THE
TRINITY CHAPEL, MODIBBO ADAMA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, YOLA
BIBLE
STUDY OUTLINE
Topic: THE RIGHTEOUS IN A PERVERSE GENERATION
Texts: Psalms 73:1-28; Isaiah 57:1-2,20-21, Luke
18:8 and Matthew 24:22
Memory
Verses:
Psalms 73:1-3 “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But
as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was
envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
Introduction
Let us start
the class with a quiz this morning: (A). How many books, authors, chapters and
verses are in the Bible? (B). Read the centre verse of the Bible. Invigilator
to check if there was any examination malpractice while the quiz lasted.
After a series
of studies discouraging our members from participating in examination
malpractices, it was needful to teach members how to study for success so that
they do not even contemplate any malpractice. It further occurred to us that it
was more urgently needful to address that believer who is already full
of regrets and discouragements in that after attempting to keep the
rules, failures and low grades followed whereas those who refused keeping
the rules are smiling home. He sees in those who flout the rules a seeming joy
of success and the Eureka shout while no one cares about the fate of him who
tries to keep to righteous living. A contradiction? Solomon said in Eccl. 10:7 “I have seen servants upon
horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” He said further in Eccl. 9:11 “I returned, and saw under
the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,
neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet
favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” So, what is
your experience like?
In
the days of the Psalmists and Prophet Isaiah, these two dispositions manifested
to the wicked and the righteous: an apparent success for the
wicked on one hand but on the other hand the righteous ended up in everlasting
joy and peace. Let us watch out for this all-important conclusion
in the diverse practical and scriptural cases we shall consider in this study,
knowing fully well that “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah
57:21) “But it is good for me to draw near to God.” (Psalms 73:28).
Discussion
A. Have you ever experienced it, can it
ever happen, or have you even seen a worse case?
1. That one tries to keep off from examination
malpractices and the result is failure while others who cheated passed and are
smiling home?
2. That one tries to get admission for many
years without success only to see his colleagues secure same type of admission just
by the payment of a little bribe?
3. That a lady stays without money in the
hostel while seeing juice containers/suya wrappers pass her bed to the
waste-bin crowned with a whole night discussion on how the Alhajis can most
easily help ladies?
4. That your remaining an applicant is just
that you refused to go to bed with officers on the jobs that came your way
whereas your other “sister” who just accepted to sleep with the first offer has
changed cars in her well-paid job?
5. That you have been missing contracts
because you refused to give N50,000 to the awarding officer while your friend
who gave and advised you to give has made N1,000,000 each of the 4 times he has
applied?
B. Possible dispositions in difficult
times:
1. Hopelessness: Job 17:15;
Isa 49:14; Jer 2:25; Jon 4:8; Eph 2:12; 1Th 4:13. Discouragement; God does not
answer prayers; God does not remember me; if you can’t beat them you join them;
I am not lucky; I am destined for sorrow; my life is full of bad luck; I have
never been lucky; It shows up in our family line; I know it will not end up
well; I would have been surprised!
2. Hope: Ps 31:24;
33:18; 39:7; 42:11; 71:5; 118:8; 146:5; Jer 17:7; Joe 3:16; Hab. 3:17-19. Hope,
encouragement, trust in God, perseverance, God is able, God sees, God knows,
dry bones shall rise again, fallen down not destroyed, my redeemer lives, He is
the God of the 2nd chance, He will make a way where there seems to
be no way. I’m God’s project, He is giving me “A” treatment.
C. Will Jesus find faith on earth when
he returns?
Discouragement
is in the air but in Luke 18:8, Jesus asks, “Nevertheless when the Son of man
cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? If we allow the lives of the wicked
we see daily to dictate our pace, Jesus may not find faith in us at the end.
Why? Reasons:
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1.
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The internet and social media. Pray for your phone and PC not to take you
to hell
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2.
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The mass media and its entertainment
and advertorials. Pray for your TV and
film machines not to take you to hell
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3.
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Buying and selling: Pray that your business will not take you
to hell
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4.
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Language of the world: Pray that your slangs will not take you to
hell
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5.
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Dishonesty in relationships: Pray that your love-life will not take you
to hell
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6.
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Examination malpractices: Pray that your love for success anyhow
will not take you to hell
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7.
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Dressing of the world: Pray that your love for so called good
look will not take you to hell
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8.
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How to get things done: Admission,
Appointments, Promotions, Advancements, “Blessings”, “Favour”,
“Breakthroughs”, “Miracles”, etc. Pray
that your methods will not take you to hell
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9.
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Abiding with some parental guidance
(when the parent rules against God’s word and we agreed because it suites our
pleasure). Pray that your desire to be
a “good child” at God’s expense will not take you to hell
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10.
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The fear of the world of isolation. Pray that your love for social acceptance
will not take you to hell
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11.
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The show that you are also able to
do anything anyhow. Pray that your show
offs will not take you to hell
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12.
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The love for the praise of men. Pray that your love of praise will not
take you to hell
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13.
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Hatred of rebuke, correction,
discipline and instruction in righteousness. Pray that your incorrigibility will not take you to hell
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14.
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The desire to repay evil for evil. Pray that your interest in revenge will
not take you to hell
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15.
