Participants: John Stanton & C. A. Murray
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL110008
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00:01 Hello, friends grab your Bible and a friend
00:03 and sit back as we explore God's word 00:05 together on this edition of House Calls. 00:22 It's so good to have you here 00:23 as part of our living room here at House Calls. 00:26 We just wanna welcome you 00:28 and thank you for joining us once again. 00:30 My name is Pastor John Stanton 00:32 and with me in the studio today is Pastor C.A Murray. 00:35 Brother, it's good to have you again. 00:37 Good to be here always. 00:38 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 00:39 And we're looking forward to sharing God's word with you, 00:42 opening up his word and studying and we just pray 00:44 that you will be blessed once again as we do that today. 00:48 We got a great topic for you. 00:49 So you wanna stay tuned 00:50 as we go through our questions first, 00:52 but then get to our topic of the day. 00:55 Pastor Murray, would you open with prayer? 00:57 Be glad to do so. 00:58 Father God, again we thank you and praise you 01:00 for this another opportunity to lift up the name of Jesus. 01:03 We thank you for the word 01:05 and for the power of resident in that word 01:07 and for what that word can do for our lives, 01:10 to bring us to life in Christ Jesus. 01:12 We ask this now for your spirit, 01:14 as we go into your word for we want 01:17 spiritual eye sight to be able to see the things 01:19 that you have there for us and more then just see them 01:23 to be able to put them into practice 01:25 to make them part of our lives. 01:27 So that we can be more each day like Christ Jesus. 01:31 We surrender ourselves to you to this broadcast 01:33 and thank you in Jesus name, amen. 01:35 Amen, well as you know, 01:40 your questions are a key part of this program. 01:42 We wouldn't have half of the program 01:44 if it weren't for you and so we just want 01:46 to express our sincere thanks for continuing to email 01:49 or to send in those questions to House Calls here at 3ABN. 01:54 We want to give you that email address at this time, 01:57 it is housecalls@3abn.org, housecalls@3abn.org. 02:03 Send us your questions and if you could kind of 02:06 note it down to what the essence of the question is 02:08 because some times we get really long ones 02:10 or even long papers, don't have the time to read it 02:12 and those are often the ones 02:13 we just go ahead and pass over. 02:15 Because it just doesn't allow us 02:17 to cover everything in one sitting. 02:19 So share sincerely your questions if you could 02:22 or if you write those in make sure you send those 02:24 in with a real legible clear writing and we'll make sure 02:27 we do our best to cover them when they get here. 02:30 So thank you again so much, 02:32 it is time for those questions 02:34 and so pastor I want to start us off 02:35 with them here today. 02:37 All right, I have a question, don't have it... 02:40 oh, Kenneth sends in a question. 02:43 He wants a little discussion, 02:44 a little explanation of Matthew chapter 10 verse 28 02:49 and I'll read that, the Bible says, 02:51 and do not fear those who kill the body 02:55 but cannot kill the soul. 02:57 But rather fear him that is able to destroy 03:00 both body and soul in hell. 03:03 He just asked for an explanation, 03:04 so I wasn't really sure when I got this, John, 03:07 exactly what he was needing an explanation on. 03:12 So, I'm, I'm gonna try to step inside his mind 03:14 a little bit and maybe guess. 03:17 Just back up a little bit in verse 24 03:22 of this same Matthew Chapter 10, 03:23 we get a little of the context for this, 03:25 in fact in verse 23, Christ is preparing his disciples 03:31 for persecution and rejection and he says that in verse 23. 03:35 When they persecute you in this city, 03:38 flee to another, for surely I say to you, 03:42 you will not have gone through the cities of Israel 03:46 before the Son of Man comes. 03:48 A disciple is not above his master, 03:50 no servant above his master. 03:53 So, he is letting them know I'm gonna be persecuted, 03:56 I'm receiving rejection, prepare yourselves 04:00 for this because this is going to happen also to you. 04:03 And so it says, when you meet that rejection, 04:07 when you meet that persecution, 04:10 don't fear those who can attack the body, 04:13 don't fear those who can kill you, 04:17 who can hurt you, who can harm you. 04:19 Those are not the ones you can really fear, 04:21 you need to really fear 04:23 because they cannot destroy your relationship with me. 04:28 I don't know if, if the writer is asking about 04:32 the immortality of the soul, 04:35 I will take him to Ezekiel chapter 18 verse 20 04:38 the soul that's in it, it shall die. 04:42 If he is thinking about that, 04:44 but Christ is really telling them don't fear those 04:47 who can hurt you bodily because your relationship, 04:52 your soul, your, your standing with me, 04:56 they can not enter, they can not touch. 04:57 There's a beautiful text, Hebrews chapter 13 05:01 verses 5 and 6 where Paul says, 05:05 be content wherever you find yourself, 05:07 and it's a sort of dovetails on this, 05:08 where ever you find yourself beck content, 05:10 even if you're in a trial 05:12 or a tough situation, stay with it. Why? 05:15 Because God has said, Christ has said, 05:17 I'll never leave you nor forsake you. 05:19 Then he says in verse 6, you can boldly say, 05:22 "God is my helper, what can man do to me." 05:25 In other words, man cannot hurt you, 05:26 man cannot destroy you in an eternal sense 05:29 because God is your helper, God is on your side. 05:32 And so Christ is preparing his disciples for a rough time, 05:36 everybody is not gonna receive you, 05:37 everybody is not gonna love you, 05:38 everybody is not gonna take the gospel you have. 05:40 But don't worry about those who can hurt you 05:42 or reject you because they will never change 05:44 or destroy your relationship, your standing with me. 05:48 You know spring boarding off that, 05:49 there is another text, in Peter, 05:51 First Peter chapter one, 05:54 that is providing this kind of assurance. 05:57 And especially if we're talking about, you know, 05:59 the context of this whole passage is persecution. 06:02 You know persecution and those that 06:04 come to try and take your life. Yes. 06:07 Don't be worried about that because 06:08 they can take your life, 06:09 let them even have your life but I, 06:12 your life will be preserved or reserved with me 06:16 for a future resurrection. Yes. 06:19 And the Bible is very clear on that that 06:21 we receive our inheritance on resurrection day, not before. 06:26 Never do I find anywhere pastor and I don't know 06:28 you probably looked for many years as well. 06:30 Anywhere where it says upon death 06:32 we receive our reward or, or inheritance. 06:35 It happens on resurrection day. 06:36 And Peter affirms that in 06:38 First Peter chapter 1 verse 3 and 4. 06:42 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 06:45 who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us 06:48 again to a living hope through 06:50 the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 06:54 Context here, Christ was raised from the dead, 06:58 which gives us hope for us to then be one day 07:00 in the future raised. 07:02 He was the first fruit of the resurrection, 07:06 we're the fruit of the resurrection. 