Participants: Pr. John Lomacang, Pr. John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL130012
|
00:01 Hello friends, grab your Bible and a friend
00:02 and sit back as we explore God's word together 00:05 on this edition of "House Calls." 00:22 Welcome to House Calls. My name is John and so as he. 00:27 Isn't that true? I am. 00:29 He's John and I'm John 00:30 and we're here together to share with you 00:33 what God has baked in His oven, 00:35 it's called the "bread of life" and it's really good. 00:38 We always enjoy eating it 00:41 and now it's our time to share with you. 00:43 So get your Bibles and get your pens, 00:47 invite your family and your friends 00:49 and sit with us for the next hour 00:51 as we walk through the Word of God 00:52 together comprised of Bible questions 00:55 and Bible topic and we always appreciate everything you do. 00:59 You know, we always have prayer before we go any further. 01:01 So John, why don't you have prayer for us today? 01:03 Let's do that. 01:05 Gracious Father, we thank You 01:06 Lord for another opportunity here of coming together 01:08 to open Your word and well we just pray 01:11 that You speak to us through Your spirit 01:13 guiding direct our thoughts, our hearts, 01:15 so that they're open completely to Your voice. 01:18 In Jesus name we pray, amen. Amen. 01:21 Well friends, thank you for your questions and comments. 01:24 You guys are very faithful in sending us emails. 01:27 And even some people still send us the snail mail. 01:33 No offence to the snail mail, 01:34 it gets here but if you have any questions 01:36 you would like to send to us, 01:37 send those questions to housecalls@3abn.org. 01:41 That's housecalls@3abn.org 01:43 and we will attempt to respond to those based on the Bible. 01:48 Sometimes you will get passionate 01:50 but hey, we like talking about the Bible. 01:52 But John, what you've for us today? 01:53 What's our first question? 01:55 Well, a question from Mellissa and she says, 01:58 Lord God bless you and your family. 02:00 Thank you for answering my question. 02:02 She said, I have a question about worship. 02:06 Tell me what does worship mean? 02:10 Very general a wide question, 02:12 we can approach it from various angles 02:14 and there are lot to worship. 02:17 I'm gonna cover an angel, an aspect of worship 02:19 that we may not have thought of too much. All right. 02:22 I think the most general definition of that 02:25 is anything that we express adoration for. Okay. 02:28 It's an act of worship, the way we respond, 02:31 we bow in reverence or sing praises or whatever 02:34 we're doing that to God, that's worship. 02:35 So that's the general meaning of worship. Okay. 02:37 But there's a part of worship that I think 02:40 we haven't understood as well as we should. 02:44 John, we've all heard those that are challenged 02:47 maybe by their attendance at church. 02:49 May we ask them why aren't you coming? 02:51 And we look for ways to bring them back into the fold. 02:55 And sometimes you have this thing this response 02:58 that comes that says from them, 03:01 well, I'm just not getting anything out of the service. 03:06 Or if you find those that hop from church to church 03:08 they're not finding a church-- a single church to identify 03:12 where they might be floating around from different speakers. 03:14 They go to the place that the speaker 03:16 that they like is having a sermon for that day 03:19 and they're finding that the worship service 03:21 in one place is isn't satisfactory. 03:25 I think part of this comes from a misunderstanding of worship. 03:29 Worship isn't something that we receive. 03:33 Worship is something that we give. Okay. 03:36 So when we come into the house of God 03:39 each Sabbath to worship, 03:43 it's not that we come there to get from God, 03:46 although God does bestow a blessing. 03:49 But we come there to worship Him 03:51 to give Him the praise, honor, and glory 03:54 and thanks that He deserves. 03:57 So I have tried to 03:59 in understanding this aspect of worship. 04:02 I tried to more than not, when I'm listening to a message 04:06 or whatever part I'm doing 04:08 even if it's not really done necessary that well, 04:10 I'm trying to get God's blessing out of that. 04:14 But more than that when I come to worship, 04:15 I'm trying to come to church as a pastor to worship God 04:21 through how I serve and respond to Him. Okay. 04:25 Here's where I'm getting this from 04:27 and if you go to Romans 12 04:34 and I'm going to verse 1 04:36 and I'm going to pull this up here 04:38 on my online Bible here. 04:44 And I'm gonna read this in the New King James Version first 04:47 and then I'm going to read it in the NIV, 04:49 the New International Version. All right. 04:51 It says, "I beseech you therefore, 04:53 brethren, by the mercies of God, 04:54 that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, 04:58 holy, acceptable to God, 04:59 which is your reasonable service." 05:02 Here the idea of presenting ourselves 05:04 our bodies all we have all we are to God 05:08 is a reasonable way that we respond to His salvation 05:12 and that we desire to serve Him as the way we serve Him. 05:15 But the NIV actually takes the Greek words there 05:18 and I believe probably does a little better job 05:21 of bringing a fullness of to what Paul is really saying here. 05:24 And here's what the NIV says how it reads. 05:27 "Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, 05:32 to offer as your bodies as living sacrifices, 05:35 holy and pleasing to God." 05:37 This is your spiritual act of worship. 05:39 That's right. Okay. 05:41 There's an element of worship here in this text 05:44 which is why the NIV translated that way. 05:47 And so when we come to from Sabbath to Sabbath 05:49 to worship God or in a devotional time 05:52 in our mornings to worship God, 05:54 what we're doing is we're giving to Him 05:56 it's an act of the will to worship Him 05:59 and it's very much from us to God. 06:02 In return God blesses us with His spirit, 06:05 protection with other things that we find 06:08 how God treats and cares for His children. 06:11 So worship, to expand worship then is 06:14 something we do in response to God's goodness toward us. 06:18 But it goes beyond the worship service 06:24 each Sabbath into our daily lives 06:27 and how we respond to God's call to mission. Right. 06:31 How we serve others? How we treat others? 06:32 How we care for others? 06:34 All those are acts of worship throughout the week. 06:37 So I would say in every respect 06:39 worship doesn't just happen from Sabbath to Sabbath, 06:42 worship happens everyday. Sure. 06:44 It happens in what we do. 06:45 And I will encourage everyone 06:48 to consider this expanded definition of worship, 06:50 because it's truly a biblical one 06:53 but more than that it holds-- 06:54 it raises the bar on accountability 06:57 to worship God every single day of our life. Okay. 07:03 You know, I could accept that. You concur? 07:05 I concur. I concur. 