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Is The Bible Enough? (A Case for The Supremacy of Scripture) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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We'll meet me again in Mark chapter. 7 together to look at
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one particular verse As we begin.
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Is very important session in the word of God.
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Mark chapter 7, And look here with me in verse 5.
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Before we read one, we pray again.
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Oh, Lord. You are the truth.
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Your word is truth. Help us understand.
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It set us free by the truth sanctify Us by the truth.
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Lord, we trust that what is prepared for us today, will
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advance us further into greater confidence.
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To contend for the faith. That was once delivered, we
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pray, Lord, that this would be maybe even a turning point for
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some. We just ask that what would be
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delivered would be done in the power of the spirit, the wisdom
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of the spirit, and faithfulness, to your will and your mind
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pertaining and regarding this subject.
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But we trust in you. We love you.
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That's why we're here. Would you sense our love for
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you? And Lord, more importantly, we
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realize your great love for us. In Jesus name we pray.
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Amen. Mark 75.
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And the Pharisees. And the scribes ask them.
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Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of
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the elders but eat with defiled hands.
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There's no question that this interrogation was something that
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the religious leaders of Jesus day brought to him.
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But I want to borrow the concept of this idea here and present
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followers of Jesus Christ Here. And Now with a a similar
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question. Why do we as followers of Jesus
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Christ? Not uphold or practice prominent
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traditions in Christendom of our day.
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I'm sure you are fully aware that there are many branches
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within Christendom that champion and put great emphasis on
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certain beliefs and practices that are established in the name
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of sacred tradition. And it's very likely that some
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of you have been challenged by friends or family, who have
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wondered about your lack of adherence, to these specific
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customs and rituals or beliefs. That have no strong or
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consistent basis in the Bible. and it's also very likely that
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your initial response to such inquiries have been something
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along the lines of well, because the Bible says And the reason
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why you would give such a response is because you appeal
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to scripture and the reason why you appeal to the authority of
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the scripture is because you wholeheartedly believe that the
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scripture alone is the Supreme and final rule regarding all
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faith and practice. Now, that loyalty and that
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Fidelity to the scriptures was the very heartbeat of the
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Reformation. One of the known slogans of that
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time, is something that you are familiar with a Latin phrase
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called Sola, scriptura Sola scriptura, which was heralded
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and declared charged by Martin Luther during the 1500s.
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And some have a misunderstanding of what Sola scriptura means and
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believe it to understand that there are some within
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Christendom namely us who believe that the Bible is the
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only Authority. And that is not what we
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necessarily agree to that. The Bible is just this
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Standalone kind of rule and measure meant of certain things
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and there's no other sense of authority over us.
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That's not how we understand. The term know the Bible itself.
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Testifies and speaks of various kinds of authority, there is
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Parental Authority, there is civil Authority.
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There is even Church Authority among other types of authority
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and none of those things. Conflict with our faithfulness
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and are surrendered to the scriptures or at least they
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shouldn't. When we speak about Sola
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scriptura, which simply means scripture alone with that
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communicates, is that the Bible pay?
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Very close attention to this? That the Bible is the only
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infallible. What is infallible mean?
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It means incapable of making mistakes.
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The Bible is the only infallible and all-sufficient Rule and
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standard for Spiritual truth. That is what Sola scriptura
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essentially means. Parents can make mistakes
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government can promote error. You can even have clergy and
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leaders within the realm of the church who could be misguided
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with the presumptions and their judgments, but the Bible alone
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is unique in that. It has an inability to be
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untrue. And by virtue of unable being
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wrong, it demands all other authorities to submit to its
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inherent claims. you might be wondering why Sola scriptura was
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Champion during the 1500s the 16th century in the main reason
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is because it was a statement of protest against the Roman
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Catholic Church And why was the Roman Catholic Church being
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protested against because what they believed then?
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And what they still believe today is nothing close to this
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view of scripture. The Roman Catholics as well as
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Ethan Orthodox and other traditional churches.
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They see the scripture as an authority but not the authority
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and there's a big difference. It's important to note that
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these branches of traditional and Orthodox Churches, if I can
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use that word have their differences and we're not going
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to speak on those differences today.
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But one thing that makes the Protestant Christian faith
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unique is this distinct conviction.
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Which is everything that God requires of us as found and
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finalized in the written word of God.
