Moral Purity (6 sessions) - 6 — Ephesians 6

0:00 Good evening. Today we're going to continue on day three of our series on moral purity. We're approaching it through discussing moral responsibility. We had started out by summarizing the first three chapters of Genesis and then divining what moral responsibility is and showing how that in the first three chapters of Genesis there are seven moral principles that we could apply to our lives. Moral responsibility is the obligation to choose what is right and to reject what is wrong.

0:45 The first of the moral principles that we drew out of Genesis was man was created by God as a moral being responsible to obey his creator. And the second one was man was given at least one initial commandment, a standard for moral responsibility by which obedience could be evaluated. God has provided moral standards which we are responsible to obey for which we will be held accountable. So those two were discussed in some detail on the first day. Then on the second day, we discussed three more and the third principle is God was allowed...

1:33 Or excuse me, man was allowed choice to obey or not to obey. And then the fourth one is man was warned of the consequences of disobedience because choices are always accompanied by consequences. Choices, consequences. And our New Testament verse is, do not be deceived. God is not mocked.

1:58 For whatever a man sows that he will he also reap. Galatians six:seven. In addition to that, we discussed temptation. Discussed how man was allowed to be tempted because testing reveals our true moral character. Man's faith in God is the means by which he could remain obedient to his creator in the face of temptation.

2:31 So we discussed this also on the second day. We showed how God God's testing of mankind is always for man's good. It builds up character. It it increases our our patience and perseverance and it's good for us. Now on the third day today, we're going to discuss the last two principles.

2:58 Man was held accountable for his choices and and man found himself... And the second... And the last one is man found himself participating in a great moral struck... Struggle, there is a great spiritual battle that is going on that we that we participate in. So let's let's discuss let's discuss accountability first.

3:30 Man will be held accountable for his choices because under moral responsibility, every man must give account of himself to God. It's appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment. Hebrews nine twenty seven. Unbelievers will be judged at a different time and in a different way from believers. Unbelievers will be judged according to their works at the white On the other hand, the lives of the believers will be evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ.

4:04 Faithfulness will be rewarded but there will be no punishment. Now there's three significant portions that speak about the judgment seat of Christ in the New Testament. The first one is found in Romans 14 verses 10 through 12 And the background with... Or context within the chapter is there were differences of opinion on non fundamental issues within the Corinthian church and it led to judgmental attitudes and dissension. Paul told them to be to be fully persuaded in these issues, but not to judge one another.

5:08 So notice that last last last expression captures the sense of accountability. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Peter validates this in just a short verse. He says, They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. First Peter four:five.

5:32 Now our second portion is found in second Corinthians five verses nine through 11. And the the context of this is that in chapter five, Paul was... He starts off by talking about he he he himself was ready to to lay aside his tent, talking about the temporary nature of our lives and of our bodies here and and and that that we we are just temporarily here but soon we'll be home. And then Paul tells about the judgment seat of Christ. It says, we make it our aim, whether present or absent to be well pleasing to him for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things done in the body according what he has done whether good or bad knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men.

6:38 Now now we we can we can understand Paul's desiring that his life would be pleasing to the Lord. We... And that will will one day appear before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ. And here, we're talking about believers. What seems a little hard to understand is knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men.

7:05 The terror of the Lord? And the answer is yeah. For instance, I believe every single prophet that stood before the Lord fell on his face. Moses did it at the burning bush. Even John the apostle who who had at the last supper at latest, his head on the breast of Jesus, when he saw him in his glory, in in his vision, he fell at his feet as dead.

7:38 And and just don't perceive how grand, how wonderful and great our God really is. But one day we'll stand before him and then we'll understand. But I've always comforted that the Lord said to Peter, do not fear. Now the final verse that kind of describes what this will really be like is found in in first Corinthians chapter three and it's verses 13 through 15. It's...

8:21 The context is that we're being looked looked upon as builders in God's house. And the question is, how are we building? And it says and it says, each one's work will become clear for the day will declare. So it doesn't say the judgment seat of Christ, but I believe that's what it's speaking about. It just says the day.

8:44 The day. The day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on endures, he will have a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved yet so as through that flyer. And and I'm sure the Lord has many reasons and benefits for putting us through that.

