2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005 Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15 |
Now what to expect! Part III Separation From / Unto! |
As a "Christian..."
Be a bad example -
not to separate from the world - even though the Scriptures say: Galatians
1:4; John 17:11-17; I John 2:15-17; James 4:4
wrong
music
wrong
morals
wrong
education
wrong
goals
wrong
friends, including girl / boy friend - husband / wife
wrong
direction in life
wrong
life with wrong results and quite possibly ending up in a wrong place because
of a false salvation
Be a 'better' example...
modern Christianity - separation of some sort...
soul
winning in "sermons" emphasis
gospels
& Jesus teachings
guilt
with a little grace
close
to KJV bibles (more NKJV and Greek)
no
RD - or if so, not completely - just picking and choosing based on scholarship
close
to right music - at least words are spiritual
close
to 'right' churches - at least they are growing in number of people
Questionable
life with questionable results quite possibly from a questionable salvation
- spirit of antichrist involvement - I
John 4:1-3; Galatians 1:6, etc.
Our Kids are the ones hurt!
Yet - it seems that as we separate "away from,"
our kids still get 1) sucked up by the world; 2) they jump into the world
on their own 3) and/or pushed into the worldly ways by the "Christian"
parents.
Remember - Even us adults can be good at feeding the flesh, too!
Life today is all about soul stealing and life destroying!
Bunny Trail: Opposing themselves... We can be our own worst enemy!
Acts 18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
II Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
II Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Back to the original trail...
Paul!
A More Excellent Way
I Corinthians 12:31
The way of God more perfectly...
Acts 18:26
Jesus is going to show him 'more...' so that he can tell us!
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for
I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,
to make thee a minister and a witness both
of these things which thou hast seen,
and of those things in the which I will
appear unto thee;
Acts 26:18
Paul is not just about 'changed' souls for
tomorrow, but 'changed' lives for today!
He preaches and teaches to us the details of
'pleasing God' today!
(if the soul is even changed -
that is a priority & necessity!!!)
God will get the glory for the salvations later
- He could use some glory now in our personal lives and for our children!
Remember all the 'to's in the deliverance sermons?
but we must also separate "UNTO... GOD!" |
Being separated is 'good' - yet there doesn't
seem to be as much of that these days...
Folks use the lack of separation - the tearing
down of the walls of doctrinal division - the ecumenical push to eliminate
the separation issue.
Even many Bible Believing type of Christians are fairly ok at separating 'from' some things...
Have you noticed, but as we have been preaching
Paul, we are now also being called Legalists!
P.S. and By the way: It's always easier to teach others your conviction - especially if you can't do it yourself. (bosses, administration, inspectors, etc.)
long hair / short hair
clothes for man / woman / kids boys & girls
marriage / divorce / remarriage
evolution
education - public / private / home school
Hollywood or Christian video... (or both)
where NOT to shop
what NOT to eat
what NOT to listen to
what NOT to do...
And yes, there are even a few people who are to
"withdraw from" and "from such turn away..."
II Thessalonians 3:6 Now
we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye
withdraw
yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after
the tradition which he received of us.
I Timothy 6:5
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,
supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
II Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away.
But today's "Christian who
cares" can all too easily become a "Checklist Christian!"
(Sam Gipp)
(bondage under the wrong gospel
- under the wrong commission, etc.)
II Peter 2:18-20
...UNTO GOD |
The more excellent way is for HIS
pleasure
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honour and power: for thou hast created all things,
and for thy pleasure they are and were
created.
Revelation 4:11
Doing things for HIS pleasure will bring us away from ourselves and UNTO GOD!
...Is Passed on to Paul!
Acts 26:17,18
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I
send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in me.
Paul's Commission Call
Acts 13:47
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light
of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends
of the earth.
Of course bringing folks to a saving salvation
glorifies God - and pleases God, however, it isn't just 'for us' or just
for that person!
John 3:17 For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
I Timothy 2:3-6
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be
testified in due time.
Romans 11:11
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather
through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke
them to jealousy.
A saint pleases God!
A saint loves God enough to do right because he loves
God - knowing that God loved him first!
We love him, because he first loved us.
I John 4:19
But God commendeth his love toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Who died for us, that, whether we wake
or sleep, we should live together with him.
I Thessalonians 5:10
we should also separate "UNTO" the Lord! |
Romans 14:6
Romans 14:8
Romans 6:10,11,13
Romans 7:4
Romans 12:1
Galatians 2:19
Ephesians 5:10
Ephesians 5:20
Philippians 4:6
II Timothy 2:15
Draw NIGH
Christ made it possible for us to draw nigh -
Ephesians
2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes
were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
then we ought to not only move away from the world, but be willing to be
drawn nigh unto God!!!!
The answer is simple...
Not only "Find out what He
doesn't like and quit doing it!"
but also, "Find out what
He does like and do it!"
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:1,2
It is called 'holiness!'
See Part IV