'The Great Sin'

'The Great Sin'

Excerpt from Chapter 8 of 'Mere Christianity' by CS Lewis.


'According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride.  Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete ant-God state of mind.'


'To love and admire anything outside of yourself  is to take one step away from utter spiritual ruin, though we shall not be well so long as we love and admire anything more than we love and admire God'


http://www.fellowshipofthemartyrs.com/articles/60-spiritual-tuneup/191-mere-christianity-chapter-8-qthe-great-sinq-cs-lewis-













https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN_LoWGtdWg




Isaiah 14: 12-17





'How you have fallen from heaven,
 O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
 You who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart,
  "I will ascend to heaven,
I will raise my throne,
  above the stars of God,
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
  on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds,
  I will make myself like the Most High"
But you are brought down to the grave,
  to the depths of the pit.

Those who see you stare at you,
  they ponder your fate:
"Is this the man who shook the earth,
  and made kingdoms tremble,
the man who made the world a desert,
  who overthrew its cities,
and would not let his captives go home?"

Guard the Gospel -

The Word of God - (study given on 18th June 1999)

A former US President, Theodore Roosevelt, once said that 'a thorough knowledge of the Bible is better than a college education'.


Study:


2 Timothy 3: 16-17


'All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work'.



ALL scripture is God-breathed



Is only half of the Bible true?  NO



ALL of it is God-breathed (comes from God)



So the WHOLE Bible is true.  We can have and should have confidence in the Bible

The Bible is our guide and offers us the way to Heaven

Guard the Gospel -

Discipleship -

Acts 11: 25-26

Disciple = Christian

the word Christian appears 3 times - Acts 11: 25-26
                                                           Acts 26: 28
                                                           1 Peter 4: 16

the word Disciple appears over 300 times


Mark 1: 14-20

Calling of the first disciples
Instant response


               ***


Matthew 7: 7-12

God will give you your prayers


Matthew 7: 13-14

Wide and narrow road

Sin Study - 1998

Guard the Gospel -

"All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23

Sin is an  - evil thought
                - sexual immorality
                - theft
                - murder
                - adultery
                - greed
                - malice
                - deceit
                - lewdness
                - envy
                - slander
                - arrogance
                - folly

These come from in us
 - Mark 7:20-23

Sin separates us from God:

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
- Isaiah 59: 1-2

Wall of sin - 

when we sin, God cannot hear you.   Repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins:

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do? 
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”"
 - Acts 2: 36 - 40

Jesus is the only way to the heavenly Father

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
 - John 14: 5-9

Guard the Gospel -

Church -

Colossians 1:18

Jesus is the head of the body


Ephesians 2: 19-22

Before we become Christians we are foreigners and aliens.

Christians do not have anything in common with foreigners.

Foundation of Church built on apostles' and prophets' teachings which are found in the Bible

Jesus is the cornerstone - the stone that supports the whole building

The Christians are like the bricks of the Church


Hebrews 3:12-13

To stop sin we must meet daily

This stops your heart being hardened


Hebrews 10:24-25

'Spur' on to love one another and do good deeds

Do not get out of the habit of meeting


Acts 2: 42-7

The disciples devoted themselves to:
                                                               a. teachings
                                                               b. fellowship                    - common interest
                                                               c. breaking bread            
                                                               d. prayer
                                                               e.

God grows the Church

Guard the Gospel -

Discipleship -

Acts 11:25-26

A Christian = A Disciple 

The word Christian is in the Bible 3 times
The word Disciple is in the Bible 300 times


Mark 1: 14-20

Calling of first disciples
Instant following of Jesus


Matthew 28:18-20

     1. Make Disciples
     2. Baptise
     3. Teach


John 8: 31-32

Hold to Jesus' teachings
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you FREE


John 13: 34-35

You will know Jesus' disciples if they love one another


Luke 9: 23-27

Nothing should distract you from your relationship with God


http://nvcoc.org/files/6313/9645/3709/DISCIPLESHIP_STUDY.pdf

Guard the Gospel -

The Church -

Colossians chapter 1: 18-20 inclusive

The head - Jesus - and the body - the Church
There is only one Church


Ephesians chapter 2: 19-21 incl.

Members of God's household; being part of a family
Having a concern for the family
Cornerstone - Jesus is the chief support of the Church


1 Corinthians chapter 12: 14-26 incl.

How there needs to be UNITY in Church
Each part is necessary
This helps us being vulnerable and open with each other


Hebrews chapter 4: 12-13 incl.