07:08 And thank you, John, for that. 07:12 Now what I would like to go on to now is 07:15 the idea that-- and what I was-- 07:19 matter of fact before I go to my question 07:20 what I was getting out of that is 07:22 worship is not a location only, but a station in life. 07:29 Location and as far as corporate worship is concerned 07:34 that's the weekly or maybe people may worship 07:37 more than one day a week together as a corporate body. 07:40 But worship as you pointed out 07:42 is what we do all the time through our lives. 07:47 Our lives as a living sacrifice 07:49 holy and acceptable to the Lord. Yeah. 07:52 Okay, that's make complete sense. 07:57 Now somebody had send a question here. 08:02 Hello, I absolutely love your show. 08:04 Thank you so much. 08:06 I have a question regarding the temple of God, 08:09 our bodily temple. 08:12 I have a tattoo of the cross that I got on my arm 08:15 because I used to cut my self there. 08:18 So I got a cross because it was through God 08:21 that I was able to heal from my former struggles. 08:25 Where in the Bible does it talk about tattoos? 08:30 If it even talks about it at all 08:32 and if it does, what does it say? 08:35 Okay, go with me to Leviticus 19. 08:39 First time we talk about the body part 08:41 or the body portion that is. 08:45 You were correct when you said the body is the temple Of God. 08:50 The body is the temple. 08:51 John, matter of fact just read a text 08:53 in Romans 12:1 and Romans 12:2. 08:57 "Present your body as a living sacrifice, 09:00 holy, and acceptable to God." 09:02 But 1 Corinthians 6, it says as follows verse 19. 09:10 1 Corinthians 6:19 and I'm gonna read this it says, 09:14 "Or do you not know that your body 09:16 is the temple of the Holy Spirit 09:19 who is in you, whom you have from God," 09:22 or of God, "and you are not your own? 09:26 You are bought at a price, 09:27 so therefore glorify God in your body 09:31 and in your spirit, which are God's." 09:34 So we're to glorify God not just on the spiritual basis, 09:38 but what we do with our bodies. 09:40 And when you think about that 09:42 as you ask the question about tattoos, 09:44 the Bible does talk about tattoos. 09:45 But before I answer the question 09:47 and show you the text 09:49 we have a guy here that works at 3abn, 09:51 who when he came he didn't have a tattoo. 09:56 If I could use this in a very light hearted way, 09:59 he was a tattoo. 10:02 From the head to foot he had tattoos. 10:06 Eye lids, the lip, the ear lobes, 10:10 the ear, the whole face. He had faces on his face. 10:15 And all these some of you may have seen the program 10:17 we talked about him here 10:20 and on the arms, everywhere, 10:24 the legs he just--he was a tattoo. 10:28 So when I said he had a tattoo, no he was a tattoo, 10:31 because there's no place 10:33 you could not see a tattoo, even on his head. 10:35 I guess he had his head shaved bald 10:36 and had a tattoo of a face tattooed on his head. 10:39 The back of his neck, everywhere there was a tattoo. 10:42 And so let me answer one question 10:45 before I answer this second one. 10:48 Now if a person has a tattoo, 10:51 when he or she comes to the Lord, 10:53 how does God respond to that person? 10:55 How does God look at that individual? 10:57 Because in some cases 10:59 some people have had like a small tattoo here 11:01 and some of them have chosen to remove it, 11:04 some of them have chosen not to. 11:06 How does God look at that? 11:08 Well it doesn't, it still doesn't remove 11:10 the fact that your body belongs to God 11:12 and your body is the temple of God. 11:14 Any more than a person that may have cut their skin 11:18 and putt an earring in there. 11:20 Well, you can't uncut your skin 11:22 and there are some people, they have many, many earrings. 11:24 Well you can't uncut your skin. 11:27 You can't fill those holes up 11:28 now that you've come to the Lord. 11:30 But then you still present your body to the Lord 11:32 as the living sacrifice 11:33 by removing the ornaments from your body. 11:35 And in some cases which this person did 11:38 all the tattoos that were visible 11:41 when he has on a shirt were removed 11:44 and so he went through this painful process 11:46 of having the tattoos removed from his face 11:49 and we saw the video of where they removed 11:51 with the green laser. 11:53 They actually burned these tattoos off of his face. 11:57 Everywhere there was a tattoo 11:59 just imagine that with this green laser 12:01 that's literally burning the skin 12:03 and they had this ice-cream sticks 12:05 in his mouth were he's-- and we saw the video 12:08 and his eyes are covered with goggles 12:10 to prevent from the laser getting in his eyes. 12:11 What a painful process? 12:13 And so--so he really was serious about that 12:17 and one of the reasons why he did that 12:18 and this is very important 12:20 is because he said, up until he came here 12:23 he was always known as the guy with tattoos 12:25 and he was shunned. 12:27 But when he came here to 3ABN and came to our church he said, 12:30 you know people actually love me for who I'm. 12:33 They actually called me by my name 12:36 and they actually knew me 12:38 by my name rather than by my markings. 12:41 And realized wait a minute 12:44 there should be evidence of my commitment to Christ, 12:46 so he removed those tattoos from his face. 12:48 Now he didn't have to go through all the arms and legs 12:51 because for the most part they're covered up 12:55 and those are not seen 12:56 and so he doesn't-- he didn't do that. 12:58 But now what does the Bible say about 13:00 putting tattoos there in Leviticus 19 13:03 and I'm gonna read it from the Amplified Bible 13:06 because what it does, the Amplified Bible includes 13:10 what it says in the King James and New King James and NIV. 13:13 It kinds of brings them all together in the amplified. 13:16 It says, "You shall not make any cuttings 13:18 in your flesh for the dead," 13:21 which was a practice that many people did, excuse me. 13:24 "Nor print or tattoo any marks upon you 13:29 for I am the Lord." 13:31 The King James Version says, nor print any marks 13:34 and the New King James says, nor make any tattoos. 13:39 And the NIV says, or put tattoos marks on yourself. 13:43 So all for those translations King James, New King James, 13:46 NIV and Amplified use the word tattoos. 13:51 So what is a tattoo? 13:53 Well, nobody has to figure that out nowadays, 13:56 because tattooing is just like an industry. 13:58 It's an enterprise. 14:01 They shows that some times 14:05 oh, I forgot the name of the show, 14:06 LA Ink what all people do is just mark themselves up. 14:11 In basketball there's a guy called Chris Andersen. 14:13 But do you know you heard of Chris Andersen, John? 14:16 But he's known as Birdman by his team 14:19 because of the way he does his hair. 14:21 Mohawk down the centre 14:23 and everything south of his neck there's a tattoo 14:27 and its fiasco at best. Full colored. 