Insufficient Standards Of Authority

Introduction-

By what standard should we live and govern our lives? What standard of authority should we use and follow in matters of religion? How do we determine how to worship and work together as Christians? As the bank returns a hot check stamped "insufficient funds," so one day God will turn away all self-serving standards of morality and religion as insufficient. Have you heard or used one of these phrases to justify something lately?

I. "I Like . . ."

A. In discussions on religion, how often have you heard, "But I like . . . this or that"?

1. People have the mistaken notion that religion is a matter of personal likes or dislikes.

2. What kind of religion do you like? "I like . . ."

3. What kind of church do you like? "I like . . ."

4. What kind of baptism do you like? "I like . . ."

5. What kind of worship service do you like? "I like . . ."

6. These matters are not like choosing a suit of clothes.

B. "I like . . ." is an insufficient standard in matters of religion.

1. The prophet Jeremiah knew this. "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jer. 10:23).

2. What God wants is not necessarily what "I like."

3. Those who base their religion on their "likes" are looking to the wrong standard.

II. "I Feel . . ."

A. Some are in the habit of using their "feelings" as their standard in religion.

1. One of the most abused and over used expressions among some religious folks is "I feel . . . " and "I feel in my heart."

2. Cite book, chapter and verse, quote scripture, go to the Word of God and these folks will say, "I wouldn't give a stack of Bibles for what I feel in my heart."

3. They elevate their feelings above the Word of God and they will tell you so.

4. I was in Nashville a few years ago for a meeting between liberals and conservatives. One of the speakers was from a big liberal church in Dallas named Randy Mayeux. He was like a fish out of water. He knew little or nothing about the issues. I tried to talk to him after he spoke. I referred to the scriptures, on the other hand, he kept responding over and over to me, "but I feel in my heart," "but I feel in my heart." Randy didn't have a scripture, but he "felt" in his heart that instrumental music in worship was okay. Randy even "felt" in his heart that baptism was not necessary for salvation. I cited the words of Jesus, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16).

B. Feelings are often simply the desires of the flesh, not God' s standard for authority.

1. "(16) I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (19) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, (20) idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, (21) envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:16-21).

2. All of these "works of the flesh" produce feelings. What makes these feelings right or wrong?

III. "I Want . . ."

A. Some live by the rule of "I want . . ."

1. Some believe that whatever they want is what is right.

2. After all, why would God deny them what they want?

3. "I want a church that has social program."

4. "I want a church that has a lot of activities for my children."

5. "I want to be entertained when I go to church."

6. "I want to be made to feel good about myself when I go to worship."

7. "I want" "I want" "I want"

B. What about what God says and wants? Which is more important?

1. "(18) Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, (19) saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." (20) But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! (21) "You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. (22) "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. (23) "For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." (24) Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me" (Acts 8:18- 24).

2. Simon wanted something:

a. It was a matter of religion.

b. It was a good thing he wanted.

c. He was willing to pay or sacrifice to get this good thing.

d. He truly wanted it.

e. He may very well intended to use the gift for good.

3. Because one truly wants something good in religion does not make it right.

IV. "I Think . . ."

A. Some use their thoughts or their own thinking for their standard in religion.

1. This is what God said, "But I think . . ."

2. The scripture says, "But I think . . ."

3. Jesus said, "Well, I think . . ."

4. We need to be careful not to fall in this trap.

a. Others may say, "I think" or "I believe this or that"

b. Never counter with "I think" or I believe," always say, "But God said" "The scriptures says" "Jesus said."

B. We need God's thoughts, not any man's thoughts.

1. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 55:8-9).

2. Naaman learned this truth. "(9) Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha. (10) And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." (11) But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.' (12) "Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. (13) And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" (14) So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (2 Ki. 5:9-14).

V. "They Do It"

A. Some are always judging themselves by what others do.

1. "I am doing this because they do it."

2. In other words, some seem to think that if others are doing it, then it is alright for them to do.

3. Of course this leads to a bit of Mom's wisdom. When I would complain to my mother that everyone else was doing this or that and why couldn't I do it? She would respond, "And I suppose if everyone else was jumping off a cliff, you would want to jump off too?" How could I argue with that?

4. Right is not determined by how many are doing it. This doesn't work in morality nor in religion.

B. Those around us are not and should not be our standard.

1. "(4) Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, (5) and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations." (6) But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the Lord. (7) And the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, t hat I should not reign over them. (8) "According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day -- with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods -- so they are doing to you also" (1 Sam. 8:4-8).

