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Romans 15:5-6 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, good morning. If you have a copy of God's Word with you, I do hope that you do. Please join me in Romans chapter 15.
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Once again, this morning will be a bit different than usual. We've had a lot of that here at the beginning of the year.
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It's starting to feel a little usual, isn't it? If you are a guest with us this morning, I want you to know that we normally preach,
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verse-by-verse expositions through a book. I feel some need to prove that to you.
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So, I'll just say, last year we completed a study of the Book of Romans, which took about two and a half years to make its way through.
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Spent a couple of weeks in the Book of Judges, and then just before Advent season, four weeks in the Book of Ruth.
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We went on to consider the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
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We're about to begin a seven-week study of the life of King David, and then, Lord willing, we will begin, once again, a verse-by-verse exposition of a gospel account.
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I think, I think, John's, perhaps Matthew's.
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This morning, though, in doing a different thing than usual, I want to take a moment to consider confessionalism.
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You may be asked, from time to time, is your church confessional? At least, I am, as a pastor, asked that quite regularly.
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What is it? What is confessionalism? Why does it matter?
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Why is our church a confessional church? The answer to that question is yes.
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Our church is, in fact, confessional.
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We live in an age that grapples with the truth.
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Some people don't know how to define it, or even believe that it's possible to arrive at any truth at all.
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This is a serious problem, and it is most likely an age-old one, although we only experience the unraveling of truth in our day.
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But praise be to God that he has ordained a solution for a confused age.
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In 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15, Paul calls the church a pillar and buttress of the truth.
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We are not originators of the truth.
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Those things Paul is talking about in 1 Timothy chapter 3 are those things found in the scriptures.
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We don't originate them, but we are to be its support and its protection.
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It is a high calling to hold the truth in our generation and to pass it on to the next.
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Sadly, I think the church can and often does err in this charge in one of two ways.
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On the one hand, doctrine is jettisoned for pragmatic expediency.
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Anything that the Bible teaches that makes anyone uncomfortable is perceived as an obstacle to seeing people make professions of faith in Christ.
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I think very often there's good intention that underlies this, but it's an error to be sure.
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You may be familiar with the apologetic attempt of a popular preacher in our very backyard to, quote, unhitch our faith from the Old Testament.
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So that's one possible error.
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On the other hand, doctrinal matters of lesser importance can become a distraction to meaningful fellowship
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when they are elevated in importance beyond their station.
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When things that aren't unimportant become too important in the life of a Christian fellowship.
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We believe that confessionalism can, it should, help us avoid these two potential errors.
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A confession is a document in which a church or group of churches, some association of Christians,
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states what it believes the Bible teaches on given subjects for the sake of Christian unity.
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That's the aim.
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That's where it's headed.
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That's what we're trying to accomplish with confessions.
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We're going to look at a number of texts today,
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but I would like for us to begin in Romans chapter 15, verse 5 and 6, which says this.
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May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another,
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in accord with Christ Jesus.
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That is in relationship to, right?
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Consistent with Christ Jesus.
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That together, verse 6, you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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There's one simple point I want to make from these two verses.
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Christian harmony or unity, it exalts Jesus Christ.
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The Christian, one whose soul has been saved by the work of Christ on their behalf.
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One who has been justified by grace through faith in Christ alone.
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The highest aim of their life ought to be the exaltation of Christ.
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We, having been saved by him, ought to want all people to see how grand and glorious he is.
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Paul hopes here that the Roman Christ followers and that you and I would be given grace for Christian unity
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so that the Lord Jesus Christ would receive glory.
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So it's a big thing that we're talking about here when we talk about confessionalism.
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This is not just some nerdy endeavor to take up,
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but it's for this great good of the exaltation of Christ in our Christian unity.
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But we don't always agree, do we?
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Sometimes we have personal conflict,
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and the Bible is replete with commands and instruction
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for how we are to set aside our preferences,
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bear with one another with compassion and reconcile.
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Sometimes we have conventional differences.
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Faithful Christians haven't always seen eye to eye on everything.
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This has always been true.
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It is true amongst us.
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We don't all agree on everything,
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and this creates some genuine challenges for unity.
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Beyond the general challenge of maintaining unity,
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our enemy we bring to it,
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our sinful inclinations,
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and our enemy is pleased to see us working against one another.
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In the back of your bulletin today,
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there's a quotation from Charles Spurgeon.
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He once said this,
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quote,
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Satan always hates Christian fellowship.
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It is his policy to keep Christians apart.
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Anything which can divide saints from one another,
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he delights in.
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He attaches far more importance to godly interaction than we do.
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Since union is strength,
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he does his best to promote separation.
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End quote.
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We have a lot working against our unity.
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Our disagreements certainly create the need
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to ask that God would be gracious to us,
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that we might live in the type of harmony
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that exalts Jesus Christ.
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We could just leave it off there and go,
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well, there we go.
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We're just going to pray for grace to be unified.
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But I would recommend that we take some practical steps
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to maintain the unity that is ours in Jesus.
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So how do we do this?
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Assuming that you are in Christ
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and that your greatest desire is to exalt Jesus Christ
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in word and deed,
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how do we maintain unity amidst disagreement?
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We do so by employing the practice
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of an idea called theological triage.
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And yes, if you remember here,
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you've heard me talk about this before.
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We're doing it again
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because it's that important.
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And the way we bring theological triage
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to bear in the life of the church
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is in the formation of confessions.
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It's that practice brought into reality
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in a tangible way.
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Triage is the process of assigning urgency
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or importance to a matter.
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If a bus that is full of people
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were in an accident
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and that number,
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those people in that accident,
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were brought into an emergency room
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those patients would be ranked for treatment
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from most severe need
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to least severe need.
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You've probably experienced this
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if you've ever been to an emergency room.
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You may not have known it was going on,
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but you've waited a long, long time
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because your emergency
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was not as severe
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as somebody else's emergency.
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This can, and we argue should,
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also be done theologically.
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If you believe that the Bible teaches a doctrine
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and a well-meaning Christian,
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brother or sister,
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disagrees with your view,
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what are you to do?
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How important,
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or perhaps in some cases unimportant,
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is said disagreement?
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Theological triage helps us
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to determine this.
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Now, at this point,
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I want to be clear.
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The term theological triage
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was coined,
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as far as anybody can tell,
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by Al Mohler,
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who is the current president
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of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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So new in this formulation,
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this idea,
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termed this way,
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theological triage.
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However,
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this concept can be seen historically
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in the creation of confessions
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and creeds,
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Christians carefully pinning
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doctrinal standards
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for the sake of agreement,
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and,
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much more importantly,
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as I will show you this morning,
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we can see this idea
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in the Bible.
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So,
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when we talk about theological triage,
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there are
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four orders of doctrine.
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First,
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second,
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third,
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fourth,
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or if you prefer,
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primary,
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secondary,
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tertiary,
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and quaternary,
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a word I'm always happy
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to slip into a conversation,
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I'm going to talk about these
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out of order
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because it makes sense,
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as I hope you'll see,
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why to talk about them
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out of order.
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The first is quaternary,
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or fourth order doctrine.
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We're going to talk about it first
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because it's simple,
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and we're going to get it
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out of the way.
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These are things
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that are unimportant.
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We are welcome
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to talk about them.
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It could be fun,
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perhaps,
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to talk about them,
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but at the end of the day,
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they just really don't matter.
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The only example I have
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in 17 years
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of being a pastor,
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the only one,
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but it's happened on repeat,
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is the question,
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is there life
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on other planets?
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It's interesting,
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we can talk about it,
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but it just doesn't really matter.
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Where you land on the topic,
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who cares
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at the end
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of the day,
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right?
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We know there's life
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on this planet
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that's cursed.
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We need a savior.
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Moving on.
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Fourth order.
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Third order doctrine,
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or tertiary doctrine,
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are matters
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that are important
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for the individual.
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So, important.
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Hear me say,
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not unimportant,
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important
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for the individual.
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Things that we ought
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to have some conviction about,
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but our conviction
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may vary from
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someone else's conviction.
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temptation.
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So,
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I'm going to give you
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a really
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base and simple
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example
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that has changed
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over time,
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and I'm giving this one
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to you because I just
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had a conversation
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about it
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with a brother.
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Over time,
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I've decided
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to wear a jacket
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on Sunday mornings
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when I'm preaching.
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And that's coming
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from a desire
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to not offend anybody.
