I. Only Two Choices For Life
A. The World Says We Have Many Choices
1. Many religious choices, all which lead to truth and “rightness”.
a. One current study says that there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones.
2. Many political choices, one of them will bring peace and prosperity.
a. Since 1919, more than 35 Middle East “peace plans” have been signed.
b. www.worldpeacetreaty.com “As we have entered the new millennium, we are challenged to co-create true personal and planetary peace. The Vision of the World Peace Treaty is to create a global referendum, which empowers the emerging generation to become peacemakers. Peace is the path to true freedom for ALL of humanity and the Earth. By creating a unified voice for Peace through global education and celebrations, the World Peace Treaty empowers everyone everywhere to embrace the rights and responsibilities of Peace.”
3. Many philosophical choices.
a. Atheism, Humanism, Skepticism, Agnosticism, Nihilism, Fallibilism
b. Skepticism– the philosophical position that one should avoid the postulation of final truths. “Turned on itself, skepticism would question that skepticism is a valid perspective at all.”
c. Nihilism– existence is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value.
d. Fallibilism is the philosophical doctrine that all claims of knowledge could, in principle, be mistaken. Some fallibilists go further, arguing that absolute certainty about knowledge is impossible.
e. Humanism– Humanism can be considered the process by which truth and morality is sought through human investigation. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects the validity of transcendental justifications, such as a dependence on belief without reason, the supernatural, or texts of allegedly divine origin. Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of the human condition, suggesting that solutions to human social and cultural problems cannot be parochial
4. Some say that coexistence, co-dependency, & a global community are the answer
5. Mankind is on an endless quest for self-reformation, fulfillment, peace, purpose.
6. Individuals, governments, armies, believe that they can solve man’s problems.
7. The problems of mankind are not external, they internal.
8. It is not policy changes or philosophical changes that are needed.
9. Mankind needs to change on the inside.
10. Wars and ballot boxes don’t go far enough. Religion, philosophy isn’t enough.
B. The Bible Says We Have Two Choices
1. Bible describes a person as either being “in Christ” or being “outside of Christ”.
2. Bible doesn’t agree with the philosophy of the world regarding many paths to truth.
3. Turn to John 14:6
4. 1 John 5:11, 12 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
5. Turn to John 3:36
6. On one side of an imaginary line is God. On the other side, is everything else.
7. Doesn’t matter how many choices are on the other side. The results are the same.
II. The Difference God Makes
A. Relationship With God
1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…
1. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2. Turn to John 3:3
B. Having Direction In Life
2in which you once walked according to the course (weathervane) of this world…
1. Proverbs 14:12; 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
2. Death of being what God created you to be. Living “dead” to God. Unconnected.
3. Eternal judgment.
C. The One Who Leads The Unbeliever
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
1. The natural man has to live by his instincts and intelligence.
2. Takes his cues from his fallen nature; unknowingly influenced by Satan.
3. Romans 8:14, 15 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
4. Turn to John 16:12-15
D. The Internal Driving Force
3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
1. Ezekiel 36:26, 27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
E. Our Natural Instinct
and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
1. Turn to John 3:5-8
III. Regarding Eternity
and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
A. The Wrath Of God
1. Turn to John 3:16-21
B. Being Delivered From The Wrath Of God
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…
2. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.