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SINS WE TOLERATE
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Over the next two months, the youth ministry will be going through a series entitled "Sins We Tolerate." The premise lies within the book of Galatians and the lust of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-26 (NKJV)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
As you look through this passage, you find there are a lot of things within the Church (and note the big C) that have been "tolerated" do to the fact that there are other "large" sins looming outside of it. Jerry Bridges, author of Respectable Sins, put it like this:
“Conservative evangelicals may have become so preoccupied with some of the major sins of society around us that we have lost sight of the need to deal with our own more ‘refined’ or subtle sins.” Jerry Bridges, Respectable Sins, pg. 9
Within Christianity, we become consumed with what have become to us, the "big" sins. You know, murder, sex, dancing (meant to be sardonic, not literal), etc. Yet, when you look to multiple passages in the Bible, it is clear that all of the above are equal in the eyes of the LORD. Think of the hate we tolerate (though we guise it with strong dislike). Think of the contention and fighting we tolerate, showing disagreements as our pretense. Outbursts of wrath and anger, whether driving, shopping, talking, walking and any other action word in which an outburst can occur. To those who practice these, those not mentioned and the like, they shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
A lot has been made of God and his kingdom these days. My intent isn't to get into that quite yet, but suffice it to say, those who practice such things will not have a part with Jesus. When you look through your church, do you find these sins prevalent? How many times do we deal with contention or divisiveness in the church? Outbursts of wrath? Hatred? The like?
The realization I have come to is that apart from Christ, you and I will continue to respond in this way and in this manner. We will act in the flesh as long as we live in the flesh. However, if we live in the Spirit, there is a completely different way of life (of which is at war with our former self) in which we are to life. One of love. Joy. Peace. Longsuffering. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.
If we would like to live in the Spirit, let us also walk in it. If Christ is alive within us, the lust of the flesh cannot be present. It is impossible to have peace and hate living within you. It's impossible to have outbursts of wrath and be a person of joy and self-control It's impossible to have contentions or divisions when there is kindness and goodness living within you. And you can't be a heretic if you are faithful.
As I've sat through the past two weeks through this material and have done my due diligence in study, the Bible is full of instances in which these sins are mentioned and the response is that by practicing such, the people have ceased to know God. For you and I, there are sins present in our lives that are tolerated because we are consumed with sex, drugs and dancing. Those that we would call "minor" sins are still revealing of the way in which we live and walk. May we scan the depths of our heart and live lives that are full of Spirit. Our helper. The one who can when we cannot. Overcoming our weakness.
If you would like more detailed info on Sins We Tolerate and Bible study to got a little deeper, visit www.theburnstudents.com each week for new material.
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Now playing: Lydia - One More Day
Galatians 5:16-26 (NKJV)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
As you look through this passage, you find there are a lot of things within the Church (and note the big C) that have been "tolerated" do to the fact that there are other "large" sins looming outside of it. Jerry Bridges, author of Respectable Sins, put it like this:
“Conservative evangelicals may have become so preoccupied with some of the major sins of society around us that we have lost sight of the need to deal with our own more ‘refined’ or subtle sins.” Jerry Bridges, Respectable Sins, pg. 9
Within Christianity, we become consumed with what have become to us, the "big" sins. You know, murder, sex, dancing (meant to be sardonic, not literal), etc. Yet, when you look to multiple passages in the Bible, it is clear that all of the above are equal in the eyes of the LORD. Think of the hate we tolerate (though we guise it with strong dislike). Think of the contention and fighting we tolerate, showing disagreements as our pretense. Outbursts of wrath and anger, whether driving, shopping, talking, walking and any other action word in which an outburst can occur. To those who practice these, those not mentioned and the like, they shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
A lot has been made of God and his kingdom these days. My intent isn't to get into that quite yet, but suffice it to say, those who practice such things will not have a part with Jesus. When you look through your church, do you find these sins prevalent? How many times do we deal with contention or divisiveness in the church? Outbursts of wrath? Hatred? The like?
The realization I have come to is that apart from Christ, you and I will continue to respond in this way and in this manner. We will act in the flesh as long as we live in the flesh. However, if we live in the Spirit, there is a completely different way of life (of which is at war with our former self) in which we are to life. One of love. Joy. Peace. Longsuffering. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.
If we would like to live in the Spirit, let us also walk in it. If Christ is alive within us, the lust of the flesh cannot be present. It is impossible to have peace and hate living within you. It's impossible to have outbursts of wrath and be a person of joy and self-control It's impossible to have contentions or divisions when there is kindness and goodness living within you. And you can't be a heretic if you are faithful.
As I've sat through the past two weeks through this material and have done my due diligence in study, the Bible is full of instances in which these sins are mentioned and the response is that by practicing such, the people have ceased to know God. For you and I, there are sins present in our lives that are tolerated because we are consumed with sex, drugs and dancing. Those that we would call "minor" sins are still revealing of the way in which we live and walk. May we scan the depths of our heart and live lives that are full of Spirit. Our helper. The one who can when we cannot. Overcoming our weakness.
If you would like more detailed info on Sins We Tolerate and Bible study to got a little deeper, visit www.theburnstudents.com each week for new material.
----------------
Now playing: Lydia - One More Day
