Good Clean Christian Living

WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN

SERMON TITLE: CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIVING

10-28-01 A.M.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18

TEXT VERSE: TITUS 2:11 “FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN. TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD;

SALVATION IS FOR ALL PEOPLE. IN VERSE 12 THAT ISN’T TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN. THAT’S TALKING ABOUT NOW. IF WE’RE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE OUGHT TO ACT LIKE IT AND LOOK LIKE IT AND TALK LIKE IT NOW. WHEN WE GET HOME THE DEVIL ISN’T GOING TO BE THERE. THERE WILL BE NO SIN THERE. THERE WILL BE NO ENEMIES OF GOD THERE. IT WILL ONLY BE GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT AND US AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME IN THE LORD. BUT WHILE WE’RE HERE WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DENY UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUST AND LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY AND GODLY WHILE WE ARE HERE. I WANT TO PREACH TO YOU THIS MORNING ON CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIVING. THERE’S A LOT OF CHURCHES TODAY THAT SAY YOU CAN’T LIVE RIGHT. THAT YOU CAN’T LIVE FOR GOD BECAUSE IT’S TOO HARD. I BEG TO DIFFER. PAUL SAID IN TITUS 2 IF WE’LL DENY UNGODLINESS THAT AFFECTS US AND WORLDLY LUSTS THEN WE CAN LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY AND GODLY. IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US TO LIVE CHRIST LIKE. PEOPLE SAY WE CAN’T BUT THE BIBLE SAYS WE CAN. WE NEED TO LOOK LIKE JESUS. WE NEED TO WALK LIKE HIM AND TALK LIKE HIM AND BE LIKE HIM. YOU NEED TO LIVE A CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THIS WORLD.

HERE’S A DESCRIPTION OF HOW YOU CAN LIVE A GOOD CLEAN LIFE. PAUL SAID IN PHILIPPIANS 1:21 “FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST.” THAT’S ALL IT TAKES RIGHT THERE. WE’RE NOT LIVING FOR OURSELVES ANYMORE. WE’RE LIVING FOR CHRIST IF WE’RE SAVED. IF I WERE LIVING FOR MYSELF I’D BE OUT IN THE WORLD DOING THE THINGS I USED TO LIKE DOING, SAYING THE THINGS I USED TO SAY AND HANGING AROUND PEOPLE I USED TO HANG AROUND WITH. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD I HANG AROUND A NEW CROWD, GOD’S TOUCHED OUR LIFE AND FILLED US WITH THE SPIRIT AND I WANT TO LIVE A CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIFE FOR GOD TODAY.

IN JOHN 17 JESUS WAS PRAYING TO THE FATHER. HE WAS PRAYING FOR YOU AND ME. AND IN VERSES 15 AND 16 JESUS SAID I PRAY NOT THAT THOU WOULDEST TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD BUT I PRAY THAT THOU WOULDEST KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL. HE SAID THEY ARE NOT OF THE WORLD EVEN AS I AM NOT OF THE WORLD.

JESUS WAS SAYING TO HIS FATHER THAT HIS CHILDREN WHO HAD BEEN SAVED WERE NOT OF THE WORLD JUST AS HE WAS NOT OF THE WORLD. THAT’S A NICE PRAYER ISN’T IT? FATHER DON’T TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD BUT KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL.

IN JAMES 4:4 THE BIBLE SAYS IF ANY MAN BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD, HE IS THE ENEMY OF GOD. I BELIEVE THERE IS A LOT OF CHRISTIANS LIKE THAT. SOMETIMES I GET A LITTLE STRICT AND THAT’S BECAUSE GOD IS STRICT WITH ME TO HELP ME KEEP MYSELF IN LINE. THERE HAS TO BE SOME DISCIPLESHIP IN THE WORLD OF GOD AND THROUGH THE SPIRIT AND I’M TRYING TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT CHRISTIANS AREN’T LIVING AS CLEAN AS THEY SHOULD.

IN 1 JOHN 2:15-17 “LOVE NOT THE WORLD, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD. IF ANY MAN LOVE THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM. FOR ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD, THE LUST OF THE FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE IS NOT OF THE FATHER, BUT IS OF THE WORLD . AND THE WORLD PASSETH AWAY, AND THE LUST THEREOF; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF GOD ABIDETH FOR EVER.”

WE DON’T NEED TO LOVE THE WORLD, WE NEED TO LOVE GOD TODAY.! THERE’S CHRISTIANS ACROSS THE LAND TODAY THAT ARE LEAVING GOD OUT. HE DIDN’T LEAVE US OUT WHEN HE WENT TO THE CROSS OF CALVARY AND WE SHOULDN’T LEAVE HIM OUT. WE NEED GOOD CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIVING IN THE DAY AND TIME WE’RE LIVING.