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Notice that I'm not saying that everything that the prophet said
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or everything that the apostles taught or necessarily are
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necessarily found in the Bible but we do believe, is that in
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God's? Providential wisdom, he has
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preserved. What is sufficient and what
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you're holding in your hand today?
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Scripture does not share its preeminent place, With the
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papacy with Bishops with ancient oral teachings, with church
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fathers subjective Revelations or anything else for that
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matter. It stands alone as the source by
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which we must judge everything. And I'm fully aware that as I'm
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saying this, there are many objections to this principle.
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And I'm not going to pretend that in one session.
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We're going to address every single argument, but my hope and
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presenting this to you today, is that, for those who do hold to
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this view, you would be more encouraged and strengthened in
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your faith and for those who might be conflicted that you
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would at least reconsider The View that you might hold that
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scripture is not the only infallible source for Faith and
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practice and one of the most common objections to what I am
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presenting to you, today's, for those who reject Sola scriptura,
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they kind of drum. This one argument over and over
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and it's that scripture itself doesn't that teach Sola
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scriptura. And so it's a self refuting
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argument. It doesn't stand because it's
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circular, there's nothing within scripture that says you need to
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hold to the infallibility of the Scripture alone, and that
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there's no other source of infallibility that can help you
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in your faith or worship toward God.
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And so, it just has no legs. And what I want to say is that
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just because there isn't a particular or explicit statement
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that is phrased to one's preference or like League liking
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does not dismiss the conviction itself because what you will
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find in the Bible, undeniably is that it does declare its own
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infallibility and its own sufficiency.
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And that is enough for us, to be honest with ourselves to make a
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logical conclusion, right? You might not find one specific.
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Verse that says the written word of God Alone is the dominant
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source for what you need in. Your walk with God, you might
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not find something like that but you don't find something like
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that for the Trinity either. What you do is you gather the
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evidence from cover to cover and then you are able to make it
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consistent and harmonious conclusion, based on the data
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that has been presented to us divinely.
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And so we see here that there is infallibility and sufficiency
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and I'm going to show that to you in a moment.
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And here's what I want you to do is that once you are able to
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hear and see the unique identity and the adequate function of the
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word of God, you have to again And ask yourself is there a need
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for a infallible source to work with the unrivaled?
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Nature and ability of God's word.
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Is there a need? Psalm 19:7.
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The law of the Lord is perfect. Reviving The Soul.
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The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise, the simple,
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the law of the Lord is perfect not just in its historical data
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or whatever scientific inferences they're in, but its
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ability to revive the soul to take that dormant Spirit of
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yours. And to Get into perfect
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alignment and right standing with your Creator and your
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savior. Now, if it's perfect in that
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purpose, is there anything else that is needed to be added to
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accomplish that specific goal? If I claim anything is perfect,
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but I am also claiming is that there is no need for
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supplementation or subtraction in order for it to be effective
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in its specific, right? The law of the Lord is perfect,
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Proverbs 35 and 6 Every word of God proves true.
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He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
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Do not add to his words. Lest he rebuked you and you be
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found a liar. Can the warning be any clearer.
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The Holy Spirit, informs us that there is a serious danger for
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those who would claim that any ordinance?
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Any ritual? Any belief?
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Any Doctrine? Any practice is off.
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Authorized by God though. It is not warranted by the word
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of God. Do not add to his words.
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Now, those who would again resist or argue against Sola,
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scriptura would say. Well, the written word of God Is
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Not the Only manifestation of the word of God.
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Because to them. There is also another stream and
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that stream, mainly is sacred tradition, which is to believe
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the oral law. The oral teachings of the
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Apostles that were passed down in succession though.
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They were not recorded like what we have in our Bibles.
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And to add to that, and we'll touch on what what I just said
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later on. But to add to that, you have
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specifically the Roman Catholic Church.
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That would also say that not just sacred tradition, but we
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also have a need, the church, their Church being the ultimate,
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interpreter and determiner of Truth since she has been given
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Authority by Christ to do. So what that means is this and
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it means many things. But here's the main concern for
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that, That the leaders in the Roman Catholic Church can
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invoke. What they believe as their
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god-given Authority and make it binding on the conscience.
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This is something that you must believe in.
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This is something that applies to you as a Christian.
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And the magisterium has that apparently has that prerogative,
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given by God, that's the case that they make. and the main way
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that those teachings, and those doctrines are determined is
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through ecumenical Church councils throughout history.
