“Walking By His Rule”

The Joys of Christianity

A Study of Philippians13th Annual South Florida Lectureship

Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ

Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:4-5

Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:4-5

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Exodus 20:7

Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Psalm 119:133

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you…

Philippians 3:15-17

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing...

Philippians 3:15-17

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.

Philippians 3:15-17

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Judges 17:6

This people draweth near unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is from from me…

Matthew 15:8-9

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:8-9

Non-Reason

Reason

Søren Kierkegaard

(= Facts and Data)

(= Meaning and Values)

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dsd/dtd

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Maxwell’s Equations

E=mc2

Albert Einstein

Creation of AdamMichelangelo

Waterlilies Claude Monet

“For the first time, I think, people are really wondering if there is such a thing as truth. People aren’t quite sure anymore what grounds there are for arguing why something is wrong. There’s indifference, exhaustion. It’s whatever.”

- William BennettFormer Secretary of Education

Non-Reason

Reason

Søren Kierkegaard

(= Facts and Data)

(= Meaning and Values)

Emerging Church Movement

“Since times have changed the church must follow the times…and change.”

Those Leading the WayBrian McLaren Stanley GrenzTony Jones Doug PagittDan Kimball Steve ChalkeEddie Gibbs Spencer BurkeErwin McManus Donald MillerLeonard Street

Those Leading the WayBrian McLaren Stanley GrenzTony Jones Doug PagittDan Kimball Steve ChalkeEddie Gibbs Spencer BurkeErwin McManus Donald MillerLeonard Street

Emerging Church – Teachings and Goals

• We have no foundation for any beliefs, therefore we cannot know absolute truth.

• Since we cannot know absolute truth, we can only experience what is “true” for our communities.

Emerging Church – Teachings and Goals

• Since we cannot know absolute truth we cannot be dogmatic about doctrine.

• Since we cannot know absolute truth we cannot be dogmatic about moral standards.

“Emerging” Voices“We should stop looking for some objective Truth that is available when we delve into the text of the Bible.”Tony Jones

“Emerging” Voices“I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish contexts …. Rather than resolving the paradox via pronouncements on the eternal destiny of people more convinced by or loyal to other religions than ours, we simply move on …. To help Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and everyone else experience life to the full in the way of Jesus (while learning it better myself), I would gladly become one of them (whoever they are) to whatever degree I can, to embrace them, to join them, to enter into their world without judgment but with saving love as mine has been entered by the Lord.”Brian McLaren

“Emerging” Voices“We can not be sure that Christ ever claimed to be GOD or the Father. I personally follow Christ’s message and call myself a Christian without believing that he was GOD. He was a spiritual man who had a simple message which yet is the ultimate challenge for anyone to live by.”

- Blogger at Postmodern_Theology

“Life was nasty, brutish, and short 2,000 years ago, but the issues of the day were surprisingly modern.”

- “The Year One” (U.S. News and World

Report, Jan. 8, 2001, p. 38)

Kanon (Rule):signified a measuring stick, so a standard

Kanon (Rule):a gift from God to know how to live!

OT Devotional Writings

• Psalm 1

• Psalm 19

• Psalm 23

• Ecclesiastes 12:13

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Hebrews 5:8-9

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

Hebrews 5:8-9

Having a Divine Rule Means

• Joy in living wisely

• Confidence in living

wisely

• Consistency in living

wisely

• Basis of living wisely

Let us walk by the same Rule

Philippians 3:16