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False teachings – trusting in religion… (3 things)
Give them Jesus – point them back to the one who can change their heart!
Beware of Religion…
There were those in the church who said the only way to grow in Jesus – religion…
The more they did for God – the more they would grow in God…
The more they read their Bible / went to church / prayed / gave…
The more God would accept them / bless them / love them!
But there are only two things that can come from trusting in religion…
If we manage to keep all the man made rules – we feel like we have boasting rights….
If we fail to keep the rules – and do not do as well as others – condemnation…
So Paul warned the church about the danger of trusting in religion!
1st – Do not be judged… vs. 16-17
Do not let anyone judge you about your convictions…
Not all believers in Jesus have the same convictions – what we can or cannot do…
Paul gives us 2 examples of these ‘grey’ areas in a Christian’s life – food / Sabbath…
These were critical issues in Paul’s day – he was reaching out to a gentile church…
The gentiles did not worry about eating meat / they did not honor the Sabbath day
Where as the Jews – who represented the 1st church in Jerusalem – did both!
The Old Testament vs. New Testament on eating meat…
According to the Law there were 2 kinds of food – clean / unclean – Leviticus 11…
But Jesus elaborated on the command in Matthew 15:11
It is not what goes in that makes you unclean – it is what comes out of your heart…
Whatever you eat – it just goes into your stomach – then into the CR…
No matter what you eat – it all ends up in the same place – obviously…
So you are not a better person if you do not eat pork – or worse if you do…
I Timothy 4:4 – “Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused.”
The Old Testament vs. New Testament on what day to worship God…
According to the Law the Sabbath was required – 4th commandment – Exodus 20:8
In Numbers 15:32 a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day…
The punishment for his crime was to be stoned to death by the people!
But the real purpose of the Sabbath was to point us to Jesus – Romans 14:6
If you see the shadow of your best friend – you do not run up and hug the shadow…
But the shadow does tell you your friend is close…
The Sabbath was a shadow of Jesus – He is where we find true rest…
So whether you worship on a Saturday / Sunday – it is all about Jesus!
In these ‘grey’ areas of our Christian walk we should not be judgmental of each other…
Those who are the ‘weaker’ saints – bound by more rules – do not eat / certain days…
Weak not if their faith – but in their understanding of the word – I Corinthians 8:7
Should not criticize those who have more freedom in their walk in Christ…
This is where most people tend to struggle – be judgmental of others…
If we think we cannot see movies / cannot listen to secular music / no tattoos…
If we have a rule we believe we must follow – and someone else do not…
Then we tend to think we are better Christians – more righteous than they are!
You cannot force someone to follow your rules…
If I tell you that you should not gamble – I have given you a law…
The problem is I have not changed your heart – you still want to see movies…
So I have set you up for failure – you will watch a movie – then feel like a failure…
If instead I tell you to go to the Lord – ask Him if you should see a movie…
God will tell you – and if He says no He will change you heart so you do not want to!
God does not just give you the Law – He gives you the ability to live up to the Law!
Those who have more freedom – eat what they want / worship every day…
These ‘stronger’ brothers should not look down upon those who have more rules…
This tends to be the easier position to take – having more freedom in Jesus…
If someone follows more rules than we do – ‘God bless them’ – we do not mind…
So long as they do not force their rules onto us!
It is true that things are not sin – but to the one who thinks they are wrong…
We might know that pork is nothing / cards are nothing / movies are nothing…
But to a brother who thinks they are evil – to him they are sin – Romans 14:23…
So be considerate of the convictions of your brother in Christ – I Corinthians 8:9…
If eating pork stumbles your brother – do not eat in front of him…
If watching a movie stumbles him – then do not watch the movie in front of him…
If playing with cards stumbles – then do not put out the deck when he comes by…
Respect the convictions of others – do you best not to offend their rules…
We need patience – to be able to overlook the little differences we may have…
Then they will be open to what you have to say – be willing to watch your lives…
You can show them a better way – a relationship with Jesus that changes the heart!
