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Immanuel! 12.18.11

by • on 11:47 AM • in Christmas Messages, Doctrinal Teachings

 

Matthew 1

 

 

Matthew 1:1 (NASB)

1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

It was very common in Ancient biographies that they would typically begin by rehearsing the noble lineage of their subject”   – B. B. C.

A. And this is what Matthew is doing here

1. He is showing the ROYAL LINEAGE of Jesus Christ

“Jesus” (v.1)

“Joshua” or ‘YESHUA’ – HEBREW for “Jesus”

“Jesus” is the GREEK name for “Joshua”

“Jesus” / “Joshua”; means -  “the Lord is salvation.”

“Messiah” (v.1)

“Messiah” – HEBREW for “CHRIST”

“Christ is GREEK for “Messiah”

“MESSIAH” or “CHRIST”, means – “anointed one”

In GREEK:

“Jesus Christ” means – “The Lord is salvation; Anointed One”

In HEBREW:

“YESHUA the MESSIAH” means – “The Lord is salvation, Anointed One”

 

“Son of David” (v. 1)

Was a highly popular messianic title of the times. In fact when a person would call Jesus Christ the “Son of David”, what they were really doing was declaring their faith.

“I believe that thou art the ‘Christ’ the “Messiah” the “Son of the Living God”

B. We see an example of this in –

 

Matthew 9:27-29 (NASB)

27 …two blind men followed [Jesus] Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said* to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said* to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.”

C. By calling Jesus, “The Son of David”

1. They were PROFESSING their FAITH in Him as the MESSIAH

D. In vv. 2-16

1. Matthew then traces out the genealogy of Jesus Christ through Joseph

a. Joseph was Jesus’ legal (though not natural) father

E. This genealogy that Matthew lists –

1. Establishes Christ’s RIGHT TO THE THRONE of David

F. By TRACING His linage, in VERSE 17 we see that -

 

Matthew 1:17 (NASB)

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

G. So from ABRAHAM to CHRIST

1. There were 42 GENERATIONS

2. OR — 3 SETS of 14

H. Then we come to the THRUST of OUR TEXT this morning – v. 18 –

 

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

 A. Jesus Christ was SUPERNATURALLY CONCEIVED by the Holy Spirit

The birth of Jesus Christ was the result of the ONLY SUPERNATURAL CONCEPTION to ever take place

 

Bible Background Commentary:

“Ancient biographers sometimes praised the miraculous births of their subjects (especially prominent in the Old Testament), but there are no close parallels to the virgin birth. Greeks told stories of gods (small g) impregnating women, but the text indicates that Mary’s conception was not sexual; nor does the Old Testament (or Jewish tradition) ascribe sexual characteristics to God. Many miraculous birth stories in the ancient world (including Jewish accounts) are heavily embroidered with mythical imagery (e.g., babies filling houses with light), in contrast with the straight forward narrative style of this passage.”

 

‘Betrothal’ (V. 18)

“This was a legally binding agreement, and was normally accompanied by the grooms’ payment of at least part of the bride price. Betrothal, which commonly lasted a year, meant that the bride and the groom were officially pledged to each other but hand not yet consummated the marriage. Advances toward anyone else during the betrothal period, were thus regarded as adulterous

 

Deuteronomy 22:23-24

“If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

B. So for a man to lie with a BETROTHED woman, it was considered adultery

1. And they were BOTH TO BE STONED

 

“In ancient Israel, betrothal was considered a binding promise prior to the consummation of marriage. Though betrothed couples were not granted the rights of marriage, they were considered as good as married. The breakdown of a betrothal was thus viewed with the greatest seriousness.”     - Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words

C. Betrothal is a beautiful picture of the BELIEVER’S MARRIAGE to God:

 

The marriage between God and Israel is the Old Covenant parallel and developed in the New Covenant through the powerful metaphor of Christ and His bride, the church.

 

D. As the CHURCH, we are BETROTHED to CHRIST;

1. Though our WEDDING FEAST is coming, it’s as good as being MARRIED right now!

 

BETROTHAL AGREEMENT

Two witnesses, mutual consent (normally) and the groom’s declaration were necessary to establish Jewish betrothals. In Roman Betrothals, consent alone sufficed.

 

ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Although (engagement) rings were used in the Roman world, it is not clear [historically] whether Palestinian Jews used them in this early period.

 

Mary’s Age

Mary would have probably been between the ages of 12 and 14 (16 at the oldest), Joseph perhaps between 18-20; and their parents would have mostly likely arranged their marriage, with Mary and Joseph’s consent.

E. So Mary was BETROTHED to JOSEPH

1. Under the LAW, considered ‘AS GOOD AS MARRIED’

2. Yet without having CONSUMMATED their marriage

F. And it was DURING THIS TIME of MARY’S BETROTHAL that-

“She was FOUND to be with Child – BY THE HOLY SPIRIT”

 

G. Luke describes how this took place in his Gospel (turn w/ me)

 

Luke 1:26-38

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

H. In V. 35, Luke, as a PHYSICIAN uses this phrase to describe the CONCEPTION:

1. He says: “The Holy Spirit Will Come Upon You”

 

“The Incarnation was accomplished by this creative act of the Holy Spirit in the body of Mary. The Virgin Birth was a special miracle performed by the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, whereby the 2nd Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God, took to Himself a genuine, though sinless, human nature and was born as a man, with surrendering any aspect of His Deity!”       -The Ryrie Study Bible

 

GOD the FATHER, through GOD the HOLY SPIRIT; conceived GOD THE SON!!!!

The reason that Christ was BORN with a SINLESS NATURE; is because the SEED came from God who is SINLESS.

The reason we are BORN with a SINFUL NATURE is because we were BORN from the SEED of our FATHER- and the SIN NATURE is PASSED DOWN through the SEED of the FATHER.

