“God Bless You!” Gesundheit Ger. “Bless You” Some ancient peoples – feared the soul would leave the body. Romans – evil spirits leaving - “absit omen” (i.e. “evil spirits be gone!”). Pope Gregory “the Great” (590 AD) – During a plague - instructed - “God bless you.” Why do people say this when someone sneezes?

To Preserve the Soul “God Bless You!” Gesundheit Ger. “Bless You”

“I’ll live a good enough life!” Isaiah 64:6 “…we are all like an unclean thing, and our acts of righteousness are like filthy rags…”

“I’ll live a good enough life!” Romans 3:23 “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

“I’ll go to church every Sunday!” Romans 12:1 “…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service”

“I’ll follow my conscience!” Acts 23:1 “…I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day”

“I’ll follow my conscience!” Acts 9:5 “…why are you persecuting Me?...”

“I’ll do everything except ___!” Matthew 16:24 “…If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

“I’ll do everything except ___!” Luke 9:62 “…No one having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

How Can One Preserve the Soul? I Peter 1:13-23 God’s Grace (13). Non-Conformity (14). Holiness (15-16). Fear (17). Redemption (18). Obedience to the Gospel (22).