07:08 Verse 4 to an inheritance incorruptible, 07:13 undefiled, that does not fade away, 07:16 reserved in Heaven for you. 07:19 Like it, yes. 07:20 No matter what happens to your body, 07:22 no matter what someone tries to do to take away your life, 07:24 you know, that your inheritance does not fade away, 07:27 it's reserved in heaven with me. 07:29 Yes, yes, yeah. 07:30 And so he simply saying with regard to the soul there 07:34 of the meaning seems to be more of the soul 07:37 which is your eternal connection with me, yes, 07:40 even if you go back to the Garden of Eden, 07:42 where God created mankind, it says he breathed 07:46 into his nostrils the breath of life 07:48 and he became a living soul. 07:51 That life does not end and tell the judgment, 07:56 every person, every being is preserved, 07:58 they may lose their life, they may die 08:01 but they are preserved in God, yes, 08:04 for the resurrection. 08:05 Whether it be the righteous unto life 08:07 or the wicked unto eternal judgment, 08:11 either way it's still reserved. 08:12 There is still some, there is a preservation 08:15 for the people of the future to experience 08:17 one of those two things. 08:19 And so what he is saying to believers in Christ is, 08:21 your life is hidden with Jesus. Yes, yeah. 08:23 So as long as you keep your faith and trust in him, 08:26 your soul, that that essence that you are, 08:29 reserved with him 08:30 and he will raise you up on resurrection day. 08:32 We're thinking of soul almost in terms 08:34 of an eternal connection. 08:36 As it forwards to some disembodied spirit. 08:40 And I don't know, if the writer was asking also, 08:44 but I want to go to, to Revelation 22, 08:47 a text you well know, John, in 22:12. 08:50 And behold, I come quickly and My reward is with Me, 08:53 to give to everyone according to his work. 08:56 And so again this, this holding of the reward 09:00 till final determination, if I can speak it that way. 09:03 It's made by Christ. 09:05 Don't worry about it, your, your reward will not be 09:08 snatched from you or taken from you 09:10 or lost in the shuffle, the reckons will not be lost 09:13 or stolen or in fire, you know, 09:15 it's gonna be taken care of. 09:17 And when I come, this text has two things, 09:20 one, your reward is sure you got, 09:23 you know, depending on your works, 09:25 your award is sure. 09:26 And the second one is, you will get it when I come. 09:28 Yeah. So it is sure that I'm bringing it when I come. 09:31 Do you know anything about that passage 09:32 that you just read is we often miss the context. 09:35 Context, if you back up one verse is judgment? Yes. 09:39 Because it says there, "He who is unjust, 09:43 let him be unjust still, 09:44 he who is filthy, let him be filthy still, 09:46 he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, 09:47 he was holy, let him be holy still. 09:49 In other words, I'm making a pronouncement right now 09:52 that you'll eternally be what you are 09:55 from beyond this point. Right, right. 09:56 And that's why you'll hear 09:57 sometimes in some of the programs here on 3ABN 10:00 we refer to probation. 10:03 And that it closes at one point in the future. 10:05 Probation for mankind is open now, 10:07 we have the ability to be saved even though 10:11 maybe we are lost presently. 10:14 And that will remain an opportunity 10:16 for the inhabitants of the world until a time 10:18 when this pronouncement is made and probation 10:21 so to speak closes for humankind. 10:24 And then in that context he says, 10:26 behold, I'm coming quickly, my reward is with me. Yes. 10:29 Reward doesn't come until, what? 10:31 The close of probation, the judgment of mankind. 10:34 Yes, yes, yes. 10:35 The determination is made who, 10:37 for want of a better term who's in, who's out? 10:40 Then the rewards will be dolled out, 10:42 for good or for evil. 10:43 And that time within the future. 10:45 And so do not worry your good works will not get lost, 10:48 your life in Christ will not be lost, 10:50 that's being held, that connection is there. 10:53 Don't worry about those who, who can beat up 10:56 your body or imprison your body 10:57 or torture your body because they cannot, 10:59 they cannot kill that relationship 11:01 that you've with Jesus Christ. 11:02 And the record of that relationship is hid in heaven, 11:05 as you just stated in that text. 11:07 A good assurance for us 11:09 because that Bible points to a time of trouble ahead. 11:13 We don't know, we maybe that generation 11:14 that goes through that, having that assurance 11:17 we know that, doesn't matter what happens to us, 11:19 what can man do to us? 11:20 Yes. We're hidden in Christ. 11:23 You know along these lines and specifically 11:25 the issue of the soul. 11:29 There is this question that comes from Daniel 11:32 and he says I know this verse is often misinterpreted, 11:37 absent from the body present with Lord, 11:39 would you please shed light on its true meaning? 11:42 And so we're gonna go to that passage 11:44 which is found in Second Corinthians chapter 5, 11:49 and I won't spend a lot of time on it, 11:50 we've actually covered this a couple other times 11:52 here before previously in House Calls. 11:56 But I will at least shed 11:58 some light here on that phrase there, 12:00 absent from the body present with the Lord. 12:02 Just kind of in context, if you back up to verse 1, 12:05 it begins with for we know that if our earthly house, 12:10 this tent is destroyed, we've a building from God, 12:13 a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. 12:16 For in this we groan earnestly desiring 12:18 to be clothed with our habitation 12:20 which is from heaven, if indeed having been clothed, 12:24 we shall not be found naked. 12:26 For we are in this tent groan, 12:30 we who are in this tent groan being burdened, 12:32 not because we want to be unclothed, 12:34 but further clothed, 12:36 that mortality maybe swallowed up by life. 12:38 And I'm gonna pause there for a minute. 12:39 So, in essence what Paul is saying here is 12:42 that right now we are living in this tent, 12:44 this body, this flesh, which is corrupted. 12:47 And we're groan, everyday we groan. 12:50 Oh, in fact Paul explained in Romans, 12:53 the beginning of, or was it the end of Romans chapter 7, 12:57 who delivered me from this body of death, 13:00 you know, it's just it's, it's, it's constantly pulling 13:02 and tugging at me to do what's wrong. Yes. 13:05 Well, we groan in that way, but we, 13:08 we groan not desiring to be unclothed or to be naked. 13:13 Because that state would be what? 13:16 Death, when your body dies and when it returns to dust, 13:19 you're basically, you don't exist anymore. 13:23 But we desire to be, verse 4 says, 13:25 further clothed that mortality maybe swallowed up by life. 13:29 Now, notice here the connection, 13:31 being further clothed is equated to 13:34 when mortality is swallowed up by life. 13:37 Yes, yeah. 13:38 In other words, the unclothed, 13:40 the naked state is prior to being further clothed 13:43 which means you cannot receive 13:45 immortality until you're further clothed. 13:50 Right, so the argument that being unclothed 13:54 is the state of the soul, the immortal soul 13:56 existing in heaven just 13:58 doesn't work with this scripture. 13:59 No, no, no, no it doesn't harmonize with that, 14:01 that, that text doesn't prove that point. 14:03 Yeah, and not only that, you have the problem 14:05 with First Corinthians 15, 14:07 where it says when the resurrection occurs, 14:09 when the trumpet of God is blown, 14:10 then this corruptible will be swallowed up incorruption. 14:14 We'll read that here in just a minute but notice here, 14:17 as it goes on it talks about being confident that 14:20 we've a guarantee that one day we will receive 14:23 a body that is incorruptible. 14:27 And it says though in verse 6, 14:30 we're we start introducing or seeing 14:31 this issue of in the body and absent from the Lord or, 14:35 or with the Lord absent from the body 14:37 it says so we're always confident knowing that 14:40 while we're at home in the body, 14:43 we're absent from the Lord. 14:44 In other words, while we're, 14:45 while we're now living in this 14:47 earthly mortal fleshly tent so to speak. 