14:32 Full colored tattoos 14:34 and the joke of the basketball league 14:37 was they said, hey they heard a rumor 14:39 that he wants to get another one. 14:42 And see, so but when you think of your body 14:44 and here's why it's so important, 14:45 when you think of your body 14:47 and realize that your body is the temple of God, 14:50 it's not necessary to have a tattoo. 14:52 Now they're those that as you said you put a cross, 14:55 now would God reject you, 14:57 if you give your life to the Lord. 15:00 There are those who may out of committing there lives 15:03 to the Lord remove that tattoo and say, okay, you know, 15:06 I don't want to be known anymore by my tattoo. 15:09 But I do know a pastor and I say this not to give, 15:13 not to condemn the wearing of tattoos, 15:15 but I had a chance to go minister at the church, 15:19 one of our Adventist churches. 15:21 And I met a pastor 15:22 and he was in the warmer part of-- 15:24 he had a much short sleeve shirt 15:26 and on his arm, it caught me and it just whoa, what is that. 15:31 Because he had a tattoo, 15:33 he used to be a sailor and he had on his arm, 15:35 what did sailors used to put on their arm? 15:37 Naked woman. 15:38 A tattoo of the woman on his arm. 15:40 And I said, pastor, I said, there's a tattoo on your arm. 15:47 You're a pastor. What's up with that tattoo? 15:50 And he said, you know, I know, 15:54 but he said not necessarily 15:57 agreeing or disagreeing with his philosophy. 15:58 He says, it reminds me of where the Lord brought me from. 16:04 Now I would probably remove it 16:06 because of the kind of tattoo it is 16:09 and I-- but he said, he keeps it 16:11 because it reminds him of where the Lord brought him from? 16:16 And whether I agree with that or not is not the point, 16:21 okay I don't agree with the kind of tattoo he had there, 16:24 I would have removed it. 16:26 The point being made for those of us 16:28 who recognize our bodies as the temple of God. 16:30 I don't support Christians going out 16:32 and adding cross tattoos, because Lord says 16:36 that we should bare the cross, 16:38 not wear the cross or draw the cross. All right. 16:42 But does the Lord love us if we have the tattoo? 16:45 Of course He does. 16:46 But He wants us to recognize His ownership of our bodies 16:50 and if we recognize His ownership of our bodies, 16:53 then we know blatantly violate that ownership 16:55 in the relationship by going out 16:57 marking up His temple. 16:58 Well, there's also the principle here too. 17:01 In the Old Testament there's a word used called ornaments 17:07 and God wanted the people to take off their ornamentation 17:11 in all its forms. That's right. 17:12 Which would include their jewelry and tattoos, 17:15 I would think even qualifies ornamentation, 17:18 because ornamentation is something 17:19 that is intended to beautify or accessorize the body. 17:25 So today, we have the same thing, 17:27 a lot of jewelry and lot of piercings 17:29 and we have tattoos. 17:30 All those I think qualify in the New Testament word 17:33 which is adornment, okay, 17:36 kind of equivalent of ornaments 17:39 of the Old Testament. That's right, very good point. 17:41 And so New Testament is very clear 17:44 don't adorn your bodies, live simple minded, 17:48 live the way that God has made you 17:50 and don't try to spice yourself up 17:52 to look like something else something that you're not. 17:54 And then the other thing is very good point made, John. 17:58 The other thing is the world is really carving out of path. 18:04 No pun intended here, 18:06 because Jesus is cutting the flesh. 18:07 The world is marking out of path 18:10 and people are just following the world. 18:13 It's fads. It's a fad. 18:14 But certain fads are not as easily reversible 18:17 as you know pink hair, 18:18 where you can just dye your hair 18:20 or whatever the case maybe. 18:21 There are some people, 18:23 Lord have mercy. I have seen this. 18:26 People have like this-- who's this really crazy lady, 18:31 I should not say crazy, I don't want to disrespect her. 18:34 But this very strange person Lady Gaga 18:38 who had actually had spikes 18:40 put under her flesh and I don't know how she did it, 18:45 because she could see the forehead rising up, 18:48 but you don't see where 18:50 these under the skin spikes are put in. 18:54 Then there are some people 18:55 that I've seen that have actually had receptacles 18:59 put into their skull 19:01 where they could screw in the spikes. 19:04 So these spikes are screwed in 19:06 and the anchor of that was actually a screw anchor 19:11 that was actually put, inserted into the skull 19:15 and I'm thinking, I saw a very awful story. 19:20 And I think I want to do this one here 19:22 just share the story of a guy 19:24 who wanted to really, really be trendy 19:28 and he wanted to have a chain. 19:35 This is a terrible story. 19:36 You know, I am not going to tell the story. 19:38 I'm not going to tell the story, 19:39 it was terrible, it's very-- Well, suffice it to say, 19:41 they are inventing all kinds of ways 19:44 to change the body through piercing, 19:46 through carving, through other things 19:48 that the Bible really doesn't want us 19:50 to participate in. Yeah. 19:52 I even think to the small degree. 19:53 It's a violation. Are we-- issue is-- 19:56 are we satisfied with the way the Lord made us. 19:59 And are we satisfied with our life in Christ? 20:02 Or do we have to go beyond that to feel like 20:04 somehow we need to make ourselves 20:06 look better or improve ourselves 20:08 or something rather than just accepting Christ 20:11 in by faith trusting in Him. 20:14 I don't know, I think that's really 20:16 a one of the core issues with this hold. 20:18 Yeah, if you recognize your worth 20:20 and this comes down to a lot of things 20:21 that where people don't recognize their worth 20:24 and they want to be recognized, 20:25 they want to be noticed, they want to be seen 20:27 and so they follow these trends. 20:28 And there's some people are fully confident 20:31 in themselves, but they just simply follow a trend, 20:33 because that's the end thing to do. 20:35 But when you realize your body is God's temple, 20:37 you honor it as such. 20:39 And I could say in reality I don't have a tattoo, 20:41 I don't have any holes. No holes poked. 20:44 I survived the generation 20:45 of the tattoo and the holes. 20:47 You know, you have the perfect number 20:48 of holes in your head. Yeah. 20:50 The perfect number, they are seven. 20:52 That's right, I never thought of that. 20:53 Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth. 20:57 Seven holes. Seven holes. 20:59 Perfection. God made your head perfect. 21:02 To put any more in it is moving from perfection. 21:06 That's a good way to think. 21:08 I never thought about the fact that I had a perfect head. 21:11 All of us have perfect heads. That's right. 21:13 Seven holes. That's right. 21:14 You know, I never thought about that. 21:16 But let God put the holes in you. 21:18 I know the one with ten fingers, 21:19 ten toes, the Ten Commandments. 