A Backward Church

“You’re a Backward Church!”

• Justifying present-day moral changes:– “It’s the 21st century”

“Tory traditionalists should accept ‘we live in the 21st century’ and back gay marriage.” (Sir John Major, former Prime Minister of England, The Daily Mail, 09Dec12)

-It’s WA state law … now, society must ‘move on’!

• Divine warning: Isaiah 5:20-21; Prov. 17:15

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Truth Is Not Changed…

• By the passing of time or by the will of men, 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Jno. 2; Matt. 24:35

• Christ’s church looks backward and forward as we live in this present evil age

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We Look Backward…

• To the old paths, Jer. 6:16-20; 18:15–The path of truth, Matt. 7:13-14; 15:14

(Psa. 119:97, 105)– Inspired Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:16-17–Pattern of sound words,

2 Tim. 1:13• For moral living, Eph. 5:3-12• For doctrinal purity, 1 Jno. 4:1, 6

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We Look Backward…

• To Jesus, Heb. 2:9-18–His death and glory, 2:9–His suffering that brings salvation, liberty

and glory, 2:10-15 (Gal. 1:4)–For present blessings, 2:17-18

Eph. 1:3

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We Look Forward…

• To things that are ahead, Phil. 3:12-14–Death, Phil. 1:21-23; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 5:2-4–Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:19-20, 50-54– Judgment, Matt. 25:21, 23, 34-40;

Rom. 14:10, 12– Inheritance, 1 Pet. 1:3-5;

2 Tim. 4:7-8; Heb. 4:11

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We Look to Jesus in the Present (Heb. 12:1-2)

• To help us run our race with endurance, Heb. 10:35-39; 6:10-12

• To help us in our time of need, Heb. 4:14-16 (2:18)

• To dwell in our hearts through faith, Eph. 3:17 (Gal. 2:20)

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The Church of Christ

• Honors Christ, not the wisdom and will of men, Col. 1:18; 3:17

• The lusts of men do not define the will of God, 1 Ths. 4:3-7

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Christ and His

living word of truth

Our hope of eternal

life