God expects His people to be distinct. This not only means we will be distinct from the world, but His church will be distinct from the denominations. Though both will claim to follow Christ, there are great differences between them. The reason comes down to what we recognize and accept about the law of God.

We Recognize that There is a Law

• Many will argue that we’re not under any law – misuse passages like Romans 6:14 (“you are not under law but under grace“)
• When law & grace are contrasted, the law under consideration is the Law of Moses (John 1:17)
• Being under grace does not give us a license to sin (Jude 4)
• We most certainly are under a law today (Galatians 6:2; James 1:25; Matthew 28:18-20)

We Recognize that the Bible is from God

• Inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16)
• Because the Bible is from God, we know it is the truth (John 17:17)

We Recognize that His Law Will Not Change

• We must understand that God’s law did change at one time (John 1:17) – but this change was discussed ahead of time
• There would be a new law (Jeremiah 31:31-34) – Christ would be the spokesman (Hebrews 1:1-2); Old Law would be nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14)
• Now that we have the law of Christ, there will not be another change (Matthew 24:35; Jude 3)

We Recognize that There are No Modern-Day Revelations

• The content of any message that is claimed to be a modern-day revelation will fall under one of two categories – it harmonizes with truth or it contradicts truth
• If the message harmonizes with truth – it is simply teaching; revelation no longer necessary (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)
• If the message contradicts the word of God – don’t believe it (Galatians 1:6-9)

We Recognize that We Must Study His Law

• Because there are no modern-day revelations, we must study God’s law
• Must be diligent (2 Timothy 2:15) and consistent (Acts 17:11)
• Test every spirit (1 John 4:1)

We Recognize that We Can Understand His Law

• Many denominationalists will agree that the Bible is from God & that we should study, but they don’t believe we can understand the Bible alike – reason for the divisions of denominationalism
• We can understand the Bible (Ephesians 3:4) – this means understanding it alike (1 Corinthians 1:10)

We Recognize that God Expects Us to Abide by His Law

• This goes back to the fact that we are under a law – the authoritative word of Christ (Matthew 28:20)
• We must be doers of the word (James 1:22)
• Act according to what has been authorized (Colossians 3:17; Matthew 7:21-23)

We Recognize that We Will be Judged by His Law

• We will be rewarded or condemned based upon how we abide by His law (Matthew 7:21-23)
• We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) – His words will judge us (John 12:48)

Conclusion

• These are the reasons why we don’t do many of the things that are common in the denominational world
• Few denominationalists will reject every item on this list – but once we begin forsaking any of these things, we will inevitably be able to justify almost anything, just like the denominations do
• We must be God’s peculiar people – follow His word in all things

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

Know God

• “Know the God of your father” – Solomon was blessed with a good spiritual foundation, but he needed to be the man after God’s heart that his father was (cf. Acts 13:22)
• We cannot depend on the faith of our parents to save us (Ezekiel 18:20) – individual responsibility
• How can we know God? … natural revelation (Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1), verbal revelation (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Serve Him

• Not enough to simply know about God or even to just believe in Him – even the demons do this (James 2:19)
• Faith in God must be demonstrated by works (James 2:17-18, 21-22, 24, 26)
• What we are to obey is found in the word of God (Matthew 28:20)
• Serve Him with a whole heart – cannot divide our allegiance (Matthew 6:24; 22:37-38)
• Serve Him with a willing mind – God will not force us; we must choose to obey (Acts 18:4; 2 Corinthians 5:11)

Accountability before God

• We will all be judged by God (2 Corinthians 5:10)
• His judgments are fair and right (Psalm 19:9)
• We will not fool Him (Hebrews 4:12-13) – He understands even our intentions

Seek Him

• God wants us to find Him, but He is not going to do all the work – expects us to seek
• There is an inherent desire within man to seek for God (Acts 17:26-27)
• He is not far from us – we can find Him (Matthew 7:7)

Do Not Forsake Him

• We must choose between seeking God or forsaking Him
• One can forsake God even if: his father is faithful (Ezekiel 18:20), he is one of God’s people (Hebrews 3:12-13; 4:11), or has an important position (Acts 10:34)
• Solomon had all of those things, but he could still forsake God and be rejected – we can do the same today

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

Read

• The will of God has been revealed & preserved in the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:10-12)
• Knowledge will not be given to us miraculously – those days are over (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)
• The most basic way to gain knowledge of God’s word is to read it – make it a priority & habit (1 Timothy 4:13)

Meditate

• Reading is good – but reading without comprehending, retaining, and applying is useless (James 1:23-25)
• We should meditate upon the word (Psalm 1:2; 119:97) – helps us to retain, memorize, and recall later

