October 28, 2006

• Sin & Judgment by Pastor Jerry Moore

  We are so blessed to have wonderful teachers at our church. Pastor Jerry Moore, Pastor Don’s older brother,  is visiting from California and he taught today’s Bible study.  What is good about having other teachers is that each person brings the Word of God to us in a way unique to their personality, and if a message does not reach a person one way, perhaps another way of presenting the message will bring understanding. Each person gleans from the Word and often what one person doesn’t notice another person does.

  Pastor Jerry’s method is to present scriptures and leave the field open to comments. So the discussion is often lively. Today we started out with a lot of praise reports. I love hearing what God does in people’s lives for it builds my faith to trust God in similar situations in my life.

  Pastor Jerry mentioned that sometimes when God blesses us with a healing we have to struggle to hold onto the healing. Satan loves to send people into our lives to try and convince us that we really hadn’t received a healing, or to put a spirit of doubt into our minds.

  He then mentioned some things about denominationalism. And mentioned that he has read the Catholic book of martyrs and Fox’s book of martyrs. And what is interesting is that who is considered a martyr in one book is often portrayed as a heretic in the other. Satan is hoping to create a spirit of division in the church, and setting Christian against Christian. He also mentioned that an interesting book is called Trail of Blood and it is able to be read on the internet.  Pastor Moore keeps wanting to teach a Bible study on the history of the church, but today God did not allow him to do so. I am glad for a pastor that chooses to obey God rather than his own inclination. The truth is that many Christians from different denominations have served the church with dedication, devotion, faithfulness and courage. We get so caught up in traditions that we “feel” are true, and start tearing apart others who do not have the same traditions. While this is not a blanket permission for going off on wild tangents, many of the differences between denominations are not so huge. We need to unite as a Body of Christ, an Army of God, to stand against satan. It is in satan’s best interest to see such division in the church today. Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the LORD said: “In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.” We need to assess what is man’s order, and what is God’s order and obey God.

  Pastor Moore gave us a handout with a few quotes one was: “You don’t just sin, you choose to sin.” We have a choice to do an action or to not do an action. Mostly we make excuses for what we do, trying to rationalize why we are doing something that is not God’s best for us. We can choose to love, choose to forgive, choose to repent when we have made a wrong choice. Or we can choose to do what we want in the flesh. We don’t just accidentally fall into sin.

  Next quote: “The word “no” is more than just a defensive posture or choice of preference it is often an expression of your values – a character indicator….Resist the devil – resist temptation- resist enticements –back the devil down… There is to be no discussion – no consideration given.”

  It takes courage to say “no” when everyone else is doing something. It takes character to choose not to do what God doesn’t want us to do, to stand up for what is right. We know that if we resist the devil he will flee. By resisting temptations and enticements we back the devil down. Many people in the Bible study loved the phrase “back the devil down.” and Pastor Moore said it would be a good title for a song. We should stick to God’s truth, not open ourselves to discussion or debate about an issue that is not of God, when we open ourselves up for discussion or debate it weakens our stance and makes it easier for satan to keep enticing us. We cannot give consideration to things that are not of God.

  We deal with the what if’s too much. Adam and Eve sinned because they thought about what if they did eat the forbidden fruit. It was a sin of pride, to want to be like God. Satan will use any tactic, lust of flesh, lust of eyes and pride of life to tempt us to disobey God. Today in new age thinking people state that they are blessed by something – but they do not mention God. It isn’t politically correct to mention God. So the blessing could have come from any source in their minds. The only person who sets a standard for us should be Jesus Christ.

  2 Corinthians 10:13-18 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us — a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged  by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’ For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the LORD commends.

  Next quote: “You can’t get even with momma without hurting yourself.”

  To be honest, we couldn’t figure out what that meant. Pastor Moore told us that so often today people are stating that they have various problems in their life because of poor parenting or a bad situation in our past. We cannot let a hurt from our past dictate what we do in our present. When we do something in retaliation for our past, what happens is that we end up hurting ourselves. It doesn’t hurt the person who hurts us, it just hurts us and our walk with God.

  “Sin ain’t your friend….”

  Sin will try to lure you into its trap. It starts out with velvet threads and hooks you in until you are totally in chains to sin. And sometimes the line between sin and not sinning is very slim. Don’t forget that satan presents himself as an angel of light, he appeals to the senses, to the flesh and emotions. He will plant a desire and set criterions which will lure us. Often when we react out of frustration or emotions we have fallen into satan’s trap. And the Judgment of God is immediate. The second Adam and Eve ate that fruit, they were separated from God. To remove the separation you need to repent, to turn and do what is right in God’s sight and ask God for forgiveness. Remember, the wages of sin is death.

