Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance Part 6

IX. A fundamental error is when personal desire, need, weakness, pain, struggle, poor self-image, deficiency, poverty, etc. is not processed through a biblical grid. A. God may not even be a consideration, an awful harbinger. JOB 22:15-17. B. One may have improperly set affections which disorder the heart, the seat of thoughts and emotions. MAT 6:19-21; COL 3:1-2. C. One may reverse the order of MAT 6:31-33, a very common disorder. D. One may reject education, labor, diligence and patience and instead yield to sloth, theft, vagabondage, get-rich-quick schemes, etc. which are sinful or contrary to wisdom. ECC 10:15; PRO 21:25, 5-7; 22:13; 28:20. E. One may be placing more value on outward appearance than on inward character, which even religious folks may be guilty of. MAT 23:25-28; 1PE 3:3-4. F. One may be sinfully discontent with the way God made him/her, or with perceived unfairness in general. ROM 9:20; JOH 21:20-22. G. One may assume inevitability of low circumstance or injustice which makes godly effort to overcome futile, as if God would not bless accordingly (playing the victim card). Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance 4-23-23 Page 9  MAT 25:24-25. H. One may have natural desire for sexual connection but not seek resolution properly. 1CO 7:2, 9. I. One may not come to terms with a fallen world full of fallen people riddled with troubles of flesh and spirit, all of which demands a continual struggle to do good in spite of that until the day of Christ. ECC 8:12; ROM 8:19-23. J. If one’s response to every perceived problem is carnal-mindedness, death awaits (ROM 8:6). Fellowship with God, hope, faith, charity, peace, joy, patience, gratitude, relationships, soundness of mind, bodily health, public order, justice, etc. can all be killed off by carnal-mindedness. K. It is ignorance or rejection of God’s ways which opens the pathways to an eventually reprobate mind that screams in defiance of God and nature. ROM 1:28. 1. reprobate: Rejected or condemned as worthless, inferior or impure. 3. Rejected by God; lost or hardened in sin. b. Of abandoned character; lost to all sense of religious or moral obligation; unprincipled. 2. This degree of rejection can be a point of no return where even a grant of repentance is taken away, a heart continually hardened, and God goes deaf. 2CH 36:16 c/w JER 7:16; 11:14; 14:11 c/w ROM 9:17-18. 3. Under the dominion of deceitful lusts (EPH 4:22), the reprobate mind is given over to the most unnatural desires and irrational ideas that are contrary to natural well- being. a. It will justify self-destructive habits and conditions and even demand that others celebrate and submit to the model under threat of law. PSA 94:20; ISA 10:1 c/w PSA 12:8. b. Consider that June is “Pride Month” in this country. How long before the other so-called Seven Deadly Sins like sloth and gluttony get their own month? c. At its worst, there is no reasoning with such reprobate minds that are determined to force their “values” on others. GEN 19:4-9. 4. As bad as the situation seems, be mindful that the conclusion that “...all hope that we should be saved was then taken away” (ACT 27:20) is just an observational perspective without considering God Who specializes in radical eleventh-hour deliverances and also the frustration and judgment of the wicked and their devices. PSA 94:21-23 c/w ISA 3:8-11; 2PE 2:7-10. X. How should Bible-believing Christians live in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation which tolerates and celebrates antiChrist thinking and conduct? The question has an answer in PHIL 2:14-16. If unbelievers can’t see Christ in you, they are unlikely to be persuaded by your arguments for righteousness. Reflections cannot be seen in boiling water, nor Christ in a turbulent man. A. We cannot go along with the madness. Do not yield to demands to accept what God forbids, including crazy pronouns which defy HIM. ROM 12:2; EXO 23:2. B. We cannot tolerate perverseness in our persons or our church for long or we will suffer God’s judgment against us. REV 2:19-23. C. Resist and stand for truth. PRO 28:4; MAR 6:18. D. Pray 2TH 3:1-2. Gospel success is critical but some men are beyond reason. E. Never adopt the mentality, “I would never do that” since sin can work in us all manner of evil desire (ROM 7:8). Remember the words, “There but for the grace of God go I.” F. Give consideration to men’s ignorance of the truth: some have never been shown a better Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance 4-23-23 Page 10  way and/or have been fully persuaded that their error was the right way. ACT 3:17. G. Having facts and reality on your side is good, but if you personally don’t have a hope that speaks to men’s souls, something is missing. 1PE 3:15-16. H. Be ever ready to do good to all men. GAL 6:9-10. I. Be mindful that sinner’s real problems are with God, not you. 1. They need to know that there is a true God Whose word is not men’s opinions and that WE will all stand before Him someday. ACT 17:30-31. 2. The natural man will reject this (1CO 2:14) but God’s children walking in darkness have His law and life written in their hearts awaiting the gospel. 2TI 1:10. J. Above all, point men by godly living and good witness to Jesus Christ as the Answer to sin and its consequences, the Hope that exceeds this world, the perfect Man Who provides for eternal life and abundant living by modeling Him and patiently waiting for Him. 1TI 1:12-16; JOH 10:10; MAT 11:28-30; 1TH 1:9-10. K. Frequently re-acquaint yourself with Him also, lest a mad world and your corrupt lusts overtake you. HEB 3:13-14; 6:18-20. Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance 4-23-23 Page 11