THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 11-25-18

LESSON TITLE: "DENYING UNGODLINESS"

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.

HERE WE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN ON A WONDROUS LORD'S DAY MORNING. PRIVILEGED TO SERVE OUR GOD IN SONGS OF PRAISE AND THROUGH THE STUDY OF HIS WORD. WE WELCOME YOU TO THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO GOD. I HOPE EACH OF YOU HAD A GREAT WEEK AND I HOPE YOU ARE READY TODAY TO THINK ON THINGS ABOVE, AND TO GIVE FULL ATTENTION TO OUR CREATOR WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR ALL OF US. IN FACT, THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN BY TALKING TO OUR GOD IN PRAYER. WON'T YOU BOW WITH ME AT THIS TIME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND FATHER, HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO SHINE AS LIGHTS THAT THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW YOU AND OBEY YOUR TRUTH UNTO SALVATION. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW ALL THESE THINGS ARE ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. IN HIS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

ARE YOU READY TO PRAISE YOUR GOD THROUGH SONG? AT THIS TIME WE WANT TO GET STARTED BY SINGING OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING. LET ME ASK, "WHERE DOES YOUR HOPE LIE?" WON'T YOU ALL JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE LIFT UP OUR VOICES TOGETHER IN ANSWERING THIS QUESTION, BY SINGING THE HYMN, "MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN IN ALL OF OUR LIVES. CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT WHERE YOU MAY FALL IN THE FOLLOWING THOUGHTS. THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE FEELING YOU HAD THE FIRST TIME YOU MET YOUR ONE AND ONLY. THINK ABOUT THOSE FEELINGS YOU HAD WHENEVER YOU WERE TOGETHER OR WHENEVER YOU WERE APART! THINK ABOUT THAT FEELING YOU HAD WHEN YOU WALKED TOWARD HIM DOWN THAT AISLE OR WHEN SHE CAME TOWARD YOU UP THE AISLE TO BECOME YOUR MATE FOR LIFE. THINK ABOUT THAT FEELING YOU HAD WHEN YOU SAW YOUR FIRST CHILD, A WONDERFUL CREATION AND GIFT GIVEN FROM GOD. THINK ABOUT THAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, WHEN YOU WATCHED YOUR CHILD GO INTO THAT BIG BUILDING ALL ALONE. THINK ABOUT THAT DAY YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER GOT MARRIED AND LEFT YOUR HOME. THINK ABOUT THAT DAY THAT YOU SAW YOUR FIRST GRANDCHILD AND HELD IT IN YOUR ARMS. THINK ABOUT THAT DAY YOU STOOD BY THE HOSPITAL BED, AS YOUR LOVED ONE SUFFERED. THINK ABOUT THAT DAY YOU CRIED BY THE COFFIN AS YOU LOST YOUR BETTER PART! THINK ABOUT THAT FEELING WHICH MAKES ALL THESE MOMENTS POSSIBLE AND MORE SPECIAL. THINK ABOUT THE HUMAN EMOTION WHICH WE ALL SHARE IN: LOVE!

ONE OF THE GREATEST PRIVILEGES AND EMOTIONS WE SHARE IN THIS LIFE IS THE ABILITY TO LOVE OTHERS AND TO BUILD SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS. WE GET THIS ABILITY DIRECTLY FROM THE ONE WHO LOVED US FIRST, OUR CREATOR, GOD THE FATHER. JOHN SAID, "WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US," ONE JOHN 4:19.

LOVE IS SUCH A GLORIOUS AND WONDROUS PART OF OUR LIVES. IT IS A FEELING THAT WE ALL SHARE IN AND ARE MADE BETTER BY. LOVE IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING AND FOR EVERYTHING IN THIS LIFE. FURTHERMORE, LOVE IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL SPIRITUAL THINGS WE SHARE TOGETHER AS FOLLOWERS OF GOD AND WITH THE GIVER OF ALL HIMSELF!

PAUL MAY HAVE PUT IT BEST AS HE WAS ADDRESSING THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH, WHEN HE SAID, "AND NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE." TRULY, LOVE IS THE GREATEST. WON'T YOU CHOSE TO BE LIKE THE FATHER AND LEARN TO LOVE AS HE LOVES US?

