What should be included in a sermon and what should be excluded?

I may be the world's worst to address this topic, because I never want to leave anything out!!! In actuality though, knowing the main point of the text let's us know what to keep and what to save for something else. For instance, Lloyd-Jones did a whole series once from "good things" that he left out of other sermons and that fit well together. So the questions I ask myself each week: "Is this information part of the main point?" "Will this information help clarify, explain, support, or illustrate the main point?" "Why should this material be included/excluded?" "Do I have a selfish motive for wanting to include this information (i.e. an axe I want to grind)?" "Will this info help someone in our congregation who is walking through something right now (i.e. because I know those I shepherd, I know that this one point though brief may still be beneficial for them)?" In John 16:12, Jesus said, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." Knowing when to say what always requires dependence upon the Spirit. The beauty of pastoring though is you can take those extra things and send them in an email to your people as a part of shepherding them. You could use them on a Wednesday night to say "There were some great truths in our text last Sunday, but we could not cover all of them, but I wanted to share them on a Wed night with you so that we just didn't move past and ignore them." There are a lot of venues for you to still communicate what you see in the text without loading all of it into one sermon. You know your people better than anyone else. You know what they've been accustomed to hearing and handling from a text. No one will ever be upset with simple, clear, and faithful sermons. If it is the main point, supports the main point, or illustrates the main point then include it. If it's not the main point, but still a good point, then find another way to put it in front of your people.

So You're Not John Piper, So What?

Here is a note of encouragement I sent to the men of our faith family to encourage them in shepherding their families: Men, So you're not John Piper, so what? Be the shepherd in your home that God has made you. You may not have had 60 years to walk in Christ, but His grace is sufficient for whatever # day this is for you. I often beat myself up because I feel I need to do more and be more as the shepherd in our home. Today, however, as I sang praise songs with our kids and prayed with them on the way to school, and as I contemplated leading our family in reading the Word around our table last night - I realized my dad never did any of these things. While I'm not all I want to be yet, I'm also not the worst I could be and all of this is because of His grace. So I want to encourage you today. Don't be paralyzed just because you may not be able to provide a definition for the hypostatic union off the top of your head. If you know the Gospel, you already know the starting place for discipleship in your home. Shepherd those in your care with all that God teaches you each day from His Word. In Christ, we can do it, especially, if we encourage one another as brothers. So here's my encouragement for you. Be who God has made you to be up to this point and who He is making you to be as each moment in Christ passes. If you fail at something today, do not let it be in at least trying something as the shepherd in your home!

After Laodicea

Laodicea "did not realize" their true spiritual condition. Because He loved them, Jesus spoke plainly and said "You are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." After revealing who they really were, Jesus called them to "be zealous and repent." Both of these are written in a present tense, so Jesus was calling Laodicea to keep being zealous and to keep repenting. What did Laodicea do with what Jesus shared with them? Only Heaven will tell the full story, but we do know there is not much of a Christian influence there today. To be honest, there was not much of a Christian influence in their day either was there? What about us? What do we do after God reveals truth about Himself and ourselves to us? Do we ignore Him? Do we reject His version? Or do we respond in repentance begging the Lord for every grace to lay down our self-reliance/arrogance and to move forward in Christ? I hope we will not go on with "business as usual." As we look to Christ, may He empower us to "keep being zealous" and to "keep repenting," because we know the "Amen, the faithful and true witness" knows exactly what He is talking about and can be trusted. Lead on King Jesus. Lead on! Thank You for graciously not leaving us to ourselves but for pursuing us that we might pursue You.

