Living as a Christian in an Ungodly World

It is a pleasure to be here.

It's a pleasure for me to work with Pickens First Baptist

and the other 28 churches of our association

as we spread the gospel of Jesus Christ,

not only locally, but throughout the state and around the world.

So I thank you for your part in sharing through prayer

and through ministry and through the finances of our association

as we partner together to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, I want to take just a couple of minutes

to share two or three of the things that we are doing right now

as an association that you're a part of,

and I just want to share with you a little more detail about it

so that you can pray more specifically for what we are doing.

The first thing I want to share with you is our multi-residential ministries.

That is through apartment communities and senior adult living communities.

Currently, we have ministries where we have been invited

into eight apartment communities in the Pickens-Clemson area

that we can go and do Bible clubs, Bible studies,

share through other ways the love of God with the residents there.

And one of those, Pickens Gardens, we have a weekly Bible study

and a church that is doing a Bible school there throughout the summer.

Our heart for schools is another tremendous ministry,

and I'd like to share the numbers there.

We have 15 churches that are ministering in 10 schools.

The schools are in the geographical area of our association.

That's Clemson, Pickens, and the metropolitan areas of Dacosville, Pumpkin Town, and Six Mile.

So in those schools, we have roughly 7,000 faculty, staff, and students.

You multiply the spouses, parents, or children,

and we estimate that through those 10 schools

that our association is ministering to roughly 20,000 people

through our heart for schools.

So I thank you for that.

Very important ministry as we reach out in the public schools of our school district

to share the gospel of Jesus Christ

and the influence and the love that we can have on those faculty, staff, and students.

Also, our senior adult living communities.

We have worship services that we're doing in three.

Dominion, Clemson Downs, and Heritage of Clemson.

Now, these are senior adult living communities

where it's very independent living,

and we are very blessed to be in there.

And we are beginning the one in Clemson Downs

within the next several weeks.

But in the other two, we're up and going.

And Fred Sanford, who I believe is a member here,

does the one as Fred here.

Oh, there he sits.

Okay.

Fred is doing the one at Dominion,

and I'm doing the one at Clemson Heritage.

And we'll be starting one, Terry Parrish.

We'll be doing that one at Clemson Downs.

I share all of that.

Between those, we average somewhere,

it depends week to week,

but, you know, 12, 15, to 16 people a week

in each of those as we have our Bible studies.

Pray for those missions and ministries

as we're reaching out.

As you're a part of that,

through the Pickens 12 Mile Association,

reaching out into our community,

sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So thank you so much for your partnership,

your prayers, and for your support.

All right.

Let's take our Bibles.

Brian said I had two minutes this morning.

I love that guy.

I'm just trying to figure out why.

So take your Bibles,

open to Ephesians chapter 5,

Ephesians 5:15–20

verses 15 through 20.

Since my time is up,

when you get home, read that.

How about that?

I'm done.

I'm through.

My two minutes is up.

We're going to be looking at Ephesians chapter 5 this morning,

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

those verses 15 through 20.

And the title, if you will,

the theme for the message this morning,

what I want us to focus on in our time together,

is living as Christian in an ungodly world.

The apostle is writing to the church in Ephesus.

And this is exactly what he is encouraging them to do.

He is encouraging them because they are living as Gentile Christians

in a Gentile world.

It is a world that is not made up of a predominance of people

who believe as those Christians believe.

And so they are living in a world,

in a culture,

in a community,

in families,

in which they have come to Christ,

but the majority of their friends,

neighbors,

acquaintances,

and perhaps even family members

do not believe as they believe.

If you turn back to chapter 4,

verse 17,

and this is where Paul begins this discourse

that goes through chapter 5,

but in chapter 4,

verse 17,

he encourages them,

he says,

Say I therefore,

and testify in the Lord,

that ye henceforth walk not

as other Gentiles walk,

in the vanity of their mind.

Let's take just a moment to develop that verse

before we read chapter 5,

verse 15 through 20.

When the apostle Paul tells them

that their friends and their neighbors

are living in vanity,

he is telling them

that in the lives they are living,

no matter how productive

they may think they are,

how successful they may seem to appear,

that they are living a life of vanity

or of uselessness.

Uselessness.

If you take everything in your life

and you couple it together

and you're told that everything in your life

is useless,

then what is it that will make

your life useful?

This is where the apostle

is going to go in a few moments.

Their life is useless

not because they're not doing good things.

It's not because they are not caring

about others perhaps,

but their life is useless

because it is a life without Christ.