Listen

• The Lord expects us to listen (Luke 8:8)
• When the word is taught, we should receive it “with great eagerness” (Acts 17:11)
• By listening we might learn something new (Acts 17:19-20, 32-34), be reminded of something we’ve forgotten (1 Timothy 4:6; Hebrews 2:1), or gain a better understanding of a particular topic (Acts 18:24-26)

Study

• The Bereans examined the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11)
• Studying is more than just reading, listening, memorizing, etc. – involves us developing a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15)
• Some questions are more difficult than others (2 Peter 3:16)
• God expects us to grow in our knowledge & understanding throughout our lives (Hebrews 5:11-14)

Practice

• James made a connection between not doing God’s will and forgetting His will (James 1:23-25)
• Our natural response to hearing God’s word should be obedience (James 1:22)
• As we develop behavioral habits, we retain instructions better, allowing us to build upon those things

Teach

• To be able to teach one must have a competent level of knowledge on the subject (Hebrews 5:12; 1 Timothy 1:7)
• To teach, we must know the truth well enough to: accurately represent the Scriptures (1 Peter 4:11), handle potential questions that arise (1 Peter 3:15), and be able to defend the truth against attack (Titus 1:10-11)
• We’ll never have all the answers to every possible question/objection – but preparing for these as best we can will certainly help us grow in knowledge

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

Pray for Those in Authority

• Entreaties, prayers, petitions, thanksgivings – whatever is good, thank God for it; whatever is not good, petition God for change
• Remember that civil authorities have been given a role today by God (Romans 13:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:2)
• Remember our responsibility toward those in authority (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17) – also remember the limits of that responsibility (Acts 5:29)

In Praying for Them…

• We do not necessarily pray for a certain form of government – God ordained a role for government, not a form or structure
• We do not necessarily pray for the health & safety of leaders – there are times when a leader’s death means safety for God’s people (Matthew 2:13,16,19-20)
• We do not necessarily pray for their success – their ambitions may be contrary to their divinely given role
• Pray that they allow us to lead a tranquil & quiet life (1 Timothy 2:2) – this is good & acceptable to God (1 Timothy 2:3)

What is a Tranquil and Quiet Life?

• Freedom to work and provide for ourselves (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)
• Freedom to assemble with our brethren and worship God (Hebrews 10:24-25; John 4:24)
• Freedom to teach the gospel to others (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Peter 3:15)
• Freedom from persecution – persecution seeks to destroy the church (Acts 8:1); the absence of persecution helps the church to grow (Acts 9:31)

Why is This Important?

• It is good & acceptable to God because He desires all to be saved & come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4) – implication: a government that does not meet its divinely given role is a threat to that
• It is not about our own comfort & prosperity – something far more important than that
• It is so the gospel can be taught openly so others can hear it, obey it, continue to follow the Lord, and lead others to Him

Read the article: Pray for Those in Authority

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People often wonder what God’s plan is for their lives. We can only know what God reveals (1 Corinthians 2:10-12), but the Bible does address this issue. We sometimes get caught up in details & ignore the big picture.

God Desires for You to be in Heaven with Him

• Jesus told His apostles of the place that would be prepared for them (John 14:2-3)
• This promise was not just for the apostles, but for all of us as well (Mark 16:15-16)

In order for this plan to be fulfilled…

Sin Had to be Dealt With

• Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2)
• Sin is a universal problem (Romans 3:23)
• Christ was going to have to deal with sin through the cross (Ephesians 2:16; 1 Peter 3:18)

Christ Had to Come

• God’s eternal purpose was fulfilled in Christ (Ephesians 3:11)
• His predetermined plan involved the death of Christ (Acts 2:23)
• In order for this plan to be carried out, several things had to be done to prepare the way for Christ (Galatians 4:4), including: coming of John (Mark 1:2-4), work of the prophets (1 Peter 1:10-12), lineage of Christ preserved (Genesis 12:1-3; 21:12; 28:13-14; 35:10-11; Deuteronomy 7:6-8; Jeremiah 29:10-14), prophecy of Jesus coming to defeat Satan (Genesis 3:15)
• God had done so much in order to save us – do not think lightly of it (Romans 2:4)

Man Had to be Shown the Way

• We cannot direct ourselves (Jeremiah 10:23) – the way to heaven is through Christ (John 14:6)
• The eternal purpose in Christ would be made known through the gospel (Ephesians 3:8-11)
• He has predestined us according to His purpose (Ephesians 1:5,11) – He chose us in Him (Ephesians 1:4; cf. Romans 6:3), those who would be holy & blameless
• Our duty here is to fear Him and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13) – obedience leads to salvation (Hebrews 5:9)

Read the article: God’s Plan for You

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Lot had the misfortune of becoming a captive in a war that was being waged around him. Abram pursued the capturing armies, defeated them, freed Lot, then met two kings after his victory. There are several lessons we can learn from these events.