21:21 That's a good one, that's a good one. 21:23 Hey, I like that. It's really good. 21:25 Hey, what do you have for us? 21:26 Here's the last question probably we will cover today. 21:29 I'm not gonna read who it's from 21:31 because it indicative of probably many 21:34 that have written in on a variety of topics 21:38 that I consider not pillars of the Christian faith. Okay. 21:43 They're not present truth, they're side issues. Okay. 21:47 That individuals want to write in, 21:50 comment on, want us to weigh in on 21:53 or they reel us for not talking about it. 21:57 We just don't see them as present truth 22:00 and necessary to debate about right now. Okay. 22:03 Nor do we agree with them on some of these, 22:06 many of these issues in fact. 22:08 Some way outright disagree with them on. 22:13 But here's the point I want to make with this. 22:15 And I mention a few other things that come out in this letter, 22:17 but I won't answer them specifically, 22:19 but I will mention the types of things. 22:21 But I think that the core lies this foundational issue. 22:28 The devil sees that God has given us 22:30 a wonderful mission to accomplish for Him. 22:33 It's a mission of finishing His work of evangelizing the world, 22:37 spreading the everlasting gospel to all. 22:39 That gospel is centered in Jesus 22:42 and the salvation He brings to all of us. That's right. 22:45 That is the core pillar truth of the entire Bible. 22:50 There are things that we do 22:52 in the practice of our faith in God 22:56 that might differ from individual to individual. 23:00 There are some things that some may do that others may not do. 23:03 And the devil wants to use those things 23:06 that are not salvific to get us off course 23:10 and to argue and judge and fight 23:12 and accuse and to criticize 23:15 and take us away from this mission. 23:18 And some of those issues include Christmas observance, 23:24 Ester observance, the feast days. 23:30 Another issue written in this letter specifically 23:33 is a doctrinal issue of crucifixion 23:36 whether its three days starting with actual 72 hour period, 23:40 three days, four or parts of three days. 23:45 We think the Bible is very clear on that. 23:47 Christ crucified on preparation day, 23:49 rose on the first day of the week 23:50 that is Friday to Sunday, parts of three days. 23:53 I don't have to answer anything more. 23:56 If you want to talk about 23:58 three days and three nights 23:59 that question well, Jesus Himself talked about the depths 24:04 He stooped during Thursday night, 24:08 during His time in Gethsemane 24:10 where He was in every respect entering death. 24:14 He would have died had the angels not revived Him. 24:19 So He's in the heart of the earth 24:21 in that respect spiritually on Thursday night. 24:23 But anyway I don't want to get into all those issues. 24:26 We can disagree with you 24:27 and you can disagree with us on these issues, 24:29 but should it divide us? 24:33 Should it take us from the mission 24:34 God has given us to accomplish? 24:36 No. No. 24:38 If we are more about God's work 24:40 which is reaching the lost 24:42 and had a heart for lost people 24:44 instead of a heart that is critical 24:46 in fault finding of our brethren, 24:49 then we would accomplish more, 24:50 because God's blessings would be upon us. 24:53 John, I find over and over again 24:55 this hard critical attitude within the church. 24:57 And I'm not-- just not the Adventist churches, 24:59 it's all churches everywhere. Right. 25:01 Just based upon disagreement 25:02 is to how someone else practices their faith 25:04 and they cannot get off of it is their main theme. 25:07 And I would ask each and every one of them, 25:08 how many have you brought to Christ? 25:11 How many have you been instrumental 25:14 in bringing someone to Jesus and seeing them baptized? 25:17 How many of you last year, two years, five years. 25:21 I will side with someone who may not, 25:25 I may not agree with in every point of doctrine, 25:27 except the pillars of our faith, 25:30 that is doing a work of evangelism 25:32 and helping to win souls for Jesus, 25:35 to hasten his return, 25:37 I would partner with them any day 25:39 that someone that agrees with me theologically 25:41 that is critical of my brothers and sisters. 25:45 I'm sorry but we have no room here at House Calls 25:48 for criticism and fault finding 25:50 on issues that are not pillars of our faith. 25:53 You see we have-- we're strong, 25:55 John, we're strong believers in the truth, amen? That's right. 25:58 We will defend our faith. 25:59 We will defend the Ten Commandments. 26:01 We will defend the Sabbath which is one of the Ten Commandments. 26:05 We will defend righteousness by faith. 26:06 We will defend Christ as the Messiah. 26:08 We will defend all these things 26:10 that are core issues of our faith, 26:12 but we will not defend 26:13 a critical spirit toward our brethren. 26:15 And, John, I'm not gonna read who this is from, 26:17 I'm not gonna read the letter, 26:19 but we've had enough of them to say enough is enough. 26:22 And if this is your evangelism, 26:26 I think you need a re-conversion of heart, 26:29 because the love for people 26:31 especially your brethren is not present 26:34 and must be cultivated and nurtured once again. 26:39 And so anyway, that is not a judgment statement. 26:42 It's a statement about the mission of God's church 26:45 and what we're all about 26:46 and, John, that's where I stand. 26:48 Well, you know, what I'm looking up here, 26:49 John, is a very important text. 26:52 Here it is, when the Bible talks about avoid-- 26:57 let me go to the Book of Timothy. 27:00 And, okay, I could see here, 27:03 I got it here and because questions come up, 27:06 people have questions, 27:08 I'm gonna go ahead and got it here. 27:14 And people have questions that do come up 27:17 that are really important questions, 27:19 but when the Bible talks about avoiding foolish 27:23 and unlearned questions knowing that they do gender strife. 27:29 That's the biggest issue that I have there, 27:31 people have questions they come up 27:33 that are not salvation issues, 27:36 but they make them to some degree issues of salvation. 27:42 Let me go ahead and talk about some of those briefly 27:44 that you've mentioned like the feast days. 27:50 Here it is. 27:54 Titus 3:9. 27:56 Go to Titus. Titus 3:9. 28:00 That's after the second epistle of Timothy 28:06 and here it is. 28:12 "But avoid foolish disputes, 28:15 genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, 28:21 for they are unprofitable and useless." 28:27 And you also find 2 Timothy 2:23. 28:32 Oh, notice the verse right before that 28:34 verse 8 as to what is profitable. Okay. 28:37 "These things I want you to affirm constantly 28:40 that those who have believed in God 28:42 should be careful to maintain good works." 28:45 In other words, to their brothers and sisters. 28:46 "Good works. These are good and profitable to men." Why? 28:49 Because it helps to redeem them. That's right. 