14:51 We are absent from dwelling in the presence of God. 14:55 For we walk by faith not by sight, 14:57 we don't see God, we don't see Him 14:59 and all His acts but we know that He exists by faith. 15:02 And we know that He is working in us by faith. 15:05 Then the text that is often misinterpreted verse 8. 15:09 We are confident, yes, well pleased, 15:11 rather to be absent from the body. 15:13 In other words, to get rid of this mortal, 15:15 corruptible flesh, we are well pleased to be absent 15:21 from the body and to be present with the Lord. 15:24 Now, there is no qualifier about time there, 15:26 yeah, this body, this text really isn't about death. 15:30 This text is about the body that we grapple with 15:33 and we struggle with, that one day we won't have to, 15:37 you know, live with but live with an incorruptible one. 15:39 Yeah. It's not about death. 15:40 So when it says absent from the body 15:42 and be present with the Lord, 15:43 people insert there when you die. 15:46 Yes, yeah. 15:47 And it's just not there, there's no qualifier time. 15:50 In fact, if you go to other scriptures 15:52 about these very things in Paul's writings, 15:55 he always talks about the resurrection. 15:58 And it's weird 'cause today, you know, 16:00 we almost buy this doctrine of the immortal soul 16:04 and people dying and going to heaven 16:06 and receiving their reward right away, 16:07 we've almost eliminated the need to have a resurrection. 16:12 Precisely, yeah, yeah. 16:13 And people are often confused I've had, 16:15 let me say pastor, I don't get it. 16:17 So I die I go to heaven, but he has to put me back 16:22 in the body in the grave to be raised up, 16:24 to get a new body, to go to heaven again. 16:27 Why does he need to do that? 16:29 And my, my point is or the answer is exactly 16:32 he doesn't need to do that. 16:34 So he doesn't do it. Yeah. 16:35 The Bible does say some very different 16:37 I think you have text about that too? 16:38 Yeah, well it pops in my mind just while you're making 16:41 that last explanation as a text 16:43 we've just referred to in Revelation 22:12. 16:45 If the reward is with, Christ is bringing 16:48 the reward with him, you got your reward already, 16:50 you're in heaven, that's it. 16:52 You know, there's no need... there is no other reward. 16:56 So to pair those texts? Yeah. 16:58 You go to heaven and you don't get your reward 16:59 he goes ah, he can't have it yet. 17:01 Right, yeah. It doesn't make sense either? 17:02 It doesn't make sense, it doesn't make sense. Yeah. 17:05 A bunch of things that we're passing through, 17:07 through, through, through my mind 17:09 and I was in First Corinthians 15, 17:10 just, just sort of reading this whole a little bit 17:18 and the Christ says, the last enemy that shall be 17:20 destroyed is death and he is gonna 17:22 put all things under his feet. 17:23 So there's a sequence there and I think this the, 17:26 I've heard people say, absent from the body means 17:29 present with the Lord. 17:30 Well,, that's an insertion again that the text 17:32 just doesn't support, you cannot add these things, 17:36 there is a time interval, surely we would like to be 17:39 out of this body and in heaven 17:40 and that's going to happen but it doesn't happen 17:42 sequentially, it happens in God's good time. 17:44 Yeah. Yeah. 17:45 Amen. Very good point. 17:47 Well, I hope that helped a little bit here with 17:50 the misinterpretation that is often given on that text, 17:53 which actually, you know, some would say, 17:55 you know, this is our major text, 17:57 there are other texts, a few things 17:59 that they might bring, 18:00 I think one of them that comes up. 18:01 Pastor, you've probably have heard this 18:03 several times about Lazarus, 18:05 the rich man in Lazarus with is a parable of Christ. 18:08 Yes. Friends, that's a parable. 18:09 You can't, that isn't intended to teach that, 18:12 when you die you go straight to heaven 18:14 or you go straight to hell. Yeah. 18:16 That parable's intended to teach 18:18 the principles of the kingdom of God on earth 18:21 to those who were still alive, 18:23 so that they would in their right, 18:24 in their heart would allow themselves to be 18:27 transformed by Christ and give and to be liberal 18:30 with their sharing rather than holding. 18:33 And based on, on sort of urban legend 18:35 that people knew about that they referred to 18:37 and one thing that that Bible students 18:39 pretty much universally agree, 18:41 you do not develop doctrinal premises from parables. Yeah. 18:44 You don't want to develop a doctrine based on 18:46 a parable because a parable was a point in time 18:50 a story introduced to, 18:52 to bring light to a specific point... 18:55 Highly influenced by culture. 18:56 Precise, very much so, very much so. 18:58 So you don't to develop a doctrinal premise 19:00 on something that was really localized. 19:02 And if we took, sometimes you're preaching 19:05 you make a metaphor to a boxing match, 19:07 you know, the battle between Christ 19:09 and Satan like a boxing match. 19:11 Well, that makes sense to us. 19:12 but if you're not familiar with western culture 19:15 or whatever, a prizefight is, 19:16 that will make no sense to you. 19:17 So it's very localized, it makes sense 19:20 to those people who had it, 19:21 who it was spoken to but you don't want to sort of 19:24 extrapolate that and draw a doctrinal premise from that 19:26 because it just doesn't fit. 19:27 Yeah, yeah, very, very good. 19:30 Here's another question or did you have a question? 19:33 I think you had the other one there. 19:34 This is a cute question, Jordan wants to know, can God die? 19:38 And you can kind of have fun with this 19:39 because you can say, yes and no. You're right. 19:43 You know because even from everlasting to everlasting 19:46 thou art God, or the God alone has immortality 19:49 so he cannot die. 19:50 But then you run into a Philippians 2:5 19:54 and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself, 19:57 became obedient to the point of death, 19:59 even the death of the cross. 20:01 So God did die. He, he chose to die. 20:04 God so loved the world that he gave 20:06 His only begotten son, Christ chose to die. 20:09 So, can God die? If he chooses to. 20:13 And he chose to because he loved us so very, very much. 20:16 But he laid down his life, 20:19 his life was not taken from him. 20:20 So the answer is yes and no. Yeah. 20:23 He cannot die but He can choose to, 20:25 in fact, he chose to 20:26 because he loved us so very, very much. 20:28 You know, and he say, I think the, 20:30 the comment you made there, 20:31 He laid down his life, Jesus says I can lay it down, 20:33 I can take it back again. Precisely. 20:35 So that's an interesting, it's kind of, 20:37 we can't comprehend that. 20:40 Yeah. But we do know that He did it. 20:42 Yes, He did it because he saw us of such worth 20:47 that he made that sacrifice for you and for me. 20:50 So the one time he did, he didn't do it on his own, 20:53 he did it, he did it on his own but he did it, 20:55 the motivation was our life. 20:57 He wanted us to have the right for eternal life 21:00 and so the cause was the life of God, 21:03 Christ laid down his life and then praise God, 21:06 He took it back up again. 21:07 Amen, amen. One last question here from Vicky. 21:11 Hi, I just wanted to know about this scripture 21:13 Matthew 7 verse 6, what does it mean? 21:16 Does it mean not to waste your time and effort on people 21:19 who don't listen or who ridicule the Bible, 21:22 I can't seem to get the straight answer on this? 21:24 Thank you, and may God bless you 21:26 and your wonderful program. 21:27 Thank you, Vicky. 