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940605AM
I TH 4.1-8 p. 10 Mind-8 INSIGHTS FOR HOLY LIVING I THESSALONIANS 4:1-8 PART EIGHT: THE CHRISTIAN MIND: BEWARE OF DANGERS
Open to Hebrews 12:14: The reality of ones eternal destiny hinges upon the truth of that a radical conversion has started in their very own mind and it is radiating outward to the limits of their being. That is what salvation is all about!.
This morning let’s look at two truths: 1. SAVING FAITH IS LIFE CHANGING FAITH 2. LIFE CHANGING FAITH TRANSFORMS THE MIND FIRST
First of all the Bible says SAVING FAITH IS LIFE CHANGING FAITH:
Do you realize the difference between a sincere, spirit controlled, devoted, godly, obedient Christian and a defeated, weak, struggling Christian is what takes place in the mind? They may be attending the same church, active in the same ministries, and externally doing the same things, but the one is defeated and the other lives a spiritually fruitful life. The difference is the thought life. [193]
Ø God says that if the old self isn’t dead, crucified, conversion has not occurred. Gal 5:24 Ø “We must see that we are not remodeled sinners but reborn saints.”1Look at Jude 18-19 Ø If you never been saved from sin, you have never been saved from Hell. I John 3:9. It isn’t that we should not continue in bondage to sin, the Lord says we cannot!
That lead us to eight practical action items to rekindle the MORTIFICATION and SANCTIFICATION process in your life. That word means, to throttle sin and crush it in our lives, sapping it of It’s strength, rooting it out, and depriving it of It’s influence.
1 Faith Works, p. 118.
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…Mortification involves the cultivation of new habits of godliness, combined with the elimination of old sinful habits from our behavior.2
Let’s read Romans 6:1-7 and underline the key truth: WE ARE MORTIFIED, DEAD WITH CHRIST!
Probably the most helpful presentation of this vital subject is found in the book The Vanishing Conscience by John MacArthur3. The seventh chapter entitled “Hacking Agag to Pieces”, is wonderful. Listen to these key Biblical commands, we can start with today, that are highlighted:
1. STOP, SAY NO Abstain from fleshly lusts. 2. STARVE, STAY AWAY Make no provision for the flesh.
Concerning the first command STOP AND SAY NO TO SIN Abstain from fleshly lusts, Look at I Peter 2:11 with me. Pretty straight forward isn’t it? Listen to the great preacher of last generation, D. Martin Lloyd Jones:
I do not know of a single scripture – and I speak advisedly – which tells me to take my sin, the particular thing that gets me down, to God in prayer and ask Him to deliver me from it and them trust in faith that He will. No, He says, STOP! 4
Turn back a book to James 4:7 RESIST. Look at I Corinthians 6:18 FLEE.
CHRISTIAN MODESTY
1. Wear clothing that is modest.
ü OT PRIESTS MINISTERED IN THE HOLY PLACE ü GOD HAD DRESS STANDARDS TO REFLECT HIS HOLINESS ü MOSES WAS OVERWHELMED IN TRHE PRESENCE OF GOD ü ISAIAH WAS UNDONE AT HIS HOLINESS ü DANIEL WAS LIKE A DEAD MAN ü PETER SAID GET AWAY I’M SINFUL ü Because we are the Holy Temple of God:1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not
2 John MacArthur, The Vanishing Conscience, Dallas:Word, 1994, p. 156. 3 Ibid. pp. 145-66. 4 Sanctified Through the Truth: The Assurance of Our Salavation (Wheaton: Crossway, 1989), 54.
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your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (KJV) ü Because God commands us to: 1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (KJV)
2. Flee the lusts of your flesh.5
ü Because God commands us to: 2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (KJV)
ü Because it works: Genesis 39:9-12 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. (KJV)
3. Resist the Devil. 1 Peter 5:9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (KJV)
First Thessalonians 4:6-8 = We must remember God cautions us to avoid rejecting [lit. ‘Treating as one who may be disregarded’.]
Illustration: Mrs. Palmer’s radar detector, passed policeman.
• Some are sick. 1 Cor 11 • God is not mocked. Gal 6.7-8 • God chastens. Heb 12:5 • Sin to death. 1 John 5 • Some are dead. Rev 2
4. First Thessalonians 4:9-12 = We must accept our challenge to go on to even more.
5 Swindoll, Shedding Light, p.24-26.
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Well, how did they do? Very well. Remember the time we studied the epitaphs of the 1st century grave markers? The theme blameless living! Did they get it? Within three plus weeks, a group of idol worshippers, sexual addicts and hot tempered longshoremen He had to train them to live in a Christly way and protect them from error that surrounded them. Yes they got the message. Lets listen too!