OceanSide church of Christ

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THREE DETRIMENTAL AREAS OF CHRISTIAN WEAKNESS

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The word “almighty” is only applied to one being in the Bible, that is, God.

1.       It is predominately an Old Testament word.  It is used 48 times in 48 verses in the Old Covenant.

a.       When God speaks to Abraham (Gen. 17:11), Jacob (Gen. 35:11), and Moses (Exo. 6:3), He refers to Himself as the Almighty God.

b.      The book of Job makes use of the word 31 times in 31 verses.

2.       It is found nine times in nine verses in the New Testament.

a.       It is found in 2 Corinthians 6:18.

b.      The rest of the references are found in the Revelation (8 times).

c.       One time the Greek word translated “almighty” is translated “omnipotent,” “for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Rev. 19:6).

 

B.      Definition of Almighty

1.       Old Testament:  shadday

a.       Strong (7706):  Almighty

b.      BDB:  almighty, most powerful

c.       Barnes:  irresistible, able to destroy, Almighty, from shadad meaning “be strong, destroy”

2.       New Testament:  pantokrator

a.       Strong (3841):  the all ruling, that is, God (as absolute or universal sovereign)

b.      Thayer:  he who holds sway over all things, the ruler of all, almighty:  God

c.       Vine:  almighty, or ruler of all (pas, “all,” krateo, “to hold, or to have strength)

 

C.     He displays His power and might in many ways:

1.       Creator:  power over the elements, the heavenly bodies, and the animal kingdom

2.       He is able to heal sicknesses and diseases.

3.       He establishes and removes all rulers.

4.       He can destroy armies and kingdoms.

5.       He has the power of life and death.

6.       He holds sway over Satan and the hadean realm.

7.       He brings His will to pass through His wonderful providence.

 

D.     This is the being who dwells in us (2 Cor. 6:16), who abides in us (John 14:23), and who promises to be with us at all times (Ps. 37:28).

 

E.      Yet, even though we have the Almighty with us, we often find ourselves to be very weak.   There are at least three areas wherein it is extremely detrimental for us to manifest weakness.

 

I.                    WEAK IN FAITH

 

A.     The words “weak in faith” are found one time in Romans 4:19. 

1.       The are applied to Abraham, but in the negative.

2.       “And being not weak in faith…”

3.       This, however indicates that he could have been weak in faith.

 

B.      The description of a weak faith is usually found in the words:  “O ye of little faith.”

1.       Matthew records these words four times. 

2.       Each time they are spoken by Jesus.

a.       Referring to God’s ability to cloth us (Matt. 6:30).

 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 

b.      To the apostles while on the stormy sea of Galilee (Matt. 8:26).

 

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?  Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

 

c.       To Peter when he took his eyes off Jesus while walking on the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 14:31).

 

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

 

d.      The disciples worrying about having bread even after having seen Jesus feed the multitudes (Matt. 16:7-10).

 

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread.  Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?  Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

 

C.     The lessons these accounts teach us.

1.       We display a lack of faith when we worry and fret over our physical necessities instead of putting the kingdom of God and His righteousness first.

2.       We display a lack of faith when we allow our fears to control us.

3.       We display a lack of faith when we take our eyes off of Jesus and begin to look at the storms that are raging around us.

4.       We show a lack of faith when we fail remember the power that God has demonstrated in our lives time and time again.

 

II.                 WEAK IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE

 

A.     This next point comes from 1 Corinthians 11:30.

 

For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

 

B.      The Corinthians had perverted a portion of the worship service (1 Cor. 11:17).

 

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

 

1.       There coming together involved their worship on the Lord’s Day.

2.       Instead of making them better, their assembly was making them worse.

 

C.     Their error dealt specifically with the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20).

 

When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.

1.       In some way, they had attached a common meal to the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:21, 34).

a.       The early church had fellowship meals.  They were referred to as “love feasts” or “feast of charity” (Jude 12).

b.      Instead of keeping the love feast and the Lord’s supper apart, they combined them.

c.       To correct this, Paul told them to eat their common meal at home (1 Cor. 11:22, 34).

