Are We Too Picky?

Have you had this conversation? Where do you go to church? ◦ I’m a member of the church of Christ. Oh. You don’t believe in music. ◦ Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, You’re too picky. You minor in the majors and major in the minors. You’re Pharisaical. You’re straining at gnats.

Reasons for being careful with the Scriptures: We cannot make law where God has not.

Making Law Where God Has Not Mark 2:23-28 ◦ Jesus and His disciples didn’t violate the Law – they violated the traditions of the Pharisees. Mark 3:1-6 ◦ Jesus didn’t violate the Sabbath – He offended the Pharisees over their warped traditions.

Making Law Where God Has Not Matthew 15:1-9 ◦ Jesus and His disciples didn’t violate the Law – they violated the traditions of the Pharisees. ◦ The Pharisees traditions made their worship vain. Think so’s, opinions, tweaking, modifying – even in the name of being super righteous – have no place.

Reasons for being careful with the Scriptures: We cannot make law where God has not. We cannot be less than fully obedient.

We must be fully obedient. How much obedience is enough? ◦ 50%? ◦ 75%? ◦ 90%? Prevailing attitude: God doesn’t expect full obedience, and we can adjust His word to fit our times and circumstances.

We must be fully obedient. Genesis 4:3-5 ◦ Cain made an effort.  His offering was sacrificial.  He made the offering. ◦ God didn’t regard his offering. ◦ Some obedience wasn’t the same as complete obedience.

We must be fully obedient. Genesis 6:22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. ◦ 7:5 And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. ◦ 7:16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.

We must be fully obedient. Exodus 40:16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did. ◦ 17 times in chapters 39 & 40, “as the LORD commanded Moses.” Leviticus 10:1-3 1 Samuel 15

We must be fully obedient. 2 Samuel 6:6-7 What about the Pharisees? ◦ Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Cf. Heb. 5:9

Reasons for being careful with the Scriptures: We cannot make law where God has not. We cannot be less than fully obedient. Grace doesn’t nullify the need for obedience.

Grace should cause us to obey. Ephesians 2:8-9 ◦ V. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Romans 2:4, 6:14-16 Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;…

Reasons for being careful with the Scriptures: We cannot make law where God has not. We cannot be less than fully obedient. Grace doesn’t nullify the need for obedience. Where do you draw the line with “You’re too picky?”

The line is arbitrary. What can’t be removed by “You’re too picky?” How do you know God won’t mind? God’s word becomes meaningless. 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.

In the end… God’s word is the standard: ◦ John 12:48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. Matthew 25:21a His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;…