I. JESUS CHRIST was FULLY GOD and FULLY MAN!

1. He was NOT PARTIAL MAN and PARTIAL GOD

2. Or a Man who was elevated to become God

J. When JESUS CHRIST was BORN;

1. He was BORN FULLY GOD & FULLY MAN!!!

a. The INCARNATION of God

 

“God HIMSELF! Manifest in the flesh!”

 

K. Wouldn’t you have LOVED to have gone up to Him in that STABLE?!!!!

1. I would KISSED and KISSED and KISSED all over His sweet little HEAD/NECK!!

2. I’d have never PUT HIM DOWN!

L. Concerning the BIRTH of JESUS CHRIST;

1. Paul wrote:

 

Philippians 2:5-11 (NASB)

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

JESUS CHRIST WAS / IS / ALWAYS WILL BE——-GOD!!!

 

John 1:1-2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

 

Christ is GOD; and HE has ALWAYS EXISTED -

 

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

N. In order for the WORD TO BECOME FLESH;

1. The WORD had to EXIST BEFORE IT BECAME FLESH

O. The WORD ETERNALLY EXISTED;

1. Then at a set time to a SET COUPLE (Mary & Joseph)

2. JESUS CHRIST became FLESH

P. So Mary was Betrothed to Joseph—-

 

18 …And before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit….19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

A. Notice here that Joseph is called her ‘HUSBAND’!

1. Although they were not married yet…

2. The year of engagement / betrothal was so SACRED, that

 

“They were by custom considered as if married”

 

Consequently, Joseph’s only recourse seemed to be to:

 

‘Send Her Away’

“Meaning to give her a bill of divorce, a certificate saying, in effect, “This woman in not my wife; I am not her husband”

 

20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus [Yeshua], for [because] He will save His people from their sins.”

“JESUS” / “YESHUA” = ‘ADONAI SAVES’!

A. The ENTIRE PURPOSE for JESUS CHRIST to come to this earth is this verse:

 

“Jesus is salvation, for He will save His people from their sins!”

 

Romans 10:12-13

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

ANYBODY and EVERYBODY who CALLS upon the NAME of the LORD…SHALL BE SAVED!

 

God did not give any stipulations regarding sin. No matter how TERRIBLE a man’s sin might be, if he will TURN to JESUS CHRIST; REPENT OF HIS SIN and BELIEVE…Jesus Christ WILL SAVE HIM out of his sin!

 

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the [ADONAI] Lord through the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin [Mary was a virgin, never had physical relations with a man] shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

 

‘Immanuel’ in Hebrew is spelled:

‘IMMANU – EL’

IMMANU – means ‘WITH US’

‘EL’ means ‘GOD’

In the Greek Majority text, it is actually:  ‘WITH US-GOD’

But for clarity we say ‘GOD WITH US’

This comes out of the O.T. prophecy of ISAIAH –

 

Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

 

‘EL’ – God Himself will come to this EARTH and be born of a VIRGIN and DWELL AMONG US!!!

The PROMISE of God was ALWAYS that HE WOULD PROVIDE HIMSELF for our SINS

God didn’t send a SUBORDINATE or an ANGEL to come to PAY for our SINS – HE, HIMSELF CAME, because ONLY HE could REDEEM US!!!

You look at every SATANIC CULT from MORMONISM to J.W.’s and the ALL DENY the DEITY of JESUS CHRIST—

 

John 8:23-24

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.  “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Believe that JESUS CHRIST is WHO? -

IMMANUEL – GOD HIMSELF, dwell among us!!!

 

24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

A. So Joseph proved himself to be a godly man

1. He acted like the O.T. men & women who

2. Obeyed the call of God

3. Even when it went against all human common sense

B. Sometimes what GOD CALLS us to DO;

1. DOESN’T make any sense

2. But it DOES require an ACT of FAITH

 

‘Marriage consisted of covenant (at the betrothal; the marital contract also involved a monetary transaction between families), a ceremony and consummation, which ratified the marriage, normally on the first night of the seven-day wedding.’ – IVP Background

 

C. Joseph here officially marries Mary [Miryam]

1. But he ABSTAINS from consummating the marriage –

a. Until after Jesus is born!

D. What a godly man Joseph was!

1. He took Mary to be his WIFE

2. But he exercised self-control until after the birth of JESUS!

CONCLUSION:

1. And so the LIFE OF CHRIST began

2. There in that LOWLY STABLE in BETHLEHEM

3. Out of sight, out of mind to most the World

4. The quietness of that night

a. The cattle chewing their cuds

b. The sheep resting

‘SILENT NIGHT, oh HOLY NIGHT!’

5. And YESHUA MESSIAH, GOD HIMSELF came for one reason

(v. 21) “To save His people from their sin”

6. My question to is:

a. Are you ONE OF HIS PEOPLE?

b. Have you had your SINS CLEANSED YET?

7. If you were to die tonight, do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re saved?

a. That’s the MOST IMPORTANT question you will ever answer

“JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON”

And ———“It is the SEASON FOR SALVATION”

“Behold today, is the day of salvation!”

8. Prayer -

 

 

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Youth Answers Age

by • on 9:49 AM • in Doctrinal Teachings, Job Commentary Notes, Job Study

 

 

Job 32-37

 

In this lesson we meet Job’s fourth and final friend, Elihu.

Outline

Generally, younger people turn to older generations of men and women for advice and comfort during though times. It is just common sense to seek wisdom from people who have already seen and gone through the various trials that occur throughout life. But Elihu reverses roles in the final chapters of Job. He thinks that he has wisdom to impart to his older counterpart-and he actually has the mettle to voice his views.

Job 32

A new participant, who had been there all along with the other 3 (vv. 3-5), entered the debate over Job’s condition. This was the younger Elihu, who took a new approach to the issue of Job’s suffering. Angry with the other 3, he had some new thoughts, but was very hard on Job. Elihu was full of self-importance and verbose, but his approach was refreshing after listening repetitiously to the others; actually, he was not really helpful to Job. Why was it necessary to record and read these four blustering speeches by this man? Because they happened as part of the story, while Job was still waiting for God to disclose Himself (Chs. 38-41).

