THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 8-6-17

LESSON TITLE: “GOD’S PEOPLE ARE TO BE SEPARATE”

WELCOME

TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.

WELCOME! IT’S GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN THIS TIME OF WORSHIP TO GOD. IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR FOR US TO HAVE YOU WITH US EACH LORD’S DAY MORNING. AS ALWAYS, IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE TODAY TO STUDY GOD’S PRECIOUS WORD AND TO SING PRAISES TO HIS GLORIOUS NAME. PLEASE DO YOUR PART IN MAKING THIS OFFERING ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. NOW, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER.

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE. FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND FATHER, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GREAT GIFT OF YOUR SON JESUS AND THE SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE ON THE CROSS AS WELL HIS RESSURECTION. FATHER, HELP US EVERYDAY TO FOCUS ON THE GREAT GIFT OF JESUS THAT WE MIGHT LIVE AS WE SHOULD AND THAT WE MIGHT BE AN EXAMPLE TO THIS WORLD THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW YOU AND BE SAVED AS WELL. AND FATHER, IN THE END GIVE US THAT ETERNAL REWARD, THAT MANSION THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED IN HEAVEN, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE ETERNALLY WITH YOU FOREVER. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU’VE BEEN LOST BEFORE AND WONDER WHICH DIRECTION TO GO. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, SPIRITUALLY, WE HAVE A GUIDE WHICH WILL KEEP US FROM EVERY GOING ASTRAY. THE QUESTION IS, “WILL WE LOOK TO THE BEST AND MOST PERFECT GUIDE AVAILABLE IN OUR LIVES?” WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING THE HYMN, “SAVIOR LEAD ME.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

HOW MANY OF US LIKE TO BE DIFFERENT! I DON’T KNOW OF MANY WHO LIKE TO STAND OUT IN THE CROWD OR BE CONSIDERED AS WEIRD OR STRANGE. WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD PEER PRESSURE IS IN OUR SOCIETY AND IT CAN BE SEEN IN EVERY FACET FROM PRESCHOOLERS TO BUSINESS PEOPLE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A 5 OR 6 YEAR OLD CAN EVEN KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE SOME OF THESE NAME BRANDS, LET ALONE KNOW ENOUGH TO WANT A SPECIFIC KIND OF SHOES OR A CERTAIN BRAND OF PANTS. BUT THE FACT IS THEY DO KNOW AND THEY WANT TO BE LIKE OTHERS. AGAIN, THINK ABOUT IT, WHERE DO THEY GET IT? OBVIOUSLY FROM US AS ADULTS. WE DID IT WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP AND EVEN NOW WHEN WE GO TO WORK OR TO PLAY WE WANT A CERTAIN KIND OF CLOTHING OR A CERTAIN KIND OF CAR TO BE CONSIDERED AS SOMEONE AMONG OUR AGE GROUP.

I MENTION THESE THINGS THIS MORNING BECAUSE, AS FOLLOWERS OF GOD, WE ARE TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THIS WORLD. GOD HAS ALWAYS WANTED HIS PEOPLE TO STAND OUT AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR WHO THEY ARE: HIS FOLLOWERS. IN FACT, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WE FIND THESE WORDS OF OUR LORD RECORDED BY MOSES, IN LEVITICUS 20:26. THERE HE SAID, “AND YOU SHALL BE HOLY TO ME, FOR I THE LORD AM HOLY, AND HAVE SEPARATED YOU FROM THE PEOPLES, THAT YOU SHOULD BE MINE.” NOTICE THE IDEAS PRESENTED HERE SUCH AS, WE ARE TO BE HOLY. IS THE WORLD HOLY? CERTAINLY NOT, BUT GOD IS. SO WE HAVE TO BE HOLY LIKE GOD AND NOT LIKE THE WORLD. GOD ALSO SAID THAT HE SEPARATED THEM. AGAIN, DOES THIS SOUND LIKE HE WANTED THEM TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IF HE SEPARATED THEM FROM EVERYONE ELSE?

