Acts 13:34-41

“It’s all my fault!”

Humanity has always had a choice!

Ecclesiastes 12:14

When I sin, it’s my fault!

Psalms 51:1-4 – David realized the truth about sin – it was his fault.

Ezra 9:6

Nehemiah 1:8

Jeremiah 2:29, 34-35 – They were unwilling to recognize their sin.

I Corinthians 10:13 – God provides a way out!

I John 1:10

“I’m too far gone!”

Sometimes we go too far in self-condemnation to believe we can ever return to God.

God will forgive any sin.

Romans 7:14-24

II Chronicles 33:9 – Manasseh humbled himself and returned to God.

Luke 22:33-34, 61-62, 31; Acts 2, 10 – Peter returned to God and taught many. He never stopped trying to do good.

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Romans 7:24-25

Psalm 130

We don’t have to work off our sins (and we couldn’t anyway) – God forgives them! It’s not a repayment system.

Luke 2:40-47

YOU CAN TRY!

Colossians 4:5-6

The Bible > U.S. laws

John 8:31-32

If we want to get down to the truth of this universe, we have to look to God.

God is the source of truth and moral laws.

Psalms 119:142

Human efforts can’t compete with God’s omniscience.

Ephesians 5:25-26; 6:4 – Men must be leaders at home.

Ephesians 5:22, 33 – Women should create a loving home environment.

Ephesians 6:1-3 – Children must respect God and their parents.

Actions > Words

I John 1:6 – Beware of hypocrisy!

I John 2:3-6

I John 3:7 – The one who practices righteousness is righteous.

Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus > Heroes

I Corinthians 1:22-23; 2:1-2

No one on earth is sinless, except for Jesus!

Philippians 3:17

We should not pretend that any human is perfect.

Learning how to see the good

II Peter 2:4-9 – God can still see good among the evil. We should develop this ability as well.

John 4:34-35, 41 – Jesus said there was opportunity! He could see the good and the potential.

Being challenged to be righteous

II Timothy 3:16; 4:2-4

Titus 2:12, 15

We need to recognize we are at war with Satan and constantly work to do better.

We can’t be afraid to step on each other’s toes when necessary.

Getting glimpses of Heaven

Genesis 28:11-22 – God renews His promises to Jacob.

Exodus 33:18-23 – Moses gets a glimpse of God.

Acts 7:55-60 – Stephen glimpsed Heaven.

Romans 8:18

Parts of the vehicle of salvation:

The Father – I Timothy 1:1

The Son

Holy Spirit – Titus 3:5

Grace – Ephesians 2:8

God’s love – John 3:16

Mercy – Hebrews 8:12

Blood of Christ – Romans 5:9

Intercession of Christ – Hebrews 7:25

Gospel – Romans 1:16

Inspired preachers of the gospel – Romans 10:14-15

Reception of the gospel – Luke 8:15

Faith – Romans 5:1

Repentance – II Corinthians 7:10

Confession – Romans 10:9

Baptism – I Peter 3:21

Works – James 2:24

Obedience - Hebrews 5:9

Endurance – Revelation 2:10

Supplementary, not contradictory

Matthew 27:57-61 – Who put Jesus’ body in the tomb? Compare John 19:38-40. John mentions more detail but does not contradict Matthew.

I Peter 3:21 vs. Ephesians 2:8 – Does baptism save or grace? Both have a part!

Ephesians 1:7 – Jesus’ blood and grace are both necessary. They supplement each other!

Beware of the false dilemma fallacy.

John 9:1-3 – Neither the man nor his parents sinned.

“Either you believe in God or you believe in rational thinking.”

Genesis 6:8, 14; Hebrews 11:7 – What saved Noah from the flood? God’s grace and mercy, Noah’s faith, and Noah’s obedience were all involved.

Ephesians 2:8; James 2:20-26 – It’s not grace or works. Both are required!

Emphasis does not mean exclusion.

John 6:27 – Is it wrong to work for our food?

I John 3:18 – Is it wrong to act out of love?

This is a figure of speech, a Hebrew idiom. The New Testament was written is Greek, but Hebrew figures of speech were used.

I Peter 3:3-4

Philippians 2:4

II Timothy 1:8-9; Titus 3:5 – Examples of “not-but” passages.

