Where Do You Set

Your Affections?
The Bible tells us of the wrong
things and the right things to set our
affections upon.
 Introduction
Everyone has his affections set on something.
The affections of the Christian are fixed on things
that are different from those of the world.
This seems strange to those in the world and they
think it strange that ye run not with them into the
same excess of riot (1 Peter 4:4).
Worldly affections will bring about the loss of ones
soul.
 Introduction
Paul admonished, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on
the right hand of God. Set your affection (mind, ASV) on
things above, not on things on the earth
(Colossians 3:1,2).
Jesus says, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves break through and steal: But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal (Matthew 6:19-20).
It is certainly true that where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21).
 Introduction
Affections have been placed on many things in
times past.
In Noahs day, the love of the world was rampant
(Genesis 6-10; Matthew 24:38,39).
In Abrahams day, homosexuality was the norm
for many (Genesis 19). And that continues
throughout history even until our day.
In our day, affections are placed on babies, dogs,
clothes, character and any number of other things.
A daily perusal of the newspaper will reveal the
things on which people have placed their
affections.
 Introduction
The Bible sets some boundaries for our affections.
If we will respect the teaching of the Bible and thus
enjoy life here and hereafter, we will be sensitive to
those boundaries as we make our decisions on a
daily basis.
Let us observe these Bible boundaries.
Let us start by noticing some things to NOT set our
affections upon.
 Self Too Highly
Paul wrote to those in Rome, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than
he ought to think (Romans 12:3).
Paul stated that in the last days men shall be lovers
of self...haughty... (2 Timothy 3:2).
Jesus said, If any man would come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow
me (Matthew 16:24).
It is very easy for us to put our affection on
ourselves in an unjust way and thus miss the
rewards of the Christ.
 Sinful Pleasures
The younger son had his affections on the sinful
pleasures of the world when he left home
(Luke 15:11-32).
It took a pig-pen experience and some real soul-
searching for him to realize he had missed the real
treasures back home.
Too many people underestimate the power of pleasure.
Jesus taught that when seed was sown, that which fell
among thorns are they, which, when they have heard,
go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and
pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection
(Luke 8:14).
 Sinful Pleasures
The Galatians were warned not to go back to the
works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).
Paul stressed where sinful pleasures will lead in
Romans 1:18-32rejecting God, and exchanging
the natural with the unnatural.
We all need the good sense exhibited by Moses
who chose ...rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin
for a season (Hebrews 11:25).
 The World
If one gets everything the world has to offer, all he will have is
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life
(1 John 2:16).
Paul underscores the worldly affections in 2 Timothy 3:1-8.
I am sure that some of the saddest words ever written by Paul
were these: for Demas forsook me, having loved this present
world (2 Timothy 4:10).
The world will rob us of those things that really are good and
important under the guise of giving us something better.
May we be wise enough to see through the glitter and be
strong enough to refuse that which cannot help, but only
hurt.
Let us know better and do better than the Devil desires for us.
 Money
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,
and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of
all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from
the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
We have seen people destroy themselves and their families,
for money.
We have seen people forsake the worship assemblies and
thus grow weak spiritually, for money.
We have seen people leave the Lord, for money.
It was for money that Judas sold the Lord!
May we think seriously about the problems caused by the
love of money and learn to use money instead of letting it use
us.
 The Love Of Preeminence or Praise
Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence
(3 John 9).
Here was a leader in the church who ruined
himself because of his love for preeminence.
We all have seen this in action.
There are those who must have their names called
often or else they become upset.
They want the recognition.
This spirit has destroyed congregations.
 The Love Of Preeminence or Praise
Everything and everyone will have to cater to the individual
who thinks like this.
Jesus warned of the scribes, who desire to walk in long
robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces and chief
seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts; who
devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long
prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation
(Luke 20:46,47).
Not only will the love of preeminence cause one to be lost,
but the love of the praise of men will do likewise.
There were some, even among the chief rulers who believed
on Jesus, ...but because of the Pharisees they did not confess
[him], lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they
loved the praise of men more than the praise of God
(John 12:42-43).
 The Love Of Preeminence or Praise
Preachers who hold their finger to the wind before
deciding what to preach lest they upset some members
of the congregation need to re-read these passages.
If the Bible teaches anything, it teaches that one must
be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine
(2 Timothy 4:2).
Let us love men, but not the praise of men.
