Christian Behavior

Philippians 2:12-30

September 28, 2003

Unfortunately, human beings do not always behave as they

should or as one would like!

That is why God gave early, the Ten Commandments!

That is why He has given us His Word - a sort of Owner’s

manual, a light, a revelation to His will for ALL MANKIND!

By our sinning and our falling short of His glory, is why

He has given us His only begotten Son, a Sacrifice to save

us from our sins, our sins have separated us from God and

the hope of ETERNAL LIFE!

John 1:14 says “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among

us, (and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the

Father) full of grace and truth”.

“He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them

that obey Him” - Heb. 5:9

v. 12 - Paul mentions the word “obeyed”

“work out your own salvation with fear & trembling”

Human beings are very selfish - one would think that

concerning his/her soul one would be very interested!

Of the state of the colonies at the time of the Revolution,

someone said of freedom - “it was better to have too

much reaction or concern than not enough”

I would think the same true about one’s soul?

Jesus said “what shall it profit a man if he gains

the whole world and loses his own soul?” or

what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Trade/barter - no good - Matt. 6:19-21

v. 13 - “It is God which worketh in you.....”

Rom. 4:21 I Thess 5:23-24

John 1:12 - God gives the strength to obey!

v. 14 -

Last week the emphasis was to put on Jesus in vs. 5-11. Read.

I had many scripture references, old and new but

too many for such a short time. Some of you said I

was going too fast.

All the passages basically were exalting Jesus

as being with the Father in Creation, referring to

Him as Savior of the world and our coming Redeemer!

Paul used this passage to tell the Philippians and us

that we ought not to get all bent out of shape over

selfish matters.

v. 2b-4

v. 3 - Read - Party spirit - factions - is one of the greatest

dangers in running the Christian race. Love is the

characteristic Christian grace; party spirit & vain-

glory too often lead professing Christians to break

the law of love.

We should look at our own faults and at the good points

of the character of others!

Lowliness is one of the true features in the true

Christian character!

v. 5

John 13:15

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Jesus Christ”

The supreme example of unselfishness & humility - he

bids us mind the things that the Lord Jesus minded(s)

to love what He loved, to hate what He hated.

Matt. 16:23

v. 14

v15

16a

vs. 17-18 with the wisdom from Above.

Wisdom below is called “earthly (originates in the

world), sensual (in the flesh) and devilish (from Satan),

three adjectives correspond to our three great

spiritual enemies.

It is called - natural or animal - opposite of

, the spiritual.

Sensual, standing between earthly & devilish - in

ABSOLUTE need of grace!

It tends to make man half beast, half devil.

I Cor. 2:14 Jude 18-19

Ruled by passions and appetites. Characterized

by personal victory rather than rejoicing in the

triumph of TRUTH.

It tends to “confusion & every vile deed” - v. 16

Eccl. 3:21 - “Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth

upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth

downward to the earth?”

“Brute Beasts - II Peter 2:12 - ruled entirely by

lower nature and without the utilization of God’s grace!

Romans 1:32 Philippians 3:17-19

Scripture has nothing but condemnation for the man who

is ruled by the .

“The natural man receiveth not he things of the Spirit of God”

Mere good nature will never save a man. It is not enough to

be “well disposed”. Esau was all this. He stands in Scripture

as an example of the natural man, ruled only by the ,

good-natured, generous, brave & kindly, but “having not the

Spirit”; NO GRACE, therefore his character in the Bible is

stamped as that of a “profane person”. Heb. 12:16

vs. 17-18 -The Wisdom from Above.

It is pure first, purity first, peace second - an inverted order

of secular America and the anti-godly rest of the world who

wants sin, prosperity and then peace.

This wisdom originates from ABOVE - Our Gracious Heavenly

Father, the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variableness

neither shadow of turning.

It does not come from self-culture, nor from pop culture but

it is SUPERNATURAL & GRACIOUS.

It is “Gentle & easy to be entreated” - it is forebearing under

provocation - I Tim. 3:3

It is patient - ready to forgive - “without partiality”, hard to

provoke - easily pacified.

Spiritual farmers who scatter seed in hope and righteousness

is the blessed harvest for their toil.

Psalm 85:10 There has to be righteousness before peace.

America once was ruled by the peace from above,

Americans were truly wise because they thought more

about their duties than their rights.

The ACLU is a selfish, earthly, sensual organization.

America is characterized now by “in your face selfishness”,

ME, MYSELF AND I.

Cowper said “Knowledge & wisdom, far from being one,

Have oftimes no connection.

Knowledge is proud that she has learned so much.

Wisdom is humble that she has learned so little. Anonymous

The wise man makes the will of God its rule & God’s glory

his end - a la the Puritans.

The man who lives without God is the impersonation of stupidity,

“The fool has said in his heart, there is no God”, Satan is the

supreme fool of the universe.

Unbridled tongue/unbridled nature.

Unchecked speech/unchecked wickedness.

The tongue is the index of life, the table of contents of life!

Your speech tells who you are/gives you away.

It tells whether you are ignorant or educated, cultured or crude,

clean or unclean.

Central City Antique Shop - Aug. 5, 2003

“You are not from around here are you?

People living on the edge. Dangerous/Fun

An Adrenaline Rush.

Gambling - What if you win?

Gambling - What if you lose?

What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world

and lose your own soul?

Rom. 16:17 - Read

James 3:14-17