Doing The Right Thing

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"DOING THE RIGHT THING"
(JAMES 4: 17)

Intro:
There are times in our past that we look back, and are so proud of the way in which we acted. However, on the flip side, there are those moments, when you look on your actions in the past, and you honestly cannot believe that it was you who did those things.
In James 4: 17, we are told: "Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." If you are like me, then you have those times in your past when you knew the right thing to do, but you chose not to do it. It is these moments, which I want us to think about today. I want to help you to see what happens when good men do nothing. I want to show you the need for us to, "DO THE RIGHT THING."

I WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING, NOTHING GOOD WILL BE DONE.

1. Allow me to suggest to you that if nothing is being done, then Satan is winning.
A. Matt 25: 14-28 the man with one talent could have accomplished great things, and done something good, but instead he chose to do nothing, and evil won out!
B. Rev 3: 1 the church of Sardis sat back and did nothing, and the spirit pronounced them to be dead!
2. The truth of life is that we were created to do good works! (Eph 2: 10)
A. Unfortunately, to many Christians are content to set on the sidelines and never participate in the work of the Lord!
B. However, if success comes, they are the first in line to celebrate, just as if their efforts made it happen.
C. On the other hand, if evil triumphs, they are the first to complain, even though much of the fault can be traced to their inactivity!
3. There is an important message, which we need to understand.
A. Matt 3: 10 John the Baptist said that the one who is inactive, shall be cast away!
B. In other words, if you are standing still, then you are the path of destruction, and evil is all around you!

II WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING, EVIL WINS!

1. The truth is that good men are not just to avoid evil, but they are to actively oppose it!
A. Eze 3: 18 in refusing to oppose evil, we are giving it our tacit approval.
B. 1Ki 18: 21 by refusing to choose God over Ahab and Jezebel, the nation of Israel were actually approving of their actions!
C. Lk 10: 31-32 by passing by, and not stopping to help, the Priest and the Levite were approving of the evil, which had been perpetrated upon the beaten and bloodied man!
2. We need to realize that there is no middle ground when it comes to serving God!
A. Matt 12: 30 either you are for him, or against him, but you cannot be both!
B. If you say, "But I haven't made up my mind yet." God says, "Yes you have!"
C. If you haven't chosen God, then you have already chosen Satan!

III WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING, THEY ARE NO LONGER GOOD MEN.

1. There are so many who believe that doing good is nothing more than not doing evil.
A. However, there is so much more to being a good person than just simply not doing wrong.
B. 1Pet 3: 11 instead Peter, quoting the Psalmist, says, "he must turn from evil and do good, and he must seek peace and pursue it."
2. James said that if we know the right thing to do, and we choose not to do it, then that is sin. (James 4: 17)
A. Gen 37 Reuben knew that lying about what had happened to Joseph was wrong, yet he went along with it anyway.
B. In so doing, he became no better than those who had committed the act itself!
C. Gen 42: 21-22 because of his inaction, he lived with the guilt all the days of his life.
3. There are still those who are guilty of this same thing today.
A. They see wrong taking place all around them, yet they refuse to do or say anything to stop it!
B. Those same people, while not guilty of actively seeking to tare down, will nonetheless feel the guilt and shame when the walls come crumbling down!