OUR STUDY THIS MORNING WILL AGAIN FOCUS ON OUR SERIES ENTITLED, "SHOWING YOURSELF TO BE!" OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC TODAY IS, "DENYING UNGODLINESS!" SO PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US AND IN A FEW MINUTES WE WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY OF THE MORNING. AS FAR AS OUR SPEAKER, WE ARE HAPPY TO AGAIN HAVE TREY SULLINS. BROTHER TREY IS THE MINISTER FOR THE OMAHA CHURCH OF CHRIST IN OMAHA, ARKANSAS. WE THANK HIM FOR JOINING US THIS DAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HIM LEADING OUR THOUGHTS FROM GOD'S WORD. NOW, LET'S JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING. THE NAME OF THE SONG, "UNTO THEE O LORD!"

LESSON

BY TREY SULLINS

GOOD MORNING AND THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US AS WE CONTINUE OUR STUDIES FROM THE BOOK OF TITUS AND CHAPTER 2. IF YOU REMEMBER WHERE WE'VE BEEN GOING THIS PAST FEW WEEKS, PAUL HAS BEEN DIRECTING TITUS IN THE WAYS THAT HE WILL HAVE TO BE DIRECTING OTHERS AND CERTAINLY EVEN INSTRUCTION UNTO HIS OWN LIFE. BUT IN TITUS IN CHAPTER TWO VERSE 11 WE WILL READ NOW. IT SAYS, "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION HAS APPEARED TO ALL MEN." WELL, THE GRACE OF GOD IS A MAGNIFICENT THING, ISN'T IT? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT GRACE REALLY MEANS, GENERALLY WE COUPLE IT WITH SALVATION. BUT GRACE HAS TO DO WITH THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GIVEN TO US, YET NOT DESERVED. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT GRACE, YES, THERE'S SO MUCH GRACE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US. JUST THE GENERAL BLESSINGS OF LIFE OR THOSE THINGS THAT WE DON'T DESERVE. AND YET GOD GIVES US THOSE THINGS. GRACE OF COURSE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST SALVATION AND LOOKING UNTO THE BIBLE. IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT GOD OFFERS UNTO US WITHOUT US HAVING DONE ANYTHING TO DESERVE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN AS THIS PASSAGE TEACHES US - THAT GRACE IS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF WHEN WE DO SOMETHING. LOOK WITH ME THERE AT THE NEXT VERSE OF VERSE 12. IT SAYS, "TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY IN THE PRESENT AGE." NOW AT FIRST GLANCE YOU SAY, WELL, THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? NOW A WORD DOESN'T TEACH YOU. THE IDEA OF GRACE CAN'T REALLY TEACH YOU. AND SO PAUL HERE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT OR THE HOLY SPIRIT RATHER THROUGH PAUL IS PUTTING GRACE AND THE GOSPEL AS ONE IN THESE WORDS IN A FIGURATIVE KIND OF SENSE. HE SAYING THERE THAT THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WAS OFFERED TO US, WHICH TEACHES US, IS THAT THE GOSPEL. AND THE GOSPEL OF COURSE IS SOMETHING THAT DOES TEACH. YOU LOOK EVEN OF THE PAGES THAT WE ARE READING RIGHT NOW AND SO MANY OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE HERE THAT TEACH US ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TO DO. AND CERTAINLY TEACH US THE THINGS THAT HE BEGINS TO START THERE WITH IN VERSE 12. AND WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS? WE MENTIONED ALREADY THAT GRACE IS EXTENDED AND IT IS EXTENDED TO MAN. BUT IT'S NOT JUST A BLANKET OF SALVATION TO ANYONE WHO IS ON THE PLANET BUT IT IS GIVEN UNTO MAN AND IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO RECEIVE THAT GRACE, THAT UNDESERVED FAVOR THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU. YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND THAT THING IS, AS THE BIBLE SAYS THERE, TEACHING US AND DENYING UNGODLINESS. THIS IS THE FIRST PART AND WE ARE GOING TO STOP HERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT FOR JUST A MOMENT.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DENY UNGODLINESS? WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE WORD DENYING IT OF COURSE MEANS REJECTING OR PUTTING AWAY WITH, ABHORRING, A WALKING AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TO FOLLOW. AND THAT THING TO UNFOLLOW IS UNGODLINESS. UNGODLINESS IS A PRETTY EASY WORD. WE ALREADY PROBABLY MOSTLY UNDERSTAND IT. IT HAS TO DO WITH THOSE THINGS THAT ARE THE OPPOSITE OF GOD. IMPIETY REALLY IS THE IDEA BEING DISCUSSED HERE. YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT GODLINESS MEANS. IT HAS TO DO THOSE CHARACTERISTICS, THOSE THINGS THAT SHOW FORTH GOD IN THIS WORLD. AND UNGODLINESS IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. THE OPPOSITE OF GODLINESS. AND SO ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T SHOW GOD, ANYTHING THAT ISN'T THE CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD, ANYTHING THAT GOD DOESN'T TELL YOU TO DO IS UNGODLINESS. WE CAN THINK AS WELL ABOUT SO MANY DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF THAT IN OUR OWN LIVES, DIFFERENT TEMPTATIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT DRAW US OUT FROM GOD AND BACK INTO THE WORLD. AND THAT'S WHAT PAUL TALKS ABOUT NEXT THERE IN WORLDLY LUSTS. YOU NOTICE HE SAYS DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS. SO DENYING WORLDLY LUSTS AS WELL. WORLDLY LUSTS HAS TO DO AGAIN WITH THOSE THINGS THAT ARE THE OPPOSITE OF GOD. WORLDLY BEING THOSE THINGS THAT AREN'T OF GOD. THOSE THINGS THAT ARE OF MAN, OF A MAN'S DEVICES, AND OF MAN'S CREATION AND PEOPLE AND WHATEVER THEY SEE FIT TO DO. AND THEN LUSTS, OF COURSE THOSE DESIRES. THOSE DRAWLS, THOSE THINGS THAT PULL YOU AND TEMPT YOU AWAY FROM GOD. AND SO THESE WORLDLY LUSTS ARE THINGS THAT BRING YOU TO UNGODLINESS BUT THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US TO DENY THOSE THINGS. TEACHES US TO GO AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS AND NOT TO BE A PART OF THOSE THINGS. YOU NOTICE IN THIS TEXT ALSO THAT IT'S A VERY DELIBERATE ACTION. DENYING UNGODLINESS AND DENYING WORLDLY LUSTS ISN'T A PASSIVE THING. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU WOKE UP THIS MORNING BUT IT HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE YOU MAKE AN ACTIVE CHOICE TO SAY, 'I'M NOT GOING TO BE A PART OF THESE THINGS OF THE WORLD. I'M NOT GOING TO DO WHAT IS CONTRARY TO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO.' AND OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT'S TAUGHT THERE IN THE FOLLOWING PARTS AS WE'LL COME TO HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. WHAT YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE PLACE OF THIS UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS. IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 16 AND VERSE 24, WE READ SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE TO FOLLOW JESUS, THOSE WHO WERE TO BE A PART OF HIS DISCIPLESHIP AND TAKE AFTER HIM, THEY HAD TO FIRST DO SOMETHING. MATTHEW 16 AND VERSE 24, "THEN JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, 'IF ANYONE DESIRES TO COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME.'" DENYING YOURSELF. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT PAUL'S TALKING ABOUT HERE IN DENYING UNGODLINESS AND DESIGN WORLDLY LUSTS. DENYING YOURSELF, ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT IS CONTRARY TO GOD, DENY IT. GET RID OF IT. REJECT IT. REMOVE IT FROM YOUR LIVES AND GET YOUR LIFE IN SUCH A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS. AND WE'RE NOT DRAWN TO DO THOSE THINGS ANYMORE. THAT'S THE PATTERN. THAT'S THE WALK THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE STRIVING FOR AS THOSE WHO HOPEFULLY LIVE FOR GOD.