9:13 Among them, I'm sure would be the the fact that since since all will be revealed, there'll be no lag... Lingering thought within us that maybe maybe God doesn't know about that sin that I did, but it'll all be revealed and and dealt with and also realize that we'll be we'll be thinking in terms of of of the way God looks at things rather than the way we look at them. And so so anyway, it will be a time of reward. It reminds me of a dream that I had. I don't wanna make a lot about any any dream but this was this was a time when I was starting a new business and I was really, really burdened by it and I just couldn't seem to find a balance in my life.

10:01 Had to try to make this business work and not lose my skin on my business and I had wanted to be a good parent and husband, I wanted to give the family priority. At the same time, I wanted to spend the time with the Lord both in my daily quiet times and also at the local church and and and I I just I just was struggling over this but... And then I had this dream and in this dream I was standing before the Lord at the judgment seat and and I had a feeling of of such a feeling of loss and sort of a dread of the loss to real... To realize that I had wasted my life and that was what was in my dream and and it was almost like like this is what it will really be like when we realize that we've wasted our lives. So let's be like the apostle Paul who said who said we make it our aim whether present or absent to be well pleasing to him so that that won't be the response.

11:49 Creation, and that's Romans one one nineteen through 32. Creation itself is God's first great universal witness to to all of mankind. This is introduced in verses nineteen and twenty. And then the progress and the ultimate consequences of man's rejection of this witness are discussed throughout the remainder of this portion. The moral corruption of the world is the direct result of man's rejection of responsibility towards his God.

12:23 In Romans two one through 16, we have what's sometimes called the moral argument and conscience is introduced as the second great universal witness to mankind. And and so so we could understand through this that the entire world has a conscience or a a a sense of right and wrong In that portion, speaks about work of the law being written in our hearts, the conscience also bearing witness. So I think that it would be appropriate to say that the the word... The... Or it's just the law is written in our hearts.

13:22 And and and I believe that that really is just like the knowledge of good and evil that was given to man through eating the fruit in the garden and it's a knowledge that we're responsible of and it's called the work of the law written in our hearts. And every man has that to some extent though though it can be hardened and and seared with a hot iron. The third great witness is the word of God. That's Romans two seventeen through three twenty. And and the the condemnation of it is that man has been given the the the law and the word of God and man has not been faithful to it.

14:10 And so the final concluding verse of that portion is by the law is the knowledge of sin, Romans three twenty. And then then we're told right after that, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So so man is accountable for these various witnesses that have been placed before him by God. Now we wanna go on to the the big picture next. Man found himself participating in a great moral struggle struggle involving forces and influences outside of himself and much greater than himself.

14:49 These spiritual angelic forces are divided into two camps, the good angels under the authority of God and the fallen angels under the leadership of Satan. There's literally a spiritual war going on continually between these opposing forces. Satan's spiritual moral attack upon mankind began at the Garden Of Eden. When Satan deceived Eve with a blatant lie, then through Eve's persuasive powers, Satan led Adam into disobedient choice. Genesis one...

15:27 Or Genesis three rather. Thus, death entered into the world through sin. Romans five twelve. Satan is like a vicious lion. Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary, the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

15:47 Resist him steadfast in the faith. One Peter five eight nine The Lord Jesus himself called Satan a liar and a murderer. You are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there's no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it.

16:14 John eight forty four. Satan oftentimes presents himself deceptively as an angel of light. Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of life. Second Corinthians eleven fourteen. He's also called the tempter.

16:30 Matthew four three. Through Satan's influence upon the lust of simple man, the social system of this world has been utterly corrupted. The... I think the best summary of this is found in Ephesians two. You he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you were want...

16:55 In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath just as others. Ephesians two one through three. John says it like this, the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one, first John five nineteen. And Satan is called the ruler of this world, John twelve thirty one, and the god of this age, first Corinthians four four. We need to be delivered from the snare of Satan.

17:42 In Timothy... In in the epistle to Timothy, God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth that they may come to their senses. I like the way it says that. That they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil having been taken captive by him to do his will. Second Timothy two twenty five and twenty six.