Job 33

The first of Elihu’s challenges to Job began with proud claims (vv. 1-7), followed by references to Job’s questions/complaints (vv. 8-11). Then came Elihu’s answers (vv. 12-33).

Job 34

Elihu addressed Job and his accusers. His approach was to quote Job directly (vv. 5-9), then respond to his complaints; but at times he misinterpreted Job’s remarks and at other times he put the word of the accusers in Job’s mouth. The most obvious example of the latter wrong doing was in saying the Job claimed to be sinlessly perfect (v. 6). Job never claimed that; in fact, Job acknowledged his sin (7:21; 13:26). Elihu didn’t know it, but God had pronounced Job innocent (1:8; 2:3). In answer to Job’s complaints that God seemed unjust, Elihu reminded Job that God was too holy to do anything wrong (v. 10), fair in dealing with people (vv. 11, 12), powerful (vv. 13, 14), just (vv. 17, 18), impartial (vv. 19, 20), omniscient (vv. 21, 22), the Judge of all (v. 23), and the Sovereign who does what He wills to prevent evil (vv. 24-30).

Job 35

Elihu again referred to Job’s complaints, first of all his thinking that there appeared to be no advantage to being righteous (v. 3), as recorded in 21:15; 34:9. The 1st part of his answer is that Job gained nothing by sinning or not sinning because God was so high that nothing people do affects Him (vv. 5-7); it only affects other people (v. 8). Job had also complained that God did not answer his prayers when he cried under this oppression (24:12; 30:20). Elihu gave three reasons why Job’s prayers had not been heard: Pride (vv. 10, 12), wrong motives (v. 13), and lack of patent trust (v. 14). Again, all this theoretical talk missed Job’s predicament because he was righteous. Elihu was no more help than the other counselors.

Job 36-37

Elihu had agreed with his 3 co-counselors that Job had sinned, if nowhere else in the way he questioned God (33:12) by seeing his suffering as indicative that God is unjust (34:34-37) & by feeling that righteousness had no reward (ch. 35). In this final answer to Job he turned to focus mostly on God rather than the sufferer (v.2)

Elihu’s Speeches

1. Elihu enters into the debate to break the impasse (ch. 32).

2. Elihu charges Job with presumption in criticizing God, not recognizing that God may have a loving purpose, even in allowing Job to suffer (ch. 33)

3. Elihu declares that Job has impugned God’s integrity by claiming that it does not pay to lead a godly life (ch. 34).

4. Elihu urges Job to wait patiently for the Lord (ch. 35).

5. Elihu believes that God is disciplining Job (ch. 36)

6. Elihu argues that human observers can hardly expect to understand adequately God’s dealing in administering justice and mercy (36:22-37:24).

Key Word

Affliction: 10:15; 30:16, 27; 36:8, 15, 21. This word comes from a root meaning “misery” or “poverty.” The image evoked by this word is that of a person bowed down under the weight of a heavy burden. Scripture portrays the Lord as seeing the afflictions that bring pain to His people and hearing the anguished cried of those in distress (as in Gen. 16:11; ex. 2:23-25). The Lord urges us to place our burdens on Him, for He is strong enough to bear them and loves us so much that He will assist us in our time of need (1 Peter 5:7). Moreover, since He controls all events, we can be assured that He is accomplishing good out of the temporary difficulties we are now facing (Romans 8:28).The entire story of Job provides vivid example of this fact (42:10-17; 2 Cor. 12:7-10).

Questions

1. What is Elihu’s view of God?

2. Elihu says that Job must “wait” for God (36:14). How would you describe Job’s waiting?

*3. Not all of Elihu’s advice is misguided. He does propose that God, if He were sought, would give cheer and comfort in the night when things seem more hopeless than ever (35:10). When, if ever, have you received from God a “song in the night”?

4. Why does Elihu’s “ministry” not offer any substantial help to Job?

Did You Know?

People often wonder why the Book of Job is found in the middle of the Old Testament when it is one of the oldest books in the Bible. It has to do with how the Bible is organized. Just as the Gospels are grouped together in the New Testament, the Wisdom books of the Old Testament are grouped together. Even though it contains a fascinating story of the life of a man and his God, the Book of Job is a book of wisdom. That is why it is grouped with the other four Wisdom books (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon), and is not found in chronological order near Genesis.

 

 

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The Most Important Question You will Ever Answer

by • on 7:50 PM • in Doctrinal Teachings

 

 

 

 

 

INTRO:

  • Pretty spectacular about LEAH & ASHLEY? Amen?!
  • Two young ladies who thought they were SAVED;
    • Yet God loved them so much that He showed them they weren’t
    • They had never been BORN AGAIN
    • They may have made a PROFESSION of FAITH;
      • Yet NOTHING REALLY CHANGED in their lives!

PROFESSION without CONVERSION!

 

Really what the bible calls a FALSE CONVERT

 

 

  • Day after day, life went on, STATUS QUO
    • Watching everyone else who was TRULY SAVED, GROW in Christ
    • Others were EXCITED about reading their bibles
    • LOVING God and other CHRISTIANS

 

  • Yet they themselves, though having made a PROFESSION of FAITH
    • Were NEVER TRULY SAVED

 

  • Can you IMAGINE anything WORSE that:
    • To STAND before JESUS one day and DISCOVER that –

 

YOU WERE NEVER TRULY SAVED?!

 

How FEARFUL!

 

Do you know that GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH that He WANTS you to KNOW if you are SAVED

 

 

God’s not interested in giving you a FALSE ASSURANCE if you are NOT SAVED; but if you ARE SAVED; God wants you to FIND your ASSURANCE

 

 

He wants us to live our lives with the PEACE and ASSURANCE that when we DIE we will GO TO BE WITH HIM!