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There have been many of them and what that really means is that
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you have a gathering of Bishops worldwide who come to discuss
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these matters and then they either affirm or refute
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doctrines or heresies and then applies to the universal church.
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And one that I want to bring to your attention to your attention
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in particular is one of the most significant councils That make
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it obvious that where we stand. As Protestant, Christians is
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vastly different to where the Roman Catholic Church stands.
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Now, I'm fully aware that some of you might have Roman Catholic
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friends more Roman Catholic family members.
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I'm not here to pick on your Roman Catholic family member or
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your friend. My duty here is to speak about
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what the church teaches to present that data to you and
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then you make your conclusion. and so, the council that I am,
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speaking of here is the Council of Trent The Council of Trent
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was a series of meetings that began in 1545.
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And these series of meetings were organized for the sole
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purpose of refuting, the message and the movement of the
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Reformation. And what I want to quote you in
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a moment here, some of the decrees that were determined
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within that counsel over the years and there are two things
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that you need to be prepared. For the first thing that you
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must understand is that these dogmas, these cannons that have
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been defined during the Council of Trent have never been
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revoked. Since.
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In other words, they are still an application today.
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In other words, they still apply to you because you're going to
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realize that they do apply to you.
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Secondly, what you're going to hear is that quote, these things
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is the repeated word, anathema, anathema.
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Some of, you know, that word. Some you may not know that word
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and are Roman Catholic friends would say that the definition of
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that word varies there they would say that early on the word
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anathema could have included the meaning of being accursed being
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cursed, right? We see that usage there even in
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Galatians chapter 1, but they would also argue that later on
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it took a more Dominant definition, which simply means
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to be excommunicated from The Community of Faith.
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Here's the point that I'm trying to make regardless of what
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definition you hold to and not them is not good.
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Okay, it's not a pleasant thing. It's not good.
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And it is regardless of the severity of the definition that
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apologist might hold to. It is undeniably an expression
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of condemnation, an expression of condemnation for those who
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would not hold to the belief that they say are crucial and
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essential to. What they would say, is the
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Christian faith. And so I want to Simply quote to
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you now and I need you to lean in and pay attention to the
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wording. And I'll my head's going to be
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down so that it's going to require you to lean a little bit
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more and use a little bit extra strength to pay attention.
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I'm going to read to you now. Few statements from the sixth
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session of the Council of Trent. Remember, this is on par with
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the authority of the word of God to them.
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This is not subordinate, this is not opinion because of their
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view of the authority of the magisterium this is binding to
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the conscience. The 6th Council.
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Of the Council of Trent, the sixth session rather under the
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title justification, cannons. Quote Cannon, 12.
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If any one shall say that justifying faith is nothing else
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than confidence in the Divine, Mercy, pardoning sins for
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Christ's sake. Or that it is that confidence
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Alone by which we are Justified. Let him be anathema.
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Cannon, 14. If anyone saith that man is
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truly absolved from his sins and Justified because that he
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assuredly believed himself, absolved and Justified, or that,
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no one is truly Justified, but he who believes himself
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Justified and that by this faith alone Absolution and
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justification are affected. Let him be anathema.
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Let me translate to that. If you believe in justification
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by faith, you are anathematized Canon 23.
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If anyone's saith that Justice received is not preserved and
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also increased before God through good works.
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Now pay attention to this but that the said works are merely
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the fruits and signs of justification obtained but not a
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cause of the increase their of let him be anathema.
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In other words, if you believe that good works are the fruit of
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your salvation, you're wrong. You need good works to be
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justified, works are not the fruit of your salvation.
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They are a means, by which you can experience the grace of God.
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Canon 30. if anyone saith that after the, grace of
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justification has been received, To every penitent sinner.
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The guilt is remitted and the debt of Eternal punishment is
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blotted out in such wise that there Remains Not any debt or
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temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world
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or in the next and purgatory. Before the entrance to the
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kingdom of heaven can be open to him.
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Let him be anathema. Did you understand that?
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If you believe that all your guilt, all your sins have been
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washed away and that you are not need in your not need for extra
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cleansing in this life or even in the next life is something
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that you're familiar with which is Purgatory, then anathema.
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And I was reviewing these things last night and thinking about
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them. And here's the question that
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came to my mind. Maybe it went through yours.
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Which interpretation of God's will do.
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I yolk myself to if I hold to the view that scripture is a
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Authority but the magisterium is another which one do I obey?
