“Perfecting That Which Is Lacking In Our Faith”
CD No.______Also Album
Time: 1/ 6/ 2010 - Wed. N.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 3: 8 – 13 - www. coolspringsbaptist.org
------Introduction: The key verse is V.10-Last phrase- and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith-
This is an awesome responsibility. There are a lot of Christians that take this responsibility so lightly; do you? I want us to notice from our text how important this responsibility is.
I. The Fact That Our Faith Needs Perfecting
A. Let Us Notice The Explanation
1. The Scripture That Is Plain Tells Us
V. 10 –Last phrase- and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.
Paul wasn’t just talking about these particular Christians at Thessalonica.
There is no Christian that has a perfect life and lives a perfect life.
God’s goal for us is to be perfect. Matthew 5: 48 – Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We are to strive to perfect our faith!
2. The Struggle That Is Persistent Tells Us
Romans 7: 15 – For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 18 –For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.19 –For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 –Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Paul was telling us that he had a struggle ever day with the flesh; that old Adam man. …..So do we!!!
Let Us Notice the Explanation
B. Let Us Notice The Expectation
V. 13 – To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness-
God’s desire for us is to live a holy-unblameable life.
We are to live a Holy life and an unblameable life; a life that is above reproach. Not perfect, but above reproach.
God has set the GOAL, so we are to strive for His goal.
The Fact That Our Faith Needs Perfecting
II. The Facets for Our Faith That Needs Perfecting
A. There Is The Loving That Is a Must
V. 12 – And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.
1. From This Verse We See The Demand
From V.12- we see that it is not up for debate, we are to love one another -
Reference verse: 1 John 4:7 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
We See the Demand
2. From This Verse We See The Degree
V. 12 – 2nd phrase- and abound in love-
Abound – means to overflow with love.
3. From This Verse We See The Diversity
V. 12 – Last phrase- abound in love one toward another, and toward all me.
This has a reference to Saints.
This has a reference to Sinners.
Sometimes this isn’t easy to do. Sometimes it is hard to love some saints. Etc. Some saints are not all that loveable. We may not love their ways, but we have to love them. Sometimes it is hard to love sinners because of their immoral life style. Now, we are not to love their ways, but we are to love the soul of the sinner. If sinners don’t see the love of God in our lives they will never want what we have; salvation.
The Loving That Is a Must
B. There is The Learning That Is A Must
1. We Learn From Loving Saints
a) We Learn From Doers
V. 12 – Last phrase- even as we do toward you.
V.9 – For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God. 10- Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? Paul was expressing his love!
We can learn to love from being around loving Christians.
If one stays around a non loving Christians who is always trying to find fault in people’s life, you can become un-loving yourself. Etc.
We Learn From Doers
b) We Learn From Doing
Philippians 4: 13 – I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheth me.
Can do all things has reference to whatever is required for us to do. We are required to love saints and sinners; so we need to get with it. We can love un-lovable saints and sinners through Christ which strengthens us.
This act is part of perfecting our faith.
We Learn From Loving Saints
2. We Learn From Lingering Storms
James 1: 3 –Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 –But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Our faith is perfected through storms that are providential. Our faith will be tried through storms. If we learn to trust God and keep serving God during the storms of life; this will aid in perfecting our faith.
We Learn From Loving Saints
We Learn From Lingering Storms
3. We Learn From Learning Scripture
Notice V. 10 again- Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
Question: How was Paul going to help perfect that which was lacking in their faith?
Answer: By teaching them the word of God to live by.
We can learn to perfect our faith from the scripture several ways.
We can learn in a good Sunday school class, and by coming to the worship services where the man of God stands up and expounds the word of God.
If the man of God studies the word during the week, and expounds the word of God in the pulpit, the congregation should go away from the house of God knowing more about the word of God, which will help perfect their faith.
Listening to good Christian radio stations where they have good conservative preachers expounding the word of God will also aid in perfecting your faith.
The Loving That Is a Must
The Learning that Is a Must
C. There Is The Lasting That Is A Must
In order to perfect our faith, we not only need to love and learn, but last. Listen to V.8 –For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
One can never learn to perfect their faith, if they don’t learn to stand, even when they don’t feel like standing.
One can never perfect their faith if they quit every time a problem comes up in their life.
These young Christian at Thessalonica were standers. They stood when it wasn’t easy to stand. - Etc. Ch. 1: 6
The Fact That Our Faith Needs Perfecting
The Facets for Our Faith Needing Perfecting
III. The Finality for Our Faith That Needs Perfecting
A. Let Us Notice The Continuance
Now, I want to ask a question. How long do we strive to perfect our faith?
Answer: Look at verse 13a – To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God-
Did you notice the words > to the end?
Question: What end is He talking about? Answer: To the end of your life!
Striving to perfect your faith is a never- ending process! So keep on striving to perfect your faith!
B. Let Us Notice The Completion
We have already mentioned that we will never perfect our faith to the point of perfection in this walk of life. However, one day in the future we will have a perfect body and perfect life.
Notice V.14 – To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at his coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
When Christ comes back and gets the church, He will change our imperfect bodies and lives to a perfect body that is sinless to the Father.
Listen to Ephesians 5: 27 – That He may present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or blemish, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The Fact That Our Faith Needs Perfecting
The Facets for Our Faith Needing Perfecting
The Finality for Our Faith That Needs Perfecting
IV. The Future Accounting For Our Faith That Needs
Perfecting
V. 13 –talks about the Lord returning for His children. When that day comes, we will give an account for the effort we put forth in striving to perfect our faith.
For some, they take this responsibility lightly in this walk of life.
However, on that day, when they stand before the Savior face to face, they will understand that it was not something to take lightly.
Conclusion: “Perfecting That Which Is Lacking In Our Faith”
Let us consider several truths that we have learned from our text.
1. We have learned that we have the awesome responsibility to strive to perfect our faith.
2. We have learned several truths to help us perfect our faith from this text. There is the Loving aspect, there is Learning aspect, there is the Lingering aspect, and there is the Lasting aspect.
3. We have learned about the continuous process in this walk of life, and last the completion process when Jesus comes back after the Church.
4. We have learned that we will face the Lord one day at the Judgment Seat of Christ and give an account for how much effort we put forth in trying to perfect our faith.
5. We have talked about several things in our text that will help us strive to perfect or faith. There are many things not mentioned in our text, but in other places in the Bible to help us to strive to perfect our faith.
6. Question: What is lacking in your faith life or Christian life? Is it a lack of prayer, a lack of witnessing, or a lack of reading your Bible at home? As you search your heart and mind, what is it lacking in your faith life that needs to be worked on in this next year; 2010? What is lacking in your faith life? That is what you need to strive to perfect in the year 2010.
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