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Romans 16:17-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, good morning. I'm very glad to be here with you this morning.
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I hope you are glad to be here as well.
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Let's open our Bibles to Romans chapter 16.
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Our text for today is Romans chapter 16, verses 17 through 20.
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We find ourselves back in the final chapter of Romans this week
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and have an additional eight weeks.
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I'm just kidding.
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We don't.
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We have a planned additional one week until we'll conclude our study of this letter.
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The last time we were considering this book,
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we took a look at Romans 16, verses 1 through 16,
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and then verses 21 through 23.
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We look at the text this way because they contain greetings to people
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and greetings from people.
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These 19 verses mention 35 people by name,
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as well as the mention of groups of Christians in households
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and companions to people mentioned by name.
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Today, we are stepping back to a four-verse interjection,
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and I want to take a moment to explain why I think the interjection exists.
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Paul is making a point, at least in part, in these four verses
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that I've been laboring to make to you over our time together in this book.
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We must be so careful with our doctrine,
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and we must be so careful that we assign doctrinal importance
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so that the gospel is preserved.
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I've made this case for theological triage to you again and again.
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I'll spare you today making that case.
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But we need to be careful in thinking about what hills we die on.
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In this letter, Paul teaches that justification or salvation is by grace alone.
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It's his kindness toward us.
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Through faith alone, this is the means in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
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And then he teaches us what the life liberated from the power of sin looks like,
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and the driving characteristic of that life is unified love.
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So I think that in 16 verses 1 through 16,
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Paul has expressed all of these wishes of embrace.
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Remember that term, greet.
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That means to pull in tight, to embrace.
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For people that he loves,
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and then, because he loves them,
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he can't help but give them one more exhortation.
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It was, after all, Paul who wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 and verse 6
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that love rejoices with the truth.
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So join me as we look at this interjected, final exhortation of Paul's letter to the Romans.
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Romans 16, I'll begin reading in verse 17.
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Let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us,
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written for his glory and our good.
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And so we would all do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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I appeal to you, brothers,
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to watch out for those who cause divisions
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and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught.
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Avoid them.
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For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ,
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but their own appetites,
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and by smooth talk and flattery
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they deceive the hearts of the naive.
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For your obedience is known to all
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so that I rejoice over you,
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but I want you to be wise as to what is good
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and innocent as to what is evil.
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The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
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We have a very simple three-point outline
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for our study this morning,
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which is as follows.
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Number one, Paul's caution.
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Number two, Paul's encouragement.
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And number three, Paul's confidence.
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Number one, Paul's caution.
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And we see this in those first two verses.
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What I think we first need to consider here
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is what Paul is not cautioning against.
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He is not here speaking about the lesser order issues.
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He is not talking about varied opinions.
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There are many things that we don't entirely see eye to eye on
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in the Christian faith.
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I'm sure you can draw many of them to mind.
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This is a text about false teachers.
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Those who do not serve are Lord Christ.
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Notice that in verse 18.
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Remember that Paul has encouraged unified love
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in this letter in chapter 14.
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This is verse 1.
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As for the one who is weak in faith,
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welcome him,
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but not to quarrel over opinions.
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And then later, verse 13 of the same chapter,
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Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer,
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but rather decide never to put a stumbling block
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or hindrance in the way of a brother.
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Paul commands us to bear with one another
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over the minor points.
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Elsewhere, like in Titus 3.9,
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Paul tells Titus to avoid foolish controversies,
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genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law,
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for they are unprofitable and worthless.
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And in 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 23,
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he tells Timothy,
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Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies.
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You know that they breed quarrels.
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Paul wants us to find the right hills to die on.
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He wants us to be sure that we hold in our closed fists
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what we are willing to fight for.
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And those doctrines are the highest order doctrines.
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In a day where every bit of news
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seems to send people into existential tailspins,
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we need this word.
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Listen to the astounding words of Paul
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written from a Roman jail cell in Philippians chapter 1.
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This is verse 14 and following.
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And it just amazes me every time I read it.
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Lord, that I will be more like Paul in this way.
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He says, beginning in verse 14,
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And most of the brothers,
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having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment,
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are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
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Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry,
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but others from goodwill.
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These two categories, right?
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Brothers are being emboldened to speak the word
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because of Paul's imprisonment, right?
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Some from goodwill,
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some from envy and rivalry.
