MARKED DIFFERENCE
Speaker: Pastor Neil Lindwall
Additional resources: Located at the bottom of the page.
Key Scriptures (1Peter 2:12) Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
“Hallmark” Got Us Thinking and Talking. God Is Holy, Sin Kills, and Hell is Hot, and I’m With Jesus. Now What?
Live Holy.
Holy = different from the world, set apart unto God. Jesus Said We’re in the World but Not of the World (Jn 17:14-15).
1Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
God Is Holy and He Is the Reason We Choose Holiness. He Defines and Draws Us to it.
1Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. – NASB Excellent = kalós – attractively good; good that inspires (motivates) others to embrace what is lovely (beautiful, praiseworthy); i.e. well done so as to be winsome (appealing). Good Deeds = God-approved works.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Tip: Read all of 2 Timothy chapter 3 and notice how it sounds like it was written this morning.
Psalm 119:140 Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.
“Promise” or “Word” ["565a (’imrah) suggests a revelational, dynamic word" (G. Archer).]. a spoken word, particularly a "personal promise" (as in Psalms and Proverbs, cf. NIV) – preeminently, a dynamic word from God birthed in the heart (mind) of the surrendered believer. This brings strength where there is weakness, comfort in distress, deliverance when no human help suffices, etc.
If We Love God’s Word We’ll Follow Jesus: John 14:15&21, Luke 9:23
Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
God Expects His People to Live Holy. Separate, Distinct. Not Like the World.
Verse 1: Holy Actions, “present your bodies”.
Verse 2: Holy Thinking, “be transformed by the renewal of your mind”.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
“And that is what some of you were.” - NIV
Our Attitude Toward Sin Should Be to Leave It. Our Attitude Toward People Living In Sin Should Be to Lead them to Jesus. Love and Compassion. We Have No Right to Hate People Still in Bondage to Sin.
However, We Should Rejoice and Walk In the Victory Christ Won for Us.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
We Were Sinners and Now We Are Saved by Grace. Without Jesus We Would Be Lost. Resolve to Stay Humble.
First: Live Holy. Second…
Love Wholly. The Great Commandment! Everyday Commandment!
Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Verse 30: Love God. Verse 31: Love People.
Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
It’s Wrong and Un-Christlike to Hate People Who Do Not Believe in Christ.
Don’t Expect Non-Christians to Act Like Christ.
Jesus Loved People Where They Were, But He Loved Them Too Much to Leave Them There. We Must Be the Light in the Darkness, the Spiritual Thermostat, and the Source of Truth.
*(See Article in Additional Resources: “Is it good to have close friendships with unbelievers?”)
Unfortunately, Loving and Accepting People Isn’t Enough for Many Who are Militant About Their Decision to Live in Opposition to God’s Will. They Want, (and Often Demand), You Also Affirm and Celebrate their Choices and Behavior. What Are We to Do?
Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Speak Truly
Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Speaking the Truth is Loving… So Long As We Speak the Truth in Love.
“For the same reason that believers ought not pretend that other faiths offer salvation (John 14:6) or that other gods are real (1 John 4:1) or that something sinful is morally right (Isaiah 5:20)”
*See Article“Should Christians use the preferred pronouns of transgender individuals when referring to them?”
God Expects Our Speech To Be Marked Up.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
We Who Live Holy, Love Wholly, and Speak Truly Must Not Call Evil Good.
We Are Held to a Higher Standard, We are Citizens of Heaven, Ambassadors of Christ, and We Are Truth Tellers. We Tell Truth In Love, Gentleness, and Respect.
1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
MAKE A MARKED DIFFERENCE:
Live, Love, and Speak Jesus