WE FIND THE SAME IDEA BEING MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. LISTEN AS WE READ FROM ROMANS 12:1-2. THERE IT SAYS, “I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YOU PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.” YOU SEE, IF WE ARE TO BE PLEASING TO GOD WE ARE TO PRESENT OURSELVES AS DAILY LIVING SACRIFICES. HERE PAUL CLARIFIES, NOT LIKE THE WORLD BUT DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD. BUT WHY? SO WE MAY BE GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE BEFORE OUR CREATOR.

FINALLY, LET ME CLARIFY THAT WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT HAVING TO LOOK OUT OF PLACE OR HAVING TO ACT WEIRD, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAVING TO PRESENT OURSELVES AS GOOD GODLY PEOPLE IN ALL WE DO. NOW, IF THAT MAKES OTHERS SOMETIMES SAY WE ARE WEIRD OR STRANGE, THEN SO BE IT. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

ARE YOU WILLING TO BE A LIVING SACRIFICE BEFORE GOD AND THIS WORLD? WHY NOT BEGIN TODAY MAKING SURE THAT ALL WE DO AND SAY BRINGS GLORY AND HONOR TO OUR CREATOR. BECAUSE WHEN WE PLEASE GOD, WE KNOW THAT HE WILL BLESS US AS FAITHFUL CHILDREN IN HIS SERVICE.

TODAY, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR STUDY ENTITLED, “HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE.” OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC THIS MORNING IS “GOD’S PEOPLE ARE TO BE SEPARATE.” AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. NOW LET’S AGAIN JOIN IN SONG. THE NAME OF THE NEXT SELECTION IS, “SEEKING THE LOST.”

LESSON

RAY SULLINS

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US THIS DAY. NOW AS WE RETURN TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER THOSE THINGS PERTAINING TO OUR NEW SERIES IN RELATIONSHIP TO HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE AND WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO NOW FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IS TO ESTABLISH THE FACT THAT CERTAINLY AS GOD'S PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN SET UP AS SPECIAL AND UNIQUE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE HIS HOLY AND HIS SPECIAL NATION. A NATION THAT IS NOT LIKE THE WORLD BUT DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD. AND SO THAT'S WHY LAST WEEK IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY ESTABLISHED THE IDEA THAT AS GOD'S PEOPLE WE ARE SANCTIFIED. WE APPRECIATE BROTHER KEVIN REALLY REVEALING TO US WHAT GOD'S WORD HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE IDEA OF ONE BEING SET APART, AND CERTAINLY THROUGHOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WE SEE THIS IDEA OF ONE BEING SET APART AND ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT THE FACT THAT THROUGH JESUS' BLOOD WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PURCHASED AND SET APART FROM THE DARKNESS OF THE WORLD IN ORDER TO BE, REALLY, A PART OF THE LIGHT AND THOSE SAINTS WHO ARE OF GOD. AND SO TODAY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY DO IS TO BUILD ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE REALLY WE FOCUSED LAST WEEK ON THE CONCEPT OF SANCTIFICATION ITSELF AND THE IDEA OF BEING SET APART ITSELF. BUT WHATWE WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS WEEK IS TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE APPLICATION OF THIS DISCUSSION BY LOOKING AT THE IDEA THAT REALLY WE ARE CALLED TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD. SANCTIFICATION NOT ONLY HAS THIS IDEA OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE, THEREFORE, IF WE RESPOND, WE ARE REMOVED IN A SENSE FROM SIN INTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; THE CHURCH INTO THE FOLD OF THE FAITHFUL. BUT YET THERE THEN IS AN ACTION THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO SPECIFICALLY THAT WE PROVE OURSELVES TO BE SANCTIFIED, THAT WE PROVE OURSELVES TO BE FITTING IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