 

 

MANY people have made what we CALL –—-

 

 

A PROFESSION OF FAITH; yet they have NEVER BEEN BORN AGAIN

 

 

In Matt. 7:13, Jesus says

 

Matthew 7:13-23

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (Easy believism)

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (preach another gospel; no need to repent/ just believe)

16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (you can look at a person, and by their fruit, know if they are saved)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many (fearful!) will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

 

  • Sadly, I believe today that many who are STRUGGLING SPIRITUALLY;
    • THINK that they are SAVED
    • When in reality, they DON’T REALLY KNOW the LORD
      • They have an INTELLECTUAL RELATIONSHIP w/ Him
      • But they do NOT know Him as LORD/SAVIOR

 

  • Jesus also speaks of FALSE CONVERTS in –

 

Matthew 13:1-43

1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.

4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (people refuse to know the truth—they don’t want to know the truth; prefer to live blind)

14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;

15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ (men love their sin; refuse to repent)

16 “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower:

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (profession of faith; excited about Christ to start)

21 yet he has no root in himself (Profession w/o CONVERSION), but endures only for a while (lack of endurance; proves lack of salvation). For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: (he/she walks and talks and acts like a BORN AGAIN Christian- produces fruit) some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. Satan loves to PLANT FALSE CONVERTS in and AMONG the TRUE BELIEVERS; not everyone attending church and claiming to be saved are truly from GOD….

26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop (true believers ALWAYS produce FRUIT), then the tares also appeared. (NO FRUIT; they are just there; PROFESSION of FAITH w/o any EVIDENCE of Salvation)

27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ (how’s it possible for the CHURCH to have MEMBERS that are NOT SAVED?)

28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’

29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ‘ ” (God will one day separate the WHEAT from the TARES—not now—but the DAY is coming when Christ will reveal who WERE NOT HIS)

31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, (church)

32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” (FALSE DOCTRINE in the church producing FALSE CONVERTS)

33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.

39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. (coming to church doesn’t anymore make you a CHRISTIAN that going to the YMCA makes you an ATHLETE!)

41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,

42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Christ spent far more time talking about HELL than He ever did HEAVEN—warning; warning; warning—be sure you get there!)

43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

 

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION that you will ever answer?

 

“LORD AM I TRULY SAVED?!”

 

You’ve got nothing to LOSE by being HONEST with yourself this morning

 

But you DO STAND to LOSE EVERYTHING eternally if you are DECEIVED

 

 

Matthew 26:17-25

17 Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ‘ ”

19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.

21 Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” (One of you does not really a FOLLOWER of Mine; You are there PHYSICALLY; but SPIRITUALLY, your HEART belongs to another)

22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”

23 He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”

 

  • Judas Iscariot had made a PROFESSION of FAITH;
  • He became a “FOLLOWER” of Jesus
  • He even SERVED the LORD as the TREASURER
    • Yet he never REPENTED and TRUSTED CHRIST to SAVE HIM

 

  • AMAZING what FALSE CONVERTS can look like
  • And how INVOLVED in the CHURCH that they can be
    • YET NOT SAVED

 

 

PRETTY FEARFUL ISN’T IT?!

 

  • This morning as we look around our sanctuary, some may NOT be SAVED
  • PROFESSION of FAITH w/o CONVERSION

 

 

Are you willing to say: ‘LORD IS IT I?’

 

Are you willing to be HONEST before the LORD today?

 

 

 

  • In JOHN 3, another man by the name of NICODEMUS came to Christ
    • This man did NOT HAVE the ASSURANCE of his SALVATION
    • His heart was NAGGING HIM
    • “You are NOT SAVED”
    • “You are going to HELL”

 

  • So he sought to RESOLVE this issue
  • More than anything, he WAS DETERMINED TO FIND PEACE for his SOUL!

 

John 3:1-21

1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (birth; baptized by the Holy Spirit 1 Cor 12:13)

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (false converts live in sin and claim to be saved; they love their SIN; and refuse to REPENT and are DESTINED for hell)

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

 

  • Many people are going to stand before Christ one day, and find out that they were a FALSE CONVERT
  • They NEVER WERE truly SAVED
  • PROFESSION w/o CONVERSION
  • “fruitless lives”

 

 

  • I am HORRIFIED to think that I could see anyone of you at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20!

 

Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

Is your name written down in the BOOK OF LIFE?

 

Or are you today on your way to the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT?

 

You don’t have to be————You can SETTLE IT TODAY

 

 

GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO PERISH!

 

He LOVES YOU and He has paid your RANSOM, receive His gift today!

 

 

REPENT of your SIN; and by FAITH RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior

 

 

If you don’t, you WILL PERISH

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“The Sin of Partiality” James 2:1-13

by • on 12:32 PM • in Doctrinal Teachings, James, Uncategorized

Intro:

A. James now continues his teaching on partiality

1. The idea of partiality is that of showing favoritism to people who have the ability to

Do something for us, such:

a. Financial gain

b. Social status

c. Or somehow to benefit us in a personal way

B. So James begins now by writing:

 

1a My brethren,

A. So we know that he is writing to us, to BELIEVERS

1. James is addressing this issue of favoritism w/in the church

B. I think that sometimes it’s quite easy to identify problems in other people / groups;

1. But when it comes to identifying issues in our own lives / church

2. We can quite easily give ourselves a PASS

C. So it’s ‘MY BRETHREN’

1. “To those of you who are in the FAITH”

 

1b do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

KJV: “Respect of persons” (Partiality)

A. Don’t be partial with people, especially people within the church

1. Don’t give favoritism to those who you think may be able to benefit you

2. Be FAIR with all

3. Don’t show partiality like the world

B. The world functions on partiality

1. I think that we often refer to it at ‘POLITICS’

2. “why does this one win, and the other lose?”