2nd – Do not be cheated… vs. 18-19
There were those who wanted to ‘cheat’ the church out of their reward…
Cheated – only here in the NT – picture of a referee giving a ‘bad call’…
Like when a basketball ref makes a bad call that costs a team the win…
There are those who want to try to cheat us out of our reward in Jesus…
They try and get us to look somewhere else than to Jesus for our salvation!
Paul gives four ways in which we can be cheated…
1st – If we delight in humility – the idea being false humility…
Pride can be tricky – it is not always easy to see – but it always sets us up for a fall…
Pride can be – I think I know it all / I am never wrong / I do not need correction
Pride can also be – thinking I am nothing / huya-huya / pride means its all about me
Whether it is arrogance / or ‘false’ humility – if I am the focus it is pride…
Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, an arrogant spirit before a fall.”
2nd – We are cheated if we worship angels…
Trusting and praying to someone else other than God to help us get to heaven…
The idea of praying to saints to help get you into heaven…
Men or women who lives such pious lives they have ‘extra good works’…
So after they die they become a mediator between a holy God and us…
An attractive idea because it seems like they can relate us – they are sinners too…
And it allows us to put someone between us and the conviction of God!
But it is a FALSE teaching – that will cheat us out of the reward of heaven!
I Timothy 2:5 – “For there one Mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus…”
3rd – We are cheated if we have pride…
People who claim to have ‘visions’ – believe they had ‘special revelations’ from God
Who try to impress others by their ‘super spiritual’ status with God…
But for all their boasting – it is just pride that is cheating them of the reward!
Just because you carry around a big Bible – does not mean you are safe…
Just because you can quote a 1000 verses – does not mean you are forgiven…
It is only a relationship with Jesus that brings salvation!
4th – We are cheated if we miss Jesus…
We are the body of Christ – He is the head over us all – holds us all together…
So long as you still have your head – your body can function / grow…
But if you cut the head off a person – the rest of the body is going to die…
In the same way the only way we are going to grow in faith – is through Jesus!
3rd – Do not be enslaved… vs. 20-23
Paul warns about the rules of this world – speaking of religion…
Most people prefer ‘religion’ and ‘tradition’ to a relationship with Jesus…
Religion is a great way to justify sin – it gives me an excuse to disobey God…
I can do what I want from Monday – Saturday / so long as I go to church on Sunday…
I am all right with God so long as I give my 10% to the church…
As long as I was baptized – and am a member of the church – God is ok with me…
As though man made rules can somehow wipe away the sin in a heart far from God!
Religion is familiar – part of our identity…
We live in a community where many are very hardened towards the Gospel…
Because they have been indoctrinated in a lifetime of traditions and superstitions…
And they are proud and think ‘religion’ is enough to get them into heaven…
When you dare to challenge those beliefs – you immediately come under fire…
Since we have died with Jesus – why do we go back to religion…
We go back to the rules – do not touch / do not taste / do not handle…
The problem with these rules – they are not from God…
They are man’s ideas about how to be good enough to be accepted by God…
Religion is man’s attempt to reach up to a perfect God in heaven…
Religion always falls short – cause we can never be ‘good enough’ to earn heaven!
Rules – religion – can never really change someone…
Rules are a fence that tries to keep people safe from temptations/sin…
They seem to be a good idea – and most people (and churches) take this approach…
Here is the danger – they can only control your actions – not change your heart…
In the end people might think their rules make them strong in the Lord…
When in reality their rules make them ‘weak’ – taking their eyes off of Jesus…
They trust in their rules – rather than looking to and depending on the Lord!
The church is most well known today for their ‘religion’…
Do not drink / do not smoke / do not go to discos / do not have tattoos…
And when the world looks at the church – and sees all of these rules…
Most of which the very people who make the rules – do not even keep…
The world walks away from Jesus – saying who would want that!
God does not tell us we are to be know by our rules – but by our love – John 13:35
The only way to exact lasting change is a relationship with Jesus…
When you got married – you likely changed a lot of your life ‘habits’…
Not because there was a rule – but for the love of your wife you wanted to!
Rules do not make the difference – it is the relationship that changes the heart…
It is God that changes our hearts so we no longer want go the wrong way!
If you see someone struggling with their walk – do not give them rules…
Instead tell them the truth – IN LOVE – don’t let them go on in their sin…
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