Suppressing God's Truth

By: M. Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

1999003

Subject: Attitude/conduct

Preached Originally: January 10, 1999 - Rapid City, SD

 

1.    Introduction.

A.      God's truth has been made to us.  Each one of us has been blessed to know and understand the message of the Bible.

1.       The bible, which contains the gospel of Jesus Christ has been carried from one end of the earth to the other.

2.       Paul taught us that the grace of God has appeared to all men.  Titus 2-11

B.      Paul also taught us in Romans that the gospel is God's plan of salvation.

1.       There is no other way to be saved from our sins than through God's plan.  One can submit to God's plan by committing to working righteousness through faith.

2.       Faith should be the motivating factor@ of everything in our ,spiritual life.

C.      As we read in Titus 2:1 1, grace has appeared to all men.  When one has knowledge of the truth of God's will, then that knowledge brings ,forth a responsibility.

1 .   That responsibility is to do the things that are found in the truth.  Read v. 12.

@2. Acts 10-.34-35 - we must work righteousness to be accepted by God.

Righteousness, is doing the things contained in God's law.  If we fail to work righteousness,according to God's plan then we have no one to blame. but ourselves.

D.      main text of today's lesson found in Rom. 1: 1 8-21.  Here we have the story of the Gentiles.

,1.   Paul testifies that the truth was made known to them.  However ... they suppressed the truth and                lived in unrighteousness.

2.    Suppress: to put an end to, esp. by force.- to subdue; to keep from being revealed, circulated, published.  To hold back, to .repress.

3.    Suppressing the truth = serious.

a.     v. 20 - there is no excuse for it.

b.    V. 32 - penalty for such = death!

4.  from reading Rom. 1:18-32 it is clear that the Gentiles overpowered God's ways/laws - even the very belief in Him. a. as a result their lives drifted into the dark darkness of sin.

 

Suppressing God's Truth              1999003                               Page 2

 

E.      When God gives us truth ... He does so that truth might control us.  SO that it may become the motivating fact behind everything that we do.

1 .   if we have the truth w/in us & wish to promote it we must stick with it and live by it.

2.    Our lives must be constructed with God's truth.  If our lives are not consistent w/God's truth - we become guilty of suppressing it. We're hold it back!

3.    If we cause it to fail ... God will hold us accountable for such.

F.      Are you suppressing God's truth?  Are you in danger of meeting the wrath of God just as the Gentiles who Paul talked about will meet?

G.      We wish to answer the question of how men may suppress the truth of God today.  Don't you be guilty!

 

11.     By Denying the Presence of God.  V. 19-20

A.     God has made His presence known from the beginning of time.

1.       since the creation of man - men have been capable of knowing that there is a God.

2.       Psa. 19:1-6 - evidences in nature support the existence of a Supreme being.

B.      Yet men today teach that the earth got here by Big bang; dinosaurs killed by asteroid; man evolved from monkeys.

1.       it takes more faith to believe in this than it does creation.

2.       Experience/observation/common sense - tells man that there is a God!

a.       wonders of human body testify to a supreme creator.

b.      Scenery/weather patterns testify of the presence of God.

c.       Must take the Genesis creation account for what it says.  God created the world & all things in 6 literal 24 hour time periods.

C.      In creation we see also the Supreme divinity of God.  Gen. 1:26-27.  Certainly God has authority over mankind.

1     - God above all creatures/things.

2.       He (God) deserves v,,orship/honor/praise

3.       The Bible testifies to His eternalness and Supreme power...

a.    Jer. 4:23 - present before the viorld formed.

b.    Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:9-1 0 - present once the viorld ends.

D.      We must recognize the presence of God.  We must humble submit ourselves to Him - lest we become as the Gentiles and suppress the truth in risk His wrath.

 

Ill.  By not being thankful for our many blessings - v. 21

A.     Read v. 21 - were not thankful.

1.       bible encourages men everywhere to be thankful to God for the blessings and graciousness that he has bestowed upon us.

a.         Psa. 106: 1; 107: 1; 136:1-3; 1 Thess. 5:18 - in everything give thanks.

 

 

b.      Are we thankful for what God has done for us?  God wants/expects us to be thankful.

2.       God expects this thankfulness that we have to come from the heart.  It is to be genuine in nature.

3.       Must realize that God has done so much for us. (Salvation from sin, material blessings) When we realize what He has done, this thankfulness should come naturally.

B.      More scriptures on the need of being thankful - Psa 105:1; Col. 3:15

C.      Note: the problem of the Gentiles that led them further away from God vitas the lack of the very thing we are talking about.

1.       lack of thankfulness can initiate one's descent away from God.

2.       It can become the beginning of the end!

a.       w/gentiles ... soon God did not mean much to them.  His presence was de-emphasized until finally no recognition was given to Him.

b.      Idolatry crept in.  Before long, general immorality was the norm.

3.       Same happens w/people now.

a.       God's presence & actions de-emphasized in our lives.

b.      Idols (materialism; lusts of the flesh, laziness) creep in & we drift away from the Lord.  Some never to return.

