WEIGHING THE CONSEQUENCES OF WORLDLINESS

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WEIGHING THE CONSEQUENCES OF
WORLDLINESS

• James 41-12

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INTRODUCTION

• A. Problem of divided interests
• Pleasing God and enjoying the
  world
• B. Seriousness of worldliness
• Jesus No servant can serve two
  masters. either he will hate the one
  and love the other or he will be
  devoted to the one and despise the
  other. You cannot serve both God and
  money. Luke 1613

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PLEASING GOD RATHER THAN PURSUING PLEASURE

• A. Seriousness of selfish worldliness
  exposed 41-4
• 1. As the pursuit of pleasure 41-3
• a. A life of selfish striving
  41-2a

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• b. A life of self dependence 42b
• prayerlessness
• c. A life of frustration 43
• unanswered prayer/wrong motives
• 2. As unfaithfulness to God 44
• you adulterous people
• friendship with world is hatred to
  God
• anyone who chooses to be a friend of
  the world becomes an enemy of God

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B. Surplus of Gods grace documented 45-6

• 1. Scripture teaches that God desires us for
  
  his friends 45
• Interpretive problem Or do you think
  Scripture says without reason
• a. that the spirit he caused to live in
  us tends toward envy? NIV
• b. that God jealously longs for the
  spirit that he made to live in us?
• c. that the Spirit he caused to live in
  us longs jealously? 45

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B. Surplus of Gods grace documented 45-6
1. Scripture teaches that God desires us

for his friends 45

• 2. Scripture teaches that Gods grace can
  overcome our proud resistance to him 46
• He gives us more grace Proverbs 334
• a. Consequences of pride Divine
  opposition 46b
• b. Condition for grace humility 46c

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C. Steps to restoration listed 47-10

• 1. Submit to God 47a
• 2. Resist the devil 47b
• 3. Draw near to God 48a

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C. Steps to restoration (continued)

• 4. Morally purify yourself 48b
• in action in attitudes
• 5. Demonstrate true sorrow for sin 49
• 6. God restores those humbled before Him
  410

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D. Slandering fellow believers forbidden

411-12

• 1. Prohibition stated 411a
• 2. Reasons noted 411b-12
• a. It makes one a judge of Gods law
  411b
• To disobey is to judge law as a
  bad law
• b. It usurps Gods role as Lawgiver
  and Judge 412
• Only God, the Lawgiver, should
  judge (in sense of condemning other
  believers)

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CONCLUSION

• 1. Realize you cant please God and be a
  friend of the world at the same time.
• 2. Remember what a serious problem friendship
  with the world is.
• 3. Live lives characterized by dependence,
  submission, and restored fellowship with God.