And dear friends,

what I want us to grasp this morning

in our few moments that we have together

is simply this,

that for life to have meaning

and purpose and usefulness,

it must be a life

that is in Christ.

That He must be the Lord of our life.

He must be our Savior.

Now I want to paint a picture very quickly

before we delve in any deeper.

You see, there are two types of Christians

in this world.

There are the spiritual Christians

and there are the carnal Christians.

Let me explain.

First of all,

both have Christ in their life.

Now as I share this this morning,

the first question

that you must wrestle with,

that you must answer

is simply this,

is Christ in my life?

Do I know Christ as my Savior

and as my Lord?

Have I asked Him

to forgive me of my sin,

to cleanse me

of all of my unrighteousness

and to live in my heart?

Have I given Him

the free sway of my heart

and lordship of my life?

The second question

that you must answer this morning

is are you a carnal Christian

or a spiritual Christian?

A carnal Christian

is the one that has Christ

in their life,

but He is not the Lord

of their life.

Instead of the blessed assurance

of salvation,

salvation to you

is simply insurance.

You're hoping to ensure yourself

that when you stand before God

that you will be allowed

into heaven.

But you're not giving God

or Christ

the lordship of your life

day by day.

You're not waking up

every morning

and asking,

you know,

asking in that time of prayer

or meditation with God,

God,

what is your plan?

What is your direction

for me today?

And you're not honestly

closing the day

by going before God

and saying,

God,

have I faithfully accomplished

the task for today

that you gave me

for this day?

Has my life honored you

to the nth degree?

Did I do all

that you presented

the opportunity

for me to do?

You see,

to be the Spirit-filled Christian,

Christ must be

on the throne

of your life.

Not just in the sphere

of your life,

but in the center

of your life.

And you seek

to live for Him

every day.

day.

Paul is addressing

the believers

then in chapter 5,

verses 15 through 20,

after he has said to them,

beginning the discourse,

that others have a life

of vanity,

uselessness.

So you have your Bibles

open now.

Perhaps I've taken

so long with introduction,

you've closed your Bibles,

but you may open them

back to Galatians chapter 5.

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

We're going to read

verses 15 through 20.

See then,

he's closing,

he says,

so see then

that you walk

circumspectly,

not as fools,

but as wise people,

redeeming the time

because the days

are evil.

wherefore,

be ye not unwise,

but understanding

what the will

of the Lord

is.

And be not drunk

with wine

wherein is excess,

but be filled

with the Spirit,

speaking to yourselves

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing

and making melody

in your heart

unto the Lord.

Giving thanks

always

for all things

unto God

and the Father

in the name

of our Lord

Jesus Christ.

As Paul

is addressing

the believers here,

he is asking,

identifying for them

how we should live

our lives.

first,

first,

he says,

walk

circumspectly.

That means

careful

to consider

all

circumstances.

A Christian

is not to live

a life

that's just sort of

willy-nilly

free

and to be blown

in the wind

as long as it's

the wind

of the Spirit.

Christians

are commanded

here,

are encouraged

here by Paul

to live lives

that take

into consideration

everything around them.

Now,

we can spend

the majority

of our time

this morning

just laying out

for you

the things

of this world

that we experience.

But I'm going

to let you

just in a few seconds

let that race

through your mind.

The life

in which you live,

the places

where you work,

where you go

to school,

where you hang out,

where you shop,

all of those things.

I'm going

to let you

just identify

those things

that are a part

of life

that you experience

and be careful

to consider

all of the

circumstances.

And he says

when you do that

walk

understandingly

and make

the best

of your time.

one of the things

that I am

almost

I'm to the point

that I

I don't

hate myself

but I just

I am such

a

meticulous.

I prepare

my days.

One of the last

things I do

every evening

is sit down

look over

my calendar

and make sure

that I've got

the next day

just lined out

where to be

what to do

when to do it

how to do it

excuse me

and all of those

things

it's one of the

last things

I do every day

and then the

first thing I do

in the morning

is I get up

and I get a phone

call or a message

and I go

oh my

now I've got to

change the whole day.

Sometimes I can be

that meticulous

sometimes I can be

that structured

but what I have

to understand

is that what

God

what I think

and what God

says

may not always

click together.

So I have to

understand

how to make

the best use

of the time

that God

has given me

understanding

that I am to

use it

to honor

and glorify Him.

