I. Responsibilities To God

Mt.6:33 Precept Precept: put God and His kingdom first Period Period: from conversion until death Promise Promise: all things added

Lk.8:14 Lk.14:15-24, thorny soil illustrated  Choked = preoccupied Oxen: Work Land: Possessions Wife: Family

I. Responsibilities To God II. Responsibilities To Christians

Ga.6:10 1 T.5:8 1 T.3:15 AllHousehold Especially? blood kinBlood kin

Responsibility to erring Christian 1. Restore 1. Restore, Ga.6:1 (Ex.23:5; Mt.7:12) 2. Admonish 2. Admonish, 1 Th.5:14 3. Withdraw 3. Withdraw (last resort), 2 Th.3: Pure motives 4. Pure motives, 3 Jn.9-10

“One another” responsibilities 1. Give preference to…in honor, 1. Give preference to…in honor, Ro.12:10  “Willing to let the other man have the credit” (P)  Instead of seeking own honor, outdo one another in showing respect  Recognize strengths and praise attainments of family members

2. Admonish, 2. Admonish, Ro.15:14  To counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct, warn, instruct (BDAG)  “Keep one another on the right road” (P) Cf. 24, 30, 32

3. Serve, 3. Serve, Ga.5:13  Beneficial bondage  Free to serve. Ac.20:35  Questions: Giver or taker? Problem or solution? Worker or shirker?

4. Bear burdens, 4. Bear burdens, Ga.6:2  Emphatic – “ONE ANOTHER’S”  Lk.11:46

5. Show forbearance, 5. Show forbearance, Ep.4:2  To regard w. tolerance, endure, put up with (BDAG)  “Make allowances for one another because you love one another” (P) Mt.17:17 1 Co.13:7

6. Be kind, 6. Be kind, Ep.4:32  Ep.5:1, mimic God: reproduce family likeness Samaritan Lk.10 Jews Lk.10 Cornelius Ac.10:2 Christians ?

7. Forgive, 7. Forgive, Ep.4:32 (as…) “We used to value above all else money and possessions. Now we bring toge- ther all that we have and share it with those who are in need. Formerly we hated and killed one another because of a difference in nationality or custom. Now since the coming of Christ, we all live in peace. We pray for our enemies and seek to convert those who hate us” – Justin Martyr

8. Submit, 8. Submit, Ep.5:21  Give up my right or will  Not mutual submission  Submit to those in authority  Specific instances follow Wife to husband Church to Christ Child to parents Slave to master

Submit: give up my right or will Practically speaking, our submission governs mutual responsibilities CoachTeam ConductorOrchestra ChristChristians

9. Consider... more important, 9. Consider... more important, Ph.2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself” – NASB “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” – ESV

10. Love, 10. Love, 1 Th.4:9-10  Nature  Nature: brotherly. Jn.13:34; 1 Pt.1:22  Necessity  Necessity:  Nurture  Nurture: love more and more Proves discipleship, Jn.13:34-35 Performs law, Ro.13:8-10 Protects us, 1 Jn.3:15-18

11. Confess sins, Ja.5:16  Every confession is to God because every sin is against Him  Includes brethren affected by it  First requirement: admitting guilt  Problem: excuses

12. Pray, 12. Pray, Ja.5:16 “Cold prayers are as arrows without heads, as swords without edges, as birds without wings; they pierce not, they cut not, they fly not up to heaven. Cold prayers always freeze before they reach heaven” – Tho. Brooks 1 Sm.12