William Carey's view of a Christian Minister

A Christian minister is a person who is “not his own” (1 Cor. 6:19); he is the servant of God, and therefore ought to be wholly devoted to him. By entering on that sacred office he solemnly undertakes to be always engaged as much as possible in the Lord’s work, and not to choose his own pleasure or employment, or pursue the ministry as something that is to subserve his own interest, or as a kind of sideline. He engages to go where God pleases, and to do or endure what he sees fit to command or call him to in the exercise of his function. He virtually bids farewell to friends, pleasures, and comforts, and stands in readiness to endure the greatest sufferings in the work of the Lord, his Master. It is inconsistent for ministers to please themselves with thoughts of numerous congregations, cordial friends, a civilized country, legal protection, affluence, splendor, or even an income that is sufficient. The slights and hatred of men, and even pretended friends, gloomy prisons, and tortures, the society of barbarians of uncouth speech, miserable accommodations in wretched wildernesses, hunger and thirst, nakedness, weariness, and diligence, hard work, and but little worldly encouragement, should rather be the objects of their expectation. . . . I question whether all are justified in staying here, while so many are perishing without means of grace in other lands. . . . On the contrary the commission is a sufficient call to them to venture all, and, like the primitive Christians, go everywhere preaching the gospel. (Quoted in Danny Akin's 10 Who Changed the World pp. 11-12)

TEN THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT TARA ON OUR TENTH ANNIVERSARY

1. FEARLESS. You are afraid of nothing and no one except the Lord. Your courage steals my breath and challenges me to be a braver man. 2. STRONG. I’ve never met a stronger woman anywhere. You are a rock that refuses to let the waves of life diminish you. 3. DOER. You are not a talk-about it kind of girl; you are a get-it-done kind of woman. You see needs and you meet them. You see opportunities and you seize them. You help spur me out of my hesitancy and move me to accomplishment rather than just aspiration. 4. FRIEND. You are loyal and faithful to those you love. You meet people as they are and graciously walk beside them. You also never meet a stranger, they are just friends you’ve never met before. 5. ORGANIZER/LEADER. Whether in our home or an entire Christmas program for our church, your gifts of organization and administration are unparalleled. You always know the right place for every thing and can deftly break large tasks into manageable portions. You are a great leader and are a blessing to any team you guide. 6. MOTHER. How foolish I once was to wonder when we dated what kind of mother you would be. You have exceeded and continue to exceed every hope I could pray for my children in their mother. Though these 4 munchkins may not say it often now, the days are coming in which they will rise up and call you Blessed! 7. LOVER. A man could never be more blessed than I am by your love. In every way, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, you bless my life. I’m thankful for all the days your love has not wavered though I was clearly unlovable. 8. FULL OF LIFE. If not for you, I would not know that roses existed, much less take time to smell them. Of course, in our home, they would be tulips! You steadily help me see what are the most important things. You take time to live life. You are adventurous. You are never and will never be boring. 9. LAUGHTER. My favorite sound in the world is to hear you laugh. I love to hear your uninhibited joy when something makes you smile. I then love to hear you say “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe.” Nothing makes me smile more than your laugh. 10. GIFT. At our blessing party, I read Proverbs 19:14 which says, “Houses and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” Outside of salvation, you are and will always be the greatest gift the Lord has ever given me. Ten years later that statement is as true as ever. Because of you, many thanksgivings are offered to the Lord, especially from me. I am blessed beyond words. May the Lord give us many more healthy, happy, and holy days together. Happy Anniversary! MTML, Landon

The Swish of the Pages

From John Piper's first sermon at Bethlehem Baptist Church (taken from desiringgod.org): If I could choose a symbolic sound that Bethlehem Baptist Church would come to be known for, you know what it would be? The swish of the pages of 500 Bibles turning simultaneously to the morning and evening texts. The reason is this: the source of my authority in this pulpit is not . . . my wisdom; nor is it a private revelation granted to me beyond the revelation of Scripture. My words have authority only insofar as they are the repetition, unfolding and proper application of the words of Scripture. I have authority only when I stand under authority. And our corporate symbol of that truth is the sound of your Bibles opening to the text. My deep conviction about preaching is that a pastor must show the people that what he is saying was already said or implied in the Bible. If it cannot be shown it has no special authority. My heart aches for the pastor who increases his own burden by trying to come up with ideas to preach to his people. As for me, I have nothing of abiding worth to say to you. But God does. And of that word I hope and pray that I never tire of speaking. The life of the church depends on it.

