Here are the completed notes from the Sunday Morning Worship Service May 1, 2016:
Scripture: Colossians 2:6
8 Marks of Someone Living Out the Reality of Christ:
1. Reverence for God
There are more than 150 references in the Bible to the fear of God.
While the majority of these are in the OT there are a sufficient number in the NT to support that this is the heart attitude we should cultivate today.
- 1 Peter 2:17 “Fear God” (Awe & Reverence)
- Acts 9:31 The early church walked in the fear of the Lord
Fear Defined: Fearing God is having a sense of awe or reverence toward Him.
The person that Fears God becomes so acutely aware of His moral purity and power that one is genuinely afraid to disobey Him.
Characteristics of a Person Who Fears God:
Has a Deliberate Caution and Carefulness in Respect to Divine Things
- Opposite of having an unhealthy, causal and familiar attitude about God and spiritual matters – not flippant with God
- Does not have a causal approach to worship
Lives in the Conscious Presence of God
- Conscious that we are never out of His all-seeing eye
- A God fearing person should be the same at all times, knowing he lives every moment of his life in God’s presence.
2. Priority of Relationship – Matthew 22:37
“The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain” (Taken from My Utmost for His Highest)
- Meeting with God is not an optional
- Love for Him overflows to obedience to Him
John 14:
21a – He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:
23a – Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:
24a – He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:
- A thirst exists to know Him better
- No know sin unconfessed or un-repented of and nothing is allowed in life which separates from Him
- No interest into which He cannot be brought
3. Moment by Moment Sensitivity to the Spirit – Galatians 5:16
Continually walking by the Spirit – vs. 16
- A yield to the Spirit every moment of every day – Walk in-step with the Spirit
- No neutral ground – either walking by the Spirit of walking in the flesh (gratifying the flesh)
4. Disgust of Sin – Romans 6:12, 13
Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil”
Any form of disobedience is evil.
A. Why Sin should be Disgusting to the Christian:
- Sin separates from God
- Sin leads to death
- Sin deceives
- Sin destroys families
- Sin enslaves
- Sin changes futures
- Sin has infected you
- Sin lead to the crucifixion of Jesus
B. Characteristics of Someone Who Tolerates Sin:
1. Puts their happiness and self before their holiness and God
2. Resists the convicting work of the Holy Spirit
How –
- By applying the truth to others instead of their self
- Getting angry at the messenger
- Puts off dealing with the sin at the moment of conviction
3. Rationalizes their sin
4. Excuses their sin
5. No longer shocked at the presence of sin in their life
“The greatest security against sin is to be shocked at its presence” – Thomas Carlyle
6. Abuses the gift of forgiveness
- The thought lurks in the back of their mind that I can commit this act of sin and then confess it later and receive God’s forgiveness.
- Displays a lack of gratitude for the price that was paid for their forgiveness.
C. When Sin is not Dealt with in a Believers Life:
1. Fellowship (closeness) with God hindered
Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-3; Psalm 51:11
2. Impacts our relationships & affects others
Genesis 3 – Seen in Adam & Eve; Joshua 7
3. Physical impact – Psalm 32:3-5
- Anxiety
- Health
- Stress
4. Escalation of sin
Example of David – 2 Samuel 11
5. Inviting God’s discipline – 1 Corinthians 11:31, 32; Hebrews 12:5-11
6. Grieved inwardly
- Loss of joy – Psalm 51:12a
- Grieving the Spirit of God – Ephesians 4:30
- Quenching the Spirit – 1 Thessalonians 5:19
7. Contradicts who we are “In Christ”