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The latter do it out of love,
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those from goodwill,
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knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
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The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition,
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not sincerely,
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but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
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And I don't know exactly what's going on here,
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but it sounds like these brothers had some sort of competitive intention
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with the ministry of Paul.
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But what is it that they are proclaiming?
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He says, verse 18,
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What then?
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Only that in every way,
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whether in pretense or in truth,
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Christ is proclaimed.
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And in that I rejoice.
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Yes, and I will rejoice.
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So there's these men with poor intentions
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about their gospel proclamation,
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and yet they're proclaiming the gospel,
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and Paul rejoices in this,
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and his attitude is incredibly instructive.
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Some of you act competitively
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towards other Christians or other churches.
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The kinds of elitist things you say
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reach my ears from time to time,
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and it grieves me.
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We desire to be as faithful to God's word
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as we can possibly be.
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I hope that you have chosen
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to fellowship with this church
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because you believe that we are being faithful
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to all that it commands.
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We're headed in that direction.
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If we are not there yet,
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and we're not,
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we are headed in that direction.
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The moment you think
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that we have no faults,
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or simply act towards others
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like we have no faults,
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then you have become
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a destroyer of the unity
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that is ours in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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This is an aside.
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This is not the main point
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that Paul is making here,
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but I want to say to you,
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let's rejoice in those who preach the gospel,
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even if we disagree on some minor things.
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Let's rejoice with anyone,
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and with any church,
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that is clear on the gospel.
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Justification by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in the personal work of Jesus Christ alone,
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because this matters so much.
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Now, we could get into all kinds of doctrine
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and talk about all kinds of things.
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I'm not trying to over-reduce this
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simply to grace alone,
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faith alone, Christ alone.
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I'm not simply doing that.
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But the two large categories
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we need to be thinking is,
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is teaching that messes with the nature of God,
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and teaching that messes with
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the person and work of Christ.
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I think those two broad categories
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are really helpful to us.
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Note from today's text
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that there is a real enemy within.
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Those who claim to speak on behalf of our God,
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but do not.
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Let's keep our false doctrine radars
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focused in the right direction.
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Let's choose the right hills to die on.
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Okay, so that said,
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he's not talking about that.
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What is he cautioning against?
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He says,
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I appeal to you,
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brothers,
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watch out for those who cause divisions
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and create obstacles
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contrary to the doctrine
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that you have been taught.
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Avoid them.
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I think that this includes everything
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that he has taught
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up to this point.
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Here's the caution.
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We are to watch out.
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Be on the lookout
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for people who teach error.
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False teachers.
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This is a great concern
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of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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He said in Matthew 24 and verse 24,
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for false Christs and false prophets
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will arise and perform great signs
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and wonders
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so as to lead astray,
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if possible,
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even the elect.
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They're going to do impressive things
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to distract people from the truth.
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Then in Matthew 7,
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verse 15 and 16,
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he says,
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Beware of false prophets
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who come to you in sheep's clothing,
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but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
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Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4,
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verse 12 and following
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that the work of church leaders
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is to equip the saints
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for the work of ministry,
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for building up the body of Christ.
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To what end?
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Until we all attain
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to the unity of the faith
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and of the knowledge
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of the Son of God
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to mature manhood
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to the measure of the stature
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of the fullness of Christ.
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Why?
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Verse 14,
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So that we may no longer be children
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tossed to and fro by the waves
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and carried about
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by every wind of doctrine,
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by human cunning,
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by craftiness
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in deceitful schemes.
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Right?
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These things happen.
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Right?
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And the work we're meant to be doing
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is standing against
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this kind of teaching.
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Rather,
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verse 15,
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speaking the truth in love.
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We are to grow up in every way
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into Him who is the head,
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into Christ.
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That's the work of the church.
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Right?
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Church leaders equipping all of us
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to speak the truth
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to one another
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so that we'll grow up
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into maturity.
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Peter,
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in 2 Peter 1,
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verse 20,
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into chapter 2,
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verse 3,
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following grand words
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concerning the nature
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of the Scripture,
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says this,
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knowing this first of all
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that no prophecy of Scripture
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comes from someone's
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own interpretation,
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for no prophecy
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was ever produced
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by the will of man,
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but men spoke from God
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as they were carried along
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by the Holy Spirit.
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And then he says in chapter 2,
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Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul
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and their destruction is not asleep.
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So, we are to watch out.
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Be on the lookout for people who teach error.
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If someone teaches in contradiction to the doctrines of Christ,
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we are to identify them.
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But what are we to do with them once they have been identified?
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There has been much error in this way.