Acts 4:15

II Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 3:2-11

God’s plan (Ephesians 1:4) was to save the world. The mystery of how He would do this has now been revealed.

Galatians 3:26-27

Romans 6:3

Acts 22:16 – The only way to be in Christ is to call on the name of the Lord. Baptism is part of that.

Ephesians 3:10 – “Heavenly” refers not to heaven, but the highest of the category concerned.

Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 1:20; 6:2; 3:1

Man cannot improve upon God’s most glorious work. Many have tried, but all have failed.

Ephesians 1:23 – The church is the fulness of Christ – it needs no addition.

I Timothy 5:16, 22 – Individual responsibilities as Christians.

Acts 20:28, 32

Colossians 3:16 – Singing commanded in the local church.

Acts 20:7

The local church is all we need in order to do collective things required by God.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Philippians 4:15-16

Acts 1:6; II Corinthians 8:9 – The church’s role in benevolence.

I Corinthians 5:4-8 – Church discipline.

Ephesians 3:7 – Like Paul, we must consider our work for God to be an act of grace.

Proverbs 14:12

Humanist beliefs

Humanist Manifesto III - https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/manifesto3/

“without supernaturalism” – based on atheism

Humanists believe that people can live good, ethical lives without God.

Humanism International - http://humanists.international/what-is-humanism/

Rejects God and divine revelation.

There is no divine plan or purpose.

But…

God exists.

Romans 1:18-20 – The universe shows evidence that God exists. The design of the universe implies a designer.

Apologetics Press

To deny God’s existence:

You have to deny evidence.

You must believe in something else.

You can’t answer the question, “Where does a fish live?” if you can’t talk about water!

II Corinthians 10:3-6

He is our basis of morality.

Romans 10:1-3; 1:22-25 – This is exactly what humanism does!

If God doesn’t exist, where does morality come from?

Atheists have no basis for morality outside of their own opinions.

“… no design, no purpose, no evil and no good.” – Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden

Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism by James Rachels

David Silverman, quoted in Stealing from God

Eternity is our goal!

Romans 1:28-32

Hebrews 10:32-34

Hebrews 11:8-10 – How could Abraham do all this? He had hope!

Matthew 6:19-21

Introduction

Five pillars of truth in Romans:

We are all guilty of sin.

We can all be saved.

We can look forward to a new life.

Your family can’t save you.

What it means to live for God (Romans 12 and following).

Let love be without hypocrisy.

Proverbs 26:24-26

John 1:47

I Peter 2:22

I John 3:14-18

Abhor what is evil.

Love and hate go together.

We need to work on our attitudes so that we abhor sin.

Psalms 119:104 – Loving good and hating evil are two sides of the same attitude.

Proverbs 8:13

That helps us stay away from sin.

I Corinthians 10:6

We have to stop the sin in our heart.

Cling to what is good.

God defines what is good!

Romans 12:2; 2:6-11

I Thessalonians 5:21

Proverbs 16:32

Ephesians 2:10

The world’s standard does not match God’s standard, but we must cling to God’s standard.

Ephesians 4:17-20

Amos 1:1 – Amos was written about 755 BC.

“They have not grieved.” (Amos 6:6)

Amos 6:1-8 – The people enjoyed great luxury, but they had not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

Amos 4:6, 8-11 – The people didn’t get the hint!

Amos 7:12-13 – Amos was told to prophesy elsewhere!

In 1989, Boris Yeltsin came to America and found the country to be unbelievably prosperous!

Amos 3:9-10; 5:21-24; 8:9-10

Their nation was physically prosperous, but spiritually dead! America is in the same state – physically prosperous, but spiritually impoverished.

Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 17

I Timothy 6:17

“I am not a prophet.” (Amos 7:14)

Amos 1:1 – Amos was just a shepherd!

Amos 7:15-16

Amos was out of his comfort zone speaking to those that God commanded Him to prophesy to.

Amos 8:4-8; 9:1, 10 – Amos laid it on the line!

Amos was a real person with a real life. He set aside his work to serve God.

No matter your position, you can do work for God!

“Prepare to meet your God.” (Amos 4:12)

Amos 4:12

Amos 9:5-6

Amos 9:9, 11-12 – God would sift Israel and save the righteous.