Christians Are Different

Transcripts for Dr. Wiersbe's sermons are forthcoming. Below is an outline of his message.

Jesus hates sin, but He loves us so much that He died for our sins so we can stand holy before God.

God wants us to be holy like Him and His Word.

One of the tests of spirituality is how you react to your sin and the sin of others.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians with a broken heart because of their sins.

God explains why we should not commit each of the sins (below) and provides an alternative.

Five familiar sins:

-      Lying (Ephesians 4:25)

• We should not lie because we are members of the same body. 
• Lying is a statement or action contrary to fact with the intent of misleading.
• We lie with falsehood, half-truths, exaggeration, and hypocrisy. 
• Deceit hurts us and others.
• Truth without love is brutality, but love without truth is hypocrisy.
• We must speak the truth in love, following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

-      Anger (Ephesians 4:26-27)

• Paul commands us not to sin in our anger.
• Sinning in anger is selfish.
• Direct your anger into building the righteousness of God.
• Don’t let the devil turn your anger into wrath. 

-      Stealing (Ephesians 4:28)

• When we steal, we are robbing ourselves of the privilege of helping others.
• We work so that we have something to give.

-      Blasphemy (Ephesians 4:29-30)

• Our speech is to be seasoned with salt, incorruptible.
• The more character you have, the fewer words you need to use.
• Let your yes be yes and your no, no.
• Our speech should be edifying to others and filled with the character of the Lord.
• Our words should encourage, build up, and strengthen.

-      Bitterness(Ephesians 4:31-32)

• If we don’t deal with bitterness it grows and poisons the whole body.
• We can let go of bitterness by being kind to others and forgiving.
• Remember what God has done for you. Christian love means treating others as God treats us.

Cancer in the body is a selfish cell gone wild. Sometimes this happens in the body of Christ.

Believers are one body in Christ. Love and truth must control the body.

God died for all of us, and He lives to save.

We are fighting against sin, but we should not be fighting against each other.