2. Just like the Jews of old, far too many Christians want to be like all the denominations.

a. They want the church to support human institutions like orphanages and secular schools "like all the denominations."

b. They want to change the work of the church to social and political functions to be "like all the denominations."

c. They want to change the worship of the church to be "like all the denominations."

VI. "It Seems Right"

A. Some use the standard, "It seems right."

1. Why are you doing that that way? "It seems right."

2. "It seems right" is subjective and shaky.

3. Who is to say what "seems right" and what "seems wrong."

B. What does the wisdom of God say?

1. "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12).

2. What seems right to men, God says it leads to death!

VII. "I Am Sincere"

A. How many appeal to sincerity as their standard.

1. Some judge salvation based upon the standard "I am sincere."

2. Some judge which church to attend whether or not they judge the members to be sincere.

3. Some judge whether or not a religious work is right by "But I am sincere in what I am doing."

B. Is sincerity more important than being right?

1. We have all know of those who have been sincere and wrong.

2. Being sincerely wrong in religion is quite a problem.

3. Uzzah was sincere, but wrong and he died because of it. "(6) And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. (7) Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God" (2 Sam. 6:6-7).

VIII. "I Am Always Right"

A. Some determine right and wrong by the standard, "I am always right."

1. Some use themselves as the standard.

2. And they are always right!

B. Who is always right?

1. "Let God be true and every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4)

2. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you are disqualified" (2 Cor. 13:5).

IX. "No One Will See Me"

A. Some may not say it, but they believe they can do whatever they think they can get away with.

1. "No one will see me" is their standard of authority.

2. This standard depends upon:

a. Secrecy

b. Often darkness

c. And not getting caught

3. Unfortunately some try to use this insufficient standard in the church.

a. Some believe they can talk and act any way they want, when they are not in worship, as long as "no one from the church will see me."

b. Some believe they can talk about, tear down and destroy other members of the church, as long as "no one will see me" and they think they can get away with it.

B. This standard is not only wrong but foolish.

1. Some one is always watching you. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good" (Prov. 15:3).

2. You will never get away with sin. "But if ye will not do so behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:33).

3. Ananias and Sapphira thought they could do what they wanted because they thought, "No one will see me." They were wrong, dead wrong. (Acts 5:1-11).

X. "It Is A Good Work"

A. Can we do whatever we want as long as "it is a good work?"

1. What is a "good work?"

2. Who determines what is "good work?"

3. Some have the idea that if they do it and they like it, it must be a good work and they can keep on doing it and liking it.

B. What are the good works that Christians are to be doing?

1. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

2. God gave us His Word so "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:17).

3. "And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"? -- as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just" (Rom. 3:8).

XI. "The Preacher Said So"

A. How many justify what they do because, "The preacher said so?"

1. Try to talk to some about religion and they cite and repeat some slogan their preacher has repeated.

2. "We are saved by faith alone, the preacher said so."

3. "It is not necessary to be baptized to be saved. How do I know? My preacher said so."

4. "It doesn't matter what church you belong to, the preacher said so."

5. Some within the church look to one preacher or another for what they believe.

a. "What do you think about this issue?" "Well I have known this preacher for 40 years and this preacher said so."

b. "Is this right or wrong? My favorite preacher said it is alright?"

B. Preachers are not our standard, any more than any other man.

1. "(6) I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, (7) which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (9) As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:6-9).

2. "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Mt. 15:14).

XII. "Others Do Worse Things"

A. Some may use others as their standard, "Others do worse things."

1. Some use this as an excuse.

2. "Why are you doing this? You shouldn't have acted like that."

a. "Well, what I am doing is not as bad as what they do!" or

b. "What about you? You have done this or that."

3. Instead of examing, correcting and conforming to the proper standard, those who use this "standard" to excuse, justify or exempt themselves by pointing at other people.

4. In matters of religion:

a. The atheist points to those who call themselves Christians, but have not acted like it and say, "They do worse things than atheists."

b. The Catholic will point to the pagan and idolatry and say, "They do worse things than we."

c. The Pentecostal will point to the Catholic, "They do worse things."

d. Are you using this wrong standard against other denominations? Against your own brothers and sisters?

B. This standard is wrong and won't work.

1. This standard is the faulty notion that two wrongs always make the final accuser right.

a. The question of right and wrong is not who is worse.

b. The question of right and wrong is not accusing someone else of wrong doing to try to avoid , escape or excuse your actions or behavior.

