Living Between the Extremes - Lesson 4 - Biblical Boundary #2

Pre-introduction

Am I edifying myself or others?

Meaning to lift up or to build up.
How do we do that?
Here are some synonyms.

Enlighten, inform, educate, instruct, improve & teach,

Definition - One of the words in the Bible used to describe Christian growth is edification. Edification is the process of spiritual growth in a Christian who is living according to the plan of God and who is fulfilling the command to "grow in grace and in the knowledge" of Jesus Christ.
http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/topics/edification.html

Introduction

For the sake of this introduction I will use the word ‘we’ instead of ‘I.’

Are we too worried about defending ourselves
that we don’t care about others?
Do we rehearse all possible excuses
in the event that we are challenged?

Do we compliment someone on Sunday morning,
Only to criticize them on the ride home with our spouse,
In front of our children?

How do we feel when others treat us the way we treat them?
When they lift them selves up
when they almost break their own arm patting themselves on their back?

My friend Mark Hunt described these people as ‘Pin People,’
Because they are always trying to burst your bubble.

Your thoughts on are we edifying others or ourselves?





Story of the Hermit Crab.

Let’s not be the aggressor hermit crab.
Then how are we to behave if we are the attacked hermit crab?

1 Corinthians 10:23, ‘All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.’

History on this verse

As taken from Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

‘There were cases wherein Christians might eat what had been offered to idols, without sin. Such as when the flesh was sold in the market as common food, for the priest to whom it had been given. But a Christian must not merely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and to edify others. Christianity by no means forbids the common offices of kindness, or allows uncourteous behaviour to any, however they may differ from us in religious sentiments or practices. But this is not to be understood of religious festivals, partaking in idolatrous worship. According to this advice of the apostle, Christians should take care not to use their liberty to the hurt of others, or to their own reproach. In eating and drinking, and in all we do, we should aim at the glory of God, at pleasing and honouring him. This is the great end of all religion, and directs us where express rules are wanting. A holy, peaceable, and benevolent spirit, will disarm the greatest enemies.’

Let’s read this verse again…

Are we giving our enemies ammunition?
Or are we disarming our enemies?





So with this in mind and also keeping in mind the topic of this class,
‘Living Between the Extremes’ are we to act one way in private
and another way in front of ‘younger’ Christians?

1 Corinthians 8:9, ‘But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.’

Just because we can do something, does that mean we should do it?





1 Corinthians 8:13, ‘Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.’

Do you believe this is a hypocritical statement,
Or is this a principal we can practice?





Romans 14:13, ‘Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.’

Instead of deciding on our brother or sister’s conduct,
let’s decide to not lay a stumbling-block before them.

Your thoughts on this verse?





As I believe I say in each class,
It is a heart issue.
What is the intent of our heart with our actions?

Romans 14:20, ‘For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.’

Do we hear people say things like,
‘I’m going to do this and I don’t care what anybody thinks?’
Do we think those same words ,
Or say them out of our own mouth?

Can you share your thoughts here?





The topic of this lesson is are we edifying ourselves or others?

Galatians 5:1, ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’

Bondage, what are we bound to?
What is holding us back?
What is controlling our decisions?

Do we have a pet sin that we perform that we cannot go a day without?
Do we allow ourselves a little sin on that bad day to pick ourselves up?
Is our guilt holding us back from boldly serving in ministry?
Is our sin holding us back from some of the Lord’s blessings?

Is our family missing out on the Lord’s blessings because of our “Liberty.”

Can you share a little bit about that yoke of bondage?





Galatians 5:13, ‘For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.’

Occasion to the flesh,
What occasion do we allow our flesh?
(when I say our, I mean you.)





1 Peter 2:16, ‘As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.’

Are we serving the Lord or do our needs come first?





1 John 2:10, ‘He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.’

If we are unsure we should err on the side of caution.
Is it better to ask permission or to ask forgiveness?





Conclusion

Do we defend ourselves as if we are in a court of law?
Do we always have to get in the last word?
Do we always have to be right?

Do our needs come before the needs of others?
Are we the hermit crab climbing up the wall
Or the crab getting pulled down?

Are we the one with the balloon or the one with the pin?

If we are unsure if what you are doing is offending someone else –
We probably are.

Let’s understand what the Lord has directed us to do.
There is a time and a place for everything.
Is that time in front of others?
Is that time when we are home alone?
Is that time never?

We can please some of the people some of the time,
And we can please all of the people none of the time.
Rather than proving to others that we are always right
Let’s rest in the fact that the Lord knows we are right.

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