John 15:19 (ESV)

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Galatians 3:1-5 (ESV)

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

• In Paul’s absence, teachers called “Judaizers” came from Palestine and insisted that Gentiles could not be true believers unless they submitted to the Jewish ordinance of circumcision.
• The integration of this practice and thought into their church changed their faith from a relationship into religion.

Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV)

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NLT)

6 Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.

• By the Galatians accepting this heresy of practices, the all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ and the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit were deemed insufficient.

Hebrews 10:14 (ESV)

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Proverbs 30:5-6 (NLT)

Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

The crucifixion of our idolatry of common sense is the difference between knowing and experiencing God.

Four False Paths of Common Sense

#1) THE PATH OF REASON

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

• At the moment of salvation, our spirits are saved and regenerated – clean, acceptable and forgiven. Every other facet of our lives is still just as lost as it was before we met Jesus. Our minds, bodies, attitudes, mouths, character, responses, habits are still lost until we are completed in the presence of God in heaven.

Why do we strive to live our lives in the flesh and through human effort, when it all began with the Holy Spirit of God?

Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT)

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

• To solely focus our lives with Christ on our own reasoning and intellectual understanding of God is to place our faith, focus, direction, joy, ministry, resources, and ultimately our very lives on something that is unregenerate.

Proverbs 3:5-7 (ESV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

#2) THE PATH OF COMPARISON

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

When you choose to compare, you choose to compete. When you choose to compete, you choose to conform.

John 21:20-22 (NLT)

20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

A. Spiritual Implications

• The path of comparison in the life of a believer leads to:
  • A diminished view and need for repentance
  • A cheapening of the cost of grace

Galatians 6:4-5 (NLT)

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

2 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

B. Marital Implications

Matthew 7:3-5 (ESV)

3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

• In our marriage relationships, comparison will lead to the death of intimacy.
• Real sexual intimacy in marriage involves a deep, shared closeness that goes beyond physical intercourse. It encompasses emotional, mental, and even spiritual dimensions. It involves a continuous sexual interaction that includes tenderness, loving gestures, frequent affectionate touching, shared thoughts and feelings, mutual trust, and valuing each other’s bodies. This intimacy stems from a sense of belonging that couples develop over time, creating a wholeness and oneness in their relationship.

Spiritual problems are never solved with fleshly, carnal weapons.

• We must stop blaming our spiritual weaknesses and inadequacies on someone else’s flesh.

1 Peter 3:8-9 (ESV)

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

CONCLUSION (PT 1)

• Our spiritual walk cannot be completed with fleshly reasoning. God is going to ask you to do things that are not common.
• We cannot live a Christian life in the flesh and through human efforts, when it all began with the Holy Spirit of God. We need to be lead by God’s Word and God’s Spirit.