Churches of Christ -- Sermons; Sermons, American -- 20th century
Those who follow the Spirit are a living rebuke to those who fail to do
so, and as such they will receive some degree of persecution. But I also
contend that everybody in this world will have to admire a person who
has the fruits of the Spirit in his life. His character presents a
beautiful picture to all who know him. You just can’t help admiring him.
Let us be very careful then about the cause of our persecution.
But I promised to talk to you about “And So Forth” or “And Such Like.”
After the apostle Paul had finished naming the works of the flesh he
said, “and such like.” He said that there were some things like those
named which also belong in the same classification. Now suppose you were
requested this morning to come forward and list in this blank column
some things that are like those Paul named. What would you put in this
column? There must be _some_ things like these. The Bible says there are
some things like them. Otherwise, there would have been no sense in
saying “and such like.” What are those things which are like the ones
named by Paul? The Bible itself mentions some others that could be put
in this class. For instance, lying is a work of the flesh. It could
certainly be included in the “and so forth” of Paul’s list.
But now I want to put some words in this blank column, and leave it up
to you to decide whether they belong under the Fruit of the Spirit or
the Works of the Flesh. From this point on, I’m going to let you preach
this sermon. It’ll be your sermon from here on out. I shall not tell you
where I think these words belong. Not that I’m afraid or ashamed to
tell, but I want you to make your own decision. For after all, people
will not do right until they decide to do so themselves. If I can
provoke you to think and to resolve in your own heart that you will do
right, then that will be much better than anything else which I might do
for you today. The first word I’m listing is:
1. _Dancing._ I want you to decide for yourself which column it belongs
in. Would you list it as a work of the flesh or as fruit of the Spirit?
Into which list does it fit better? I’m not going to say. Decide for
yourself. If you were called upon to classify it in one or the other of
these groups, in which group would you put it? You may say it doesn’t
belong in either. Well, I’ll still leave that up to your judgment. I’ll
put another word up here.
2. _Bible Study._ (That’s two words, isn’t it?) Do you have any trouble
classifying that? In which list would you put it? Would you say that
Bible study belongs with the fruit of the Spirit or with the works of
the flesh? I shall not try to influence your opinion. Decide for
yourself. You see I can put most anything up here today because I’m not
committing myself. I’m playing safe. Well, let’s list another word.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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