5 Human Entanglements that Christ Came To Deliver Us From
WHAT THEY DO
- They complicate life - Matt.23:4 "They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. (Mat 23:4 NIV)
- They violate God's commandments - Mark 7:8,9 - Set aside commandments for traditions
- They fossilize spirituality - Col.2:23 - False customs that have no value for the spirit.
- They hinder change - old wineskins can't hold new wine (Mat.9:17)
- They worsen the convert - (Mat.23:15)
Entanglements:
1. Traditions (Mark 7:8,9) - Traditionalism
:::caste-desire for dignity, social honor (Pharisees Jn.5:44); "what would people think?" Not desiring to be "rejected of men" (Vs.Isa.53)/ "Denominationalism"
2. Mammon (Lk.16:13-15; 1Tim.6:10)
::: Achan...Gehazi...Judas Iscariot... Materialism
3. Flesh (2Pet.2:18-22) - Sensualism (Sensationalism)
Lust of flesh, works of flesh, passions of flesh...Gal.5:19-21
::: Their god is their belly - Phil.3:19; Rom.16:17,18; Jude 19; 1Cor.6:13
Action-packed, stimulating, entertaining.... carnal food.
4. Debased Mind (Rom.1:28-32; 2Thess.2:11,12)
:::Genesis 6:5-Imaginations so rotten... Rom.1:21,22-foolish hearts darkened.
Can't think right anymore... Mat.7:6- Gospel is like pearls before swine for them.
5. Sin - One sin after another (Jn.8:34) - Prov.12:13
- David.. Bathsheba.. Uriah..; Ananias Saphira.. Lie after lie.. Gehazi..
Traditions-- Love of God (The Golden Rule): (1Pet 1:18)
Mammon - Serve God (Sell all!)
Flesh - Crucify flesh/ Gal.5. Mortify deeds of body through Spirit
Mind - Tit 3:5 renewing of spirit. ROM 12, Phil 2
Sin - ROM.6. sin shall not reign in your mortal bodies
In 1995, while waiting alone in a van for his colleagues who had gone shopping, Wilson Burhankar, presently Senior Associate Pastor at the Fellowship Church of Itarsi, fell into ecstasy remembering the awesome goodness of God in his life. It was his first year in the Seminary as a teacher and his first year as a full-time Worship Leader at the Itarsi Church. He remembered the ill-battered lifestyle that he had lived prior to knowing Christ, the drunken boozes, the street fights, the nights spent singing at religious gatherings, and the continual stress and pain inflicted on his family because of his sin-laden lifestyle. But, one day the Lord changed his life all over. He came to the Seminary and underwent three years of theological training. The greatest surprise came when Dr. Thomas asked him to consider to stay back and minister here as a worship leader. Inside he felt totally unworthy, and yet was confident of the grace of the Lord. As he sat in the van considering these things, the...
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