21:28 So let's turn to Matthew chapter 7 and look at verse 6 21:34 and see if we can cover this fairly quickly. 21:41 Do not give what is holy to the dogs, 21:43 nor cast your pearls before the swine, 21:46 lest they trample them under their feet, 21:48 and turn and tear you in pieces. 21:52 Now, you know, you can read that 21:53 and if you do it especially if you read it out of context 21:57 you can give any number of meanings to that passage. 21:59 But in context what we find is that the chapter begins 22:04 with a statement judge not that you not 22:08 that you be not judged and then it goes through 22:10 talking about judgment and other things, 22:12 especially about ones who see a speck in their 22:17 brother's eye but they have this plank in their own eye. 22:20 They don't see it and they just continue to judge 22:23 and ascribe standards or at least things upon 22:26 others that they themselves don't even adhere to. 22:29 Which was in essence what the Pharisees were doing? 22:32 I mean this is, this is what Jesus was teaching 22:36 to people in regard to many of the pious acts 22:39 that were basically done for show. 22:42 Show. Amongst the Pharisees. 22:43 And what the Pharisees were doing is they were abusing 22:46 the Holy oracles of God. 22:48 The blessing that they had been given to hopefully 22:51 understand the scriptures and they were abusing 22:53 that in a way that brought judgment, 22:55 condemnation that, that, 22:59 seriously corrupted the scriptures. 23:02 Where God intended them to be for people to be able 23:05 to be restored and to find everlasting life 23:08 and to have the joy of a relationship 23:10 with Jesus and with God? 23:12 So in many respects what it's saying here is that 23:14 the Pharisees were corrupting, 23:18 they were misusing the scriptures 23:19 that were sacred, that were holy. 23:21 And they were as they worth as it was, 23:23 throw them before the dogs, they were throwing them 23:25 before the swine, the issue here is not 23:27 that the people were swine or dogs, 23:29 or that the people were these things at all. 23:31 Is how the word was being handled, 23:33 how they were doing these things 23:35 and it ended up as if it was the holy, 23:39 you know, uncorrupted, undefiled things of God 23:42 being thrown before swine. 23:44 So that's the essence here because the issue 23:47 is the teaching here and how it was being misused 23:50 and corrupted by the Pharisees. 23:53 And he wanted the people to understand 23:55 what in fact God's plan was for their life 23:59 and to allow the word to have an impact on them 24:02 that they could not see what was used in that way. 24:05 Very good, there may be some other... 24:07 There maybe some other things in there 24:08 and I'm not suggesting that this by any means 24:10 makes up all the interpretation of that. 24:12 But that's, that's what I see in context. 24:14 Yes, and I, and I agree very much, 24:16 when you look at it sort of out of context, 24:18 and we just like to, just if someone doesn't take it 24:20 and their dog doesn't bother with him. 24:22 But he's talking about the handling of the world, 24:25 the world, and the, the exalted nature of the world, 24:28 don't, don't treat it as something common or profane. 24:33 Exactly, yeah, exactly, amen. 24:35 Well, thank you very much and we're through 24:37 another half hour of your questions 24:38 and we thank you so much for your contribution 24:40 to those and for all those who send the questions in. 24:43 And again, I'll give you our email address 24:45 it's housecalls@3abn.org, housecalls@3abn.org 24:51 and please send us your questions 24:53 and continue to do that we love to receive them, 24:56 they are a lot of fun to, to handle. 24:58 When we do handle I say handle, 24:59 but we do take them with reference and much prayer 25:03 because we don't lightly handle the word of God at all. 25:06 We do that with lot of prayer and asking 25:08 the Holy Spirit to lead. 25:09 So we hope that come out in our message. 25:13 It is time for our topic for the day 25:16 and you know this topic, Pastor Murray, 25:19 I thought I would, I would throw out here 25:22 because it's one that keeps coming up 25:24 amongst Christians circles today. 25:27 You know I think it's very good that even Christians 25:31 across denominations, across believing, 25:34 belief structures that we dialogue. Yes. 25:37 As to what we believe this is important 25:38 because this is how the everlasting gospel gets out. 25:42 But as we dialogue, it seems inevitably 25:44 this is one of the topics that comes out. 25:47 And you know, there's been a lot of debate 25:50 throughout history on what constitutes obedience 25:54 and what constitutes legalism? Yes. 25:56 Because the Bible is very clear, 25:58 we need to be careful that we are not doing things 26:01 to be you know, in order to make ourselves 26:04 appealing to God, for God to accept us, yes, 26:07 we don't do things to, to work to obtain salvation, 26:11 we're, we follow God. 26:14 And we, we order our life in harmony with God's principles 26:16 because he loves us and because of our desire 26:20 to follow him and our desire to please him. Right. 26:23 Not to appease, you know close words, 26:25 but entirely different meanings. 26:27 Appease is one, please is the other. Yeah. 26:29 But I wanted to share with you kind of 26:31 a springboard passage that kind of gets us 26:33 into this topic today. 26:35 And again, obedience vs legalism. 26:38 How do we know what the difference is in our life? 26:40 And then, you know, I think in some cases 26:43 some people throw out, you know, someone's 26:47 obedient lifestyle as legalism 26:50 so they don't want to or have to abide by it. 26:53 I mean, it can be a cope out so to speak. 26:56 And so we need to find out is there something 26:58 that we need to cope out of that we shouldn't do, 27:00 or is it may be something God is doing 27:03 if there is a testimony to lead us to understand 27:05 the deeper appreciation for what it means to follow God 27:08 and order our life in harmony with him. 27:10 So let's go to Ephesians chapter 2 27:13 and we'll begin with verses 8 and 9, 27:16 and Pastor Murray, maybe you could start us out 27:20 just by reading Ephesians 2:8-9. 27:23 For by grace you have been saved through faith, 27:27 and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, 27:32 Not of works, lest anyone should boast. 27:37 All right, pretty clear scripture here. 27:40 Salvation is a gift, it's a gift that God gives to us. 27:45 We cannot earn it, we cannot work for it, 27:49 we cannot obtain it through anything that we do, 27:51 it is all because of God. 27:54 That is undeniable, that theme is carried throughout 27:58 the scriptures that salvation comes 28:00 by the Grace of God it's by something He gives, 28:03 He does for us that we cannot do for ourselves. 28:07 I think, John, you know, the tension we, 28:10 we're called to be righteous, 28:12 we're called to be like Christ. 28:15 That does entail some, some doing. 28:18 Legalism when I define it in my mind it's, 28:21 it's an attempt by me through my own efforts 28:25 and labor to be acceptable to Jesus. 28:29 And of course, as you well know, 28:32 being the student of the word, 28:34 you're kind of defeated before you even, even begin. 28:37 The Bible does call for obedience, 28:41 but the question, the tension is, 28:43 where does that come from, why is that done, 28:47 what is the result of that and if I can, 28:49 can I work hard enough to make myself acceptable to Jesus. 28:53 Legalism says, if I just, 28:55 if I pull myself above my boot straps, 28:57 if I struggle really hard I can get this thing right. 