Sermon: Rampageous [ram-pey-juh s]
…a sermon about riotous living and other elements that could keep one out of the Kingdom of God
by Chris Cumming                                                                    printer-friendly    MP3

In our last sermon, "Piety" we discussed the spiritual concept of Holiness.  In that discussion we established the fact that to be holy, one must follow a specific procedure.  Turn to 2 Corinthians 7:1 as I quote from that sermon.

2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Note:  Constantly bringing in and applying the good thus forcing the bad and negative elements out. ~end quote~

Just recently we had a Bible study on 2 Timothy 1:13.  Let us read that verse.

2 Timothy 1:13
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Let me quote a passage from that study:

Quoting now from the Matthew Henry Main Commentary on verse 13:

He exhorts him to hold fast the form of sound words, 2 Timothy 1:13.

“Have it, hold it fast, remember it, retain it, and adhere to it. Adhere to it in opposition to all heresies and false doctrine, which corrupt the Christian faith. Hold that fast which thou hast heard of me.” Paul was divinely inspired. It is good to adhere to those forms of sound words which we have in the scriptures; for these, we are sure, were divinely inspired. That is sound speech, which cannot be condemned. ~end quote~

So, to become Holy, a firstfruit must be immersed in and adhere to the Holy Word of God in opposition to all heresies, false doctrine and all things sinful, negative and corrupt.

The purpose of my sermon today is to clarify all things sinful, negative and corrupt, as we continue in our pursuit of holiness and cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh.

Cleanse yourself.

We will take the sinful, negative and corrupt subjects one-by-one.  The headings will be 1-Riotous Living, 2-Negative/Sinful Elements and 3-Sin

1] Riotous Living
Let us look at the dictionary meaning of riotous:

Riotous: 
--given to or marked by unrestrained revelry; loose; wanton:

Revelry:
--reveling; boisterous festivity: "Their revelry could be heard across the river."

Wanton:
--done, shown, used, etc., maliciously or unjustifiably:
--without regard for what is right, just, humane, etc.; careless; reckless:
--extravagantly or excessively luxurious, as a person, manner of living, or style.
--to squander, especially in pleasure (often followed by away): "to wanton away one's inheritance."

Conclusion:  Engaging in riotous living is at the upper end of the scale of severity and intensity.  The person is overtly demonstrating extreme attitudes and negative actions.  There is a total lack of discipline in regard to possessions, finances, eating, drinking, stewardship and moderation.  We are indicating a total breakdown in character.

The title of this sermon, “Rampageous” is speaking to one who is violent, unruly or boisterous [rough, noisy and unrestrained].

Now to the scriptures.  These are the three sets of scripture where we see the word, “riotous.”  Notice all the other negative elements we witness in these scriptures.

Proverbs 23:19-23
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Notice the commentary on, “Riotous eaters.”

Riotous eaters of flesh - The word is the same as “glutton” in Proverbs 23:21 and Deuteronomy 21:20. ~Barnes Notes

Proverbs 28:7 
4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.

Now the commentary on verse 7 and the phrase, “riotous men.”

But he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father - that keeps company with gluttons, and indulges his sensual appetite with them; that "feeds" such persons and himself, as some render the word; that gives up himself to an epicurean life: he brings himself at last to disgrace and poverty, and so causes shame to his father; who will be charged with neglecting his education, and indulging him in such a luxurious way of living.

Note: In regards to the phrase, “epicurean life” the focus is on the six words that come before this phrase; namely, “that gives up himself to an [epicurean life]. ~John Gill

Notice the definition of, “epicurean.”

Epicurean: fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.

The John Gill is clearly stating that this, “giving of self” to this epicurean life is one in which the individual is coming to disgrace, poverty, bringing shame to the family and resulting in neglect to both physical and spiritual education and duties.

An important part of your holiness is not just forcing the bad and negative elements out but keeping specific elements in balance.  God is not bringing condemnation to luxuries, including fine food and drink, but allowing those elements taking over our lives.  We must strictly avoid letting those luxuries from leading us into gluttony, drunkenness, greed, over-spending, disobedience, bitterness and/or neglect.

Now to our third verse [this in the New Testament], that uses the word, “riotous.”

Luke 15:13 
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

Notice the commentary:

And there wasted his substance in riotous living - his internal substance, his knowledge and understanding, even in natural things, and became brutish, and even like the beasts that perish; and his worldly substance in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering [taking to a private room] and wantonness [without regard to what is right], with harlots, as in Luke 15:30 whereby he was brought to a piece of bread, and to the want of it,

Quoted verse:
Luke 15:30
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

Notice another commentary:

Riotous living — (Luke 15:30), “with harlots.” Ah! but this reaches farther than the sensualist; for “in the deep symbolical language of Scripture fornication is the standing image of idolatry; they are in fact ever spoken of as one and the same sin, considered now in its fleshly, now in its spiritual aspect” ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown

Note: So we come to the crux of the situation of riotous living; it is a form of idolatry.  Any element that comes between a firstfruit and God is an idol.  Idols and idolatry take our minds off God.

Question:  So how does the firstfruit hold a clear distinction between the partaking and enjoyment of a luxury and riotous living?

First a couple of verses:

Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Deuteronomy 14:25-26 …speaking of the Feast
25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.

These verses show us two things: 1] God does not condemn luxuries, including fine food, wine and strong drink.  2] God gives us a clear and distinct answer to the above question.

The differences between one enjoying a luxury and one using luxury as an element of riotous living are as follows:

2] Negative/Sinful Elements
Now to a few scriptures that list other elements from which we are to be cleansed.

Romans 1:28-32
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians 5:19-21 …the verses just before the list of the fruits of the Spirit
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Note: “Works of the flesh” denotes corrupt human nature [corrupt character] and not merely the body.

Let us list the elements from these three scriptures, with descriptions.

3] Sin
God surely has us fleeing from and overcoming sin in general.

1 John 3:6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1 John 2:4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Luke 13:3
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Romans 6:12
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Psalm 119:133 
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

The mission is clear; use your holiness to push away sin.

Cleanse yourself.

Let us finish with two important scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 2:11-13
11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

James 3:13
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Notice the commentary for the latter part of the verse:

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