Volume  3    Issue   41   August 17th, 2003

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

    The word of God clearly shows us that sin separates man from God: (Isaiah 59:1-2) “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”  Many often treat the separation of man from God as God’s choice.  That is not true (II Peter 3:9).  As shown above in our opening text of this discussion, it is our sins that cause the separation.  However, mankind has a problem with accepting accountability.  Man often times wants to lay the charge of sin on somebody else.  That is where the doctrine of inherited sin is born.

    (Ecclesiastes 7:29) “Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.”  God created male and female in a sinless state.  Sin was brought into the world by the choices of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1ff.).  Many confuse the punishment for that action.  Many believe that sin is passed on to all generations from that point forward.  That is wrong.  Death was the penalty that mankind would pay (I Corinthians 15:21-22).  God tells us that sin is not inherited:  (Ezekiel 18:20) “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”  Sin is conscience choice to violate the word of God (James 4:17 and I John 3:4).

    Notice how the word of God shows us what occurs when one makes a choice to sin: (James 1:14-15) “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  When a person sins, they do not need to look any further than their self for someone to blame.  The attitude of blaming someone else for one’s own errors will never help anyone in handling the problem.  The old “God tempted me” excuse does not work (James 1:13).  Nor does the “Devil made me do it” excuse work (Matthew 4:1-11).  God shows us that we can overcome the Devil, and He also shows us how.  (James 4:7) “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

    Accountability has to be accepted if one is ever going to gain the gift of grace through obedience to the Lord.  It is our sins that separate us from God; therefore we are the ones that need to change.  That point is made to the brethren meeting as the local church at Laodicea: (Revelation 3:19-20) “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”  One has to acknowledge that they have not fallen into sin, but have made choices in their lives leading them into sin.  One has to be able to repent, or change, from their sinful habits before being able to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  (Acts 3:19) “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”  The idea that one cannot walk through an hour, a day, etc. without sinning is incorrect.  Our article next week will illustrate that fact!  We will close with the words of our Lord to an adulteress: (John 8:11) “…Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

A. People want to serve God based upon conditions such as:

1. God answering their prayers.
2. Their lives are good.
3. You have heard people say “if God will just help me now, I will obey Him from this point forward…”

B. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not love God conditionally.

1. God’s law reigned first in their lives (Daniel 3:10-12).
2. Their obedience to God would not end if God did not aid them (Daniel 3:15-18).

C. Do you have faith in God and obey Him mostly or only based upon His providing for you?

1. What prayer will it take not being answered for you to walk away from the Lord?
2. How would we feel if God completely deserted us when we fail in answering one thing He has asked us to do?

a. God is a longsuffering God (II Peter 3:9).
b. He has provided a means for Christians to bring Him back into their lives after they have sent Him from their lives (I John 1:9).
c. Anytime there exists a separation from God and a Christian, that separation has occurred on the part of the Christian (Isaiah 59:1-2 and I John 3:4).

3. While it is certainly true that God will provide for His faithful (Romans 8:28), our faith should go beyond our dependence of things in this life (Hebrews 11:36-38, James 1:2-3, Revelation 2:10).

I. God has already provided greatly for mankind

A. God has provided physical life:

1. Genesis 1:27
2. Deuteronomy 4:32
3. Psalms 100:3
4. Isaiah 64:8
5. Jeremiah 27:5
6. Mark 10:6

B. God has provided things necessary to sustain physical life:

1. Genesis 1:29-30
2. Job 5:8-10
3. Psalms 136:25-26
3. Isaiah 42:5
4. Acts 14:17

C. God has provided for us to have spiritual lives beyond this earth:

1. Galatians 1:3-4
2. Ephesians 1:3
3. I John 5:11

D. God has provided things necessary to sustain spirituality on this earth

1. God has fully equipped man to do every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3).
2. Matthew 28:20
3. John 20:30-31
4. John 21:24-25
5. Titus 2:11-14

1. Paul had a problem: II Corinthians 12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”
2. Paul brought that problem before God three times: II Corinthians 12:8 “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”
3. God’s answer: II Corinthians 12:9a “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…”
4. Paul’s attitude: II Corinthians 12:9b-13 “...Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

A. God has shown His love for us:

1. John 3:16
2. I John 4:9

B. Through obedience we show our love for Him:

1. John 14:15
2. I John 5:1

C. We can certainly conclude that our actions speak volumes towards our level of commitment to God.

1. James 1:22-24
2. I John 3:18

III. Conditional love for God will not result in salvation

A. You must be willing to place God first and press forward:

1. Matthew 10:37-39
2. Matthew 16:24-27
3. Luke 9:57-62

B. What if your child said to you “mom or dad, I will clean my room if you give me some ice cream first” after you have already given them an order to do so?

1. What God has said must be followed:

a. Matthew 7:21-27
b. II Thessalonians 1:7-9
c. Hebrews 5:8-9

2. A parent may give the old “do it now”, or they may even reason with the child by pointing out who feeds, clothes, educates them, etc.  Why does this logic not work on us all?

A. Conditional obedience will not grant one entrance into eternal life: (Matthew 22:37) “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
B. Do not base your faith and obedience upon what God will do for you, consider what He has already done for you.

Quick Notes

Those Serving Today:
Announcements – Brian Yeager
A.M. Song Leader – Mike Lockwood
Lord’s Table – Bill Graham
Assisting – George and Young Jay
First Prayer – Sergio Imbarlina
Closing Prayer – Jay Wagner

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Tony Sassano (going through chemotherapy), Joan Croyle, Marie Glunt (a friend of the Papp’s who is suffering from cancer), Kathleen Santana, and Julie Rado (a friend of the Graham’s who has been diagnosed with breast cancer).

Thanks to Bill, Mike, and Terry for teaching and preaching in my place.  We are blessed to have capable men – B.A.Y.