Proverbs 14:12

Humanist beliefs

• Humanist Manifesto III - https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/manifesto3/

  • “without supernaturalism” – based on atheism

  • Humanists believe that people can live good, ethical lives without God.

• Humanism International - http://humanists.international/what-is-humanism/

  • Rejects God and divine revelation.

  • There is no divine plan or purpose.

But…

• God exists.

  • Romans 1:18-20 – The universe shows evidence that God exists. The design of the universe implies a designer.

  • Apologetics Press

  • To deny God’s existence:

    • You have to deny evidence.

    • You must believe in something else.

  • You can’t answer the question, “Where does a fish live?” if you can’t talk about water!

  • II Corinthians 10:3-6

• He is our basis of morality.

  • Romans 10:1-3; 1:22-25 – This is exactly what humanism does!

  • If God doesn’t exist, where does morality come from?

  • Atheists have no basis for morality outside of their own opinions.

  • “… no design, no purpose, no evil and no good.” – Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden

  • Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism by James Rachels

  • David Silverman, quoted in Stealing from God

• Eternity is our goal!

  • Romans 1:28-32

  • Hebrews 10:32-34

  • Hebrews 11:8-10 – How could Abraham do all this? He had hope!

  • Matthew 6:19-21

Introduction

• Five pillars of truth in Romans:

  • We are all guilty of sin.

  • We can all be saved.

  • We can look forward to a new life.

  • Your family can’t save you.

  • What it means to live for God (Romans 12 and following).

Let love be without hypocrisy.

• Proverbs 26:24-26

• John 1:47

• I Peter 2:22

• I John 3:14-18

Abhor what is evil.

• Love and hate go together.

  • Amos 5:6-7, 10, 14-15 – “They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.”

• We need to work on our attitudes so that we abhor sin.

  • Psalms 119:104 – Loving good and hating evil are two sides of the same attitude.

  • Proverbs 8:13

• That helps us stay away from sin.

  • I Corinthians 10:6

  • We have to stop the sin in our heart.

Cling to what is good.

• God defines what is good!

• Romans 12:2; 2:6-11

• I Thessalonians 5:21

• Proverbs 16:32

• Ephesians 2:10

• The world’s standard does not match God’s standard, but we must cling to God’s standard.

• Ephesians 4:17-20

Amos 1:1 – Amos was written about 755 BC.

“They have not grieved.” (Amos 6:6)

• Amos 6:1-8 – The people enjoyed great luxury, but they had not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

• Amos 4:6, 8-11 – The people didn’t get the hint!

• Amos 7:12-13 – Amos was told to prophesy elsewhere!

• In 1989, Boris Yeltsin came to America and found the country to be unbelievably prosperous!

• Amos 3:9-10; 5:21-24; 8:9-10

• Their nation was physically prosperous, but spiritually dead! America is in the same state – physically prosperous, but spiritually impoverished.

• Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 17

• I Timothy 6:17

“I am not a prophet.” (Amos 7:14)

• Amos 1:1 – Amos was just a shepherd!

• Amos 7:15-16

• Amos was out of his comfort zone speaking to those that God commanded Him to prophesy to.

• Amos 8:4-8; 9:1, 10 – Amos laid it on the line!

• Amos was a real person with a real life. He set aside his work to serve God.

• No matter your position, you can do work for God!

“Prepare to meet your God.” (Amos 4:12)

• Amos 4:12

• Amos 9:5-6

• Amos 9:9, 11-12 – God would sift Israel and save the righteous.

  • Amos 9:12 – James makes reference to this in Acts 15:17-18.

I Kings 13:1-32

• v2 – See fulfillment in II Kings 23.

What God requires for salvation is not difficult (John 7:17).

• It only becomes difficult when man gets in the way.

• Man can understand, believe, and carry out God’s requirements for salvation. He can be what God requires one to be.

All of God’s commands are to be respected.

• There was nothing wrong with eating or drinking in Samaria, except for what God told this specific prophet.

• There is no room for rationalizing around God’s commands.

God’s commands must be strictly obeyed, even if we can’t see the reason behind them.

• Examples:

  • Hebrews 10:24-25 – Not forsaking the assembly.

  • Genesis 2; Matthew 9:6 – God’s marriage law.

The sad effects of believing a lie.

• The prophet thought the deceiving prophet had received a later revelation.

• Many in the religious world today make the same mistake of believing a lie.

Sin cannot successfully be committed.

• It may be pleasurable, but it will not be successful.

• Numbers 32:23 – Your sin will find you out.

• Galatians 6:7-8

Disobedience is fatal.

• A lion slew the disobedient prophet.

• II Thessalonians 1:7-9

• Matthew 7:24 – Sin is fatal.

How do we react to God’s commands?

Romans 12:10 – Outdo each other in serving one another.

Book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek

• “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

• The Golden Circle – Why, how, what

What is my purpose as a Christian?

The aim of our charge

• To behave differently.

  • I Timothy 3:14-15

• To teach the word.

  • I Timothy 1:19

• To be an example.

  • I Timothy 4:12

• I Timothy 1:5

• Matthew 6:33-34

• I Thessalonians 4:1, 10

• I Corinthians 9:24-27

• II Corinthians 5:9

• Philippians 3:10-12

• II Corinthians 13:11-13 – Aim for restoration

• I Timothy 1:5

• II Timothy 2:4

• II Timothy 3:10-15

• II Timothy 2:22 – Pursue righteousness

Four ways to draw even closer to God this week.

• Read with your spouse, kids, or friends.

• Pray for someone.

• Discuss a sermon/class/podcast with a friend.

• Do something nice for someone.

Win the week, win the war!