The Benefits of Being a Christian Continued

A better way of lifeScripture reading: Eccl 2

Introduction When one rises from the waters of baptism they

arise a new creature (2 Cor 5:17) As a new creature, we begin to live a new life

(Rom 6:3-4) This morning I want to review what this “New

life” looks like

We all desire the good life Consider The wise man

Eccl 1:3 “What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?”

Eccl 6:12 “For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life…”

Eccl 12:13-14 “13 …Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all…”

Consider the thought of David Unlike the those who focus on this life, He looked

for his satisfaction in the time to com Ps 17:15 “As for me, I will see Your face in

righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

We all desire the “Good life” Consider the thoughts of Asaph in Ps 73

He was tempted to envy the wicked who seemed to have no cares and built their fortunes upon the backs of those they took advantage of, but then he considered their ultimate end.

In contrast to what they sought after, he states in verse 25 what mattered to him Ps 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is

none upon earth that I desire besides You.” Consider Paul

Phil 3:7-11 “7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ…and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…”

Paul’s purpose was knowing Christ, having a righteousness obtained through faith in Him, and living in fellowship with Him, even when that brought on suffering (2 Timothy 3:12).

Humanism: the standard of the day Humanism, the prevailing philosophy of our time,

asserts that “the chief end of human life is to work for the happiness of man upon this earth and within the confines of the Nature that is his home” (The Philosophy of Humanism, Corliss Lamont, p. 3). In considering the nature of man, he has always been

driven to cry, “…All is vanity” Eccl 1:2 ““Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of

vanities, all is vanity.” Eccl 2:10-11 ““10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep

from them…And indeed all was vanity…There was no profit under the sun.”

Strangely, humanism denies man the fulfillment of his basic nature (Eccl 12:13-14)

A humanistic outlook diminishes what life is all about Lk 12:23 “Life is more than food, and the body is more than

clothing.” 1 Tim 6:7 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is

certain[a] we can carry nothing out.”

Humanism: the standard of the day Christianity teaches that we need God’s

wisdom to show us the true “Good Life” Prov 16:25 “There is a way that seems right to a

man, But its end is the way of death.” Jer 10:23 “O LORD, I know the way of man is not

in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

Humanism: the standard of the day God’s plan for man involves an earthly

happiness as well as an eternal one (Ps 37:9-11; 1 Tim 4:8) God desires us to have the benefit of quality of life

Prov 3:7-8 “Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.”

Gal 5:22-23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

2 Pet 1:2-4 ““2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,…that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Humanism: the standard of the day God’s plan for man involves an earthly happiness as

well as an eternal one (Ps 37:9-11; 1 Tim 4:8) God’s laws/restraints on man’s conduct are for the

preservation and enhancement of his life Gen 2:16-17 “17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good

and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Deut 4:5-6 “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me,…be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

Jn 12:49-50 “but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command,…And I know that His command is everlasting life”

1 Jn 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

Humanism: the standard of the day God’s plan for man involves an earthly

happiness as well as an eternal one (Ps 37:9-11; 1 Tim 4:8) Many of the epistles started with, “grace to you

and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3, Eph 1:2 etc) “Grace” = charis = God’s favor, gracious care. “Peace” = eirene = “peace” in the Hebrew sense of

welfare, health, and well-being.

Humanism: the standard of the day God’s plan for man involves an earthly happiness

as well as an eternal one (Ps 37:9-11; 1 Tim 4:8) The Christian comes to find that his life is a paradox:

life is found when one is willing to lose it Mt 10:39 “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses

his life for My sake will find it.” Mt 16:25-26 “25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose

it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Lk 12:20-21 “20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

The quality of a Christians’ life is gained through the quality of his/her character

Character is the key to Christian conduct “CHARACTER refers especially to moral qualities,

ethical standards, principles, and the like” A quality life is impossible without a quality

character Mt 12 :34-35 “…How can you, being evil, speak good

things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…”

Gal 6:7-10 “…God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap…9 And let us not grow weary while doing good,…let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

The quality of a Christians’ life is gained through the quality of his/her character

Christian conduct, a positive good Quality of life is positively good, not merely the

negative absence of sin (Jam 1:27) The Christian “gives up” lesser things in order to

“gain” greater things – (Eph 4:17-24) “The Christian fits his life to the ideal, rather than

finding an ideal to fit his life”

The quality of a Christians’ life is gained through the quality of his/her character

Christian conduct is an “Excellent lifestyle” (Phil 3:8) “Excellent attributes” describe the Christian life

Blessed (Ps 1:1-6) Satisfying (Mt 5:6) Peaceful (Phil 4:6-7 cf. Jn 14:27) Restful (Mt 11:28-30) Stable (He 6:19) Rewarding (Heb 11:6 cf. 1 Cor 9:24-27)

The quality of a Christians’ life is gained through the quality of his/her character

Christian conduct is an “Excellent lifestyle” (Phil 3:8) “Excellent responsibilities” are involved in the

Christian life Christians must increase in the excellence of this

lifestyle (Heb 5:12-14 cf. 2 Pet 1:5-7 & 3:18) “Perfection” (maturity, completeness) in the spiritual

sense can be obtained (2 Tim 3:16-17; Phil 3:15) The Christian must not only learn God’s will, but live it

(Col 1:9-10 cf. 1 Pet 2:12) The Christian must share and recommend his lifestyle

(Acts 26:28-29 cf Mt 5:13-16) The Christian must give God the glory (1 Pet 4:10-11)

Conclusion The thing that makes life good is “prosperity” of

the soul, all other considerations are secondary Eccl 12:13-14 “13 Let us hear the conclusion of

the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

3 Jn 1:2-4 “2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”