29:00 I can do this, I can be acceptable to God. 29:03 And the burden of Bible is, no, you can't. 29:06 You know, just, you can't do it. 29:09 And that's why many people say 29:10 when they see me trying to obey the law, 29:13 trying to walk with God, are you being legalist, 29:14 you're trying, you're trying to do 29:16 your own thing to make yourself acceptable to God. 29:18 So there is the tension, I know I got to be right 29:21 the question is how do I get right, 29:23 yeah, and how do I stay right. 29:24 Yeah, yeah, you know, one of the things too is that 29:26 they are some in the church and it goes across 29:31 the board for, for anyone that are, 29:34 they have more will power than others. 29:36 There are some that can pull themselves up 29:38 by the boot straps and just do it. 29:41 And in a church setting, we often elevate them, 29:44 yeah, to the level of being the most spiritual, 29:47 they're the most connected to God, 29:48 God has worked and changed them 29:51 to a higher degree than the rest of us. 29:53 I'm always struggling, I'm always battling. 29:55 But you know that is not necessary the case, 29:59 I felt I think to a degree that when we're, 30:02 when we have more will power that it can work against us, 30:05 yes, because we tend to default to our will power 30:09 rather than surrender and defer to God's power. Yes, yes. 30:12 So when you talk about, you know, working to, 30:16 to please God or appeal to God 30:18 rather than to, to please God. 30:21 Then I think there you have within 30:23 that the difference between, you know, 30:26 works that constitute legalism, 30:28 which is trying to appeal to the God. 30:30 And works that constitute obedience that is an effort to 30:34 please God because of what He has done for us. 30:38 And, and if you look at the next text here 30:40 and notice we flow from 8 verses 8 to 9 right into 10. 30:46 Yes, for we are his workmanship, 30:49 created in Christ Jesus for good works, 30:53 which God has prepared beforehand, 30:57 which God prepared rather beforehand 30:59 that we should walk in them. 31:02 So we find here, in this passage that has probably 31:06 the strongest wording there is in the Bible, 31:09 for where salvation comes from that it's 31:11 by grace the grace of God, it's a gift, 31:13 it happens through faith, right into works. 31:16 It's almost like if you don't quite get this right, 31:19 God is being, what do you say, 31:23 he is opposing himself, he is being contradictory. 31:26 I want you by faith to trust me, 31:28 and receive the free gift of salvation 31:30 oh, and I want you to work. 31:32 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 31:33 But he told us in first don't work but then work. Yeah. 31:37 So, so they patted the whole program today, 31:39 the last few minutes here the last 20 minutes 31:42 we're gonna spend, is how we harmonize these two things, 31:45 because I think if we get it right in our spiritual walk. 31:50 Then we won't stop ascribing certain things to legalism 31:54 and other things to obedience we will understand that 31:56 what's importance is to examine ourselves 31:58 and see where we're coming from to be able 32:00 to make sure our relationship with Christ is right. 32:03 You know, there's a little thing that that slips in here 32:05 that these works were prepared for beforehand. 32:08 So basely God had said there is a way to go about this, 32:11 it's not your labors, it's not, 32:13 okay, I got to do that, I got to do that. 32:15 But there's a, he's got a pattern, 32:18 he's got something prepared for you, 32:20 it's already there, you just have to walk in that way. 32:22 So it's like you inventing it as you go along. Yeah. 32:25 There's some, there's a rule book, 32:27 there's a what the word I'm looking for? 32:28 There's, there's a pattern, that's sort of laid down 32:31 that you got to walk into. 32:34 And as you do that, as you walk with Christ, 32:36 as he leads you along, the good works per say 32:40 flow out of walking in that pattern. Yeah. 32:42 It's laid down beforehand, it's there, 32:43 just find it and follow it and you will be fine. 32:46 Yeah, and you really pulled out of that text exactly 32:49 what it's, it's saying there and I really appreciate that, 32:52 especially the fact that it's beforehand 32:54 and notice before it says God prepared beforehand 32:56 and it says that you're created in whom? 32:58 Christ Jesus, so as conversion happened. Yes. 33:01 So conversion is happened before he says 33:03 you need to do these works. 33:05 Right, right. 33:06 And here is the key part is that number one, 33:09 our works are nothing, God's works are everything. 33:13 Are everything, true. 33:15 Prior to conversion we have nothing to offer 33:18 because God is not in us to work in us or through us. 33:21 But upon conversion with the Holy Spirit residing in us, 33:24 yeah, he is already packaged so to speak. 33:27 I like that... 33:28 The works that He gives us to do now that we are converted. 33:32 We could not do them before, now we can do them. 33:35 So really it's, it's on which side of 33:38 the salvation equation fence are you on? 33:42 Yes, you're so right, yes. 33:43 If you're working prior to being saved, 33:46 then you're, it's legalism. Right. 33:48 If you're working because God is giving you a work 33:51 to do as a result of your conversion then its obedience. 33:55 That is right on because if, if you're working 33:57 prior to being saved, you're working to be saved 34:00 and you cannot work hard enough. 34:02 There is no amount of what you can do 34:04 to get yourself saved. 34:05 Because that has been done through Jesus Christ. 34:07 Once you accept him now on the other side 34:10 and that's so key, John, 34:11 it's on what side of the conversion coin are you on. 34:15 Because if you're post conversion 34:17 then your works are done in Christ Jesus 34:19 and through Christ Jesus. 34:21 Before then, that's just you and you, 34:24 you forgive my pertuative English, 34:26 ain't enough to get the job done. 34:28 How does Paul say in Romans 7, 34:30 the carnal man, the carnal mind 34:33 isn't subject to the laws of God. 34:36 It cannot be. It cannot be, we can't do it. 34:40 So that, that's very much prior to conversion. 34:43 You cannot in your own power be subject to the law of God 34:47 and you can't live in harmony with it. 34:49 But afterward you are in harmony with the law of God. 34:52 and notice other scriptures now that jump out at us. 34:54 Precisely, the law put, written on our hearts 34:56 and in our mind, the spirit of God, 34:58 who is the spirit of truth comes in 35:00 and works from that angle. 35:01 You know, John, you selected a powerful and deep text, 35:05 you could spend a lot of time in Ephesians 2:10 35:09 because it gives you sequence, 35:11 it gives you understanding, it gives you context, 35:14 it gives you a justification for, 35:17 for the work that is seen by others. 35:19 Because prior to that it's really cosmetology, 35:22 you know, cosmetology it's, it's basically 35:24 the signs of making the outside look good. 35:27 Right. And that's basically what it is. 35:29 But once you, you give your life to Christ 35:32 it turns from cosmetology to something 35:34 that's happening from within and working 35:36 it's way out as opposed to some thing 35:37 that looks got on the outside, 35:38 but nothing's going the inside. 35:43 I think, I think it might have been you that said this, 35:45 I was watching 3ABN not too long ago. 35:47 And you, I think because you were preaching 35:49 and you made this comment, and you can tell, 35:50 you can fess up to it or whether it came 35:51 from someone else, I don't know 35:52 but the comment was that you're gonna be surprised 35:59 by a lot of people that are in heaven 36:02 and there gonna be surprised that you're there. Yeah. 36:07 And reason why is that none of us knows 36:10 the heart and the motivation for these works. 36:13 Right, yeah. Because in a church setting. 