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ITS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

June 25, 2000 AM

Sermon Outline

Deut 6:20-25

INTRO: One of my parents favorite things to say to me was, Its for your own good, son. It may have been said when they told me there was something they would not let me do. Its for your own good. It may have been said when they told me something they wanted me to do. Its for your won good. It may even have been just before I was punished. Its for your own good. And, you know, I didnt always see the good. Listen to this: Deut 6:24 ... for our good always ...

i SOME ATTITUDES TOWARD GODS STATUTES

A. It is not necessary to do them (Jer 32:23)

B. It is optional - its O.K. if youre into that sort of thing

C. I dont like His way; I prefer my own

D. Ill do it; but I wont like it

E. I delight to do His will (Ps 40:8)

II. HIS LAW IS FOR OURGOOD!

A. The gracious God gave us His law, will

1. Acts 14:3 and 20:32

2. He genuinely cares for us; wants what is best for us; knows what is best for us

3. the last point above is critical to our understanding, acceptance

4. it is Gods grace which makes known that which is essential for our good - Titus 2:11,12

B. So, His law is for our own good

1. Deut 6:24 and 10:12,13

2. consider Ps 19:7-11 and the blessings associated with the law of the Lord

3. ... and in keeping of them there is great reward

4. His law is a blessing; is security; is fair; is just; is equitable; is sufficient

C. Our observing His law is our righteousness

1. Ps 119:172 with Rom 1:16,17

2. Acts 10:35

3. but Titus 3:5 is there a conflict? no, in Titus Paul is showing clearly an immutable fact: our righteousness apart from the grace, mercy of God and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus cannot save us - obedient faith joined with Gods grace is what we must visualize

4. Col 1:10 ... and may please Him in every way (NIV) - here is the point of our Christian life!

III. FOR THOU ART A HOLY PEOPLE (7:6)

A. Permit me to read a bit further - Deut 7:1-6

1. make no covenant with them (2 Cor 6:14ff)

2. they will turn away ... from following me (1 Ki 11:4-6)

3. the ways o the world are not for our good!

4. and there can be no compromising with values, systems, ideals which come from sources other than God

B. Gods purpose? to make of us holy people

1. 2 Cor 7:1

2. our being holy is for our own good

3. Gal 3:19-21 forbidden things - why? they are not for our good!

4. where, then, do we need to be? Ps 37;23,31

CLOSE: 1 Jno 5:3 Perhaps we do not always immediately understand the whys and wherefores of what God commands of us. But we can know this for certain - its for our own good!

Cecil A. Hutson

25 June 2000

God's Plan of Salvation

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 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 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 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)

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!

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)