Abhor Evil, Cling to Good

• A Living Sacrifice
• Romans 12: 1-2
• Love Without Hypocrisy
• Romans 12:9
• There is such a thing as absolute good and absolute evil …
• Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; …
• Good is not defined by any society or any group within society …
• Jeremiah 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.
• Good is not defined by any society or any group within society …
• Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
• God hates divorce …
• Malachi 2:16 "For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously."
• Objective good is good for us, and objective evil is always bad for us…
• Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
• Objective good is good for us, and objective evil is always bad for us…
• 1 Peter 3:10-12 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; … 12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil."
• Why is this so difficult ? …
• Romans 7:15-19 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do … 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice…
• Because it is godlike …
• Why was Jesus able to overcome temptation?
– He wasn’t fooled by evil; he understood that good is truly good and evil is truly evil …he didn’t think he was going to get something good or valuable out of sin…
• How do we deal with this …
• Romans 7:15-19 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do … 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice…
• It begins in the mind …
• Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, …
• The worldly mind …
• Ephesians 4:17-24 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,18 having their understanding darkened, …19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
• Christ renews our minds …
• 20 But you have not so learned Christ,21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,…
• A daily challenge…
• Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

• Smoking campaign …
• In 1960, 60% of Americans smoked – today only 20% … by changing people’s thinking
• What is your mind set on …
• Philippians 3:18-19 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame -- who set their mind on earthly things.
• How NOT to go on a diet …
• Stock your kitchen with junk food, then tell yourself you are going to lose weight …
• We do this spiritually …
• Mark 4:19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

• Filling up on junk food …
• Proverbs 27:7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
• Falling for Satan’s lies …
• Sin is like a drug … it only whets your appetite for more … it never satisfies for long
• Falling for Satan’s lies …
• Alcoholic drugs … look at what it has done for those who have done it
• Lying to get by – will destroy your character
• Sexual sins … pornography – will so mess up your mind you can no longer think a pure thought
• Material possessions will make me happy …
• Filling up on junk food …
• 1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
• Would you eat this…