The Word of God is living and active

The Word has to be put into practice to understand it's power


Hebrews chapter 3: 12-13 incl.

Directed towards the Church


Mark chapter 7:20-23 incl.

How many of these apply to me?


Acts chapter 2: 42-47 incl.

'....being devoted....'


Hebrews chapter 10:26-27 incl.

Guard the Gospel -

Sin -  (study given Tuesday 9th August 1998)

What is sin? - contrary to God

Romans 3: 22-24

All have sinned - all short of God's acceptance - all in need of grace.


Romans 6:23

Wages are earnt, we deserve our wage (ie. death), it is due us

Gifts are given, not earnt, Eternal life in Christ Jesus is freely given by God


Mark 7:21

Sin comes from within men's hearts, we are responsible for our own sin (hearts desires, evil thoughts etc...)


2 Timothy 3:1-4

There will be   "     "    as a result of man's sin. 
Having a form of godliness, intellectual approach to the Gospel, denying the power of the scriptures, resisting personal application to one's life


James 4:15-17

In opposition to God's will

                                                               [WALL]
                                         God    >>       [   OF    ]       You
                                                                [ SIN     ]


Isaiah 59:1 - 2

Sin causes separation from God


Isaiah 53: 1-12

Jesus, the Atonement for all men


Acts 2: 36-39

Personal responsibility for you sin that crucified Jesus


2 Peter 3:9-11

God is patient


Acts 3:19

Repent, turn to God, times of refreshing

                                                                  .    '     /
                                         God      >>                       <<       You
                                                                     \   .    '                                                      


2 Corinthians 7: 10-11

Godly sorrow = repentance = salvation = no regrets

Characteristics of Godly sorrow (verse 11)


Mark 9:43-48

Attitude towards sin - Jesus is serious about dealing with sin


John 15:18-21

Jesus was persecuted.  As we follow him, we will also be,

No servant is greater than his master.


http://nvcoc.org/files/8313/9645/3657/SIN_STUDY.pdf

Guard the Gospel -

Chariot Ride

1 Peter 2: 9-10

We are in the darkness or we are in the light


Isaiah 59: 1-2

Your sin keeps you away from God

The problem is not with God it is with man.


Galatians 5:19

We must break down our wall of sin


Acts 2:36-39

This is how you get saved

Guard the Gospel -

Commitment  (3-10-2000)

Luke 9: 23-26

It takes self-denial to be a Christian.  Jesus states that if we are ashamed of him, he will be ashamed of us.

Acts 2: 42-47

Christians being devoted to prayer, the word, fellowship and each other.

Romans 12:4-5

Each Christian belongs to other Christians

Jeremiah 29:11-13

God has a plan for our lives

Guard the Gospel -


The Personification of Wisdom through Jesus Character -

Genesis 1:26-27 (plural)
John 1:1-3 (the beginning) Hebrew 1:1-3
Proverbs 8:22-23
Proverbs 8:30-31
Proverbs 4:7- (wisdom supreme)
Proverbs 8:35-36
Colossians 2:2-3 1 Corinthians 1:-30-31
James 3:17-18

Guard The Gospel -

The Cross

1 Cor 1: 18-31   Foolishness of the Cross
1 Peter 2: 24
Matthew 26:38-39
Matthew 27:45-46
1 Corinthians 15:3
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Acts 2:36
Romans 5:8




http://nvcoc.org/files/1113/7696/1759/CROSS_STUDY.pdf

Mental Health

'If you were to take the sum total of all authoritative articles ever written by the most qualified of psychologists and psychiatrists on the subject of mental hygiene - if you were to combine them and refine them and cleave out the excess verbiage - if you were to take the whole of the meat and none of the parsley, and if you were to have these unadulterated bits of pure scientific knowledge concisely expressed by the most capable of living poets, you would have an awkward and incomplete summation of the Sermon on the Mount.  And it would suffer immeasurably in comparison.  For nearly two thousand years the Christian world has been holding in its hands the complete answer to its restless and fruitless yearnings.  Here... rests the blueprint for successful human life with optimism, mental health and contentment.'
                                                                        - Psychiatrist J. T. Fisher

Source:
'More than a Carpenter', Josh McDowell




'Psyche' - ancient Greek goddess of the soul