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Which one do I submit to, which one do I say?
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Yes? And amen.
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Well, if you're Roman Catholic, you would have to say the
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magisterium You would have to say the magisterium because the
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magisterium has apparently been given the authority from Christ
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to interpret scripture. You can't do that with your
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Bible alone necessarily and so you need to trust in the
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institution that God has placed an inspired by his spirit.
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So that means what I just read to you is amen.
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So, what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to trust the words
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of the Apostle, Paul who said, in Ephesians 2:8 and 9, for by
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Grace, we have been saved through faith, and this is not
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of your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a
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result of works, so that no one may boast.
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Or am I supposed to put my trust in Canon, 14 of the 6th session
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of the Council of Trent? Am I supposed to put my absolute
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heart? In the hand of the truth of
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Hebrews. 10:14 that tells me that by one sacrifice.
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I've been perfected for all time.
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For those who are being Sanctified or my supposed to
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live under the umbrella of Canon 30, that tells me.
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That I might need some extra purging before the Gates of
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Heaven are open to me. See, this is what it boils down
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to. This is why I'm bringing this to
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your attention. The reason why I believe what I
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believe is because I choose to put my trust in the clear
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infallible, word of God, not in the word of fallible, men.
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And I invite you to do the same. I love the words of the Apostle.
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Paul who said this in First Corinthians 4:6, you can turn
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there because it's a great passage and 1st Corinthians 4:6.
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Paul says, I've applied all these things to myself.
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And Apollo's for your benefit brothers that you may learn by
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us, not to go beyond what is written. that none of you may be
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puffed up in favor of one against another What is Paul
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saying, you're he's calling the Corinthians to use the scripture
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and, yes, Paul believed that his own writings were scripture.
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He called to the Corinthians to use their standard of judgment
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concerning the leaders based on what has been written, not by
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their own imaginations, not by their own feelings, not by their
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own arguments, not by anything else.
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Don't go beyond what has been already established and written.
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What about what he says to the same Corinthian Church who
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thought that they had the authority to determine what
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happened in the worship service and how Christians should
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exercise their gifts. And how do they should relate to
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one another? Well, the same Paul says, in
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First Corinthians 14, just scroll their few chapters later
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and notice what he says to the same group of people and First
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Corinthians 14. Verse 36.
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Or was it from you that the word of God came?
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Or are you the only ones it has reached?
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If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, he should
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acknowledge that. The things I am writing to you
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are a command of the Lord. Wow.
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Paul actually believe that what he wrote was commands from God?
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Yes, she was fully aware of that as you're going to discover in a
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moment and he's asking the same church to acknowledge that
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regardless of gifting, regardless of any private
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experience as the prophets in the church might have
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experienced, right? Right, no matter what kind of
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thus says the Lord? No matter what?
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Kind of spontaneous leading of the spirit?
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There was Paul says, if you're really a profit you would
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acknowledge my word, which is God's word and you would submit
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to it, you would submit to it. You would realize that this has
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supreme authority that this has ultimate say it has the final
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say of what you believe and how you practice your faith.
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Why is that? Because the Apostle Paul was
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among the other apostles who have been handpicked by Jesus,
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Christ, himself to lay the foundation of the church,
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according to Ephesians 2:20 That's that's very important to
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understand the Apostle's have been handpicked.
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Have been hand-picked in such a way that they've been in dude,
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with a specific kind of responsibility and that
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responsibility is whether by word or by writing what they
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said was determined as foundational to the faith of the
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church when you lay a foundation.
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It's something that says you're building on this.
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You're not adding to this, you're not expanding on it
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unless you are building upon what it says and what it
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determines already. So the foundation has been laid
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and Paul and the other Apostles realized that they had that
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unique call a call. That could not be passed down a
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call. That was not succeeded.
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A call that was unique to them and to them alone.
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And what about that? Perfect, I believe it's one of
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the greatest Declarations of the marriage, between the
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infallibility, of the word of God and the sufficiency of the
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word of God. And those who oppose the view of
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Sola scriptura don't like when it's quote, and I'll tell you
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why in a reason. But you know what, you probably
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memorize it, but let's just rehearse it again.
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Second Timothy 3. Verse 15 to 17.
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Speaking to Timothy and he says, oh, and how from childhood you
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have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able
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to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
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Notice that the, the sacred writings are able to make you
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wise unto salvation. In other words, if you if you
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engage with the Bible. Yes, there are some things that
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are harder to understand but not impossible, to understand,
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right. Because the claim is that we
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cannot Stand the Bible. So that we need the help of the
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church at large who have infallible ability to determine
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what the Bible says. Okay.