2. Jesus warned about this kind of hypocritical judging. "(1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. (3) And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (4) Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye" (Mt. 7:1-5).

a. Don't correct another without first being correct or right yourself.

b. Don't make the wrong condition of others keep you from doing what is right and correcting what is wrong in your life.

3. We cannot measure ourselves by ourselves. "(12) For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (13) But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you" (2 Cor. 10:12-13).

XIII. "God Didn't Say Not To"

A. Possibly one of the most dangerous insufficient standards is "God didn't say not to."

1. "Why can't we have instrumental music in the worship of the church, God didn't say not to."

2. "What's wrong with having a missionary society, God didn't say not to."

3. "I don't see any problem with the church supporting orphan homes, God didn't say not to."

4. "What can be wrong with the church sponsoring social activities such as ball games, dinners, and such, God didn't say not to."

B. This standard is insufficient also.

1. For those who appeal to this standard, ask them if they truly believe that Christians can do anything, God didn't say not to?

a. What is wrong with burning candles or incense in worship, God didn't say not. Is this alright?

b. What is wrong with counting rosary beads for prayer, God didn't say not. Is this alright?

c. Why can't we sprinkle or pour water for baptism?God didn't say not to.

d. Infant baptism must be alright by this standard. God didn't say not to baptize babies.

e. The religion of Santaria offers animal sacrifices? This must be alright because God never said not to do this.

f. Are all of these things okay to do because God did not specifically say, "Thou shalt not?"

g. The proper question and standard is "What did God say to do!"

2. Consider a very important example on this point.

a. "(1) Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. (2) So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord" (Lev. 10:1-2).

b. Notice: God never said, "Thou shalt not offer another fire."

c. God said "Get your fire from the altar." That was sufficient.

d. God told them what to do and that excluded all other fires that God never spoke about.

XIV. "God Doesn't Mind"

A. Some think they know the mind of God.

1. They will justify what they do by saying, "God doesn't mind."

2. "Surely God doesn't mind if we do it this way."

3. "God doesn't care whether or not one is baptized or not."

4. "God doesn't mind how we worship him."

5. "God doesn't mind how the church is organized."

6. "God doesn't care how the church spends its funds."

7. "God doesn't mind what kind of works the church does."

B. The problem with this standard?

1. The person presumes to know the mind of God.

2. How can we know what God's mind? Only through his revealed will.

3. "(10) But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (11) For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (13) These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (1 Cor. 2:10-13).

a. We do not have to guess at what God wants us to do or not to do.

b. The revealed will of God is the mind of God.

c. That revealed will is written down in the scriptures for us.

XV. "It Isn't Against The Law"

A. If something is not against the law of men, does that make it right in the eyes of God?

1. Consider a number of things that are not against the law.

a. Gambling

b. Drunkenness

c. Adultery

d. Fornication

e. Homosexual behavior

f. Abortion

g. Hatred

2. The civil law of men is not a sufficient standard for matters of religion.

B. Sometimes the law of men is contrary to the will of God.

1. Which should we follow?

2. When Man's law says to do what God forbids? "(14) Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? (15) Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? (16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. (17) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. (18) But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (Dan. 3:14-18).

3. When Man's law forbids what God commands? "(26) Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. (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) Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:26-29).

XVI. "It Hurts No One But Me"

A. What about the "standard" "It hurts no one but me"?

1. This standard has led some to promote the abolition of what they call "victimless crimes" such as drug use, prostitution, etc.

a. Immorality is not victimless.

b. Because someone else is not around does not mean they are not hurt. 2. The person with this notion or standard, does not care what happens to those around them or what God says.

B. There is no such thing as a "victimless" crime or "victimless" immorality.

1. Remember what Jesus said were the two greatest commandments?

a. Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul and mind, and,

b. Love your neighbor as yourself.

c. Jesus said all the Law hung upon these two commands.

d. Sin violates God or your brother or both.

2. "(12) But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. (13) Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (1 Cor. 8:12-13).

XVII. "Most Think It Is Okay"

A. Many believe and live by the standard of "Most think it is okay."

1. Have you ever had anyone say, "So you think only you and your little bunch are going to heaven?" They are using this standard.

2. I have had Catholics claim they are right because they are so numerous.

3. In our community, the Baptists might try to make that claim.

B. Does this standard work?

1. "(13) "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (14) "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Mt. 7:13-14).