Lot’s Capture (Genesis 14:8-12)

• Life is uncertain – Lot came to Sodom expecting ease & prosperity (Genesis 13:10-12); this war, his capture, and his loss were not part of the plan (cf. James 4:14)
• Riches are temporary – Lot lost his possessions to the enemy army (cf. Matthew 6:19-21)
• Physical consequences for our choices – Lot chose to live in Sodom, suffered loss; Abram didn’t suffer loss or capture; we can’t foresee everything, but as much as possible, be “shrewd as serpents” (Matthew 10:16)

Abram’s Mission (Genesis 14:13-16)

• Prior preparations – he had 318 men already trained and ready to go; he was prepared for conflict (cf. Ephesians 6:11)
• He took action when needed – it is one thing to prepare, another to act; God expects His people to be doing, not just preparing (cf. James 1:22)
• He acted to help others, not himself – King of Elam was fighting for his own wealth & power; Abram fought to free others & restore their possessions; acted for the good of others (cf. Philippians 2:3-5)

Abram & Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20)

• Blessings come from God – Abram pursued, strategized, fought, and defeated the enemy, but God delivered them into his hands; we must work, but without God’s blessing, our work is in vain (cf. Psalm 127:1)
• The tithe from Abram – given to the priest, therefore, it was also for God; God expects us to give back to Him for what He has given us (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:2; Romans 12:1)
• Melchizedek was greater – shown in Melchizedek blessing Abram (Hebrews 7:6-7); later used to prove Jesus’ superiority over Abraham & the Levitical priests (Hebrews 7:17)

Abram & the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:21-24)

• Following God, forsaking certain types of gain – King of Sodom offered Abram the goods; he refused on account of a promise he made to God; following God means we must forsake certain things of this world (cf. 1 John 2:15-17)
• Self-reliance is desired – Abram was very wealthy, not because he was enriched by an earthly king, but because God had blessed him; if one is able to take care of himself, he should (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10); reflects a trust in God & His providence

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

A Covenant was Made (Job 31:1)

• This requires understanding – knowing the difference between right & wrong
• We must make a decision – once we know what is right, we must choose to do it
• A covenant involves a long-term commitment – this is not a trend or a fad; our character is for a lifetime
• It requires diligent execution – when you make a covenant, you promise to do some things and not do other things

Characteristics of the Man of Integrity

• Purity (Job 31:1,9-11) – begins with the heart & what we allow ourselves to dwell on
• Honesty (Job 31:5-6) – we must love the truth, speak truth, and walk in truth
• Fairness (Job 31:13-15) – not to think of ourselves as being more important than others
• Benevolence (Job 31:16-17,19-20) – seek to do good; do not only help those who could also help you
• Humility (Job 31:25) – our possessions do not define us; remember your place before God

What the Man of Integrity Keeps Himself From

• Trusting in riches (Job 31:24) – not to trust in riches, but in God
• Rejoicing over the calamity of others (Job 31:29-30) – desire good for others, even for our enemies
• Taking advantage of others (Job 31:38-39) – give others what we owe them; act with love

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

Paul begins by reminding these Christians of the parallels between then and the Israelites (v. 1-4). But most died in the wilderness. We need to learn from their failings so we can avoid their sins.

Do Not Crave Evil Things (v. 6)

• This was the fundamental problem that led to the others
• We will never attain holiness if we long for wickedness (Proverbs 23:7)
• We will never overcome sin if we desire it (James 1:14-15)
• We must crave/desire good things (Colossians 3:1-2; Philippians 4:8)

Do Not Be Idolaters (v. 7)

• Example of the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6)
• What is an idol? … Anythings that is a substitute for God; object of our devotion/allegiance
• An idol allows man to act as he pleases
• Defeating idolatry — recognize God as the only being/thing worthy of our worship/service (Exodus 20:3-5); act according to His will, not our own (Luke 9:23)

Do Not Act Immorally (v. 8)

• Example of the sin of Peor (Numbers 25:1-9)
• Immorality is an abomination to the Lord — pre-marital sex (Matthew 19:4-5), adultery (1 Corinthians 6:9), homosexuality (1 Timothy 1:10), pornography (Matthew 5:27-28)
• Defeating immorality — speak up about the sin (1 Corinthians 6:18; Hebrews 13:4); do not tolerate the sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-2,13)

Do Not Try the Lord (v. 9)

• Example of the fiery serpents (Numbers 21:4-9)
• They complained of no food or water — but God had provided (Exodus 16:14-15; Numbers 20:11), they just weren’t thankful
• We try the Lord when we desire something more/different than what He provides
• Defeating the tendency to try the Lord — learn contentment (Philippians 4:11); show gratitude (Philippians 4:6)