Jesus and Preaching

Without any triteness, I thank Jesus for salvation and the transformation that has been wrought in my life because of grace. I thank Jesus also for not letting me stand in the pulpit alone, but providing His own Spirit so that His Word might be efficacious. Thanks for doing all that I am powerless to accomplish.

Evangelism and Prayer

From Mack Stiles' - Speaking of Jesus: "I'm amazed how easy it is to launch an evangelistic effort and forget to pray. That tells us something about ourselves, doesn't it? Evangelism is not an exercise of information transfer where we transfer data from one hard drive to the next. Evangelism is a spiritual struggle for hearts. Hearts can change only through an act of the Spirit. We need the power of God more than anything else, in evangelism."

When a Pastor Falls

I am a sinner. I sin every day. When I walk by the Spirit, I do not gratify the desires of the flesh. I do not always walk by the Spirit. For every believer this statement is true: My sin but our consequences (ask Achan’s family). This truth is particularly highlighted when the sinner is also the shepherd. Paul challenges Timothy to set an example for the believers in life, love, speech, faith, and purity. Even in the power of the Spirit, no pastor will be able to live this completely, but it does not mean we should not make it our aim. What happens, however, when the pastor is clearly not living this text? What happens when the pastor, rather than avoiding sin, aimed right at it . . . and hit it? What do the sheep then do with the shepherd? Here’s what some have done: fire them immediately. Throw them out. Don’t give them an opportunity to pack their office but instead pack it for them. Also, throw the spouse and children out with them. Especially don’t give them an opportunity to address the congregation, I mean who would want a sinner speaking to other sinners? Here’s what others have done: ask them to resign quietly. Don’t address the sin in the pastor’s life directly or, heaven forbid, mention it to the congregation. Yes, the “polite” and “respectable” way to deal with pastoral sin (and everyone else’s) is to handle the manner quietly and then whisper about it later in elders’ meetings or maybe even elders’ wives’ meetings. Here’s what I think should happen: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). How does a bone mend if it does not get reset? The word “restore” carries the idea of resetting a bone or in fishing terms: mending the nets. Sin in anyone’s life is certainly like a bone being broken in the local body of Christ. Without proper care, it will not be reset and will not heal as it should. When the pastor is the one who has caused the brokenness in the fellowship, why should he not be afforded the same grace every other sinner in that congregation has been afforded? Why is that some run away from him instead of to him? Why is there condemnation instead of restoration? If a pastor is not repentant, then Jesus and Paul are clear: put him out (Matt. 18 and 1 Cor. 5). The purpose of breaking our fellowship is in hopes of repentance, restoration, and reconciliation. Proper church discipline has been practiced in far too few congregations. But what if he is repentant? And by repentant, I don’t just mean remorseful. He’s not just sorry he got caught, but instead, he’s truly broken over his sin. He’s grieved because he’s grieved the Lord and in actuality had asserted his own kingship over Christ’s. By repentant, I mean, he’s striving in the power of the Spirit to turn from the sin and to never return to it again. He’s striving not to be the guy in Proverbs who is like a dog returning to its vomit. Is there a better picture of the reality of sin and its bondage? If we truly viewed sin this way, then who of us would actually want to redigest what we had recently released? Should the repentant pastor be removed from leadership? Absolutely. Should the repentant pastor be removed from leadership permanently? Maybe. Some will say yes and some will say no. Should the repentant pastor be removed from the fellowship? Absolutely not. If we cannot go to our faith community then to whom can we turn? It’s sorriest of all sorries (made this phrase up), if the pastor has walked through the mire, mess, and muck of all the people’s sins and no one is willing to run to him in his stench. Sometimes there will need to be a separation and perhaps the breaking free from the sin may require special treatment, but it’s far better for the pastor (and his family) to have the faith community walk through the mess with them than to have to walk through it alone. Why should he be extended less grace than he extended to you in your battles with sin? The only ones who should be excluded from membership/fellowship are those who still desire to walk in their sin and reject Christ’s rule, with all others we should be “kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving (them) as God in Christ forgave (us)” (Eph. 4:32). How long should a pastor remain in a congregation after he falls? I think only the Lord can answer this one. He certainly needs the accountability and love of the church in working toward reconciliation with the Lord, his family, and the faith family. Should he remain if a new pastor comes? Maybe. The presence and leadership of a new pastor alone should not determine whether the former pastor should stay or go. Perhaps the better question, is can the repentant pastor fully support the leadership of the new pastor and “strive to eagerly maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3)? If he would be divisive and distracting then he should go. If he can “stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” then he should feel freedom to stay (Phil. 1:27). Above all, he should seek to please Christ and follow His leadership. So why am I writing this? Have I sinned today? Yes. I’m breathing. Is there some major sin I’m fixing to disclose? No. All sins are major and I attempt to disclose those weekly to Christ, my wife, and my accountability partner. My job, however, is to shepherd the sheep and equip them “for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). My job is to prepare them in the Word so that they might be “competent (and) equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17). I want them to walk in the Word, especially on the day, that they might need to run to me rather than away from me.