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It might be hard but what is essential the main things are
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the plain things. And what we have here is that if
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you engage with the Bible, you will have the direction.
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You need enough to be saved. Why isn't the Salvation verse
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16? All scripture is breathed out by
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God. And Profitable for teaching, for
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reproof for correction, and for training in righteousness.
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And I love this in verse 17, that the man of God, may be
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complete equipped for every good work wise unto salvation and
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equipped, to be what God calls me to be as a man of God, when
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God calls you to be, as a woman of God, it is sufficient.
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And I know those who, again, resist this proponents, that
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that view tradition and others, as the same as scripture, in
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terms of its Authority. I don't like this and they have
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two main arguments to why the first one is that they don't see
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Paul's words here as excluding, any other type of authority by
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which we can be made Sanctified. There's nothing here.
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This is the argument. There's nothing here that says
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okay we believe scripture is inspired by God but it doesn't
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mean that God can Inspire other means other systems to also help
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us grow to help us know. And I can see where they're
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coming from because you look at James chapter 1, you don't have
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to turn there but if you want, you can James chapter 1 verse 4
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and James, they're speaking about trials and he's calling
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the Christians to be faithful in their Trials of the let those
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trials have its full effect on them.
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Why that they may be complete. That they may be matured.
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In other words, God has ordained specific things in your life,
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difficult things in order to Chisel you and to make you more
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of the man that he wants you to be or the woman that he's called
27:57
you to be. I'm not arguing that the Lord
28:00
doesn't use the church that the Lord doesn't use people with
28:04
specific gifts to help us or even trials and Life to assist
28:08
us and to guide us into the will of God.
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What I am saying is that, nothing else in all the Bible
28:14
says that something is breathed out by God except for the
28:17
scriptures. Infallible infallible.
28:23
Infallible and inerrant unable to make a mistake and it is void
28:27
of error. That's what we believe and
28:29
that's what is only declared concerning the very word of God
28:32
that you and I love. Secondly, some would propose
28:37
that. What Paul is speaking here of
28:39
concerning all scripture is just the Old Testament.
28:43
It's just the Old Testament and New Testament was a recognized
28:46
though. They didn't have a new testament
28:47
library. And so what Paul is really
28:49
speaking about here is the Hebrew scriptures and that opens
28:53
up too many other problems, right?
28:57
But, you know, very well and I hope you do that even at this
29:00
time, Paul recognized New Testament books, as scripture, I
29:06
can spend the next 10 minutes to show you how Paul believe that
29:09
about his own writings and various Epistles.
29:12
But Paul also believe that about his contemporary writers and
29:16
just in case you don't know these references.
29:17
I want to give them to you, so that you are mindful of this.
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And the reason I'm going to tell you why this is important in a
29:22
moment here, but look here with me.
29:24
I first Timothy 5:8, you're in. Second Timothy scroll, back to
29:27
First Timothy 5:8, excuse me? 5:18 and notice the words of
29:31
Paul here, when he's seeking to teach about pastors in the
29:35
church, For the scripture says so.
29:39
So, Paul says, and First Timothy 5:18 For the scripture says you
29:44
shall not muzzle an ox when it Treads out.
29:47
The grain stop. That's in Deuteronomy.
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That's something that's found in Deuteronomy.
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Paul pulls that out by principle to apply to how leaders should
29:56
be compensated to some degree for their service in the church.
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You shalt not muzzle an ox, when it turns out the Grain and then
30:02
beautifully, he says and the laborer, deserves his wages,
30:05
where's that found? Luke.
30:10
Paul puts the Gospel of Luke on par with the book of
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Deuteronomy. Paul believed that Luke's
30:18
writings had the same Authority as the writings of Moses in
30:23
Deuteronomy. And so he brings Luke and he
30:27
brings Deuteronomy and the same breath, he exercised the
30:30
authority of the word of God from both sources during his own
30:34
lifetime. During the infancy of the early
30:36
church. First Timothy 5:18, what about
30:40
Peters words? And second Peter chapter 3.
30:43
There he is. Discussing Some people who are
30:47
pressing the church about different doctrines and he says
30:50
here in 2nd Peter 3:15. And count.
