Christian Absolutes

John Wesley’s Rule for Christian Living

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever...

You can!

A great list that all of us can apply! In fact I wonder if any of us have ever made such a list. I have!! It is found right here in God’s Word. And in God’s Word there are absolutes that I like to call Christian Absolutes. This morning I would like for us to look at 2 of them. The first relates to ourselves the second relates to others.

Our Personal Conduct

Towards God

We are to Believe God

The example of Noah

Noah’s favor - Gen.6:8

Noah’s character - Gen.6:9

Noah’s character displayed - Gen.6:22;7:5

The example of Abraham

Abraham’s call - Gen.12:1

God’s promise - Gen.12:2-3,7,14-17; 15:5

Abraham’s response

He went where God told him - Gen.12:4

He believed God (Gen.15:6; Rom.4:3; James 2:21-23)

Thomas Watson, Where reason cannot wade there faith may swim.(The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations)

John Trapp, It is the nature of faith to believe God upon His bare word. . . . It will not be, saith sense; it cannot be, saith reason; it both can and will be, saith faith, for I have a promise for it. (Bible Illustrator, Quickverse)

We are to Fear God

Israel was told to fear God

"Fear" Heb.yare’ - "to revere" (Strong)

Deut.6:1-2 - "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, "that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.

Deut.10:12-13 - "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, "and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Solomon concluded this to be true - Eccl.12:13

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

The psalmist says this is what makes a man truly blessed - Ps.112:1 - Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments.

We are to Love God

Thomas Watson, Faith deals with invisibles, but God hates that love which is invisible. (The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations)

Israel’s greatest command - Deut.6:5 -

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Jesus said this was the greatest commandment - Mat.22:37-38 -

Jesus said to him, " ’You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ "This is the first and great commandment.

Joseph Hall, If my respects to my Savior be for the loaves and fishes, my heart is carried away with those baskets of fragments; but, if I can love God for His goodness’ sake, this love shall out–last time, and over–match death.(The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations)

We are to Obey God

Luke 6:46 - "But why do you call Me ’Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?"

Thomas Watson, God commands nothing but what is beneficial. "O Israel, what does the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to keep His statutes, which I command thee this day, for thy good?" To obey God, is not so much our duty as our privilege. (The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations)

1 John 2:3-5; 5:3

The late Roland Q. Leavell in his book, Evangelism: Christ’s Imperative Commission, stated that of all the reported Church members:

5 per cent do not exist,

10 per cent cannot be found,

20 per cent never pray,

25 per cent never read the Bible,

30 per cent never attend Church services,

40 per cent never give any money to the church,

50 per cent never go to Sunday School,

60 per cent never go to Church Sunday night,

70 per cent never give to missions,

80 per cent never go to prayer meeting,

90 per cent never have family worship, and

95 per cent never win a soul to Christ.

If these statistics are correct, they simply mean that as far as evangelism is concerned only 5 per cent of the Church members are obedient to Christ. In my experience I would judge that this figure is actually high. (Bible Illustrator)