The End Result Of Falling Away

Temple Baptist Church - 2-26-2017

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Introduction:

A.  I want to look at verse 12 for a few minutes tonight as it settles the question: “Can a person have a second chance to be saved if they are ‘left behind?’” 

1.  Tim LaHaye wrote a series of books called “The Left Behind Series.”  He believed that those who had rejected Christ prior to the Rapture of the Church would have a second chance to be saved during Jacob’s Trouble, also called the Tribulation Period.  Peter S. Ruckman also taught a second chance in his literature.  Both men were equally wrong!

2.  These who have “fallen away” in our text are not believers.  Paul admonishes the believers not to be shaken or troubled by what is happening but did not indicate that they would be a part of the “falling away.”  Saved people do not apostatize! 

3.  Those who have fallen away have done so by having a disobedient spirit that would not accept the message of salvation.  These have followed the New Age Versions of our day as the Word of God is being undermined, rejected and defamed.

B.  In these verses, we find the characteristics of the end time in which we now live. 

1.  The Rapture of the true Church is eminent and the revelation of “that Wicked” soon to come.  For “that Wicked” to find acceptance, there must be a spiritual “programing” take place. 

2.  We have certainly seen the effects of that programing in America as the majority have turned away from the God of the Bible and despise those who follow Christ. 

C.  Now, let us take a short look at how we got from “one nation under God” to “one nation without God.”  It starts with a deception and ends with a delusion!

1.  Self-Deception.  I have often said that self-deception is the worst deception of all.  Romans 1:21-22  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  (22)  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

a.  Divine Light manifested.  John 1:9-10  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  (10)  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  (Every man is accountable for the light that God gives him.  No man is born an atheistic, it is “learned behavior.”  In all nations, men worship.  In every nation, their false worship is a result of rejecting the “light” of God.)

b.  Divine Light rejected.  Romans 1:18-20  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  (19)  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  (20)  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (This morning, I preached on creation by God.  “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament His handywork!” [Psalm 19:1-3]  To look at the heavens and the earth is to see the work of a Creator, not some random act of nature.)

c.  Divine Light dims.   Romans 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  (Some people use a rheostat or dimmer switch in some rooms.  They are used to either dim or brighten the light by degrees.  As men “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness,” the spiritual light that God gave to them begins to dim which opens them up to the second step: Satanic deception.)

2.  Satanic Deception.  Satan has deceived the world!  Romans 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

a.  Satanic deception comes with rejection of Biblical truth.  For them to soothe their consciences, they must do away with the knowledge of God: the Word of God.  2 Thessalonians 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

b.  Have pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Timothy, chapter 3, says that the become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.  As men turn from the truth, the give into the desires of the flesh and have pleasure in unrighteousness.  2 Thessalonians 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

c.  As men turn from revealed truth, their minds become blinded to the message of the gospel.  2 Corinthians 4:3-4  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  (4)  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

3.  Sovereign Deception.  Strong delusion!  Just what this “strong delusion” is has been the subject of much speculation but I believe that it is made clear by its context.  Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

a.  It is the crossing of God’s deadline.  Proverbs 29:1  He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

b.  Its result is delusional thinking.  What this delusional thinking?  Deception by a false belief, delusional thinking.  The ultimate rejection of truth that gives space for the ultimate acceptance of Satan’s lie.  2 Thessalonians 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

c.  Its end is eternal damnation.  Those who have heard and rejected will be given over to a mind that is reprobate, i.e., cannot be saved.  The end result of sovereign deception is a complete satanic reception!  2 Thessalonians 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Conclusion:  The result of the “falling away” is satanic deception that ultimately culminates in a “strong delusion” that “that Wicked” is what the lost have long awaited!  Damnation is now “set in stone” for those who once knew God and chose to migrate to the “anti-God” of the end time.

God and Creation

Temple Baptist Church - 2-26-2017

Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3

Introduction:

A.  I have often said that Genesis 1:1 is the greatest theological statement in the Bible.  It is a statement of fact and not an argument for God.  True science demands a Creator!

B.  The Bible is right in the matter of a True Beginning.  “In the beginning!”

1.  Beginning defined: the start, commencement, origin, birth, “the point in time or space when something starts.”

2.  There is one point on which both the evolutionist and the creationist agree, there had to be a true beginning!  A true beginning must start with nothing and end up with something. There must have been a true beginning, if not, all things must be eternal and everyone knows this is not true.

3.  The evolutionist has an unresolvable problem at this point while the creationist has no problem. 

a)  The Theory of Evolution is flawed in its very definition.  For the universe to evolve, there must have been something to evolve from.  Therefore, evolution cannot have a true beginning as it must be a continuation of something that was previous.

b)  Natural Law cannot naturally be violated, therefore—in the realm of true nature—matter cannot be either created or destroyed. 

c)  The brilliant but foolish physicist, Stephen Hawking (I hate to keep picking on him but he places himself in the forefront of evolutionists), in his book “The Grand Design,” said that the Universe could “create itself.”  The title of his book disproves his foolish assumptions.  A “Grand Design” MUST have a Grand Designer!  I have never seen anything designed that had no designer in the background.