18:06 We need to be delivered from darkness and the power of Satan. In in acts 26, we find, I I now send you to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Acts twenty six eighteen. The Lord Jesus delivers us from the power of Satan by offering a solution to our sins. In in John's epistle, he who sins is of the devil for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

18:53 For this purpose, the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. First John three eight. And then in Hebrews, and as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews two fourteen and fifteen. We overcome by faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God.

19:30 This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God? First John five four and five. Through God's grace, we are able to resist the temptations of Satan. James says it like this, he, God, gives more grace.

19:55 Therefore, he says, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. James four six through eight and that quotes also from Proverbs three thirty four.

20:47 Darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians six ten through 18. Okay. So so we we understand that that this is talking about a battle in which we are being attacked by wicked spirits, actually, by the spiritual host of wickedness. Now this armor this armor is a spiritual armor and I think we'll just go through it quickly.

21:20 Having girded your waist with truth. The girding of the truth of God is God's way of preparing us for action. Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and let your hope fully rest upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So we're we're we're preparing ourselves for action, gird up the loins your mind. That means watch your thought life.

21:52 Be sober. The truth liberates us from bondage for you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. It sets us aside aside to be used by God for Jesus said, sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. John seventeen seventeen.

22:12 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth of the spirit. First Peter one twenty two. If Satan clouds the truth, he reduces us to inactivity or worse. When the Galatians put themselves back under law, they were in bondage and Paul told them, you ran well. What hindered you from obeying the truth?

22:33 Galatians five seven. The next one is the breastplate of righteousness. Having put on the breastplate of righteousness. So righteousness is the protection of our very vitality. When Satan tempts us in the unholiness, he has slain our vital link of communion with God.

22:56 For the Lord is righteous. He loves righteousness. His countenance upholds the upright. Psalm eleven seven. The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

23:08 Romans fourteen seven. Awake to righteousness and do not sin. First Corinthians fifteen thirty four. The protective character of practical righteousness before God is called the armor of righteousness on the right hand on the left. That's what moral purity is all about.

23:33 The next one is having your feet shod with pre... The preparation of the gospel of peace. Preparedness. This speaks of vision, purpose, and preparedness in our service for God for we are lights for him in a dark world. Paul exhorted Timothy, do the work of an evangelist.

23:57 Fulfill your ministry. Second Timothy four five. Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Second Timothy four twenty.

24:07 Peter said, Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always ready to give a defense for... To everyone who asks you a reason of the hope that's in you with meekness and fear. That's having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Preparedness. The next one is the shield of faith.

24:28 Faith is what we need to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Faith is placed above every other piece of armor for Satan's fiery darts of doubt and temptation can only be quenched by faith in our wonderful goddess above all taking the shield of faith. Who is he that... This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world but he that believes that Jesus is the son of god?

25:01 Satan attacks upon us are designed to undermine our faith for if he can do that, he can destroy us. Satan tempts us to sin for he knows that he can destroy our faith by causing us to give up a good conscience. Paul desired that Timothy would wage the good warfare having faith and a good conscience with some having rejected concerning faith have suffered shipwreck. They gave up the good conscience and they end up ended up making wreck... Shipwreck wreck of their faith.

25:36 The next one says, take the helmet of salvation. We cannot even begin the battle without salvation. Where... However, this seems to be... To refer rather to the assurance of salvation, the confidence that comes from knowing he will never give us up.

25:55 We all fail even after we are saved, but the assurance of salvation will aid us always return in repentance to him for restoration. Our confidence is in the finished work of Christ, a never to be repeated offering for our sins which is adequate to bring us spotless and perfect into his presence in spite of our failures. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews ten nineteen and twenty two. The next one is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

26:43 We're to take it. The sword of the spirit. This is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. With this, we move in to destroy the work of Satan. It is the sword of the spirit, and only through guidance of the spirit of God can we use the word of God effectively against the enemy.

27:02 For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even through the division of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Don't miss that. It's a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. One of the wonderful things about this sword is that it has two edges, one to strike the enemy and the other to cut back at ourselves, testing and purifying our own actions and motives. It also serves as a light for our pathway for your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

28:03 Never stop praying. Pray everywhere. Pray in every circumstance. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. Philippians four six.