Pastor Sam's sermon yesterday shined a great light on the riotous activity of our day, I think!

God's Standards Still Matter 

Pastor Sam's sermon yesterday, please listen!

make notes of your thoughts and send them to me also

We cannot appreciate the idolatry of the first century, in spite of our seeing the deplorable acts of our day.  Acts 15-29

Acts 15:29  

That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Acts 15:30  

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

Acts 15:31  

Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

Acts 15:32  

And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

Acts 15:33  

And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

unaccepting of gentiles in the church was at issue

broader  issue is the Evangelical determination

the Ecclesiastical Issue 

the Ethical Issue

restrictions that were laid on the gentiles at the counsel

Acts 15:20

3 issues concerning the restrictions

1)common interpretations and rejection of it-

cannot accept-  “the restrictions were   temporary in order to allow for peace and because they were the dominant culture

no permanent or relevant direction for the church in later”  Only for a deference to the Jews…

I don’t think that is the case

why?

1. the prohibition of fornication-  that is not the testimony of the rest of scripture for anyone… could not have been temporary 1 For

1 Corinthians 5:1  

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

6:13

1 Corinthians 6:18 

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

etc., etc.

2.Sacrificed to Idols was not temporary  eating and etc.

Acts 21:25 

As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Eating Blood?  not only a significance of the ceremonial law…

Not acceptable in US  rare steak is not blood 

You can’t buy blood in a grocery store…

God’s covenant was a Covenant of Grace

Noah Covenant

Gen 9:1-17

Genesis 9:1 

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Genesis 9:2  

And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

Genesis 9:3  

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Genesis 9:4 

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Genesis 9:5 

And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

Genesis 9:6  

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Genesis 9:7 

And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

Genesis 9:8  

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

Genesis 9:9 

And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

Genesis 9:10 

And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

Genesis 9:11  

And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Genesis 9:1

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Genesis 9:13  

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Genesis 9:14

And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

Genesis 9:15  

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Genesis 9:16 

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Genesis 9:17  

And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

Acts 15:28 

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

1. the Better understanding of these requirements

all of the gentiles had been exposed to great idolatry and they needed to be instructed very specifically on these things. 

Were the Apostles saying the Gentiles could be saved and continue in their idolatry.  No! Just pointing out the most odious acts that were acceptable in their day had to be required and binding not just then, but now, etc.   (College life example)   Having the talk with your young teenager.  

1. you cannot be a Christian and live any way that you please.
2. Evangelical Obedience to the law is pleasing to God!
3. must not overreact not just an angry torrent against the culture of the day…
4. reacting against error must be measured.
5. be wise like James and the apostles guarding against the attacks of the enemies of the Gospel on our doctrine.  We must be relevant in our balanced and wise and careful presentation of the Gospel
6. There are binding requirements upon Christians today

3 Kingdoms

 Creation

Kingdom of Israel  Temporary 

Kingdom of Christ  Not temporary

Becoming a part of the Church has personal responsibilities attached to it.  Not licentiousness, but a binding acceptance of the moral law upon the conscience and activity of the Christian. 

Root of bitterness is the worship of false Gods is dangerous… Riotousness and chaos is the fruit of idolatry.

Idolatry is the mother sin against which we must be vigilant…

We still must flee idolatry!  

What are you struggling with loving more than God?  Help us Lord to slay our attachments to other gods.  Love God! Seek God!

Help Lord for the sake of Jesus Christ’s sake! Amen