WE'LL BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION THEN THIS DAY IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 10. AND THERE THE HEBREW WRITER IS REALLY DEALING WITH SOME OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPTS AND WE SEE THAT SPECIFICALLY HE IS DEALING WITH THE IDEA OF ANIMAL SACRIFICE AND THOSE THINGS THAT WERE UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES. AND AS HE DEALS WITH THOSE THINGS, HE COMES TO THE POINT WHERE HE SAYS THAT CERTAINLY AS THESE THINGS WERE BEING DONE THAT THEY NO LONGER ARE SUFFICIENT UNDER THE NEW LAW. WHY? WELL, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT WAS JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD, GOD IN THE FLESH, WHO ULTIMATELY THEN SHED HIS BLOOD THAT GAVE THAT PERFECT SACRIFICE SO THAT HE MIGHT, NOT ONLY SEAL THE NEW COVENANT BUT ALSO PURCHASE THE CHURCH AND FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS. NOT JUST PUSH OUR SINS FORWARD AS UNDER THE OLD LAW, BUT LITERALLY TO GIVE US A FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND REMOVAL FROM THE ACCOUNT. AN ERASING OR WIPING OUT OF THE ACCOUNT, NO LONGER HOLDING THEM AGAINST US OR THE CHARGE AGAINST US ONCE WE HAVE REPENTED AND TURNED AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS. BUT NOW NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS HERE IN THAT CONTEXT THERE IN VERSE 10. AFTER HE REFERS TO THE FACT IN VERSE NINE THAT HE HAS ESTABLISHED A SECOND COVENANT, THE COVENANT THERE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, IT SAYS, “BY THAT WILL WE HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL.” YOU SEE, THAT TIES THE TWO IDEAS OF WHAT WE REALLY ARE LOOKING AT LAST WEEK AND LOOKING AT THEN THIS WEEK TOGETHER AND THE FACT THAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THROUGH AND BY THE LAW WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN OR IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED WHAT IT MEANS TO REALLY BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD. NOT JUST SANCTIFIED AND SET APART BUT HOW DO I LITERALLY APPLY THAT? HOW DO I LITERALLY SEPARATE MYSELF FROM THINGS OF THE WORLD?

MAYBE TO UNDERSTAND IT EVEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER WE COULD TURN OVER TO THE BOOK OF SECOND CORINTHIANS THERE IN CHAPTER 6. AND IN SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 6 THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL STATEMENT AGAIN REFERRING TO GOD AND THE DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE OF OLD WHEN HE SAID THIS IN VERSE 17 OF SECOND CORINTHIANS 6. THERE WE READ, “THEREFORE ‘COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU.” SEE, GOD WAS TRYING TO SAY HERE THAT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS MY PEOPLE. YOU'VE BEEN SANCTIFIED, YOU'VE BEEN PURIFIED, SET APART, YOU HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM SIN AND NOW WHAT YOU MUST DO IS GET OUT OF SIN. STAY OUT OF SIN, STAY AWAY FROM SIN, AND IF NEED BE, AS JOSEPH, RUN FROM SIN. AND THAT'S THE POINT OF REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SEPARATE AND WITHIN THIS CONTEXT AS HE SAYS HERE, DON'T TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU. RECEIVE US IN WHAT WAY? BACK UP TO VERSE 16 HE SAYS HIS DESIRE IS THAT “I WILL DWELL AMONG THEM, AND I WILL WALK AMONG THEM, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” WOW! FOR GOD TO DWELL AMONGST HIS PEOPLE, TO WALK AMONGST HIS PEOPLE, WHAT IS REQUIRED? THAT WE SEPARATE OURSELVES LITERALLY FROM THE SINS OF THIS WORLD. AS ISRAEL WAS TOLD TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THE HEATHEN NATIONS OF CANAAN IN ORDER THAT GOD WOULD DO WHAT? WALK AMONG THEM, DWELL AMONG THEM, BE THEIR GOD, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE HIS PEOPLE. THEY WERE REQUIRED TO STAY AWAY FROM THE FOREIGN GODS. NOT TO PRACTICE THE THINGS OF THESE WICKED NATIONS, NOT INTERMARRY WITH THESE NATIONS. GO BACK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT AND YOU'LL FIND QUICKLY THAT IT WAS AN ACTION THAT THEY TOOK. IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD TO DO AND CONTINUING TO ABSTAIN FROM SIN. TO ABSTAIN, AS PAUL SAYS TO THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH, FROM EVERY FORM OF EVIL. TO KEEP IT ALL OUT OF OUR LIVES IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