IN FIRST PETER CHAPTER TWO AND VERSE 11, WE FIND AGAIN ANOTHER PASSAGE THAT TEACHES US ABOUT THIS PATTERN OR THIS WAY OF DENYING UNGODLINESS. FIRST PETER CHAPTER TWO AND IN VERSE 11. IT SAYS, "BELOVED, I BEG YOU AS SOJOURNERS AND PILGRIMS, ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS WHICH WAR AGAINST THE SOUL." NOW, PETER THERE IS, OF COURSE, MAKING A BEG OR AN OFFERING AND IMPLORING THESE PEOPLE TO DO THIS. AND WHAT IS HE ASKING THEM TO DO? WELL. IT IS TO GET RID OF THOSE FLESHLY LUSTS, THOSE WORLDLY LUSTS. IT IS A PRETTY MUCH THE EXACT SAME KIND OF WORDING BEING USED. GET RID OF THAT UNGODLINESS BECAUSE IT WARS AGAINST THE SOUL. YOU SEE, ALL THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE WE READ OF THE SOUL. THIS SOUL THAT CAN EITHER GO TO HEAVEN OR THAT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LOST ETERNALLY. AND EVERY ACTION THAT WE MAKE IN THIS LIFE DETERMINES WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT SOUL. WHETHER WE GET THOSE THINGS RIGHT THAT WE'VE DONE WRONG AND WHETHER WE STAY RIGHT AS GOD WANTS US TO. AND WHEN WE DON'T, WHEN WE DON'T DENY THOSE WORLDLY THINGS, WHAT HAPPENS IS IT'S A WAR AGAINST THE SOUL. IT'S DRAGGING OUR SOUL AWAY FROM GOD AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IN HIS SIGHT THAT ARE PROPER.

