– Garden of Eden: Man was allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Gen. 2:16-17) – Eve ate of the tree and gave to her.

– Garden of Eden: Man was allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Gen. 2:16-17) – Eve ate of the tree and gave to her husband with her. (Gen. 3:6) – Up until that point, there was no sin and no knowledge of good and evil. But as soon as Adam and Eve ate of the tree, forever after man would have to be able to distinguish between good and evil because of sin. There is a word for that… INTRODUCTION I8I8 1

Black And White In A Gray World Black And White In A Gray World My thanks to John Michael Huggins and Phillip Owens, & Matt Taylor for their comments and shared notes. R5R5 DISCERNMENT 2

Why Is There A Lack Of Discernment Today? #1 - The weakening of doctrinal conviction CHANGED ATTITUDE #1 - The weakening of doctrinal conviction CHANGED ATTITUDE F9F9 3

Why Is There A Lack Of Discernment Today? #2 - The weakening of doctrinal clarity CHANGED INTERPRETATION #2 - The weakening of doctrinal clarity CHANGED INTERPRETATION E 18 4

– “Call Bible things by Bible names and do Bible things in Bible ways”… Most don’t believe that. – If you have convictions, some try to change the interpretation. Our culture believes that there is no black/white, right/wrong, there's just relative shades of gray. And everybody is on there somewhere. You have your truth, and I have mine. CHANGED INTERPRETATION Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' H6H6 5

– Caller on talk radio, asking about an extramarital relationship, was told by host: “There's nothing right or wrong, per se. The question is, what's right for you?” – HOW COMPLETELY WRONG! What's morally right for you is the same as what's morally right for your neighbor. Truth is truth, and truth is right for everyone. CHANGED INTERPRETATION L 25 6

– (Oct 26) Truth is consistent & unchanging! – Truth is definite! The Nature Of Truth M 12 N1N1 7

– THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE TRUTH. – Therefore, Truth SEPARATES and SETS ITSELF AGAINST error. That’s the NATURE OF TRUTH. The World’s view of “Truths” 8

– THE SAME PRINCIPLE IS SEEN IN THE BIBLE. – May I remind you of something you already know: Biblical preaching is not relative, it is not subjective, it is not situational… – Biblical Truth is absolute, sharply black and white and is directly adversative to error. CHANGED INTERPRETATION Eph. 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” V 14 9

– Discernment can only thrive in an environment of doctrinal absolutes and that kind of teaching is found on nearly every page of the Bible! – People are said to be saved or lost. Period. Not sort of. – We belong to God or Satan. CHANGED INTERPRETATION Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. Y 19 10

– Narrow way and broad way. Eternal life and eternal destruction. – Either with Christ or against Christ. CHANGED INTERPRETATION Matthew 7:13-14 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 12:30 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. E 20 11

– Why are we called to discernment? Because not all values, beliefs, and standards are equally good or equally right! – Not everyone who is preaching Jesus Christ actually knows Him and not everybody who is talking about Heaven is actually going there! – Yet, rather than objective reasoning of truth, many want us to believe truth is subjective, situational, or based on emotion. Eliminate doctrine & don't say anything that offends so we can all get along. Which leads to… CHANGED INTERPRETATION Matt. 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” G 17 12

Why Is There A Lack Of Discernment Today? #3 - Preoccupation with image, influence, & numbers CHANGED EVANGELISM #3 - Preoccupation with image, influence, & numbers CHANGED EVANGELISM Y 26 13

Church of Christ Doctrine… Or the basics of communication? “BASIC BIBLE AUTHORITY” 1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. E 24 14

“BASIC BIBLE AUTHORITY” Denominational website - “If you feel called to give to our cause you can do so right here via Paypal.” Philippians 4:9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. I 11 15

– “We don’t want to offend” mentality. Some believe that the church will offend unbelievers if it preaches on sin or hell or repentance or the cross and it will lose its prestige. – “We don't want to offend anybody because image and influence are the keys to evangelizing. To win the world, we have to win their favor. They've got to like us and if they like us, they'll like Jesus.” – So it’s the lost we’re trying to reach with the truth but we’re not going to preach the truth to the lost because it might offend them. And only Christ can save them, but if we put His name on the sign it might keep people away. CHANGED EVANGELISM X7X7 16

– What's the effect of this evangelism? Churches “convert” the masses with their watered-down gospel and call themselves followers of Christ. But truthfully, the church is literally INVADED with the world's values and the world's citizens due to an appeal to worldly, physical interests. – It isn't an invasion prompted by overt hostility. CHANGED EVANGELISM Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep‘s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. A 22 17

– Satan is sowing the tares; he’s getting those among us to become preoccupied with image and influence. – But what if they don’t like us? CHANGED EVANGELISM Matthew 13:24-26 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” A 15 18

