Law vs. Grace and Truth

Temple Baptist Church - 8-31-2022

John 1:15-18

Introduction:

 

A.  I said that I was going to “speed up” preaching on the Gospel of John, but – as a pastor – I see so many things that are pertinent to the doctrinal foundation of the church.

 

B.  In John 1, we find many contrasts.  In our verses for tonight, we find the contrast between law and grace-truth.  It is one of the major theological differences that we face in our day as most denominations and churches teach salvation a mixture of grace and law, i.e., personal merit. 

 

C.  In our text, we find that the Law came by Moses.  Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  These things draw a contrast in both their person and biblical order.  Law always comes before grace and grace always “trumps” law.

 

D.  When I critique other churches, I want you to understand that I am not being critical in a wrong way.  Their teachings are between them and God.  I am not their pastor but, as a Biblicist, I place God’s Word over any and all who correct it.  The Bible is the final authority on all issues of both faith and practice.  Agree with it or disagree with it, you cannot change it!

 

E.  Tonight, I want to look at three things concerning the Law that I feel need to be addressed.

 

1.  The Person of the Law.  Moses, not Christ Jesus.  In verse 17, we find Moses and Christ Jesus contrasted.  Moses was a very special man as God chose him to deliver the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt and to take them into the Promised Land of Canaan.

 

Moses brought them to Mount Sinai where he trembled and quaked in the Presence of God

 

Christ Jesus brought them to Mount Sion, where the people rejoiced in the Presence of God.

 

Hebrews 12:18-21  For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,  (19)  And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:  (20)  (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:  (21)  And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

 

Hebrews 12:22-23  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,  (23)  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

 

Moses could not take Israel into the Promised Land.

 

Christ Jesus will take His people into the Eternal Promised Land.

 

Deuteronomy 34:4-6  And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.  (5)  So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.  (6)  And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

 

Moses was faithful IN his house.

 

Christ Jesus was faithful OVER His house.

 

Hebrews 3:5-6  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;  (6)  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end

 

Moses was a Servant of God whose deliverance was Temporal.

 

Christ Jesus was the Son of God whose deliverance was Eternal.

 

Revelation 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of.God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 

 

2.  The Purpose of the Law. 

 

The Law was a perfect standard whereas the sinner could not be perfect.

 

The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to faith in Christ whereas Christ was our Saviour who delivered us from the penalty of the Law.

 

Galatians 3:22-26  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  (23)  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  (24)  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  (25)  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  (26)  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

 

Galatians 4:1-7  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;  (2)  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.  (3)  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:  (4)  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  (5)  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  (6)  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  (7)  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 

3.  The Perversion of the Law.  In the perversion of the Law, people “cherry pick” which sins are either permissible or looked over and which sins cause the eternal judgment of God to damn the sinner or saint.

 

Personal Merit is necessary in Salvation.

 

Galatians 3:10-13  For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  (11)  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  (12)  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  (13)  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

 

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  (9)  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Personal Merit is necessary in Security of Salvation.

 

Galatians 3:1-3  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  (2)  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  (3)  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 

A Morning Prayer

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-28-2022

Psalm 5

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I pray that everyone here tonight understands the privilege and importance of prayer.  Every child of God has instant and constant access to God in in prayer.  “Pray without ceasing” the command that the Holy Ghost gave to the Thessalonian believers.

 

B.  Many times, in the Bible, we get to enter the prayer closets of some of its greatest believers.  This should excite us because: I will not spend a lot of time on the prayer itself as it Davidic and consistent with all the prayers of King David.

 

1.  Verses 1-3 – David’s Consecration

 

a)  David’s Direction

b)  David’s Devotion

c)  David’s Determination

 

2.  Verses 4-6 – David’s Circumstances

 

a)  Their Forsakenness

b)  Their Foolishness

c)  Their Future

 

3.  Verses 7-8 – David’s Character

 

a)  I will Follow

b)  I will Fear

c)  I will Forsake

 

4.  Verses 9-10 – David’s Consideration

 

a)  His Enemies’ Delusion

b)  His Enemies’ Destruction

 

5.  Verses 11-12 – David’s Confidence

 

a)  David’s Peace

b)  David’s Praise

 

C.  I want to look at the importance of our “Morning Prayers” found in Psalms 5:3:  “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

 

D.  Do you take time to pray in your mornings? 

 

“Take Time To Pray”

I go up early in the morning and rushed right into the day.

I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t take time to pray.

Problems just tumbled around me and heavier came each task.