NOW WE KEEP GOING THERE IN TITUS CHAPTER TWO AND IN VERSE 12 YOU NOTICE TEACHING US THAT DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS HE CONTINUES ON, "WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY IN THE PRESENT AGE." YOU SEE, AS A FOLLOWER OF GOD, AS ONE WHO IS DOING WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO, IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO GET RID OF THE BAD THINGS. NOT ENOUGH JUST TO THROW AWAY WHAT GOD DOESN'T WANT YOU TO DO. BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT GOOD THINGS BACK IN. YOU HAVE TO DO THOSE GOOD THINGS AS WELL THAT GOD ASKS OF YOU. AND THAT OF COURSE IS THE IDEA OF LIVING GODLY. HE STARTS THERE WITH LIVING SOBERLY. THE IDEA OF LIVING SOBERLY HAS TO DO WITH THE SOUND MIND OR A MIND THAT IS SOLID AND FIRM OF COURSE IN THE PROPER THINGS. THE THINGS THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE IN. RIGHTEOUSLY, AS HE SAYS THERE NEXT LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY IS OF COURSE THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE. THE RIGHT LIFE, THE CORRECT LIFE ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD WANTS. AND SO REALLY THE TEXT HERE IS PRETTY SIMPLE. YOU GET RID OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO GOD AND YOU PUT IN THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WHAT GOD ASKS OF YOU. HE KEEPS GOING THERE ND SAYS "AND GODLY." YOU REMEMBER, WE STARTED OFF THERE WITH UNGODLINESS? WELL NOW HE SAYS GODLY. SO UNGODLINESS BEING THE OPPOSITE OF GODLY. WELL, YOU PUT IN THOSE THINGS THAT ARE OF GOD. THOSE CHARACTERISTICS, THOSE QUALITIES THAT ARE LIKE GOD AND THAT MAKE YOU LIKE GOD. WE READ ABOUT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WELL HOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO IMITATE JESUS. HOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE HIM FOLLOWING HIS FOOTSTEPS. IN FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 11 VERSE ONE PAUL SAYS, "IMITATE ME AS I IMITATE CHRIST." AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THAT GODLY LIFESTYLE MEANS THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN THOSE THINGS THAT ARE OF GOD, THAT ARE LIKE GOD SO THAT YOU WILL APPEAR TO BE AS HE IS AND LIVE THE LIFE THAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AS WELL EVEN IN THIS TEXT AND LOOKING AT THAT LAST PART IT SAYS UNGODLY IN THE PRESENT AGE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIFE WE ARE LIVING RIGHT NOW. YOU SEE, WE'RE UNDER THE LAW OF CHRIST, UNDER THE AGE OF CHRIST AND THEREFORE WE HAVE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS PATTERN AND HIS WAY. AND THE PRESENT IS EMPHASIZED HERE BY US TO MAKE US UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY THAT IS GIVEN HERE IN THE TEXT. WE CAN'T WAIT TILL TOMORROW. WE CAN'T WAIT TILL THE END OF OUR LIVES AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW, WE WILL GET RIGHT LATER ON. WILL GET RIGHT ONCE WE'VE HAD ALL OUR FUN IN LIFE.' BUT WE NEED TO DO IT NOW! WE NEED TO DO IT ASAP AS SOON AS WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN BE RIGHT WITH GOD EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE NEVER ARE PROMISED THE NEXT DAY AND WE NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT LIFE.