28:52 These foolish disputes are non profitable, don't do them. 28:57 Even if you may agree, 28:58 even the God may have a position on that, 29:01 it is not, it is foolish to dispute over those things. 29:04 And I like the way the Bible puts it here 29:06 in the Book of 2 Timothy 2:23. 29:11 "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes 29:15 knowing that they generate strife." 29:18 The King James says it this way, 29:20 "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, 29:23 knowing that they do gender strife." 29:25 So that's a very big part of it. 29:27 Strife comes when people talk about issues 29:29 that are not salvific issues 29:30 and I think that's the point 29:32 that John made just a moment ago. 29:33 The issues are not issues of salvation. 29:35 Now let's go ahead and look at some of those primarily, 29:39 what are some of the issues that were talked about there-- 29:42 Well, I just mentioned 29:43 they're basically the heart of all of them. Yeah. 29:45 Christmas Eve Observance and what day Christ, 29:48 you know, died and rose again. 29:50 Not a single one of those 29:51 will add to your salvation or detract from it. 29:54 They will make it more burdensome 29:55 if you find that you need to keep feasts 29:59 in order to be saved and-- 30:01 And there are other ones we did not mentioned. Yeah. 30:03 There are things like food, what foods do you eat? 30:07 Should you be vegan or vegetarian? 30:10 And some get to a point 30:11 where they argue over that to the point 30:14 where people just are so fed up, 30:16 they say this what Christianity is like, 30:17 I want nothing to do with it. 30:19 In fact it's interesting in the Judgment chapter of Romans, 30:22 Romans 14. Right. 30:24 He says this, and I know 30:26 it's in a different context of food 30:27 but the point is still well made. 30:30 "Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil, 30:35 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, 30:37 but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." 30:41 He says to the ones that are doing good, 30:43 don't let your good be spoken of as evil. 30:46 Because you're doing it to the point 30:48 where you're trying to impose your beliefs on others. 30:52 That's right. And that's not right. 30:55 So Paul is saying that's judgmental 30:57 and don't enter in to those areas 31:00 that are questionable in regard to 31:03 and not salvific in regard to God's word. 31:06 Yeah, and it's amazing how the NIV puts it, 31:09 "Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid 31:11 arguments because they-- because you know, 31:13 they produce quarrels." 31:15 And some people-- I think it 31:17 all comes down to a very important point. 31:19 If you have a relationship with Jesus, 31:22 you will realize one that the issue of whether or not, 31:28 Easter is a bunny rabbit or an empty tomb, 31:33 neither of those two is going to minus 31:36 or take away from your salvation or add to your salvation. 31:40 There are some people that said, 31:41 oh, you gave the children, Easter eggs, oh. 31:46 They gonna loose their salvation. 31:51 Let me, let me not comment any further on that. 31:53 But then there are others who say, 31:54 I know that we could have a Christmas tree in our church, 31:58 because Ellen White says we could. 32:00 But she made that statement 32:01 because she was very ignorant on that point. 32:03 The day that you think a Christmas tree takes away 32:05 from your salvation is the day that you come to the conclusion 32:09 that you're not really clear about what salvation is. 32:12 "Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, 32:15 not of works, lest any man should boast." 32:17 So let's not allow those things to come in to the place 32:19 where they--where they hinder our salvation 32:22 and our relationship with the Lord. 32:23 Amen. Okay. 32:25 We're gonna segue now in to our Bible topic 32:28 but I know we have--once again may be stirred up the part here 32:31 and allow some questions to come to the forefront. 32:34 So if you do have any Bible questions 32:35 you like to send to us, you can send those questions to 32:38 housecalls@3abn.org That's housecalls@3abn.org 32:44 and we surely appreciate all that you do 32:46 to keep this program going and growing 32:49 as we are getting ready for the coming of the Lord. 32:52 Now, John, here is where I want to segue 32:53 and we had such a good time, 32:56 I remember so well the last time 32:57 we got together and talked about this topic 32:59 and it's really good that we could do that again 33:01 at this particular point. 33:02 I want to lead in to this-- we've been talking 33:04 about the Commandments of God 33:06 and I want to kind of dive into this with the question. 33:10 Why do we do what we do? 33:13 It's very good point, very good question. 33:15 Why do we do what we do? 33:18 And then on the premise of because a lot of people say, 33:20 whether do you think you need to keep 33:22 the commandments to be saved. 33:23 What I want to do is closely analyze, 33:26 and I'll use this not in a forensic sense, 33:28 but just pay attention to how many people honor 33:32 the Commandments of God before they came out of Egypt 33:36 as compared to how many people that the Lord gave 33:38 the commandments to after they came out of Egypt. 33:41 And how many ignored the Commandments of God 33:43 and made it into Canaan, okay. 33:45 That's the analogy I want to look at there, 33:48 but go a head and with that-- with that very question. 33:51 Why do we do what we do? Is it motivated by love or-- 33:56 Well, I think it's the deeper meaning 33:59 of that statement by Jesus, 34:00 "If you love me, keep My commandments." 34:02 And then John reiterating that as well in his epistle, 34:06 that we know that we love God when we keep His commandments. 34:10 Revelation finishes the whole story off. 34:11 Here are the--here is the patience of the saints 34:14 those who keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 34:18 Now it's interesting if keeping 34:20 the Commandments of God is legalism. 34:21 How come the Bible pairs keeping 34:23 the Commandments of God with the faith of Jesus together. 34:25 Very good point. It doesn't make any sense. 34:28 So some times our theological model 34:30 in the--on the issue of Ten Commandments 34:32 can be so tainted by what the world, 34:36 has Christian world has accepted or adopted in regard to, 34:42 you know, statements made by preachers and teachers 34:44 out there that were afraid to just throw it out 34:48 and really go back to the word 34:49 and let the word do the talking for us. 34:51 I think that's where we are trying to advocate 34:52 here is always at House Calls is what does the Bible say, 34:55 not what to someone else say about this or that 34:58 or what our traditions are anyway? 35:02 And a big part of the platform is we have a 747 little fly 35:07 that keeps flying around here with us, okay, 35:09 we're not gonna stop the program because of him, 35:11 he just visiting us right now. 35:13 But the big issue here is, you found in Ecclesiastes 12. 