1 Pet 1:13-16
INTRO: The word driven is being used a lot these days and in ways that have nothing to do with an automobile. We hear of a market driven economy. We hear of culturally driven choices. The entertainment industry tells us that what it produces is consumer driven. The point is, of course, that the outcome is determined by underlying causes and impetus. With that little bit of explanation I want to pursue this question. What Drives Us?
I. ARE WE IGNORANCE DRIVEN PEOPLE?
A. Many life choices are made in ignorance
1. I didnt know
2. now, ignorance does not excuse unlawful behavior ... does not excuse wrong choices ... but it does explain
3. speeding in school zone ... I didnt know ... got a ticket!
4. conduct based on ignorance can be very serious
B. Eph 4:17-19 Ignorance - sin - alienation from God
1. ignorance leads us into conduct, life styles which are unacceptable to God
2. note Acts 3:14-17 driven by ignorance
3. Acts 17:30 ignorance does not excuse from penalty!
4. 1 Tim 1:12,13 but penitence and obedient faith will bring us Gods forgiveness
II. ARE WE DESIRE DRIVEN PEOPLE?
A. Desire is neither good nor evil of itself
1. for example: 1 Ki 8:18 desire drove him to do good
2. or, 2 Sam 11:2-5 desire drove him into sin
3. my concern here is that desire often leads knowledgeable people to say, I dont care ... this is what I want
4. and that desire results in sin!
B. Jas 1:14,15 Lust - sin - death
1. lust is desire for what is forbidden
2. this strong desire led David into a succession of sins ... and forever tarnished his memory
3. 2 Pet 1:5-7 ... note temperance - self-control
4. raw, uncontrolled desire is dangerous ... Christians must be careful about their desire drives!
III. ARE WE CULTURALLY DRIVEN PEOPLE
A. Culture more and more drives peoples choices, lives
1. times have changed is the rationale one hears
2. and, it is true; times have changed ... but can we safely use that rationale for choices, decisions that may well not be based only in culture?
3. do we use that rationale to dismiss practices, principles enjoined by scripture?
4. culturally decided may often be outright sin!
B. Mt 15:1-3 A culturally accepted practice ... violating Gods law!
1. this is not to say that some of what we read may have cultural trappings ...but such matters are fairly easily discerned
2. but when culture violates the Biblical pattern for morality and/ or the church, it cannot be accepted
3. 1 Ki 8:5,19,20 here, too often, is the basis for choices, direction ... be like everyone else (note v.7 - reject God!)
4. Christians must be cautious about making changes based on cultural/societal norms!
IV. ARE WE SCRIPTURE DRIVEN PEOPLE?
A. Scripture is Gods guide for life
1. infallible God provides infallible guide
2. everything must be weighed/tested with scripture
3. 2 Tim 3:15 wisdom leading to salvation
B. The issue? 2 Cor 10:18
1. so, Acts 17:11
2. ignorance, desire, culture must be tested, resolved by scripture ... trite to say? but true - your eternal security rests on what you do with scripture
3. ignorance, desire, culture all have their appeal ... but that appeal, unfortunately, is not Godward
CLOSE: You must answer the question, What drives you?
Cecil A. Hutson
06 January 2002
You Must Hear the Gospel
Romans 10:17
You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
You Must Believe
Hebrews 11:6
You must believe and have faith in God because “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)
You Must Repent
Acts 3:19
You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)
You Must Confess
Romans 10:9
You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just “accept Jesus as your personal savior.” We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)
You Must Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!
You Must Be Faithful Unto Death
Revelation 2:10
Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God’s grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God’s grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)