A Sermon of Attitudes (pt. 6)

As we continue through the Beatitudes, or the attitudes of which the man of approved of God will possess, we’ve learned how an individual is able to approach God and now how to continue to live faithfully before Him. The one described as “pure in heart,” would be the one who is pure, sincere and clean in heart; the one who thinks, feels and purposes to do that which is right.

The heart is at the very seat of our being, for example: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). Jesus taught: “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Mt. 12:34). Later, Jesus continued: “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Mt. 15:18-19).  Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount teaching those “would be” disciples the kind of attitudes they should possess in their lives in order to be pleasing to God.

The idea here is that we should live pure lives, which begins with a pure heart; therefore, that which is seen in us is true, no hypocrisy. James wrote: “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (Jms. 1:8). Our hearts become “pure in obeying the truth” (1 Pet. 1:22) and should remain so as “we walk in the light” (1 Jn. 1:7). The great blessing: “they shall see God.”

-Wayne Rodgers

The Holiness of God

Leviticus 19:2 “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.”

The Lord is holy, and He is the one who has all authority. Our actions, same as Israel’s, must be predicated on that fact. The Supreme Being, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the ultimate authority of all is holy. Therefore, our lives must be that which fall in line with the Creator’s purpose for us: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11). He is worthy of such from His creation, because He is holy. He requires of His people in every age to be set apart (holy) in character reflecting His character.

--Wayne Rodgers

A FORCED RELIGION

by Larry Fife

A mother and child returned from worship and were subjected by the husband and father to verbal abuse and mental cruelty. He does this regularly because he is of a different belief. His attitude is to make them so miserable in their devotion to Christ and the church, that they will set aside their convictions and attend a man-made church with him. What is happening here? It is an example of forced religion, a religion as worthless as the paper it is written on.

A companion tells her spouse that she will not live with him if he is going to be an active member of the church of Christ. Do you want to guess why this is? You are right! It is an example of a person using the threat of separation to force their religious beliefs. A teenager attends a gospel meeting and obeys the gospel. When she returned to her home, she was happy now that she was a Christian. Her parents, who were not Christians, told her that she would have to leave home because of what she had done. Were the parents right? Absolutely not! Even parents have no right to force their religious beliefs and practices upon their children if those beliefs do not align with the Bible. The apostle John wrote of those who were forced to deny Christ, lest they should be put out of the synagogue (John 9:22).

Some religions are forced at the point of gun, others by social, political or economic considerations. In contrast, true Christianity is a taught religion. It is taught by word and deed. To try and force Christ and His teachings upon another is an exercise in futility.

Saul of Tarsus was very zealous for his own religion and very bitter against Christ and His church. He used physical force, even murder to advance his beliefs. He later admitted his error (Acts 26:4-31).

If your religion is valid, it can be defended with the Bible. If what you believe and practice cannot be defended with the Word of God, it is not of God. Think about it.

Larry’s Bio: Larry is the pulpit minister for the Fayette Church of Christ in Fayette, AL. He is also the director and host of the television program Bible Talk. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Larry attended the University of Tennessee at Martin majoring in wildlife biology. Larry is also a graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching.

Links:

www.fayettecoc.org

www.bible-talk.org