AND THAT'S WHY, EVEN IN THE SAME CONTEXT, IT'S INTERESTING AS WE BACK UP TO VERSE 11 AS HE TALKED TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH (THAT IS PAUL AGAIN) BEFORE HE EVEN SAYS THAT GOD WANTS TO DWELL AMONG YOU AND BE YOUR GOD AND WALK AMONG YOU AND YOU BE HIS PEOPLE. THAT HE WANTS YOU TO COME OUT FROM AMONGST THEM AND TO STAY AWAY FROM THE UNCLEAN THINGS AND SEPARATE YOURSELF SO THAT HE MIGHT BE YOUR GOD BECAUSE YOU HAVE LEFT ANY DARKNESS. HE SAYS ‘WELL, THEN YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND (CORINTHIANS) THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO. YOU OBVIOUSLY CAN DO THE THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. BUT YOU CANNOT DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.’ NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN THEN IN RELATIONSHIP TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE THAT WHICH IS WRONG IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OR THAT WHICH IS SIN? WELL, LOOK AT VERSE 14 OF SECOND CORINTHIANS 6, “DO NOT.” IT DOESN'T SAY MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T OR HEY, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. NO, “DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH…” WHAT? “UNBELIEVERS.” HE THEN BEGINS TO ASK QUESTIONS. WHAT FELLOWSHIP HAS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH WHAT? LAWLESSNESS. WHAT COMMUNION HAS LIGHT AND DARKNESS? WHAT ACCORD HAS CHRIST WITH BELIAL OR DEMONS OR SATAN SPECIFICALLY? OR WHAT PART HAS THE BELIEVER WITH THE UNBELIEVER? AND THEN IN VERSE 16 HE EVEN ADDS THIS, “AND WHAT AGREEMENT HAS THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND THE IDOLS?” YOU SEE THE POINT THAT HE IS TRYING TO MAKE HERE? WE DON'T JOIN OURSELVES AS THE SANCTIFIED TO THINGS OF THIS WORLD PERIOD. WE DON'T JOIN OURSELVES TO SIN OR TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOOSE SIN. AND THAT'S IN ANY FORM, WHETHER IT BE OF A FLESHLY NATURE OR EVEN SPIRITUAL SIN. REJECTION OF GOD'S LAW, EXCLUSION OF GOD'S LAW, PICKING AND CHOOSING GOD'S LAW, DETERMINING THAT GOD'S LAW IS ONLY PERTAINING TO YOU IN CERTAIN WAYS FOR CONVENIENCE SAKE THAT YOU MIGHT CONTINUE IN YOUR SINS. OH, YOU SEE WHAT GOD IS TRYING TO SAY HERE? HE'S SAYING ‘LOOK, IF I'M GONNA DWELL AMONGST YOU, YOU CANNOT BE LIKE THE WORLD. YOU CANNOT BE SIN. YOU CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN DARKNESS.’ DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT WE READ THERE JUST A MOMENT AGO? WHAT COMMUNION OR FELLOWSHIP HAS THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS?

