GOD S HOPE FOR TROUBLED CHURCHES. The Law of Liberty Part III: Christian Liberty Is Marked by the Pursuit of Holiness. I Corinthians 9:27-10:14

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1 GOD S HOPE FOR TROUBLED CHURCHES The Law of Liberty Part III: Christian Liberty Is Marked by the Pursuit of Holiness I. INTRODUCTION a. Read Text. b. Pray. c. Review i. Christian Liberty I Corinthians 9:27-10:14 1. Just because I can doesn t mean that I should. 2. Just because I don t have to doesn t mean that I shouldn t. 3. We do all things for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 4. We do all things for the sake of the lost. 5. We do all things for the sake of the gospel. 6. We often set aside our rights and privileges in Christ for the benefit of others. d. Transition statement. But this self-sacrifice is also for one s own benefit. And that is where we turn today. e. Opener America and the Pendulum between Freedom and Licentiousness f. Context: Corinth and the Pendulum g. Main Point of the Text/Sermon The paradox of Christian liberty is that it is marked not by licentiousness but by constraint. Christian liberty is marked by the denial of carnal pleasures and the pursuit of holiness. h. Transition statement. Why? Because faith without works is dead. This denial of carnal pleasures and this pursuit of holiness bear witness in me that I am, in fact, saved. The absence of this denial of carnal pleasures and the absence of this pursuit might evidence that I am not.

2 II. POINT #1 WE PURSUE HOLINESS BECAUSE FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD a. EXPLANATION i. Israel experienced the presence, power and provision of Christ Himself 1. The presence of Christ in the cloud 2. The power of Christ in the sea 3. The provision of Christ a. Provisional sanctification initial b. Provisional sanctification subsequent ii. Israel experienced the presence, power and provision of Christ Himself, and yet God was not pleased with her. 1. He was not pleased with her, because she craved evil things. a. Numbers 11:4, He was not pleased with her, because she was idolatrous. a. Exodus 32:4 The Golden Calf 3. He was not pleased with her, because she acted immorally. a. Numbers 25 b. Thus 23/24,000 fell. 4. He was not pleased with her, because she tried the Lord. a. Numbers 21 b. Thus many were destroyed by serpents. 5. He was not pleased with her, because she grumbled. a. Numbers 17:41-50 b. Thus many were smote by plague i. The destroyer ii. Exodus 12:23 iii. Israel experienced the presence, power and provision of Christ Himself, but her experience was not united by faith. She fell because of unbelief. 1. Hebrews 3:16-4:2

3 b. APPLICATION i. Stored application 1. Israel sinned and fell as an example for us a. So that we would not i. crave evil things ii. be idolaters iii. act immorally iv. try the Lord v. grumble b. And so be disqualified from entering His rest i. Hebrews 4:14-15 ii. Hebrews 6:4-8 c. And so prove ourselves to be lost 2. Israel s sin and fall is recorded in Scripture to instruct us a. Upon whom the ends of the ages have come WARNING! TIME IS SHORT. THE CLOCK IS TICKING. Don t be of those who fall short. 3. The pursuit of holiness is evidence of our faith. ii. Specific application 1. Heed the Example a. The tension between assurance and warning b. Assurance vs. Pride i. Proverbs 16:18

4 ii. Context: The Church at Corinth 2. Flee from idolatry a. Ref. I Co. 9:27 3. Trust in God a. The struggle i. The struggle begins with our desires ii. The struggle continues in our temptations iii. The struggle culminates in our actions b. The solution i. He changes our desires. ii. He delivers us in our temptations. 1. Strength to bear it 2. Freedom to escape it iii. He strengthens us in our actions. iv. He forgives us in our failures. c. ILLUSTRATION Jesus Matthew 7:21-27 III.SUMMATION & RESPONSE The truth of the matter is that on the final day there will be those who, like Israel, experienced the presence, the power and the provision of Christ in a peripheral way, but because they lacked faith as evidenced by this pursuit of holiness and obedience to His commands, they will not enter His rest. a. Unbeliever repent and believe this gospel. i. Hebrews 12:14 says, Pursue holiness, without which no one will see God.

5 ii. You cannot pursue holiness apart from Christ. b. Believer i. Do not become so prideful of your freedom in Christ that you discard the pursuit of holiness. True Christian liberty is marked by constraint, slavery to Christ and righteousness. 1. ILLUSTRATION tradingchains ii. Heed the warnings in Scripture. iii. Withstand temptation. iv. Trust in God. v. Flee idolatry. IV. CLOSING PRAYER