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And I'm going to read to you a paragraph from John MacArthur's commentary on this
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because he's just succinct and I think it's helpful.
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What are we to do? That's the question.
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What are we to do when we have identified a false teacher?
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He writes, a caution about Paul's caution should be given.
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He was not teaching or implying that true believers have the right to do physical harm to heretics.
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During the Reformation, some Protestants as well as Catholics committed grave inhumanities in the name of Christ.
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When a group of Samaritans refused to render hospitality to Jesus and the disciples,
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James and John, whom Jesus had nicknamed Sons of Thunder, asked,
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this is in Luke chapter 3,
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Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?
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Jesus replied,
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One of Jesus' several strong rebukes of Peter was given in response to that disciples cutting off the ear of one of the high priest slaves
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when the Jewish leaders brought Roman soldiers to arrest Jesus.
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Put your sword back into its place, he said to Peter,
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for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
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Even protection of the Son of God did not justify the use of physical violence.
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So, a caution against the caution.
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What are we to do?
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Well, the right response is right here in the text, is it not?
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Avoid them.
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We are just to avoid them.
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We are to turn away from what they teach.
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We are to warn others against what they teach.
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We are to instruct others in the truth so that the error can be most readily identified.
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Why?
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Because these teachers do not serve our Lord Christ.
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Verse 18.
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But their own appetites,
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that is to say,
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their own greed.
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They are doing it for themselves.
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And by smooth talk,
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appealing talk,
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and flattery,
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they deceive the hearts
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of the naive.
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So, those who are immature in the faith
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need to be protected
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from these false teachers.
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In thinking about this very issue,
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I was so helped by Paul's words to Timothy
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in 2 Timothy chapter 4.
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In thinking,
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what is happening in our age
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that so many people are so drawn in
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by false teachers?
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And I was very helped here.
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Paul instructs Timothy,
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this is verse 1 of chapter 4.
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He said,
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Here's what he says.
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Preach the word.
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Be ready in season and out of season.
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Reprove, rebuke, and exhort
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with complete patience and teaching.
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So he says,
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Preach the word.
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Preach the word.
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Preach the word.
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Preach the word.
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Preach the word.
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Why?
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Verse 3 says,
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For the time is coming
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when people will not endure
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sound teaching,
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but having itching ears,
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they will accumulate for themselves
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teachers to suit their own passions
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and will turn away from listening to the truth
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and wander off into myths.
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It is going to happen.
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It is happening.
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What are we to do?
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What are we to do?
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With complete patience.
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Now it seems today that the only heresy
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is saying that there is heresy.
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But if we are to follow Paul's instruction here,
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we must speak with great clarity
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for the truth and against falsehood.
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This text does not give us space
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to gloss over false teaching.
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Great clarity for the truth
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and against falsehood.
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Listen to another warning of Paul's
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concerning false teachers
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in 2 Corinthians chapter 11.
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This is verse 13 and following.
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There he says,
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For such men are false apostles,
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deceitful workmen,
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disguising themselves
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as apostles of Christ.
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And no wonder,
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for even Satan disguises himself
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as an angel of light.
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So it is no surprise
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if his servants also disguise themselves
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as servants of righteousness.
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Their end will correspond
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to their deeds.
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People will be misled.
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They will look at the shiny glitz
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of much of what is being taught
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out there
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and they will be deceived.
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What part can we play
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in rescuing them
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from such false teachers?
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All we can do, beloved,
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all we can do
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is speak with great clarity
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for the truth
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and against falsehood.
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And you may say,
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But Nathan,
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doesn't that cause division?
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And my response to you is,
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No.
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To the contrary,
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it is the false teachers
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that cause division.
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Paul tells us,
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These are the men
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who cause divisions.
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Their departure from the truth
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is divisive,
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not the correction of it.
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The correction of it
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is trying to bring us back together
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around the truth.
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If we're to love people
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as we should,
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we're going to rejoice
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in the truth.
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So allow me to give you
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two broad examples.
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The first is Roman Catholicism.
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We are Protestants
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for a reason
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and we still protest
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against Roman Catholicism.
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Now as a quick aside,
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I said in a Bible study
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many years ago,
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over a decade ago,
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that Roman Catholicism
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was the world's largest cult
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that I said this
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because his girlfriend
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at the time
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claimed to be a Catholic.
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And so I simply said,
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Well, let me tell you why.
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I call Roman Catholicism
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a cult.
