OceanSide church of Christ

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LIKE OIL AND WATER, THEY DO NOT MIX (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    There are many things in life that just do not mix.

1.        Salt and snails

2.       Drinking and driving

3.       Red Bull and milk

4.       Bleach and ammonia

5.       Gator fans and Alabama fans

 

B.      In like manner, there are some things that do not mix in the spiritual realm.  The title of our lesson this morning is:  “Like Oil and Water, They Do Not Mix.”

 

I.             LOVE AND HATE DO NOT MIX

 

A.    We cannot love something or someone and hate those things at the same time. 

1.        We either love them, or, we hate them.

2.       Love and hate do not mix.

B.      There are four prominent things that we can either love or hate:  God, people, sin, and things.

1.        We either love or hate God.

a.       The Bible commands us to love God with our all (Mark 12:30).

b.      Jesus tell us that we cannot serve two masters for either we will hate the one, and love the other; or else we will hold to the one, and despise the other (Matt. 6:24).

2.       We either love people or we hate them.

a.       The Bible commands us to love one another (John 15:17; I Pet. 1:22).

b.      We often like to say:  “I love him, but I sure do not like him.” 

c.       The Bible nowhere gives us this in between ground. 

d.      We either love or hate others.

3.       We either love or hate evil and good.

a.       The Bible commands us to hate the evil and love the good (Amos 5:15).

b.      Often we know that we are supposed to hate the sin we practice, but we love it too much to give it up.

4.       We either love or hate the things of this world.

a.       This is a tough one for sure.

1)       We need things.

2)      Too, they world is constantly producing more things.

3)      In addition, we see others accumulating things.

b.      I John 2:15 is clear.  John tells us to love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  Jesus teaches us that things can be like thorns.  They grow in our lives and choke the Word.  Thus, we fail to bring forth fruit unto perfection (Luke 8:14).

 

II.           UNITY AND DIVISION DO NOT MIX

 

A.    Unity

1.        A good definition of “unity” from the Scriptures is “oneness.”

a.       John 17:20-21a

 

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one…

 

b.      Example:  A bicycle has many parts, but it is one single unit.

2.       The standard for our unity is very high.  It is to be like the oneness that exists in the Godhead (John 17:21b).

 

…as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…”

 

B.      Division runs contrary to unity.

1.        Division defined

a.       The act of separating into parts

b.      Synonyms:  divorce, rupture, severance, dismemberment, disunion

2.       Example:  the church in Corinth (I Cor. 1:11-12)

 

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

 

C.     Churches either have unity or division, but they cannot have both. 

1.        A church cannot be united and divided at the same time.

2.       Some contend that this is possible by proclaiming a doctrine called “unity-in-diversity.”

a.       This involves parties going along to get along.

b.      It involves overlooking differences and uniting on one or two major platforms (i.e., Jesus is the Son of God).

c.       Unity in diversity is a pseudo-unity.  It is not the oneness like unto the Godhead.

 

III.         SIN AND PURITY DO NOT MIX

 

A.    The minute sin is present in one’s life, purity ceases to exist.

1.        A napkin that gets a food stain.

2.       A floor that has a small piece of paper on it.

3.       A polished car that has a water spot on the hood.

 

B.      The Bible exhorts us not to sin.

1.        Romans 6:6

 

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

 

2.       I John 2:1

 

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.

 

3.       I John 3:9a

 

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin…

 

C.     This is a tough one for Christians because we all know that we sin.  In fact, “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8).  “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I John 1:10).

 

D.    Prior to becoming Christians, our lives were just one big sheet of sins. At our conversion, Jesus’ blood cleansed that sheet and made it white as snow.  While living the Christians life, we sin from time to time.

1.        We are walking in the light so we have Jesus blood to cleanse us (I John 1:7).

2.       When we sin, we confess those sins, and God is faithful and just to forgive us (I John 1:9).

3.       When we confess our sins, we have Jesus as an Advocate who pleads our case before the Father in heaven (I John 2:1b-2).

 

E.      Because of Jesus’s blood, in the last day we will stand before the Father completely stain free.

1.        “…that I may present you as a chaste virgin unto Christ” (II Cor. 11:2).

2.       “…that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph. 1:4).

3.       “That he might present it unto himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that that it should be holy and with blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

4.       “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II Pet. 3:14).

5.       “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Just like oil and water, there are some things in the spiritual world that do not mix.

1.        Love and hate do not mix.

2.       Unity and division do not mix.

3.       Sin and purity do not mix.

 

B.      If they cannot be mixed, we would be foolish to keep trying to do so.

 

C.     There is one thing for which I am thankful.  Just as detergent can be mixed with water in order to cleanse our clothes, the blood of Christ can be mixed with our sin-filled lives to purify us and make us clean in the blood of the Lamb (I Cor. 6:11).

 

And such were some of you:  but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.