Emotionalism

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Emotionalism

• Matthew 721-23

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The Difference Between Emotional
Emotionalism
EMOTION "An intense mental state that arises
subjectively rather than through conscious effort
and is often accompanied by physiological
changes a strong feeling the emotions of joy,
sorrow, reverence, hate, and love. (American
Heritage Dictionary).
Two Extremes
Feel Good Religion
Cold, Heartless Religion
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Emotion Is Proper Part Of Life
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Natural Progression with Age Emotion to Reason

• Babies cry throw temper tantrums when they want
  something (emotional display)
• Expect older people to control desires
• Same process of raw expression to control is seen
  in other realms of life
• General Rule Maturity brings control as thought
  reason precede direct emotion

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Jesus Displayed Emotion

• Wept at the grave of Lazarus (Jn. 1133-36)
• Wept as He approached Jerusalem (Lk. 1941-44)
• Strong crying tears in Gethsemane (Heb. 57-8)
• Compassion on the lost confused (Matt. 936)
• Often had compassion on the diseased and
  afflicted
• Showed tenderness towards little children (Mark
  1013-16)
• Was angered at hardened hearts (Mark 35)
• Showed emotions in driving out the money changers
  from the temple (Jn. 213-16)

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Men of God Showed Emotion

• Gen. 451-4 Joseph revealing self to brothers
• Josh. 75-7 Joshua in defeat of Israel at Ai
• Acts 82 Lamented over Stephen
• Acts 939 Widows wept over Dorcas
• Acts 1716 Spirit of Paul provoked by idols
• Acts 2037 Ephesian elders wept over Paul
• 2 Cor. 610 Sorrowful rejoicing in labor
• 2 Cor. 1128 Anxiety for all the churches

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Emotion in Response to Gospel

• Acts 839 Ethiopian rejoiced after obeying
• Acts 1634 Jailor rejoiced having believed
• Phil. 44 Rejoice in the Lord always
• 1 Jn. 14 Revelation given to give full joy
• 2 Cor. 710 Godly sorrow before repentance
• Acts 237 Gospel pricks the heart
• In each case, proper emotion is preceded and
  directed by the truth believed obeyed

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Improper Emotion in Scripture

• 1Kg 1826f Prophets of Baal
• 1Kg 2211 Zedekiah in giving false vision
• Acts 754f Crowd angered to kill Stephen
• Acts 1923f Demetrius crowd for Diana
• Matt. 1320 Rocky soil hearers emotion
• Improper emotion seen in rejecting truth whether
  before or after hearing the message

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Reception of Holy Spirit Never Tied to Emotion in
Scripture

• Acts 2 - Apostles received H.S. at Pentecost
• Never told how the apostles felt
• Acts 10 - Cornelius received Holy Spirit
• Never told how Cornelius felt about it
• Acts 19 - Men at Ephesus received Spirit
• Never told how they felt about it
• No statement of preferring feeling over Bible
• Spirit caused revelation (2 Tim. 316-17)

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Truth Not Determined by Emotions or Feelings

• Case of Jacobs grief over Joseph (Gen. 37)
• Brothers of Joseph sell him into slavery
• Deceived Jacob into believing Joseph was dead
• Mourning was just as real as if actually dead
• Truth not determined by reality of emotion
• Case of Jobs emotions during trials
• Emotions were both real intense
• Reacted from feeling that God caused his trials
• Truth differed from Jobs feelings emotions

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Truth Must Be Foundation for All Thought Emotion
Not Emotions Based on Subjectivism

• Jeremiah 2316-22
• Jeremiah 1413-17
• Ezekiel 131-3
• Matthew 721-23

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Applications for Today
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Emotionalism in Denominations

• Catholicism filled with emotion-based appeal in
  liturgy tradition
• Southern Baptist Rather go with feeling in my
  heart than whole stack of Bibles
• Methodists Warm feeling of confirmation of
  Wesley followers
• Pentecostals Confirm salvation by emotional
  display of ecstatic worship much like pagans
• Emotional display lifestyle often at odds

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Emotionalism in Lords Church

• Some profess great emotional feeling...
• But emotion used to assist those engaged in
  sinful practices those teaching doctrinal error
• But willing to tolerate growing number of evils
• But evidence moral decline in dress, drinking
• But show little growth in knowledge of truth
• Takes on different forms at various times
• Soul talks, burn candles, low lights, camp fervor
• Emphasis is on style rather than substance

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Danger Signs for Emotionalism

• Change of worship style content
• Become enamoured with casual atmosphere
• Imitate contemporary style of denominations
• Seek more aesthetically appealing settings
• Sunrise or sunset services, beach devos...
• Songs with appeal not based on edification
• Content of lyrics appealing to pop culture
• Rounds which are not understandable
• Musical complexity overwhelms message
• Influence of camps becoming dangerous