Starting a New Year

As we begin 2013, here are 10 helpful questions from Don Whitney: 1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God? 2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year? 3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year? 4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it? 5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year? 6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church? 7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year? 8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year? 9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year? 10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in 10 years? In eternity?

Worship

William Temple: For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open up the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.

The True Gospel

In Tad Thompson's book: Intentional Parenting, he writes the following: The good news of Jesus Christ is not that you can become a better person. Or that God has given us the secret to wealth, purpose, and a peaceful life. Or that some special prayer is the "open sesame" for the gates of heaven. The biblical gospel can be understood by keeping in mind four essential elements that summarize its content: *God is the sovereign and holy Creator of the universe. *Man has rejected the sovereign and holy rule of God. *Jesus is the eternal Son of God who came to rescue sinners. *The gospel demands that all people respond in repentance and faith.

Christ-Centered Expositions of Ezekiel

Through the Lord's grace, my friends: Danny Akin, Tony Merida, and David Platt have invited me to participate in a commentary series they are publishing. My portion will be: Christ-Centered Expositions of Ezekiel. Of course, after I was assigned Ezekiel I questioned the actual level of my "friendship" with those men! Currently, the goal is to have a manuscript to the publishers by December 2014. Fortunately, the only parts remaining for me to complete are...all of them! The first facet will be to study and prepare Christ-Centered expositions of Ezekiel to our faith family at Trace Crossing. The second phase will be to take those sermon notes and turn them into commentary chapters. The good news is that Ezekiel is a succinct, clear, and concise little ol' 48 chapter book! With a 10,000 word count limit, I'm aiming to maximize the content. Oh, and then there's that wheel in the sky keeps on turning thing that Ezekiel sees. No worries right? Well, pray for us. Pray for the study, the proclamation, and the formatting that lies ahead. As always, the purpose of studying Ezekiel is never just for information, but for transformation, so pray most importantly that God will use His Word to further conform our faith family to the image of Christ.