NOW WE FOLLOW IT UP FINALLY HERE WITH THIS LAST PART IN VERSE 13. AFTER REMOVING THOSE BAD THINGS AND AFTER PUTTING IN THOSE GOOD THINGS WE HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. NOTICE WITH ME WHAT VERSE 13 SAYS. IT SAYS, "LOOKING FOR THE BLESSED HOPE AND GLORIOUS APPEARING OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST." AFTER WE DO ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS, THAT IS REMOVING THE BAD AND PUTTING IN THE GOOD, WHAT HAPPENS? WELL, WE LOOK FOR THE BLESSED HOPE OF OUR SAVIOR. WE LOOK FOR THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WE HAVE AWAITING THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL TO GOD. THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN, THE REWARDS OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD IN HEAVEN. THAT'S WHAT HE'S GIVEN UNTO US AS A GREAT AND WONDERFUL PROMISE. NOW WE NOTICE IN ROMANS AND CHAPTER EIGHT IN VERSE 24. IN THIS TEXT THE BIBLE EXPLAINS TO US AS IT SAYS, "FOR WE WERE SAVED IN THIS HOPE, BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NOT HOPE; FOR WHY DOES ONE STILL HOPE FOR WHAT ONE SEES?" NOW WE NOTICE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE IS JUST THAT FIRST PART THERE. IT SAYS FOR WE ARE SAVED IN THIS HOPE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT'S A HOPE OF SALVATION. YOU REMEMBER WHERE WE STARTED THERE WITH THAT GRACE AND HOW THAT GRACE WAS EXTENDED TO US AND THAT GRACE, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T DESERVE IT, WAS GIVEN UNTO US THAT WE MIGHT HAVE SALVATION IF WE DO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. IF WE GET THE BAD OUT AND PUT THE GOOD IN. AND AFTER WE DO THAT WHAT DO WE HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO? THE BEAUTIFUL HOPE OF HEAVEN. THAT HOPE THAT BRINGS US UNTO THE SALVATION THAT GOD OFFERS TO US.

ONE OTHER TEXT WE WILL LOOK AT HERE IS AN EPHESIANS AND IN CHAPTER FIVE. IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER FIVE WE NOTICE THAT PAUL GIVES ANOTHER EXHORTATION ANOTHER ENCOURAGEMENT TO FELLOW CHRISTIANS, THE BRETHREN IN EPHESUS. IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER FIVE AND VERSE 15 IT SAYS, "SEE THEN THAT YOU WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY, NOT AS FOOLS BUT AS WISE, REDEEMING THE TIME, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL." NOW THINKING AGAIN UNTO WHAT PAUL SAID THERE IN VERSE 12, "UNTO THE PRESENT AGE." WELL, WHAT PAUL AS WE JUST READ OUT OF EPHESIANS IS THAT WALKING CIRCUMSPECTLY, WALKING IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALL AROUND YOU YOUR LIFE IS IN ORDER BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL, YOU DO IT RIGHT NOW! YOU DON'T WAIT! YOU DON'T WAIT ANOTHER DAY BUT YOU GO EXACTLY AS GOD WANTS YOU TO REDEEMING YOUR TIME OF COURSE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE ARE GOING TO GET. AND AGAIN WHEN WE DO THAT WE HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL HOPE OF HEAVEN TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

ROMANS CHAPTER 15, ANOTHER PASSAGE THAT WE WILL LOOK AT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT JOY THAT WE HAVE AND THAT JOY THAT LEADS US UNTO HEAVEN AND THAT JOY THAT WE HAVE IN THE HOPE OF HEAVEN LOOKING FORWARD TO SOMEDAY. ROMANS CHAPTER 15 AND IN VERSE THREE. THE BIBLE SAYS, "FOR EVEN IF CHRIST DID NOT PLEASE HIMSELF; BUT AS IT IS WRITTEN, 'THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME.'" VERSE FOUR SAYS, "FOR WHATEVER THINGS WERE WRITTEN BEFORE WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING, THAT WE THROUGH THE PATIENCE AND COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES MIGHT HAVE HOPE." SO YOU SEE, ALL THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE WE READ OF ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE BY FAITH. HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 IS A GREAT PASSAGE TO GO TO FOR THAT. ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHOUT THE FAITH OF GOD AND WERE PUNISHED FOR THOSE THINGS. BUT IN EVERY INSTANCE WE READ OF THE LIFE OF GODLINESS, THE LIFE THAT PAUL'S TALKING ABOUT HERE. THE ONE THAT GETS RID OF THE BAD PUTS IN THE GOOD IS THE ONE OF HOPE AND THE ONE OF HOPE UNTO SALVATION. AND THAT'S OF COURSE THE LIFE WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD TO. THE LIFE THAT WE NEED TO LIVE IN IN ORDER TO CERTAINLY HAVE THAT HEAVENLY HOME SOMEDAY.

