – Job anticipates death as the end to his suffering.

Bildad (Job 18:1-21)

• Bildad also tries to characterize Job as wicked.

Job (Job 19:1-29)

• Job 19:13-19 – Job’s family and servants even turned away from him.
• Job 19:21 – Job was starved for love and compassion.
• Job 19:25-27 – Job still has faith in God!

Zophar (Job 20:1-29)

• Zophar again rebukes Job and tried to claim he is a wicked man.

Job (Job 21:1-34)

• Job points out that the wicked do prosper!
• Matthew 23:5-7

The Role of Satan

• In all these speeches, no one mentioned Satan, the real source of all this!
• Job 1:11
• II Corinthians 11:1-4 – Satan is deceptive! He’s been telling lies and trying to trick people since the beginning.

Introduction

• Acts 17:22-31

Seek God

• Acts 17:27
• Athens was a city full of idols (Acts 17:16). The Parthenon, Erectheion, and other temples were everywhere!
• Psalms 51:17 – God has always wanted a humble heart.
• II Chronicles 6:18 – Man’s service to God is about the heart. God even tore down the temple when Israel turned from Him!
• God created us so we would seek Him! (Acts 17:27)

Develop confidence in this universal truth

• Acts 17:23-24, 26, 28, 17-18 – God is universal. Paul does not describe Him as the Hebrew God, but as the God. God created us all and we are all His children.
• Acts 17:31 – God will judge all the nations. See Matthew 25:32. God gave proof in Jesus’ resurrection.

Don’t let others discourage us.

• Acts 17:18, 32 – The philosophers sneered at Paul!
• Romans 1:15-16 – Paul was eager to preach and was not ashamed of the gospel.