30:54
The patience of the Lord. I salvation just as our beloved
30:59
brother, Paul. Also wrote to you concerning the
31:01
wisdom, given him as he does in all his letters, all his
31:05
letters. When he speaks in them of these
31:07
matters, there are some things in them that are hard to
31:10
understand, pause, that comforts me.
31:13
Because if Peter had trouble understanding Paul's writings,
31:15
that means when I come to a text like Romans, I'm like this is
31:18
kind of difficult. Well, Peter struggled to do some
31:20
reading regard. That are hard to understand
31:24
which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction,
31:29
as they do the other scriptures. Paul's writings is in the same
31:37
category of scriptures. So if second Timothy 3:15 to 17
31:44
scriptures there refers solely to the Hebrew scriptures then
31:48
what do you do with text like this?
31:49
When Peter says if a Paul's letters are also scriptures this
31:55
also shows and this is the point that I want to make this also
31:58
shows that the recognition The circulation and the formulation
32:04
of the New Testament library was in operation during the lifetime
32:09
of the Apostles. And why I say that is because
32:12
those who hold to sacred tradition would say that if you
32:18
don't hold to sacred tradition, then you got to deny what you
32:21
believe to be the Bible. Why is that?
32:24
Because it's tradition that has compiled.
32:28
What you claim to be your Bible. In other words, at some point in
32:32
history, you had Christians who had the leading and the
32:37
authority to determine which books belong here and which
32:40
don't, there is no index in your Bible that says these books
32:43
belong. Who's going to determine with
32:45
all the different letters going around?
32:47
What belongs in the library and what doesn't?
32:49
And if you if you don't say tradition, then you have to also
32:52
deny your Bible. But hold on let's just make this
32:57
point clear to recognize what is authoritative in the Bible.
33:01
Does not automatically equate that you are infallible, does
33:04
it? I don't have to be infallible in
33:08
order to recognize what is divine.
33:10
And there is a Criterion by which the early Christians were
33:14
able to identify what was scripture and what could be
33:18
disregarded. But we don't have time to get
33:20
into that. What I want to say is this that
33:23
even if it is a tradition Okay, it's a tradition that's founded
33:27
in the Bible. It's not something that happened
33:30
outside of the Bible. Outside of the scripture.
33:32
We just had to references right there to show us that it was
33:36
birthed and it was happening and it was occurring during the
33:39
lifetime of the Apostles, when the very scriptures you and I
33:42
love were being formulated. That's something very important
33:45
to understand. Now, I know some of you might be
33:49
wondering something because I know this, I'm not a prophet nor
33:53
son of a prophet. Because some of you and some
33:57
others have messaged me concerning one particular verse
33:59
that is troublesome. It's kind of a thorn to this
34:02
whole belief in this conviction. It's in second Thessalonians, 2
34:08
verse 15. Here's a Paul says and it seems
34:12
to be a proof text that confirms how the written word of God is
34:16
appear to sacred tradition. Second Thessalonians 2 verse 15.
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We read here. So then Brothers.
34:30
Stand firm and hold to. What's that word?
34:34
The Traditions that you were taught by us either by are
34:39
spoken word or by our letter, uh-huh.
34:44
You see Paul mentions Traditions that were taught by him and the
34:49
other church leaders. And some of them were
34:52
transmitted by his word which confirms that there is some kind
34:56
of oral Doctrine. That was transmitted that they
35:01
taught and was passed down from generation to generation.
35:05
That's the argument. But here's the question, we have
35:09
to ask ourselves. Do you really believe that when
35:12
Paul used the word tradition here that he is referring to
35:14
extra-biblical Revelation? That is equal to God's word?
35:20
There are very there, are two very important words in this
35:23
verse and depending on your translation in might be one word
35:26
and it's word that that expands our understanding of the
35:29
scripture. So then you see that so then
35:33
your translation might say what they're for, okay?
35:37
What is therefore, therefore see what I did there, what is there
35:41
for there for? You gotta zoom out, you gotta
35:45
understand a pulse tires connected to a larger context
35:48
and what is that larger context? What We here in verse 15.
35:51
Are we not? Now come here verse 13, but we
35:56
ought always to give thanks to God for you Brothers beloved by
36:00
the Lord because God chose you as the first fruits to be saved
36:05
through sanctification, by the spirit and belief in the truth
36:08
to this. He called you through our gospel
36:11
so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord.