C. Why does one get the job and the other is passed up?

1. Especially when the one who loses was so much more qualified?

a. Partiality; favoritism; ‘playing the game’

D. James says here, “As Christians, DON’T DO THAT!”

1. “don’t be like the world”

2. Don’t show FAVORITISM, don’t be PARTIAL

E. Christ didn’t show partiality

1. He didn’t demonstrate favoritism to anyone, including His disciples

F. If you recall in -

Matthew 22:15-16 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle (Jesus) Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone (He was no respecter of persons), for You do not regard the person of men.

G. In Romans 2:11, Paul said

Romans 2:11-16 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Ephesians 6:9    And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Colossians 3:23-25      And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

H. If we want to see a true demonstration of IMPARTIALITY;

1. We need look no further than the linage of Christ in Matt. 1

2. Let’s turn there…

I. Notice all the NON-ELITE people in Christ’s genealogy!

a. Gives me hope that He can use EVEN ME!!!!

F. We also need to note here that:

1. James is NOT CORRECTING the one to whom partiality is being shown

2. He is CORRECTING the one who is SHOWING the PARTIALITY

“Partiality is the fault of the one who, when responsible to give judgment, has respect to the position, rank, popularity, or circumstances of men, instead of their intrinsic conditions, preferring the rich and powerful to those who are not so.”                                     – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance

G. So again, as James says here;

1. As believers, we cannot show partiality and be Christ-like at the same time

 

2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes (bright; flashy color; shining / glittering garments) and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man (lesser dress), “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

  • Note that James is not CONDEMNING the UNBELIEVER for his dress;
  • James is condemning the church’s flattering reaction to it

Bible Background Commentary (Concerning the wearing of rings)

“In Rome the senatorial class wore gold rings; some members of this class sought popular support for favors shown to various groups. But rings were hardly limited to them; in the eastern Mediterranean, gold rings also marked great wealth and status. Clothing likewise distinguished the wealthy, who could be ostentations, from others; peasants commonly had only one cloak, which would thus often be dirty.

A. Now this is an interesting scenario James is giving here

1. Back in biblical days, MANY people wore RINGS

2. But the wearing of GOLD RINGS was a SYMBOL of STATUS/WEALTH

B. If you wore a lot of RINGS, it meant that you were really WELL TO DO!

1. Many people would cover their fingers with rings;

2. On all but the middle finger, so others could kiss their hand

C. Apparently, it became such a huge STATUS SYMBOL that-

1. Many merchants began to open up and operate RING RENTAL SHOPS

D. If you wanted to look REALLY WELL to do;

1. And you wanted to BE SOMEBODY;

2. You could RENT 8 GOLD rings for the night

a. And receive PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT!

E. You’d get to WALK THE RED CARPET and be a SNOB for the evening

1. While all the lowly PEASANTS got to kiss your finger :)

“So for a few hours you got to act like a SOMEBODY, thinking that you were impressing EVERYBODY, when in reality, they were all really NOBODY’S!”

F. Concerning PARTIALITY, Craig Keener said -

“Moralists and satirists mocked the special respect given to the wealthy, which usually amounted to a self-demeaning way to seek funds.”

G. “I’m going to ABASE myself, my wife and my family…”

1. In HOPES of FEIGNING RESPECT of my WEALTHY neighbor

2. In HOPES that I might somehow PROSPER financially in the FUTURE

H. I’ve seen more than one person trash their family –

1. For a rich person in hopes of FINANCIAL GAIN!

I. THE IDEA HERE OF ‘SITTING IN A GOOD PLACE’

1. Actually refers to:

“The more COMFORTABLE, PROMINENT PLACE OF HONOR.”

J. Many of the SYNAGOGUES and assembly halls of the 1st century;

1. Sometimes had BENCHES around the OUTSIDE WALL

2. And a COUPLE of BENCHES in the FRONT

K. MOST of the CONGREGATION either sat CROSS-LEGGED on the FLOOR or STOOD

1. There was LIMITED # of GOOD SEATS

2. They were the SEATS the PHARISEES always wanted

L. James says,

1. “Don’t give preferential treatment to a man because of his appearance”

2. And DON’T MISTREAT the POOR

M. Just because one lady shops at MACY’S, and another shops at the GOOD WILL;

1. Doesn’t make one person MORE SPECIAL than the OTHER

N. James warns the BELIEVER not to show PARTIALITY

“Don’t exalt someone strictly on a superficial, external basis, such as appearance, race, wealth, rank, or social status.”

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

A. the POOR are the HEIRS of the KINGDOM of GOD

1. To those who LOVE GOD

2. Those who OBEY GOD are the POOR

Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

B. All of us had to become POOR IN SPIRIT in order to ENTER the FAMILY of God

1. That’s why God gives GRACE to the HUMBLE

2. And the LAW to the PROUD—  to humble them

a. So that the PROUD may become POOR in SPIRIT & gain eternal life!

“What GRACE can’t HUMBLE, JUDGMENT must befall.”  – Unknown

1 Corinthians 1:26-29   For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

C. It’s the POOR IN SPIRIT

1. That God has RESERVED the KINGDOM of HEAVEN for

Matthew 19:24

And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 6:19-21  ”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

E. If we are EXALTING the RICH in EXTERNAL PARTIALITY;

1. I believe that it reveals where our HEARTS and VALUES ARE

F. If I’m EXALTING the RICH, WELL TO DO; INFLUENTIAL;

1. And oppressing the POOR – that’s a WARNING SIGN that I’m not right w/ God

G. I think of the story of the RICH MAN and LAZARUS;

1. How many people do you supposed COW-TOWED to the RICH MAN

2. And how many people do you suppose SOUGHT to ESTEEM LAZARUS?

a. The RICH MAN dies and goes to HELL

b. LAZARUS dies and ends up in HEAVEN

H. Yet w/ our OLD NATURE, we are all PRONE to ESTEEM the RICH

1. And DISCREDIT the POOR

2. We must be CAREFUL not to do that!

I. then in verse 6, James continues by saying -

6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

A. They DO DON’T THEY?!

1. In fact I think that’s how MANY of the RICH got RICH in the 1st place

2. By TAKING ADVANTAGE of others!!!

a. Often times through COURT

B. The POOR generally never cause us any personal problems

1. But it’s the RICH that OPPRESS you and drag you into the COURTS

7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

A. This is probably a reference to religious courts

1. Wealthy Jews opponents of Christ were harassing these POOR CHRISTIANS

8 If you really fulfill the royal law (supreme/binding) according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Matthew 22:34-40    But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

