A sin...that doesn’t look like a sin

[stilllearning]

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GRAB YOUR BIBLES James 1:26-27 & 2:1-4
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Today my message is going to be about..... “A sin...that doesn’t look like a sin:”
Because of the way we think....Christians aught to act!
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LETS READ THE TEXT James 1:26-27 & 2:1-4
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V.26A “If any man among you seem to be religious,”
-AN EARTHLY TEST.....OF OUR FAITH-
(As to how our salvation....is changing us
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-THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING....OF AN IMPORTANT POINT BEING MADE-
A message that will end up saying.....
“Faith without works is dead”
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Later on in this epistle!
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V.26B “and bridleth not his tongue,”
-ONE OF THE CHANGES....TRUE SALVATION WILL MAKE-
(It will teach a person to bridle his tongue
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-THE FIRST AREA....THE LORD WORKS....IN A CHRISTIANS LIFE-
To control their tongue:
➀ (They won’t...say bad things about others
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➁(They won’t...brag about their own accomplishments
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➂(They won’t...be using the Lord’s name in vain Etc.
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V.26C “but deceiveth his own heart,”
-ONE OF THE RESULTS.....OF A SHALLOW PROFESSION-
(Being self deceived...about your walk with the Lord
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Looking to your profession of faith:
As proof of your own salvation!
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V.26D “this man’s religion [is] vain.”
-A PROBLEM CHRISTIANITY....HAS ALWAYS FACED-
(Professing Christians...who aren’t saved
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And that is what...this part of the Bible:
Is here to deal with!
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V.27A “Pure religion”
-THE KIND OF RELIGIOUS LIFE....SALVATION PRODUCES-
(A Spiritually clean life
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And not just....a show of righteousness:
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Being saved.....really changes us!
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V.27B “and undefiled before God and the Father is this,”
-THE REASON TRUE SALVATION......MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE-
(Because it gives us a real relationship
With the one true living God:
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This is something the unsaved Church member:
Has no idea about!
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V.27C “To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,”
-A CHANGE IN HEART....THAT EFFECTS OUR ACTIONS-
(And the way we treat other people
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We will develop....the same compassion:
That our heavenly Father has!
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V.27D “[and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
-A CHANGE IN HEART....THAT EFFECTS OUR SENSIBILITIES-
(And the way we feel about sin
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We will grow to feel....the same way about sin:
That our heavenly Father does!
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V.1A “My brethren,”
-AN AREA IN OUR LIFE....THAT IS DIFFICULT TO CLASSIFY-
(Requiring some guidance from the Lord
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There are some things....that seem right:
But upon closer inspection...they are wrong!
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V.1B “have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory,”
-THE JEALOUSY......OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST-
(Just like the God...of the Old Testament
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Our personal sin:
Crowds out....our relationship with the Lord!
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-A SITUATION.....THAT SEPARATES THE GOATS FROM THE SHEEP-
People who are really saved:
Will not allow this to happen!
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V.1D “with respect of persons.”
-A BEHAVIOR....THAT DOES NOT ABIDE WITH CHRISTIANITY-
(Even though it may seem like...it should
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Being partial.....over one more than another:
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-A BIG REMINDER....TO EVERY BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN-
You are no better....than anybody else!
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V.2 “For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel,”
“and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;”
-A TEST....THAT DETERMINES IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM-
(Two visitors...to your Church
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-THE REASON....THIS MISTAKE COULD BE MADE-
(Because of a presumption....upon God
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That all good Christians...will dress nicely!
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V.3A “And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,”
“and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place;”
-THE WICKEDNESS....OF PUTTING ONE ABOVE THE OTHER-
(Regardless of the circumstances
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This is something God takes very seriously!
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V.3B “and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:”
-AN EXAMPLE....THAT DEMONSTRATES....THE WICKEDNESS OF THIS WAY OF THINKING-
(The mistreatment...of the other Christian
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This will be a big wake-up call:
To any born again Christian!
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V.4 “Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”
-THE REAL REASON.....THIS IS SO WICKED-
(Because we start judging others
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The Lord is he judge....we aren’t!
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[Winman]

I believe it is a mistake to assume that persons who are not living the perfect Christian life are unsaved. I have known persons who used much profanity, and after they were saved continued to use profanity. It takes awhile to grow. Oftentimes a person like this comes from an environment where everyone uses profanity. They do not really realize how sinful it is. But after they are saved and begin to listen to the word of God they realize it is wicked and try to stop. This too takes time, bad habits are difficult to break.

So, I never assume a person is not saved because they are not living up to some "Christian standard"

Now, if a person has been saved for years and continues to use profanity, that is a different matter. There might be reason to be suspect of their salvation.

 

[Old Union Brother]

Wow do you really believe this?

I believe it is a mistake to assume that persons who are not living the perfect Christian life are unsaved. I have known persons who used much profanity, and after they were saved continued to use profanity. It takes awhile to grow. Oftentimes a person like this comes from an environment where everyone uses profanity. They do not really realize how sinful it is. But after they are saved and begin to listen to the word of God they realize it is wicked and try to stop. This too takes time, bad habits are difficult to break.

