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Why Seek God?
Questions for seekers
• Eph. 1:3- every spiritual blessing in Christ• Eph. 1:4- chosen in Him• Eph. 1:5- predestined to adoption through JC• Eph. 1:7- redemption through His blood• Eph. 1:9- made know the mystery• Eph. 1:11- obtained an inheritance• Eph. 1:13- sealed in Christ with Holy Spirit
Contrasted with……
…remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:12 ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following
the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience
—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and
were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
(Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following
the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience
—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and
were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
(Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following
the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience
—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and
were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
(Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)
For although they knew God, they did not honor
him as God or give thanks to him, but they
became futile in their thinking, and their foolish
hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21 ESV)
Starts with refusing to honor God or give Him
thanks
Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images
resembling mortal man and birds and animals and
creeping things. (Romans 1:22-23 ESV)
Exchanged Creator’s glory for creation
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what
ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness,
malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to
parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die,
they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32 ESV)
Failing to honor God or Give thanks
Honoring creation rather than Creator
Serving self
Practicing/approving of every form of sin
Who would be guilty?
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 ESV)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8 ESV)
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:10 ESV)
We ALL would be…
So, where do I want to be?
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness,
orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 ESV)
So, where do I want to be?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also
keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25 ESV)
So, where do I want to be?
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve
the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 7:24-8:1, ESV)
So, where do I want to be?
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:3 ESV)
Being born again, chosen, adopted, heirs with Christ, etc., etc.
So, where do I want to be?
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
(1 Peter 3:12 ESV)
So, where do I want to be?
And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a
footstool for your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake
of those who are to inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:12-14 ESV)
So, where do I want to be?
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with
the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
(1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV)
So, How do I get there?
I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct
his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23 ESV)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
(Jeremiah 17:9 ESV)
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12 ESV)
So, How do I get there?
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you,
brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as
the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV)
i.e., through hearing the Spirits word and belief in
the truth
So, How do I get there?
To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord
Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:14 ESV)
You, we, everyone is “called” through the
gospel, the truth
So, How do I get there?
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions
that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. (2 Thessalonians 2:15 ESV)
We are called to stand firm and hold to apostolic
traditions as they were taught
So, How do I get there?
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 ESV)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see
life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
(John 3:36 ESV)