"An Old-Fashioned Christian"

Title: “An Old-Fashioned Christian”

Scripture: Proverbs 22:28

Introduction:

This verse refers to stone pillars and other markers set up to denote land boundaries. Removal of them could have resulted in chaos for everyone. There are other landmarks, those which our fathers have set up, which are removed only at great jeopardy.

Our world has changed much and become very “modern.” Some things are really out of style. Included is old-fashioned Christianity. How could you tell an old-fashioned Christian if you did find one?

I. HE BELIEVED THE BIBLE

A. He knew it was God’s Word

B. He never dreamed anyone would say it had errors in it (He didn’t know what inerrancy was, but he believed it)

C. He took what it said as being so (regardless of opinions)

D. He obeyed it completely

1. What it forbade, he didn’t do

2. What it commanded, he did

II. HE TOOK HIS CHRISTIANITY SERIOUSLY

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

A. He realized there was something different about a Christian

1. He was not afraid to be different

2. He sometimes emphasized the outward rather than the inward, but he was more concerned with pleasing God than men

B. He tried to live by the Bible all week long

1. He was not a “Sunday only” Christian

2. He did not have a compartmentalized or fragmented life

C. He saw the importance of the church

1. He attended no matter what adverse circumstances came up

2. He made it the center of his life

D. He sought to tell others about Christ

III. HE HELD TO SO-CALLED “TRADITIONAL VALUES”

A. It is more important to be right than popular

B. He did not try to make two wrongs into a right

C. He believed that he should work for a living

D. He did not need a contract: he bought what he could afford and paid his bills

E. He stuck to one woman for one lifetime

F. He loved his freedom enough to fight for it

G. He kept his word

H. He had a hatred for sin

I. He had a love for things of the Lord

IV. HE REARED HIS CHILDREN PROPERLY

A. He had not heard of a man named Spock

1. He was not impressed with psychology

2. He did not worry to much about phases

B. He used the rod when necessary

1. He helped his children

2. He did not have to worry about a baby killer accusing him of child abuse

C. He demanded that his children do right

1. He made them do so

2. He had not heard that he could not force them to do right

D. He taught them to work and to respect authority

V. HE BELIEVED EARNESTLY

A. All men are sinners by nature

B. Sinners go to hell

C. Christ died for us

D. We must trust Him to go to Heaven

Conclusion:

Old-fashioned Christianity was not bad at all. In fact, we could use a good deal of it today. Are you an old-fashioned Christian?