An introduction to morality

 

1)      We just heard the final 12 verses read from Eph. 5.

2)      Based on that reading I want draw from some of the key words in this text.

a)      In verse 25 we find the word “church.”  A lot of people say “let’s go to church.”

b)      We cannot “go to church.”  We cannot build a church if we use lumber and siding.

c)      We cannot really “drive to church.”  It is usually incorrect to say we will “meet at church.”

d)     “Church” means “an assembly” (a body of people); church does not mean a building.

 

3)      The church of the Bible has a head (verse 23) – God says His church is headed by Christ.

4)      Furthermore, this verse tells us the church (the people) is to be “subject” to Christ (verse 24).

5)      God is very serious about this point – verse 25 says Jesus gave His life for the church.

a)      Could we believe in something so strongly we would give up one of our eyes for it?

b)      How much would we need to love something before we would give up all our vision for it?

c)      What do we value so much that we are willing to lose an arm, a leg, or both arms and both legs?

d)     What is so important to us that we are willing to give up our very life for it?.         

e)      Today some people are answering that very question.

f)       Military chaplains conduct about 30 funerals 5 days a week at Arlington Cemetery.

g)      Some men and women have loved their country enough to give up body parts of their lives.

 

6)      Jesus did not give up one or two body parts of the church; He willingly gave up His entire life.

7)      Jesus died for the church.  Before He died, He suffered in the most awful type of way.

8)      He died for those people who want to follow Him (the church).

a)      In the church Christ died for Jesus has some plans.

b)      Verse 26 – READ

c)      God wants a “sanctified” people (church).

d)     Most know how people in the world think, talk, live, and act.

 

9)      The behavior of non-Christians is often unsanctified (inconsistent with a child of God).

10)  God says His people are forbidden from acting in that manner—they need to reflect the qualities of God.

11)  We cannot be a child of God and live like people in the world.

a)      At the end of verse 26 we are told that Christ has “washed” the members of His church.

b)      Think of something we take the time to clean.  This item was once really dirty.

c)      This time of year people are washing windows.

d)     Imagine someone getting their windows nice and clean and someone comes along with a bucket of mud.

e)      That mud is smeared and slopped on clean windows; it becomes caked and is like concrete.

 

12)  We would not want that.  God has cleansed the people in His church.  He wants them to stay clean.

13)  Sin is like dirt only it is a spiritual problem.  God removes spiritual filth from obedient people.

14)  As we recently studied, that cleansing process culminates in baptism – baptism washes away sin.

15)  It makes a person a “new creature” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

16)  Because God, figuratively speaking, “washes off the mud,” He says, “don’t play in it.”

17)  There are many reasons for this including verse 27 – READ

a)      God wants His “church” (His people) to look good.

b)      Looking good does not mean we have the most attractive physical features.

 

18)  God is not after a certain height, weight, hair color, age, eye color, etc.

19)  He wants people who lead a life consistent with His word.

a)      Thus, Paul describes this as having no “spot” or “wrinkle” in Eph. 5:27.

b)      Have we ever noticed from this verse that it is possible to have spiritual wrinkles?

c)      A lot of people worry about wrinkles; they use Botox treatments, moisturizers, and face lifts.

d)     God says we need to pay attention to wrinkles, but he did not have in mind the ones we usually see.

e)      He had in mind sin. 

 

FOR A PERIOD OF TIME I WANT TO DEVOTE SOME ATTENTION TO SPIRITUAL WRINKLES.  THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO OR CHOOSE THAT WILL NOT MAKE US THE TYPE OF PEOPLE DESCRIBES IN EPHESIANS 5.  WE WANT TO ENGAGE IN A STUDY OF IMMORALITY – WHAT IT IS AND WHY NOT TO BE INVOLVED WITH IT.

 

a)      The Bible deals with this subject in many ways.

b)      Titus 2:12 says we are to live “soberly, righteously, and godly” in this present world.

c)      One can almost picture those words as forming a triangle – illustrate.

d)     Some things are to be inside that triangle and other things are to be outside it.

i)        In this same verse Paul said “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.”

ii)      Things in these two categories would be rejected (outside the triangle).

iii)    Items associated with the three positive qualities would be inside the triangle.

 

2)      When we think about Christians sanctification and immorality, all types of subjects can be covered.

3)      A preacher could speak about personal integrity, telling the truth, not cheating, and not stealing.

4)      Other subjects would include violence, racial prejudice, honest work for a honest day’s pay.

5)      He might discussing fulfilling one’s responsibilities as a parent, child, and spouse.

6)      Immorality covers a lot of ground, as does the word sanctification.

7)      Throughout the Bible God’s people are called on to be distinct from the world and be holy.

8)      2 Cor. 6:17 says, “Come ye out from among them.”

a)      God knows what the world is like.  He says to His people, “That is the wrong place for you.”

b)      If we are a member of the church, we are called to a new life and a new way of doing things.”

c)      God says:  Live a life that is distinctive from the world.

