The document discusses the role of emotion in religion, emphasizing that while emotions can be powerful motivators for actions, they should not be the sole basis for faith or judgment. It highlights that true joy and fulfillment come from obedience to God's word rather than misguided zeal. Ultimately, the document encourages grounding emotions in scriptural truth to serve God effectively.

1. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• We all have emotions or feelings. Companies
use this fact to produce advertisements that
appeal to our emotions to get us to buy their
product. Charities appeal to our emotions to
try to get us to give money to them in order
for them to accomplish a certain task. Public
service announcements play on our emotions
to try to modify our behavior. They all do this
because they know it works on some people.
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2. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal
of God, but not according to knowledge.
• Phil 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church;
touching the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless.
• Acts 26:9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to
do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth.
• 2 Cor 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to
forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one
should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
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3. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• So, it is evident from these passages that zeal is no
guarantee that one is doing something according to
God’s will. The Jews were zealous but not according
to a correct knowledge of what God accepted.
• Paul was zealous and a persecutor of the church.
Jesus had said per John 16:2 They shall put you out of
the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God
service. KJV
• Paul’s conscience was clear in doing so.
• One’s sorrow can cause one to be overcome
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4. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Paul notes that the zealous emotions of the
Jews and his own did not result in an
outcome pleasing to God or Jesus. Un-
fortunately, being guided by emotion in
religion is still pretty common and the results
continue to be much the same today.
• So, what role should emotion play in religion,
according to the Word of God?
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5. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Emotion has a place in serving God
• John 2:13-17 the righteous anger of Jesus
• John 11:4, 34-35 Jesus wept
• John 15:7-15 Jesus’ love for His disciples
• Acts 2:41-46 gladly … .gladness
• Acts 5:5 & 11 great fear…
• Acts 8:2-11 great lamentation
• 1 Thess 5:16 rejoice evermore
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6. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Emotion is not a standard of judgment
• Pr 14:12 what seems right can be wrong
• Matt 7:21-23 result of what seems right
• Pr 28:26 trusting in one’s heart is foolish
• Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things
• Ps 12:4 over confidence in self
• Pr 16:18 pride and arrogance
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7. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Emotion in the New Testament – Joy
• Heb 12:2 for the joy … set before Him
• Lk 24:52 they had great joy
• Acts 2:22-26 David ….rejoiced
• Rom 15:8-13 rejoice ..fill you with joy
• 2 Cor 1:9-14 ..our rejoicing..not with fleshly
• Phil 1:25-28 your rejoicing be more
• Phil 2:12-18 joy and rejoice on obedience
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8. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Emotion results from obedience
• Acts 5:40-41 rejoiced they were –to suffer
• Acts 8:35-39 eunuch rejoiced
• Acts 11:22-23 Barnabas glad for Gentiles
• Acts 16:30-34 jailer rejoiced after obeying
• Heb 5:8-9; 12:1-2 Jesus obeyed, joy, endured
• 1 Pet 1:3-9 begotten ..rejoice with joy
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9. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• True joy and satisfaction comes from knowing
we are obeying God and submitting to Him
when we do what His Word says, not the words
of men
• James 4:7-10 ..submit to God ..draw nigh
• 1 Thess 2:13 received the word of God
• Col 2:20-23 after the ..doctrines of men
• A desire to learn more will ensure growth per
• 1 Pet 2:1-3 desire the sincere milk of the
word
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10. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• When our emotions are guided by what the word of
God says, we will avoid misplaced zeal and any other
emotion which may become counter productive to
our serving God.
• Rom 10:1-3 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer
to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I
bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but
not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant
of God's righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God.
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11. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• We have all the guidance we need to be assured we
are pleasing God in what we do. Note:
• 2 Peter 1:2-4 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto
you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto
us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to
glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises: that by these
ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. KJV
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12. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• Being partakers of the divine nature, it
matters not what we might go through in this
life. Notice what Paul says in …
• Rom 8:31-39 …If God be for us, who can be
against us? …we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us. KJV
• David had a similar attitude per …
• Ps 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not
fear: what can man do unto me? KJV
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13. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• The Lord built His church in the first century
exactly how He wanted it. He added the first
disciples to it per Acts 2:41 & 47.
• His church is a spiritual body which exists in
heaven per Hebrews 12:22-23. There is only 1
• There are local congregations referred to in the
New Testament per Romans 16:16.
• They all follow the same pattern taught by the
apostles per 1 Cor 4:17,16:1-2 and 2 Tim 1:13.
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14. EMOTION IN RELIGION
• The Lord requires the following to be added:
• Mk 16:16 …He that believeth & is baptized
• Lk 13:3 & 5 ..except you repent
• Lk 12:8-9 ..whosoever shall confess me
• Acts 8:36-37..what doth hinder me to be
baptized?
• Acts 22:16 arise and be baptized and wash
away thy sins
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