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And I began to explain
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the things that Rome teaches
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and he,
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to each thing I said,
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said,
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She doesn't believe that.
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I went,
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Okay, well,
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that's good.
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Here's another thing
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that Rome teaches.
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Oh, she doesn't believe that.
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And we walked through
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a litany of things.
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And at the end of that,
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I just said,
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Your girlfriend's
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not a Roman Catholic.
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And he said,
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this is after about
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an hour on the phone,
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Yeah, she's going to
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a non-denominational church
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right now.
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I went,
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Why do we have
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this conversation?
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I stand by the statement.
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So,
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this is from,
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and what I'm going to read to you
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is from the Council of Trent.
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This is the 16th century,
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long ago,
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but this is a response
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to Reformation teaching
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of
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grace alone,
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faith alone,
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Christ alone,
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right?
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If you're not on the same page
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as me,
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justification by grace
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through faith in Christ,
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if I'm saying that to you
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and you're going,
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I don't even know
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what he's talking about,
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please come talk to me.
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We have talked about it
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a lot
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throughout our study
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of the book of Romans.
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I want you to be very clear
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on this.
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If we are to be saved,
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it is because God
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shows us grace,
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gives us something
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we don't deserve.
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He uses our faith,
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which he gives us,
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right?
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And it's in what Christ
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has accomplished
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on our behalf.
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Full stop.
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Justification by grace
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through faith
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in Christ alone.
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This is their response.
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Canon 24.
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If anyone says
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that justice received
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is not preserved
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and also not increased
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before God
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through good works,
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but that those works
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are merely fruits
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and signs of justification
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obtained,
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not because of its increase,
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let him be now
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for the things
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that I'm saying
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to you.
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Right?
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This is divisive.
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This is against
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what the scripture teaches.
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Not what I'm saying.
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Canon 30.
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If anyone says
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that after the reception
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of the grace
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of justification,
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the guilt is so remitted
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and the debt
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of eternal punishment
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so blotted out.
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Let me just stop
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for a second there,
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right?
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If anyone says
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that after the reception
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of the grace
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of justification,
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the guilt,
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if anyone says
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to you that
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if you have been justified,
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your guilt
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is expunged.
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It's so remitted
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and the debt
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of eternal punishment
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so blotted out
22:38
that no debt
22:39
of temporal punishment
22:40
remains to be discharged
22:42
before the gates
22:43
of heaven can be opened.
22:44
Let him be
22:45
anathema.
22:47
That's the Roman Catholic Church.
22:49
That's what they teach today.
22:50
They still hold
22:52
the Council of Trent
22:53
to be true.
22:55
False.
22:56
False,
22:56
false,
22:57
false.
22:58
And so we protest,
22:59
right?
23:00
We are not Roman Catholics.
23:02
That is a hill
23:03
to die on,
23:04
justification
23:04
by grace
23:05
through faith
23:05
in Christ.
23:07
Alone.
23:08
The theologian
23:08
Herman Bavink,
23:10
this is true,
23:11
I'm about to say.
23:12
This is yay for Herman.
23:14
This is not a falsehood.
23:15
This is on the back
23:16
of your bulletin.
23:17
If you care to read it
23:18
with me,
23:18
it says,
23:18
faith is not justified
23:21
by its own essence
23:23
or act
23:23
because it itself
23:25
is righteousness,
23:27
right?
23:27
It's not saying
23:28
the faith itself
23:29
is the good work
23:30
that justifies you,
23:31
but by its content
23:33
because it is faith
23:35
in Christ
23:36
who is our righteousness.
23:39
That's so good,
23:39
right?
23:40
The object of the faith
23:41
in the person
23:42
and work of Christ alone.
23:44
If faith justified
23:45
on account of itself,
23:47
the object of that
23:48
faith,
23:49
that is Christ,
23:50
would totally
23:50
lose its value.
23:52
But the faith
23:52
that justifies
23:53
is precisely
23:54
the faith
23:55
that has Christ
23:56
as its object
23:58
and content,
23:59
right?
24:00
That is what
24:01
we teach,
24:03
right?
24:04
So,
24:05
broad example,
24:07
Roman Catholicism,
24:09
Council of Trent.
24:09
Now,
24:10
bring it to the
24:11
more clearly
24:12
modern day
24:12
and speak a bit
24:13
about the word
24:14
of faith movement.
24:15
And I want to
24:16
strongly warn you
24:17
against the word
24:18
of faith movement.
24:19
I use the term
24:19
movement because
24:20
it's not a denomination.