I whined, “Why doesn’t God help me?”  He said, “You didn’t ask.”

I groaned and shouted and grumbled, I tried every key in the lock.

I cried, “Why doesn’t He open?”  He said, “Son, you didn’t knock.”

So, I got up early this morning and paused before entering the day.

I had so much to accomplish, I had to take time to pray.

 

1.  The morning prayer closet is a hidden place from others.  Matthew 14:23  And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

 

2.  The morning prayer closet is an intimate place where God’s children spend personal time with their God. Matthew 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

3.  The morning prayer closet is a place where we start our day off right.  Psalms 63:1-2  A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;  (2)  To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

 

4.  The morning prayer closet is a place where we tell God what is on our minds without having others to listen in; a place where we can find help in time of need. 

 

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

5.  The morning prayer closet is a place where can find encouragement.  1 Samuel 30:6  And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

 

6.  The morning prayer closet is a place where we can find the strength to go on in time of adversity.  Psalms 32:7  Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

 

7.  The morning prayer closet is a place where we can unload our burdens. 1 Peter 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

8.  The morning prayer closet is a place where we can have our fears relieved and our peace restored.  Psalms 27:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

 

This morning, did you take time to pray?

Remind Me, Dear Lord - Part 3 - This World Is Not My Home

Temple Baptist Church - 8-28-2022

1 Peter 1:3-5

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we were reminded that, despite our circumstances, we have a great salvation that is immutable, incorruptible, and eternal!  How about praising the Lord about that!

 

B.  This morning, I want us to see the second thing that Peter reminded these “strangers scattered,” that this world was not their home!

 

1.  The Lord saved us from the destruction of our sin.

2.  The Lord saved us from the destruction of our selves.

3.  The Lord saved us from the destruction of an eternal hell.

4.  BUT the Lord did not save us from the sorrows of this life: troubles, trials, tribulations, sickness, persecution, disappointments, discouragement, and all of the other problems associated with this life.

 

a)  Peter, the author of the book, suffered greatly.

b)  Paul, who wrote the Hebrew epistle to these same people, suffered greatly.

c)  In Hebrews, chapter 11, untold millions suffered greatly.

d)  From Abel to the present, people died and continued to die for their faith.

e)  Jesus Christ was rejected and railed upon, then crucified.

 

C.  Paul ended chapter 11, the Hall of Faith chapter, with these words: “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me!”  (Hebrews 11:32a)  It is important for us to know that when the Lord saved us, He did not save us from trials, troubles, disappointments, or discouragements, but He is there with us and for us in our hard times as well as in the good times.  Life is hard so just toughen up!

 

1 Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  (God sometimes does removed trials, God sometimes does not remove trials, but God always does help us to cope with them and get through them!)

 

D.  But the Lord did save us unto something!  A “lively hope” because of His resurrection from the dead.  Christ Jesus was not spared the suffering of propitiation because it was necessary for the salvation of sinners but, after His suffering, He rose from the tomb never to suffer again.

 

E.  We like to feel right at home in the present evil world and there are many things to be thankful for in this life but, we are in the world—not of the world.  We no longer belong.  We are a heavenly people living in a temporal world.

 

F.  Our Lord saved us unto something, not from something—He saved us to eternal life with Him—but He also saved us “to” something mentioned in verse 4.  To an inheritance!  Paul alluded to this in the First Corinthian Epistle:

 

1 Corinthians 2:9-10  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  (10)  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

 

G.  1 Peter 1:3-4 – “(3)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (4)  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you!”

 

1.  An Inheritance—The future acquisition of properties, finances, or real property.  The Lord saved us to an “inheritance.”

 

2.  The Bible declares that Christ will be heir to ALL things.  Heaven and earth will bow to Him and profess that He is Lord of all.

 

Hebrews 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 

3.  Paul described all children of God as heirs.  Because we children, we are classified as heirs. 

 

Romans 8:16-17  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  (17)  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

a) Heirs as God’s children.

 

b) Heirs of God.  Hebrews 1:2 declared Christ as heirs to All things that belong to God.  No contradiction here as Paul clarified eternal heirship in Romans, chapter 8.

 

c) Heirs of God because we are joint-heirs with Christ.  Joint-heirs means that all that Christ has belongs to each individual.

 

4.  When you have more than one heir in a will, there are many ways that the inheritance.  It can be divided up equally or unequally.  Since a of God’s children are saved by grace and grace alone, they have equality in inheritance.