35:17 Let's go to Ecclesiastes. 35:18 We're gonna show you that the Old Testament 35:21 and the New Testament are in partnership 35:23 on the very simple issue of what we do. 35:27 Ecclesiastes 12, I am on my way there. 35:31 You know, I can hear someone saying, 35:33 that they are going to the Old Testament. 35:36 You know that's the Old Testament, that's a Jewish, 35:38 you know, those are mainly for the Jews 35:39 and it's a different system. 35:41 This is part of the theology that the devil sets up 35:43 within Christianity that creates so much confusion. 35:47 Saying that I am a New Testament Christian 35:50 doesn't dismiss the Old Testament, 35:51 because two thirds of the New Testament 35:53 is coding from the Old. Right. 35:56 If you remove the Old Testament out of the new, 35:58 you'll have very little left from the Bible. 36:02 And so anyway, when we read from the Old Testament, 36:06 and as we read the Bible itself both old and new 36:10 they fit together perfectly and harmoniously. 36:13 And I appreciate you're going straight 36:15 to Ecclesiastes for this because this really 36:16 is the conclusion with regard to the commandment. 36:18 Read verse 13 and 14. 36:21 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. 36:23 Fear God, and keep his commandments, 36:25 for this is mans all" or I think King James says, 36:29 "the whole duty of man." That's right. 36:31 "For God will bring every work into judgment including 36:34 every secret thing, whether good or evil." 36:38 Now it's interesting on this, 36:40 if you say this is an Old Testament thing, 36:43 statement, and it's meant for only some, 36:46 verse 14 then will you would also be saying 36:49 doesn't apply to you. 36:51 That there is no judgment where God will bring 36:53 the secret things to life or to light. 36:56 Except the future judgment. Yeah. 36:58 So you are eliminating the future judgment. 37:00 So, okay, so will accept 14 and not accept 13, 37:04 is that what we were saying with the Old Testament, 37:06 in this specific verse. 37:08 You can't do it that way. Okay. 37:09 So this is problematic, so the Ten Commandments 37:11 and judgment are connected here. 37:15 Those who are followers of God fear Him 37:18 by keeping His commandments. 37:20 It's their duty and responsibility 37:23 and they recognize that their works 37:24 do not enter into judgment, 37:26 because their faith in Jesus has already overcome 37:30 the judgment that comes from the law. 37:33 And you know, what John, I think we mentioned 37:35 this briefly in a prior program. 37:39 The issue is so much, what's going on in the heart? 37:44 Parents would say to their children, 37:46 why is that that you just refuse to listen? 37:50 And then some people say, 37:51 man, that kid has a really hard heart. 37:54 Why is that that you just won't do what I actually do? 37:57 Man, that kid has a very disobedient or rebellious heart. 38:02 Well, look at what God has done and I think one of the points 38:06 we made as we compared Israel, 38:09 spiritual Israel with literal Israel. 38:11 No matter which one you go, 38:14 the Lord has done something that affects all of us. 38:17 Not just spiritual Israel, but also literal Israel. 38:21 Look at Hebrews 10:16, 38:23 he makes this the heart issue and a head issue. 38:26 Hebrews 10:16, He said, 38:29 "This is the covenant I will make with him after those days, 38:32 says the Lord, I will put My laws 38:34 in to their hearts and in their minds" 38:38 I will do what? "I will write them." 38:40 So God is not getting rid of His laws. 38:42 He is not saying, you know what, 38:44 these laws really have caused lot of problems. 38:46 How many of us want to be a part of a society 38:48 that doesn't have any laws? 38:50 Now we could become a little ridiculous in our new laws 38:52 that were adding and adding and adding and adding. 38:55 But just say for example, 38:56 if we took away all the traffic laws, 38:59 Now there are some rebellious people 39:00 that would absolutely love that. 39:02 But what's the issue again, the heart, rebellious heart. 39:06 But I heard of a tragic accident that happened a few days ago, 39:10 matter of fact last week it happened, 39:12 of a 17-year-old boy that was speeding 39:16 and people saw him but he ran straight 39:19 through the stop sign and met his fate 39:21 when he hit--when he was impacted by an 18 wheeler. 39:25 Now you know, for those young people that feel 39:28 that they are invincible or immortal, 39:33 an 18 wheeler truck always wins, against a pick-up truck. 39:38 And they showed the sad mangled situation there 39:42 and then I also remember a news report a few years ago, 39:45 maybe more than 10 years ago about some teenagers 39:49 that just wanted to have fun and he was out--outside 39:52 of their town in a very dark local and there was a place 39:57 where almost had a perfect square, 39:59 they're four intersections, north, south, east and west. 40:03 And they took away all the stop signs on all four corners. 40:07 And that night eight people died. 40:10 Because what's happening, they are all speeding 40:13 to an intersection and the signs were gone, 40:15 the stop signs were completely removed, 40:18 all those signs were gone. 40:20 And what happened, 40:21 it caused eight lives on that fateful night. 40:25 And what happened was, what did they remove? 40:27 They removed the law. 40:29 They removed-- and what happened? 40:30 They wanted to have fun. 40:31 And there's some people they think 40:33 that abrogating the law of God gives us more fun, 40:36 when in fact it sets up a more tragic destiny for all of us. 40:39 When we--if we speed and we've sped before 40:42 and we've gotten tickets and we go into the courtroom, 40:49 if we choose to go that route to go 40:51 and seek mercy of reduction in our speed limit 40:53 whatever it is, the final pay. 40:55 When we go there at no time have I ever seen the judge say, 41:01 you know what, now that you've broken it, 41:05 they don't apply to you anymore. 41:09 Now that we set up the rules, they just don't apply anymore. 41:13 It's the rules of the world that keep us free 41:19 from those that are breaking the law. 41:23 And the spiritual, for a spiritual application 41:25 it is the Ten Commandments that keeps us safe 41:29 from the enemy. That's right. 41:31 The Ten Commandments keep us safe from the devil 41:34 and his temptations, because we know what temptation is. 41:38 In fact, its still is in force 41:40 and we know it has to be in force 41:41 because there's still sin in this in this world. 41:43 And Paul argues very pointedly that without the law, 41:49 he would not have known sin. 41:52 There's nothing to condemn him as a sinner, 41:56 so if you remove the law, it's nice to say, 41:58 hey there's no law, we are free in Christ. 42:00 But you're removing the very condemnation 42:02 that drives someone to Christ and we can't do that, 42:06 the Bible doesn't do that. 42:08 And is not--as we said before, it's not ten suggestions. 42:13 The law is a package that fits together. 