36:16 Let's use that example again, 36:17 there can be a lot of people performing very well. 36:20 Yes, yes. 36:21 But there is no conversion of the heart, 36:23 the spirit of God is dwelling or residing within them 36:26 and they look the part, 36:28 but there is no conversion from within. 36:32 And so that's why the Bible calls us 36:34 to then come to Christ and be in Christ. Yes. 36:37 I really like the promise that Jesus gave His disciples 36:39 when he talked about the Holy Spirit coming, 36:41 He says I'll send the Holy Spirit to you. 36:43 Talking about the comforter, the helper. 36:46 And then at the end He says I'll send him to you 36:48 and then He shifts gears, 36:50 He says, I will come to you. 36:52 Yes, yes, yes. 36:53 I mean, out of nowhere Jesus says I will come to you. 36:56 I will come to you. 36:57 And I said my, o my think, 36:59 about that when the Holy Spirit comes 37:02 into your heart upon conversion 37:03 when He is given to you. 37:05 When the helper comes in, he brings Jesus. 37:10 And then all the works that Christ did beforehand 37:13 then become part of your life, yes, 37:15 through the Holy Spirit that becomes, 37:16 that begins to work. 37:17 Yeah, that's a powerful... 37:19 But there is no conversion. Yes. 37:21 There is no conversion the Holy Spirits not in there, 37:24 Jesus cannot work from in there 37:26 and everything you do becomes legalism. 37:29 So lot of people that performed very well 37:32 that are legalistic to the core in their works. 37:35 Powerful, yeah, yeah. You have something there? 37:37 No, I was just thinking that, that were, you know, 37:39 I'm looking about the two men temple 37:41 and look here, you know, two people 37:45 put a hundred dollars in the offering plate, 37:46 one could be legalism, the other could be 37:48 the outworking of the spirit of the God in their life. 37:49 Yeah, it's what's motivating that 37:51 putting down of the money, 37:53 if you're trying to curry favor with God 37:54 by giving 100 dollars, well you failed, that's legalism. 37:57 But if you're so thankful to the Lord 38:00 and the relationship with the Lord 38:02 constrains you to give money for to his cause 38:04 and that's the outworking of Christ in your life, 38:06 same 100 dollar coming from two totally different hearts. 38:09 Yeah. Yeah. 38:10 And the interesting thing is when the one is connected 38:12 by faith, we'll talk about this 38:13 in a minute, the faith element. 38:16 That's the one that is blessed that begins to really work. 38:19 True. And grow and so really as we, 38:22 as we then begin to try to define 38:25 what's legalism, what's obedience. 38:26 And I think we're doing that, that fairly well, 38:28 the Lord is blessing here. 38:29 Then we know that they're two works that are evident, 38:31 there are two kinds of works and you normally 38:33 distinguish and you can't really distinguish 38:36 where they come from because 38:37 you don't know the heart. 38:38 You don't know the heart. 38:39 And when we in church begin to assign favor to those 38:45 who are working well, we really do that 38:48 without any knowledge or true sincere understanding 38:51 of where those things are coming from. 38:53 So we have to be very careful within our churches, 38:58 to bestow accolades because of performance. Yes. 39:03 Because the heart that is legalistic will take that 39:06 and becomes swelled and think I'm right with God 39:10 and we can actually make them secure in a way 39:13 that they really shouldn't be. 39:15 Oh, yes, yeah. 39:16 But Jesus says, you will know them by their fruits. Yes. 39:20 And what I find most of the time is that conversion is, 39:25 is most evident in the fruit. 39:28 Not necessarily just the way that we work 39:30 and there's a little, there's a subtle difference here. 39:32 Yes, I understand. 39:33 Because the fruit comes from heart 39:37 and of course the fruit of the spirit we know love, 39:39 joy, peace, these aren't necessarily doctoral things, 39:43 they are manifestations of 39:45 the spirit of God in the heart. 39:46 In the heart, yes. 39:47 But we can be very knowledgeable about scripture, 39:49 we can know our Bible. 39:51 But we can become so judgmental 39:53 and exacting in the way we apply that in the lives of, 39:56 in our lives and the lives of others, 39:58 that it can hurt and destroy hearts. 40:02 And so we got to make sure that we ourselves, 40:04 even though we think we in the right side of 40:05 the equation as Adventist, 40:07 on this legalism vs obedience, 40:09 that we're being obedient. 40:10 We need to check ourselves, 40:11 we need to examine ourselves 40:12 and see where are these works coming from. 40:14 Yeah, yeah, disobedience you sort of can't get into 40:17 the kingdom disobeying God. 40:19 But your, your, your obedience, 40:21 your works who prevent must be motivated 40:25 by the right thing, by the indwelling Christ. 40:28 And, and you know, we as humans, 40:29 we, we, are, our vision is so limited. 40:32 All I can see, I look at John Stanton, 40:34 I see what you do and life look pretty good to me, 40:37 you know, you're doing okay. 40:39 So I assume a lot because what I see 40:42 but you got to be very, very careful, 40:45 particularly as you said a moment ago with, 40:46 with accolades because I don't know really 40:49 why you do what you do, God does, 40:52 you put an 100 dollars I put an 100 dollars 40:54 but our hearts may be totally, totally different. 40:56 So we need to be very careful and, and, and, 40:58 and ask the Lord for discernment certainly 41:02 in our dealing with that... 41:03 And we're not really called to judge that part. Precisely. 41:05 You know, what we're called is just, you know, 41:07 the tree has apples on it call an apple tree. 41:09 I mean, you know, if we see someone doing good works, 41:12 you trust him and you kind of, 41:14 you work in harmony with them, yeah, 41:16 and you let God work all that stuff out. 41:17 We're not called to judge the motives 41:19 and so be careful about that kind of judging. Yes. 41:21 If we see sin though manifested so in the church 41:25 and or in someone's life then especially if it rises 41:28 to the level of, of being a practice. 41:32 Then, you know, there comes a time 41:33 where we pull our brother aside and we say, 41:35 you know, this, this, this is not healthy. 41:38 And you try to help bring them back 41:39 and bring them back into Christ. 41:41 But without those evidences, you don't know. 41:44 Yeah, you've got a great text here that seems to, 41:46 to, to highlight that tension Philippians. 41:50 Oh, exactly where I was going... 41:52 Philippians 2:12. Therefore, my beloved. 41:55 as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only 41:58 but now much more my absence, 42:01 workout your salvation with fear 42:03 and trembling, work it. Yes. 42:06 Then for it is God who works in you, 42:09 both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 42:12 So it tells you what to do but he also tells 42:14 you how it's done. Yeah. 42:16 How it's done successfully and the correct way. 42:17 Yeah. Yeah. 42:18 You know, I preached a sermon 42:22 it's has been a while that I've done it. 42:23 But maybe I should do it again 42:25 and I'm thinking about the topic, 42:26 but he uses this text 42:29 and I gave a couple of different angles. 42:32 First of all is the one that you gave, you know, 42:34 which is we need to be working 42:35 and may God workout the power and strength in us 42:38 to make sure that we are, are living 42:41 a life of obedience rather than legalism. Yes. 42:44 But he other part is here the text also can be taken 42:47 as we need to get rid or our own works 42:51 and defer to the works of God. 42:54 And this is the angle I'm coming at kind of 42:56 with this passage here in the context of 42:59 what we're talking about today 43:00 because we need to get rid of, 43:03 we need to work out of our life the legalism 43:06 approach to following God and let Him 43:09 bring into our hearts His works. 