24:21
It's a collection
24:23
of a lot of teaching
24:24
that's going on
24:25
in the world
24:26
these days.
24:27
Some would
24:28
qualify this
24:29
and just say
24:29
it's the prosperity
24:30
gospel,
24:31
but that comes
24:32
in varied degrees.
24:34
So there's a lot
24:35
of it that doesn't
24:35
look like prosperity
24:36
on the surface,
24:37
right?
24:37
It's not
24:38
purple suits
24:41
and private jets,
24:43
but it shares
24:44
much.
24:46
It confuses
24:47
the nature
24:48
of God
24:49
and the person
24:50
and work
24:51
of Christ,
24:53
right?
24:53
When I talk about
24:54
the person and work
24:55
of Christ,
24:55
I'm talking about
24:56
what Christ
24:56
has accomplished,
24:58
all that's contained
24:59
in the word
25:00
it is finished,
25:02
which includes
25:02
everything that he did
25:04
and everything
25:04
that what he did
25:05
guaranteed
25:06
would happen.
25:07
So it's all of the promises
25:08
that he's granted us
25:09
as well,
25:10
right?
25:10
Our glorification,
25:12
right?
25:12
Future glory
25:13
with him
25:13
is guaranteed
25:14
by the death
25:15
and resurrection
25:15
of Jesus Christ,
25:16
right?
25:16
So it's encapsulated
25:18
in that,
25:19
okay?
25:19
Word of faith
25:20
confuses the nature
25:21
of God
25:21
and the person
25:22
and work
25:23
of Christ.
25:24
I'm about to give you
25:25
two examples,
25:26
right?
25:26
Number one,
25:28
this is Bill Johnson
25:29
from Bethel Church,
25:31
okay?
25:32
Bethel music,
25:33
that's the connection
25:34
that's going on here.
25:36
This is in Redding,
25:36
California.
25:38
He says this,
25:39
I quote,
25:40
For many years,
25:41
I misunderstood
25:43
the biblical concept
25:44
of desire.
25:46
Psalm 37, 4
25:47
tells us,
25:48
delight yourself
25:49
in the Lord
25:49
and he shall give you
25:50
the desires
25:51
of your heart.
25:52
Like many pastors,
25:53
I foolishly taught
25:55
that if you delighted
25:56
yourself in the Lord,
25:57
he would change
25:57
your desires
25:58
by telling you
25:59
what to desire.
26:01
You should have stopped
26:01
right there.
26:03
But that's not at all
26:05
what it means.
26:05
that verse
26:08
literally means
26:10
that God wants
26:11
to be impacted
26:13
by what you think
26:14
and dream.
26:19
That ought to make you
26:20
cringe inside.
26:22
It just ought to make you
26:23
cringe inside.
26:25
This is a direct attack
26:27
on God's aseity,
26:29
right?
26:29
God's saying,
26:30
I am who I am.
26:33
He is existent
26:34
apart from us
26:35
and we do not
26:36
affect God.
26:38
We do not impact
26:39
him with our thoughts
26:40
and our dreams.
26:42
And so,
26:43
they're going to teach
26:43
that you can speak
26:44
things into existence,
26:45
right?
26:45
Word of faith,
26:47
right?
26:48
God wants to empower you
26:49
and he wants to give you
26:49
success and make your
26:50
life wonderful
26:51
and all you have to do
26:51
is say it
26:52
and believe that
26:53
it's going to be
26:54
that.
26:57
Another example,
26:58
much closer to home.
27:00
This is Jensen Franklin
27:01
from Free Chapel,
27:03
right?
27:04
In our back yard.
27:07
Now,
27:08
this is going to sound
27:08
pretty good for a little
27:09
while,
27:10
right?
27:10
I'm going to point out
27:10
to you why it's not.
27:13
It's going to sound
27:14
pretty good.
27:16
He says this,
27:17
I quote,
27:18
There is life
27:20
and there is living.
27:22
Are you ready to start
27:24
really living out
27:25
God's plan
27:25
for your life?
27:27
Good question.
27:27
There's more to life,
27:30
more to faith,
27:30
more to you.
27:32
God gives you
27:33
the formula for success
27:34
which boils down
27:35
to two words.
27:37
God first.
27:40
Still doing okay,
27:40
aren't we?
27:42
That's where God began.
27:44
Look at your Bible.
27:45
What are the very first words
27:46
written in the beginning?
27:49
Genesis 1, 13.
27:51
God created
27:52
is the rest of that.
27:53
He doesn't say that,
27:53
but God first
27:56
is his priority
27:57
that should rule
27:57
every decision
27:58
of our lives.
27:59
In Matthew 6, 33.
28:02
So here's where
28:02
I'm going to pick on him.
28:03
He says,
28:04
In Matthew 6, 33.
28:05
Now let me tell you
28:06
what Matthew 6, 33 says.
28:07
It says this.
28:08
Jesus says,
28:09
Seek first the kingdom of God
28:10
and his righteousness
28:11
and all these things
28:13
will be added to you.
28:15
These things
28:16
will be added to you.
28:17
And what he is talking about
28:18
in that chapter
28:19
is anxiety about
28:21
food and clothing.
28:25
He's saying,
28:25
Why are you living
28:26
like the world lives?
28:27
You have a heavenly father
28:28
who loves you
28:29
and he's going to provide
28:29
for all of your temporal needs.
28:30
That's what he's talking about
28:31
in that text.
28:33
Okay?
28:34
So he says,
28:35
In Matthew 6, 33,
28:37
Jesus tells us,
28:38
so here's what he's telling us,
28:40
Matthew 6, 33 means,
28:41
To hear his plan,
28:43
receive his direction,
28:45
and his blessings.
28:46
If you want success
28:50
in your life,
28:51
in your marriage,
28:52
in your work,
28:53
in your witness,
28:55
putting God first
28:56
is key.
28:58
If you want everything
28:59
to go grand,
29:00
everything to be great,
29:01
empowered life,
29:02
realize everything,
29:04
right,
29:04
what do you do?
29:06
God first,
29:07
speak it into existence.
29:08
Jesus has told us
29:09
to hear, receive,
29:10
and go.
29:11
Right?
29:13
This word of faith movement
29:14
is very deceptive.
29:18
Right?
29:19
Alright.
29:20
So that's the caution.
29:21
Right?
29:22
We need to be
29:23
very careful
29:24
and we need to be
29:25
very clear
29:27
about the gospel
29:28
of Jesus Christ.
29:31
Secondly,
29:31
there's an encouragement.
29:33
Paul has an encouragement.
29:35
He says in verse 19,
29:36
Your obedience
29:37
is known to all
29:39
so that I rejoice
29:40
over you.
29:41
But I want you to be wise
29:43
as to what is good
29:43
and innocent
29:44
as to what is evil.
29:47
Paul tells the Roman believers
29:48
in verse 19
29:49
that he is encouraged
29:51
by their good works
29:52
and it would seem
29:53
the report
29:54
of their good works
29:55
had been received
29:56
far and wide.
30:00
Likely,
30:00
we see in Romans 118,
30:02
he says,
30:02
I thank my God
30:03
through Jesus Christ
30:04
for all of you
30:04
because your faith
30:05
is proclaimed
30:06
in all the world.
30:08
It's suggested
30:08
that he means
30:09
all the known world.
30:10
Everywhere that I'm aware
30:11
of your faith,
30:13
your good works
30:14
are being proclaimed.
30:18
So,
30:18
he says to them,
30:19
press on
30:20
in your obedience
30:21
to the truth.
30:24
But then he encourages
30:25
further,
30:26
be wise
30:26
as to what is good
30:27
and innocent
30:28
as to what
30:29
is evil.
30:31
And I think
30:32
in the context
30:33
of identifying
30:33
and avoiding
30:34
false teachers,
30:36
Paul means for us
30:37
to see that
30:37
bad doctrine
30:39
leads to bad
30:40
practices
30:41
and that poor
30:42
theology leads
30:43
to sinful
30:44
doxology.
30:47
How are we
30:47
to be wise
30:48
as to what
30:49
is good
30:49
and innocent
30:50
as to what
30:51
is evil?
30:52
We are to be
30:53
about the work
30:54
of knowing
30:55
God's
30:56
word.
30:59
Now,
30:59
I will say
31:00
of all of you
31:00
generally,
31:01
if you are coming
31:02
to church here,
31:03
you are not
31:03
an experience chaser.
31:04
I'm thankful
31:05
for that.
31:06
We are not
31:06
creating a lot
31:06
of experience
31:08
for you.
31:09
You likely
31:10
already know
31:11
that the general
31:12
way that God
31:12
grows as people
31:13
is through the
31:14
common means
31:16
of grace.
31:17
It's bit by bit
31:18
over time.
