Attitudes Toward the Word of God-2

INTRODUCTION:

A.      LAST WEEK - WRONG ATTITUDES.

B.      THIS WEEK - RIGHT ATTITUDES.

I.      GIVE THE BIBLE A FAIR HEARING( Acts 17:11 ).

A.      HEAR ALL THE TESTIMONY.

B.      TRUTH = "ALL" THAT GOD HAS SAID, i.e. Salvation by faith.

          1.       Do these passages teach faith only?( John 3:16;  Rom. 5:1;  John 5:24 ).

          2.       What about the rest of the testimony?( Mat. 7:21;  Gal. 5:6;  James 2:24 ).

II.     TAKE THE WORD AT FACE VALUE

                                               - LET IT MEAN WHAT IT SAYS.

A.      OF WHAT VALUE IS THE WORD IF IT CAN'T BE UNDERSTOOD?

          ( Deut. 29:29;  Eph. 3:3-4 ).

B.      WE ARE NOT TO BE TURNED AWAY FROM THE SIMPLICITY OF THE

          WORD( 2 Cor. 11:3;  Col. 2:8; i.e. Gal. 5:4;  1 Pet. 3:21 ).

III.    PROPERLY EVALUATE THE TRUTH( Prov. 23:23 ).

A.      FAILURE TO VALUE THE TRUTH IS TRAGIC( 2 Thes. 2:11-12 ).

B.      A DESIRE FOR TRUTH ABOVE ALL ELSE WILL BE REWARDED

          ( Mat. 5:6;  John 7:17 ).

IV.   REALIZE THAT TRUTH NEVER CONTRADICTS ITSELF

        ( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).

A.      NO CONTRADICTIONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, i.e.,

          1.       Gal. 6:2, 5.

          2.       Mat. 7:1, 16-20;  John 7:24.

B.      NEITHER CAN ONE PASSAGE BE USED TO NEGATE ANOTHER.

          1.       Rom. 5:1;  John 3:16 Used to negate Acts 2:38.

          2.       Rom. 5:1 and 1 John 1:8-10 are in perfect harmony with

                             John 10:28 and 1 John 3:9.

V.    BE OBJECTIVE!

A.      2 Pet. 1:20.  THE SCRIPTURES DID NOT ORIGINATE IN THE MIND OF

          MAN.  WE MUST INTERPRET THEM AS GOD INTENDED - WE MUST

          RECEIVE THE MESSAGE HE PLACED THERE.

B.      WE MUST HANDLE IT RIGHT( 2 Tim. 2:15 ).

C.      WE MUST USE IT LAWFULLY( 1 Tim. 1:8 ).

D.      UNETHICAL TWISTING OF THE WORD TO FIT OUR OWN WILLS BRINGS

          OUR DESTRUCTION( 2 Pet. 3:15-16 ).

VI.   APPROACH THE WORD WITH REVERENCE & RESPECT

        READY TO OBEY( 1 Thes. 2:13 ).

A.      IT IS THE TRUTH( John 17:17 ).

B.      IT IS STEDFAST & ENDURING( 1 Pet. 1:25 ).

C.      IT IS LIVING & POWERFUL( Heb. 4:12 ).

CONCLUSION: THE RIGHT ATTITUDE EXEMPLIFIED:

"SPEAK LORD, THY SERVANT HEARETH"( 1 Sam. 3:10 ).

A.      WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE WORD OF GOD?

B.      WHEN GOD SPEAKS, DO YOU HEAR?

C.      WHEN GOD COMMANDS, DO YOU OBEY?