780 - Les Feldick Bible Study - Lesson 3 Part 4 Book 65 - The Body of Christ – How do we get in? - 4

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 3 * PART 4 * Book 65 BUT GOD! (The Body of Christ – How do we get in?) - 4 Matthew 6:33 and Various Other Scriptures With this lesson, we will end book 65. As I ended the last program, we were talking about how are we to live, how are we to behave as members of the Body of Christ? We have a responsibility, you know. We’re not saved to sit. God does expect certain things, rightfully, because after all He’s done for us, the least that we can do is what He expects in return. So, we’re going to look at Titus chapter 2 as an opener of "how we are to live." Now, I’ve made the comment over and over through the years that true Christianity is the most practical thing on earth. There is nothing impractical about the Christian life. It’s just simply the good life. It’s contrary, of course, to the old nature. It’s contrary to the forces of Satan, but nevertheless, for happy living, for a happy home, for a good business relationship, there’s nothing better than the Christian experience. Okay, now in Titus chapter 2 we’re going to start at verse 11 where we have the admonition of how to live. Titus 2:11 "For the grace of God (We can’t do it any other way.) that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men," Now, that’s the big subject we’ve been talking about all afternoon. Salvation through Paul’s Gospel! "Believing that Christ died, was buried, and rose from the dead!" (I Corinthians 15:1-4) All right, as a result of believing the Gospel, we are placed into the Body of Christ. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us. He empowers us to do what the Scripture wants us to do. We have the hope of glory. All of these good things come in the moment we believe the Gospel. And, "that Grace has appeared unto all men." I’m not going take time to comment on that just now, but here we come in verse 12 to that Grace of God. Titus 2:12 "Teaching us that, (we’re to) denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, (or appetites. On the other side of the coin--) we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" Now, that’s a small ‘g’. It doesn’t mean that we become gods, it merely means that we live a God-like or a Christ-like life. In fact, where did the term Christian originate? Christ-like. It was actually a derogatory term when it first appeared. They derided these believers for being so Christ-like. Well, in the pagan world, you know, that was almost unacceptable. But that’s what the term means here as well, that we are to be "godly." We’re to be Christ-like. We are to do this, not in some ethereal future, but where? "In this present world."This is how God expects us to live. Now, that’s not gobbledy-gook. Look at them again. "We’re to live soberly." Now, that doesn’t mean you run around with a long face. That would just fly in the face for me, you know that. You don’t run around like death warmed over. You don’t go around every day as though the whole world is on your shoulders. The whole little book of Philippians is an admonishment to be what? "Joyful. Rejoice!" And where was Paul when he wrote it? In a dungeon! With a back that was beaten to a pulp and yet he could say, "Rejoice!" Why? Because we’ve got so much to be joyful about. Even though we may not have that much in this life, oh, the riches of Glory that are waiting for us. All right, so we can live "soberly," which merely means that you take things seriously, not flippantly. We’re to live "righteously." In other words, as God gives us the wherewithal to do all things honest to all men, as Paul says. We are to give an honest day’s work for a day’s pay, and everything is to be above board. All right, "and godly." Again, Christ-like. Now, where does that come in? Compassion. A love and a concern for those less fortunate. Our America has had an opportunity to do that in the last month, because we’ve had so many that have been left destitute. Have you been praying for them? Have you given of your material wealth, somehow or other? That’s our responsibility. Now again, I’m going to say something publicly that I probably shouldn’t say, but listen, if you give your money, give it to an organization that is biblically based. And there are enough of them helping the poor folks down South. Don’t give it to an organization that has no concern about spiritual things. I had an old missionary tell us that years and years ago, and I’ve always adhered to that. So, give, but be careful where and how you give. All right, we’re all to do this "in this present world." All right, let’s back up and see how Paul treats it in yet another portion of Scripture. Come back with me to Galatians chapter 5, and again, these are verses that we’ve touched on more than once in days gone by. But they are always appropriate. We can drop down to verse 16. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible