Losing The Things Which We Have Wrought

Temple Baptist Church - 11-25-2015

2 John 8

Introduction:

A.  2 John is all about apathy and apostasy. 

1.  The two actually go together as the battle against apostasy must be a fervent fight.  The enemy is united against truth and wages constant war against everything the local church stands or should stand for. 

2.  Satan hates God, God’s people, and God’s churches!  Do not think that he will ever let up or give up in the fight against truth. 

B.  I learned long ago to never over estimate or under estimate your enemy as both can be fatal mistakes. 

1.  Do not over estimate Satan!  Satan is limited! Satan is limited in both his ability (he is not omniscient; he is not omnipresent; he is not omnipotent) and the scope in which the Lord allows him to operate (though he is the “god of this world,” God has set boundaries that Satan cannot go beyond).  As Job was hedged in the Old Testament, we are also hedged about in our day.  Satan is on a spiritual leash. 

Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

2.  Do not under estimate Satan!  Satan is a formidable adversary!  The Charismatic Movement has made Satan someone that they can command and cast out.  I understand that, in the early days of the church, God gave certain men that power, but those were the transitional years of the early church when the canon of Scripture was not completed.  Now, the partial or passing gifts given to the Apostolic Church have passed away: tongues, hands on healing, dreams and visions, the ability to see into the future, etc.  Satan is powerful and knowledgeable!  He is deceptive and destructive!

1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

C.  The local church, along with individual believers, is under a sustained attack.

1.  We are to withstand and stand.  Withstand means to take a punch.  To stand means to be unmoved by the attack of the enemy.  Ephesians 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

2.  We are to be aware of Satan’s tactics.  He infiltrates and divides within the local church.  Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

D.  John said that we could be in danger of losing the things which we have wrought.  We have the duty of self-inspection.  “Look to yourselves!”

1.  Wrought means to labor or toil for.  In other words, we have labored hard and long to keep things biblical in our church and, if not careful, we can lose them along with rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. 

2.  Once these things are compromised or lost, they become almost impossible to get back. Revelation 3:1-2  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  (2)  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

E.  What does Satan want us to lose?

1.  Our fervent, immovable stand on the King James Bible.  So many people, preachers, and churches have gone to the modern, satanic versions or allow others to use them when in the SS classes or pulpit.  If you do not why they are satanic, inbox me and I will gladly give you the information that you need.

2.  Our fervent, immovable stand on Sanctification and Separation.  Most people, preachers, and churches have gotten “casual with God” in our day.  This is still God’s church and should be respected as such.  God is still a thrice holy God and needs to be respected as much.

3.  Our fervent, immovable stand against the Contemporary Music crowd.  I have problems with the music as well as those who promote it.  The Contemporary Music singers are worldly along with their music.  I want our music and singers to glorify the Lord in both their music and their lives.

4.  Our fervent, immovable stand to create a godly environment to raise our children in.  We want our children to be involved with other children of like precious faith and standards.  The church is to reinforce the teaching of the parents as they strive to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  The parents are to reinforce the teaching of the pastor and church in the same manner.

5.  Our fervent, immovable stand to establish and keep a godly testimony in our community.  People are church watchers.  They may or may not attend church but they are aware of subtle changes that take place as they see us come to worship.  They read our ever changing electronic sign and the messages that scroll across it.  They may not even like us but they should respect us.

Conclusion:  We, here at Temple Baptist Church, have fought long and hard to maintain a proper testimony before the Lord, our families, our friends, and in our community.  Such a testimony can be destroyed in a minute by just putting “Contemporary Worship Service” on our sign!

The Devil’s Doctrine

Temple Baptist Church - 10-28-2015

2 John 7-11

Introduction:

A.  I gave this message the title “The Devil’s Doctrine” for this reason: everything God is or God says is being either denied or twisted by Satan’s deceivers. 

1.  In the Garden of Eden, Satan used the serpent to change God’s Word and has used men ever since.  2 John speaks of these deceivers either not having or not abiding in the Doctrine of Christ.  The Doctrine of Christ or Christology is the most important doctrine found in the Bible. 

2.  Jesus Christ is the Center and Executor of God’s plan of the redemption of fallen man.  I do not want to take the time during this series on 2 John to deal with the Doctrine of Christ in detail as that is a study in itself but it is important to know what John means in verse 9.

B.  Everything that God has ever done for mankind has been through Jesus Christ, by Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ.  **Colossians 1:12-29.

C.  The Devil’s Doctrine is any doctrine that changes or discounts the Biblical account of the Person or work of Jesus Christ!  It matters not what denomination, church, or preacher who does this as they are doing the work of Satan! 

1 Timothy 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Peter 2:1-3  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  (2)  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  (3)  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

D.  What is the Doctrine of Christ?  A full explanation would take years as it would be a course in Systematic Theology.  I am preaching through the Book of 2 John, not teaching Bible College so:

E.  Here is a quick and simplistic overview of The Doctrine of Christ:

1.  Who Jesus Christ was: 

a)  He was Eternal and Self-sufficient.  Jesus the Christ has always been eternal God. He is Eternal and Self-Existent. Jesus Christ as God always existed in eternity past. He is not dependent upon anyone else for His existence. He is the uncaused cause.  John 1 declares that Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God and was God. 

John 1:1-2  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.

b)  He was Jehovah God of the Old Testament.  The great I AM.  He was not  just the Son of God, He was very God!  He appeared many times in the Old Testament in what are called:  Theophanies, Christophanies, Anthropomorphisms (representation of Christ in inanimate forms such as the Burning Bush and the Rock of Horeb). 

Matthew 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

c)  He was the Creator of all things.  John 1 declares that He was the Creator of all things.  He is life and gives life.

John 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

2.  Who Jesus Christ became: 

a)  He became man, the virgin born Son of God. 

Matthew 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

b)  The Hypostatic Union:  the union of two natures, human and divine: 100% God and 100% Man.  As God, He could not be tempeted (James 1:13) but, as man, He was tempted (Matthew 4:1).

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

c)  He was the sinless Son of God.

Hebrews 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

3.  What Jesus Christ did:

a)  He became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

b)  He died a substitutionary death of the cross for the sins of the world.

1 John 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

c)  He is the ONLY way of salvation.  Many denominations teach salvation through baptism, good works, sacraments, the church, Mary as co-redemptrix with Christ.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

d)  He physically died.  Some teach that Christ swooned and, pretending to be dead, was carried away by his disciples.

John 19:33  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

e)  He was buried and rose again bodily according to the Scripture.  Some teach that it was a spiritual resurrection and not a bodily one.

Matthew 28:6  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

f)  He ascended back to heaven.

Acts 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

4.  What Jesus Christ is doing: 

a)  He is our High Priest.  He offered His blood on the Mercy Seat.

Hebrews 9:11-12  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;  (12)  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

b)  He is our Mediator.  He is the only Mediator between God and man.  Roman Catholicism teaches Mary as co-mediatrix with Christ.

1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

c)  He is our Intercessor.  He ever liveth to make intercession for the saints.  Roman Catholicism also teaches that Mary makes intercession for the saints.

Romans 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

5.  What Jesus Christ will do:

a)  He will come in the Rapture for His Church.  This is a pre-millennial, pre-tribulation return. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17  (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

b)  He will come in the Revelation to set up His Millennial Kingdom.

Revelation 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

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.

c)  He will sit on the Great White Throne to judge the unsaved.

Revelation 20:11-15  And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  (13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

d)  He will make a new heaven and a new earth.

Revelation 21:1-5  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  (2)  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (3)  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  (4)  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  (5)  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

e)  He will dwell eternally with His people.

Revelation 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

F.  What are we commanded to do concerning these deceivers?

1.  For those who knock on our doors.  These are the cults: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc.

a. Do not allow them to come into your home.  2 John 1:10a  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not intoyour house.

b.  Do not argue with them.  Proverbs 19:27-28  Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. (28)  An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

c.  Do not say God bless you to them.  2 John 10b-11  Neither bid him God speed:  (11)  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

2.  For those who we encounter outside of our local church.  These are those of “Christendom” who profess to know Jesus Christ but have not the Doctrine of Christ.

a. Try them with the Word of God.  1 John 4:1-3  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  (2)  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  (3)  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

b.  Turn away from them.  2 Timothy 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

c.  Remain separate from them.  2 Corinthians 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

