I Kings 8:18 - 18“But the Lord said to my father David,
‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My
name, you did well that it was in your heart.
Let us take a look at what Webster has to say about ideals:
“Existing as an idea, model, or archetype; or as a perfect
model; exactly as one would desire; of a perfect kind.”
A. In the more common vernacular.....”The way
things ought to be.”
1. Christian ideals should not be determined by
our opinions or other men’s rules.....but by the
direction and measurement of the Word of
God.
B. We, as Christians, should have a good grasp of
Christian ideals and allow those ideals to guide our
walk.
1. Christian ideals are the “nuts-and-bolts” of
what the scriptures teach us.
Christian ideals are more than goals.
A. They should certainly be involved in our goals.
1. These ideals should be the guiding factor....
the basis, if you will, of the formation of our
goals.
a. Anyone can have goals.....the cab driver
can have goals......the farmer can have
goals........even the bank robber can have
goals.
1.) A Christian’s goals MUST BE
DETERMINED BY CHRISTIAN
IDEALS.
Christian ideals will produce Christian attributes.
Hear a man, by the name of Bob Logan, on “vision” which
is directly related to Christian ideals:
Vision: the capacity to create a compelling picture of the
desired state of affairs that inspires people to respond; that
which is desirable, which could be, should be; that which is
attainable. A godly vision is right for the times, right for the
church, and right for the people. A godly vision promotes
faith rather than fear. A godly vision motivates people to
action. A godly vision requires risk-taking. A godly vision
glorifies God, not people.
I. Christian ideals will motivate the Christian to action.
A. Nobody who declares himself a Christian can
sit idle when he understands the urgency of the
work that needs to be done.
1. Those who have not formed the proper
Christian ideals don’t see the need or the
urgency of working steadfastly in the
Kingdom.
a. They are easily satisfied with little, for
they do not see the picture that God’s
Word paints of the desperate state of
mankind.
Let me illustrate urgency to you with a little story:
Just before giving a lavish party at his estate, a tycoon
had his swimming pool filled with poisonous snakes. He
called the guests together and announced, "To anyone
brave enough to swim across this pool, I will give the
choice of a thousand acres of my oil fields, 10,000 head
of cattle, or my daughter’s hand in marriage." No
sooner were his words spoken than a young man
plunged in, swam across the pool and climbed
out--unscathed but breathless.
"Congratulations!" the tycoon greeted him. "Do you
want my oil fields?"
"No!" gasped the guest.
"The 10,000 head of cattle?"
"No!" the young man shouted.
"Well, how about my daughter’s--" "No!"
"You must want something," said the puzzled host.
"I just want to know the name of the guy who pushed
me in!"
B. Some may know this need, but because they have
not formed any ideals (Bible based goals)....the
lost stay lost.....the ignorant remain ignorant.
1. This is a sin of omission and is as grave a
sin, in the sight of God, as murder.
a. Indeed, it is related to murder.
1.) When one knows that another
fellow human being is headed for
eternal torments and can.....with
this knowledge......withhold the
very solution to this person’s
horrible fate.......God considers this
a despicable sin.
James 4:17 - 17Therefore, to him who knows to do good
and does not do it, to him it is sin.
II. Christian ideals will determine what we teach others
and just what we allow to be taught, as faithful doctrine.
A. The ideal of the Bible is truth.
1. This is truth, in every sense of the word.
a. As Christians, we cannot deceive....in
any way.....for any reason.
1.) We understand that the ends do
not justify the means.
a.) We must sow the pure seed....
anything less will not
produce the plant that God
wants planted.
I Thess. 2:3-6 - 3For our exhortation did not come from
error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. 4But as we have
been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel,
even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests
our hearts. 5For neither at any time did we use flattering
words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is
witness. 6Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you
or from others, when we might have made demands as
apostles of Christ.
Matt. 15:13 - 13But He answered and said, “Every plant
which My heavenly Father has not planted will be
uprooted.
