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HUMILITY IN CHRISTIAN LIVING

February 17, 2002 PM

Sermon Outline

1Pet 5:5-6

INTRO: If we should try to choose one word to describe how Christians are to relate to one another in the body of Christ we would very likely choose the word love. And that would not be such a bad choice. But in the text before us another word becomes very prominent ... the word humility. The only way the close fellowship of the church can develop and survive is through our being clothed with humility. Of course, love and humility are certainly compatible words and ideas. Lets look, though, at some ideas about humility which Peter shares with us.

I. A SPECIAL PROBLEM FOR THE YOUNG? (5:5a)

A. With reference to attained age ...

1. is it not true that at certain stages young people have a problem with independence? (2 Tim 2:22,23) - rebellion?

2. the submit would refer to the wisdom, experience, leadership of/in those who are older

B. With reference to spiritual maturity ...

1. Peter has been writing of elders and their oversight

2. relatively speaking, elders should be older in the faith and the younger must submit to that oversight

II. PETER EXPANDS THE IDEA INTO ALL OF THE CHURCH (5:5b)

A. Obvious requirement of subjection one to another

1. word subject has idea of obey ... but also of to arrange under or to subordinate - Rom 12:3

2. notice Eph 5:21 before wifes submitting to husband

3. Phil 2:3,4 when we are seeking our own interests, we can hardly be concerned about one another

4. we need to develop toward a true sympathy

B. How this subjection is manifested? in service

1. clothed apparently refers to a slaves apron

2. Peter could be looking back at Lords example in Jno 13:4,5,14,15 took a slaves role in humility

3. note, too, Phil 2:4-7 (the connection between v.4 and its expression in v.7)

4. thus, among us there is mutual, caring service

III. HUMILITY TOWARD GOD (5:5c,6)

A. Pride is one of those things hated by God

1. Prov 16:5 an abomination to the Lord

2. God resisteth the proud ... arrayed against them!

3. Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar learned that lesson - Dan 4:28ff

4. Gods grace is only experienced by the humble person pride keeps one from receiving His blessings

B. Pride is truly a serious problem in our lives

1. it keeps us from seeing ourselves as we are thus, needed amendments go undone

2. it keeps us from caring about others thus, one becomes insensitive, egocentric

3. it keeps us from accepting Gods help thus, one blunders from mistake to mistake

4. Prov 16:18 seems to sum up very well

C. It must be God, not man, who does the exalting (5:6)

1. the mighty hand of God reminds of Ex 13:9 or Deut 3:24

2. there the expression was in keeping with Gods deliverance and exalting of Israel - what happened, though, each time Israel began (in pride) to take her fate into her hands? she suffered a fall

3. humble yourselves ... conscious, deliberate efforts on our own part

4. when will He exalt us? Mt 25:20,21 ... of this much we can be certain

CLOSE: There is a lovely passage in Micah 6:6-8 which I want us to read together. The only way we can walk with each other and with God is humbly. Otherwise, such a walk is utterly impossible.

Cecil A. Hutson

17 February 2002

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)