3.  For those who are within our local church.   These are the ones who are a part of the “falling away” of 2 Thessalonians 2.  They are the hardest kind to separate from because they have been or supposedly have been a part of us who still believe the Doctrine of Christ.  These feast with us while constantly nibbling at the foundations of truth.

a.  Rebuke them.  Titus 1:13  This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

b.  Mark them.  Romans 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

b.  Reject them.  Titus 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

The Imperative of Walking in Truth

Temple Baptist Church - 10-21-2015

2 John 7-8

Introduction:

A.  Our text for tonight begins with the word “For.” 

1.  We believe in the Verbal Inspiration of the Bible thus making every word in the Bible the word of God and vital to the interpretation of a text.  Every word is right and every word is necessary!  That discounts every new translation on the market because they change thousands of words as well as leave our many entire verses or portions of Scripture. 

2.  The word “for” is a preposition: A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.  The reason for the word “For” is found in this sentence: “For many deceivers are entered into the world.”  It ties verse 7 with the preceding verse which says, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”

B.  John expresses the importance of true love which is in truth.

1.  Today’s “Christian” love is a false love.  We, who are separatists, are called judgmental and unloving.  The love of todays “Christian” (notice that I put “Christian” in quotation marks because to be a real Christian, we are to be like Christ and He never broke the Scriptures) sets aside doctrinal truth.  Today’s deceivers say, “Doctrine divides but love unifies.”  Modern ecumenists set aside doctrinal truth in the pretense of biblical love.  we are called unloving because we are not ecumenical.  True love is always found in walking in truth. 

2.  It is true that we are to love sinners but it is also true that that love is different from the love that unifies us within the realm of truth.  True biblical love is consistent with the commandments of the Bible!  I do not want to spend the night on biblical love but it is essential to understand that biblical love never violates biblical principles!

3.  True love is not found in acceptance - Proverbs 3:12  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

4.  True love is found in correction - Proverbs 13:23  Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.

C.  Therefore, verse 6 becomes a safeguard against the present apostasy of deceivers in verses 7-8.  We have spent a few weeks dealing with the Truth which is the Bible.  The apostasy of the last days is in full swing and spiritual deceivers are everywhere.  They make a pretense of being prophets of God while violating the very basic doctrines of the Bible.

D.  It is imperative that we walk in truth!  The truth and our Christian love is the glue that binds us to Christ and produces stability in unstable times.

1.  It is imperative that we have God’s Word, not a book that contains it.  If the Bible has errors, then it can only contain God’s Word.  Matthew 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

2.  It is imperative that we believe God’s Word.   I am going to give a verse and its interpretation; then I am going to make a practical application. Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  (In this verse, the truth that is being held in unrighteousness is the truth of creation by God.  The world sees this magnificent, perfect world in which we live and attribute it to random acts of evolution.  This world has God’s “finger print” all over it.  By application, we see the magnificence of the Bible!  No man or men could contrive such a masterpiece!  Scientifically correct, medically correct, historically correct, prophetically correct, in every point correct!

2 Thessalonians 2:10-13  (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.  (11)  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  (12)  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  (13)  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

3.  It is imperative that we understand God’s Word.  Nehemiah 8:8  So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,and caused them to understand the reading.  (Notice the problem of not understanding the Bible is exposed in this verse.  It is, generally speaking, a pulpit problem!  I know that the natural man or lost man cannot understand the Bible but we live in a day of shallow pulpits that produce a shallow people who have not spiritually matured.)

Colossians 1:9-11  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  (10)  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  (11)  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

4.  It is imperative that we walk according to God’s Word.  2 John 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.  (God’s commandment concerning our behavior and fellowship has never changed.  Notice the words “from the beginning!”  Times change, people change, churches change, but God’s commandments NEVER change!  You are either walking in truth or you are walking contrary to truth.  There is no middle ground.)

1 John 1:1, 5-7  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life … (5)  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  (6)  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  (7)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Romans 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Conclusion:  You can hear truth; you can know truth; and you can even understand truth, burt failure to walk in truth is devastating.  I fear that this is where most Baptist churches are today.  They have heard truth for most of their lives; they have known what the truth is and have been assured of it; they have understood the ramifications of walking contrary to the truth as well as the blessings of walking in the truth.  Yet, they have chosen to leave the old paths as set forth by our fathers.  Walking in truth keeps us in line with what God says and not what man thinks!