 

5.  Paul made an importance statement in verse 17: “and joint-heirs with Christ.”  This means that our eternal inheritance will be all things that belong to Christ.  Joint-heirship will belong to each of the believers who inherit.

 

6.  I know of two men who were given a certain amount of land together.  All the land belonged to each to be used together.  Thus, it will be in eternity all that Christ Jesus owns (and He owns it ALL) will also be jointly owned by all the saved!  Just imagine that, owning heaven and earth and all that in them is!

 

H. Now the question could be asked, “What is my inheritance going to be?”  The short answer is EVERYTHING!  Now look at verse 4 of 1 Peter, chapter one.

 

1.  Our Inheritance will be incorruptible.  Everything here is temporal and will eventually corrupt!  I have seen property and homes that get tied up in an estate go downhill.  Properties and homes not cared for will tend to decay.  The eternal will never corrupt.  Your inheritance will never “go downhill!”

 

2.  Our Inheritance will be undefiled.  Everything here is temporal, and either is or will become defiled!  The eternal will never be defiled. No sin in eternity for sure so all that we know will be like the Garden of Eden as it was in the beginning.  Perfection to be enjoyed with no serpent to annoy!  Eternal bliss is the only way that I can explain it.

 

3.  Our Inheritance will be immutable.  Everything here is temporal and decays.  The eternal will never change.  The greatest thrill of eternity is that it is eternal: no time to pass because there will be no time.  And we wonder why God gets in no hurry?

 

4.  Our Inheritance will be unearned.  It is an eternal gift that God has reserved for His children.  We are not “sending up timbers” as some would say.

 

Conclusion:  In the midst of this evil world, we will have troubles, trials, tribulations, hard times but this world is not our home.  Our “long home” awaits us at either the moment of death or the twinkling of the eye at the rapture of the church!  Hang on, dear children, we are almost home.

The Word Made Flesh - Part 2

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-24-2022

John 1:11-14

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we looked at the word “Made” in relation to the First Advent.  God did a marvelous and wonderful thing when He placed Himself in a human body and endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself. 

 

1.  “Made for is!”  What He did for us!  Christ Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us!  Hallelujah, what a Saviour! 

 

2 Corinthians 5:21a  1) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;

 

2.  Christ Jesus, LORD of the Old Testament, came as the seed of the woman as He promised: to be rejected or to be accepted.  I am so glad that I know who He is, what He did, and placed my faith in a finished work called the Gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

 

B.  Tonight, I want to look again at the word “Made” in relation to what Christ Jesus was made for us after salvation.  You cannot receive the second part until you have received the first.  “To as many as received him, to them gave he power!” 

 

C,  Two things happened simultaneously, we were converted, and we were changed!

 

1.  Declared to be righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ Jesus.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21b  2) that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

2.  Declared to be new creatures through the imparting of the new nature and the indwelling Holy Ghost.

 

D.  I want to go back to 1 Corinthians, chapter one for a few minutes.  What Christ is now “made for us.”

 

** Turn to:  1 Corinthians 1:30-31  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  (31)  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

 

1.  Christ Is Made unto Us Wisdom.  There is the wisdom of the world and there is the wisdom of Christ.

 

a. Wisdom By The Spirit - 1 Corinthians 2:11-15  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.   But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

 

2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

Ephesians 1:17-18  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

 

b. Wisdom By The Scriptures - Proverbs 2:6  For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

 

Proverbs 1:2  To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

 

Proverbs 4:5  Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

 

2.  Christ Is Made unto Us Righteousness 

 

a. Our Guilt Is Gone – We Were Deserving Of Retribution - Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 

Ezekiel 18:4  Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

 

James 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Acts 13:38-39  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  (39)  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

 

Colossians 2:13-15  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  (14)  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;  (15)  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

 

b.  His Grace Is Abounding – We Are Declared Righteous - James 2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

 

Romans 4:9-13  Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.  How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:  And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

 

3.  Christ Is Made unto Us Sanctification

 

a.  Set Apart From The World - John 17:14-16  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

 

b.  Set Apart For Heaven - 1 Corinthians 15:47-48  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

 

1 Corinthians 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

 

2 Corinthians 5:1-2  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

 

Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

 

Ephesians 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

 

4.  Christ Is Made unto Us Redemption - Romans 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 

a. From The Body Of Sin - Romans 6:9-18  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

 

b. From The Bondage Of Death - Hebrews 2:14-15  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 

Romans 8:22-23  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.1.  

 

c.  From The Horrors of Hell - Revelation 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

“He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord!”