2. Consider what most think is okay:

a. In 1980, the world's population was 4,432,000,000 or 4 1/2 billion.

b. Catholics-806.2 million

c. "Protestants"-326.1 million

1) The Baptist number about 31 million

2) The total number of members of the church of Christ may be 1 million.

d. Orthodox-161.3 million

e. This only totals 1,293,600,000 or 1.3 billion in "Christian" religions

f. Moslems comprise about 631 million

g. Other: Jewish, Confucian, Hindu, Buddhist, Primative, Taoist, Shintoists: 1.8 billion

h. This leave about 694 million who have no religion.

i. There are far more Moslems than Catholics world wide.

j. There are far more polytheists and atheists than Moslems.

XVIII. "My Parents and Grandparents Did It"

A. Some may appeal to their parents or Grandparents.

1. "My religion can't be wrong, this is what my parents and grandparents did."

2. "If it was good enough for mom and dad, it is good enough for me."

3. "My mother was a saint, she couldn't have been wrong.."

B. We shall not be judged by the standard of what our parents or grandparents did.

1. Suppose Noah had decided that he didn't need to build an ark, because grandpa never did and he was alright.

2. What if Abraham decided he didn't need to be circumcised, because father never did that.

3. "For each one shall bear his own load" (Gal. 6:5).

XIX. "It Doesn't Bother My Conscience"

A. Some believe their conscience must be bothered.

1. The old adage is "Let your conscience be your guide."

2. "I can do this as long as it doesn't bother my conscience."

B. There are different kinds of consciences.

1. A "good and a pure conscience" (1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; Heb. 13:18; 1 Pet. 3:16, 21).

2. A "good conscience" that does that which is wrong (Acts 23:1).

3. A "weak conscience" that can be defiled and sin (1 Co r. 8:7-12).

4. A "defiled conscience" (Tit. 1:15; Heb. 9:14).

5. An "evil conscience" (Heb. 10:22).

6. Some consciences are "seared" (1 Tim. 4:2).

a. "This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wickedness" (Prov. 30:20).

b. Likewise, there are many in the same sad condition.

XX. "We Have Done It This Way For Years"

A. Some use the standard "We have done it this way for years.

1. Infant baptism was retained by the earliest Protestant churches, primarily because that is the way it had been done for years.

2. Sprinkling for baptism was kept by the Protestants for the same reason.

3. Oft times in the church, the cry goes up when something is proposed, "We have done it this way for years."

a. Do you realize that this is no defense and certainly no standard.

b. Should the church support orphans home, because some did it for years?

c. Should the church do anything just because that is the way it has been done for years.

B. This standard is insufficient

1. "(2) At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time." (3) So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. (4) And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. (5) For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness on the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. (6) For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord - - to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, "a land flowing with milk and honey." (7) So Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way. (8) So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. (9) Then the Lord said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day" (Joshua 5:2-9).

2. "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption" (Acts 13:36).

XXI. "It's All Right If We Do It In God's Name"

A. I have heard some take the position that we can do anything as long as it is done in God's name.

1. "I can worship God any way I want, as long as I do it in God's name and give him the glory." I have had people tell me this.

2. "I can serve God any way I want, as long as I do it God's name"

B. Simply using God's name doesn't make something right.

1. "(21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Mt. 7:21-23).

2. We need to do what God says, not simply do what we want and claim we are doing it in God's name.

XXII. "God Doesn't Expect Us To Be So Technical"

A. Some believe God is not concerned with details.

1. "God doesn't expect us to be so technical, he doesn't care about the little things."

2. "God will not judge us on all things."

B. What kind of standard is this?

1. This is no standard.

a. What does God expect out of us?

b. How do we know what is important and what is not important?

c. This idea tells us we can disregard or ignore part of what God told us, but it doesn't tell us what to ignore or how to determine that.

2. I have actually had people argue that God does not really care or expect us to obey all of his commandments.

a. Jesus told his apostles, "teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you" (Mt. 28:20).

b. Paul wrote, "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).

Conclusion-

Jesus warned us that all of these false standards of men will be swept away on that great day of judgment when all men great and small stand before Him. In that day the books will be opened according to Jesus "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (Jn 12:48).

By Wayne Greeson
Based on Kippy Myers, "Rightly Dividing The Word," The Restorer, April 1989

Return to the Sermon Outlines page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /