Living the Gospel

Importance of Living the Gospel

When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? Galatians 2:14

Importance of Living the Gospel

Growing as a Christian really means learning to apply the fact of the gospel to every aspect of our thinking and doing. Graeme Goldsworthy

Importance of Living the Gospel

The Gospel is not just what we preach to unbelievers in order to get them saved from the penalty of sin. The Gospel is the principal energizing and driving force for living the whole Christian life. John Fonville

Importance of Living the Gospel

We must always keep focused on the gospel because it is in the nature of sanctification that as we grow, we see more and more of our sinfulness. . .

Importance of Living the Gospel

Instead of driving us to discouragement, though, this should drive us to the gospel. It is the gospel believed every day that is the only enduring motivation to pursue progressive sanctification even in those times when we dont seem to see progress.

Jerry Bridges

Importance of Living the Gospel

I have little doubt that the single greatest obstacle to the impact of the gospel has not been its inability to provide answers, but the failure on our part to live it out.

Ravi Zacharias

Importance of Living the Gospel

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

Matthew 5:13 (NLT)

Why Dont Christians Live the Gospel?

Not Really Christian

Not Really Christian

Not everyone who calls out to me, Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break Gods laws. Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)

No Fruit of Repentance

No Fruit of Repentance
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cant produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cant produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Matthew 7:17-20 (NLT)

Works Reveal
To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:15-16

Settle for Religion

Instead of the Cross

How can you know?

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 John 2:29

Busyness

Worldliness

The Reason
Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 8:14

Unbelief

Unbelief
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:12-13

What is the fruit of unbelief?

Idolatry

Disobedience

Idolatry
Idolatry is worshipping the created instead of the creator. Idolatry is seeking meaning, purpose and life in something other than God. Idolatry is loving someone or something more than God.

Idols
Our idols are what we build our identities on other than God. Our idols are anything that become the controlling center of our life, and take priority over all other loyalties. Our idols are whatever we believe that we cannot live without.

Idols
Idols are what we are most passionate about and what we long for more than God. Our idols are the people, things and ideas we treasure and cherish more than God.

Idols are those persons or things we use to seek satisfaction and happiness instead of seeking them from God.

Idolatry

Idolatry is looking to a false savior to get you out of a false hell and into a false heaven.

Alone

Popular

Car

Money

Clothes

Being Cool

What is the Solution?

Understand Implications

Not Your Own

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Living in the Kingdom of God

Living in the Kingdom of God

Children of God

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
John 1:12

Children of God
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2

Living in the Kingdom of God

Living in the Kingdom of God

Means you no longer live for yourself. Means embracing and submitting to God's sovereignty over yourself and every aspect of your life. Means as citizens of the kingdom you live by the values and laws of the King. Means living to expand the kingdom of God.

Living in the Kingdom of God

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are Gods.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Living in the Kingdom of God

If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 14:15

Living in the Kingdom of God

Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
Luke 9:23

Living in the Kingdom of God

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
Mark 8:35 (NLT)

Living in the Kingdom of God

as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Living in the Kingdom of God

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10

Living in the Kingdom of God

Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:31-33

Living in the Kingdom of God

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:5-6

Living in the Kingdom of God

But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. Romans 2:8 (NLT)

Living in the Kingdom of God

But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?
Luke 6:46

How to Deal with Unbelief, Idolatry and Disobedience

1. Realize Confess Repent 2. Pray for help & pray for others

3. Walk in the light get accountability

4. Grow in knowledge of God and Jesus

5. Know and live the gospel

Ask God for Help

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

Ask Jesus for Help

Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!
Mark 9:23-24

Pray for Others

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
Ephesians 1:16-17 (NLT)

Pray for Others

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death

1 John 5:16

Walk in the Light

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:6-7

Know God
Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits. Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34

Know God
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:9-10

Know God and Jesus

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 2 Peter 1:2

Know Jesus
Their responsibility is to equip Gods people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of Gods Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:12-13 (NLT)

Suggestions to Grow
1. Pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you You want to know God, not just know about Him. 2. Read, study and meditate on the nature and character of God Gospel in Detail. 3. Read, study and meditate on Jesus in the four gospels.

Suggestions to Grow
4. Read the whole Bible and keep a journal of what you learn about God and Jesus. 5. Obey Him - Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23 (NIV)

My Jesus

Heart Issue

Living in the Kingdom of God

But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?
Luke 6:46

Not Your Own

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20