Radicals, Extremist, Legalist
The title of this lesson is based on some of the names that have been given to the Church of Christ. It's a title that has been adopted by those who have not " Rightly divided the word of GOD". Besides if we are RADICALS FOR CHRIST (not Fred Hammonds singing group)by obeying what we are commanded by our LORD(one who has rule over you), then where is the violation? In 2 Kings 5 there's a story about a man named Naaman, in vs.1 it says " he was captian of the host of the King of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria. He was also a mighty man in valour ( but he was a leper ). So what's a leper or leprosy? It's defined as a progressive infectious disease of the skin, flesh, nerves, etc. Characterized by ulcers, white scaly scabs, deformities, etc... The story goes to say, he heard that the Lord of Israel could heal his leprosy. A messenger was sent to the King of Israel with a letter & a substantial amount of money. Fast forwarding, Naaman was given specific instructions on what to do to be healed. They were to " Go and wash in the Jordan River (7) times" & his flesh would be restored. Now he has a decision to make, he can do ( EXACTLY,PRECISELY) what he was instructed , or come up with a better plan than GOD'S. The bible says that Naaman was (WROTH, MAD, ANGRY )and left. Listen at what he says " Behold, (I)thought,he(Elisha) will surely come out to (ME)and stand, and call on the name of the LORD HIS GOD, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper". 1st mistake: He said ( I THOUGHT ) . If a person is sick & goes to the doctor, do they instruct the doctor or do they take the instructions? 2nd mistake: He assumed he knew the pattern of healing, then he goes on saying," are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, (BETTER, SUPERIOR, SURPASS)than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? ( SO HE TURNED AND WENT AWAY IN A RAGE) 3rd mistake: GOD SAID JORDAN RIVER (7) times, not Abana or Pharpar. 4th mistake: He went away angry & still a (LEPER), because he could'nt change the (RADICAL, EXTREME, LEGALISTIC ) instructions given by GOD. (2) CHOICES: Stay a liberal leper or be a radical restored individual. When he went away mad, you notice that the messenger did not stop him, He did not apologize, He did not alter the cleansing pattern. If that was in today's society they would have brought ( SOME WATER IN A SMALL CONTAINER ) to him. Naaman recieved a reality check when his own servants stopped him & said " if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather than, when he saith to thee, wash, and be clean"? After looking at his condition , he traveled to the JORDAN RIVER and dipped (7) times ( according to the saying of the man of GOD), his flesh became as of a little child. Folks if that's being LEGAL, RADICAL OR EXTREME I'll follow GOD everytime. There's an old song that says " If loving you is wrong, i dont want to be right". My stance is " If serving you is wrong, i dont want to be right". Listen to JESUS in Jn.15:10, " If ye keep (NOT ALTER, CHANGE OR DELETE ) my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;( EVEN AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS, AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE)" Finally in 1 Jn.2:3,4 " And hereby we do know that we know him,( IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS). He that saith, i know him, AND KEEPETH NOT HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM.
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The title of this lesson is based on some of the names that have been given to the Church of Christ. It's a title that has been adopted by those who have not " Rightly divided the word of GOD". Besides if we are RADICALS FOR CHRIST (not Fred Hammonds singing group)by obeying what we are commanded by our LORD(one who has rule over you), then where is the violation? In 2 Kings 5 there's a story about a man named Naaman, in vs.1 it says " he was captian of the host of the King of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria. He was also a mighty man in valour ( but he was a leper ). So what's a leper or leprosy? It's defined as a progressive infectious disease of the skin, flesh, nerves, etc. Characterized by ulcers, white scaly scabs, deformities, etc... The story goes to say, he heard that the Lord of Israel could heal his leprosy. A messenger was sent to the King of Israel with a letter & a substantial amount of money. Fast forwarding, Naaman was given specific instructions on what to do to be healed. They were to " Go and wash in the Jordan River (7) times" & his flesh would be restored. Now he has a decision to make, he can do ( EXACTLY,PRECISELY) what he was instructed , or come up with a better plan than GOD'S. The bible says that Naaman was (WROTH, MAD, ANGRY )and left. Listen at what he says " Behold, (I)thought,he(Elisha) will surely come out to (ME)and stand, and call on the name of the LORD HIS GOD, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper". 1st mistake: He said ( I THOUGHT ) . If a person is sick & goes to the doctor, do they instruct the doctor or do they take the instructions? 2nd mistake: He assumed he knew the pattern of healing, then he goes on saying," are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, (BETTER, SUPERIOR, SURPASS)than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? ( SO HE TURNED AND WENT AWAY IN A RAGE) 3rd mistake: GOD SAID JORDAN RIVER (7) times, not Abana or Pharpar. 4th mistake: He went away angry & still a (LEPER), because he could'nt change the (RADICAL, EXTREME, LEGALISTIC ) instructions given by GOD. (2) CHOICES: Stay a liberal leper or be a radical restored individual. When he went away mad, you notice that the messenger did not stop him, He did not apologize, He did not alter the cleansing pattern. If that was in today's society they would have brought ( SOME WATER IN A SMALL CONTAINER ) to him. Naaman recieved a reality check when his own servants stopped him & said " if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather than, when he saith to thee, wash, and be clean"? After looking at his condition , he traveled to the JORDAN RIVER and dipped (7) times ( according to the saying of the man of GOD), his flesh became as of a little child. Folks if that's being LEGAL, RADICAL OR EXTREME I'll follow GOD everytime. There's an old song that says " If loving you is wrong, i dont want to be right". My stance is " If serving you is wrong, i dont want to be right". Listen to JESUS in Jn.15:10, " If ye keep (NOT ALTER, CHANGE OR DELETE ) my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;( EVEN AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS, AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE)" Finally in 1 Jn.2:3,4 " And hereby we do know that we know him,( IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS). He that saith, i know him, AND KEEPETH NOT HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM.
Isaac Sandifer Jr.
Cleophas Reaves Jr.