Matt. 13:24-30 - 4Another parable He put forth to them,
saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed
good seed in his field; 25“but while men slept, his enemy
came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26“But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop,
then the tares also appeared. 27“So the servants of the
owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good
seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28“He
said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said
to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29“But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you
also uproot the wheat with them. 30‘Let both grow together
until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the
reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in
bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’
”
B. Our Christian ideals resist any other teaching
than the Word of God.
1. It doesn’t matter how well it is accepted
by the philosophical world.......it doesn’t
matter how many years it has been allowed
in the local congregation.....it doesn’t matter
how prestigious the man is who is teaching it..
a. If it doesn’t come from scripture, it is to
be rejected as the doctrine of God.
1.) This, indeed is what the Scriptures
refer to as the “doctrines of men”.
III. Our Christian ideals affect our attitudes.
A. It is from the heart that attitudes come.
1. It is within the same heart that Christian
ideals are formed....from study, thought,
prayer, and the proper application of each of
these elements.
a. The way we look at things is determined
by the ideals that are formed in the
heart.
1.) Our attitudes are the outward
manifestation of the heart and
the Christian ideals that are stored
up in the heart.
B. Those with un-Christlike attitudes are those who
do not understand or do not accept the way that
God says things should be.
1. Those who have not properly applied them-
selves to the study of the Word will.....through
ignorance.....not understand the way things
should be.......and......because of this mis-
understanding.......may display an
un-Christlike attitude.
2. Then there are those who DO
UNDERSTAND....but they just don’t accept
the way that God says things should be.
a. In their rebellion, they too, display
very un-Christlike attitudes.
1.) Towards their fellow man.
2.) Towards God.
IV. Christian ideals are involved in our goals....that is...
the ideals that we arrive at from our study of God’s
word, affect our vision, our direction, and ultimately....
our goals.
A. The full cycle is that the Scriptures affect our
heart and our understanding of what God wants.
1. Knowing the way that God says things ought
to be, we then set out to fulfill His will.
a. The specifics of where we are heading are
determined as our vision or goal.
1.) The Christian ideals that we
know and are convicted of....
lead us in the direction that we
must go to achieve that vision.....
to accomplish the goal that we
have set for ourselves.
B. Those who have not comprehended the
Christian ideals are adrift and awash in a sea
of confusion, doubt, and misdirection.
1. Not only are these confused, but they
affect others with their confusion.
a. They cannot be effective in leading
others to the Lord......they are not even
sure of what is important for themselves.
b. They don’t know how things ought to
be for they have not invested themselves
in the instruction of the Word
V. Christian ideals bring focus to an otherwise confusing
world.
A. The world has ideals too.....that is.....the world will
not be shy to tell everyone how things ought to be.
1. We have the, so called, American dream.
a. A good job.
b. Money in the bank (the more the better).
c. A nice car.
d. A nice house.
1.) This, so called, Great American
Dream may differ, somewhat,
from one time period to another....
from one region to another....from
one person to another.
a.) The thing that is consistent,
however, is that the Great
American Dream is the
materialistic ideal of all those
who do not hold the
Christian ideals.
** Sad to say......The Great American Dream may even
be held by those who profess to be Christians.
Matt. 16:26-27 - 26“For what profit is it to a man if he
gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what
will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27“For the Son of
Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels,
and then He will reward each according to his works.
B. In the bombardment of the world, the Christian
can....if he wants to....keep focused on the way
things really should be.
1. We must listen to the voice of God and
be guided by the way He says that things
need to be.
a. To do this, we must have well formed
Christian ideals.
b. To do this, we must not listen to what
the world says ought to be important.
1.) Our heart must be turned to God
and what He wants.....not what we
want.
CONCLUSION:
Christian ideals are absolutely essential for the Christian.
A. It is these ideals which will guide and inspire
in many areas of the Christian walk.
1. These ideals motivate the Christian to action,
on behalf of Christ....and in His will.
2. They determine what should be taught to
others and what should NOT be taught.
3. These ideals affect our attitude.....toward our
fellow man and towards God.
4. They give direction, and vision and ultimately
it will be these Christian ideals which will
bring us to the important goal of life.
5. Christian ideals also give focus to an
otherwise confusing and misleading world.
Are Christian ideals important?
A. Without Christian ideals, we will not make it
as Christians.
