Sin’s Condemnation

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-19-2022

John 3:16-21

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we looked at the context of John 3:16 and find that his verse is explained in the preceding verses as the conjunction “For” ties them together.  A verse taken out of context becomes a pretext or a ruse.

 

B.  “Believeth In Him” is more than just a general belief that Jesus Christ, Jehovah God, was born in the flesh and died for the sins of the whole world.  A person can believe this and still not be saved if the gospel is not applied to the individual

 

1.  Why did God send His Son?  To die as a propitiation for the sins of all mankind.  Both saved and lost as is explained in 1 John 2:1-2,  “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  (2)  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 

 

a)  He died for the saint’s sins, “for our sins”, and also for the unsaved’s sins, “also for the sins of the whole world.” 

 

b)  I think that we understand that the whole world will not come to Christ and be saved as the Bible gives plenty of examples of people who died without Christ and went to hell.

 

2. What must the sinner do?  Look and live!  Know that he is a sinner and in repentance, turn to the cross and look to the One who died for his sin.  John 3:14-15  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  (15)  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

 

C.  These verses that follow John 3:16 explain why some people get saved and some people choose not to be saved.

 

1.  Verse 17.  The Will of God.  John 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

1 Timothy 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

 

Christ died for the sin or the whole world according to 1 John 2:1-2.  It is the will of God that all men be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4.

 

2.  Verse 18.  John 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

 

a.  The Difference between saved, “not condemned,” and lost, “condemned already,” is what did you do with Christ.  There are no intermediate spiritual state of man as he is either saved or lost. 

 

b.  You either believe and are saved or you do not believe and are not saved!  It is as simple as that.

 

Amos 8:11-12  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:  (12)  And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

 

A two-fold problem is expressed and implied in these verses. 

 

1)  A famine of hearing because of the preachers who will not preach the Word - Isaiah 30:9-10  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:  (10)  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

 

2)  A famine of hearing because of the people who “heap to themselves teachers having itching ears” or as we see in our day, a total lack of interest in spiritual things.  Zechariah 7:11-12  But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.  (12)  Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

 

3.  Verse 19-20,  John 3:19-20  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  (20)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

 

a.  Men are condemned because they love darkness instead of light, sin instead of godliness, loving this satanic world instead of longing for the life afterwards with the LORD.

 

2 Timothy 3:1-5  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  (2)  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  (3)  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  (4)  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  (5)  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

b.  As all men are sinners, andthere is a choice to be made concerning repentance from sin and saving faith in Christ Jesus’ finished work called the gospel.

 

c.  This is best illustrated in Genesis, chapter 4, where the two sons of Adam and Eve came to sacrifice to the Lord.  Abel brought the right sacrifice and Cain brought the wrong sacrifice.  God had respect to Abel’s sacrifice of blood and had no respect for Cain’s sacrifice of the works of his hands. 

 

d.  God gave Cain a second chance.  Genesis 4:6-7  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  (7)  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

 

e.  Cain’s problem was a sin problem, and he killed his righteous brother after rejecting God’s offer of a second chance.  Cain’s choice was willful!

 

4.  Verse 21.  John 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 

a.  As the sinner rejects the light, the saint comes to the light.  John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 

b.  The sinner’s life is found in this present evil world while the life of the saint is found in the person of Jesus Christ and His righteousness.  Galatians 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 

Conclusion:  The difference in no condemnation and condemned already, people are either saved or lost:  What will you do with Christ Jesus?

 

The Poison of Slander

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-16-2022

Psalm 7

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Psalm 7 is the story of Cush the Benjamite, a man who took it upon himself to slander David.  This is the only place in the Bible where we find Cush the Benjamite mentioned, so there is much discussion as to who he was, when this was, and why it took place. What we do know is that someone by that name, an enemy of David and an enemy of God, did David a great injustice and tried to get him killed.

 

B.  The Psalm is an important one because everyone of us here tonight has suffered under the wicked tongue of others.

 

C.  In James, chapter 3, verses 1-10—we find a Full Mention Principle of Bible Interpretation concerning the tongue. There we find:

 

1.  The tongue can be hard to manage.

 

2.  The tongue can kindle a great fire.

 

3.  The tongue can be set on fire of hell. Satan uses the tongue.

 

4.  The tongue can be an unruly evil, full of poison.

 

D.  The tongue of Cush is found in the history of this Psalm as an attempt to destroy a man after God’s own heart.

 

E.  We also find in this Psalm another truth. Those who use the tongue in such a way come into condemnation by it. “What goes around comes around.”

 

Proverbs 18:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

 

F.  This was no ordinary slander as Cush desired David’s death. But David turned the situation into a Psalm of praise instead of one of defeat. The slander was rightly handled!

 

1.  Verse 1-2.  David’s Prayer.  He took it to the LORD.  David’s confidence in the LORD was not shaken by his situation.  I thank the Lord that we can approach Him in the direst of situation and expect Him to: (I have found that the more that you try to correct slander, the worse it looks on you.  Give a correction; keep it simple; do not try to slander the slanderer; and MOVE ON!  Your friends with believe you and your enemies will not.)

 

a.  Confidence in God to hear our supplication.

 

b.  Confidence in God to assess our situation.

 

c.  Confidence in God to sustain our soul.

 

2.  Verses 3-5. David’s Submission.  David bows to the will and way or God.

 

a.  His submission to the LORD’s scrutiny. The FIRST thing that did was David to ask  God to search his soul to see if the slander was a right one. (Make sure that the slander is a false one, not a right one.  Do not ask man if it is right, ask the Lord and He will answer you.)

 

b.  His submission to the LORD’s sentencing. If the slander was right, David bowed to the punishment from God that was appropriate.

 

3.  Verses 6-9. David’s Seeking. Imprecatory praying (to invoke evil or a curse): praying for the justice and judgment of God upon evil doers who will neither stop persecuting the righteous nor will they get right with the Lord.  (This type of praying is to be used sparingly and only in extreme cases of slander when the enemy persists in his destruction.  In the New Testament, we are command to pray for them and do good to them if and when possible.)

 

a.  The LORD’s justice. “Arise, O LORD, in thine anger”

 

b.  The LORD’s judgment. “to the judgment that thou hast commanded.”

 

4.  Verses 10-11.  David’s Sanctuary. The Lord is our refuge in times of trouble.  In Him, we live and have our being and His love never diminishes, nor His protection ever fails.  (The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, my Fortress, my Refuge, my High Tower, my Protector, and my Rock.)

 

a.  My defense. Our defense is of God.

 

b.  My deliverance. Our deliverance is in God.

 

5.  Verses12-16.  David’s Satisfaction. 

 

a.  The sinner’s choice.  “If he turn not”  Cush could have owned up to his slander of David and the judgment of God removed.

 

b.  The sinner’s condemnation.  “His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”

 

6.  Verse 17.  David’s Song.

 

a.  Preemptive praise.  “I will praise”

 

b.  Public praise.  “I will sing” turned into a Psalm.

Paul’s Last Admonition to Timothy

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-16-2022

2 Timothy 3:14-4:4

 

Introduction:

 

A.  We believe that the Book of 2 Timothy was probably the last of the Pauline or Church Epistles.  Written around 65 AD just before his death.  Paul is now an old man and on his way to heaven, so he writes the Pastoral Epistles to anchor and stabilize two young pastors: Timothy and Titus.  1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are pastoral in nature.

 

B.  Young Timothy is pastoring in a tough and dangerous place, Ephesus. 

 

1.  He is a young man.  1 Timothy 4:12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

 

2.  He is charged with a great responsibility.  1 Timothy 1:3-4  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,  (4)  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

 

C.  Paul’s charge to Timothy was a needed one so I want to break these verses down this morning.

 

1.  The Admonition concerning God’s Word.  (3:14-15) 

 

a.  Verse 14.  Holy men.  The men from whom thou hast learned.  Stay with the men of God that you placed your confidence in; those who walked the Old Paths.

