Christian Purity #1

Christianity Is The Supreme Advocate, Defender of Purity.
2. Nothing can compare to the power of Jesus when it comes to cleaning up your life.
a. ROM 8:2, 5-14. We are to walk in purity. But it’s not easy.
(A) And because it’s not easy many have opted for a lower standard.
(1) That is the trend in everything today. The dumbing down of America has also
come to be the standard in America’s Christianity today.
Many school systems have lowered the standards of sducation because it’s to hard for some. And we don’t want to hurt their feelings or cause them to feel substandard. End up with a destructive “Outcome Based Education.”
It results in having no standard of pride in achievement or self. Dumb down every body so they’re all equally stupid and lazy under achievers with no pride or ambition.
(2) This socialist philosophy has crept into the Church and it’s taking it’s toll.
(a) When confronted with the choice, to many Christians choose to be carnal.
They refuse to stand solidly on God’s Word as the standard of righteousness.
Begin to rationalize, make excuses. Lower standards to the same unrestrained carnal standards of a world run amuck in sin. Dummed down Christianity so we won’t hurt their feelings and cause them to feel substandard.
(b) This battle is not new. The Bible describes this warfare quite vividly.
(c) ROM 6:6, 12-13. GAL 5:17. Evil is alive and active.
(d) Be on your guard. Be aware, reject these advocates, avoid them.
(B) Not to be pathetic putty in the pawing, grasping, enslaving hands of temptation.
(1) God’s Word tells us to be on our guard about the strong appeal of the flesh .
(a) Demands that Christians maintain moral purity in both public & private lives.
(b) The attitude of America is becoming one that endorses, encourages immorality.
(2) Christians every where have failed to seek out and live the standards of God.
(a) We are in a fierce battle against the host of darkness and Satan are real.
(b) 2 COR 10:3-5.
(3) The Power of Satan is as real and Observable as the ground you walk on. Yet
as stealthy, and as hidden and unseen as the air you breath. Set a trap for you.
(a) 2 COR 11:14-15, “Don’t be surprised! For Satan himself transforms himself into
an angel of light. Therefore it is not unusual if his ministers (Those who serve
Him) also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness their works.”
(b) Paul describes Carnal Christians. Those who have been captured by Satan
and his servants this way in PHIP 3:18-19, “For many walk, of whom I have
told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the
cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their fleshly appetites
and whose glory is in their shame?? who set their mind on earthly things.”
b. And the lack of moral purity has spawned a total disregard for spiritual purity.
(1) God’s Word is no longer the final authority in all spiritual matters.
(1) Isn’t that the natural result of Ignoring God’s moral laws. Reject spiritual laws.
(1) If I can ignore God’s moral laws with impunity. Also disregard spiritual laws.
(2) If I don’t like any part of God’s requirements for Salvation I just disregard them.
(2) If I don’t want to honor Christ by observing, every 1st day of the week, this covenant meal we call the Lord’s Supper, I arbitrarily decide to do it when I want.

(1) If I want to reject God’s command to administer baptism by sprinkling water on people instead of Immersing as God commanded, I ignore God, and accuse any one who objects as being narrow minded.
(2) If I want to make it easier for people to accept Christ I tell them they don’t have to be baptized to be saved. Just believe and pray the sinner’s prayer.
(2) Jesus taught a specific doctrine to 12 apostles and told them to go teach that doctrine to everybody in the world and teach those people to observe every part of that doctrine.
(1) You can read that in Matt. 28:18-20. Observe everything commanded.
(1) Where did those apostles get the doctrine they taught? Jno. 16:13.
(2) Jesus taught Them exactly what God taught Him and then He told them that the Holy Spirit would teach them EVERYTHING ELSE they would need to know to teach others how to be saved.
(2) What they taught was from God and binding on everyone, it’s unchangable.
(1) Listen carefully to Luke 10:16. That’s not the only scripture.
(2) Jno. 12:48-49.
(3) Matt. 5:18-19.
(3) Do you remember what Paul said in 1 Cor. 4:17, “I teach the same thing everywhere in every church.” Why Paul? Because that’s what Christ commanded me.
(1) Gal. 1:6-10. You depart from the doctrine of Christ and you’ll be lost.
(2) That’s what Paul said, and if you reject what Paul says, 1 Cor 14:37?38, says,
“If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that
the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone
is ignorant, let him be ignorant.” Reject the writings of the apostle Paul and you
do so because you are spiritually ignorant and if you don’t change you will die in
your ignorance.
(4) Do you want to be spiritually and doctrinally pure? Want be a child of God?
(1) Hear the Word of God, Believe the Word of God, Obey the Word of God and you’ll be saved. And if you don’t, you’ll be lost.
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 8/5/2001 am