A Different Kind of People

TEXT:  Titus 2:14;  2 Pet. 2:9

INTRODUCTION:

A.      CHRISTIANS ARE A PECULIAR PEOPLE.  FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION.

          1.       “Selected by God from the other nations for his own possession.” - (Thayer).

          2.       Taken from the world and added to the Kingdom (Col. 1:13).

B.      WE MUST THINK AND ACT DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE WHO ARE OF THE WORLD (Romans 12:1-2;  1 John 2:15-17).

C.      OUR DISPOSITION TOWARD GOOD AND EVIL SETS US APART.

I.      ABHOR THAT WHICH IS EVIL.

A.      Rom. 12:9.  WE MUST LEARN TO HATE EVIL.

          1.       Abhor, “apostugeo” means “to dislike, abhor, have a horror of.” (Thayer).

          2.       Evil - “poneros” means “bad, of a bad nature or condition; in a physical sense:     diseased or blind; in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad.” (Thayer).

B.      THE BIBLE’S TEACHING THROUGHOUT.

          1.       Deuteronomy 7:26                          5.       Amos 5:14-15

          2.       Psalms 97:10                                   4.       Psalms 119:104

          3.       Psalms 101:3

C.      WHERE DOES EVIL IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE COME FROM? (Luke 6:45).

What kind of heart do you have?

II.     CLEAVE TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD.

A.      WE MUST LOVE THAT WHICH IS GOOD (Rom. 12:9).

          1.       Cleave – “kollao” means “to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together; to join       or fasten firmly together; to join one’s self to, cleave to” (Thayer).

          2.       Good – “agathos” means “of good constitution or nature useful, good, pleasant,   agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honorable.” (Thayer).

B.      CHRIST LEFT US AN EXAMPLE OF DOING GOOD (Acts 10:38;  1 Peter 2:21). 

          1.       Good is what we are to do to defeat evil (Rom. 12:21). 

          2.       Good is what we should do and walk in (Eph. 2:10). 

          3.       Good is what we are to do for all as we have opportunity (Gal. 6:10;  1 Thess. 5:15).

III.    ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL.

A.      1 Thess. 5:22.  WE ARE TO AVOID EVEN LOOKING LIKE WE ARE EVIL.

          1.       Abstain – “apechomai” means “to hold one’s self off, refrain” (Thayer).

          2.       Appearance – “eidos” means “the external or outward appearance, form figure, shape” (Thayer).

          3.       Evil – Same as in Point I A.

B.      GOOD REASONS FOR AVOIDING ALL THAT MIGHT APPEAR EVIL.

          1. Evil is contagious (1 Cor. 15:33;  5:6-7).

          2. Evil is deceptive (1 Cor. 10:12).

                   a.       Satan uses devises (2 Cor. 2:11).

                   b.       He wears a disguise (2 Cor. 11:13-15;  2 Tim. 3:13).

                   c.       Satan is called the Deceiver of men (Rom. 12:9;  John 8:44)

          3.       We are to be a GOOD example, not bad one (Matt. 5:14-16).

CONCLUSION:

A.      OUR GOOD WORKS OR OUR BAD WORKS WILL BE EXAMINED ON THE

          JUDGMENT DAY (2 Cor. 5:10). 

B.      WHAT WE SOW WE WILL REAP (Gal. 6:7-9).

C.      OUR DISPOSITION TOWARD GOOD AND EVIL SETS US APART.

Brian A. Yeager