  Pastor Jerry mentioned that in Judges so often the people did evil in the sight of God, and God would then let the people be led to bondage until they repented, called out to God, and he would send a judge to rescue them, but so often they would then fall back into that same old, same old cycle. The last verse of Judges is very sad, Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

  We know how dangerous it is when we do what is right in our own eyes. And today many of the new age teachings are spouting off that we are gods, that we have a new revelation that no one else has seen, that there are many paths to god, etc. It “feels right” so do it.

  We then got into a discussion about forgiveness. We need to forgive others. Sometimes when we have had someone hurt us, we forget that we too have hurt others. No one is without sin. And when it is tough to forgive, Pastor Jerry suggested that we pray for those we need to forgive. When we are interceding for others, the barriers that have kept us from forgiving are reduced. And Pastor Jerry also pointed out that we need to forgive ourselves.

  GOD DOES JUDGE

  Acts 17:31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.

  Pastor Jerry told us that there are many today who are trying to state that God isn’t going to judge. He asked us if we have heard any false teachings on this. Examples given were God is love and a loving God would not condemn a person to hell. Or God will forgive everyone. This is not true. God will Judge and it clearly states that Jesus will judge. If we are blinded by the lies we will find out the truth when it is too late to do anything about it.

  We then read Romans 2:1-24: here is a link: Romans 2 and there were a few comments made during the reading that I am going to share. Romans 2: 1-4  it is far easier to judge another person than to judge yourself. But God will hold us accountable for how we judge others. If we are judging a person in a situation, we better make sure that we are walking in God’s righteousness in that situation because God will judge us to the same degree of standard that we judge others.

  Someone mentioned that often we hold other people to a high level of accountability and cut ourselves some slack. We can make an excuse as to why we did what we did, but then expect the other person to follow exactly what God said. We really need to reverse this – to hold ourselves to a higher level of accountability and cut the other person some slack.

  Our hardness and impenitent heart regarding sin will incur God’s wrath and reveal God’s righteous judgment. God will render to each according to their deeds.

  No one will stand before the throne of God and say that God is unjust, He has perfect justice. We, on earth, cannot judge perfectly for we have limited understanding, but God knows all about the situation and His judgment is just. Verse 11 For there is no partiality with God. All will be held to the same perfect standard. And the only way that we can pass judgment is through the shed blood of Jesus, for He alone provides covering for our sins.

  This judgment, verse 12 applies to both Jew and Gentile, there is no one exempt from judgment. We will all be judged. We cannot – verse 17 boast that we are Jewish, or Christian and therefore will not have to be judged. And then he talks to pastors and religious people and asks them verses 21-24 You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

  Today we see this in the media. When a spiritual leader, a pastor or someone representing Christianity gets caught in a sin, the media goes into a frenzy, for they use that to discredit Christianity. Although some Christian leaders sin, that does not mean all Christians are like them, but satan will use the sins of those Christians to discredit God.

  Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

  We will be following God’s commands because of love for God, not fear of the law. Because we are new creations in Christ we are now dead to sin.

  Next note from Pastor Jerry: GOD DOES FORBID – He abandons nations, kings, people…and turns them over to the gods they have chosen and rejected HIM for – the gods, the demons, they have preferred over HIM….

  John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

  Jeremiah 7:22-27 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.” Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day. I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you.  Pastor Jerry had cited Jeremiah 7:22-34 through Jeremiah 8:1-8 the remainder of this passage talks about how God will judge the people and the fact that the land would be desolate because of their disobedience.

  There are perils for false teachings, for Jerusalem was into perpetual backsliding, and they refused to return to God, holding fast to their deceits. The passage ends with Jeremiah 8:8 How can you say, ‘ We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. We will be accountable if we are false teachers or if we do not study the word and listen to the teachings of false teachers.

  We started running out of time, so Pastor Jerry gave us the following scriptures to read on our own.

  KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE

  Job 20:5-9, Job 27:8,9

  JUDGMENT WON’T SAVE YOU

  Exodus 34:6-7 And the LORD  passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and fourth generation.”

  When we sin, even after we are forgiven by God, there can still be seed left from the sins. Our kids could observe our sinning and imitate our past sins. We need to pray for a crop failure. For even though God will forgive us, we may still have repercussions in the flesh for the sins we committed. For example, if we break a law, we may still have a physical penalty, even though God has forgiven us. But God can intervene and cause a crop failure in the reaping and sowing equation.

  Pastor Jerry’s notes: Multi Level Sinning – One sin leads to another….
  Sin – The tool used to get what we desire….

  Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
  Romans 12: 1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
  Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
  Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

  God offers mercy, he forgives our iniquities, and brings us to Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus. Don’t let satan fool you into thinking that God doesn’t judge, or that God is an unrighteous judge. God is a judge with perfect judgment.

  Hope you enjoyed this study, Pastor Jerry is here for a short visit, then is going back to California. He will be missed.

  Heather

  • 7:14 pm
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