Remember that Jesus said those who do their
righteousness before men, to be seen of them are
paid in full when men speak well of them
(Matthew 6:1,2,5,16).
 Set Your Affections On:
We have just seen five things that we are not to set
our affections on.
I am pretty sure we could add a lot of other things
to this list.
Not all of these things are bad of themselves, but
when they redirect our affection away from God,
they become evil.
Now, let us notice what the Bible tells us to set our
affections upon.
 God
Let us love him with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37).
When one considers all the things made manifest
by the love of God for us, we should be motivated
to love God supremely.
It is sad that Jesus had to say of some, ye have not
the love of God in yourselves (John 5:42).
We cannot, with ink, write the love of God and we
cannot, with our feeble minds, fathom the depth of
the love of God, but we can with all our whole
being love God in return.
 The Christ
Pauls statement is forceful: If any man love not the
Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha
(1 Corinthians 16:22).
Some might wonder how they can know if they
truly love the Christ.
Considering the great sacrifice He made for us, we
should love Him greatly.
Jesus made it easy to know if we love him. If ye
love me, ye will keep my commandments
(John 14:15).
 The Christ
Take a look at the commands of the Lord and then
take a look at your lifestyle.
How do they compare?
Are we willing to take this simple test to determine
our love for the Christ?
May we work hard to bring our lifestyles into
compliance with the wishes of the Christ.
We shall never regret a single act of obedience to
him and to his will.
 The Bible
O how love I thy law! it [is] my meditation all the
day (Psalm 119:97).
This should be the sentiment of every Christian.
The Bible contains words of truth that lead to
everlasting life.
The Bible is the only book in the world that reveals
God to mankind, and tells mankind what God
expects from him,.
Paul dealt with some who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness
(1 Thessalonians 2:12).
 The Bible
Paul was certainly blessed in that he could be assured
that from a babe thou hast known the holy scriptures
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation
(2 Timothy 3:15).
Every child who has been taught to love the Bible can
be thankful for such teaching.
I appreciate those teachers who teach our young
people to love and obey the Word of God.
We must have more who believe unwaveringly that All
scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is]
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may
be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works
(2 Timothy 3:16,17).
May the Bible always be the book we love best.
 The Church
The value of the church is seen in the fact that ...Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word, That he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish
(Ephesians 5:25-27).
Certainly, as we love the Christ, we will love his church.
When I think that the church is that which he
purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28) and that it
is that to which the saved are added (Acts 2:41,47), I
am moved to want to do all I can to promote His church
to the world.
 The Church
Ask yourself:
What attitude do I portray to my family concerning
the church?
Does my family know that I love the church of the
Lord with all my being?
Do those with whom I work know of my love for the
church?
Do we tell the truth when we sing, I Love Thy
Kingdom Lord.
 My Brethren
One of the characteristics of saved folks is that they
exhibit unfeigned love of the brethren
(1 Peter 1:22).
It is the desire, yea, the effort of every faithful child
of God to let love of the brethren continue
(Hebrews 13:1).
As we mingle among those for whom the Lord died,
we want to be tenderly affectioned one to
another (Romans 12:10).
The New American Standard reads: be kindly
affectionate towards one another
 My Brethren
What assurance to know that he that loveth his
brother abideth in the light, and there is no
occasion of stumbling in him (1 John 2:10) and
that if we love one another, God abideth in us and
his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).
I know that some brethren have earned graduate
degrees in aggravation and seem to practice their
trade well, but I also know that the best people on
the face of the earth are my brethren.
May God help me to love them more!
 The Lost
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was
lost (Luke 19:10).
Are we not commanded to be like Jesus?
God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son (John 3:16).
If heaven loved the lost this much, how can I not
love them enough to make an effort to help them
learn how to be saved?
 The Lost
Why is it so hard to get Christians to talk about
salvation on a daily basis with those whom they
know?
Why must we always have some kind of special
effort to do personal work?
Should not the knowledge of how much God loved
us and how much someone else loved us when they
taught us the Gospel motivate us to pass this
knowledge on to others?
May we see people as lost people and be moved to
talk with them about salvation.
 Conclusion
Affections are powerful things.
Where we have placed our affections may very well
determine where we live in eternity.
It is so easy today to become distracted and set our
affections where they should not be.
The temptation is great, but the assurances from
God are sufficient to help us make the proper
decisions.
May we Remember the Bible boundaries.