36:13
Jesus Christ. So then Brothers stand firm and
36:17
hold to the Traditions that you were taught by us.
36:21
Whatever tradition Paul was referring to was in connection
36:25
to their confidence of their standing in the gospel.
36:31
And if you want to expand the context, we know that in the
36:33
beginning of chapter 2, he speaking about the second coming
36:36
of Jesus Christ. So, these traditions and all the
36:41
word, Traditions really means in the original is handed down.
36:46
These Traditions things that were handed down.
36:50
Paul was speaking about clearly were linked to and consistent
36:53
with the substance of his Apostolic teaching and you would
36:59
find it yes through his word. But it would also be found in
37:02
his letters. That's why he says buyer word or
37:04
by our letters, right? The idea that what he spoke by
37:08
his word is some additional peripheral kind of thing.
37:12
It doesn't make sense because the very connection To the
37:16
tradition. There is what was handed down?
37:18
Concerning the gospel and choose about the return of the Lord.
37:21
Jesus Christ, not things out there that, that we can't find
37:25
in our Bibles or things. I might even conflict with our
37:28
Bibles, no simply things that were handed down, and because he
37:32
was an apostle, he could do that by word, or he can do that by
37:35
letter, which is also important. There is no indication here
37:39
whatsoever that this verse teaches that things would be
37:43
passed down by word from one generation.
37:45
You to the next. There's nothing of that.
37:50
All Paul is saying is I'm an apostle.
37:53
And as a living Apostle, at this time, when he wrote this, he
37:57
sang and it's logical. That my word is just as
38:00
authoritative as my writings are, my writings are just what
38:04
my thoughts are, obviously inspired by the spirit recorded
38:06
on Papyrus, right? So I can speak to you, what God
38:10
wants you to know? Because I'm alive, or I can
38:13
write these things to you and he has And they were equally
38:19
authoritative as long as they were alive.
38:20
But what do you do when they cease to live?
38:25
What is the church to do? If they don't have access to the
38:28
living, active voice of these apostles who been endowed with a
38:32
specific portion of the spirit and Grace to lay the foundation
38:36
of the church for the people of God.
38:39
Well, let me put it this way. One thing is for certain there
38:42
is no hint that the New Testament teaches that there is
38:47
some infallible rule that is coming your way that will help
38:52
you determine things. In other words, there's nothing
38:56
in the Bible that says, there is a post Apostolic Authority, that
39:00
is on the same level as the Bible that you can rely on very
39:04
soon. Nothing.
39:07
So what are you left with a very comforting truth?
39:11
You are comforted by the realization.
39:14
That the very testimony of the Bible calls us.
39:16
And invites us to look to its unparalleled perfectly reliable
39:23
guide. To who God is what he has done,
39:29
what he will do and what it is that he demands of us.
39:33
And this, he has placed in the possession of his people.
39:38
People often quote, 1st Timothy 3:15.
39:41
That the church is the pillar in the butcher's of Truth.
39:44
As a proof, text of the church is authoritative in the same
39:47
regard as the scripture. But they didn't finish the verse
39:51
early on. Paul says, I'm writing these
39:53
things to you. So that, you know how to conduct
39:55
yourself in the house of God. What I'm writing to you is what
40:00
is authoritative? What?
40:02
I am delivering to you is to determine how you conduct
40:05
yourself in the church. And what is a pillar do?
40:08
Does it create truth? Like what we see in the Council
40:12
of Trent? No, a pillar.
40:13
Uphold something. So the church has any relation
40:17
to the word of God. It is to guard the truth.
40:21
Protect the truth. Be faithful to the truth.
40:28
And I use this verse to end last week session.
40:32
And if you haven't heard last week session, and you want to
40:34
know more because I could take us to Jesus appeal to the
40:38
scriptures as his ultimate Authority.
40:40
Visit that sermon again to get an idea of how Christ leaves no
40:44
room or no entertainment of thought that he actually
40:47
believed there was something on par with the word of God.
40:51
When he dealt with Satan, he said it is written when he dealt
40:54
with Pharisees and Sadducees says the scripture, the
40:57
Commandment of God the word of God when he instructs his own.
41:02
I think of the two on the road to Emmaus who are heavy of
41:05
heart, confused about the events that took place concerning what
41:08
they believed to be the Messiah. Jesus went to the law to the
41:12
prophets. He went to the Hebrew scriptures
41:15
and walk with them, and open up to them what the word of God
41:18
says concerning his suffering. The word, the word, the word you
41:23
have Paul the word, my writings scripture, scripture.
