Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20030525.htm

CONTRASTING WALKING IN DARKNESS WITH WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE
Part II: The RELATIONAL Contrasts In NOT Doing So Versus Regularly Reading And Applying Scripture
  1. Introduction
    1. At a Church like Nepaug Bible Church, one would expect to hear of the need to heed Scripture.
    2. Yet, for a believer actually to heed the Word, he needs motivation to do so.
    3. For such motivation, this lesson reveals the contrasting RESULTS of either regularly reading and heeding Scripture or not doing so, and we now note the relational contrasts involved:
  2. The RELATIONAL Contrasts In NOT Doing So Versus Regularly Reading And Applying Scripture.
    1. As we learned in our previous lesson, walking in darkness means to live without a regular intake and application of Scripture's insight where walking in the light involves regularly reading and applying Scripture (cf. the context and content of Isa. 8:20-9:2 with 1 Jn. 1:7; Psa. 1:1-6 and 1 Tim. 4:12-16).
    2. Well, not only does the degree one regularly reads and applies Scripture affect his personal welfare as we learned in the previous lesson, it also greatly affects his relationships with other believers as follows:
      1. If one fails regularly to read and apply Scripture, given time, he will experience overall relationship failure with fellow godly believers that will become catastrophic (as follows):
        1. As walking in darkness is associated with hating fellow believers, and where walking in the light is associated with loving other believers according to 1 John 2:10-11, one who fails regularly to read and heed Scripture does the opposite of loving other believers as is described in 1 Cor. 13:4-8a (NIV, ESV). Thus, one who fails regularly to read and apply Scripture will become impatient, unkind, jealous, arrogant, rude, self-asserting, irritable, resentful, glad at wrongdoing, short on personal commitments, doubtful of the credibility of a party once a bad report about him arises, lacking hope in God's blessing and caving in to pressures in his relationship with other godly ones.
        2. One who fails regularly to read and heed Scripture eventually sins, and takes offense when another believer presents or lives the truth that exposes his sin, Matt. 15:12, 14a; John 3:20-21; 15:18-22.
        3. One who fails regularly to read and heed Scripture is blinded to the truth of the Word since his absence of Scripture insight leaves him blinded [due to his exposure to error in the world, the sinful nature and Satan all around him]; thus, his advice only harms himself and all who heed it no matter how right he may think he himself may be, cf. 1 John 2:11b; Matthew 15:12-14.
        4. One who fails regularly to read and heed Scripture, whether he is in leadership or is a follower of a leader who is thus in darkness with him, he will fall into "ditches" of personal harm and humiliation given enough time, Matthew 15:14.
      2. On the contrary, if one regularly reads and applies Scripture, he experiences relationship blessings with fellow godly believers:
        1. One who regularly reads and heeds Scripture loves fellow believers, and experiences great joyful, loving fellowship with them, 1 John 2:10a with 1:4, 7. Thus, from 1 Cor. 13:4-8a (NIV, ESV), we know one who regularly reads and heeds Scripture will become patient, kind, humble, polite, compliant without compromising obedience to God, compatible, appreciative, rejoicing in the truth and not in evil, bearing hardships, trusting the credibility of others until proven otherwise, hoping for God's blessing and enduring difficulties by faith in God as he relates to other godly believers.
        2. One who regularly reads and heeds Scripture does not lead others who follow him into harming themselves, nor does he tempt others to be disillusioned with the truth, Matt. 15:12-14; 1 Jn. 2:10b.
        3. One who regularly reads and heeds Scripture loves the truth, and is attracted to it as God's Word exposes his life to be a righteous one, John 3:21.
        4. One who regularly reads and heeds Scripture will discern true from carnal people, 1 Cor. 2:15. He is thus able to discern all information he gains from others so as to avoid heeding their error and experiencing personal harm and humiliation himself, Mtt. 15:12-14 with 1 Cor. 2:14-15.
Lesson: In time, a HUGE contrast in one's RELATIONSHIPS with fellow believers awaits the believer based on whether he REGULARLY reads and heeds the Word of God.

Application: We do well to be MOTIVATED to read and heed Scripture REGULARLY; failure here can only bring GREAT trouble; success can only bring GREAT blessing! There is no middle ground!