 

b.  Verse 15.  Holy Scriptures.  The Things thou hast learned.  The Word of God and its pure doctrines.

 

2.  The Authority of God’s Word.  (3:16) 

 

a.  The Authority of the Word of God.  Inspired of God. 

 

b.  The Authenticity of the Word of God.  Preserved by God. All Scripture, the original documents and including what Timothy was from a child, is inspired. 

 

3.  The Approval of God’s Word.  (3:16-17)

 

a.  It is Profitable.  Notice that the inspired Word of God “IS” and not “WAS.”  For doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness.

 

b.  It is Perfecting.  That the man of God may be perfect and thoroughly furnished.  It is all that the man of God needs for the ministry.

4.  The Assignment of God’s Word.  (4:1-2)

 

a.  The Preaching of God’s Word.  God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost and confound the foolish.

 

b.  The Practicality OF God’ Word.  Instant in and out of season.  It is relative to both time and need, both practically and preemptive. 

 

5.  The Apostasy concerning God’s Word.  (4:3-4)

 

a.  They will not hear God’s Word.  Many people come to Bible preaching churches, but few stay because God’s Word is a two edged sword meant to cut and divide asunder.

 

b.  They will hunt a preacher who does not preach God’s Word.

 

Conclusion:  Preach, Preacher, Preach!  Paul’s Final Admonition is still in effect today.  God called me in 1983, on March 17^th, to preach God’s Word.  By His marvelous grace, I will continue to do so, instant in season and out of season, until He either is through with me or He takes me home.

The New Birth

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-12-2022

John 3:1-16

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Tonight, I want to look at one of the most read and quoted of all verses in the Bible, John 3:16.  One of the problems with the interpretation of this verse that it has been taught as a “stand alone” verse.  It has often been called “The Gospel in a Nutshell.”

 

B.  As a standalone verse, you can interpret it in the manner that you like or in the manner that agrees with your philosophy.  A verse taken out of context can become a pretext.  One of the basic hermeneutical principles of Bible interpretation is the Context Principle where verses are interpretated within the context.

 

C.  In these verses, we find a great man in Israel.  John 3:1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

 

1.  Nicodemus was a respected ruler of the Jews of the Pharisee Sect who upheld the Oral Law.

 

2.  Nicodemus was a fearful man and came to Jesus by night (“he same came to Jesus by night,”) so that other Pharisees would not know.

 

3.  Nicodemus was an honest man looking for an honest answer to his question concerning who Jesus was.  “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. “

 

4.  Nicodemus became a saved man who was a “silent believer” who became a “vocal believer” who became an “out of the closet believer” after the cross of Christ.

 

D.  Jesus knew what Nicodemus needed, the new birth mentioned 3 times in the first 7 verses (3,5,7) of this chapter. He was a religious man but not yet a saved man.  Because of his honesty, our Lord witnessed to him, and he believed.

 

1.  The earthly birth brought about sin and death.  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:

 

Romans 3:10-12  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  (11)  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  (12)  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

 

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

 

 

 

2.  The New Birth or heavenly birth brings about holiness and eternal life.

 

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

 

1 Peter 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 

E.  What stands out in this portion of Scripture is that it is the first record of our Lord Jesus Christ witnessing to someone.  He is telling a religious but lost man how to be saved or born again.  It is not about one verse but about the entire context of His message.

 

F.  He explained the necessity of the new birth in the first 13 verses and the explanation of how to be born again in verses 14-16. 

 

G.  The first word of John 3:16 is “For.”  “For” can be used either as preposition or a conjunction.  In this case, it is a conjunction.  A word used to connect clauses or sentences.  In this case, it ties verses 14 and 15, an Old Testament example that Nicodemus was familiar with, to verse 16, a New Testament reality that he should have known as a Master if Israel.