D.   Suppress truth by our lack of thankfulness in worship.

1.      with some - worship a mere habit.  No meaning.  Go through the motions.

a.       others see this attitude exhibited.

b.      Depresses/discourages them.

c.       B/f long they get sucked into this.

2.       Must watch ourselves.  What attitude we portray in mrship?

a.       men: prayers w/same words ... is our heart in it?

b.      Same old songs in worship.

c.       No preparation for worship - problem that confronts us all.

3.    We should express our thankfulness to God during our v,/Orship!

a.    should be a time of joy & spiritual uplifting.

b.    Note attitude of David in Psa. 35:15-18

1.       beset by mridly, ungodly people.  Looked forward to coming to worship to glorify God and recharge spiritual batteries.

2.       Same for us.

c.       do we express our thankfulness to God during worship, or reveal to him that it (worship) is a bore and hassle?

3.       What is we get here & witness unthankful and lackadaisical worship?  Are we going to be uplifted?

IV.     By trusting in their own wisdom. to! 2- Z-

A.     Gentiles spent much time educating themselves.

 

 

1.    Greeks famous for their philosophies.

2.    Most refined nations....those that make the most out of their wisdom ... most foolish in religion.

a.       Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Americans.  All expressed their-great wisdom - but loved the worship of idols and self.

b.      1 Cor. 1:21 a - world through it's wisdom did not know God.

3.    Acts 17:18-32 - Athenian philosophers laugh/ridicule Paul.

B.    We need to learn from this!

1.    often ... what the world determines to be vase = foolish!

2.    This especially true in realms of religion/morality.

C.      Present morality/vAsdom

1 .   It's OK to lie in certain circumstances - especially about sex - if you get caught in adultery.

2.    No one can make a righteous judgment b/c everyone has sinned.  Nobody's perfect.

3.    God loves all people & doesn't care what sexual preference you choose.

4.    Everybody does it - it must be OK

5.    It's only a fetus ... every woman has the right to choose to do whatever she wants w/her own body.

6.    If there is a God .... He will not punish man eternally in hell.

7.    All churches are OK - if they are trying to get to heaven.

D.      America claims to be the most educated and culturally acceptable nation that has ever existed.

1.       not giving any glory - or thought to God.

2.       We have come to trust in our own wisdom - which contributes to the moral decay we see all around us.

E.    Penalty for trusting our own wisdom:

1.       1 Tim. 6:20

2.       Col. 2:8 - tradition/wisdom of men nets nothing for eternity!

3.       1 Cor. 3:18-20 - wisdom of the world = foolishness w/God.

F.    Must put our trust in God if we wish to be successful.

 

V.    By our failure to be a positive influence for Christ.

A.   v. 21 - Gentiles failed to glorify God!  Brought His name w/reproach w/others around them.

1.       suppressed God in their minds.  Cast Him out of their minds.

2.       Given over to do as they pleased.

B.      Remember ... they supposed to have the truth.  They kept it down...theysuppressedit. Keptitawayfromthosewhosoughttodo good.

C.      Howisourinfluence?  ArewesuppressingGod'struthinthisway?

1.    he who has the truth must remain true to it in order to make it effective

 

 

2.       our lives must be consistent w/God's truth - or else we become an impediment to it!

a.       are you an impediment to the truth?

b.      More keep the light of the truth from shining brightly than we realize.

1     - their lives b/c darkened wlsin.

2.    Is your light for Christ shining brightly?

c.       Mt. 5:14-16

3.       Eph. 4:17-24 - must put away the old man and not walk in the

old    ways!

4.       do those around us know that we are attempting to serve God?

1     Jhn. 3:11

D.   Let's not fall into the same fate as the Gentiles.  They suppressed the truth via their unwillingness to glorify God.

E.    If we cause God's truth to fail - God will hold us accountable.

1.    I would hate to stand b/f God - knowing truth - even obeyed it but have to answer for my bad conduct as a Christian.

 

VI.    By applauding the sins of others. - v. 32

A.      persons (Gentiles) who committed crimes mentioned in chapt 1 knew they were guilty b/f God.

1.       They had the light, but lived in darkness.  They sinned in unbelief.

2.       They knew this & sinned anyway.

B.      Even shoed their pleasure in those who engaged in sin w/them.

C.      How can we applaud sin?

1        .By our failure to identify sin as sin when we see it.

2.    Eph. 5: I 1-1 3

3.    Do we inform others & stand up for God?

4.    Co workers know that you don't approve of their foul language?

5.    Know that you don't appreciate dirty jokes, hearing about their immorality?

D.   We must frown in sin b/c of it's low estimate w/God!

1.       not only in our lives

2.       but in those around us.  Takes courage to do so.  To be effective in this we must be practicing what we preach.

E. Are you suppressing God's truth in this way?

Vil.  Conclusion.

A.   From this lesson we see that suppressing God's truth is a very serious thing.

1.    It is something that we need not be guilty of.  It is a danger that we need to be well aware of.

2.    If we suppress the truth we will be held accountable by God!

B.      Are you prepared to meet God?

 

 

C.      Don't meet the same fate as the Gentiles did.  Their state described here in Romans one seems to be one of disrepute and sadness.

D.      Are you ready to become a Christian?

E.      INVITATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 10, 1999 - Rapid City, SD