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Never willing to play the second
fiddle. Pray that your love for number
one all the times will not take you to hell
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16.
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Self above God (Relegating God to
the background). Pray that your
over-rated self will not take you to hell
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17.
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Customary and traditional demands. Pray that your love for traditions will
not take you to hell
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18.
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Very available volunteers who are
saying “I will do it for you.” Pray
that volunteers will not take you to hell
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19.
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Doctrine of “It does not matter.” Pray that unnecessary things you allow in
your life will not take you to hell
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20.
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Doctrine of “Everyone is doing it.” Pray that inability to stand alone will
not take you to hell
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21.
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Doctrine of “Holier than thou
attitude.” Pray that those who want to
water your faith down to their level will not take you to hell
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22.
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Doctrine of “All of us are fishes
inside the ocean, hence none should claim he is not wet.” Pray that your all-inclusiveness-in-sin theology will not take you
to hell
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23.
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Doctrine of “It is not my fault.” Pray that your blame game will not take
you to hell
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24.
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Doctrine of “God will understand.” Pray that your theology will not take you
to hell
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25.
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Doctrine of “To ere is human.” Pray that your theology will not take you
to hell
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26.
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Doctrine of “God will never know.” Pray that your ignorance will not take
you to hell
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27.
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Doctrine of “My pastor allows it.” Pray that your excuses will not take you
to hell
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28.
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Doctrine of “Even some pastors are
doing it.” Pray that your excuses will
not take you to hell
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29.
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Doctrine of “That is the majority
position.” Pray that your love for
following the crowd will not take you to hell
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30.
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Doctrine of “I was and I am
helpless.” Pray that your simplicity
will not take you to hell
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31.
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Doctrine of “I am the 1st
born of my family: the traditions depend on me.” Pray that your traditional excuses will not take you to hell
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32.
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Doctrine of “I gave unto Caesar what
was Caesar’s.” Pray that your quiet
love for the world without due consideration for God will not take you to
hell
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33.
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Doctrine of “Christianity does not
mean foolishness/stupidity.” Pray that
your pride to show that you can still manifest as an unbeliever will not take
you to hell
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34.
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Doctrine of “I did not ask for it,
it was just given.” Pray that your
indirect acceptance of packaged sin will not take you to hell
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35.
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Doctrine of
“Heaven
helps those who help themselves” Pray that seemingly good counsels but
unscriptural will not take you to hell
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D. Selected Distinct Righteous Men among
Corrupt Generations
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1. Joseph (Gen 39:11-12)
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1. Job (Job 1:1,5,8,19-22)
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3. Jesus (1 Pet 2:21-25)
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4. Joshua (Num 14:6-10, Jos 24:15)
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5. Paul (Acts 20:18-38)
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6. Lazarus (Lk 16:20-25)
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7. Barnabas versus Ananias (Acts
4:36,37/51-2)
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8. Nehemiah’s Treasurers (Neh.
13:13)
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9. The Rechabites (Jer 35:18)
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10. Daniel (Daniel 1:8; 6:4)
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11. Moses (Heb 3:5)
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12. Onesimus (Col 4:9)
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13. Enoch (Gen 5:24, Jude 14,15)
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14. Samuel (I Sam 12:1-5)
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15. Lot (2 Pet 2:7-8)
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E. How can we practice righteousness in
the midst of a perverse generation?
1.
Jesus
said to John there is the need to fulfill all righteousness
2.
Jesus
said except our righteousness be more than the Pharisees, we cannot enter the
kingdom of God
3.
Jesus
said, seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness all other things will
be additions.
4.
Jesus
said “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but
5.
for
the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” Mt. 24:22.
6.
I
am a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, called out to show
the praise of He who has called us from darkness into His marvelous light.
7.
Paul
said we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
8.
Paul
said all things are lawful to me but I will not make myself a slave of
anything.
9.
The
Psalmist says God loves righteousness but hastes wickedness.
10. The fruits of
unrighteousness are sin, death and hell.
11. The fruits of
righteousness are love, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost leading to eternity
with God.
12. It pays to
serve Jesus whatever the cost
13. I can choose
to be alone in the crowd.
14. Others may, I
cannot (living in the north for about 30 years, I have not taken kunu, nunu or
kindirimu but my wife takes, makes and sold kunu!)
15. If Daniel
determined not to defile himself with food why can’t I?
16. If Joseph
determined to not to defile himself with a woman, why can’t I?
17. In all things,
Job did not sin against God, neither did he curse God.
18. If Joshua and
Caleb could stand with God against other 10 spies among some 2 million Jews,
why can’t I stand for God?
19. What really
did I mean when I said, I have decided to follow Jesus?
20. If Jesus went
all the way for me, why can’t I go all the way for Him?
21. If Jesus loved
me even to the point of giving His life for me, why can’t I remain faithful to
Him even unto death?
22. I must be His
ambassador, representative, light bearer, instrument and indeed His now and
ever.
CONCLUSION
Heaven is the ultimate, but even while
on earth, Habakkuk 3:17-19 say, “Although
the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour
of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be
cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will
rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my
strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to
walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” Psalms
118:8 says, “It is better to trust in
the LORD than to put confidence in man.”
