Putting My Actions to the Test

1. Putting My Actions to the Test

2. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”

3. The Bible test.(Is it condemned?) • A. Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

4. I. The Bible test.(Is it condemned?) • B. 2 John 9 “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.”

5. I. The Bible test.(Is it condemned?) • C. 1 John 2:4-5 “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”

6. I. The Bible test.(Is it condemned?) • D. 1 Samuel 15:19 “Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”

7. II. The love test. • A. Is it of the world? • 1. 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

8. II. The love test. • A. Is it of the world? • 2. Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

9. II. The love test. • B. Does it show love for my brother? • 1. 1 John 4:20-21 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him; that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

10. II. The love test. • B. Does it show love for my brother? • 2. Romans 14:13-15 “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.”

11. The secrecy test.(Will I want to hide it from my parents? Fellow Christians? God?) • A. John 3:19-21 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done to God.”

12. III. The secrecy test.(Will I want to hide it from my parents? Fellow Christians? God?) • B. Romans 2:16 “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.” • C. Hebrews 4:13 “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

13. III. The secrecy test.(Will I want to hide it from my parents? Fellow Christians? God?) • D. Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” • E. Psalm 139:7-10 “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”

14. The prayer test.(Can I pray about it? Ask God to be with me in it? Bless me as I do it?) • A. Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” • B. Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.”

15. IV. The prayer test.(Can I pray about it? Ask God to be with me in it? Bless me as I do it?) • C. Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

16. V. The harm test. (Will it harm me physically or spiritually?) • A. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

17. V. The harm test. (Will it harm me physically or spiritually?) • B. 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1 “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them And walk in them, I will be their God, And they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord, Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.’ Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

18. V. The harm test. (Will it harm me physically or spiritually?) • C. Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

19. VI. The corruption test. • A. Will it corrupt my thoughts? Heart? • 1. Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” • 2. Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. ‘Eat and drink!’ he says to you, But his heart is not with you.”

20. VI. The corruption test. • A. Will it corrupt my thoughts? Heart? • 3. Matthew 15:18-20 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

21. VI. The corruption test. • A. Will it corrupt my thoughts? Heart? • 4. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

22. VI. The corruption test. • B. Will it put me in bad company? 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits.”

23. VII. The influence test.(Would I want others to follow me in doing it?) • A. 1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1 “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

24. VII. The influence test.(Would I want others to follow me in doing it?) • B. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” • C. Ephesians 6:4 “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

25. VII. The influence test.(Would I want others to follow me in doing it?) • D. 1 Timothy 4:12-16 “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

26. VIII. The Lordship test. (Can I do it and keep Jesus as Lord?) • A. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

27. VIII. The Lordship test. (Can I do it and keep Jesus as Lord?) • B. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” • C. Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

28. VIII. The Lordship test. (Can I do it and keep Jesus as Lord?) • D. 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (Could this attitude become addictive and supplant Jesus as the Lord in my life?)

29. IX. The glory test. (Who will get the glory from my doing it?) • A. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” • B. Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

30. IX. The glory test. (Who will get the glory from my doing it?) • C. Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

31. X. The warning signs test. (What does my conscience tell me about it?) • A. Romans 14:23 “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” • B. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from every form of evil.”

32. X. The warning signs test. (What does my conscience tell me about it?) • C. Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. • D. Acts 23:1 “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.’”

33. X. The warning signs test. (What does my conscience tell me about it?) • Acts 26:9 “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” • 1 Timothy 1:13, 15 “Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief….This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

34. XI. The kingdom test. (Can I put the kingdom first and do it?) • A. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” • B. Must I forget what kingdom I am a citizen of to participate in it? Philippians 3:20-21 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

35. XII. The second coming test? (Would I want to be found doing it when the Lord comes again?) • A. 1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”

36. XII. The second coming test? (Would I want to be found doing it when the Lord comes again?) • B. Matthew 24:42-44 “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”