1)  The word universe, without matter, is simply 8 empty letters in the English alphabet!  Thus, “science falsely so called.”  How can nothing create anything or the universe evolve from nothing?  And scientists think that creationists are foolish?

2)  Let us have a refresher course in math.  Ready, let us do the math:  0+0=0,  0-0=0,  and 0x0=0. Does everyone get it?  Aha!  You are smarter than Mr. Hawking because he got all the answers wrong.  Mr. Hawking does not get it because he must create a universe without a Creator, therefore, 0+0=UNIVERSE!  Mr. Hawking, Grand Design takes intelligence.

1 Timothy 6:20-21  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  (21)  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

C.  The Bible is right in the necessity of a Creator!  “God created!”

1.  In true science, there are 3 laws of thermodynamics which cannot be violated.  When I was in college (in the days before the flood), these laws were taught as absolutes which could not be changed.

a)  There are actually three but one deals with energy and absolute zero:  the temperature at which a thermodynamic system has the lowest energy. It corresponds to −273.15 °C on the Celsius temperature scale and to −459.67 °F on the Fahrenheit temperature scale.  People in South Carolina know nothing about cold like that so we will skip this one.  I want to look at the first two laws of thermodynamics for a minute. 

b)  First law of thermodynamics – Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only change forms. In any process, the total energy of the universe remains the same. For a thermodynamic cycle, the net heat supplied to the system equals the net work done by the system.  (Evolution says that, in the natural world, energy was created without a Creator which is a violation of natural law.)

c)  Second law of thermodynamics – The entropy of an isolated system, not in equilibrium, will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium.  (Evolution teaches that things continue to evolve upward instead of spiraling downward which violates natural law.)

2.  The creationist has no problem at all with a true beginning, where something came from nothing.  Our Bible is the only book in the world that has a credible beginning of the universe and mankind.

a)  Only a divine Creator can create or bring matter into existence, “ex nihilo,” from or out of nothing.  The very word “create” means to generate, to make, or to bring something into existence which demands a Creator!

b)  The evolutionist must continually “mend the fences” by changing their theories concerning the true beginning while trying to eliminate the very thought of a divine Creator.  The child of God rejoices in the opening statement of the Bible, “In the beginning God created!”

Hebrews 11:3  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

c)  I said all of that to say this, the universe and the life that we know came from an all-knowing God!  There can be no other explanation unless all would agree that everything has always been, therefore, eternal.

D.  Jesus Christ, Jehovah God, created it all!  John 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  (Because of the way things are [everything different and remains that way], only creation could have transpired.)

1.  Jesus Christ was the Creator of His Universe. Colossians 1:15-17  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  (16)  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  (17)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

a.  God spoke and it was done!  Psalms 33:6  By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

b.  On the first day, Genesis 1:1-7, God laid the foundations!  Heaven and earth.  This was not the third heaven where God abides for it was already there.  This was the expanse of all space as we know it.  God spoke light into existence and divided the light from the darkness, calling the light Day and the darkness Night. 

c.  On the second day, Genesis 1:6-8, God divided the waters below from the waters above and created the atmosphere that protects the earth and can sustain life.Hebrews 1:10  And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:  (Now the word “heavens’ is plural.  The first heaven is our atmosphere, the second heaven is outer space, and the third heaven is where God lives.)

d.  On the third day, Genesis 1:9-13, God gathered the waters together and divided them from the dry land.  The dry land, He called earth and the waters He called seas.  He created life for the first time as grass, herbs, and trees were created and were to bring after their own kind.

e.  On the fourth day, Genesis 1:14-19, God created the universe: sun, moon, and stars.  For the first time, God saw that it was good.

1 Corinthians 15:40-41  There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.  (41)  There isone glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.  (How could Moses tell that the stars were all different in their makeup?)

f.  On the fifth day, Genesis 1:20-23, God again created life in the fish and fowl.  These were also commanded to bring forth after their kind.  These verses disprove evolution as there are no intermediate species that come through the process of evolution.  Study life under the seas and you will be amazed at the species of life that live there and each has its purpose.  Look at the species of fowl that God made.  He made them all right!

g.  On the sixth day, Genesis 1:24-25, God created the animal life and commanded them to bring forth after their own kind.  (In nature, you have no hybrids!  God made everything to bring forth within God’s law of “after his kind.”  I have no black bird cardinals on my feeders.  I have no dove wrens, etc. as they live in harmony without cross breeding.  God made it that way and evolution has a problem with it.  God’s way works!)

h.  On the sixth day, Genesis 1:26-31, God made man of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.  These are interesting verses as the newly formed Adam came from the earth and had no life until God breathed life into him.  This life was not breathed into the animals as it was the very life of God, eternal life.  The chemical value of a man’s body is about $1.00 or so.  Moses knew man came from dust and would return to dust at death.  Only God could have revealed the makeup of man to Moses!

i.  In six literal days (morning and evening), God created the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is and rested on the seventh!  Exodus 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.  (God stopped His creative work and NOTHING can be created since.  Thus the First Law of Thermodynamics!)

j.  God’s commentary on His creation: Genesis 1:31  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.  (An perfectly synchronized universe that goes beyond man’s power to see!  Why did God make it so big?  To astound man and to glorify our all wise and powerful Creator!  Look at the harmony of God’s nature on earth!  If man will just leave it alone, God made it perfect and made it to endure until He renovates it again.)

