HOW TO MAKE WISE SPIRITUAL DECISIONS?

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Every day we are forced to make choices in our lives.

1.    Some choices make little difference to our lives (i.e., the brand of shampoo).

2.    Some choices make a huge difference to our lives (i.e., the use of our finances).

 

B.   Many of the choices that we are called upon to make involve our spiritual man.

1.    The spiritual man is the inner man (2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16).

2.    The spiritual man is that part of us that lives on after our bodies return to the dust (Eccl. 12:7).

 

C.   Some people make very wise spiritual decisions.  Others make very foolish spiritual decisions. 

 

D.   In this lesson, we want to look that this question:  “How To Make Wise Spiritual Decisions.”

 

I.             AN ACTUALITY:  We Are Free Moral Agents

 

A.   Stated:  Man is a free-moral agent.

1.    We are free to make our own choices.

2.    We are not controlled by the will of another.

3.    This stands in contrast to determinism and predestination.

 

B.   The Bible does not use the words “free moral agent,” but it presents the concept in numerous ways.

1.    Verses exhorting individuals to choose:

a.    Deuteronomy 30:19

 

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed my live.

 

b.    Joshua 24:15

 

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:  but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

 

c.    1 Kings 18:21a

 

And Elijah came unto all the people and said, How long halt ye between two opinions?  If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him…

 

2.    Choices are often noted in the Scriptures:

a.    Masters? (Matt. 6:24)

 

No man can serve two masters:  for either ye will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

b.    Servanthood (Rom. 6:16)

 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servant to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

 

c.    Who we will please (Gal. 1:10)

 

For do I now persuade men, or God?  or do I seek to please men?  for it I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

 

d.    Friendship (1 John 2:15)

 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

 

II.           THE ALTERNATIVES: 

 

A.   Our will versus God’s will (Jesus, Matt. 26:39)

 

B.   The flesh versus the Spirit (Gal. 5:17)

 

C.   Sin versus righteousness (Rom. 6:16)

 

D.   Relationships with men versus a relationship with God (The hypocrites, Matt. 6:2, 5)

 

E.   False doctrine versus truth (2 Tim. 4:2-4)

 

F.    Materialism versus spiritual (The rich man, Matt. 19:21-22)

 

G.   Momentary happiness versus eternal joy (Heb. 11:25).

 

H.   Earthly exaltation versus exalting the Father (Herod, Acts 12:21-23)

 

I.     Physical life versus eternal life (Demas, 2 Tim. 4:10)

 

J.    The world versus the church (Matt. 6:33)

 

III.         THE ALLUREMENTS

 

A.   Lusts

1.    Lusts are simply desires that exist within the heart of man.

2.    Satan knows how to entice these desires (Jam. 1:14)

 

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

3.    Man wants his desires to be satisfied.  Thus, he yields to the temptation.

 

B.   Loyalties

1.    Loyalty involves two main components

a.    A feeling of devotion

b.    The faithful adherence to another

2.    God wants us to be loyal to Him alone (Exo. 34:14)

 

For thou shalt worship no other god:  for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

 

3.    Satan tries to do one of two things.

a.    He seeks to claim our loyalty.

b.    Or, he will divide our loyalty.

4.    One of the biggest battles we face in the area of loyalty involves our loyalty to self.

a.    Loyalty to God involves a crucifixion of self (Gal. 2:20).

 

I am crucified with Christ…

 

b.    Self, however, constantly seeks to revive himself in our lives. 

1)    Take care of yourself.

2)    If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.

3)    If you give self up, what do you have left?

 

C.   Loves

1.    Every child of God knows that God is supposed to be loved with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).

2.    Love, however, is an emotion that can reach out to other things.

a.    People

b.    Places

c.    Things

d.    Activities

3.    Jesus tells us that our love is an either/or choice (Matt. 6:24).

 

No man can serve two masters:  for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

IV.         THE ANTECEDENTS NEEDED TO MAKE OUR CHOICES?

 

A.   Counsel of God’s Word

1.    Psalm 119:105

 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

2.    Psalm 119:128

 

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

 

B.   Commendation of the Lord

1.    There is going to be no greater feeling than to hear the commendation of the Lord on the day of judgment (Matt. 25:21, 23).

 

...Well done, thou good and faithful servant…

 

2.    We should also long for our Father’s commendation while we are living.

a.    God sees our battles with the evil one.

b.    Every time we make choices that respect God and honor His law, He is well-pleased with us (Col. 1:10)

 

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing…

 

3.    Jesus told John the Baptist that he needed to fulfill all righteousness by being baptized.  When He was coming out of the water, the heavenly Father proclaimed His good pleasure toward His Son (Matt. 3:15).

 

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

 

C.   Commitment of faith

1.    There are two words that are often used synonymously with faith, that is, belief and trust.

a.    Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).

b.    We believe God’s words are true.

c.    We trust them enough to employ them in our lives.

2.    When we do both of these things, there is a commitment on our parts.

a.    We may not understand.

b.    We may not agree necessarily.

c.    But, we are bound, obligated, that is, committed to doing the will of our Lord and Master.

3.    Hebrews 11:6

 

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, that that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

D.   Concern for our soul

1.    The soul is the spiritual component of man that God housed within him when he was formed within the womb.

2.    It operates within our physical body at this time, but it can and will exist separate from our body at death.

3.    It is that part of us that is like unto God.  God longs for it to be pure and holy instead of being stained with sin.

4.    Jesus teaches us that our soul should be our primary concern while living this life.  That concern involves our doing all we can to save our soul (Matt. 16:26).

 

For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

E.   Care about the hereafter

1.    Is there a heaven and hell?

2.    Most would answer:  “Yes.”

3.    Jesus taught that there are two destinations.

a.    He taught about the strait gate and wide gate in Matthew 7:13-14.

b.    Matthew 25:46

 

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:  but the righteous into life eternal.

 

4.    Do your choices manifest that you care about these destinations?

 

F.    Consciousness of our example

1.    Some of the choices that we make for our lives can be seen by others.

2.    Many of these individuals know that we are Christians.  We have told them that we are committed servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3.    These individuals are not ignorant of how Christians were supposed to live.

4.    If we do not live up to the standard that we claim as the rule for our life, then our Christian example will be marred in their eyes.

5.    Lamentations 2:15

 

All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

CONCLUSION

 

A.   From now until we die, our lives will be a series of continuous decisions.

 

B.   The Lord wants us to make decisions that will honor him.

 

C.   Satan wants us to make decisions that will disgrace the God we serve and put our souls in jeopardy.

 

D.   In Ephesians 5, Paul contrasts the life we are to live verses the life of those who are “the children of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6).  The kind of life Paul exhorts us to live should influence every decision we make.

1.    “Be ye followers of God, as dear children” (Eph. 5:1).

2.    Sinful things should “not once be named among you, as becometh saints” (Eph. 5:3)

3.    Be not partakers with the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:7).

4.    “…walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8).

5.    “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Eph. 5:10)

6.    “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11).

7.    “See than that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph. 5:15).

8.    “Redeeming the time, because the days of evil” (Eph. 5:16).

9.    “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:17).

10. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).

11. “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20).

 

E.   The most important decision that a person will make in this life is whether to obey the gospel and follow Jesus Christ, or, reject the gospel and be separated from the Christ.