INTRODUCTION:

What was condemned in Romans chapter1 is much to do with Idolatry, Homosexuality and many other things mentioned in verses 29-32.  They were charged as serving creature more than the creator. 
KJV Romans 1:25
25.  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
 

When the terminology “Church Politics” is applied we think of man made institutions such as the Catholic Church.  When it is applied to our brethren, it is a shame.  Yet, it seems that it is a fad at times to play the name game instead of being able and ready to give a book, chapter, and verse to all that we do.  When we understand that we must be ready always to give an answer (I Peter 3:15 and I Thessalonians 5:21), it is a shame that we do so by quoting at times the words of men, rather than God.  The goal of this lesson is to instill in us the interest of having more Bible, and less “manly wisdom”{see James 4:13-16).  For us to realize that a motivation behind this type of erring behavior is popularity, and prestige also known as pride!

I. SERVING MAN OVER GOD (Bad Examples)

AS DID SAUL
KJV 1 Samuel 15:24
 24.  And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

AS DID AARON – THE PEOPLE WANTED- AARON GAVE
KJV Exodus 32:1-5
 1.  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
 2.  And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
 3.  And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
 4.  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
5. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.

HOW DID GOD FEEL ABOUT GRAVEN IMAGES
KJV Exodus 20:2-5
 2.  I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
 3.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 4.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
 5.  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

THE CHIEF RULERS WERE NOT FAITHFUL – BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO  PLEASE MEN
KJV John 12:42-43
 42.  Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
 43.  For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

IT IS WRONG AS WERE THE PHARISEES TO TEACH THE DOCTRINES OF MEN
KJV Matthew 15:7-14
7.  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
 8.  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
 9.  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
 10.  And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
 11.  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
 12.  Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
 13.  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

II. WE MUST SEEK TO PLEASE GOD RATHER THAN MAN

CAN’T SERVE GOD AND MAN AT THE SAME TIME
KJV Galatians 1:10-12
10.  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
 11.  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
 12.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 

AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE NOT BE SERVING NOT AS MENPLEASERS BUT A SERVANTS OF OUR LORD
KJV Ephesians 6:5-7
5.  Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
 6.  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
6. With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

GOD IS NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS
KJV Acts 10:34-35
 34.  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35. But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

PETER STATED AFTER BEING ARRESTED, FREED BY AN ANGEL OF THE LORD, AND CAPTURED AGAIN, THAT THEY OUGHT TO PLEASE GOD RATHER THAN MAN.  WHAT WERE THEY GUILTY OF?  (TEACHING CHRIST)
KJV Acts 5:14-29
14.  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
 15.  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
 16.  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
 17.  Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
 18.  And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
 19.  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
 20.  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
 21.  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
 22.  But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
 23.  Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
 24.  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
 25.  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
 26.  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
 27.  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
 28.  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

III. WE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED, BUT REJOICE WHEN WE SUFFER FROM TEACHING THE TRUTH!

WE ARE BLESSED IN THESE PERSECUTIONS
KJV Matthew 5:11-12
11.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

DO THIS FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST
KJV Colossians 1:24
 24.  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

CHRIST SUFFERED (WITHOUT THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF MEN)
KJV Hebrews 2:9
9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

NOT TO BE ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
KJV Romans 1:16
 16.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
 

IV. THE CHURCH NEEDS CHRISTIANS NOT POLITICIANS

PAUL TAUGHT THE TRUTH AND FELT RIGHT EVEN IF OTHERS DID NOT LIKE IT.
KJV Galatians 4:16
15. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

IF JOHN THE BAPTIST WERE A BETTER POLITICIAN HE WOULD HAVE KEPT IS HEAD
KJV Matthew 14:3-10
 3.  For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
 4.  For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
 5.  And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
 6.  But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
 7.  Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
 8.  And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
 9.  And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
10. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

CONCLUSION:

KJV Ecclesiastes 12:13
13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

IF WE DO FIND OURSELVES IN POLITICS THE ONLY THING TO DO IS:
KJV Acts 26:20
20. But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

FOR THOSE POLITICIANS ARE SEEKING TO DRAW DISCIPLES AFTER THEM
KJV Acts 20:28-30
28.  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
 29.  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
 30.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
 

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