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I just want to be sure
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anybody coming
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and visiting
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who might be used
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to a pastor
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in a suit,
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which I'm currently
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not convicted to do.
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I want to be able
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to get down
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on my knees
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and play with little kids,
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but I don't want
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to get dry cleaning,
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but I'm going to wear
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a jacket.
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So,
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it's a conviction
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that I came to,
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but I'm not going
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to put it on anybody
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else who preaches here.
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I never once asked
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one of the other guys
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that preaches
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on a Sunday morning
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to also wear a jacket.
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It's a personal conviction,
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right?
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I've decided.
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I think this is a good thing
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for me to do.
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Other examples,
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right?
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You should have
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some conviction
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about the consumption
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of alcohol,
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whether or not
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that's appropriate
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for you
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or in your house
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or out in public.
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There's some things
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to consider
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when it comes
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to the consumption
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of alcohol.
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The types of television
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that you're willing
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to watch
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or allow your children
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to watch.
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There's some clear
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parameters to that
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kind of thing,
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but there's some
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gray area there
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where we might
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want to not
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include some stuff
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in our home
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that you might
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feel okay with
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in your own.
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These are the kinds
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of things
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that we're all
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trying to work out
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as we're trying
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to be faithful
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to the scripture.
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It's so often
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being derived
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from the Bible,
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but then with the
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application of prudence.
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Like, what is the
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best way for me
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to obey this command
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or that command
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where the application
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isn't as clear
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as sometimes
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we may want it
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to be,
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but we should
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be having
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conversations.
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We should be
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pressing at one
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another in these
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matters, right?
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But the way we
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hold this doctrine
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is a way that says
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it's really important
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to me.
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It may not be
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felt the same
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by you.
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If you turn back
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just a page,
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perhaps,
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in your scripture,
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I'll show you
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an example of this
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from Romans chapter
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14.
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There Paul says,
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this is the first
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six verses,
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as for the one
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who is weak
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in faith,
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welcome him,
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but not to quarrel
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over opinions.
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One person
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believes he may
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eat anything
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while the weak
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person eats
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only vegetables.
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The concern here
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was food
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sacrificed to idols,
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right?
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And some conviction
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about that.
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And Paul's saying,
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don't get in arguments
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about this kind
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of thing.
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It's fine
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that one person
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is a vegetarian
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and another
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is not.
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Let not the one
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who eats
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despise the one
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who abstains
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and let not
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the one
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who abstains
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pass judgment
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on the one
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who eats
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for God
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has welcomed him.
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Who are you
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to pass judgment
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on the servant
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of another?
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It is before his
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own master
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that he stands
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or falls
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and he will
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be upheld
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for the Lord
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is able
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to make him
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stand.
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One person
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esteems
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one day
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as better
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than another
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while another
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esteems
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all days
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alike.
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Each one
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should be
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fully convinced
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in his own
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mind.
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The one
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who observes
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the day
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observes it
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in honor
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of the Lord.
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The one
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who eats
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eats
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in honor
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of the Lord
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since he
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gives thanks
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to God
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while the one
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who abstains
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abstains
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in honor
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of the Lord
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and gives
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thanks
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to God.
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So the
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assumption
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in these
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matters
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is that
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there's
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good
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underpinnings.
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These people
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belong to
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Christ
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and they're
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trying to
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be faithful
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to the
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Lord.
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They're
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trying to
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do what
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is right
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and proper.
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Let's
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not
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inquire
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over
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opinions.
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I think
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that much
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of the
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disunity
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that we
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see
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amongst
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Christians
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lies here.
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Third
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order doctrine
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being elevated
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to levels
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that it
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doesn't
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belong
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and then
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fights
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ensue
16:25
over these
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things.
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And it's
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tragic
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that that's
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the case.
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So here
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comes
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this process
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and the
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pinning of
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confessions
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to help us
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not do
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this.
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Okay,
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now we're
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going to
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jump up
16:39
the order
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to
16:40
first
16:41
order
16:41
doctrine
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or
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primary
16:44
doctrine.
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I think
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this is a
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much smaller
16:47
category
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but of
16:48
course
16:49
the most
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important.
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This is
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of vital
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importance
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for
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Christian
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unity.
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These are
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those things
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that must
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be believed
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for a
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person
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to be
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Christian.