41:27
All scripture is breathed out by God.
41:29
Yeah, the tradition is there. We don't believe tradition as a
41:31
dirty word as Protestants by the way.
41:35
Hold whatever tradition you want.
41:38
Does it submit to the word of God?
41:41
And this is why this is important.
41:44
Again, you're saying, what's this session about you thought,
41:47
last week as a foundation? Well, here's a little another
41:49
layer to the foundation because everything hinges on this.
41:52
Oh, we can talk about me, rheology.
41:54
We can talk about icons. We can talk about Mass.
41:58
We can talk about the Saints. We can talk about all of that,
42:01
but if we don't deal with the sole Authority for the church,
42:05
then we're just swinging at nothing.
42:08
Is scripture supreme authority, if not if not I make the case.
42:16
That there's trouble ahead for any Institution for any person.
42:21
There's trouble ahead and what I seek to prove to you again.
42:26
Is that in the coming weeks after a short little break, I
42:29
would present you. Some of the troubling things
42:30
that have immersed from The View.
42:32
That scripture alone is not. Sufficient is not the sole
42:36
standard and measuring stick for all truth.
42:40
But as Believers, what are we encouraged to do?
42:42
Let me reinforce this to test all things to that, which has
42:46
already been determined. It's not comforting.
42:51
This truth is not just to pick a fight.
42:53
This truth is about where we put our rest in where were relieved
42:59
and God's goodness and Redemptive history to say you
43:03
can trust in this. So near the end of the very
43:12
Cannon itself. Jude says in verse 3 again.
43:17
Let me remind you what was said last week, beloved, although I
43:22
was very eager to write to you about our common salvation.
43:26
I found it necessary to write appealing to you and I appeal to
43:29
you. Appealing to you to contend for
43:33
the faith. That was once for all delivered.
43:38
To the Saints, once for all delivered.
43:44
Why do I believe in scripture alone?
43:46
Because the scripture has a unique nature.
43:50
The scripture. Has a unique function.
43:54
This scripture has a testimony that no other source, no other
44:00
claim. No other system can claim for
44:03
itself. And because it has that unique
44:06
claim, the claim is being infallible.
44:08
Insufficient then, isn't it logical for all other sources of
44:13
authority to submit to the only thing that is perfect.
44:17
That's all. It is nothing complicated.
44:21
Nothing. Philosophical.
44:25
Very simple and I pray just like how the gospel simple you would
44:29
see the Simplicity of this principle and you would know the
44:32
freedom there and let's pray. Lord.
44:53
As we have been brought by you to Mark chapter 7, we want to
44:57
honor what your word says. Will we see clearly in that
45:01
chapter? That you regard the word of God,
45:04
the Commandment of God as Superior to all other things.
45:10
Well, we just ask that in this time of reflection.
45:15
There would be no mixture of personal opinion, but that we
45:19
would simply seek the voice of God.
45:26
The inscribed speech of God. we pray for those who might be
45:31
struggling in this area, That they would know that you are
45:36
gracious in our struggle. And that you Lord are willing to
45:41
guide us into truth. If truth is that which we want
45:45
Or for those who don't see the importance of this.
45:49
Help them realize that if what was said is true then the
45:53
evangelism field as much larger than what we thought Lord for
45:59
those who might still have questions.
46:03
With this ministry and other faithful Ministries and other
46:06
faithful, men, and women, who love your truth with, they be
46:09
brought to them, the answers that they are looking for.
46:13
Would you guide them guide us? And Lord though this is not a
46:19
exhaustive, understanding of this truth, may be a starting
46:23
point, maybe for some to dig, even deeper.
46:26
And to become even more encouraged by the authority of
46:30
the word of God. But for now, Lord, we pause we
46:34
pause to reflect what was given. And now, we give to our worship
46:39
and we want to let you know. Oh Lord.
46:42
That we believe your law is perfect.
46:44
We believe it has been preserved.
46:46
We believe that it is free from error.
46:49
We believe that it is enough to help us.
46:52
And that what has been made clear to us is necessary and
46:57
complete. Oh, Lord.
47:01
Bless our hearts. And this time of serious
47:04
discussion investigation, and Lord, guide us into the truth,
47:08
and Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
47:10
Let's stand and worship the true.
47:12
Ruth, the Living God, who has given us his truth.