WHO IS TO BLAME?

READING: 1 Cor 10:1-14

2 John 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a
full reward.

I. LOOK TO YOURSELVES.
A. We are responsible [to ourselves, to others, and to God] for our own actions.
1. 1 Tim 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this
thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

2. 1 Cor 10:1-14
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and
all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that
Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose
up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be
able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

B. Looking to ourselves requires the knowledge of what is proper behavior.

1. Deut 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which
thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons,
and thy sons' sons;

2. Deut 11:16-21
16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and
worship them;
17 And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that
the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your
hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto
your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

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 C. Looking to ourselves requires being aware of evil influences and the rule of comparison.
1. Deut 12:29-32 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou
goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that
thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou
inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth,
have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their
gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor
diminish from it.

2 1 Cor 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

D. Looking to ourselves especially requires control of the tongue.

1. Ps 39:1-4 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth
with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from
good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then
spake I with my tongue, LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is;
that I may know how frail I am.

II. THAT WE LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WE HAVE WROUGHT.

A. First we must retain the word in our hearts.
1. Heb 2:1-4 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest
at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we
neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto
us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

B. We must also be careful not to allow the error of others to lead us astray.
1. 2 Peter 3:13-18 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent
that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering
of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him
hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some
things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other
scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory
both now and for ever. Amen.

C. We must be prepared for trials.

1. 1 Cor 3:10-15 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have
laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be
made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;
yet so as by fire.

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III. THAT WE RECEIVE A FULL REWARD.
A. First, we must love and want Christ above all else.
1. Matt 10:37-42 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth
son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth
after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent
me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that
receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And
whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a
disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

2. Matt 16:24-27 [Christ reiterates] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the
Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works.

B. We must consider the recompense of the reward.

1. Heb 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of
sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had
respect unto the recompence of the reward.

C. The reward will be according to what we choose to do.

1. Rev 22:12-17 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the
last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify
unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and
morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him
that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

2. Rom 2:5-7 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according
to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and
immortality, eternal life:

D. Our reward is eternal life – the gift of God.

1. Rom 6:22-23 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

E. Eternal life is found only in Christ.

1. 1 John 2:24-25 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that
which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in
the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

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 2. 1 John 5:11-13 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have
I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal
life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his
death?

Rom 6:4-5 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have
been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: