Christian Liberty Part 7

THE PRINCIPLE OF PROTECTION
'I must be disciplined in the choices I make'

• Is every issue black and white? Can I not do something that another could do?

• What situations do you need to avoid, things you need to keep away from your eyes?

• Four Personal Disciplines from Paul:

  1. Striving - all out training effort - avoid spiritual impediments
  2. Sacrifice - must sweat in effort
  3. Strategy - Christian walk not aimless - must plan:
     a) Keep future always in sight (the final prize)
     b) Engage in effective labor - life cannot be mismanaged
  4. Surrender - give up anything that distracts from the spiritual

• Cannot separate practical messages from personal character

THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUTION
'I must exercise a realistic examination of self in temptation'

• Temptation not sin, only wrong response to it
• Don't live on edge of freedom God gives
• Three Phases of Tempatation (Israelite example):
  1. Privlege
     a) Cloud - God's direction and guidance
     b) Red sea - God's fortification