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Balance and Weights

Balance and Weights. A just weight and balance are the LORD’s: all the weights of the bag are his work. Proverbs 16:11. BALANCE. Forms of BALANCE . Bodily Poise Well-Arranged or Stable Physically Mentally or Emotionally Literally: A State of Equilibrium

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Balance and Weights

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  1. Balance and Weights A just weight and balance are the LORD’s: all the weights of the bag are his work. Proverbs 16:11

  2. BALANCE

  3. Forms of BALANCE • Bodily Poise • Well-Arranged or Stable • Physically • Mentally or Emotionally • Literally: • A State of Equilibrium • An Equal Relationship between 2 or more different elements

  4. Balance in Nature • Do you know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge? Job 37:16

  5. The Balance of the Water Cycle For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.Job 37:27-28

  6. Nature out of Balance?

  7. The Balance in Biblical Context

  8. Weighed in the Balance Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; Job 31:4-7

  9. Weighed in the Balance - Example of Belshazzar And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But has lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven;… God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it… Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.Daniel 5:22, 23, 26, 27

  10. Perfect Balance Equal Loads at Equal Distances on each side of the Fulcrum

  11. The Principle of Leverage

  12. Balance in the Life of the Believer- Social Context Two Extremes: • Being “Of the World” • Completely Isolated from it If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.John15:19 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.Matthew 5:14-16 • Balance is “being in the world but not being of it”

  13. Balance in the Life of the Believer- Material Possessions Two Extremes: • “Obscenely” Rich • “Dirt” Poor Balance = Being Content with what we have Give me neither poverty nor riches. Proverbs 30:8 But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. I Timothy 6:6-8

  14. Balance in the Life of the Believer –Spiritual Zeal Extremes: Hot vs. Cold • Balance is notlukewarmness (indifference) • Balance is being consistently zealous for the Truth I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11 (NIV)

  15. Balance in the Life of the Believer - Physical/Psychological Needs Two Extremes: • Excess • Abstinence • Moderation = Balance? (NO!, not always) • Temperance or Self-Control = Balance (YES!) He that ruleth his spirit (is better) than he that taketh a city. Proverbs 16:32

  16. Physical/Psychological “Needs” Example of Wine • Excess – And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.Ephesians 5:18 • Moderation – Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. I Timothy 5:23 • Abstinence – • Examples of godly people who abstained from wine: • Daniel, John the Baptist, all who took the Nazarite vow

  17. Balance in the Matter of Doctrine and Fellowship • “Conservative” vs. “Liberal” positions • No Statement of Faith vs. “every jot & tittle” • Ecumenism vs. Exclusivism • “all inclusive” vs. “very exclusive” Ecumenism - A movement with the aim of achieving worldwide unity among all Christians or even all religions. Exclusivism - The practice of organizing entities into groups by excluding those entities which possess certain traits. An exclusive mentality is one characterized by the disregard for beliefs and opinions other than one’s own.

  18. Another Definition of “Exclusivism” The belief that one's own domination possesses the Truth as God has revealed it. The fact that other religious sects do not possess revealed Truth places its members in grave peril regarding salvation.

  19. Balance in the Life of the Believer- Time & Resources Competing Priorities: • Personal Family vs. Ecclesial Family • Career/Job Obligations vs. Work in the Truth • Scholastic Studies vs. Bible Study • Personal Leisure/Recreation vs. Fellowship with our Brethren

  20. Striking the Balance – Time and Resources • Is moderation the answer? • He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:30 • True Balance is notcomfortable middle position where temporal and spiritual are equally weighted on both sides. • True Balance isheavily weighted toward the spiritual side and the cause of Christ.

  21. The Fulcrum Spiritual Temporal CHRIST

  22. A just weight and balance are the LORD’s. Proverbs 16:11 • Just – Hebrew: mish-pat (Strongs #4941) • Justice – laws and judgments; legal verdict – favorable or unfavorable

  23. A False Balance & Deceitful Weights A false balance is an abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight . Proverbs 11:1 Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good. Proverbs 20:23 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? Micah 6:11

  24. Weights & Balance under the Law • Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. • Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. • But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. • For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God"Deuteronomy 25

  25. Dealing Justly with our Brethren Balanced with the Fruit of the Spirit and Christ as our example and central support. Reason Emotion CHRIST He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8

  26. Principle of Leverage I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13 Besetting Sin & Trials of the Flesh CHRIST

  27. Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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