Resisting the Desire for Conformity Acts 13:21 Give Us A King Resisting the Desire for Conformity Acts 13:21 Prepared by Chris Reeves * Northeast church of Christ Gospel Meeting * March 11, 2009

Background When the Israelites entered the land of Canaan they were governed on earth by judges and in heaven by God (Judg. 2:16) There were no earthly kings (Judg. 21:25) Later, the Israelites rejected God as their King and wanted a king like the nations around them (1 Sam. 8:4-7,19- 20; Ex. 19:6; Deut. 33:1-5; Psa. 74:12)

Background Their motive was wrong: a desire for conformity (1 Sam. 8:7,20) Sound reasoning did not deter them (1 Sam. 8:9ff) God granted their request in anger (Hos. 13:11)

The Desire for Conformity We all want to be liked, not disliked (Mt. 10:22; 1 Cor. 4:3; Gal. 1:10; 2 Tim. 3:12) We will be liked by other Christians, but not by the world (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 4:13) Many want conformity (Rom. 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:14), and friendships with the world (Jas. 4:4) Many don’t want to be the “odd man out” (Mt. 10:34-35; Eph. 5:11)

The Allurement of the World The world looks good to many Christians (Mt. 13:22; 2 Tim. 4:10) Many just can’t wait to get dirty (Jas. 1:27; 2 Pet. 2:18-22)

God Has Set Us Apart God wants his people stay separate (Judg. 2:2) We are to be “in the world,” but not “of the world” (Jn. 17:11,16; 1 Jn. 2:15-17) We must come out and be separate (2 Cor. 6:14 – 7:1) We belong to God (1 Pet. 2:9-10)

What Does It Mean to Be Distinctive? We follow the one right answer, not the many (sincere) wrong answers (Mt. 16:13-14) We follow the one, true identity, not the many similarities (Mt. 16:15-16) We follow the one revelation of God, not the many confessions of men (Mt. 16:17) We become and remain members of the one, distinctive church that Jesus built, not the many churches of men (Mt. 16:18)

What Does It Mean to Be Distinctive? NT Christians were different from the… Pharisees (Acts 15:5,24) Greek religions (Acts 17:16ff; 19:26) Sadducees (Acts 23:8) Nicolaitans (Rev. 2:6,15; 3:20ff)

What Does It Mean to Be Distinctive? NT Christians were different from the… Roman religions (Rev. 17-18) NT Christians were willing to be spoken against in order to be distinctive (Acts 24:5; 28:22) NT Christians were more effective when they were distinctive (Acts 17:6)

Areas of Conformity Give Us A King… We want to be a denomination (Gal. 1:11) We want social activities (1 Tim. 3:15) We want contemporary worship (Col. 2:23) We want “scholarship” (1 Tim. 6:20-21)

Areas of Conformity Give Us A King… We want no baptism, or baptism for any purpose (Acts 2:38) We want open membership (Acts 2:47) We want women preachers and elders (1 Tim. 2:11-12; 3:2) We want a Bible of “principles,” not “rules” (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2)

Areas of Conformity Give Us A King… We want preachers who will motivate and entertain (2 Tim. 4:2-4) We want alternative doctrines (Rev. 2:13-14) We want to change and progress, not live in the past (Jer. 6:16; 2 Jn. 9)

Areas of Conformity Give Us A King… We want multiple marriages (Mt. 5:32; 19:9; Mk. 10:12; Lk. 16:18; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-11) We want a Saturday Lord’s supper (Acts 2:42; 20:7)

We Have A King! Let us be content to obey the King we already have, Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:14) Let us be conformed to Jesus, not the world (Rom. 8:29; Phil. 3:10,21)