So this is what

Paul is telling

the believers

this is what he is

telling them

that are living

in communities

and in an

ungodly world

he is saying

to them

redeem

your

time

it is like

this

we love

to sit down

and talk

about

what is wrong

with the world

we do

it is rotten

to the core

we love

to talk

about it

we enjoy

talking about

what others

are doing

that we would

never do

that we do

not believe in

that what

they are doing

and instead

of doing that

listen

because here is

what we are

doing according

to the scripture

we are wasting

our time

because the

Bible tells

us that there

will always

be evil

days

but evil

days

create

opportunities

not

obstacles

that excites

me

that excites

me

let me tell you

a little bit

about Hartford

schools

why I am so

passionate

about it

when one

of my

children

was in

middle school

at a middle

school here

in Pickens

County

I was asked

by the principal

of that school

to develop

a chaplaincy

program for the

middle school

and so a group

of pastors

we worked on it

for some time

then I was

invited to come

to a meeting

at the school

to present it

to some parents

and hopefully

we would get

it instituted

in the school

when I share it

as soon as I finish

there's a lady

at the other

end of the

table

that looks

across the

table at me

and she says

no

I do not

want people

like you

forcing your

religious belief

down my

child's throat

and you've

got to respect

that

my response

ma'am

I will be

glad to

respect your

opinion

if you

will respect

mine

from that

day on

basically

friends

it became

a crusade

for me

to see

how we

could get

Christian

influence

into our

schools

we had a

principal

when my

child was

at Six Mile

Elementary

the principal

would always

invite me

to come

to do

a career

day

and I'm

just a

preacher

how many

kids

want to

hear what

a preacher

does in

his life

every day

no

so you

know what

the principal

would do

the principal

would always

put me with

the race car

driver

or the

airplane

pilot

or the

astronaut

well kids

wanted to

hear all

about that

but to

hear about

those

or any

one of

those

they had

to then

say it

to the

second

half

which was

the

preacher

and I

would always

share

what I

what my

role in

ministry

as a

pastor

what it

was

and I

would always

end

I did

this for

about five

years

I would

always end

in this

manner

I would

take a

copy of

my

scripture

of the

bible

and I

would

as I

close

I would

say

I have

here

in my

bible

when I

open it

a picture

if you

will

of who

God

loves

so much

that he

gave his

only begotten

son

that

whosoever

believes

in him

will never

perish

but have

everlasting

life

would you

like to

see

who that

person

is

every

hand

would

go up

yes

I said

okay

I'm going

to come

I'm going

to show

you the

picture

of that

person

that God

loves so

much

that he

gave his

only begotten

son

that whosoever

believes in

him

will not

perish

but have

everlasting

life

but when I

show it

to you

don't tell

anyone else

because I

want them

to see the

picture

themselves

today

okay

okay

that's

who

would

see it

first

every hand

would go

up

I'd walk

back

I'd open

my Bible

I'd turn

it to the

child's face

and what I

had on the

leaf there

was a

mirror

as I

walked

across

through that

classroom

every child

saw

that the

person that

God loves

so much

that he

gave his

only begotten

son

that whosoever

believes in

him would

not perish

was

themselves

there's a

task for

us to be

doing

when they

asked Jesus

why are

you here

he did

not say

to feed

the hungry

to heal

the sick

nor to

raise the

dead

when the

religious

leaders

asked him

why are

you here

it was

to seek

and to

save

those

which were

lost

and that's

the task

of the

church

today

to seek

and to

save

those

who are

lost

this

is

living

wisely

secondly

understand

the will

of the

Lord

be aware

of what

God wants

in every

situation

verse 17

understanding

what the

will of

the Lord

is

it is

not what

you want

it is

not what

I want

it is

what

God

wants

and it

is us

pulling

together

in the

same

direction

with all

of our

strength

with all

of our

soul

and with

all of

our heart

to accomplish

that task

for years

I had a

little cartoon

that I

kept on

my office

wall

on a

bulletin

board

or something

and it

was four

little boys

standing around

a wagon

and the

wagon had

something in

it I don't

remember exactly

what and

they're wanting

to move it

now it's very

heavy because

of the load

that's in the

little wagon

so the four

boys there's

one on each

end and

one on each

side

and as

they're standing

there the next

caption says

this

okay guys

on the

count of

three

everybody

pull

now just

take a

minute

you've got

the picture

one boy

on each

end

one on

each side

count of

three

everybody

pulls

where's

the load

go

nowhere

you're all

pulling with

all of your

strength

with all of

their might

but they're