A. The GREATEST EVIDENCE of ONE’S SALVATION is the DEMONSTRATION of LOVE

1. W/O LOVE, a person really has no right to call themselves a CHRISTIAN

John 13:34-35   A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

B. If LOVE is the FULFILLMENT of the LAW;

1. Then showing PARTIALITY would be BREAKING the LAW

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

A. If I walked over to the WINDOW and BROKE the CORNER of it;

1. Would I be BREAKING the ENTIRE WINDOW?

2. Or would i just be breaking a PART of it?

a. The ENTIRE WINDOW would be BROKEN

B. If I broke a LINK in a CHAIN;

1. Is just the LINK broken or is the CHAIN BROKEN? (chain)

C. If i get a FLAT TIRE;

1. Is the ENTIRE TIRE flat? Or is only ONE SIDE FLAT?

2. the ENTIRE TIRE is FLAT

D. SAME thing w/ the LAW

1. If you BREAK ONE, you are GUILTY of breaking them ALL

11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

A. So to BREAK ANY PART of the LAW;

1. Is to be GUILTY of breaking the ENTIRE LAW

B. We’re so often LOOKING for areas that we can GET BY WITH

1. And we CATEGORIZE SIN

2. This one is BAD; this one is NOT too bad; this one is HORRIBLE

C. EVEN THOUGH the CONSEQUENCES of SIN, definitely has varying degrees of HARM;

1. SIN is SIN

2. And BREAKING the LAW is breaking the LAW

D. Go out and get a DUI and you will go to JAIL

1. Go out and get a DUI and KILL someone and you will GO TO JAIL too;

a. But your JUDGMENT WILL be FAR WORSE

“Just because you haven’t PHYSICALLY KILLED anyone or PHYSICALLY committed ADULTERY; if you show PARTIALITY, you are guilty of BREAKING the LAW”

12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

A. So JAMES is saying – “SPEND a little more time LOOKING in the MIRROR!”

1. And a little less time JUDGING OTHERS

Matthew 7:1-5   ”Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. (How hard on others would we be if we remembered this verse? If by our actions/judgments we were going to be judged with that same heart? Would it change how cruel we can be? Think so)

3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? (so consumed w/ other people don’t even consider that you have a BEAM in your own eye. You’re not right with God, so therefore how can you self-righteously judge others?)

4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? (Notice here that it’s the SAME material; WOOD; speck & plank! Amazing how terrible our very sin looks on someone else; yet in our own lives we can so easily over look it!)

5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

B. Paul said in –

1 Corinthians 11:28    But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Romans 2:1-11

1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: (the wicked think that they are getting away with their sin; but God says, that ‘like a BANK ACCOUNT’; they are treasuring up God’s wrath for the day of wrath)

7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness–indignation and wrath,

9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

11 For there is no partiality with God.

“So speak and so do, as one who will stand before the judgment seat of Christ”

13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

A. Let me ask you this morning…

1. Are YOU A MERCIFUL PERSON?

B. Has someone EVER WRONGED you and they came to you for RECONCILIATION;

1. And you have REFUSED to show them MERCY?

2. Are you a MERCILESS PERSON?

C. If you are a MERCILESS PERSON;

1. Then you NEED to EXAMINE your SALVATION

D. Because the DAY is COMING GOD SAYS that He is going to JUDGE YOU W/O MERCY!

1. If you are UNWILLING to be MERCIFUL NOW;

2. On the DAY God judges YOU

a. He will be WITHOUT MERCY

 

CONCLUSION:

1. Quite honestly, I know of SEVERAL SELF-PROFESSING Christians who are

a. absolutely MERCILESS

b. Are you ONE of them?

c. REPENT before it’s too late

i. And you stand before God – JUDGED W/O MERCY

 

2. Having MERELY treasured up WRATH upon your life for the DAY of JUDGMENT

a. Matt. 18:21-35

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CALVINISM, ARMINIANISM & THE WORD OF GOD

by • on 2:17 PM • in Doctrinal Teachings, Theology

A CALVARY CHAPEL PERSPECTIVE
by Chuck Smith

INTRODUCTION

What does it mean to be a part of the growing number of Calvary Chapel Fellowships? There are certain distinctions that cause us to stand out among other evangelical churches. We could point to our shared commitment to systematic Bible teaching or the emphasis upon love that transcends all cultural and ethnic barriers. Calvary Chapels have also been known for focus on worship, featuring contemporary music loyal to the Word of God and the desire of His people to praise their Lord. Without exception, Calvary Chapels have taken a strong stand for a pre-tribulational and pre-mil lennial view of the second coming of Jesus Christ. We have also expressed a steadfast love and support for the nation of Israel, its right to a historic homeland and its need for the Messiah. But most importantly, Calvary Chapel has been known for striking a balance between extremes on controversial theological issues that have often caused division rather than unity in the body of Christ.

Calvary Chapels have no desire to be divisive nor dogmatic in areas where Bible believers and teachers have disagreed. However, it is important to state as clearly as possible the doctrinal basis of our fellowship and unity with one another, especially in the area of pastoral leadership and teaching. While we welcome believers who disagree with us to our fellowship, we do encourage a measure of doctrinal understanding and unity among our pastors who teach us the truths of God’s Word.