Goals for Trace Crossing for 2012

In January, the elders presented the following goals to Trace Crossing for 2012. By God's grace, some of these goals have already been achieved, while others are still works in progress. I'm posting them here today, so you can know what we have been and continue to be striving toward together at Trace Crossing in 2012. GOALS FOR TRACE CROSSING IN 2012 Because of the Gospel and in the power of the Gospel, we will strive to equip the members of Trace Crossing to live for the good of others and God’s glory. I. THE GOSPEL WORD *Strive to see each member be able to articulate the Gospel clearly and concisely (God, man, Christ, response). *Encourage daily thinking on the Gospel, so that Christ is the motive and means for all we do. *Complete our exposition of Ephesians *Complete our study in Luke, Genesis, and Acts in LifeGroups *Sing the Word, pray the Word, preach the Word in each worship service II. THE GOSPEL COMMUNITY *By the end of 2012, develop a regenerate church membership list. *Seek and develop additional LifeGroup leaders. Train, equip, and encourage LifeGroup leaders on an ongoing basis. *Help members identify and use their spiritual gifts. *Strive to see Titus 2 relationships develop where the older men are mentoring the younger men and the more mature ladies are mentoring the younger ladies. *Continue to encourage the once a month women’s meetings. *Develop a weekly men’s prayer time. *Continue to seek the Lord’s direction in location change. Emphasis upon giving to building fund. Clearly communicate our motives in moving. *Continue to model prayerful support of sister congregations *Have communication boards in the worship center that provide key information we want everyone to see and remember. *Develop welcome packets and process for after service *Develop a collegiate and young professionals ministry III. THE GOSPEL ADVANCING *Praying for each of our members to lead at least one person to Christ in 2012. *Help members identify gifts/talents/expertise that can be used to help train, equip and reach out to local neighborhoods (safety seminars, financial seminars, sewing classes, resume development, etc.) *Encourage cheerful and sacrificial giving to missions. *Send more Trace Crossing members on mission than ever before. *Continue to develop strategic global, Gospel partnerships *Continue to seek out areas of Tupelo where new works or specific ministries could help advance the Gospel. *Display maps of the world and Tupelo in our building and highlight areas where we’ve gone, where we give money to support, and where we are specifically interceding. *Complete documents for SEBTS to be able to house theological education at Trace Crossing. *Bless Tupelo in some tangible way through doing and giving.

The Sufferings of Christ

Here is the conclusion J. C. Ryle felt we should be led to as we consider Christ's sufferings:

"And let us learn from the story of the passion always to hate sin with a great hatred. Sin was the cause of all our Savior’s sufferings. Our sins twisted the crown of thorns; our sins drove the nails into his hands and feet; on account of our sins his blood was shed. Surely the thought of Christ crucified should make us loathe all sin. As the Church of England Homily of Passion says so well: 'Let this image of Christ crucified be always printed in our hearts. Let it stir us up to the hatred of sin, and provoke our minds to the earnest love of Almighty God.'”

Atonement

A couple years ago, I had the privilege of leading the children at CrossPoint through material from Kids 4 Truth that centered on the atonement. Here is some of what I shared with them:

Christ’s atonement met four needs we have as sinners:
1. We deserve to die as the penalty for sin.
2. We deserve to bear God’s wrath against sin.
3. We are separated from God by our sins.
4. We are in bondage to sin and to the kingdom of Satan.

Here’s how Christ’s atonement met the needs above:
1. Sacrifice – Jesus died our death (Heb. 9:26)
2. Propitiation – Jesus took God’s wrath (1 John 4:10)
3. Reconciliation – Jesus brings us back to God (2 Cor. 5:18-19)
4. Redemption – Jesus paid the ransom to set us free (Mark 10:45)

Quotes from Knowing God

As a staff, we are reading through J. I. Packer's "Knowing God" and discussing what we read on Thursday mornings. I was particularly encouraged by the following:

"There is tremendous relief in knowing that (God's) love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me."

"There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that he sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow humans do not see (and am I glad!), and that he sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which, in all conscience, is enough). There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, he wants me as his friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose."

Nathan

Today is my friend Nathan's birthday. Several months ago, Student Life asked for stories about how much youth ministers have meant to you, but I failed to take the time then to write what I am today. I first met Nathan at my home church in Leesville, LA. He was fresh out of SWBTS and seeking his first place of service. The deacon who prayed for Nathan in that first evening service struggled to remember his name and called him "Nat." I had no idea then as a child how much "Nat" would come to mean to me. The stories I could tell are many. The laughs we have shared are countless. But most of all the friendship has been priceless.

As a youth minister, Nathan cared about us not as a statistic but as a person. Living in a divorced and abusive home, I was grateful for Nathan's care and concern. Nathan planned the first Disciple Now I ever participated in. We had navy blue t-shirts with yellow writing that asked "Who's in Charge" with a big question mark on the front. Come to think of it, I owe many firsts to Nathan - he took me to my first LSU-Ole Miss game; he was the first person to teach me how to drive a standard; he was the first person to open my eyes to places such as Ridgecrest, Glorieta, and of course, six flags; my first date was at his house (after the movie we wanted to see was sold out); he was the fist person I called when my truck was stuck in the mud behind our church property; he was the first (and only) person who woke me up from a deep sleep one morning by yelling "Good Morning Vietnam;" he was present in Nashville when I preached my first sermon ever for M-Fuge; and he was the first person to introduce me to Sue Mac who was the first person to introduce me to Tara.

