A More Excellent Way

“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”

1 Cor. 12:31

“does not rejoice in iniquityBut rejoices in the truth”

Description of Love

4. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5. does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6. does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8. Love never fails.

Description of Love1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper8. Guilelessness

Dealing with our fellow man

Description of Love1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper8. Guilelessness

9. Sincerity

Deals with our relationship with God

Description of Love1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper8. Guilelessness

9. Sincerity10.Spiritual strength11.Open-Mindedness12.Optimism13.Faithfulness14.Loverly

“rejoices in the truth”

“does not rejoice in iniquity” NKJV

“rejoiceth not in unrighteousness” ASV

“does not rejoice at wrongdoing” ESV

Positive

Negative

Love Takes a Stand

Takes a stand for the truth

And Takes a Stand against all Sin !

“He that is not with me is against me” Mt.12:30

Love does not speak out of both sides of the mouth .

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness

Some have rejoiced in unrighteousness

Balaam - Num. 22“loved the wages of unrighteousness” 2 Pet.2:15

Prodigal Son – Luke 15Wasted his substance with riotous living Lk.15:13

Damage from Insincerity

NehemiahRebuilding walls of JerusalemEnemies used insincerity to try to stop him

Neh. 6:2 “come let us meet together”“they thought to do me harm”

Insincerity still hinders the work of God.

Why we should not rejoice inunrighteousness

I John 5:17 “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

Jesus Denounced the Insincere

Matthew 15:7-8“hypocrites”“heart is far from me.”

Matthew 23:25-28Outward appeared to be righteousInward they were insincere sinnersAppeared to be righteousBut at heart they were rotten

Offered lip ServiceNot heart Service

We say we love God

Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?”

John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commandments”

Sincere obedience will free us from sin

Rom. 6:17-18 “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Directs into righteousness

Walking in the truth

II John 4 “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth,…”

III John 3-4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

Directs into righteousness

Love not the world1 Jn. 2:15-17 “love not the world”

Lust of the flesh Lust of the eyes Pride of life

Rom. 12:1-2 “be not conformed to this world…”

Directs into righteousness

Walk In The Light

1 John 1:7 “but if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Directs into righteousness

Put off the old man – Put on the new manEph. 4:22-24

corrupt clean deceitful lusts true righteousness

Gossip

Humbly submit to him

Our actions prove if we are sincere

Sincerity alone will not save

This is Sincerity

This is Sincerity

Describes our love for God

Jn. 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Jn. 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

This is Sincerity

We must take a stand for the truth !

Some will rejoice with the truth in the presence of friends but will remain silent in the presence of enemies.

If we really love God we will rejoice with the truth at all times.

Description of Love1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper8. Guilelessness

9. Sincerity

Deals with our relationship with God

Description of Love1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper8. Guilelessness

Dealing with our fellow man

Description of Love1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper8. Guilelessness

9. Sincerity10.Spiritual strength11.Open-Mindedness12.Optimism13.Faithfulness14.Loverly

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

[email protected]@bellsouth.net

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Evening Sept. 22, 2013