2.       As they were eating, they judged one another (1 Cor. 11:31).

3.       There were divisions among them as brethren.  It seems to have been between the “haves” and the “have nots” (1 Cor. 11:18, 21, 22).

4.       They seem to have completely lost sight of the true purpose of the Lord’s Supper, that is, to “shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Cor. 11:22-26).

 

D.     If they continued in these errors, they would bring damnation upon themselves (1 Cor. 11:27-29).

 

E.      The immediate impact was that many were weak and sickly and many sleep (1 Cor. 11:30).

 

F.      LESSON:  The Lord knows what is best for us in our worship.  He has told us exactly how He wants us to conduct ourselves as we pay homage to Him on the Lord’s day.  When we corrupt the worship in any way, we become weak, and sickly, and sleepy.

 

III.              WEAK IN KNOWLEDGE

 

A.     When I think about knowledge there are several things that come to mind.

1.       There will always be different Christians that are at different levels of knowledge within a congregation.

2.       Knowledge can fall into two broad categories:

a.       Knowledge of doctrinal matters:  those who are weak in knowledge in this area can cause some difficult problems.

b.      Knowledge of optional matters:  those who are both weak and strong in knowledge can cause difficulties in this area.

 

B.      When it comes to doctrinal matters, the strong must confront the errors of the weak and not let them pass.

1.       Paul would not allow the Judaizing teachers to go unchallenged (Gal. 1:6-9).

2.       Paul did not allow those who taught that the resurrection was passed already to continue to teach their error unopposed (2 Tim. 2:16-18).

3.       Jude did not allow the false teachers who were turning the grace of God in lasciviousness go unchallenged (Jude 3-4).

 

C.     Paul focuses on individuals being weak in knowledge regarding optional matters in two books:  Romans and 1 Corinthians.

1.       Two problems developed over optional matters in the church.

a.       Eating things that were clean and unclean (Rom. 14).

b.      Eating meats offered to idols that was sold in the market place (1 Cor. 8).

2.       Two groups formed over both issues

a.       Those who would only eat herbs and those who would eat meats.

b.      Those who would eat meats that had been offered unto idols that were sold in the marketplace and those who would not eat the meats.

3.       A lack of knowledge was the problem in both situations.

a.       Clean and unclean issue (Rom. 14:14)

 

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself:  but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

 

b.      Meats offered to idols (1 Cor. 8:4, 7)

 

As concerning therefore he eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one…Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:  for some with conscience of an idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

 

D.     In both instances, Paul counsels the strong, that is, the knowledgeable to be careful in how they handle the weak.

1.       Eating “unclean” meat

a.       Don’t destroy your bother (Rom. 14:15).

b.      Remember the purpose of the kingdom (Rom. 14:17).

c.       Do not destroy the work of God (Rom. 14:20).

2.       Eating meats offered in sacrifice unto idols:  don’t put a stumbling block before your brother (1 Cor. 8:9-13)

 

E.      Paul also seeks to teach the weak in both instances.

1.       Eating “unclean” meat:  do not judge him that eateth (Rom. 14:3)

2.       Eating meats offered in sacrifice unto idols:  there is just one God (1 Cor. 8:6, 8)

 

F.      A good summary verse (Hose 4:6)

 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     We have examined three areas of Christian weakness that can bring detrimental effects to the individual and to the church.

1.       Weak in faith

2.       Weak in Christian service

3.       Weak in knowledge

 

B.      Most weaknesses begin with a lack of knowledge. 

 

C.     We could have talked about weakness in love for God.

1.       Love for God is displayed by keeping God’s commands (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3).

2.       If I refuse to obey God, my love for God is weak. 

3.       Sadly, we can say our love for worldly things, even sin, is stronger than our love for God (1 John 2:15).

 

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.