Ephesians 1:6 says we are "accepted in the beloved." The person referred to as "The Beloved" is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the most basic needs of man is to be accepted and loved by the Lord. It is too often that our acceptance or our rejection by others becomes too much of a priority in our lives. Paul made it clear that His ambition was above everything else to please the Lord (2 Tim.2:4 cp. Gal.1:10). Since we belong to Christ many things are true about us.

I. We Belong To Christ As Sons. John 1:12 tells us that if we have received Christ, we have been given the power or authority to become the sons of God. Since He has birthed us, there is a Father-Son relationship. What glorious love we experience since we are born spiritually as children of God when we are saved.

II. We Belong To Christ As Servants. Romans 6:22 reminds us we have become "servants unto God." A person either serves sin or serves the Lord; one cannot serve both. There could be no worse conflict of interest than to try to serve God while serving the devil or material things. After all Christ has done for us in His purchase at Calvary, in His provision in daily living, and due to what He has prepared for us in the future, He cannot ask us to do too much. Our service for Christ should be with dedication and diligence. Serve Him well! It will give you both present satisfaction and future reward.

III. We Belong To Christ As Spokesmen. The Bible says in 2 Cor. 5:20 that we serve as "ambassadors" for Christ. Our tongues should be used to extol and magnify Christ and His salvation. The tongue can be a tool for good or for evil. Proverbs 15:4 states, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life." There are times we cannot keep quiet and allow sin and evil to prevail. If Christ had kept quiet, and not been so outspoken, He would not have faced some of the problems He faced while upon this earth; however, Christ was willing to be counted for His kingdom and was right. We need to "speak up" more in behalf of the Lord and try to tell people how wonderful He is!

The Apostle Paul speaks of being a "fool for Christ’s sake" (1 Cor. 4:10). He must have been referring to how the world would regard us. Since we want to totally give ourselves to the Lord, the world sees us as foolish. I heard a Christian brother say on one occasion, "I’d rather be regarded as a fool for Christ’s sake than to be a fool for the devil." As we gaze into the Word of God, we discover at least four descriptions of true fools. What does the fool do that manifests him in his actual character?

I. He Disobeys The Commands Of God. In 1 Sam. 26:21, Saul confessed of playing the fool. Anytime a person hears the Word of God and refuses to obey it, he finds himself in a dangerous position. The cost of disobedience and its consequences are greater than you may think. Someone said, "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, will cost you more than you want to pay, and will keep you longer than you want to stay."

II. He Denies The Existence Of God. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool hath said in his heart there is no God." How can a person make that claim when there is so much evidence for His existence? For instance, there is creation, which shows that since it is so intricately designed, it could not have just happened out of random chance. There has to be an intelligent personality who is the cause of all that we see with our eyes. Regeneration is also an evidence of the existence of God. Since He changes people’s lives, He must be a real being, rather than a product of man’s defective imaginations.

III. He Disputes With Directions From God. Prov. 12:15 tells us, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes." Since the fool lives his life according to his own directions, he begins to feel that God is irrelevant or unnecessary. The fool looks within himself and cannot seem to look beyond himself. The person who rejects the revelation of God and seeks to serve his own thoughts and directions is without a doubt a foolish person.

IV. He Despises The People Of God. Matthew 5:22 implies that the person who makes fun of or mocks a genuine, sincere child of God, is in serious danger. When he calls the dedicated child of God a fool for doing the will of God, he stands under the condemnation of Holy God. Do not be foolish, but wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is. The Scriptures say we are to be, "Wise as serpents"( Eph.5:17).

MINI SERMONS BY DR. TOM WALKER
ZION HILL BAPTIST CHURCH- MARION, NC--USA