Calvary Chapels try to avoid conclusions, terminology, and arguments which are not clearly presented in the Bible. In no area of controversy is this approach more essential than in the long simmering debate between Calvinists and Arminians. In the midst of this heated argument it is easy to ignore or neglect the plain statements of the Bible, or to believe that we have the ability to fully understand the ways of God (Romans 11:33-3 6). But how tragic it is when we become more concerned with being “right” than being loving. When we discuss the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it is easy to disagree over terms such as “baptism” and “filling” and to miss the blessing and power of God’s Spirit in our lives. The way we conduct our debates and express our opinions will sometimes “quench” as well as “grieve” the blessed Spirit who dwells within the believer. In the midst of our arguments over spiritual gifts, we can miss the Biblical admonition to love, which clearly is greater than all the gifts (I Cor. 12:31-14:1) Our desire is to bring believers together in the love and unity of the Holy Spirit. Our focus is on our awesome God, not on ourselves. We are committed to glorifying our Lord in all we say and do.

Perhaps no issue is as important or as potentially divisive as the doctrine of salvation, reflected in the debate between followers of John Calvin 1509-1564) and those of Jacob Hermann (1560-1609), best known by the Latin form of his last name, Arminius. Since the Protestant Reformation in e 16th Century, Christian churches and leaders have disagreed over such issues as depravity, God’s sovereignty, human responsibility, election, predestination, eternal security and the nature and extent of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Although trained in the reformed tradition, Arminius had serious doubts about the doctrine of “sovereign grace” as taught by the followers of John Calvin. He was a pastor of the Reformed congregation in Amsterdam (1588), but during his fifteen years of ministry there, he began to question any of the conclusions of Calvinism. He left the pastorate and became professor of theology at the University of Leyden. It was his series of lectures on election and predestination that led to a violent and tragic controversy. After his death in 1609, his followers developed the Remonstrance of 1610 which outlined the “Five Points of Arminianism.” This document was a protest against the doctrines of the Calvinists, and was ,submitted to the State of Holland. In 1618, a National Synod of the Church was convened in Dort to examine the teachings or Arminius in the light of Scripture. After 154 sessions, lasting seven months, the Five Points of Arminianism were declared to be heretical. After the synod, many of the disciples of Arminius, such as Hugo Grotius, were imprisoned or banished. When John Wesley took up some of the teachings of Arminianism, the movement began to grow, and it affected the Methodist tradition as well as the beliefs of most Pentecostal and Charismatic churches.

ARMINIANISM

The “Five Points of Arminianism” included the following:

FREE WILL
Arminius believed that the fall of man was not total, maintaining that there was enough good left in man for him to will to accept Jesus Christ unto salvation.

CONDITIONAL ELECTION
Arminius believed that election was based on the foreknowledge of God as to who would believe. Man’s “act of faith” was seen as the “condition” or his being elected to eternal life, since God foresaw him exercising his free will” in response to Jesus Christ.

UNIVERSAL ATONEMENT
Arminius held that redemption was based on the fact that God loves everybody, that Christ died for everyone, and that the Father is not willing that any should perish. The death of Christ provided the grounds for God to save all men, but each must exercise his own “free will” in order to be saved.

OBSTRUCTABLE GRACE
Arminius believed that since God wanted all men to be saved, He sent the Holy Spirit to “woo” all men to Christ, but since man has absolute “free will,” he is able to resist God’s will for his life. He believed that God’s will to save all men can be frustrated by the finite will of man. He also taught that man exercises his own will first, and then is born again.

FALLING FROM GRACE

If man cannot be saved by God unless it is man’s will to be saved, the n man cannot continue in salvation unless he continues to will to be saved.

CALVINISM

Interestingly, John Calvin, the French reformer, did not formulate what today we know as the Five Points of Calvinism. This came out of the Canons of the Council of Dort (1618), and subsequent statements among the many Reformed Confessions have expanded upon these matters. Calvinism has been known for outstanding scholars, theologians, preachers, and reformers, men such as John Owen, George Whitefield, William Wilberforce, Abraham Kuyper, Charles Hodge, B.B. Warfield, J. Gresham Machen, and Charles Hadd on Spurgeon.

Those in the reformed tradition who answered the teachings of Arminius chose the word “TULIP” as an acrostic to summarize their answer to the Five Points of Arminianism”:

“T” = TOTAL DEPRAVITY – The Calvinists believed that man is in absolute bondage to sin and Satan, unable to exercise his own will to trust in Jesus Christ without the help of God.

“U” = UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION – The Calvinists believed that foreknowledge is based upon the plan and purpose of God, and that election is not based upon the decision of man, but the “free will” of the Creator alone.

“L” = LIMITED ATONEMENT – The Calvinists believed that Jesus Christ died to save those who were given to Him by the Father in eternity past. In their view, all for whom Jesus died (the elect) will be saved, and all for whom He did not die (the non elect) will be lost.

“I” = IRRESISTIBLE GRACE – The Calvinists believed that the Lord possesses irresistible grace that cannot be obstructed. They taught that the free will of man is so far removed from salvation, that the elect are regenerated (made spiritually alive) by God even before expressing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. If a totally depraved person wasn’t made alive by the Holy Spirit, such a calling on God would be impossible.

“P” = PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS – The Calvinists believed that salvation is entirely the work of the Lord, and that man has absolutely nothing to do with the process. The saints will persevere because God will see to it that He will finish the work He has begun.

CALVARY CHAPEL’S PERSPECTIVE

It is not our purpose to take sides on these issues or to divide the body of Jesus Christ over human interpretations of these Biblical truths concerning our salvation. We simply desire to state how we in the Calvary Chapel fellowships understand the Bible’s teaching regarding these matters.

DEPRAVITY
We believe that all are sinners (Romans 3 23) and unable by human performance to earn, deserve, or merit salvation (Titus 3:5). We believe that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and that apart from God’s grace, no one can be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe that none are righteous, or capable of doing good (Romans 3: 10 12), and that apart from the conviction and regeneration of the Holy Spirit, none can be saved (John 1 :12-13; 16:8-11; I Peter I :23-25). Mankind is clearly fallen and lost in sin.