Do Not Grumble (v. 10)

• Example of those who grumbled over the fate of Korah and his followers (Numbers 16:41-49)
• What were they grumbling about? … the opposition to sin & divine judgment
• Defeating the urge to grumble as they did — understand sin for what it is (1 John 3:4; Isaiah 59:2); recognize that all judgment belongs to the Lord (James 4:12)

Do Not Think You Cannot Fall (v. 11-12)

• Even a faithful Christian can fall away, just as the Israelites did
• If you stand, good — continue to stand; do not follow their example of disobedience; remain faithful so you can enter into the reward

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

Our Involvement

• Our warfare (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) — spiritual, not carnal
• “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11) — not written to apostles, preachers, or elders, but to all Christians
• We must fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12)

The Enemy

• The adversary is the devil (1 Peter 5:8) — he has mighty allies fighting with him (Ephesians 6:12)
• His followers — sometimes disguised as servants of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13-15), sometimes are disciples who have been temporarily deceived (Matthew 16:23), sometimes are the rulers of this world (Revelation 2:10)
• His weapons — fleshly lusts (1 Peter 2:11), doubt (Genesis 3:4), persecution (Revelation 2:10)

Our Commander

• The Lamb (Revelation 17:14) — Jesus Christ
• As our commander, we must recognize & respect His authority (Matthew 8:8-10; 28:18,20)

Our Weapon

• Divinely powerful (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) — the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (Ephesians 6:17)
• We must know how to use it (2 Timothy 2:15) — there is a danger in not knowing how to use it (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:6-7)
• We must be ready to use it (1 Peter 3:15; Acts 20:20,27; 2 Corinthians 10:5)

Our Armor

• Putting on the full armor of God allows us to stand against the devil (Ephesians 6:11) — cannot leave off any part
• Loins girded with truth (Ephesians 6:14) — this is where we must start; the conflict is between truth & error (1 John 4:6)
• Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14) — righteousness is something we practice (1 John 3:7; James 1:22)
• Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15) — willingness to teach (1 Peter 3:15); goal of leading people to peace with God (Ephesians 2:16-18)
• Shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) — this is our defense against the attacks & weapons of the devil
• Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17) — promise of salvation that lies ahead for the faithful; motivates us to keep going (Philippians 3:14)

Hardships of War

• Suffering (2 Timothy 2:3) — we were never promised an easy life here (1 Corinthians 15:19)
• Casualties (Hebrews 3:12-13) — the sad reality is that some will fall away (2 Timothy 4:10)
• Traitors (Philippians 3:18) — some will turn away & start actively opposing the cause of Christ (3 John 9-10)

Victory

• The triumph of the Lord is certain (Revelation 17:14) — we just need to be sure we are on His side
• Those on His side — called (2 Thessalonians 2:14), chosen (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 6:3), faithful (Revelation 2:10)
• We can be victorious if we hear the gospel, obey it, and remain faithful

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.

Walk in Newness of Life (Romans 6:4)

• This follows baptism (Romans 6:3-4) — in baptism we become free from sin (Romans 6:17-18)
• We are to be different than the old self (Romans 6:6) — repentance
• We are to be different than the world (Romans 12:2) — live by a higher standard

Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)

• Walk by the Spirit, do not carry out the desire of the flesh — two competing worldviews (Romans 8:6)
• Deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) — rooted in selfishness & lack of self-control
• Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) — these are produced as we walk in the Spirit
• To walk in the Spirit is to walk according to the teachings of the Spirit — the word of God (1 Corinthians 2:10)

Walk in Truth (3 John 4)

• Close connection between walking in the Spirit and walking in truth — He is “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13)
• To do this we must know the truth (John 8:31-32) — only possible by continuing in His word (2 Peter 3:18)
• Once we know the truth we must obey it (James 1:22)
• To walk implies continued obedience (3 John 3; Philippians 2:12)

Walk in Wisdom (Ephesians 5:15)

• Do not walk as unwise men, but as wise — danger in failing to gain wisdom, not learning from our experiences/mistakes in order to improve
• There are no new challenges to be faced (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10) — learn from the past
• There are no new temptations to be overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13) — find the way of escape
• Recognize time is short (Ephesians 5:15-16) — prepare for eternity (2 Peter 3:11,14)

Walk in Love (Ephesians 5:2)

• We do this as we imitate God and Christ (Ephesians 5:1-2) — God is love (1 John 4:8)
• Bible love is sacrificial — more than words and emotions (1 John 3:18)
• We must love others (1 John 4:9-11) and God (John 14:15)
• If we walk in love we will obey God in all things (John 15:13-14)

See more outlines like this at DIY Sermon Outlines
You can also check out Plain Bible Teaching for articles on various Bible topics.