ANOTHER PASSAGE WE WANT TO LOOK AT IS IN COLOSSIANS AND CHAPTER ONE VERSES THREE THROUGH FIVE. HERE WE READ OF HOW SOLID THAT HOPE SHOULD BE AND HOW IT SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY WAVERING OR ANY DOUBT WHATSOEVER IN OUR MINDS. COLOSSIANS CHAPTER ONE AND BEGINNING IN VERSE THREE. REMEMBERING OF COURSE THAT HE'S WRITING HERE TO THE BRETHREN AT THE CHURCH A COLOSSI. HE SAYS, "WE GIVE THANKS TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, PRAYING ALWAYS FOR YOU, SINCE WE HAVE HEARD OF YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS AND OF YOUR LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS; BECAUSE THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN, OF WHICH YOU HEARD BEFORE THE WORLD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL." YOU SEE, THEIR HOPE, THEIR FAITH WAS SO POWERFUL THAT IT WAS HEARD OF ALL OVER AS PAUL EVEN WRITES. AND YOU NOTICE THERE IN VERSE FIVE HOW IT SAYS, "BECAUSE OF THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN." YOU SEE THAT HOPE WAS A FOUNDATION FOR THEM WHICH CALLS THEM TO BE ABLE TO EASILY DO THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT GOD WANTED THEM TO DO, WHETHER IT WAS GETTING RID OF THOSE TEMPTATIONS THAT THEY HAD IN LIFE AND REMOVING THOSE WORLDLY LUSTS AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT TRIED TO DRAG THEM AWAY FROM WHAT GOD WANTS OR WHETHER IT WAS SIMPLY LIVING THE GODLY LIFESTYLE, PUTTING THOSE GOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND ACTING IN A WAY THAT IS BECOMING OF GOD. WHATEVER THE SITUATION WAS IT WAS GROUNDED AND ANCHORED WITH HOPE. AND BECAUSE OF THEIR HOPE THEY WERE ABLE TO DO IT AND DO IT IN A SOLID AND A POWERFUL WAY. YOU NOTICE ALSO, "OF WHICH YOU HEARD BEFORE IN THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL." IT'S ALL THERE FOUND WITHIN THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD. ALL SOLID UPON THE THINGS THAT GOD WANTS US TO DO.

AND SO NOW WE TURN BACK TO TITUS CHAPTER TWO ONE FINAL TIME TO RECAP AND THINK ABOUT WHAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT HERE. THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US HOW WE ARE TO LIVE. THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES US THE WAYS THAT WE ARE TO CONDUCT OURSELVES IN LIFE. AND THAT GRACE OF GOD OF COURSE IS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WHO CAME TO THIS EARTH AND TAUGHT AND SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR US. OF COURSE IT WAS JESUS CHRIST! BECAUSE HE DID THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE TO LIVE IN THIS LIFE. WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE TO CONDUCT OURSELVES AND BEHAVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN DO AS GOD WANTS. CAN YOU IMAGINE A LIFE WHERE GOD DIDN'T TELL US WHAT WE'RE TO DO? WHERE GOD DIDN'T DIRECT US BUT YET STILL WANTED US TO LIVE IN A PROPER WAY? SUCH A LIFE WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE CERTAINLY. BUT JESUS CHRIST AND GOD'S WILL, THEY TOLD US EXACTLY HOW WE ARE TO LIVE. AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE CAN LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS GODLY. WE CAN REMOVE THAT UNGODLINESS. WE CAN REMOVE THOSE WORLDLY LUSTS FROM OUR LIVES. AND THOSE TEMPTATIONS WHICH DRAG US UNDER. AND WE CAN PUT IN THOSE GOOD THINGS. PUT IN THAT LIFE THAT HE WANTS US TO LIVE THAT IS RIGHTEOUS, THAT IS GODLY, THAT IS HEAVENLY AND THAT WE CERTAINLY NEED TO HAVE. SO ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION: ARE YOU LIVING THAT GODLY LIFE TODAY?

CLOSING COMMENTS

WHAT A WONDROUS TIME WE HAVE HAD TOGETHER IN PARTICIPATING IN THE THINGS OF GOD. I HOPE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED THROUGH OUR TIME SPENT TOGETHER. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 730, 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 CD 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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THAT'S BE TO GOD FOR A CLEAR STANDARD GIVEN IN HIS WORD FOR WHAT TRUE GODLINESS IS. MAY WE ALWAYS STRIVE TO SHOW OURSELVES FOCUS ON PERFECTING GOD'S WILL IN OUR LIVES THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT AND THUS RECIPIENTS OF HIS WONDROUS REWARDS!