42:15 The first four are our responsibility to God. 42:19 We're responsible in how we worship and respond to Him. 42:23 The last six are our responsibility to mankind. 42:26 This is why Jesus sums up the law saying, 42:30 thou shall love the Lord thy God with all their heart and-- 42:33 Right, all their mind. 42:35 All their mind and also who? 42:37 Love your neighbor as yourself. Love your neighbor as yourself. 42:40 It's both. It's the vertical part of the cross, 42:42 our relationship with the God, 42:44 it's a horizontal part of the cross in salvation, 42:45 our relationship with mankind. 42:47 This is the summation of the law, 42:49 but it doesn't replace the law. 42:51 The law and its principles are still in force. 42:54 What makes it so difficult, what makes it--what makes it 42:56 a problem in our society nowadays is, 43:00 and I so appreciate it-- I heard a presentation 43:04 by one of our 3ABN personalities by the name of Dr. Magna Parks 43:09 and she said-- She did really fantastic job. 43:11 Oh, I tell you, she said, in an article she was reading 43:15 about from a psychologist who said, 43:17 "Whatever happened to preachers talking about sin." 43:21 Its like sin is no longer a topic in Christianity, 43:26 its about prosperity, 43:27 it's about how much money you can make, 43:29 it's about your portfolio, 43:31 it's about seven highly effective 43:32 habits of an effective Christian. 43:34 It's all this mumbo-jumbo psycho-babble. 43:37 She says, its not sin anymore, it's an addiction. 43:41 It's a problem that someone has that we have to help 43:44 and nurture them through and-- 43:46 It's not rebellion, its ADHD. Yeah. 43:50 You know, its not-- it's not--in America-- 43:55 and there was a book written, 43:56 I so appreciated that presentations she had done, 43:59 because she said, it was a book written called 44:00 "One Nation Under Therapy." That's good. 44:04 You know, not one nation under God, 44:06 one nation under therapy. 44:07 And that's the problem in our nation, 44:09 we have explained away the general problem which is sin. 44:15 And people now have come to the place where, 44:17 if I eradicated the idea that we have to keep 44:20 the commandments, then we no longer see sin as it is. 44:24 But if you go to Romans 3, we'll go there very quickly. 44:26 Turn there with me Romans 3. And here I am. 44:35 Let's look at something that is very important Romans 3:20. 44:43 It says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law 44:46 no flesh will be justified in his sight, 44:50 for by the law is the--", 44:51 what? "Knowledge of sin." 44:53 In other word I-- if I don't have a law, 44:57 then I don't even know what sin is. 45:00 There are certain parts of the country, not very many, 45:02 you know, in certain parts of our country 45:05 the speed limit changes. 45:07 I am so mindful when I drive on highway 57, 45:10 when I am coming back from Nashville, 45:13 we got through Kentucky and there are certain stretches 45:16 where it goes up to 70 miles an hour. 45:18 Then all of a sudden there's a section 45:20 where it goes from 70 to 65 45:22 and right down to 55 and it--it never fails, 45:27 but as you come around the corner 45:29 there is the highway patrol to remind all 45:31 those who think its still 70 that is now 55. 45:35 But now here is the question. 45:37 If we get rid of the-- if we get rid of the law, 45:42 then we don't know what sin is any longer 45:44 and where there is no sin, 45:46 where there is no law there is no sin, 45:48 where there is no sin, there is no need of a Savior. 45:52 And so you begin to look at all of this. 45:54 Now let's take that as an actual conclusion. 45:57 If a preacher begins to say, 45:58 there is no law or the commandments 46:01 have been nailed to the cross, 46:03 then what's his job all about. 46:06 He's nothing but a well paid cheerleader, 46:10 because he has no answer because there is no problem. 46:15 So there are preachers that are preaching nowadays 46:17 and they are no longer talking about sin, 46:19 they are talking about all these social programs, 46:22 how to get rid of a guy that doesn't treat you right 46:25 or how to--lighten the load of the person 46:28 that gets on your nerve, 46:30 all this stuff that is often talk about 46:32 by psychologists or counselors 46:34 but the word if you mention sin, 46:37 you can empty a 30,000 seats stadium in a heartbeat. 46:39 But there, John, there's a reason 46:41 why we see this happening today 46:43 and you always got to ask 46:44 why are we seeing the trends today? 46:46 And the devil is doing this for one reason. 46:49 He knows that if we don't acknowledge our sin 46:51 that we don't have anything that drives us to a Savior. 46:55 There is no need--sense of need of a Redeemer, 46:59 a Savior from our sins, if we don't realize 47:03 that we are sinners. 47:05 And that's the purpose of the law. 47:07 So we can get rid of the law and its obligation 47:09 then he gets rid of the need for a Savior. 47:12 And these are all part of the subtle attacks 47:15 and the subtle of the-- the things 47:17 that enter into the Christian faith 47:19 that the devil is bringing in to get us off track. 47:22 And one of my favorite verses John, 47:25 is from the Book of Jude, a little Book of Jude-- Okay. 47:28 That I think has just a powerful, powerful, 47:32 it provides a powerful statement along this--this 47:34 very topic that we are talking about here. 47:37 It's only one chapter and its verses 3 and 4. 47:39 Okay, go ahead. And listen to here what he says. 47:42 Wow, this is huge. 47:44 It says, "Beloved while I was very diligent 47:47 to write to you concerning our common salvation, 47:50 I found it necessary to write to exhorting 47:53 you to contend earnestly for the--" Faith. 47:55 "Faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints." 47:58 In other words, it's not old--it's not old news. 48:01 It's the faith that holds on and endures forever. 48:04 And then he says, first--the reason why is 48:07 "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, 48:10 who long ago were marked out 48:12 for this condemnation, ungodly men, 48:14 who turned the grace of our God into lewdness." 48:20 I like the NIV in that one you get a license for immorality. 48:23 Yeah, and then it says in the-- 48:26 it says licentiousness. Licentiousness. 48:28 Lewdness, the license for immorality. 48:30 "And deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." 48:34 In other words, they are preaching grace, 48:37 but their brand of grace is giving people a license for sin. 48:42 And what they do when they respond to it that way 48:44 and they accept that is they deny Christ himself. 48:47 That's right. And now what we-- 48:49 And this has crept in, Paul says. 48:51 That's what--I mean, Jude says. 48:54 It's crept in, unnoticed in fact. 48:57 And you know what happens 48:58 when--this thing that we are experiencing now 49:00 in the Christian world today 49:02 is not the product of an overnight revolution 49:06 where they decide to replace 49:07 what the Bible teaches with or man teaches. 