pulling

against each

other

and it

goes

nowhere

body of

Christ is

made up of

people that

service the

hands

some that

service the

feet

we all have a

different call

we all have

different gifts

that we can put

together to form

the body of

Christ that

when he says

move we move

and accomplishing

our task

for the purpose

of reaching

those who

are lost

and that

will be

accomplished

it is not

what you

want or

where you

want to

go

but it

is who

you are

and doing

God's will

that brings

honor to

him

verse

the passage

says

in verse

10

if we go

back

or we

learn

here that

the passage

says

learn

what is

pleasing

to the

Lord

it's not

about what

I want

it's about

what God

wants

and being

in tune

to that

third

be filled

with the

spirit

the secret

to a

godly

life

if you

ever

ask

yourself

how

can I

live

a life

that I'm

doing

what I

know

God

wants me

to do

and you

know

I will

be less

likely

perhaps

very

unlikely

to do

those

things

that bring

harm

to me

what

is it

that I

need

to do

it is

very

simple

it is

this

secret

to be

filled

by the

Holy Spirit

of God

in the

book of

Acts

just before

Jesus

ascends

he tells

his disciples

about the

coming

of the

Spirit

of the

Holy Spirit

that will

indwell

in them

that will

fill them

and will

empower

them

and encourage

them

man if

you're

living

a life

in which

you have

no power

and you're

always feeling

discouraged

perhaps you

simply need

to be

filled

with the

Spirit

of God

so preacher

don't talk

like that

I've been a

church member

for 60

years

well

I've been

preaching

since I

was 15

and I

still pray

for God

to fill me

with his

Spirit

daily

to just

encompass

all that

I am

and all

that I'm

going to

be

fill me

with your

Holy Spirit

because I

don't want

to be

filled

and let

it just

lay in

there

I want

to be

filled

today

that I

may share

it with

others

and then be

filled

tomorrow

that I

may share

again

it is

living a

life

in which

you are

filled

by the

Spirit

of God

Jesus

and the

woman

at the

well

in John

14

illustrates

that point

so beautifully

as he is

sitting there

at the

well

talking to

this lady

who believes

that she

understands

all there

really is

to understand

about religion

and she

may have

but what

she did

not understand

was what

it meant

to be

filled

with the

Spirit

of God

Jesus

said to

her

if you

knew

who I

was

you

would

be

asking

me

for the

water

because he

would fill

her with

the Spirit

of God

he would

fill her

with that

water

in which

she would

never

thirst

again

I got

tired

of living

a life

where I

would be

pumped up

on Sunday

mornings

and empty

by Thursday

afternoon

I got

tired

of that

I wanted

to live

a life

in which

Christ

would

fill

and

fill

me

and I

realized

the way

that I

do that

is that

I live

for him

and that

I ask

him

every day

to live

in me

when she

understood

what it

meant to be

filled

with the

Spirit

she ran

back to

the town

and she

told

everybody

and I

believe

when we

say

everybody

I

think

it

meant

everybody

that had

anything

to do

with her

so it

was not

the church

people

she went

and she

told them

we're to be

filled

with the

Spirit

of God

Colossians

Colossians 3:16

chapter 3

verse 16

says

let the

word of

Christ

dwell

in you

richly

fully

as you

teach

and admonish

one another

in all

wisdom

seek to

be filled

with the

Spirit

of God

fourth

understanding

the importance

of worship

look what it

says

in verse

19

speaking to

yourselves

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual

songs

singing

and making

melody

in your

heart

to the

Lord

I enjoyed

hearing this

men's group

sing

but I kept

looking for

Lawrence

Crenshaw

up here

because I

didn't see

anybody young

enough to

be him

as I

remembered

Lawrence

and I

go way

back

listen

I'll tell

you this

little side

little side

note

very quickly

you know

why I'm

a preacher

today

you know

why

because I

took piano

from Liddell

and she

told me

she said

Rick

you better

just give

up music

and try

preaching

and God

took that

and used

it

to call

me to

preach

but singing

and making

melody

in your

heart

oh

man I get

some of the

strangest looks

at traffic

lights

when I'm

sitting in

town

there may

be some

of you

that have

seen me

and now

you're gonna

go oh

yeah

I remember

that idiot

I love to

sing in my

car

I won't tell

you exactly

what I

drive

that way

if you

don't know

you won't

know if

it's me

or not

I love

to sing

in my

car

and I

will turn

the radio

up

not to

blast out

the people

around me

loud enough

that I

can't hear

myself sing

with them

but I

love to

sing

I love

to sing

with the

congregation

I love

praise songs

I love

songs that

talk of

Calvary

I love

songs that

talk of

the blood

and the

grace of

Jesus Christ

and his

love

I love

songs that

tell me

that he

accepts me

just as

I am

I love

songs that

tell me

or that