31:20
We put in the work.
31:22
We are to read
31:23
and pray
31:23
and sing
31:24
and preach
31:25
and listen
31:25
to the preaching
31:26
of God's word.
31:28
We are to get
31:29
to know it
31:29
over time.
31:33
Perhaps you are
31:33
one of those people
31:34
that is looking
31:34
for that mountaintop
31:36
moment.
31:37
Perhaps the Lord
31:38
will grant it
31:39
to you,
31:39
but it's just
31:40
not the normal
31:41
way he seems
31:42
to work.
31:45
He seems to work
31:46
through patient
31:47
dedication
31:48
to his word.
31:50
Picking it up
31:51
in the various
31:51
ways that we
31:52
pick up
31:53
his word.
31:56
It's a very
31:56
common analogy,
31:57
but I think
31:57
it's such a good
31:58
one that I'm
31:58
going to share
31:59
it with you
31:59
anyway.
32:01
Do you know
32:01
how secret
32:02
service agents
32:03
identify
32:04
counterfeit
32:05
bills?
32:06
It isn't
32:07
possible for
32:07
them to study
32:08
all the
32:09
possible errors
32:10
a counterfeiter
32:11
may make,
32:13
but what they
32:13
can do
32:14
is know
32:15
in great
32:15
detail
32:16
what a
32:17
genuine
32:17
bill
32:18
looks like.
32:20
Likewise,
32:21
we are to
32:21
recognize
32:22
error by
32:23
knowing
32:23
what is
32:25
true.
32:26
As you
32:27
grow in the
32:27
knowledge of
32:28
what is
32:28
true,
32:28
error will
32:29
become more
32:30
evident
32:31
to you.
32:33
Things will
32:34
feel,
32:34
if you'll
32:35
allow the
32:35
word,
32:36
hinky,
32:37
something's
32:38
not,
32:38
something's
32:39
off with
32:40
what I'm
32:40
hearing taught
32:41
here.
32:43
Perhaps you'll
32:43
know already,
32:44
or perhaps you'll
32:44
have to do
32:45
some digging
32:45
around to
32:46
understand what
32:47
is being
32:48
taught in
32:49
error.
32:50
So Paul is
32:51
encouraging here,
32:52
I think,
32:53
keep up the
32:54
good work.
32:55
You're doing
32:55
well, so keep
32:56
up the good
32:57
work that you're
32:58
doing.
32:59
Press on,
33:00
dear Christian,
33:02
for we have
33:03
great reason
33:04
to press on.
33:07
Which brings
33:07
me to my
33:09
last point,
33:10
which is
33:10
Paul's
33:12
confidence.
33:13
Paul's
33:14
confidence.
33:15
I love
33:16
that Paul
33:16
does this.
33:18
He is
33:18
inspired,
33:19
he's being
33:19
led along
33:20
by God,
33:21
he packs
33:22
these rich
33:23
statements on
33:23
the end of
33:24
so many of
33:26
his exhortations.
33:27
Verse 20,
33:28
he says,
33:28
that the God
33:29
of peace
33:30
will soon
33:31
crush Satan
33:31
under your
33:32
feet.
33:33
The grace
33:34
of our
33:34
Lord Jesus
33:34
Christ
33:35
be with
33:36
you.
33:38
Paul begins
33:38
verse 20
33:39
by calling
33:39
God the
33:41
God of
33:42
peace.
33:43
At the end
33:43
of chapter
33:44
15,
33:44
he does
33:45
this in
33:46
thinking about
33:47
God's
33:47
provision for
33:48
his people.
33:50
Life,
33:51
this side
33:51
of glory,
33:52
is war,
33:54
but our
33:55
God,
33:56
he's the
33:56
God of
33:56
peace.
33:57
We have
33:57
peace with
33:58
him,
33:58
and one
33:59
day he's
33:59
going to
33:59
make peace
34:00
on the
34:02
earth.
34:03
He's made
34:03
promises for
34:05
us,
34:05
and he will
34:06
deliver on
34:07
them.
34:08
We struggle
34:09
in this
34:10
life.
34:12
People ask
34:13
me how I'm
34:13
doing these
34:13
days.
34:14
Many of you
34:15
have probably
34:15
heard me say
34:16
this.
34:16
My kind of
34:16
canned
34:17
response is
34:18
another day
34:19
waiting for
34:20
glory,
34:21
which is my
34:22
way of saying
34:22
I'm sad,
34:23
but I'm
34:23
filled with
34:24
hope.