– The Lord did not believe that we would save the world by becoming like the world; the Lord determined that the world would be saved by the power of the gospel convicting the world of sin, pointing to Jesus as Savior! – There is no way to proclaim truth without confronting error; and there is no way to preach Christ without confronting the sin that nailed Him to the cross! – REMEMBER: if someone is in sin…they are lost. The truth will either offend or convict, but that is left up to them. – “I had rather 10,000 rise up in judgment and say, ‘I heard you preach and you made me mad,’ than one poor soul say, ‘I heard you preach and you didn’t tell be the truth.’” –John T. Lewis CHANGED EVANGELISM E3E3 19

– Some offer the objection that doctrine divides. – For sure, it does! It was intended for that very purpose. Truth divides those with honest and good hearts from all the rest! – The shame is not that doctrine divides; the shame is when we do not rightly divide God’s Word! CHANGED EVANGELISM Luke 12:51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. L4L4 20

– There is much to be said for friendliness, care, and concern. It’s part of our responsibility to do good. – Our foremost objective is to be righteous (right with God). Our light must shine in such a way as to bring others to God. CHANGED EVANGELISM Matt. 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Gal. 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. U 23 21

– If we avoid teaching and preaching doctrinal truths, we will do away with discernment, conviction, holiness, and spiritual maturity. – WE NEED TO DEEPLY ROOT OURSELVES IN THE TRUTH! CHANGED EVANGELISM Hebrews 5:11 (Writer trying to speak on deeper spiritual truths) of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. (how could they be teachers) Matthew 13:5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. T 21 22

– But, because of the nature of Truth, there's a clear line drawn concerning Truth & error. – When elders are selected, they must be men who are well equipped to do 2 things: affirm truth and refute error! – Elders are in the affirmation business as well as the refutation business! Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. CHANGED EVANGELISM C 16 Affirm Truth! Refute Error! 23

– Work of the church & ministers in a congregation… (see Timothy) 1 Timothy 3:15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. CHANGED EVANGELISM 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. Affirm Truth! Refute Error! N 10 24

– The word “beware” is used a number of times in the NT. Then, the job of ALL Christians is twofold… – What about those who teach error? – False teachers were often identified by name! – That’s harsh! Why call someone out about error? CHANGED EVANGELISM 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. R2R2 25

CHANGED EVANGELISM 2 Timothy 2:16-18 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. PUPPETS & PULL BEHIND TOYS Followers of men: Just remember, if you aren't the ventriloquist… 26

– Discernment is imperative to being faithful to God. – Sometimes, as Christians, we are not nearly as discerning as we ought to be about spiritual things. We can do better. We can change. We can grow - AND WE SHOULD! CONCLUSION 27 John 7:24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

– May the Lord help us to be a discerning people that speak truth with clarity and conviction. – Examine everything carefully! CONCLUSION Puzzle Answer 28 1 Thess. 5:21-22 “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.”

Is Thy Heart Right With God? Page 337 All 3 verses

1. Have thine affection been nailed to the cross? Is thy heart right with God? Dost thou count all things for Jesus but loss? Is thy heart right with God? 1 – Is Thy Heart Right With God? Words & Music: E. A. Hoffman © 2002 The Paperless Hymnal™

2. Hast thou dominion o'er self and o'er sin? Is thy heart right with God? Over all evil without and within? Is thy heart right with God? 2 – Is Thy Heart Right With God? Words & Music: E. A. Hoffman © 2002 The Paperless Hymnal™

3. Are all thy powers under Jesus' control? Is thy heart right with God? Does He each moment abide in thy soul? Is thy heart right with God? 3 – Is Thy Heart Right With God? Words & Music: E. A. Hoffman © 2002 The Paperless Hymnal™

Above the Bright Blue Page 11 Verses 1 & 3

1. There's a beautiful place called heaven, It is hidden above the bright blue, Where the good, who from earth-ties are riven, Live and love an eternity through. 1 – Above the Bright Blue Words & Music: Charles E. Pollock © 2005 The Paperless Hymnal™

3. We know not when He shall call us, Whether soon, the glad summons shall be, But we know, when we pass over the river, The glory of Jesus we'll see. 3 – Above the Bright Blue Words & Music: Charles E. Pollock © 2005 The Paperless Hymnal™

– Garden of Eden: Man was allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Gen. 2:16-17) – Eve ate of the tree and gave to her.

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– Garden of Eden: Man was allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Gen. 2:16-17) – Eve ate of the tree and gave to her.

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Presentation on theme: "– Garden of Eden: Man was allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Gen. 2:16-17) – Eve ate of the tree and gave to her."— Presentation transcript:

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About project

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