YOU KNOW, IT REMINDS ME OF FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 1 WHERE THERE WE LEARN THAT GOD IS LIGHT AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. WHAT IS DARKNESS REFERENCING? WELL, IF GOD IS RIGHTEOUSNESS THEN DARKNESS IS UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT IS, SIN. ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS WHAT? SIN. AND THEREFORE, THERE'S HOW MUCH DARKNESS IN GOD? ZERO! THERE'S NO DARKNESS IN GOD. AND SO, IF I'M TO BE SANCTIFIED BY GOD THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, SUCH A GREAT SACRIFICE, HOW MUCH DARKNESS CAN THERE BE IN ME? ZERO! THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE GOD CANNOT DWELL IN US OR AMONGST US. GOD CANNOT WHAT? WALK AMONG US WHEN THERE IS SIN BECAUSE HE'S PURE. HE'S PERFECT. HE'S RIGHTEOUS. HE CAN'T BE AMONGST THAT WHICH IS WICKED.

IN FACT, WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE LOOK AGAIN AT VERSE 16. THE FINAL PHRASE THAT WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO OUR DISCUSSION, IN THIS TEXT AT LEAST. AND WHAT AGREEMENT HAS THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS? “FOR YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD.” IT SAYS THAT YOU ARE THAT TEMPLE. IF WE'RE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, IF GOD'S PEOPLE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, HOW MUCH DARKNESS CAN FELLOWSHIP ALLOW? ZERO! NONE! THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE GOT TO LEAVE ALL FORMS OF SIN. WE'VE GOT TO ABSTAIN FROM EVERY FORM OF EVIL. WE HAVE TO BECOME THOSE LIVING SACRIFICES, AS PAUL TOLD THE ROMANS WHO HAVE REMOVED OURSELVES FROM THIS WORLD. TO WHAT EXTENT? LOOK WITH ME THERE AT THAT TEXT IN ROMANS CHAPTER 12, SPECIFICALLY VERSE TWO. BUT LET'S READ VERSES ONE AND TWO, “I BESEECH YOU BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YOU PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.” IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT WITHIN THE TEXT HERE OF VERSE TWO. WHEN HE FIRST SAYS DON'T BE CONFORMED OR TO BECOME LIKE TO TRY TO MIMIC THE WORLD. BUT THEN HE ACTUALLY GIVES THE COUNTERPART BY SAYING, “BUT BE TRANSFORMED.” IT'S REALLY FROM A GREEK WORD THAT HAS THAT CONCEPT OF A METAMORPHOSIS. IT'S LIKE THAT CATERPILLAR THAT REALLY OFTEN ISN'T TOO BEAUTIFUL. THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL CATERPILLARS, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE KIND OF UGLY BUT THEN GO INTO THAT COCOON AND THEN METAMORPHOSIS INTO WHAT? SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CREATURES THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN. BUTTERFLIES WITH SOME OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT COLORS AND SUCH THAT WE HAVE EVER LAID OUR EYES UPON. YOU SEE THE TRANSFORMATION? DO YOU SEE THE CHANGE FROM ONE WHO IS LIVING LIKE THE WORLD? IN THE WORLD WHO CHOOSES DARKNESS? WHO STANDS AND PARTICIPATES IN SIN? WHO IS INVOLVED IN FLESHLY SINS? SPIRITUAL SIN? AND THEN THEY WHAT? THEY TURN TO GOD HAVING LEFT WHAT? ALL DARKNESS, NOT SOME. ALL DARKNESS! AND THERE FOCUS IS TO DO EVERYTHING BASED ON WHAT GOD SAYS SO THEY SEPARATE THEMSELVES. THEY ARE DIFFERENT. THEY ARE UNIQUE. THEY ARE SPECIAL. THEY ARE THAT ONLY NATION OF GOD. AND THEN THEY HAVE THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AS THAT METAMORPHOSED CREATURE OF GOD. THAT NEW CREATION NO LONGER LOOKING THE WAY I USED TO LOOK BEFORE.