 

9)      This is important because throughout time God’s people have lived in an immoral world.

10)  Teresa and I sat down not long ago to watch a t.v. show together.

11)  Midway through that program I commented to her that things have probably become a lot easier for writers.

12)  Our culture has become so corrupt and vile, t.v. writers do not need to get creative for t.v. shows.

13)  All they need to do is watch CNN and FOX for a few days and use the news stories they hear.

14)  Change the names and modify a few details and they have just written a new t.v. episode.

15)  Daily life provides writers with a steady stream of material.  If this were not so sad, it would be funny.

16)  Our society has evil, much of which we can easily participate in, at every turn.

a)      Pornography has spread like wildfire.

b)      Divorce is widespread, even in the church.  Drug and alcohol addiction are common.

c)      As many as 45 million babies have been killed.

d)     There on-going attempts to redefine what marriage is.

e)      Sexual restraint has been cast off by a wide range of people.

f)       Millions of teenagers have contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

g)      Hundreds of thousands of people just in our country have AIDS.

h)      The number of unwed mothers is shocking.

 

17)  We have drive by shootings in our area and throughout the nation.  People laugh at the police.

18)  People have an interest in practicing euthanasia, there is Satanism and witchcraft at all levels in society.

19)  We find government corruption, gambling, prostitution, and often indifference to wrong.

20)  Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate.  Maybe you have read what he said.

21)  "Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.  We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done...

22)  We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism;

23)  We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism;

24)  We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle;

25)  We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery;

26)  We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation;

27)  We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare;

28)  We have killed our unborn and called it choice;

29)  We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable;

30)  We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem;

31)  We have abused power and called it political savvy;

32)  We have coveted our neighbor´s possessions and called it ambition;

33)  We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression;

34)  We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

 

35)  This is true – it is not some Internet hoax.  A lot of the legislators walked out when this man spoke.

36)  Many in our nation do not want to consider that many things might be or actually are immoral.

37)  All we hear is a “separation of church and state.”

38)  That usually mean people want Bible believing people to keep quiet.

39)  Often Christians are subjected to bully tactics; people call God’s people unloving and intolerant.

40)  It is time to remind folks there is a God and He has said some things.  He has said many things.

41)  Those who want heaven as their home need to live soberly, righteously and godly in the world.

42)  God calls on people to live a sanctified life.

a)      This is a very important responsibility.

b)      David once asked a question in Ps. 11:3 – if the “foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

c)      In many respects the moral foundations of this country are under attack every single day.

d)     That means we need to do some things if we are concerned for this country and we are a Christian.

 

43)  If we are a child of God Rom. 12:2 says “be not conformed to the world.”

44)  God says “look at the world and the things done by the world and be separate.”

45)  God put the church in the world, but says the church is not to be “of” the world (Jn. 17:15).

46)  Rather, Jesus said we are to be a “light” to the world (Mt. 5:13-16).

47)  If we act in a way where we contribute to the darkness, that is not fulfilling the divine plan.

48)  Peter (1 Pet. 2:9) said we are to “show forth the excellencies “of God.

49)  We are to tell the world about the God who called us out of darkness into the marvelous light.

50)  How can we do that if we live, think and act as the world?

a)      If we are not willing to live in this manner, the world will be the power we follow.

b)      1 Cor. 5:6 says “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.”

c)      The more of the world a Christian lets into their life, the less God will have.

 

51)  In the coming weeks we will look at some specific moral issues and how they relate to the Bible.

52)  If there are some subjects you would like to have addressed, feel free to let me know.

53)  Today is a general introduction to this topic.

54)  Because this is the first lesson it may be useful to mention some “moral tests” we can use.

55)Some questions can help us determine if an activity is good or bad; moral or immoral.

 

56)  There is the Personal Test: will something make me a better or worse Christian?

57)  The Social Test: will an action influence others to be better or worse Christians?

58)  The Practical Test: will the results of my actions be desirable?

59)  The Universal Test: if everyone should do this, will it enhance or degrade society?

60)  The Scriptural Test: does the Bible endorse this practice or belief, or is it forbidden?

61)  The Stewardship Test: will this activity waste a talent God has given to me?

62)  The Family Test: will something bring discredit & dishonor to my family, and will it embarrass them?

63)   The Publicity Test: would I be willing for friends, fellow Christians, the elders, and the preacher to know about it?

64)  The Common Sense Test: does this agree with plain, everyday, ordinary common sense?

65)  The Fairness Test: is it honest?  It is practicing the "Golden Rule"?

66)  The Problem Test: is it potentially harmful to me and / or others?

67)  It is important to know what is right in the sight of God and then do it.

68)  Today, do we know what is right?  Do we have a good grasp of what is immoral and what is not?

69)  If we do, have we also become a Christian?  We may need some help, and help is available.