EXERCISING OUR SENSES
PART ONE
(1) Hebrews 5:12 But strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and
evil.
(2) How to exercise our senses
(3) Philippians 2:12 b work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling.
(4) I hear this a lot, the Bible says; to work out
your own salvation
(5) People that want to use this part of this verse
usually don't want any correction from the Word or
from a Minister of the Word
(6) They seem to think these six words cancel out the
rest of the Bible
(7) In a few minutes we will look at the rest of this
verse, and will see what Paul is saying to the Church
(8) But for now let us just look at the rest of the
verse
(9) Philippians 2:12b work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling.
(10) There are two words we want to look at (fear) and
(trembling)
(11) Fear = Strong's Greek Number 5401
Greek word: phobos fob'-os
Root: from a primary phebomai (to be put in fear)
KJV - fear 41- terror 3 - misc 3 [Total Count: 47]
1) fear, dread, terror
1a) that which strikes terror
2) reverence for one's husband
(a) Vine's = "reverential fear," of God, as a
controlling motive of the life, in matters spiritual
and moral, not a mere "fear" of His power and
righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of
displeasing Him, a "fear" which banishes the terror
that shrinks from His presence, and which influences
the disposition and attitude of one whose
circumstances are guided by trust in God, through the
indwelling Spirit of God,
(12) Trembling = Strong's Greek Number 5156
Greek word: tromos trom'-os
KJV - trembling 4 - tremble +2192 1 [Total Count: 5]
1) a trembling or quaking with fear
2) with fear and trembling, used to describe the
anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to
meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost
to fulfil his duty
(13) So we see that in trembling we don't trust
ourselves completely, we have to fall back on God and
His Word and His Ministers
(14) Now I want us to look at the whole verse and I
believe that if you will look and read you will see
who Paul was telling to work out their own salvation
(15) Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye
have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but
now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling.
(16) Did you notice the statement "as ye have always
obeyed"
(17) So the people who are to "work out your own
salvation"
(18) They are the ones
(a) Who have always obeyed
(b) They have fear; that is respect for God and his
Word
(c) They are trembling; that is they are the ones who
distrust their ability completely to meet all
requirements
(19) They have exercised their senses
(20) When we don't exercise our senses we make excuses
(21) Sometimes we even use the Bible to back up our
excuses
(22) Matthew 7:1-6
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged:
and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to
you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy
brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in
thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out
the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in
thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine
own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out
the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither
cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample
them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
(a) The first words that come out of those who haven't
exercised their senses is you are not suppose to judge
(b) Let us look close and let us be honest
(c) We see in verse 3 and 4 that there is something in
their eyes, they can't see clearly
(d) Matthew 7:3-4
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy
brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in
thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out
the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in
thine own eye?
(e) We see in verse 5 that Jesus called them
hypocrites
(f) Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the
beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see
clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
(g) Now let us look at verse 6
(h) Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the
dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest
they trample them under their feet, and turn again and
rend you.
(i) How are you going to know what is holy if you
haven't judged it? How are you going to know what is a
dog if you haven't judged it? How are you going to
know what is a swine if you haven't judged it?
(j) Could it be that Jesus wanted righteous judgment,
not someone who has something in their lives and will
not repent of their wrongdoing? Could he have been
saying; don't judge unless you are going to see it all
clearly, even that which is in your own life
(k) Could there be a judgment that condemns and gives
no hope which Jesus is against, and a judgment that
examines by the Word of God that which Jesus is for
(l) Let us look in the same chapter
(m) Matthew 7:15-16
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
(n) Matthew 7:17-20
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
(o) Even in the same chapter we see we are told to
judge fruit
(p) 1 Corinthians 2:15 But he that is spiritual
judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no
man.