LET'S MAKE THAT APPLICATION. MAYBE SOMEONE ENJOYS ALCOHOL AND THEN, AFTER BECOMING A CHRISTIAN, THEY HAVE METAMORPHOSED INTO SOMETHING THAT STANDS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, THE TEMPLE. GOD DOESN'T WALK AMONGST SIN! GOD DOESN'T DWELL IN A TEMPLE THAT PARTICIPATES IN SIN! SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT THEY PUT AWAY THOSE THINGS. WE HAVE SO MANY FOLKS TODAY WHO WILL DEFILE THEIR BODY IN MANY WAYS: SMOKING, DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOBACCO, DRUGS. WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY, ‘WELL, YOU KNOW I ONLY DABBLE A LITTLE BIT’ OR ‘I USE THE LIGHT ONES NOT THE HEAVY ONES’ OR ‘THE THINGS THAT DON'T HURT ME AS MUCH. GIVE ME A BREAK!’ WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TELL US? WE HAVE GOTTEN RID OF DARKNESS. WE ARE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN THAT DARKNESS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN METAMORPHOSED. WE DON'T LOOK THE NEXT DAY AS THE NEW CREATION ANYTHING LIKE THE DAY BEFORE. THAT CATERPILLAR AND THE BUTTERFLY, YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER AND YOU'D NEVER THINK THAT BUTTERFLY CAME OUT OF THAT CATERPILLAR. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. A DIFFERENT CREATURE COMPLETELY. BUT YET THE CHANGE IS EVIDENT! NOW, IF YOU'LL NOTICE THE APPLICATION OF THAT CHANGE, ALSO IN VERSE TWO, HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT YOU MAY PROVE. CHANGING YOUR MIND, WHICH MEANS YOUR HEART, THE INNER MAN, THE SOUL OF MAN MAKING THE CHANGE HAVING LEFT THE DARKNESS, BEING SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD HAVING MADE THE CHANGE SO THAT YOU MIGHT PROVE ACTION. NOT THAT YOU MIGHT JUST TRY BUT THAT YOU MIGHT DO IT. THAT YOU MIGHT THROUGH YOUR MIND DO WHAT IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT OR COMPLETE BASED ON THE WILL OF GOD. NOT JUST ON WHAT GOD SAYS BUT BASED ON THE WILL OF GOD.

WHERE DO WE LEARN THE WILL OF GOD? THE BIBLE. AND SO ARE YOU PARTICIPATING AS A NEW CREATION FULLY TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST? ARE YOU FOCUSING ON THAT WHICH WILL PROVE WHAT IS GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT BY GOD'S WILL? NOT MAN'S WILL. NOT YOUR WILL. NOT THE WILL OF THE WORLD. NOT THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. NOT SIN BUT GOD'S WILL. HE'S THE STANDARD. HE'S THE ONLY PERFECT STANDARD. HE'S THE ONLY STANDARD THAT MATTERS BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY STANDARD THAT IS ABLE TO OFFER US ETERNAL LIFE! AN ABILITY TO LIVE FOREVER WITH HIM IN HEAVEN, SO LET ME CHALLENGE YOU BRETHREN AND FRIENDS! BE SEPARATE AND IF YOU HAVE NOT OBEYED THE GOSPEL SO THAT YOU MIGHT SEPARATE YOURSELF IN ACTION FROM THE WORLD. DO SO TODAY BEFORE IT'S EVERLASTINGLY TOO LATE. AND IF YOU DO YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT, FOR THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE YOURS.

CLOSING COMMENTS

AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED THROUGH OUR TIME SPENT TOGETHER. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD.

NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

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HAVE YOU DISTINGUISHED YOURSELF BY BEING A TRUE CHILD OF GOD IN THIS LIFE? ARE YOU STRIVING TO BE SET APART AND DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU? REMEMBER THAT GOD’S PEOPLE ARE A SPECIAL AND DISTINCT PEOPLE. WHY NOT DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TODAY TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD!