Striving for Biblical Balance in Our Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Humility Opens the Door to Growth

Apollos, despite his eloquence and knowledge, demonstrated humility by accepting correction from Priscilla and Aquila. This humility was crucial for his growth in understanding and effectiveness in ministry. In our own lives, we must be open to correction and willing to learn from others to maintain a balanced understanding of Scripture. Humility is not a sign of weakness but a strength that allows us to grow and become more effective in our walk with Christ. [05:36]

"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" (1 Peter 5:5, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you received correction. How did you respond, and how can you cultivate a more humble attitude in similar situations in the future?

Day 2: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Imbalance

Imbalances in our understanding of Scripture can lead to spiritual harm and misrepresentation of God. It is essential to strive for a balanced perspective, ensuring that we do not overemphasize certain truths at the expense of others. This balance is crucial for accurately reflecting the character of Christ. By examining our beliefs and practices, we can prevent spiritual crashes and better represent Christ to others. [11:20]

"For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:27, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your spiritual life where you might be overemphasizing one aspect of Scripture. How can you seek a more balanced understanding in this area today?

Day 3: Community as a Catalyst for Balance

Just as Priscilla and Aquila helped Apollos, we need the community of believers to help us maintain balance. The Bible teaches that iron sharpens iron, and through mutual correction and encouragement, we can grow in our understanding and application of Scripture. Engaging with a community of believers provides accountability and support, helping us to stay centered in our faith. [05:50]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to for spiritual accountability and encouragement? How can you be a source of support for someone else this week?

Day 4: The Ongoing Journey of Achieving Balance

Achieving balance in our Christian walk is not a one-time event but a continuous journey. We must regularly examine our beliefs and practices, ensuring they align with the full counsel of God. This requires ongoing humility and a commitment to growth. As we grow in our understanding, we become more effective in helping others and more accurately reflect the character of Christ. [16:53]

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your spiritual life that you need to examine more closely for balance? What steps can you take today to ensure you are aligning with the full counsel of God?

Day 5: The Power of Balanced Teaching

Balanced teaching leads to greater effectiveness in ministry and a more accurate representation of Christ. As we grow in our understanding and application of Scripture, we become more helpful to others and better reflect the character of Christ. This balance allows us to minister more effectively and to be a true reflection of Christ's love and truth to the world. [07:32]

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV)

Reflection: How can you ensure that your understanding and teaching of Scripture are balanced? What practical steps can you take to deepen your study and application of God's Word this week?

Sermon Summary

In Acts 18, we encounter Apollos, a gifted and eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, yet lacking in complete understanding. Despite his fervor and accurate teaching about Jesus, he only knew the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila, recognizing his deficiency, took him aside to explain the way of God more accurately. This encounter highlights the importance of biblical balance and the humility required to accept correction. Apollos, after receiving this instruction, went on to powerfully refute the Jews, demonstrating the transformative power of a more complete understanding of the truth.

The need for balance in our Christian walk is crucial. Just as Apollos needed to be more biblically balanced, we too must strive for a balanced understanding of Scripture. This balance prevents us from overemphasizing certain truths at the expense of others, which can lead to spiritual harm and misrepresentation of God. The pendulum of our beliefs should not swing too far in any direction, but rather remain centered, accurately reflecting the full counsel of God.

Imbalances can lead to spiritual crashes, misrepresentations of Christ, and harm to others. We must be vigilant in examining our lives and teachings, ensuring they align with the entirety of Scripture. This requires humility, a willingness to be corrected, and a commitment to maintaining a balanced perspective. As we grow in our understanding, we become more effective in helping others and more accurately reflect the character of Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. time event but a continuous journey. We must regularly examine our beliefs and practices, ensuring they align with the full counsel of God. This requires ongoing humility and a commitment to growth. [16:53]
5. The Impact of Balanced Teaching: Balanced teaching leads to greater effectiveness in ministry and a more accurate representation of Christ. As we grow in our understanding and application of Scripture, we become more helpful to others and better reflect the character of Christ. [16:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - Introduction to Apollos
[01:16] - Prayer for Guidance
[01:51] - Apollos' Strengths and Limitations
[03:00] - Priscilla and Aquila's Correction
[04:11] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[05:02] - The Importance of Humility
[06:25] - Apollos' Transformation
[07:32] - The Need for Biblical Balance
[09:00] - The Dangers of Imbalance
[11:20] - Imbalance and Spiritual Harm
[13:13] - Satan's Role in Imbalance
[15:22] - Clarifying Balance
[17:29] - Recognizing Personal Imbalances
[19:45] - Areas Needing Balance
[51:00] - How to Remain Balanced
[55:07] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Acts 18:24-28
- Proverbs 27:17
- Matthew 3:11

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Observation Questions:

What were the strengths and limitations of Apollos as described in Acts 18:24-28? How did Priscilla and Aquila help him? [00:38]
According to the sermon, what specific area of understanding was Apollos lacking, and how did Priscilla and Aquila address this? [03:00]
How does the sermon describe the role of humility in Apollos' transformation and growth in understanding? [06:06]
What does the sermon suggest about the importance of community in achieving a balanced understanding of Scripture? [05:50]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the story of Apollos illustrate the importance of being open to correction and learning from others in our spiritual journey? [05:36]
In what ways can an imbalance in understanding Scripture lead to spiritual harm or misrepresentation of God, as discussed in the sermon? [11:20]
How does the sermon explain the continuous journey of maintaining biblical balance, and why is it not a one-time event? [16:53]
What role does the Holy Spirit play in achieving a more complete understanding of the truth, according to the sermon? [04:30]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you received correction from someone in your faith community. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [05:36]
Identify an area in your spiritual life where you might be overemphasizing one aspect of Scripture at the expense of others. How can you work towards achieving a more balanced understanding? [11:20]
How can you actively seek out and engage with your faith community to help maintain a balanced perspective on Scripture? What steps can you take this week to foster such relationships? [05:50]
Consider the role of humility in your spiritual growth. What practical steps can you take to cultivate humility and openness to correction in your daily life? [06:06]
The sermon emphasizes the continuous journey of balance. What specific practices can you incorporate into your routine to regularly examine and align your beliefs with the full counsel of God? [16:53]
How can you ensure that your teaching or sharing of Scripture with others is balanced and accurately reflects the character of Christ? What resources or support might you need to achieve this? [07:32]
Think about a person in your life who might benefit from a more balanced understanding of Scripture. How can you support them in their journey, and what role can you play in their spiritual growth? [05:50]

Sermon Clips

Despite all of that being true of Apollos, there was truth he did not know. Truth he did not know. His message was lacking a proper emphasis. He was not biblically balanced, you could say. Priscilla and Aquila heard him leaving something out. They took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. [00:02:44]

We see here the importance of others correcting and explaining to us things in which we need to understand more accurately. The Proverbs say iron sharpens iron, and we are to help one another, one as another man sharpens another man. Priscilla and Aquila saw that even though he lacked understanding, he was still doing much good. [00:05:33]

We are all better off if our accuracy increases. It says Apollos greatly helped those who through grace had believed. The more balanced in truth we become, the more helpful to others we are. And in the reverse, the more imbalanced we are, the more inaccurate we are with the truth, guess what? The more harm we do to others. [00:07:17]

To be biblically balanced is to not fall into overemphasizing something to the degree that the Bible does not. For Apollos, it seems Priscilla and Aquila heard him not emphasizing Christ baptized in his Father from the Holy Spirit. This is due to lack of knowledge and understanding. Yet often our issue is not a lack of knowledge on a matter. [00:09:56]

Imbalances can crash you spiritually or could crash others. Our imbalances can wrongly portray how our Lord Jesus Christ is to the world, can do damage. Our imbalances can possibly hurt people and lead them astray. You know, one question we should always be asking ourselves... am I in any way by how I live telling people they can go further in a direction than the Bible allows? [00:11:17]

Truth out of balance is heresy. Now, I read that and I thought, is that a balanced quote? Well, some may say it's not. I don't know entirely what he, where he said that in context and what he was referring to. But in many ways, truth in many areas, when you lose balance, it does become heresy. [00:12:16]

Satan wants to lure us away from a biblically accurate balance positions on what the Bible teaches. He wants us to major on one thing too much and then distort the Scriptures as a whole. Henry Frost said Satan, in seeking to destroy the peace and usefulness of the children of God, has many methods of attack, and none is more effective than when he attempts to lead them into unbalanced and extravagant positions. [00:13:19]

Achieving balance is not a one-time event but a continuous journey. We must regularly examine our beliefs and practices, ensuring they align with the full counsel of God. This requires ongoing humility and a commitment to growth. We have to maintain balance. We have to maintain a life of going through all of the Scriptures and having a correct overall perspective of truth. [00:17:07]

We need to be warned. Imbalances destroy churches and movements. Father of faith missions, Anthony North Groves, ran into a Moravian settlement. The Moravians, the zealous missionaries, what was they like now? There's 1,200 of them. Groves was disappointed. He said the settlement was no longer a missionary station but simply a colony of craftsmen. [00:47:57]

One doctrine magnified out of proportion to the others will limit the usefulness of any ministry. Similarly, a secondary truth consistently delivered as though it was a main truth will produce unbalanced Christians. Truth needs to be stated with the right degree of emphasis in relation to other biblical teaching. No teacher is perfect in this area, Murray says, but Ryle is a valuable example. [00:49:03]

How do you remain balanced? First, recognize when you hear balance, you should inwardly feel the reality, Lord, help me. Secondly, to be balanced, you must make sure your balancer is in balance. You won't be balanced if your balancer is not in balance. You know, they make drones, and with drones, you have to balance your propellers. [00:50:58]

We often counteract our own imbalances and go further to the other side. So where are you in balance? Where am I in balance? Where am I emphasizing things wrongly? Where are you emphasizing things wrongly? These are questions you should ask. Where as a church could we be off? It takes effort to push a heavy pendulum that has become stuck back to its normal position. [00:53:33]

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Striving for Biblical Balance in Our Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Humility Opens the Door to Growth

Day 2: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Imbalance

Day 3: Community as a Catalyst for Balance

Day 4: The Ongoing Journey of Achieving Balance

Day 5: The Power of Balanced Teaching

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Striving for Biblical Balance in Our Faith

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