So, I never assume a person is not saved because they are not living up to some "Christian standard"

Now, if a person has been saved for years and continues to use profanity, that is a different matter. There might be reason to be suspect of their salvation.

How do you handle this scriptures when you admit that profanity is sinful:

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

And

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Profanity surely spots you in the world!

 

[annsni]

I thank God that He changed me in time and still loved me and held me secure during the time in my younger years when I did use profane words. Even now I will at times use a stronger word or two and while I'm not proud of it, when you have a horse that is 1500 lbs. standing on your foot, it's amazing what comes out of your mouth! However, I repent and move on, and have found through my life that I have done it less and less and less.

 

[stilllearning]

I believe it is a mistake to assume that persons who are not living the perfect Christian life are unsaved. I have known persons who used much profanity, and after they were saved continued to use profanity. It takes awhile to grow. Oftentimes a person like this comes from an environment where everyone uses profanity. They do not really realize how sinful it is. But after they are saved and begin to listen to the word of God they realize it is wicked and try to stop. This too takes time, bad habits are difficult to break.

So, I never assume a person is not saved because they are not living up to some "Christian standard"

Now, if a person has been saved for years and continues to use profanity, that is a different matter. There might be reason to be suspect of their salvation.

After this was preached last night(after the service was over), I got a lot a feed back from those in attendance.
One particular conversation was about the subject of judging others.

We discussed how that although this passage should be used to judge ourselves, and personally respond to the Lord’s conviction:
That it also spake to the issue of what criteria should be used, to admit new members into a local Church.

We agreed that Verse 26 was pretty straight forward in saying.......
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.”
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God is the ultimate judge, as to which one of us are really His.
But the scariest words in this verse are....
“...but deceiveth his own heart”

A person who is self deceived, can not know anything for sure!

 

[Jeremiah2911]

I believe it is a mistake to assume that persons who are not living the perfect Christian life are unsaved. I have known persons who used much profanity, and after they were saved continued to use profanity. It takes awhile to grow. Oftentimes a person like this comes from an environment where everyone uses profanity. They do not really realize how sinful it is. But after they are saved and begin to listen to the word of God they realize it is wicked and try to stop. This too takes time, bad habits are difficult to break.

So, I never assume a person is not saved because they are not living up to some "Christian standard"

Now, if a person has been saved for years and continues to use profanity, that is a different matter. There might be reason to be suspect of their salvation.

Amen you are correct in never judging a persons salvation; however, Scripture tell us much about true born again believers: [here is just one verse]

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The Holy Spirit creates a new person [NEW CREATION!!] out of us when we are saved ["in Christ"]--I agree we still live in the flesh and have to deal with our "fleshly lusts which war against the soul" but I would be concerned with someone who is supposedly saved and isn't convicted about his wayward tongue from day 1 of salvation. [BTW I agree with the other posts, we all make mistakes, I understand that!]
Peace

 

[Jeremiah2911]

After this was preached last night(after the service was over), I got a lot a feed back from those in attendance.
One particular conversation was about the subject of judging others.

We discussed how that although this passage should be used to judge ourselves, and personally respond to the Lord’s conviction:
That it also spake to the issue of what criteria should be used, to admit new members into a local Church.

We agreed that Verse 26 was pretty straight forward in saying.......
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.”
--------------------------------------------------
God is the ultimate judge, as to which one of us are really His.
But the scariest words in this verse are....
“...but deceiveth his own heart”

A person who is self deceived, can not know anything for sure!

Amen! Enjoyed the Sermon notes

 

[webdog]

Amen you are correct in never judging a persons salvation; however, Scripture tell us much about true born again believers: [here is just one verse]

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The Holy Spirit creates a new person [NEW CREATION!!] out of us when we are saved ["in Christ"]--I agree we still live in the flesh and have to deal with our "fleshly lusts which war against the soul" but I would be concerned with someone who is supposedly saved and isn't convicted about his wayward tongue from day 1 of salvation. [BTW I agree with the other posts, we all make mistakes, I understand that!]
Peace

I believe this text is used quite often out of context to show a true believer cannot live like an unbeliever. The new creation is the fact we have been given a new nature and we have passed from death to life...not the fact we will no longer sin.

Think of it like this:

Old creation = nature bent on sin, spiritually separated from God.

New creation = Holy Spirit indewelt, able to resist old nature bent on sin, spiritually in union with God.

 

[webdog]

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GRAB YOUR BIBLES.................

I'm going to be completely honest

I think the approach to exegeting a passage of Scripture verse by verse, even sentence by sentence and further, word by word is a poor approach as it "can" interfere with the context as a whole and opens the door wide open for eisegesis.

First...who was James written to? Who were the audience being addressed, and for what purpose? What was the need for the letter to be written? Was it to separate the "sheep from the goats" as you alluded to, or did it deal with pagan influences on those believers who had been dispersed throughout the region?

