Temple Baptist Church - 9-12-2010
Matthew 13:18-23
Introduction:
A. Many people today are bothered by so-called “judging” when it comes to salvation. Their argument is that no one has the right to judge another person because the heart cannot be known.
B. To an extent, they are right in this statement. There is little difference externally between a carnal, backslidden Christian and a lost religionist. The main difference is chastisement or lack of it.
C. Though the two may look and act alike, the true Christian cannot remain in that condition without the chastening of the Lord.
D. In these verses that I read (we have heard them preached for years), we find a parable of great truth which is being manifested in our day. The words “saved” and “born again” have become commonplace in our society and yet our society is virtually reprobate in its morality. “Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof!” What power? The power to change a life for now and eternity!
E. Salvation (true biblical salvation) always produces in the life of the believer to one extent or another. True conversion is called “born again.” God gave the analogy! To be saved is to be “born.” If all true conversions do not produce a change of life then, evidently, there are two types of salvation! God only saves one way and that salvation carries with it the same fruits. Compare these two verses:
Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
F. Neither you nor I am to be the judge of who is saved and who is not, but every individual needs to make sure that they have the “Real McCoy” when it comes to salvation.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
G. Here are some good “evidences” that should accompany our salvation.
1. A Faith Accompanied By Works
James 2:17-20 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (Not a faith by works but a faith that works! If faith is not accompanied by good works, it is dead!)
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
2. A Faith Accompanied By Love
1 John 4:19-20 We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
a. Saved people love the Lord
b. Saved people love the Brethren
c. Saved people love the church
d. Saved people love the lost (Saved people love and show it!)
3. A Faith Accompanied By Assurance
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (Salvation should bring peace and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ.)
4. A Faith Accompanied By Submission To Biblical Authority
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (Some so-called Christians submit to no one. They do what they want, how they want, and when they want with no thought to anyone else. There is an old saying: “Goats butt, sheep don’t!”
These goats are always a source of problem and concern to the pastor. As a general rule, problems always come from the same people. That is a warning indicator!)
5. A Faith Accompanied By Joy
1 Peter 1:8 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: (Salvation should be accompanied by spiritual joy. Not necessarily happiness as happiness is based upon “happenings,” but a deep joy in spite of our “happenings.”)
6. A Faith Accompanied By An Outward Testimony
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (Named because they acted like Christ.)
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. (Suffered because they acted like Christ.)
1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (Witnessed because they acted like Christ. A life lived is worth a thousand sermons preached!)
7. A Faith Accompanied By A Desire To Share The Gospel
John 1:40-41 One of the two which heard John [speak], and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. (With most so-called Christians, salvation is the best kept secret in the world!)
8. A Faith Accompanied By A Change In Priorities
Philippians 3:8-10 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (The child of God, Christ should come first! He is Lord of all!)
9. A Faith Accompanied By A Patient Continuance
Titus 2:11-15 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
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DO YOU PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH YOUR SALVATION?
Abide in Me, and I in You...
Jesus said:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you." (John 15:1-7)
Wow! In those seven verses, the word ABIDE is mentioned seven times. The context of those verses provides us with a lot of light as to what is required of us by GOD for our eternal salvation.
Jesus said:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13-14)
So we must not only ABIDE in Him but we must also strive to enter by the narrow gate. If we do not ABIDE in Him, then it is obvious that we are not on the path to the narrow gate of salvation, but on the path to the wide gate and to eternal destruction.
So Jesus said that if we do not ABIDE in Him (the Vine) then we will be taken away from the Vine by the Father, and will be cast off only to wither, to be gathered, and then to be thrown into the fire and burned.
Now that I have your attention, shouldn't we now find the meaning of the word ABIDE?
The theological meaning of ABIDE is to dwell within. Jesus would come and dwell in us and we likewise in Him. So as long as we do what Jesus requests of us then we are on the path to the narrow gate to salvation.
So to assure that we are on right path, Jesus has commanded that we must ABIDE in Him.
What is required in order to have Jesus ABIDE in us and we in Him?
Can we do it:
1. By accepting Him as our our own personal Lord and Savior ?
No. Where does the Bible say that?
2. By the grace of GOD only? Sola Gracias?
No. Where does the Bible say that?
3. By faith in GOD alone? Sola Fides?
No. Where does the Bible say that?
It is simple common sense that since He commanded that we must do something, then doesn't it stand to reason that He would also tell us how to do it?
Jesus was very clear in what we must do in order to have Him ABIDE in us and we in Him.
Jesus left this command for us in John 6:53-57:
53 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (the taken away branch);
54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 HE WHO EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM.
57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me."
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