ELECTION
We believe that God chose the believer before the foundation of the world (Ephesians I :4-6), and based on His foreknowledge, has predestined the believer to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29-30). We believe that God offers salvation to all who will call on His name. Romans 10: 13 says, “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” We also believe that God calls to Himself those who will believe in His Son, Jesus Christ (I Corinthians I :9). However, the Bible also teaches that an invitation (or call) is given to all, but that only a few will accept it. We see this balance throughout scripture. Revelation 22: 17 states, “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” I Peter I :2 tells us we are. “elect according to the foreknowledge of God , the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” Matthew 22: 14 says, “For many are called, but few are chosen (elected).” God clearly does choose, but man must also accept God’s invitation to salvation.

ATONEMENT
We believe that Jesus Christ died as a propitiation (a satisfaction of the righteous wrath of God against sin) “for the whole world” (I John 2 :2; :9-10), and that He redeems and forgives all who will believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation from sin, death, and hell (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). We believe that eternal life is a gift of God (Romans 6:23), and that “whosoever believeth” in Jesus Christ will not perish, but will have eternal life (John 3:16-18). I Timothy 4: 10 says “we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.” Hebrews 2:9 states that Jesus, “was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.” The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ was clearly sufficient to save the entire human race.

GRACE
We believe that God’s grace is not the result of human effort or worthiness (Romans 3:24-28; 11 :6), but is the response of God’s mercy and love to those who will believe in His Son (Ephesians 2:4-10). Grace gives to us what we do not deserve nor can earn by our performance (Romans 11 :6). We believe that God’s grace and mercy can be resisted by us. Jesus said in Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them who are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.” We are not condemned because we have no opportunity to be saved, but a person is condemned because he makes a choice not to believe (John 3: 18). In John 5:40 we read “And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.” Jesus also said in John 6:37, “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:40 states, “And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.” In John 7:37 Jesus said “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” In John 11:26 He adds “whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.”

Jesus clearly acknowledges the fact of human resistance and rejection. In John 12:46 48 He said, “I am come as a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not. I judgc him not. for I came, not to judge the world hut to save the world. He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath One that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

In Stephen’s message in Acts 7:51, he concluded by saying, “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye.” In Romans 10:21, the apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 65:2 when he speaks of God’s words to Israel, “All day long I have stretched forth My hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” In one of the five warning passages of the book of Hebrews, we ad in Hebrews 10:26, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” Verse 29 adds, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the ‘blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Clearly, God’s grace can either be resisted or received by the exercise of human free will.

PERSEVERANCE
We believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:38-39), and that there is no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1). We believe that the promise of Jesus in John 10:27-28 is clear:-”My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” Jesus said in John 6:37, “him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” We have this assurance in Philippians 1 :6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” We believe that the Holy Spirit has sealed us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30).

But we also are deeply concerned over the words of Jesus in Matthew 7: 21-23: “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Apparently there are many who claim to be believers that in fact are not.

Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” I Corinthians 6:9-10 insists that “the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of Cod” and warns us not o be deceived. A list is then given of various kinds of sinful lifestyles with an ending remark that they will not inherit the kingdom of God. Similar statements and conclusions are given in Galatians 5:19-21 and Ephesians 5:3-5.

Galatians 5:4 says “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Colossians 1: 22-23 says about Jesus Christ “In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight, if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature that is under heaven, of which I, Paul, am made a minister.” II Timothy 2:12 says “if we deny Him, He also will deny us.” Hebrews 3:12 says, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Can true believers (“brethren”) depart from the living God? I Timothy 4:1 says that “in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith.” II Thessalonians 2:3 speaks of “a falling away” or an apostasy. II Peter 2:20-21 makes these remarkable statements: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

It is no wonder that Peter says in I Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” We thank God for the encourage ment of Jude 24 – “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”

Maintaining a Bible centered balance in these difficult issues is of great importance. We do believe in the perseverance of the saints (true believers), but are deeply concerned about sinful lifestyles and rebellious hearts among those who call themselves “Christians.” We don’t have all the answers to these matters, but we desire to be faithful to the Lord and His word. If we find ourselves basing our view of salvation on the performance and attitudes of people we become discouraged and concerned. But when we keep our eyes on the Lord, and trust in Him alone and in His power, we say with Peter in I Peter 1:3-9

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hop(c by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

It is not easy to maintain the unity of the Spirit among us on these matters. It seems that the sovereignty of God and human responsibility are like two parallel lines that do not seem to intersect within our finite minds. God’s ways are “past finding out” (Romans 11:33), and the Bible warns us to “lean not unto thy own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). To say what God says in the Bible – no more and no less – is not always easy, comfortable, or completely understandable. But Scripture tells us that the wisdom from above will be loving and kind toward all, seeking the unity of the believers, not trying to find ways to divide and separate from one another. May God help us all to love each other, to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as Jesus Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32)! In difficult doctrinal matters, may we have gracious attitudes and humble hearts, desiring most of all to please Him who has called us to serve Him in the body of Christ. Discussion- YES! Disagreements – YES! Division – NO!

Jesus said, “By their fruit ye shall know them.” When a particular position on the Scriptures causes one to become argumentative, legalistic, and divisive, I question the validity of that position. I seek to embrace those things that tend to make me more loving and kind, more forgiving and merciful. I know then that I am becoming more like my Lord. If you have come to a strong personal conviction on one side of a doctrinal issue, please grant us the privilege of first seeing how it has helped you to become more Christ-like in your nature, and then we will judge whether we need to come to that same persuasion. Let us always be certain to look at the fruit of the teaching.

Seek those things that produce the loving nature of Jesus in our lives. I would rather have the wrong facts and a right attitude, than right facts and a wrong attitude. God can change my understanding of the facts in a moment, but it often takes a lifetime to effect changes of attitude.

Yours in love,
Chuck Smith

 

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