Work Out, Aim High, Host Fast, Hold Forth

Driving home: we are to give ourselves to this task with something far bigger the occasional thought throughout the day in this action or that particular action what would the Lord have me to do? no, this is to be the dominating focus…

Martin distinguishes the fear of a guilty criminal, driven by apprehension of discovery and punishment, from the Christian's 'fear and trembling,' which stems from reverence for God's holiness and justice, even after redemption.

even as you've obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my app with fear and they would know whatever followed was serious business there was no room easy going a shuffling perspective about the Christian life the attendant disposition was to be that of fear and trembling and this is a favorite Pauline phrase it's found with little alterations at least four times in his writings and perhaps one of the most helpful parallel passages to give us the sense of what this fear and trembling is is the parallel usage in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 4 here Paul says in Ephesians 6 4 serva...

20:37 - 22:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Aim to be blameless in observable conduct, harmless (pure) in heart and life, and without blemish in your devotion to Christ.

He uses Zacharias and Elizabeth as an example of 'blamelessness' under the Old Covenant, noting they walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, illustrating that blamelessness refers to observable conduct, not sinless perfection.

these people that high that they may be in the total lifestyle manifest in Christ increasing likeness to their heavenly father and what will that mean in specific moral and ethical lifestyle he gives three words all of them are words that have the alpha privative they begin with the A with the alpha not this not this not this notice the first thing he says that you may become what kind of children of God blameless and harmless without blemish that you may be blameless that you may have no legitimate blame for observable moral and ethical inconsistencies blamelessness is not an unattainable sta...

41:03 - 42:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Aim to be blameless in observable conduct, harmless (pure) in heart and life, and without blemish in your devotion to Christ.

He cites Paul's own testimony in Philippians regarding his adherence to the law as an example of 'blamelessness' in observable conduct.

these people that high that they may be in the total lifestyle manifest in Christ increasing likeness to their heavenly father and what will that mean in specific moral and ethical lifestyle he gives three words all of them are words that have the alpha privative they begin with the A with the alpha not this not this not this notice the first thing he says that you may become what kind of children of God blameless and harmless without blemish that you may be blameless that you may have no legitimate blame for observable moral and ethical inconsistencies blamelessness is not an unattainable sta...

41:03 - 42:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Be serious about working out your salvation with fear and trembling, resisting the distractions of modern technology like social media.

The concept of 'harmless' or 'pure' is illustrated by comparing it to undiluted wine or gold without alloy, signifying singleness of heart and devotion.

what God says I'm to be as a husband where can you legitimately blame me that I'm being bullheaded and insensitive and unconcerned to press after that standard quick to own my sin when I fail when you or the kids point out my failure you know I'm not given to rationalizing and justifying I own my sin my dear one a son of God blameless as a husband blameless as a father not sinless but blameless Paul is not holding out an unrealistic unattainable sin blameless then he says harmless better rendering is pure it's the word you would use if you were to speak of wine that had not been diluted with w...

44:00 - 45:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Be serious about working out your salvation with fear and trembling, resisting the distractions of modern technology like social media.

Martin critiques the modern use of electronic technology like Facebook, suggesting it distracts from serious Christian living and the pursuit of holiness, contrasting it with the value of deep relationships and biblical study.

between two opinions in one sense I don't want the world that has nothing to offer but neither do I want the scorn of the world by being so radically different that I'm mocked you mean I've got to be prepared for someone to come up to me and say you mean you don't have your place on Facebook and look them in the eye and say bless God I have friends with depth of relationship that you know nothing about I have a savior who's told me as his child I'm to redeem the time I'm to buy up opportunity not with drivel that other people are putting to their Facebook place I scratch my ear at 317 big deal...

45:28 - 46:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Resist addiction to blogs and superficial content; instead, dig into your Bible and God's Word.

He warns against addiction to blogs and superficial online content, contrasting it with the value of reading centuries-old, proven books, urging believers to be serious about working out their salvation.

to these things I'm Christ free man I'm Christ free man some of you men have become addicted to your blogs wasting your time hundreds and thousands of pages of books that have proven their worth over centuries lie unread on your shelf and you're reading the drivel of men who are pouring out half-baked thoughts at the end of their fingers and pushing the send button in God's name get serious about working out your salvation with fear and trembling pursuing the standard of blameless and single-mindedness and then he says not only blameless harmless then he goes on to say I'm trying to remember h...

46:57 - 48:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Resist addiction to blogs and superficial content; instead, dig into your Bible and God's Word.

The idea of 'without blemish' is illustrated by comparing a spiritually unexamined life to looking in a mirror and noting only the absence of major blemishes, rather than striving for clear skin, representing a higher standard of purity.

to these things I'm Christ free man I'm Christ free man some of you men have become addicted to your blogs wasting your time hundreds and thousands of pages of books that have proven their worth over centuries lie unread on your shelf and you're reading the drivel of men who are pouring out half-baked thoughts at the end of their fingers and pushing the send button in God's name get serious about working out your salvation with fear and trembling pursuing the standard of blameless and single-mindedness and then he says not only blameless harmless then he goes on to say I'm trying to remember h...

46:57 - 48:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: by contrast you are luminaries either giving forth light or reflecting light

The 'crooked and perverse generation' is illustrated by Israel's abandonment of God for false gods, highlighting the spiritual danger of the surrounding culture.

Philippi that Roman colony he knows the moral degeneracy he knows the climate he says and you are to carry this out in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation language taken from the Deuteronomy 32 5 passage and in that context Israel God says she's not my child not my son she has become perverse part of a perverse and crooked generation and for Israel what was it it was abandoning the true and living God and worshipping false gods making their own gods and he says in essence you Philippians were once part of a generation crooked and perverse but God has begun a good work in you taking ...

50:25 - 51:55 Read in full sermon