 

[sag38]

Web, you have to remember that this all comes from someone who lives under the delusion that he only sins every 48 hours or so.

Just the fact that someone would have the audacity to make such a claim reeks of pride which is, itself, a sin. For the one who actually only does sin only every 48 hours or so would not announce it to the world.

 

[mandym]

I'm going to be completely honest

I think the approach to exegeting a passage of Scripture verse by verse, even sentence by sentence and further, word by word is a poor approach as it "can" interfere with the context as a whole and opens the door wide open for eisegesis.

That is because you do not understand that approach. Most likely you have seen poor exegesis and have misjudged it. Proper exegesis must always be understood in the appropriate context.

 

[webdog]

That is because you do not understand that approach.

ok.

Most likely you have seen poor exegesis and have misjudged it. Proper exegesis must always be understood in the appropriate context.

Which was the entire point of my post, to point that out as I saw it lacking in the OP.

Ironically you didn't address the rest of my post

 

[stilllearning]

Good morning webdog

And thank you very much for your response.

You said........

“I think the approach to exegeting a passage of Scripture verse by verse, even sentence by sentence and further, word by word is a poor approach as it "can" interfere with the context as a whole and opens the door wide open for eisegesis.”

You are absolutely correct, about what this “approach” can do.
The old saying, that...“a person can make the Bible say anything they want it to say, by taking it out of context”(In order to manipulate people), is true.

Unsaved and unscrupulous people do this all the time; But I am neither unsaved nor unscrupulous.
My intent is to teach and preach the truth, about what God’s Word has to say.

As for this being a “poor approach”, I disagree.
Although topical messages can be useful, they are even more “open” to mischief.
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Next you brought up some good questions......

“First...who was James written to? Who were the audience being addressed, and for what purpose? What was the need for the letter to be written? Was it to separate the "sheep from the goats" as you alluded to, or did it deal with pagan influences on those believers who had been dispersed throughout the region?”

These questions are exactly why, this “approach” to preaching is best.
Because it answers all of them.
(Just incase you didn’t know; This message is a part of a series of messages, being preached through James.) See the message that has been posted covering James 1:1-4, for the answer to some of these questions.

Which brings me to an important point: “Where do we go for the answers to these questions?”
Do we go to men, who have studied this book and ask them.
Or do we search for the answers in the text itself.

This important question is coming up every week, in my study through the book of Revelation(also being posted here).
I don’t have all the answers(for sure), but I do have God’s Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit and God’s instruction to teach through Revelation.

I am aware, that a lot of people will say, that the things said here in James(and almost everywhere else in the Bible), are dealing with “pagan influences on those believers”!
But I strongly disagree.

When we allow ourselves, to be brought to that conclusion about God’s Word:
i.e. (That it was mainly written for those people back then
The Bible loses some of it’s influence upon us, in a real way.

 

[stilllearning]

Hi sag38

This is an oldie but a goodie.
You said.......

“you have to remember that this all comes from someone who lives under the delusion that he only sins every 48 hours or so.”

How clever you were, to take this out of context the way you did.
(Really makes me look bad, doesn’t it.)

The context of this statement(if my memory serves correctly), was in response to someone who talked about how interesting it was that “all of us”(Christians), sin all the time(every day), yet God still loves us....
(or something silly like that.)

In my response I pointed out that a born again Christian, does not have to sin all the time, because God has(can), give us a victory over our sin.
This is when that “48 hour”, statement was made.
And boy did it bring a lot of criticism toward me....
“..To think that anyone would say, that a Christian could have a real victory over sin?!?”..
(How appalling!)
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And your next paragraph, reminded me of that thread.......

“Just the fact that someone would have the audacity to make such a claim reeks of pride which is, itself, a sin. For the one who actually only does sin only every 48 hours or so would not announce it to the world.”

To be perfectly honest: My intent was to “announce”, that every born again Christian could have this same victor!

 

[Jeremiah2911]

I believe this text is used quite often out of context to show a true believer cannot live like an unbeliever. The new creation is the fact we have been given a new nature and we have passed from death to life...not the fact we will no longer sin.

Hello Webdog! I see you have approximately 20,500 more posts than I so you've probably read 100,000 posts or more, so I can't disagree that you may have heard this Scripture taken out of context [I actually can't figure out how it can be taken out of context but my mind is small ]
I certainly never tried to imply that a true believer doesn't sin, doesn't deal with sin, doesn't struggle with sin, etc--my exact quote was:
"I agree we still live in the flesh and have to deal with our "fleshly lusts which war against the soul" but I would be concerned with someone who is supposedly saved and isn't convicted about his wayward tongue from day 1 of salvation"
I will stand by that quote based on the Scriptures given in this thread alone: 2 Cor. 5:17 and James 1:26. I certainly never tried to imply that a man loses his old nature (flesh) at salvation, just that he/she has a new nature (Spirit) given by God.

Think of it like this:

Old creation = nature bent on sin, spiritually separated from God.

New creation = Holy Spirit indewelt, able to resist old nature bent on sin, spiritually in union with God.

Amen, can't put it any better! Peace