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first
17:05
order
17:06
doctrines.
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I've said
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to you
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many times
17:08
before
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these are
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the doctrines
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that we
17:10
stand on
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a hill
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together
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and die
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for.
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Justification
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by grace
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through faith
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in Christ
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alone.
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If you
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want to
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get into
17:20
a debate
17:20
with me
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about the
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order of
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salvation
17:23
exactly the
17:24
way all
17:24
of these
17:25
things pair
17:25
out.
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Does
17:26
regeneration
17:26
precede
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faith
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or
17:27
regeneration
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I have
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an answer
17:28
to that.
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But if
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you want
17:29
to get
17:29
in a debate
17:30
with me
17:30
about that
17:30
that's
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fine.
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My
17:32
question
17:32
will be
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for you
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do you
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believe
17:34
were
17:34
justified
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by grace
17:36
through faith
17:37
in Christ
17:37
alone.
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If you
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say yes
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then I
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will
17:38
embrace
17:39
you.
17:39
First
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order
17:40
doctrine.
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The deity
17:42
of Jesus
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Christ.
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What do
17:43
we believe
17:43
to be
17:44
true
17:44
of Jesus
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person?
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Incredibly
17:48
important
17:49
that we
17:49
understand
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who
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he
17:51
is.
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These
17:53
things
17:54
matter
17:54
greatly
17:56
for
17:56
Christian
17:57
unity.
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Jude
17:59
verse
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three and
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four.
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Beloved
18:02
although I
18:02
was very
18:03
eager to
18:03
write to
18:04
you about
18:04
our
18:04
common
18:04
salvation.
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I
18:06
found it
18:06
necessary
18:07
to write
18:07
appealing
18:08
to you
18:08
to contend
18:09
for the
18:10
faith that
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was once
18:11
for all
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delivered
18:12
to the
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saints.
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I think
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Jude is
18:15
talking about
18:16
these
18:16
first order
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doctrines.
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And here's
18:19
why.
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Verse
18:20
four says
18:20
for certain
18:21
people have
18:21
crept in
18:22
unnoticed
18:22
who long
18:23
ago were
18:24
designated
18:24
for this
18:25
condemnation.
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Ungodly
18:27
people who
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pervert
18:29
Christ.
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These are
18:30
the wolves
18:31
in amongst
18:32
the sheep.
18:33
And we
18:33
have to
18:33
be able
18:34
to recognize
18:36
by doing
18:37
this process
18:38
and by
18:38
having
18:39
confessions
18:40
what things
18:41
we need
18:42
to contend
18:43
for.
18:44
What are
18:46
the types
18:46
of doctrines
18:47
that we
18:47
would be
18:47
willing to
18:48
see somebody
18:48
out of
18:49
our
18:49
fellowship
18:50
and say
18:50
there's
18:50
no way
18:51
you can
18:51
claim to
18:52
be a
18:52
Christ
18:53
follower
18:53
if you
18:53
don't
18:53
believe
18:54
these
18:55
things.
18:58
So tragic
18:59
in our
18:59
day.
19:00
Across
19:01
traditions
19:02
people who
19:03
have largely
19:04
agreed on
19:05
the stuff
19:06
that matters
19:07
most
19:07
being just
19:08
schismed
19:10
apart by
19:10
those things
19:11
that are
19:11
third order
19:12
that are
19:12
being elevated
19:13
to first
19:14
order.
19:15
Over these
19:16
past years
19:17
not amongst
19:18
us!
19:19
But I
19:19
have experienced
19:20
this!
19:22
I have been
19:23
called
19:24
names that
19:25
I cannot
19:25
say here
19:26
by brothers
19:27
who claim
19:28
to be
19:28
Christian
19:28
because I
19:29
didn't agree
19:30
with them
19:30
on things.
19:31
I have
19:32
been called
19:32
unfaithful
19:34
because I
19:35
didn't agree
19:36
with their
19:36
positions on
19:37
things like
19:38
COVID policy
19:39
for example.
19:41
It's shameful.
19:42
A shameful
19:43
way for
19:44
Christians to
19:44
act toward
19:45
one another.
19:48
Beloved,
19:49
if we agree
19:49
on these
19:50
first order
19:50
things,
19:51
they are so
19:52
massive
19:53
and the
19:54
world
19:54
is against
19:55
us on
19:56
these
19:56
things.