encourage me

to sing

to God

and say

have your

way

in my

life

I love

singing

the old

hymns

and the

songs

I love

hearing

songs

I love

understanding

the importance

of worship

worship

I feel so

regretful

and sorry

for those

who say

I don't

have to be

in church

to worship

you're right

you don't

you should

worship God

when you're

alone

when you're

at home

when you're

in your car

when you're

at work

when you're

doing chores

when you're

buying groceries

at Walmart

when the person

cuts you off

at the corner

of Main

and Ann

Street

you still

should worship

God

in all aspects

at all times

of your life

but you should

never forsake

the assembling

of yourselves

together

in God's house

to worship

together

to share

in the excitement

and the voices

and the smiles

and the hearts

of those

who sit around

you

and to know

that they

are too

enjoying

being in the

presence

of the Lord

understand

the importance

of worship

singing from

your heart

daily

and then

finally

verse 20

giving thanks

always

for all

things

unto God

giving thanks

and understanding

I read a story

several years

ago

a guy

was writing

his testimony

as a sailor

in the United

States Navy

and he was

sharing in one

of the stories

how he would

always

he was always

telling others

of how thankful

he was to God

for everything

that he had

for everything

that he received

he would give

thanks

he said

I want people

to know

I'm thankful

to God

one day

they sit down

for a mess

and as he

starts to eat

he takes a bite

of his meal

and as he

takes it

he just sort

of

spits it back

out and the

spoon throws

it down

and says

that's some

of the worst

food I've ever

tasted

well a big

burly

commanding

officer

sitting across

the table

from him

in mass

who is known

for his

colorful language

looks up

and he says

well

because right

before he

took a bite

he gave

thanks

then he

throws it

down

and it's

not good

the big

burly

officer

across the

table

looks up

he says

didn't you

give thanks

for that

meal

and the

sailor said

yes I

did

the big

burly

officer

says

then shut

up and eat

it

how often

do we give

thanks to

God

and then what

we've just

given him

thanks for

we allow it

to become

something that's

in our way

something that

we say you

know I would

be better off

without

than what

God has

given to me

we're to give

thanks to

God and

understanding

and everything

for I want

you to

understand this

morning

and have

the opportunity

to talk

with someone

just yesterday

in Engels

about this

the will

of the

Lord

is that

difficult

situations

that happen

in your

life

will draw

you closer

to him

we do

not like

difficult

situations

we do

not like

to think

when something

goes

wrong

I'm a

Christian

life is

supposed to

be perfect

no it's

not

God never

promised you

a perfect

life

he just

promised

that he

would always

be there

for you

in life

that he

would stick

closer than

a brother

that he

would never

leave you

nor forsake

you

that he

would give

you the

strength

daily

to live

he never

promised

perfection

here

and so the

difficulties

of life

draw us

closer

to him

in Galatians

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

let me be

sure I'm

right here

excuse me

let me back

I'm not

exactly sure

that's where

I wanted

to go

should have

prepared a little

more

one minute

more

Paul wrote

this

oh foolish

Galatians

having begun

in the spirit

you are now

continuing

in the flesh

that was

their issue

they had

come to

Christ

they had

professed

faith in

Christ

they had

the way

out the

door

if you will

they just

went back

to living

the same

old life

they may

have even

tried

to change

their way

of living

but they

tried to

do it

without

Christ

you can't

do it

that way

you can't

profess to

be a

Christian

and live

like a

Christian

and live

in the

glory

of God

and in

the leadership

of the

Holy Spirit

you can't

do it

just by

professing

you have

to work

at it

and you

have to

ask him

to go

with you

every step

of the

way

we've

got a

six month

old

grandson

his parents

our son

they're

missionaries

overseas

they'll be

going back

in a couple

of months

we've been

blessed to

have him

here for

the last

four months

or so

but as

he's growing

he's

over six

months

now

this morning

I walked

by his

little play

area

when he

looked up

and saw

me

he just

grinned

so big

and Papa's

heart

just melted

and ran

to the

floor

and I

leaned over

the side

of the

little play

area

I said

Ollie

come to

Papa

he's not

big enough

to crawl

yet

he's trying

but he

can't do

it

but when I

finished

and I

stood up

I just

thought to

myself

oh how

many times

has God

said to

me

or you

may think

how many

times has

God said

to you

just come

to me

just come

to me

and I

believe that

he's issuing

and extending

that invitation

this morning

the Holy

Spirit may

be speaking

to multiple

people in

this congregation

and the

Holy Spirit