By Bro. Joel Uto (08033972734)

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INTRODUCTION

 All lessons taught in worship and fellowships are to prepare the Christian for heaven. The leadership approves of such topics selected by the minister which are taught by brothers mandated. All brethren are vessels God uses to present to Himself a glorious and non‐blemished church – Eph. 5:27.

 We should therefore give earnest heed lest we perish. Attitudes of the Christian show him or her as light to the world ‐

Matthew 5:14‐16 (NKJV) 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Christ our Lord was indeed the big light Christian should reflect from ‐

John 8:12 (NKJV) 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

 Christians are brothers together. Our attitudes affect and influence one another within the fold and outsiders. Christ lay down good attitudes to follow ‐ 1 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. Imagine the ways He related with His disciples and others.

Paul urged Timothy to be good example to the youths in attitudes or character of life ‐

1 Timothy 4:12 (NKJV) 12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

 Attitudes displayed often times become your character overtime. The personality of a man is his attitudes and characters. The letters of ATTITUDE when added in terms of figures (1, 20, 20, 9, 20, 21, 4, 5) gives 100%. This shows that attitude of a person place him or her in better position before God and men. For example, regularly preaching the word or encouraging the spiritually weak, caring for ourselves, showing humility and praising God faithfully are all attitudes.

What about gossips, begrudging, pride, nagging, grumbling, the works of the flesh? They become attitudes overtime.

DEFINITION

 The key words to this lesson are attitudes and salvation. They need to be properly understood so that we do not act wrongly among ourselves.

1. Attitude(s) is or are the way(s) you think and feel about someone or something. It is a feeling or thinking that affect a person’s behaviour or a way of thinking and behaving that people regard as unfriendly, rude e.t.c. (Merriam Webster Dictionary).
2. Salvation – The act of saving someone from sin or evil. The state of being saved from sin or evil. A deliverance from the power and effect of sin. Christ is the Saviour of the world ‐ Matthew 1:21 (NKJV) 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

 There are good and bad or faithful and unfaithful attitudes. The good attitudes have their own effects as well as the bad or unfaithful attitudes.

 The good attitudes bring people to Christ for salvation.

 On the other hand, the bad or unfaithful attitudes draw away sinners from coming to Christ or repel your associates from coming closer to you, individually ‐ Matthew 23:13 (NKJV) 13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

 Romans 2:24 (NKJV) 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, ”as it is written. In all of these, their salvation is delayed or denied.

 Christian attitudes should be such that glorify God and bring people to Christ.

CONSIDERATIONS OF SOME ATTITUDES

 All over the Bible, unfaithful or bad attitudes is condemnable. Therefore, Christians should not be found with such awkward behaviour that tends to impede the salvation of others. Let’s x‐ray some of them.

 Hypocrisy of life – This pretending to be true Christians but inwardly you are rotten or filled with all manners of unfaithful attitudes and characters. Importantly, a hypocrite is the one that deceives himself thinking he is deceiving others.

Hypocritical attitudes tend to affect the salvation of people negatively.

Matthew 23:25 (NKJV) 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

Luke 12:1 (NKJV) 1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

 Galatians 2:11‐14 (NKJV) 11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

  Conformity to worldly standards – When the Christians’ way o life cannot be differentiated from the way of the world, unbelievers will not see the need of being a Christian. The places you are always found, your appearances or outlook, behaviour among people who are Christians and non‐Christians have a way of bringing salvation to others. The Christian is the first Bible many will read before the real word of God ‐

Romans 12:1‐2 (NKJV) 12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

  The Christian attitude towards the passions of the world has the influence of deterring the salvation of many. Over socialization of a Christian is a problem. What is your attitude toward fleshly lusts?

1 Corinthians 6:7‐10 (NKJV) 7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? 8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:3‐5 (NKJV) 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (cf. Gal. 5:19‐21).

 Unfaithfulness in social partying, drunkenness, careless talks, immorality are things unbelievers use to mark the children of God. What about improper and wrong marriages among Christians?

1 Corinthians 9:5 (NKJV) 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 2 Corinthians 6:15b (NKJV) 15b …Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

  Non‐evangelistic attitude of many Christians inhibits the salvation of others. The means by which Christians reach out the saving gospel of Christ to the world (sinners) is by constantly preaching and teaching the word both individually and collectively (the church).

 Where the gospel is not preached, the salvation of many is hindered. First, preaching the gospel is an act of obedience to Christ. And your salvation inheritance of eternity.

Mark 16:15‐16 (NKJV) 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Romans 10:14 (NKJV) 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

  Unrepentant attitudes – Many a Christian unrepentant attitudes have set back the salvation of others. Some Christians don’t see it wrong to change from bad characters to good ones even in worship when pointed to such things. What Christians do among themselves and outsiders questions the need to becoming a Christian by unbelievers. When you gossip yourselves, when you castigate Christ and the church e.t.c for instance, give a mindset of not willing to be saved by many ‐

Luke 13:3‐5 (NKJV) 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Acts 17:30 (NKJV) 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

  The less concern attitudes – Do you care for the up growth of the church? Do you visit the weak? Do you show love for one another? How concerned are you for those perishing within and without?

Luke 10:31‐37 – the story of the Good Samaritan is a contrast of the Christian attitude in modern day Christianity.

 The attitude of self justification – This is a self‐centred attitude by which people defend their actions and belief without reference to God. Scriptures insist that the confidence and ultimate justification of Christians lie with God and this condemns those who look elsewhere for justification. Self justification separates people from God.

Galatians 5:4 (NKJV) 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Matthew 18:21 (NKJV) 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Admitting your wrongs and changing from them is very important than justifying yourself ‐

2 Corinthians 3:1‐3 (NKJV) 1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. Christian’s justification is God ‐

Romans 5:1‐2 (NKJV) 5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The day you see yourself as absolutely right in all you do, people will forfeit salvation because of your attitude.

 All condemnable attitudes before God and men will rise to condemn men in the light of God’s word. This negatively influences the salvation of others. Such might include ungratefulness, un-thankfulness, giving to others and reminding them, arrogance and flaunt (lack of respect).

 Way Out: 2 Cor. 13:5 – Examine yourselves critically. Make amends.

 CONCLUSION Attitude is actually what gives the definition of one’s image. Attitude draws people to you and endears you to God for heaven. Possess good ones!

 May the words be in our hearts!

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