19:58
There's so
19:59
much space
19:59
for unity,
20:01
for linking
20:01
arms if we
20:03
agree on
20:04
first order
20:05
doctrines,
20:07
primary
20:07
doctrine.
20:10
Then it
20:11
follows by
20:12
implication.
20:14
We're not
20:14
going to agree
20:15
on everything.
20:16
You're thinking
20:17
about things,
20:17
but what about
20:18
this and what
20:18
about that
20:19
and what
20:19
about this?
20:20
that there
20:21
are going
20:22
to be
20:22
some
20:22
second
20:23
order
20:24
doctrines,
20:25
things that
20:25
are important
20:26
for church
20:28
and perhaps
20:29
outside of the
20:30
church,
20:30
ministry
20:31
fellowship.
20:33
Things that
20:33
we ought to
20:34
agree upon
20:34
together in
20:35
order just to
20:36
function together
20:38
as a church.
20:40
These doctrines
20:41
are going to
20:41
define our
20:42
practice,
20:44
for example,
20:46
the regulative
20:46
principle.
20:47
We want to
20:47
make a clear
20:48
Bible argument
20:49
for everything
20:49
we do
20:50
together when
20:51
we gather
20:51
as a
20:52
church.
20:55
Or,
20:56
who are the
20:56
proper
20:56
recipients for
20:58
baptism?
20:59
That's a thing
21:00
we should agree
21:00
upon as a
21:02
church.
21:03
If you come
21:04
here, we are
21:05
a Baptist
21:06
church.
21:06
We are
21:06
credo
21:07
Baptists.
21:07
So, if you
21:08
come here and
21:09
you want to
21:10
have your
21:10
infant child
21:11
baptized,
21:11
you don't
21:12
get to just
21:12
decide that
21:13
here because
21:13
we would
21:14
not accept
21:15
that as a
21:15
baptism.
21:16
We wouldn't
21:16
do it.
21:17
We would
21:18
try to show
21:18
you a Bible
21:19
case for it.
21:19
We would
21:20
love and
21:20
embrace you
21:21
on all of
21:21
those first
21:22
order doctrines.
21:23
But as a
21:24
church, we
21:24
don't feel
21:24
comfortable
21:25
administering
21:26
baptism to
21:27
infants.
21:28
So, you're
21:30
welcome to
21:30
stay and
21:31
change your
21:31
view or
21:32
go find a
21:34
paedo-baptist
21:34
church that
21:35
agrees with
21:36
you on that
21:37
matter.
21:37
That's a
21:38
very reasonable
21:39
option for
21:41
you to take.
21:42
So, those are
21:42
examples of how
21:43
it would define
21:44
our practice
21:45
together.
21:45
But also,
21:47
possibly these
21:48
second-order
21:48
doctrines can
21:50
help us define
21:50
what is sin
21:52
or what is
21:53
not sin.
21:55
A very
21:56
complex issue
21:57
would be a
21:58
view on
21:59
divorce and
22:01
or remarriage.
22:02
Are there
22:02
instances in
22:03
which people
22:05
can be
22:05
divorced and
22:06
then following
22:07
instances in
22:07
which they
22:08
could be
22:09
remarried?
22:10
And if the
22:11
church is to
22:12
practice church
22:12
discipline, if
22:13
the church is
22:14
to call sin
22:14
sin, what do
22:15
we think about
22:16
these matters?
22:18
How are we to
22:18
deal with them?
22:20
Because life is
22:21
going to present
22:21
these kinds of
22:22
things to us in
22:23
the life of
22:24
our church.
22:26
So, second-order
22:28
doctrine fits in
22:30
that category.
22:30
Important for
22:31
church
22:32
fellowship.
22:35
Think long and
22:37
deep about
22:38
Christian unity.
22:40
how is it that
22:42
we can be
22:43
agreeable even
22:44
when we
22:46
disagree?
22:46
It's going to
22:47
vary situation
22:48
by situation.
22:51
Theological
22:52
triage needs to
22:52
be a regular
22:53
part of our
22:55
thinking practice.
22:56
I just think as
22:57
people are
22:58
presenting to us
22:59
ideas, talking
23:01
about the
23:01
scripture, thinking
23:02
about applications,
23:04
how is it that
23:04
they're following
23:05
Lord?
