Faithful People – 8

Faithful People – 8

Subject – Depending on God’s Word to be Faithful

by Rick Welborne

Matthew 5:17‑19 (NLT) 

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 

18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 

19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

–Extraordinarily faithful to God...This is what God is calling us to...His clarion call is going out from His servants to be faithful to God above all else.

–God is calling us to be faithful in our giving of ourselves and of our finances, in our service to Him, in the gifts He has given to us.

–He is calling us to be faithful in our obedience, in being filled with His Spirit, in not comparing ourselves with one another, in the sharing His gospel because of the reality of heaven and hell.

–He is calling us to be extremely faithful to His House because Jesus is the High Priest over His House.  He deserves our faithfulness to come and worship Him.

–Today I feel that the Lord has led me to speak about being amazingly faithful to the Word of God and holding it up as our standard.  In dictionary.com.  Standard means:

A. Something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model...For the believer the Word of God (Jesus - The Living Word) is our model.

B. A rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment: We will be judged by the Word of God whether we obeyed or did not obey.

C. A normal requirement...It is normal to believe that if we will serve God that we must meet up to His standard...His normal...The Word of God.

D. Standards are those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual (God) as acceptable. 

1. Our uncompromising faithfulness to God’s standard cannot be based on political correctness. 

–Just because something has been deemed acceptable by our government or the laws of the land does not make it acceptable as God’s standard.

–Example - You can go to a doctor and get a legal (by law) abortion but it is wrong according to God’s standard.  God says you shall not kill.

Jeremiah 1:4‑7 (NLT) 

4 The LORD gave me this message: 

5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” 

6 “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” 

7 The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 

–The law may say and the Supreme Court may rule that you cannot pray in school but God says: 

1 Thessalonians 5:17‑18 (NLT) 

17 Never stop praying. 

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

–Government says we cannot teach Him in the schools.

Acts 5:27‑29 (NKJV) 

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 

28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" 

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.” 

–Young people, they cannot not stop you from praying...I am sure all the people hit by the recent hurricanes and storms had plenty of people praying.

–I am glad you brought that up, Preacher...Where in all this is God?  Maybe your political correctness has blinded your eyes...God is all we have in all this.

John 16:33 (NKJV) 

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 

–As a believer our standard has to be God’s Standard...His Word. It does not matter what you feel, what you think, what you are told or indoctrinated with, your standard is the Word of God.

–Hear your pastor...if what you feel, think, are told, are indoctrinated with is contrary to God’s Word...if you will choose to obey...eventually your heart will change and your eyes will be open.

–Same sex marriage is the battle of the day and some states are saying that it is ok but it is contrary to God’s standard:

Matthew 19:4‑6 (NLT) 

4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ 

5 And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 

6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” 

–What if I am sincere...Paul was sincere when he was killing Christians but he was sincerely wrong...When he had an encounter with God not only did his standard change but the feelings that went with it.

1 Corinthians 15:9 (NLT) 

9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 

2. Our extraordinary faithfulness to God’s standard cannot be connected to presuming on God’s grace.

–The grace of God was never intended to be a ticket for believers to live anyway they want to and then declare, “I am under grace”.

–How easy we have found it to disobey God’s standard (His Word) and then to repeat a little prayer and believe that God is pleased with us. God understands I am human!

–Jesus does understand our humanity and that is why He came and died on the cross to save us from ourselves.

Here is the standard He has for us:

Romans 6:1‑8 (NLT) 

1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 

2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 

3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 

4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 

6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 

7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 

8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 

–What Paul is saying is that if you have experienced the grace of God you should no longer be living a continued life of sin.

Romans 6:15‑18 (NLT) 

15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 

16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 

17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 

18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. 

–I have heard that as long as I prayed a prayer for Jesus to come into my life when I was young that no matter what I do I am ok with God...What is God’s standard?

–The whole book of Hebrews deals with Apostasy (defection from the faith) and it lays out God’s standard very clearly: Heb. 10 deals with Christ’s sacrifice for us:

Hebrews 10:26‑31 (NLT) 

26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 

27 There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 

28 For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 

29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 

30 For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” 

31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

3. Our dedicated faithfulness to God’s standard (His Word) will help us grow into mature Christ followers.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) 

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 

–I hear people say: I must get into God’s Word...that is good but what you really need is to get God’s Word into you. Why?

Hebrews 4:12‑16 (NLT) 

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two‑edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. 

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

–I do want to be a student of the Word but I need a really good teacher:

John 14:26 (NLT) 

26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 

Isaiah 59:19‑21 (NKJV) 

19 So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. 

20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the LORD. 

21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore." 

–Notice the connection between the Spirit of God and His Standard (His Word).