34:24
That's the
34:25
day-to-day
34:26
state I
34:27
tend to be
34:27
in these
34:28
days,
34:29
and I'm
34:29
glad for
34:29
it because
34:30
I think
34:30
it's a
34:30
good state
34:31
to be
34:32
in.
34:34
One day
34:35
soon,
34:36
the God
34:37
of peace
34:37
will soon,
34:38
it'll come
34:39
swiftly soon,
34:41
one day
34:42
God will
34:43
destroy our
34:44
enemy,
34:44
Satan,
34:45
and all
34:46
those who
34:47
serve him
34:47
is the
34:48
implication
34:48
here.
34:49
Paul is
34:52
saying,
34:52
look,
34:53
these men,
34:53
these false
34:54
teachers that
34:54
you're going
34:55
to have to
34:55
mark out
34:56
and avoid,
34:57
their destruction
34:59
is sure
34:59
because Satan's
35:00
destruction
35:00
is sure.
35:03
Look what he
35:04
says elsewhere,
35:04
Philippians 3,
35:05
verse 18 and
35:06
19,
35:06
for enemies
35:07
of the cross
35:09
of Christ,
35:10
their end
35:11
is destruction,
35:12
their God
35:13
is their
35:13
belly,
35:14
and they
35:15
glory in
35:15
their shame
35:16
with minds
35:17
set on
35:18
earthly things.
35:20
And then Jude
35:21
verse 12
35:22
and 13,
35:23
these,
35:24
speaking of
35:24
false teachers,
35:25
are hidden
35:26
reefs at
35:27
your love
35:27
feasts.
35:28
As they
35:28
feast with
35:29
you without
35:29
fear,
35:30
shepherds
35:30
feeding
35:31
themselves,
35:32
waterless
35:33
clouds swept
35:34
along by
35:34
winds,
35:36
fruitless
35:36
trees in
35:37
late autumn,
35:38
twice dead,
35:39
uprooted,
35:40
wild waves
35:41
of the sea
35:42
casting up
35:43
the foam
35:43
of their
35:44
own shame,
35:45
wandering
35:45
stars for
35:46
whom the
35:47
gloom of
35:47
utter darkness
35:48
have been
35:49
reserved
35:50
forever.
35:53
Now,
35:54
texts like
35:55
that ought
35:56
to want
35:57
us to
35:57
call those
35:58
people even
35:59
to repent
36:01
and believe
36:01
in Christ.
36:03
But the
36:04
point he's
36:04
driving at
36:05
here at
36:05
the end
36:06
of our
36:06
text today
36:06
is that
36:07
we can
36:07
be sure
36:07
that the
36:08
Lord will
36:08
set things
36:09
right one
36:10
day.
36:11
So in
36:11
the meantime,
36:13
we press
36:13
on.
36:14
We have
36:15
great reason
36:16
to press
36:17
on.
36:17
Paul is
36:19
confident
36:20
of this
36:21
and he
36:22
needs to
36:22
give us
36:23
confidence
36:24
to
36:25
persevere.
36:27
And then,
36:28
lest we
36:28
think that
36:29
we can
36:29
accomplish
36:29
any of
36:30
this
36:30
on our
36:31
own
36:31
accord,
36:33
he concludes
36:33
this section
36:34
of his
36:34
letter with
36:35
the grace
36:36
of our
36:36
Lord Jesus
36:37
Christ
36:38
be with
36:39
you.
36:41
Our
36:41
Christian
36:41
lives begin
36:42
by grace
36:43
and our
36:43
Christian
36:43
lives are
36:44
sustained
36:45
by grace
36:46
and will
36:46
be sustained
36:47
to the
36:48
end if we
36:49
belong to
36:50
Jesus.
36:51
And I
36:51
hope that
36:52
that gives
36:53
you great
36:54
measures of
36:55
perseverance.
36:57
Life this
36:58
side of
36:59
glory is
36:59
guaranteed to
37:00
be difficult.
37:02
We follow a
37:03
Savior who
37:04
was hated by
37:05
the world.
37:06
We should
37:06
expect nothing
37:07
less, but
37:08
we should
37:09
persevere
37:10
because of
37:11
the wonderful
37:12
hope that
37:12
Savior has
37:14
brought us.
37:16
Oh, how
37:16
grateful we
37:17
should be that
37:18
our God
37:18
provides for
37:20
all that
37:21
he commands.
37:22
Let's pray
37:23
together.