Acts 4:15

II Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 3:2-11

• God’s plan (Ephesians 1:4) was to save the world. The mystery of how He would do this has now been revealed.

• Galatians 3:26-27

• Romans 6:3

• Acts 22:16 – The only way to be in Christ is to call on the name of the Lord. Baptism is part of that.

• Ephesians 3:10 – “Heavenly” refers not to heaven, but the highest of the category concerned.

  • Ephesians 6:12

  • Ephesians 1:20; 6:2; 3:1

Man cannot improve upon God’s most glorious work. Many have tried, but all have failed.

Ephesians 1:23 – The church is the fulness of Christ – it needs no addition.

I Timothy 5:16, 22 – Individual responsibilities as Christians.

Acts 20:28, 32

Colossians 3:16 – Singing commanded in the local church.

Acts 20:7

The local church is all we need in order to do collective things required by God.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Philippians 4:15-16

Acts 1:6; II Corinthians 8:9 – The church’s role in benevolence.

I Corinthians 5:4-8 – Church discipline.

Ephesians 3:7 – Like Paul, we must consider our work for God to be an act of grace.

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.