|
Hebrews 2:1 – "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." How can I not go the way of the world? Asked positively – How can I go only the way of God? I am preaching doctrines on Sunday evenings because I really want each of us to understand what we believe and why. I want us to understand we are no different from any other person who slowly and gradually went away from God. We are all apt to drift because:
The following examples clearly show the slow progression away from Godliness and toward wickedness. It is important to understand that these laws were made starting in 1947. These laws were made by the courts (not by the legislative bodies of congress) in order to change that which was already there. From the founding of the United States of America, it was legal to do what these court created laws prohibited.
Check out the list I put by the side of the bed.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, speaking to the American Constitution Society (liberals) noted the value of foreign jurisprudence in shaping the court’s rulings, argued that it was acceptable to be influenced in decisions by international law and the provisions of the constitutions of other countries. She said, "Our island or Lone Ranger mentality is beginning to change" as justices become "more open to comparative and international law and perspectives." Some might think we will stay true to God if we keep the doctrines correct. Keeping doctrines is correct, but we can have all the true doctrines, and still depart from the love of God. I have heard of preachers who were true to the doctrines of God’s Word, but lost their children to this world. What is wrong? Something is! I do not want to be like that. Remember that Satan never appears as evil, but always as an angel of light. His ways are logical, and good to keep us out of trouble and deliver pleasure to us. (At least for the short run.) 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Paul did not say that Demas had forsaken God, but that Demas had forsaken him. Demas did not rebel against God openly, but in his heart he had rather live in peace on this earth than fight the good fight of faith. Compare to Alexander who openly opposed and fought Paul and the gospel of Christ. 2 Timothy 4:14-15 "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words." Barnes - Verse 10. For Demas hath forsaken me. Demas is honorably mentioned in #Col 4:14; but nothing more is known of him than what can be gathered from that place and this—that he was at first a friend and fellow-labourer of Paul, but that, under the influence of a desire to live, he afterwards forsook him, even in circumstances where he greatly needed the presence of a friend. Having loved this present world. This does not mean necessarily, that he was an avaricious man, or that, in itself, he loved the honours or wealth of this world; but it means that he desired to live. He was not willing to stay with Paul, and subject himself to the probabilities of martyrdom; and, in order to secure his life, he departed to a place of safety. The Greek is, agaphsav ton nun aiwna—having loved the world that now is; that is, this world as it is, with all its cares, and troubles, and comforts; having desired to remain in this world, rather than go to the other. There is, perhaps, a slight censure here in the language of Paul —the censure of grief; but there is no reason why Demas should be held up as an example of a worldly man. That he desired to live longer; that he was unwilling to remain, and risk the loss of life, is indeed clear. That Paul was pained by his departure, and that he felt lonely and sad, is quite apparent; but I see no evidence that Demas was influenced by what are commonly called worldly feelings, or that he was led to this course by the desire of wealth, fame, or pleasure. And is departed unto Thessalonica. Perhaps his native place. Calmet. Family New Testament Notes - Having loved; this life and its enjoyments so much that he left Rome to avoid the danger of losing them. (WWR – this reflects a lack of faith on the part of Demas for God to keep his earthly riches for him. Demas felt compelled to keep his riches himself. Gill – Ver. 10. For Demas hath forsaken me, &c.] Of this person, see Gill on "Col 4:14". It does not appear by what is said in this clause, and in the following, that he entirely apostatized; he might forsake the apostle, and yet not forsake Christ and his interest, or make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience: his faith might be right, though low, and his love sincere, though not fervent; and through a fear of persecution, and loss of life, he might be tempted to leave the apostle, and withdraw from Rome, for his own safety; which though it was far from being commendable in him, yet may be accounted for in this state of frailty and imperfection, consistent with the grace of God; and it should seem that he afterwards was delivered from this temptation, and returned to the apostle, #Col 4:14 Phm 1:24 for when those epistles were written, both Timothy and Mark, who are here wrote for, #2Ti 4:9,11 were with the apostle, #Col 1:1 and #Phm 1:1 and especially he ought to be thought very well of after all this, if Demas is only a contraction of Demetrius, and he is the same who is so much commended many years after this, in #3Jo 1:12, having loved this present world, not the sins and corruptions of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; such a love is inconsistent with the love of the Father and the grace of God; nor an immoderate love of worldly substance, or of money, which is the root of all evil; but a love of life, or of a longer life in this present world; he was desirous of living longer in this world, and chose not to hazard his life by staying with the apostle, a prisoner at Rome; and therefore left him, and provided for his own safety and security: and is departed unto Thessalonica: which perhaps was his native country; and however he was at a sufficient distance from Rome, where he might judge himself safe; and if he was a worldly and earthly minded man, this was a fit place for him, being a place of trade and business: and this doubtless gave rise to a tradition, that he afterwards became a priest of the idol gods among the Thessalonians. Epiphanius {a} places him among the heretics Ebion and Cerinthus, as if he was one of them. Matthew 13:22 – "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." Luke 8:14 – "And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." The parable of the sower – one type of the seed fell on ground, but the thorns and weeds of this world caused no fruit to completion. Be careful of how far we go in our own thinking, because we can easily go too far away from God. Example: (1) Read about checking out what we believe for future generations because we know the truth and we will not go away from the truth because we have a stable background of truth. This is found in the book we preachers have been studying. (2) The issue of how a church is organized. The issue is two sided. One is that a church cannot be properly organized unless it is done a certain way. The other side is that none of this matters, but that God organizes churches without any input from man – that the only true churches are "self-constituted." Both are wrong. The procedures of church organization is important only to the extent that God is included. If God is not there, there is nothing to a formal church organization. (3) God saves people, but God uses means to bring the gospel to them. |