23:05
I think we
23:06
need to be able
23:06
to run through
23:07
this process and
23:08
categorize things
23:08
quickly so we
23:09
know how
23:10
to respond to
23:11
people.
23:13
What doctrines
23:14
are of highest
23:15
order?
23:17
What truths
23:17
would you be
23:18
willing to
23:19
die for?
23:21
I'll tell you
23:22
this, I'm not
23:22
dying for wearing
23:23
a jacket on
23:24
Sunday morning.
23:24
It's not a
23:26
chance.
23:28
If the
23:28
government
23:28
declared I
23:29
couldn't wear
23:29
jackets on
23:30
Sunday morning,
23:31
I'd go,
23:31
alright, that's
23:32
fine.
23:33
If the
23:34
government
23:34
tells me I
23:35
can't teach a
23:36
biblical ethic
23:37
for marriage
23:38
and sexuality,
23:39
lock me up.
23:42
Have you
23:43
caused disunity
23:44
over beliefs
23:44
that should
23:45
not have
23:46
caused
23:47
disunity?
23:49
You may have
23:49
some repentance
23:50
and repair
23:51
work to do.
23:54
When is it
23:55
appropriate to
23:56
bear with
23:56
another in a
23:58
disagreement?
23:59
When is it
24:00
appropriate to
24:01
part ways
24:01
peacefully for
24:03
the very sake
24:03
of unity?
24:04
We may need
24:05
to go
24:05
separate ways
24:05
because we
24:06
do think
24:07
we need to
24:07
practice a
24:08
bit differently.
24:10
When is it
24:10
appropriate to
24:12
go to war,
24:13
I mean not
24:13
figuratively,
24:15
over a
24:15
doctrine?
24:17
We think that
24:18
the answer to
24:19
many of these
24:20
questions should
24:20
be defined in
24:22
confessions and
24:23
creeds.
24:24
Most traditionally
24:25
a creed is
24:26
just a short
24:26
confession,
24:27
just so you
24:27
know how
24:28
that term is
24:29
typically used.
24:31
Those matters
24:31
of first order,
24:33
and those
24:34
matters of
24:35
second order
24:36
should be
24:38
maintained in
24:39
a document or
24:40
documents adopted
24:42
by a local
24:43
church.
24:45
Doctrinal
24:45
standards should
24:46
be thoughtfully
24:47
written,
24:48
poured over,
24:50
carefully
24:50
considered,
24:52
kindly debated,
24:54
and then taught
24:55
and held to.
24:57
So, your
24:58
elders have
24:59
been hard at
25:00
work creating
25:01
these types
25:03
of documents.
25:04
We've been
25:04
behind the
25:05
scenes,
25:05
many of you
25:06
know this,
25:06
we've not been
25:07
doing it as a
25:09
secret,
25:10
but we've been
25:11
out ahead trying
25:12
to think about
25:12
this kind of
25:13
thing.
25:13
How do we
25:13
continue to
25:14
maintain
25:14
Christian unity,
25:17
especially in
25:18
such a
25:18
confused age?
25:21
It's difficult
25:23
to say this,
25:24
because I could
25:24
just be totally
25:25
wrong as I say
25:25
it, but I
25:26
think second
25:27
only to
25:29
declaring the
25:30
gospel of the
25:30
Lord Jesus
25:31
Christ, this
25:32
is the most
25:33
important thing
25:33
I've been
25:34
spending time
25:34
on lately.
25:35
Second only to
25:36
gospel proclamation,
25:39
it's been working
25:39
on doctrinal
25:41
standards for
25:43
our church.
25:44
We've not been
25:45
without across
25:45
all these years,
25:46
we have had a
25:47
confession that
25:47
we've functioned
25:48
under, but it
25:49
was pretty
25:50
brief, and we
25:52
think it's time
25:53
for something much
25:53
more robust in
25:55
the life of a
25:56
church.
25:56
church.
25:57
So, this
25:58
evening, we're
25:59
having a
26:00
members meeting
26:00
in which we're
26:01
going to hand
26:01
out documents to
26:02
you, so if
26:02
you're here this
26:03
morning and you
26:03
wish you had
26:04
them in your
26:04
hand, you're
26:04
going to have
26:05
to wait until
26:05
next Sunday
26:06
when I have
26:07
them prepared
26:07
for you.
