The Truth in Modern Society —

1. The Truth in Modern Society— Rev 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”

2. 2Pe 1:3-4 “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” • It has been the challenge of every generation to withstand and overcome the influences of the multitudes and to “deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Tit 2:12 • Tit 1:1 “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness”

3. Separation From The World Essential • Psa106:34-40 “(Israel) did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions” • “Idol” is a term used in modern language to relate to the “worship” of people and objects. Even the world understands the metaphor!

4. The Apostle Paul says, “covetousness, which is idolatry” • Literal “idolatry” represents a lust to fulfill the desires of the flesh (Eph 5:5). The people in and of the world are filled with worship of idols. Thus, the command to remain separate— • Ezr9:11-12 “Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever” (Lev 18:24-30)

5. Eph 4:17-24 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”

6. 1Jn 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” • Jas 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” • It is useless to attempt to make these words say anything other than what they directly state. From the days of Noah, to the history of Israel, to the apostolic times, saints have always been required to remain separate from worldly people.

7. 2Co 6:14-18 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” • Sonship with God is predicated upon our separation from the people of the World. Are we His children?

8. Eph5:11-12 “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” Christadelphian StandardsDress —1Ti 2:9-10 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame-facednessand sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But which becometh women professing godliness with good works” (1Pet 3:1-6) Hair —1Co 11:14-15 “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering”

9. ChristadelphianStandardsAlcohol —Eph 5:18“Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (1Cor 6:10) Fornication —1Co 7:2“Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” (phys. relations reserved for marriage) Eph 5:3 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomethsaints” Inappropriate Jokes —Eph5:4“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks”

10. ChristadelphianStandardsBad Language —Col 3:8“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” Obey Parents —Eph 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” Lust Riches— 1Ti 6:6-10 “Godliness with contentment is great gain…having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”

11. “To those who live in a spiritual atmosphere, it must seem impossible for the servants of God to put such a question. The scriptural representation of the present position of such servants is that they are pilgrims walking through a desert of sin to a land of holiness and worship beyond…to come out from among them, and be separate…If there is an institution upon earth that has all the characteristics proscribed in these injunctions, it is the theatre. To be convinced of this, one has only to consider the character of the people most prone to theatre-going, and the character of the feelings excited by theatrical performances… Robert Roberts Editor of the Christadelphian Answers a question: “Is it Wrong to go to the Theatre?”

12. “…In a theatre you are in the company of the vilest of mankind; and at the close of the performance God and Christ and duty and the future have been driven far off…The Bible and theatre do not run together at all…they that are after the spirit are shocked and jarred and degraded by contact with an institution which violates every principle of Divine wisdom.”—Late 1800’s Tit 2:4-8 “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewinguncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you”

13. A Challenging Generation— Internet—every form of audio, video, photographic and literary exposure is at your disposal. Cell Phones—immediate and instant communications is available, and nearly demanded. Social Websites— personal information about oneself and others is continual accessible. E-Mail— words have replaced personal, proper and respectful face-to-face communication. Transportation— movement from state-to-state, even country-to-country has never been more affordable.

14. A Challenging Generation— • Social Websites— • Nothing Private. Openly displaying all our actions • Mat 6:1-7 “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doestthine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly…” • Facebook is a constant display of subtle bragging.

15. A Challenging Generation— • Social Websites— • People Boasting. All about men, not God. • Pro 27:1-2 “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips…” • Facebook is all about fishing for compliments, and impressing others with an image of ourselves of how we want to be seen. • God deliberately does not look on the outward man (1Sam 16), otherwise Christ would have been created to be attractive (Isa 53). It is the hidden man of the heart that matters to the Almighty (1Pet 3).

16. A Challenging Generation— • Social Websites— • World/Truth Mingled. • Neh13:23-24 “In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people” • Facebook is a combination of friends in the Truth and friends in the World: resulting in a lowering of standards and actions. • Col 4:5-6 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech bealway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”

17. A Challenging Generation— • Texting—Chatting—Email— Multitude of Words. • Pro 10:19“In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips iswise” • Pro 17:27-28 “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” • It is common for critical ecclesial news to pass via electronic media; much which should be kept quiet. • Jas 1:26“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion isvain”

18. A Challenging Generation— Texting—Chatting—Email—Gossip. Jas 3:8-10 “The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing” Pro 16:27-28 “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends” Pro 11:13“A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter” Pro 17:4“A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue”

19. A Challenging Generation— • Texting—Chatting—Email— • In Person, not in Word. • 2Jn 1:12“Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full” • We are inclined to be bolder in message, than in person. • 2Co 10:1-10 “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you …That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence isweak…”

