Is Morality Enough?

1. Read: 2 Timothy 1:8-9 – “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began”

2. About the Text:

1) Have you ever heard the expression, “All religions are the same”?

2) Many use it to justify not seeking God with a whole heart.

3) They reason that religion is good for morality alone, and all religions teach morality.

4) First, it is not true that all religions teach the same morality.

5) Second, it is not true that religion is only for teaching morals.

6) Third, it is not the case that as long as one is a “good person,” all is well.

7) Consider Paul’s words to Timothy here in 2 Timothy 1:8-9.

8) The gospel is about the saving work of Jesus Christ.

9) God has called us to a “holy calling.”

10) This is “not according to our works.”

11) It is according to God’s “own purpose and grace.”

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Teaching Morality is a Good and Necessary Thing.

2. It is how we treat one another with fairness and respect.

3. God in Christ Jesus has called us to a high standard of morality.

1) Jesus seeks to deal with the issue of morality from the source.

2) “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:21-23).

3) We must stand up for a teach the morality that the Bible teaches.

4) “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

4. The morality of the Bible is not taught in all religions.

1) Sometimes people get the idea that all religions teach the same morality.

2) This is not true.

3) Buddhism and Hinduism teach the morality of Karma.

4) Islam teaches the morality of Mohammad.

5) In denominationalism, many no longer teach the sinfulness of homosexuality.

6) How many religions teach you to love your enemies?

7) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).

5. Why is morality important?

1) It is to be like God and Christ.

a. Man is lost in sin.

b. Christ brings us back to the standard of righteousness.

c. “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

2) It is to be lights to the world.

a. We must let our lights shine to show God to others.

b. God does not want anyone to be lost.

c. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

3) It is to come out from among the world and be separate.

a. We must make a distinction between right and wrong.

b. “Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

4) God wants us demonstrating the difference between His people and the world.

a. Peter talked about this change.

b. “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you” (1 Peter 4:3-4).

1. Teaching morality alone is not enough.

2. Morality alone establishes our own righteousness alone.

1) “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

2) “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

3. Morality alone will not save us.

1) The “good people” argument.

a. “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’” (Romans 3:10).

b. “No one is good but One, that is, God” (Matthew 19:17).

2) Just one sin will condemn us eternally (Isaiah 59:1-2).

3) Saved by grace means there are no good people.

4) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).

5) While we must live moral lives, we cannot stand upon morality alone as our grounds for salvation.

6) We must have the saving power of the gospel working in our lives.

7) “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).

4. We will not be faithful to Jesus Christ with morality alone.

1) We will think ourselves “good enough” without Jesus Christ.

2) “Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ … ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’” (Matthew 19:16, 21).

5. We will not do the Lord’s work with morality alone.

1) The Lord’s work requires more than just morality.

2) “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

6. We will not love God with morality alone.

1) Loving God requires more than just morality.

2) “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

7. We will not become a living sacrifice with morality alone.

1) Being a living sacrifice means more than just being moral.

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” (Romans 12:1-2).

1. We Must Participate in the Purposes of God.

1) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

2) “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

3) “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

2. We need to make the church our priority.

1) “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

3. We need to give to the Lord’s work as we have been prospered.

1) “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:2).

4. We need to help those who are in need.

1) “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

5. We need to evangelize our friends and family members.

1) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).

6. We need to talk to others about Jesus—ALL OF JESUS!

1. The Faithful Christian . . .

1) Is Called to a Holy Calling

2) Not According to Our Works

3) According to God’s Purpose and Grace

2. Invitation