understanding our times and knowing what to do

Understanding Our Times and Knowing

What to Do1 Chron 12.32

“And the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with

knowledge of what Israel should do…”

Cf. Lk 12.54-56

How Shall We Now Live?

Issues Of Distinction 1 Pet 4.1-6

Armed With the Same Purposevs.1

• “Arm Yourselves”

Eph 6.10f

“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full aror of God, that you may be able to stand firm

against the schemes of the devil…”

2 Cor 10.3-5

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do n ot war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our

warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying

speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every

thought captive to the obedience of Christ”

Armed With the Same Purposevs.1

• “Arm Yourselves”

Gal 5.17

“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another…”

Armed With the Same Purposevs.1

• “Arm Yourselves”

• “With the same purpose” (as Christ)

Armed With the Same Purposevs.1

• “because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” – cf. 3.18-22; Rom 6.1-17

Living the Rest of Our Lives For the Will of God

vs.2

• Put Off – Put On -- Eph 4.17-24

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

• The Time Has Come to Cease From Sin – New creatures:

2 Cor 5.17

“Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”

• e.g. The way we dress

– “sensuality” (vs.3; Eph 4.9)

• Gk. word includes “shamelessness, excess, license, voluptuousness”

• That which disgusts, scandalizes or shocks public decency

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

• The Time Has Come to Cease From Sin

• “That which appeals to the senses”

– Cf. 1 Tim 2.9-10; 1 Pet 3.1-3

• e.g. The way we dress

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

• The Time Has Come to Cease From Sin

1 Tim 2.9-10

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with

braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women

making a claim to godliness”

• e.g. The Company we keep: “You do not run with them”

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

• The Time Has Come to Cease From Sin

1 Cor 15.33

“Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals”

• e.g. The way we dress

• e.g. The Company we keep: “You do not run with them”

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

• The Time Has Come to Cease From Sin

• RAND Corp. survey

– Teens who watch a lot of TV with sexual content are 2x as likely to engage in intercourse as those who watch little

» “The impact of television viewing is so large that even a moderate shift in the sexual content of adolescent TV watching could have a substantial effect on their sexual behavior”

• cf. Eph 5.3-4

• e.g. The way we dress

• e.g. How we spend our money – “lust…excess of dissipation” -- Mal 3.7-10; Hag 1.2-6

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

• The Time Has Come to Cease From Sin

• e.g. The Company we keep: “You do not run with them”

• e.g. The way we dress

A Transformed Lifevs.3-4

Living the Rest of Our Lives For the Will of God

vs.2

Armed With the Same Purposevs.1

How Shall We Now Live?

Issues Of Distinction 1 Pet 4.1-6