Misused Words
I John 3:4
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Some words that have changed meanings:1
bad is not bad, but good.
good is not good, but cool.
cool is not cold, but neat.
neat is not "in order", but right.
Pornography is now "art", instead of filth.
Fornication and Adultery is now an "affair" or swinging, instead of sin.
Homosexuals are now "gay", instead of queer, or Sodomites
National gossips and prejudicial reporting is now "national news", instead of gossip or opinion.
Killing the unborn is now "abortion", instead of murder.
Saved, elect, and chosen is now "church", instead of children of God.
"Baptism" and "Christian" have lost their meaning.
Rebellion is now "backsliding", instead of resisting the will of God.
To some people the word "election" is not in the Bible:
but that word is in the Bible, because I read it there.
To others, the word "whosoever will" is not in the Bible:
but those words are in the Bible, because I read them there.
I. Sin. Sin is missing the mark. A failing to obey the commandments set forth in the Word of God, not failing to do the things we think is right to do!
A. Two types of sin: (1) original (2) daily - (omission and commission)
B. We are cleansed from original sin at salvation, and daily sins when we confess them. (I John 1:8-10)
II. Salvation.
A. More than just believing in Jesus.
1. John 8:30,31 - These people believed without being saved.
B. Salvation is a "redeeming".
1. Jesus has redeemed us.
2. The word comes from a word meaning "deemed". As two people are trying to decide what something is worth. One man says, I "deem" it worth so much. The other man says I will "re-deem" it for so much.
3. We were worth nothing, but Jesus paid His all for us!
C. You can say the proof of the pudding is in the eating, like the proof of the believing is in the life, until you look at Judas.
1. He did all the things a "Christian" would do, but he was lost.
2. Only you and God know about your salvation.
III. Christian.
A. Acts 11:26 - Disciples first called Christians at Antioch.
1. Some believe being saved makes one a Christian. This is not so.
2. A Christian is a saved person who believes in God enough to live like He instructs them to in His Word.
B. I John 5:13 - There are two types of "believing".
1. The first believing is unto salvation; which brings a knowledge of possessing eternal life.
2. Then there is a believing that brings service.
3. We might say that the proof of believing is in the life until we look at Judas. Salvation is so personal, only you and God know about your salvation.
IV. Church.
A. Means "Assembly". Much confusion about the "Body of Christ" could be cleared up if people would only observe the "five w's" when they read the Bible.
1. Who is the writer writing to?
2. What is the writer talking about?
3. When is the writer writing (the time period)?
4. Why is the writer writing?
5. Where is the writer and the receiver of the letter?
B. The phrase "Body of Christ". Used only four times in the entire Bible.
1. Romans 7:4 - This passage refers to the literal fleshly body of Jesus Christ, in which He bore our sins on the cross. It is quite apparent from this passage that we are new creatures in Christ in this sinful world, that having been saved, we no longer follow in the ways of the world, but follow God.
2. I Cor. 12:27 - Paul is writing to the local church at Corinth, not to all the saved people in the world.
3. Eph. 1:22,23 - Paul says the church (assembly) is the body of Christ.
4. Eph. 4:11-13 - This is the body of Christ in action.
a. All of those people in verse 11 are in the first church.
b. Remember, Paul is writing to the local church at Ephesus, not all the believers in general.
c. When we read the Bible, we must keep in mind that most of the scriptures is not written to individuals, but to the local church in a certain area.
d. Refer back to I Cor. 12:27 - Paul says the same thing to the Corinthian church as he says to the church at Ephesus.
1Potent Prayer
The following prayer was given before the Kansas City Legislature convened in 1996 by pastor Joe Wright.
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know your Word says, "woe to those who call evil good" and that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium. We have inverted our values. We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truths of your Word in the name of moral pluralism.
"We have worshipped other gods and called it "multi-culturalism."
"We have endorsed perversion and called it "an alternative lifestyle." We have exploited the poor and called it a lottery. We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
"Father, in the name of "choice" we have killed our unborn and then in the name of "right to life" we have killed abortionists.
"We have neglected to discipline our children and called it "building esteem." We have abused power and called it "political savvy." We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it "taxes." We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it "freedom of expression." We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it "enlightenment."
"Search us, oh God, know our hearts today, try us and show us any wickedness, and then cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been ordained by you to govern this great state. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen."
(Paul Harvey read this prayer on his broadcast and said he had never gotten so many requests for anything he'd given on the air.)