Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D. The Core Values of FWC #2c2 – Biblical authority Lovingly Applied Part 2 Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D.
This is my Bible. It is the incomparable, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. I am what it says I am. I can do what it says I can do. I have what it says I have. I choose to live as it calls me to live. I am open and ready to receive from God’s living Word.
Galatians 6:1
Part One: The Core Values of FWC Continued
The Core Values at FWC Everyone needs a personal relationship with God (John 3:3). Emphasis Biblical authority accurately interpreted and lovingly applied (II Timothy 3:16, II Tim. 2:15). Authority
Part Two: Biblical Authority
Our Supreme Authority- The Bible In part one we learned that “inerrancy” is essential to authority.
The correlation is clear If you take away inerrancy you erode authority. If you take away inerrancy you make man the authority instead of God and His Word. St. Augustine “If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.”
Part Three: Accurately Interpreted
Accurately Interpreted II Timothy 2:15 Rightly dividing. II Peter 3:16 Not distorting. Two steps of hermeneutic- proper interpretation and application. Do Devotions Daily, Study Often, Be Faithful Always.
Part Four: Lovingly Applied
Lovingly Applied Some people wrongly think you need to compromise the truth in order to “love” and not offend people. Others wrongly think you need to beat people into submission with it.
Lovingly Applied We need to apply God’s Word with God’s Love. Never with compromise. Always with true compassion.
False Love When someone compromises the truth in order to “love” and not offend people, they are not loving the person. They are deceiving themselves and in actuality only loving their being accepted. To distort and compromise God’s Word is to HATE people as it can send them to hell!
False Love Loving people by beating them is not loving either. It is often lashing out from their own self- condemnation.
Lovingly Applied We need to apply God’s Word with God’s Love. Never with compromise. Always with true compassion.
II Timothy 2:24-26
Galatians 6:1
Galatians 6:1 Paul is calling out to believers. If someone gets caught, trapped in a sin. The spiritual ones should reach out to help.
Galatians 6:1 Literary context – Don’t be Pharisees of the Law. 1. Pharisees genuinely believed they were right and defending the Law and holiness. 2. Even though they didn’t think so, they left out mercy and were hypocrites.
Galatians 6:1 Restore – medical term referring to setting a broken bone. (historical context - with NO anesthetic). So very gently! Watching out for temptation yourself… Heed to Matthew 7:4-5, Luke 6:42.
Galatians 6:1 What we most dislike in others tends to be that which we struggle with ourselves.
God’s Word… God’s Word is a lamp to guide - Psalm 119:105 ~ Not a torch to burn people. He sent for His Word and healed them - Psalm 107:20 ~ Not hammered them. God’s Word washes - Ephesians 5:26 ~ Not slings mud.
God’s Word… God’s Word is to give hope - Romans 15:4 ~ Not cast stones. II Timothy 3:16, 17 equipped for every GOOD work ~ Not negative. God’s Word is not a hammer to beat people, or a rock for condemnation. Yes, we must always speak the truth, BUT ALWAYS IN LOVE. Ephesians 4:15.
God’s Word… II Timothy 3:16, 17 equipped for every GOOD work. God’s Word is not a hammer to beat people, or a rock for condemnation. Yes, we must always speak the truth, BUT ALWAYS IN LOVE. Ephesians 4:15.
Closing… Inerrancy… Instead of making God’s Word subject to man’s authority which inevitably leads to compromise, We stand on His Word as inerrant and authoritative.
Closing… In a culture that constantly manipulates and twists peoples’ words, we are called to accurately and faithfully represent God’s Word.
Closing… Among some who want to use God’s Word as a hammer to beat others, often for the very things they fall short in, we are called to use God’s Word lovingly applied as the powerful life giving force that heals.