Following Christ In Morality Church Doesn’t SUCK! grace point.com Interpreter Official publication of the Untied Methodist Church

Following Christ In Morality

Church Doesn’t SUCK!

grace point.com

InterpreterOfficial publication of the

Untied Methodist Church



Untied Methodist Church“Transgender, domestic partner, inclusiveness questions

Facing Judicial Council”“The United Methodist Judicial Council will address questions concerning transgender clergy, domestic partner benefits and inclu-siveness when it meets October 24-27 in San Francisco.“The denomination’s highest judicial body




Facing Judicial Council”will review two rulings of Bishop John Schol of the Baltimore-Washington Area. They concern the reappointment of the Rev. Drew Pheonix, the former Ann Gordon, and how Pheonix’s name change, part of his gender identity transfor-mation, was reported to the Annual Conference clergy session.




Facing Judicial Council”“Schol ruled June 26 that ‘transgender elders in good standing” are eligible for appointment and that no paragraphs in The Book of Discipline 2004 prohibit their appointment. Schol also ruled that Pheonix’s name change was properly reported.”(page 29)


What we need to learn from this lesson is two-fold.What is meant by the expression “following Christ.”What is meant by “morality.”

What Does It Mean to Follow Christ?What Does It Mean to Follow Christ?Christ is the example we should imitate.I Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”In Understanding - Jesus told the woman at the well that she did not understand what she worshipped. John 4:22.


David Said, Psalms 119:130 “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”

In Obedience - Christ became obedient because of His willingness to suffer. We need to follow Him in obedience.

Hebrews 5:8-9 Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”


What we need to learn from this lesson is two-fold.

What is meant by the expression “following Christ.”

What is meant by “morality.”

What Does It Mean to Follow What Does It Mean to Follow Christ?Christ?

Christ is the example we should imitate.


In Sincerity - Paul followed Christ’s example in sincerity.

II Corinthians 1:12 “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.”

In Wholeheartedness - Was willing to be baptized of John the baptist to fulfill all righteousness even though He had no sin.


Matthew 3:15 “But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”

Acts 8:32-33 “The place in the Scripture which he read was this: ‘He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth’.”


We Need To Consider Christ As An Example In:

The life of faith - Temptation, teaching, healing, in the wilderness, in the temple, on the cross. We see how character itself, irrespective of circumstances, adapted to be a guide. Outward relationships need not affect our attitude and relationship with God. Ill. Job

The life of truth - John 4:34 “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work’.”


John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

When it was all finished, Paul said, II Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of right-eousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”


The Life of LoveJohn 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

I John 4:20 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”


What Is MoralityWhat Is Morality

Webster defines morality as: “moral quality or character; rightness or wrongness, as of an action. Principles of right or wrong in conduct; ethics” (Webster’s New Word Dictionary, page 956).

Morality presupposes that one must be concerned with character and conduct, and it is based on the assumption that man possesses rights and has duties, therefore he is a responsible being who will be brought into judgment.


New Testament Morality - The basis for morality is the truth that is taught in the New Testament. Basically the morality of Christ is agapa (love).

This morality is all encompassing - all God’s commands.

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

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


New Testament Morality - The basis for morality is the truth that is taught in the New Testament. Basically the morality of Christ is agapa (love).

This morality is all encompassing - all God’s commands.

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

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


This includes the both the small matters (traffic laws, income tax honesty, littering highways, etc,) and the “greater” matters:

(Worship - giving, teaching, praying, singing, Lord’s Supper).

(Work – Edification, Evangelism, Benevolence).

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”


Matthew 25:27 “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.”

This morality must be growing, progressing.

I Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.

II Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.”

We are either getting weaker or stronger - escalator.


World Needs This Kind of MoralityWorld Needs This Kind of Morality

Revolt everywhere against laws, regula-tions against morality itself.

Joseph Fletcher’s book - “The sensational deductions which the author draws from this premise include the bold statements that any act - even lying, premarital sex, abortion, adultery, and murder - could be right, depending on the circumstances” (Situation Ethics, The New Morality).


Lying or believing a lie. - Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5; I Kings 13.

Premarital sex - Joseph - Genesis 39:7-20

Genesis 39:7-8 “And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, ‘Lie with me.’ 8 But he refused . . .”

Genesis 39:9 “. . . .How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Abortion (Murder)


I John 3:15 “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

Men have lost sight of the judgment to come.

“Among the causes of the drifting away from church going, and of the relaxation of moral standards which have come about within living memory, there can be little doubt that one of the chief causes has been the disap-pearance of the belief in eternal punishment. Rightly or wrongly, men are not afraid of God as they used to be, and have cast off the restraints which fear imposed” (London Times, May 22, 1943)

First, we need to be teaching against worldliness in our classes

It will help us to know the meaning of a number of words

Justification — “denotes the act of pronouncing righteous, acquittal” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

Romans 3:26 “To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Sanctification — “Sanctification is used in NT of the separation of the believer from evil things and ways.


This sanctification is God’s will for the believer, and His purpose in calling him by the gospel.” I Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.”

Holiness — From the same Greek word as Sanctification. It means “To set apart to God.” It must be pursued by the believer, earnestly. Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”


Holy character, hagiosune, <I Thessalonians 3:13>, is not vicarious, i. e., it cannot be transferred or imputed, it is an individual possession, built up, little by little, as the result of obedience to the Word of God, and of following the example of Christ.”

Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”


Purity — “sinlessness of life” (Thayer) I Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”Perfection — “denotes ‘a fulfillment, completion, perfection, an end ac-complished as the effect of a process.’ Colossians 3:14 ‘But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection’.”


Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.”

II Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corrup-tion that is in the world through lust.”


We Need To Use Our God-Given Resources

There is a clear and defined blue-print of what constitutes godliness. Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”


Alexander Pope once said:“Vise in a monster of so frightful mine, As to be noted need but to be seen.Yet seen to oft, familiar with her face, We first endure,

then pity, then embrace.”



Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

The GospelFacts to Be Believed

Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ

I Corinthians 15:1-2Commands to Be Obeyed

Believe, Repent, Confess, be Baptized

Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16Promises to Be ReceivedFellowship with God NOW

World to Come – Eternal LifeI John 1:7; Revelation 22:14

Warnings to HeedII Thessalonians 1:7-9

Documents

Following Christ In Morality Church Doesn’t SUCK! grace point.com Interpreter Official publication of the Untied Methodist Church