TEXT:  1 Cor. 3:18-20

INTRODUCTION:

A.      NO ONE WANTS TO BE THOUGHT OF AS IGNORANT OR UNINTELLIGENT.

          1.       Yet many of continue doing what we know is dumb.

          2.       Some of us do wrong knowing it isn’t smart.

B.      THE BIBLE HAS MUCH TO SAY ABOUT WHO ISN’T SMART.

I.      IS IT SMART OR FOOLISH FOR A NATION TO DEPART GOD?

A.      GOD MADE THE NATIONS (Acts 17:24-26;  Psa. 86:9).

B.      HE EXERCISES AUTHORITY OVER THEM

(Psa. 72:11;  22:28;  47:2;  Isa. 14:26-27;  Job 12:23f.  John 19:11).

          1.       God’s blessing (Psa. 33:12;  Prov. 14:34).

          2.       God’s wrath (Jer. 10:10;  Psa. 66:7;  Psa: 9:17-20).

C.      JESUS RULES TODAY (Eph. 1:20-21;  Rev. 19:5).

II.     IS IT SMART TO MOCK SIN?

A.      TO SOME NOTHING IS SACRED OR HOLY.

          1.       God and religion are common objects of ridicule and sacrilegious joking.

          2.       Sin is funny to some – TV, movies songs – our foolish jesting.

B.      THESE ARE NOT LAUGHING MATTERS

 (Heb. 10:31;  12:28 – Rom. 6:23;  Eph. 5:3-5).

C.      WHO MAKES SPORT OF SIN? (Prov.10:23; 14:9).

III.    IS IT SMART TO SOW THE SEEDS OF SIN?

A.      YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW (Gal. 6:7).

B.      WHAT ARE THE FRUITS OF SIN?

          1.       Fear (Prov. 28:1;  Gen. 3:9;  Psa. 139;  Heb. 10:26-27, 31).

          2.       Shame (Jer. 3:25;  Luke 18:13).

          3.       Remorse (Heb. 12:16-17;  Matt. 27:3-5;  Luke 22:62).

          4.       Troubles spirit or conscience (Psa. 51:3;  38:1-8)

                                                                   ( Isa. 57:20-21;  Prov. 13:15;  1:33).

          5.       Death (Rom. 6:23).

C.      WHERE IS THE CURE? (Luke 3:8).

“The fruits of sin won’t grow where the seeds of repentance are sown.”

IV.   IS IT SMART TO DESTROY OUR OWN BODIES?

A.      WHEN WE IGNORE GOD’S NATURAL LAWS WE PAY THE PRICE!

B.      WE CAN OBSERVE THE DAMAGE DONE BY ALCOHOL

(Prov. 23:20-35;  20:1).

C.      WE ARE CONTINUALLY WARNED AGAINS THE DANGERS OF

          SMOKING, DRUGS, OVER-INDULGING, ETC.

          1.       Our bodies are not indestructible (1 Sam. 20:3).

          2.       Our bodies don’t belong to us (Rom. 12:1;  1 Cor. 6:19).

          3.       Our bodies have a purpose (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

V.    IS IT SMART TO DESTROY OUR OWN SOULS?

A.      THE MOST IMPORTANT THING (Mark 8:36).

B.      IN SPITE OF ALL ITS SEEMING PLEASURE, SIN DESTROYS THE SOUL.

          1.       An entanglement (Prov. 5:22-23;  2 Pet. 2:18-20).

          2.       An unreasonable harm (Prov. 8:36).

C.      WHO IS SMART? (Prov. 1:7;  9:10;  Job 28:28;  Psa. 111:10).

CONCLUSION:

A.      WHO INDEED IS SMART?

          1.       The one who does nothing about his sin?

          2.       The one who fails to prepare for judgment?

          3.       The one who lets someone else or something else to stand between him and God?

B.   ARE YOU PREPARED?