Nathan never failed to emphasize to us the basics of discipleship. He encouraged us to pursue accountability with one another. He honestly shared with me that I had the potential to either really make it or really blow it. He opened up his home for both Bible studies and for just fellowship. He attended my freshmen and JV football games. He taught me all I know about quick wit and smart come-backs. He taught me how to honk the horn at someone who is on your left, but then turn and wave to the right. My mom will tell you that Nathan taught me other things as well but she will have to write her own blog.

Through the years, the friendship has only grown deeper. He has been a faithful encourager in ministry. When my father died, he was one of my most precious counselors. When I got married, he was my best man. When I needed wisdom in making a purchase, he provided it. His road in ministry has not been without pain, but through it all, Nathan has modeled commitment to the Lord and His call on Nathan's life.

Nathan will most likely never be called by Relevant or Group or Lifeway or Morph and asked to contribute, but Nathan's faithfulness and fruitfulness will One Day be fully revealed. I cannot tell you the number of former students of his that are now serving in the ministry but the Lord can. I cannot tell you the number of times Nathan has ministered just through his presence and attendance but the Lord can. I cannot tell you how many conversations he has had with students or how many tears and laughs he's shared with them, but the Lord can.

When I think of Nathan, I never fail to say "thank you" to the Lord. At a time when I needed someone like Nathan the most, the Lord in His good providence brought our paths together and though our paths have separated at times they have never been far apart. I rejoice that now we are back in the same city and I have the joy of seeing my friend - like at lunch today or in walking into the hospital together a few weeks ago to minister to different people.

Father thank you for Nathan Fitts. Please continue to empower his ministry and may this chapter of service be the sweetest yet. Thank you for his birthday. Please bless him with many more happy and healthy days. Thank you also that because of Christ, death is not the final word that is spoken over both of our fathers. May the Gospel of Christ continue to advance in us and through us. Amen.

Sin

All sin is a rejection of God's Kingship and an assertion of our own. We rebel against His rule and seek to reign over our own lives. We say to Him, "You do not know what's best. I do. You are not my King. I am." How is that working out for you? Probably as well as it worked for Adam and Eve and for every human since them. We somehow forget that not only is God the King of Everything, but He is also the Best King. He is a Holy King. This means that every do not from God is for our best and every do is too. All of His Words are saturated in love and are for our good and His glory. I recently shared with my friends at Trace Crossing that I'm not sure exactly how much time I've spent on sin in my life, but I do know these two things: 1) It's been a lot 2) It's all been wasted. In Hebrews 3, we are told to exhort each other every day not to be deceived by sin. What if the Church took this teaching seriously? What if each morning Dads would remind Moms and then their children, "Look to Christ today! Don't be fooled by sin today. Sin never provides what it promises but Christ always does" - wouldn't this revolutionize our homes and our congregations? What if our teenagers would encourage each other to pursue Christ and not sin each day at school?

Father, please produce these types of Dads and Moms and students at Trace Crossing (and all other churches). Please help us to purse Christ and find in Him such satisfaction that the temptations of the flesh, world, and devil can be seen for what they really are. Please help us to live your Word by being intentional to remind each other daily of Christ's greatness and sin's deceitfulness. Please help us to quit wasting so much time on sin. In Christ's name, Amen.

5 Reasons for Practicing Corrective Church Discipline

This list is taken from Mark Dever's "What is a Healthy Church?"

Practicing Corrective Church Discipline shows love for:
1. the good of the disciplined individual;
2. other Christians as they see the danger of sin;
3. the health of the church as a whole;
4. the corporate witness of the church and, therefore, non-Christians in the community;
5. and the glory of God. Our holiness should reflects God's holiness.