20. A Challenging Generation—Cell Phones— Living by Sight, Not Faith. • Heb11:7-8 “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house…By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” • Constant accessibility removes reliance on God. Equally, is the need for meditation, uninterrupted— • Psa1:1-2 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night”

21. A Challenging Generation— • Internet—World At Your Disposal. • We know the Internet offers many things far beyond what is permitted for brethren in Christ to partake of freely. How do we refrain from the temptations of the Flesh? What is the benefit? • Heb11:24-27 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible”

22. A Challenging Generation— • Internet—Keeping the World at Bay. • Worldly influences weaken our resolve, stiffle urgency. • 1Pe 2:11-12 “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” • Rom 13:12-14 “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness…But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof”

23. Luk 21:34 “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” • Attachment to the world makes our warfare cease. • Gal 5:16-25 “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would…Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness…they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God”

24. Rom 8:5-8 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” • While each generation faces different challenges, the overall problem is the same: overcoming the flesh in its various manifestations. • 1Co 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”

25. Jdg 2:8-11 “And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old…And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim” Where Do We Stand? “The extracts that go to make up this book have been selected because they serve to express…the attitude of our pioneers in matters of precept and example. We feel that there is an urgent need to restate this today because of the widespread drift from the standards then laid down. It is obvious that the ‘perilous last days’ foretold by Paul are now upon us (2Tim 3)… continued

26. “The history of a nation, or a movement, can roughly be divided into three main periods. Firstly, the period of the pioneers, when foundations are laid down, and principles set forth. The path of action is clearly defined, the issues are all fundamental, for opposition is virile. At that stage, obstacles are so great, difficulties so immense, that little time can be spared for anything apart from essentials. The continuance of the Movement seems to hang by a thread, for its friends are few, and this demands the complete dedication of those associated with it as ‘their reasonable sacrifice’ if it is to prosper. The spirit of such a period is that of ‘no compromise,’ for the demarcation of enemy and friend is unmistakable. “But pioneering days do not last forever. A movement establishes itself or goes out of existence. In the former case, it gathers to itself a little strength, and some results are seen…cont,

27. “…for the heavy, exacting work expended and it then enters the second stage of its existence. There is time for things other than the mere essentials. It is the period of consolidation, when the principles established in the early days are given form and substance. Under wise administration, a nation or a movement reaches its greatest heights, and exercises its greatest influence, during this stage. “This is followed (inevitably as history shows) by a third stage— that of decline, when, as in Jeremiah’s time, the need for walking in the ‘old paths’ is not so apparent. The line of demarcation becomes obscure; the complete dedication demanded in the early days now seems a little fanatical; the outspoken opposition then manifested now seems a little ridiculous. A more liberal outlook is urged in the attitude of members towards those who are not of the Movement or who oppose it, and impatience is manifested towards the pioneering spirit that at one time…cont,

28. “…was responsible for its establishment. Desire for respectability, comfort and ease takes the place of hard work, self-denial, and constant effort. “Trends within the Body indicate that Christadelphia has entered this third stage. The period of decline is setting in. The pioneering spirit is fast fading out…Instead of close study of the Word (to prepare our minds to live and preach the Gospel) and hard work in extending its message, there is demand for more social evenings, for more respectable preaching of the Word (do not be too sure, too forthright, too outspoken in prophecy and doctrine), a blurring of the sharp line of demarcation between the world and Christ… “If the decline mentioned above is not stopped, Christadelphia could in time, become but another sect…” Christadelphian Standards HP Mansfield, 1961

29. 2Ti 3:1-7 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” • This expresses a time of no accepted standard in society.

30. Standards of Society—Gallup Poll, May 2011 • 60% Fornication: Unmarried couples is fine • 65% Gambling: is morally acceptable • 70% Divorce: is socially normal • 55% Gay-Lesbian Relationships: are okay • Standards of Society—Centers for Disease Ctrl • 40% All babies born out of wedlock • Standards of Society—U.S. Census Bureau 2010 “For the first time, American women have passed men in gaining advanced college degrees, as well as bachelor’s degrees” (Women are better educated than men in modern society)

31. “Where are we to look for the indications of the real state of the ecclesia? The answer is, in the individual lives of the brethren and sisters. Let us follow them in their dispersion during the week, and ask how they act when thrown upon their own resources. “What do they do with their leisure time and surplus money? How do they transact their business or do their work? Do they continue instant in prayer, abounding therein with thanksgiving? Are they ‘ready to do every good work?’ “Or does the Word of God go neglected in their houses while they bestow all their energies on business or work, or friends and family, or pleasure?... “These are some of the questions that would determine whereabouts an ecceslia stands in the matter of ‘having a name to live and being dead’”—Robert Roberts