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Two Greatest Problems Facing The Church

Two Greatest Problems Facing The Church. I don’t know and I don’t care Ignorance and Apathy Millions make no effort to serve God They pose no great threat to the church The great problem: Christians in name only ( the indifferent ) Destroy themselves, family, and church.

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Two Greatest Problems Facing The Church

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  1. Two Greatest Problems Facing The Church • I don’t know and I don’t care • Ignorance and Apathy • Millions make no effort to serve God • They pose no great threat to the church • The great problem: Christians in name only (the indifferent) • Destroy themselves, family, and church

  2. Indifference • Indifference: in = not + different, thus “no difference” • Unconcern • Disinterest • Apathy • Coldness

  3. I Indifference Makes Haste Slowly • Rv.2:4, three facts: • Once they were strong • Their spiritual marriage is now on the rocks • If they do not correct it soon, they will lose everything

  4. Rv.3:1 • A Christian (or congregation) seldom realizes what is happening until it is too late • Je.7:13, 25, (first order of business) • Mt.6:33, first (above all, especially; priority) • Mt.22:38 • 2 Co.8:5 (= Mt.6 and 22)

  5. IIIndifference Is Serious • Indifference is apostasy in baby steps 1. Attendance: Indifference gives priority to something of lesser importance. Mt.22:…5 • Lk.4:16 / Hb.10:24-25 . . . 2:3 2. Study: To spiritual life what eating is to physical life. Jn.4:34; 1 Pt.1:25 3. Prayer: Concern kindles prayer. Ep.6:18

  6. 4.Giving: 2 Co.9:7 • Temple: two chests for alms 5. Fruit: Lk.8:14-15, the loser and the winner. What made the difference? 6. Grudge: Lv.19:18, opposite of love

  7. Indifference – Eternal Condemnation • Lk.19:…20-26 • While others worked, this man coasted • He loses his reward. He is: • wicked(22) • wasteful(23) • woeful (24-27) • Lk.20:10, not only bore no fruit but actively opposed their Lord

  8. IIIWhat Causes Indifference? 1. Worldliness. Mt.6:33 • Some try to “share” God w. everything else • Ja.4:4 2. Sin. Mt.24:12 • Brutality of Jews and Romans, false prophets, the betrayal of Christians by Christians turns passion into apathy • Nothing is more contagious than sin. It afflicted the entire Laodicean church

  9. 3. Ignorance • Ga.1:10 • Some think the assembly is designed to please, not edify • Some inconsistently reject the social gospel concept but are disappointed w. book, chapter, and verse preaching • We have nothing else to offer; nothing else can save

  10. Ga.2:20 Some think a local church consists of two groups: they and we They do the work Welet them Jg.4-5 (23) Am.6:1-3

  11. – Ga.3:27 • Put on Christ: “To become so possessed of the mind of Christ as in thought, feeling, and action to resemble him and, as it were, reproduce the life he lived” (Th.) • Ga.4:19

  12. – Ro. 13:14 • Put on… (v.12) • We first put on Christ in baptism • We continually renew that life • Same exhortation as Ro.12:2 – • Recreating the image of Christ in us • He is the original; we are the reproduction

  13. Ep.4:24 Putting off is only half the job Some want the new relationship while keeping the old behavior 25-32 explain Col.3:10 As the first man was created in His image, so is the new man In practical terms: 12-14

  14. IVThe Cure For Indifference 1.Confess it • Can’t cure it by ignoring it • If you are indifferent, admit it (Rv.3:15) • Ask Lord for forgiveness, Ja.5:16 2.Repent of it • Ja.4:17 • Ac.8:22

  15. 3.Do something about it • Ja.1:22-24 • Mk.6:19 • Herod is a warning to us • If hearing the gospel does not change our nature, it has done little or nothing for us

  16. 4.Love • Indifference is the opposite of concern; concern leads to zeal • “Love will find a way; indifference will find an excuse” • “In the place that I come from, society was composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims, and the bystanders”– Elie Wiesel

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