2.  Jesus Christ is the Owner of His Universe.  Genesis 14:18-22  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  (19)  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:  (20)  And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.  (21)  And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.  (22)  And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

a.  They were created for Him.  Romans 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.  (All that is belongs to Him.)

Colossians 1:15-17  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  (16)  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  (17)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

b.  They were created in perfection.  Genesis 1:31  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.  (In the heavens and upon the earth, we find precision and harmony.  The universe is a “well-oiled machine” that works with divine precision.  To study the heavens and miss God is to ignore the “elephant in the living room.”)

Psalms 136:5-9  To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.  (6)  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercyendureth for ever.  (7)  To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:  (8)  The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:  (9)  The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

c.  They were created for His pleasure.  Revelation 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Both are and were His pleasure.  God loves His creation.)

3.  Jesus Christ is glorified in His Universe.  Psalms 19:1-4  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  (2)  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  (3)  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  (4)  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,  

Psalms 14:1  “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”  (Self-explanatory!)

Who By Him Do Believe In God

Temple Baptist Church - 2-22-2017

1 Peter 1:18-22

Introduction:

A.  In these verses, we find the importance of biblical faith.  God ties two things together:  both the blood and the Bible.

1.  We have looked at the importance of the blood of Christ.  “The precious blood of Christ”

a)  Not just any blood but the blood of the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.  It was referred to as “His own blood” or “the blood of God” in Acts 20:28. 

b)  It was perfectly pure blood; it was the innocent blood of Christ without any tint of Adamic sin.

2.  We now look at the importance of the Bible.  “By the word of God”  

a)  Not just any book, but the Word of God!  As the blood of Christ was perfectly pure and free of Adamic sin, the Bible must also be perfectly pure and free of Adamic “tampering!” 

b)  How can we have a perfect Bible?  Only if God inspired it and God also preserves it.  The Bible declares both inspiration and preservation in what we have today.  2 Timothy 3:16 does not reference the original manuscripts but the Word of God that Timothy had in his possession which was the preserved Word of God.  God said it was inspired and profitable.  The originals are not profitable because we do not have them!

c)  In the Bible, we find the foundation of our salvation and doctrine.  Jude spoke of the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  If the Word of God was only pure in the original transcripts, then we have inherited a “Bible” that is the work of man and not a work of God. 

d)  You can believe what you want about the Bible but this pastor believes that the King James Bible is the inerrant, infallible, inspired, perfectly preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people!  If I am ignorant, please do not try to educate me.  If I am unlearned, please leave me in my state of innocence.  Stay away from me and leave me alone because I am perfectly satisfied with the Bible that I hold in my hands.

B.  Faith in both the blood and the Bible are essential for salvation. 

1.  In Psalms 11:3, the Word of God says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  The word “foundation” is plural. 

2.  Destroy the foundation of the blood of Christ and there is not salvation.  Destroy the foundation of the Bible and there is no salvation.  No wonder Satan hates the Blood and the Book!

C.  Now, let us look at what the Bible says about the Bible!  Isn’t that better than to look at what man says about the Bible?  Let God be true!

1.  The Bible is the Agent of the New Birth.  “Being born again.”  Salvation requires a new birth.  As our natural birth was sinful, our new birth is sinless.  By the natural birth, we were birth into the family of mankind, by the new birth, we are birthed into the family of God.  

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2.  The Bible is Incorruptible.  “Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible.”  The Bible declares itself to be not corrupt nor corruptible!  That means that it is pure and will remain pure. 

Matthew 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  (The last time I checked, the heaven and earth were still here and intact.)

3.  The Bible is the Word of God.  “By the word of God.”  The Bible declares itself to be the Word of God, not the word of man.

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

1 Thessalonians 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men,but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

4.  The Bible is the Living Word of God.  “Which liveth.”  Notice again the present continuing tense of the word “liveth.”  If you use a word processor such as Word, you have a red line under the word “liveth” because we no longer use that word but it is a good Bible word.  It is living; therefore it is life giving! 

John 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

5.  The Bible is the Abiding Word of God.  “And abideth for ever.”  Once again, the “eth” ending shows a present continueing tense.  The Word of God will always be with us as is clarified in verse 25 which says, “The word of the Lord endureth for ever.”

Conclusion:  Both the blood of Christ and the Word of the Lord are eternal because both are essential to the new birth.