S.R. 1 Samuel 15:1- 19

Introduction

  1. Subjective thinking is injecting our own thoughts, what seems right to us, and substituting them for facts and directives given by others.
    1. Example: Read Mark 16:16
    2. Warning: (Col.2:8-10)
  2. B.“The Three Major Philosophical Epochs in Western Thought” via Louis Hoffman
    1. Premodernism - (up to 1650) Hoffman said, “In premodern times it was believed that Ultimate Truth could be known and the way to this knowledge is through direct revelation. This direct revelation was assume to come from God or a god.”
    2. Modernism (1650-1950) Two major approaches:
      1. Knowing truth through the senses and observation (empiricism)
      2. The use of reason and logic (rationalism)
    3. Postmodernism (1950’s until present)
      1. Emphasizes that there are many acceptable world views (pluralism) and many sources of truth, not just reason and observation.
  3. Principle: (Proverbs 14:12) “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Outline

  1. Two People are Challenged by Subjective Thinking
    1. King Saul of Israel (1 Sam. 15; Deut. 25:17-19)
    2. Luke 5:1-5Peter – where to fish and when.
  2. Instructions of the Lord fall into three categories.
    1. Moral instructions with obvious benefit to ourselves and society.
    2. Spiritual instructions in which we see value
    3. Instructions relating to Moral and Spiritual conduct in which we see no value.
  3. Consider Two Different Types of People
    1. Want to be religious, but want to find God on their own terms and own way.
      1. 21st century Christianity described
      2. Seeking God on their terms
    2. Those who want to find God by seeking Him through his latter revelations, voices, dreams, experiences and leadings
      1. Claim that it is really the Holy Spirit – he is the one that is communicating with me
      2. How do we explain that religious people are acting in hundreds of different ways with different teachings and all of them claiming they are led to do so by the Holy Spirit?
      3. Which are we to believe? Is the Holy Spirit revealing to these men two contradictory teachings regarding baptism?
      4. People will say it doesn’t seem fair that all of the Christians of the first century had the express personal guidance of the Holy Spirit and we don’t.
  4. Were all first century Christians given personal guidance from the Holy Spirit?
    1. There has never been a time when all Christians had direct and personal guidance by the Holy Spirit.
      1. John 14:25-26: Luke 22:14)
      2. John 16:12-15
      3. Acts 2:1 Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles (cf. Luke 24)
        1. The Holy Spirit is directing these 12 Galileans.
        2. Acts 2:36-38, 41-42
        3. They continued in the “apostles teaching
      4. Eph. 3:1-5 “when you read what I wrote”
    2. A visit with a Cardiologist
    3. “I just know the Holy Spirit or God laid this on my heart.”
      1. Do you ever have any subjective thoughts – what you feel or think not based upon facts?
      2. How do you distinguish between your feelings and the Holy Spirit?
      3. Is That You, Lord? Hearing the Voice of the Lord: A Biblical Perspective by Gary E. Gilley. (Evangelical) {See the editorial (4-5) in the May Issue of BI}
        1. Those claiming “spirit guidance” admit difficulty distinguishing.
    4. Some believe another way God communicates is through our prayers.
      1. God speaks to us through His word. (Jer. 10:23)
        1. Isa. 55:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)
    5. What is the challenge?
      1. Are we going to take our Bible and read, understand and obey it? (Eph. 5:17)
      2. Or am I going to filter the things of God through my mind?
    6. Will we read, listen and obey the instructions of God (Acts 2:36-47)?