43:12 And so when you springboard then 43:14 from Ephesians 2 verse 10 into this text 43:19 what it can be read to say is that 43:21 we need to get rid of the way that we work. 43:24 Yes, yes. 43:25 And defer to God who works in us 43:28 because those are the works that we really need 43:30 to have that are obedient oriented. 43:32 Yes, yes, yes, I liked that idea. 43:35 You're working out your salvation 43:38 but God is doing the work. 43:41 It is your salvation that is being worked out 43:45 by God through you. 43:46 Right. Yeah. 43:48 Right, exactly, so now with that in mind, 43:51 let's read a few texts here that really tell us 43:54 the importance of works 43:55 because you can't read the Bible 43:56 with out concluding God wants me to work. 43:59 I mean, I can give you probably 44:01 a 100, 200, 300 texts God is calling me 44:04 to work for Him and so you can't just label 44:07 all works legalism, it just doesn't work. 44:11 So let's read a few of those do you have 44:12 the first one there, Titus 3:8. 44:14 Titus 3:8, this is a faithful saying, 44:16 and these things I want you to affirm constantly, 44:21 that those who have believed in God 44:23 should be careful to maintain good works. 44:28 These things are good and profitable to men. 44:32 Interesting. Yeah. 44:33 So we should be careful to maintain good works 44:37 because they are profitable to men. 44:39 Notice that He also says, the scripture also says 44:42 that we should not try to workout our own salvation 44:44 because that is unprofitable. 44:47 So really he is talking about which side of the equation, 44:50 yes, after you've been converted, 44:52 after conversion that's why he uses the word 44:54 maintain good works that can begin only after 44:57 conversion that can be maintained only, 44:59 yes, only after conversion. Matthew 5:16, 45:03 Let your light so shine before men, 45:05 that they may see your good works, 45:08 and glorify your Father in heaven. 45:10 That almost, that gives us there kind of 45:12 the motive doesn't it for good works. 45:15 To glorify your father. 45:17 But again they will see your good work. 45:20 They're gonna see what you do 45:22 and what you do will be but a reflection of your Father 45:26 in heaven and of course the glory will then 45:27 go to your father in heaven. 45:28 And it is very important, 45:30 you know, as we're doing good works, 45:31 we shouldn't be taking on the credit for it. Right. 45:34 Because it's not remember we can't do good works 45:37 it's not the good works we do as the good works 45:39 that Christ did or prepared beforehand 45:41 that He works through us. 45:42 Yeah, you know, if something pops in my mind 45:44 if you go back to Micah 6:8, 45:46 he has shown the old man what is good 45:49 and what does the Lord require of Him, 45:50 do justly, love mercy, 45:52 walk humbly with God, with thy God. 45:54 So those are the kinds of good works 45:56 that we're talking about, do justly, 45:58 love mercy, welcome humbly with God. 46:01 When people see those things, 46:02 God will get the glory. 46:03 And He seems to indicate that they're required. 46:05 Yes. The Lord requires. 46:07 Required, yes. Yeah. 46:08 Yeah. Matthew 16:27. 46:10 For the Son of Man will come in the glory 46:13 of his Father with his angels 46:15 and then he will reward each one according to what? 46:17 His works. His works. 46:18 So even our reward is measured 46:22 by the works that God does through us. Yes. 46:24 Now, there are works, they appear to be our works. 46:26 But it's God working again now through us. 46:29 Because their obedience works that are rewarded 46:31 not legalistic works that are rewarded. 46:34 So he's, he's basically judging you 46:37 on your willingness to open up yourself 46:40 and let him work through you. 46:42 It's like open up the hatch, 46:44 let me pour in and if I will judge you 46:47 according to your ability. 46:48 Just, just, just open up and let me come in 46:51 and work through you, yeah. 46:52 You know, you may have a good point there, 46:54 how does that change your prayer life? 46:56 Think about that. Yeah, yeah. 46:58 I mean, does it, Lord, help me to get out there 47:01 and to feed the homeless today. 47:04 Or Lord, change my heart. Yes. 47:06 Give me a burden for a loving souls 47:08 and for wanting to touch lives through 47:10 this ministry of feeding the homeless. 47:13 Work in me and through me on that. 47:14 I mean, that's the prayer life not this believe it, 47:18 I got to go work for the homeless 47:19 and that's a cold formal working out of, 47:22 of your Christianity. 47:23 Yeah, Lord, come in and just direct my life 47:26 and it may be homeless, 47:27 it maybe literacy with children 47:30 and it maybe anything, but just come in 47:32 and then show me and I'm available 47:34 and available to you and then 47:36 He will work it out through you. 47:37 Amen, now there's a few texts that Jesus actually 47:41 talks about the works that He does were 47:43 not His own works. 47:45 That's why I thought I bring these, 47:46 these texts into play because even as Jesus worked out 47:50 or prepared the works beforehand for us, 47:53 His works were from His Father. Yes. 47:55 Because He was also our example of how we are 47:57 to depend upon his Father and Him for good works. 48:00 So these texts also help confirm that, 48:04 John 5:36, but I have a greater witness then 48:06 John's for the works 48:08 which the Father has given me to finish. 48:10 The very works that I do bare witness of me 48:13 that the Father has send me. Oh, yes. 48:15 So the works that Jesus did come from His Father. 48:19 His Father, yes. 48:21 John 10:25, Jesus answered them, 48:24 "I told you, and you do not believe. 48:26 The works that I do in my Father's name 48:30 they bear witness of me." Okay. 48:33 So again He is working in the name of His Father, 48:35 we work in Jesus name. 48:37 And then in verse 38 same chapter John 10, 48:40 But if I do, though you do not believe Me, 48:43 believe the works, that you may know 48:45 and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Him. 48:49 You notice that unity that comes 48:52 with a conversion experience. Yes, yes. 48:54 A oneness that the Father is working through Christ. 48:58 John 14:10, Do you not believe that I am 49:02 in the Father and the Father in me. 49:04 The works that I speak to you, the words rather, 49:07 that I speak to you, 49:08 I do not speak on my own authority, 49:11 but the Father who dwells in me He does the works. 49:14 Now, that's good, yeah. 49:16 He is the one doing the works but He is doing that 49:18 from the inside because of course we know 49:20 that Christ was a sinless human being. 49:24 And allowed His Father to do that. 49:26 Now, so we get to the crux of the matter now. 49:28 Not that we kind of have, we've kind of placed works 49:30 in its proper prospective, 49:32 let's kind of bring faith into this. 49:34 Because the Book of James which is known as 49:37 often a faith in works book, you know, 49:40 how it harmonizes I think with this understanding 49:42 it helps to better read that and to maybe understand, 49:46 discern what James is actually saying in his, his epistle. 49:52 First of all, I wrote here I just, a thought, 49:54 I came to my mind. 49:56 Faith plus works equals obedience. 50:00 But if there is obedience or obedience is faith 50:05 and works together therefore, therefore 50:07 that means legalism is works without faith. Faith, yes. 50:11 So, in this equation you would say 50:14 works minus faith equals legalism. 50:17 Legalism, yes, yes, yes, yes. 50:19 So faith is really the key and it's also the conversing, 50:23 you know, transforming powers we read in, 50:25 in Ephesians 2 verses 8-9. 