 

H.  John 3:14.  “as Moses … even so”

 

1.  The Old Testament Example: the cause of sin; the recognition of sin; the solution for sin.

 

a.  A knowledge of sinfulness and the judgment of God.  (John 3:14-15)

 

Numbers 21:4-9  And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.  (5)  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.  (6)  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.  (7)  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.  (8)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.  (9)  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 

 

b.  The knowledge of the solution for sinfulness and eternal death.  Look to the cause of the problem and look upon the solution to the problem and Live!

 

2.  John 3:15.  “that whosoever believeth in him”

 

a.  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, we must lift up the Son of God!

 

b.  Salvation is always a sinfulness, a repentance, and a singular faith.

 

3.  John 3:16.

 

a.  There must be the knowledge of need.  We have certainly been bitten by the Serpent.

 

b.  There must be the knowledge of a solution.  We certainly know that Christ is the only propitiation for our sinfulness.

 

c.  There must be a coming to Christ by looking upon His finished work.

 

4.  Whosoever will! 

 

a.  Calvinism is dead at the foot of the cross in the word “whosoever.”  Not the elect but the lost.

 

b.  It is whosoever will, or it is whosoever won’t.   Either we do or we don’t!

 

Conclusion:  Is this simple enough?  It is!  John 3:16 is not a “stand alone” verse as it is tied to both the preceding 2 verses and the context.

Fat Bodies and Lean Souls

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-9-2022

Psalms 106:15; Revelation 3:14-18

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  The historical significance of this Psalm is found in Exodus, chapter 16.  I stand amazed at all that the LORD did for Israel to bring them to this point.  The miracles done in Egypt, the opening of the Red Sea, manna from heaven (I could do with a little that right now!), and then gave them their desire for meat by bringing in quail.

 

B.  Psalm 78 calls their desire for meat “lust.”  Though God had been so good to them and worked wonders that only He can do, it seems that none of this was ever enough.  They complained about the manna, so God allowed:

 

Psalm 78:26-29 – “an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.  (27)  He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:  (28)  And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.  (29)  So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire.”

 

C.  Will the quail was still in their mouths, God slew the fattest of the chosen men of Israel. 

 

Psalm 78:30-31  But while their meat was yet in their mouths,  (31)  The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

 

D.  God judged Israel for their request though He allowed it.  There is an old saying: “God will give you what you want but it will cost you what you have.”  Though God judged them, they chose to continue in their sinful lust and failed to trust God with what He supplied.

 

Psalm 78:32  For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

 

E.   For this cause, the LORD consumed their days with vanity (to no avail) and their years in trouble!  “Fat bodies and Lean souls!”

 

F.  Temporal blessings tend to make for spiritual decline.  Fatness of the body almost invariably leads to leanness of the soul.  The classic examples are:

 

Sodom (Ezekiel 16:49  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.),

 

Israel (Psalms 106:15  And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.), and

 

Laodicea (Revelation 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.). 

 

G.  There has never been a time of plenty like the time in which we live.  We truly have need of nothing in a right way.  For this I am truly grateful.  As I look around us at others both here and abroad, it causes me to be thankful to the Lord.  The problem is not found in the things of life but the attitude that sometimes prevails in good times.

 

Revelation 3: 14-18  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; (Fat Bodies) and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Lean Souls)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

 

H.  Our days are characterized by “fat bodies” and “lean” souls.

 

J.  SEVEN DANGERS OF GOOD TIMES.

 

1.  We tend to forget God!  Deuteronomy 8:11  Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

 

2.  We lose our fear of God!  Ecclesiastes 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

 

3.  We begin to worship other “gods.”  1 John 5:21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.  Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.

 

4.  We begin to live carelessly in sin.  James 1:14-16  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

 

5.  We give Satan the advantage.  2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.  His devices still work to day as he has effectively swayed the hearts to people in our day.

 

6.  We fail to set an example for our children.  Psalms 78:6-7  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  (7)  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

 

7.  We cause God to remove His hedge of protection.  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.