26:08
But if you're
26:09
a member and
26:09
you're coming to
26:10
the members
26:10
meeting, we'd
26:10
love to put
26:11
them in your
26:11
hand at that
26:12
point.
26:14
We've created
26:15
a creed, which
26:16
is a one-page
26:17
document, looks
26:20
like so, and a
26:22
confession, which
26:24
is a 46-page
26:25
document that
26:27
looks like this.
26:31
It has within
26:32
it 33 articles,
26:34
so various
26:34
matters that we
26:35
feel need
26:37
addressing, careful
26:38
clarification.
26:39
Those are the
26:40
first and second
26:42
order types of
26:44
doctrine.
26:45
For example,
26:46
the first one is
26:47
on the Holy
26:49
Scripture.
26:50
What is the
26:50
Bible?
26:51
What do we
26:51
believe is God's
26:52
inspired word?
26:54
word?
26:55
The fifth
26:55
article is on
26:56
divine providence.
26:58
How is it that
26:59
God functions as
27:01
the ruler of
27:02
this world?
27:04
Article 15 is on
27:05
saving faith.
27:06
What does it look
27:07
like when somebody
27:07
places their faith
27:08
in Jesus Christ?
27:10
Article 20 is on
27:12
the law of God.
27:13
How is it that
27:14
that law works in
27:15
the life of a
27:16
Christian?
27:18
Article 26 is on
27:19
marriage, divorce,
27:21
marriage, and
27:22
remarriage.
27:23
These are just
27:23
some examples of
27:24
the 33 contained
27:26
within.
27:29
As I mentioned,
27:30
we will distribute
27:31
this evening at our
27:32
members' meeting
27:32
with an explanation
27:34
for how we propose
27:35
they be used in the
27:36
life of our church
27:37
to preserve
27:38
Christian unity
27:38
and with an
27:40
explanation of the
27:41
editorial and
27:42
adoption process
27:44
for these documents.
27:46
If you're unable
27:47
to join us this
27:47
evening, we'll post
27:49
a recording of
27:50
that portion of
27:50
our meeting.
27:51
But in order to
27:52
get ahead of any
27:53
possible panic, I
27:54
want you to know
27:54
that we don't
27:55
intend to adopt
27:56
any of the
27:57
proposed changes
27:58
until the members'
27:59
meeting is scheduled
28:00
in July.
28:03
So a good six
28:04
months to take
28:06
the time to get
28:08
in, to do this
28:09
work, thoughtfully
28:11
pour over it,
28:13
carefully consider
28:13
it, kindly
28:14
debate it, make
28:16
potential edits
28:18
to it, come
28:20
back together
28:20
and establish
28:21
a more robust
28:23
doctrinal standard
28:24
for our church.
28:28
So let's be
28:28
good, elder-led
28:30
congregationalists
28:31
and get to work
28:33
for the sake of
28:34
Christian unity
28:35
to the end
28:36
that Christ
28:37
will be
28:38
exalted.
28:40
Beloved,
28:41
unapologetically,
28:43
as far as I have
28:44
any influence
28:46
on the life of this
28:47
church, we will
28:49
be confessional.
28:51
We believe the
28:52
scripture teaches
28:53
things and we
28:55
want to be clear
28:55
about what we
28:56
believe it says
28:57
on matters of
28:59
most importance
29:00
and we also want
29:01
to be clear on
29:02
what it may not
29:04
be so clear on,
29:05
things that we
29:06
may be able to
29:07
see differently
29:07
and yet maintain
29:08
Christian unity
29:09
for the exaltation
29:11
of Christ.
29:13
In closing,
29:14
let me read
29:14
one more time
29:15
Romans chapter
29:16
15, verse 5
29:18
and 6
29:19
and we'll pray
29:20
to this end.
29:21
May the God of
29:21
endurance and
29:22
encouragement
29:23
grant you to
29:24
live in such
29:24
harmony with one
29:25
another in accord
29:26
with Christ Jesus
29:27
that together you
29:29
may with one
29:30
voice glorify the
29:31
God and Father
29:32
of our Lord,
29:33
Jesus Christ.
29:34
Let's pray.
29:35
God of