50:29 That begins that conversion that changes 50:31 the works from legalistic then to obedience. 50:34 Obedience, yeah. 50:35 So now let's read James chapter 2:14-24. 50:38 Maybe you can read a few and then find a place 50:40 to stop and I'll go ahead and read the rest. 50:42 What does it profit, my brethren, 50:44 if someone says he has faith but does not have works. 50:49 Can faith save him? 50:53 If your brother or sister is naked 50:55 and just the two to daily food. 50:57 And one of you says to them, Depart in peace, 51:00 be warmed and filled, 51:01 but you do not give him the things which are needful, 51:04 needed for the body, what does it profit? 51:07 Well, let's look here right there. 51:10 Basically James is laying out his case 51:12 and it's very linear and very plain. 51:14 What does it profit if someone says he has faith, okay. 51:18 I have faith, how is that faith shown, 51:23 what is the emblem, the insigne of that faith. 51:26 How does that faith work itself out in your daily life 51:30 if you do nothing, if you say nothing, 51:32 if you go nowhere, if you do not exercise that faith? 51:35 Then first, the question is, 51:37 do you really have faith and two, 51:38 then what good is your faith? Right. 51:41 It's a static not even a reality, 51:44 it's an entity that that has no legs on it, 51:47 you know it's just passive. 51:48 So he is saying, if you do have faith then 51:53 it will be shown, exemplified in doing something. Yeah. 51:59 Something's gonna happen... 52:00 If it's never passive it's always active. 52:01 It's active it's got to be faith by nature, 52:04 it's not, if you believe, you believe in something 52:08 right, and if you believe in something then you act on 52:11 that belief they go hand in hand. 52:13 You really cannot have one in its true essence without 52:16 the other and that's the case that James is laying out. 52:18 And then in verse 17 it says, 52:20 Thus also by faith by itself, 52:22 if it does not have works is dead, dead. 52:24 But someone will say, 52:26 "You have faith and I have works." 52:28 Show me your faith without your works, 52:30 and I will show you my faith by my works. 52:34 So He is giving the correct then approached to, 52:36 to works there in faith. 52:39 Verse 19, You believe that there is one God. 52:41 You do well, even the demons believe and tremble. 52:44 But you do not know, do you want to know, 52:46 O foolish man, that faith without works is dead. 52:49 Was not Abraham our father justified 52:51 by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 52:54 Do you see that faith was working together 52:57 with his works and by works faith was made perfect? 53:00 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, 53:02 Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him 53:05 for righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. 53:08 You see then that a man is justified by works, 53:11 not and not by faith only. 53:14 Now, a lot of people struggle with that 53:16 and in fact that passage right there, 53:17 if you go back in history almost kept 53:20 James out of the cannon. 53:22 They had to study that before that 53:24 became part of the cannon, the scripture. Yes. 53:26 But they saw it was in harmony with the rest 53:28 of what God was saying, 53:29 what Jesus was saying especially 53:30 with regard to our works. 53:32 That they must be mixed with faith 53:34 and then they are not only required, 53:37 but they are necessary to show that 53:38 we have been transformed by the grace of God. 53:40 We are in fact saved. 53:42 Yes, the plum line as you eluded to before 53:44 so beautifully is the conversion experience. 53:47 Once that line is dropped it's on which side of 53:51 the line do you fall, on the left side 53:54 or pre-conversion it's legalism, 53:57 it's trying to work you into conversion. 54:00 On the right side it is but the out working 54:02 of your conversion experience. 54:04 So now it is motivated by faith 54:06 and relationship and love to God. 54:08 And I would add to that too, 54:09 that even if we're on the conversion side 54:11 of the fence we still must be careful 54:13 to maintain good works, he says, why? Yes, yeah. 54:16 Because sometimes we can let our faith go. 54:20 And then we can find ourselves back 54:22 on the other side of the fence 54:24 and needing conversion again. Yes. 54:26 That's why Paul says, I die daily, 54:28 everyday he needed that fresh conversion experience. 54:31 Now, the last thing that I wanted to mention here is 54:34 that you find some of this language also, 54:37 works language in the chapter, chapter 4 of Hebrews. 54:43 And it is connected to, interestingly, 54:45 the day of rest and I bring this up 54:47 because this is often where people go 54:49 when they hear about a Sabbath keeper 54:52 because you're a Sabbath keeper you must be a legalist. 54:55 Yes, and I want to show 54:57 what Sabbath keeping really is about, 54:59 we just have a couple of minutes here for this. 55:01 But let me read for you the beginning of this 55:03 Hebrews 4 verse 4. 55:05 For he has spoke in a certain place of 55:07 the Seventh day in this way, 55:10 And God rested on the Seventh day from His works, 55:13 all His works and again in the same place 55:16 they shall not enter my rest. 55:18 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, 55:21 and those to whom it was first preached did not enter 55:24 because of disobedience. 55:26 Again he designates a certain day, 55:28 saying to David, today after such a long time 55:31 as it is been said, today if you will hear my voice 55:33 do not hearken your hearts. 55:35 For Joshua has given them rest, 55:37 this he would not afterward have spoken of another day. 55:40 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. Yeah. 55:44 And then those who have entered his rest has himself 55:48 also ceased from his works as God did from his. 55:52 Now, notice that upon conversion we seeks 55:55 from our own works. Yes. 55:57 And we enter into a rest with God which is a picture 56:01 of the redemption that Christ had offered, 56:04 he offers to us. Yes, yes. 56:06 So, by observing the Sabbath we're resting 56:08 in the finished work of Christ and allowing His works 56:13 then to manifest in our life, 56:15 as to show that we are converted Christians. 56:18 How wonderful that those who claim that Sabbath keeping 56:23 is legalism misunderstand the burden. 56:26 Sabbath keeping is really rest, 56:28 it's resting in the works of the Lord. 56:30 It's, it's just the opposite of what it appears to... yeah. 56:34 Yes, it's amazing 'cause, you know, 56:36 we think of it while you just doing 56:37 or trying to keep the Sabbath, yeah, no, 56:39 I'm resting in the Sabbath on that day, 56:42 yes, from my own works, 56:45 symbolized by the works of earning wages 56:47 and everything we do. 56:49 And then I'm trusting in the works of Christ 56:51 which He said on the cross. Oh, yes. 56:52 It is finished and then allowing him 56:56 then to make me a worker, a co-worker with him. 56:59 With him... Powerful very, very... 57:00 Praise the Lord. 57:01 Well, you know, we'll end with the text, Revelation 14:12. 57:04 Here is the patience of the saints, 57:06 here are those who keep the commandments of God, 57:08 and the faith of Jesus. Yes. 57:11 Clearly the Bible says that there is a harmony 57:13 between keeping commandments and faith. 57:15 There is a harmony between faith and works. 57:18 And we want to make sure that you 57:19 in your own life are able to examine 57:21 where those works are coming from. Yeah. 57:22 Let they be of God, let they be transformed, 57:25 may your life be transformed 57:27 by the works of Christ in you 57:28 and then you will know without a doubt 57:30 that He has converted and saved you. 57:32 God bless you, have a great day. |
Revised 2014-12-17