49:10 But it's a gradual, it's like--it's like putting 49:14 butter on the pavement in the winter time 49:18 and it will stay frozen solid. 49:20 But as you increase the temperature 49:22 the butter just slowly begins to melt. 49:25 And that's what happens, Satan has increased 49:27 the temperature and he is melting those things 49:29 that really are substantial to a solid Christian relationship. 49:34 He has taken out-- He has taken out sin 49:38 and replaced it with-- with conditions and well, 49:45 I think I don't want to go through all the conditions. 49:46 Well, let me follow up to this too 49:48 because in Revelation and this is the message 49:53 to the church in Pergamos. All right. 49:57 If you look at Revelation 2:15, 50:00 it doesn't appear to relate to what we were talking about here. 50:04 But if you look little deeper, it does. 50:06 Listen to these words of Christ Himself, 50:08 "Thus you also have those who hold to the doctrine 50:11 of the Nicolaitans, which thing I," what? 50:15 Hate. "Hate." 50:16 You know what the Nicolaitans did? 50:18 You know what their thing was? 50:19 They were antinomianist, antinomianism which is anti law. 50:26 They were doing away 50:27 with the law of God in favor of grace. 50:30 This stuff you were hearing today is not new. 50:33 No, it isn't. It's old. 50:35 The Nicolaitans began it, Christ says, 50:37 I hate that and we still are seeing it today preach 50:41 through out Christendom. Right. 50:43 And he's preached with such fervency 50:44 that's why it said in Hosea 8:7, 50:47 "They saw the wind and they reap the whirlwind." 50:51 So what's happened now is for so many centuries 50:54 Christianity has been beating the pillow of truth 50:58 and all the feathers of truth are flying all over. 51:01 Now, that we see the impact on society 51:03 that the level of immorality, we're kind of saying, 51:07 could we get it back. 51:08 No, you can never get it back. 51:10 You try to recover it, but now since you cannot get it back, 51:13 you substitute that with things that are not as solid 51:16 and as relevant as what the Word of God says. 51:19 So if you just simply allow the Word of God 51:21 to be the number one book in your life, 51:23 then you'll see why it's so important to follow what 51:27 "Thus saith the Lord" is all about. 51:29 What the Word of God really is saying to us. 51:31 Maybe we had to answer just a few objections. 51:34 As we are closing here, and one of them is that-- 51:41 well, God redeemed us from the curse of the law. 51:45 And so if the law is the curse there obliviously 51:48 we don't have law anymore. 51:50 But you've got to read that verse carefully. 51:51 It's the curse that He redeemed us from. 51:54 Right. Not the law. 51:56 That's right. 51:57 The last stone effect, it's the curse of the law, 52:00 that was our redemption. Right. 52:03 So the curse means, I break the law I am condemned and I die. 52:09 Jesus says, no, I kept the law 52:11 by faith that they have in me, I give them my life, perfection, 52:15 I no longer have the curse but the law is still in effect. 52:19 In fact there would be no judgment 52:20 at the end if the law wasn't still in force. 52:22 Very good point. 52:23 So it's the curse that was done way with, not the law. 52:27 And the curse of the law, "Thou shalt not kill." 52:29 I violate the law and now the wages of sin is death. 52:32 He has redeemed us from the death that comes 52:34 from violation of the law. Yeah. 52:36 It's been snatched out, He says, Okay, I pay the price. 52:39 Yes, you should die. 52:41 But I redeem you from what the law is gonna-- 52:43 what the law hands down, 52:46 and it passes on to you the wages of sin 52:48 which is death, the death sentence. 52:50 So you don't have to worry about that any longer. 52:53 Another objection is, well, what about Colossians 2 52:57 and Ephesians 2, in regard 53:00 to God's law ending at the cross. 53:02 What do we say about that? Let's look at it. 53:06 Let's take a look at those two--two passages here. 53:08 Here it is. 53:10 You go to Ephesians, I go to Colossians. 53:11 Okay. Okay, Colossians 2. 53:15 Why don't I read Ephesians first? 53:17 And then-- You got it? 53:20 And then Colossians is very similar 53:21 and so I have you read that. 53:23 Okay. Right. 53:26 All right, Ephesians 2:14-15, 53:32 "For he himself is our peace, 53:34 who had made both one and has broken down 53:36 the middle wall of separation, 53:39 having abolished in his flesh the enmity." 53:43 What did He abolish? 53:45 The enmity. The enmity. 53:47 "That is the law of commandments contained in ordinances. 53:52 So as to create in himself one new man 53:55 from the two that's making peace." 53:58 So he is abolished or he has removed the wall of separation, 54:03 the enmity that is--that is the law of commandments 54:07 contained in ordinances. 54:09 So many say well, look right there, look says the law, 54:12 the commandments done away with. 54:15 We have to read little careful, 54:16 more carefully and little more closely. 54:18 These are the commandments that are given in ordinances 54:22 issued to the Jews, the Israel, as a whole surrounding 54:30 or as part of the ceremonial services. 54:33 And all they need to do, John, 54:35 to find out what those ordinances are is read 54:36 Hebrews 9 and Hebrews 10 and it starts up by saying, 54:41 "Then indeed even the first covenant 54:43 had ordinances of divine services 54:45 and an earthly sanctuary." 54:47 And it goes on to break all those ordinances down. 54:50 Chapter 9 and-- chapter 8, 9 and 10. 54:52 So when it says law contained in ordinances 54:55 you know, the carnal ordinances, the washings, 54:58 the sacrifices, the ceremonies, the feasts, 55:01 these were ordinances and he says, 55:03 I have done away with that, so there is now and the Jews 55:06 used that to boast and say, 55:08 okay, because these ordinances are ours, 55:12 you Christians have one of two choices. 55:14 You either get circumcised and honor these 55:17 or you do not get circumcised and you are now lost. 55:20 And the Lord says, wait a minute, wait a minute, 55:22 1 Corinthians 7:19. Gonna go there very quickly. 55:26 1 Corinthians 7:19, I want to get this in there before we-- 55:28 I am already there. You already there? 55:30 "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing 55:33 but keeping the commands of God is what matters." 55:36 Okay. So the Jews were blown away 55:38 when Paul, the Apostle said, wait a minute, wait a minute, 55:40 circumcision nothing, uncircumcision nothing, 55:44 but keeping the commands of God is what matters. 55:47 So people now what they say, you Jewish, 55:48 you're keeping all the Jewish laws that's the answer. 55:50 No, we are not. 55:52 We are not talking about killing bulls and goats 55:56 and doves and calves and sacrifices 55:59 and--we are not talking about that, 56:01 we are simply the one keeping the Commandments of God, 56:02 which is not Jewish at all. 56:04 Because Paul completely obliterate that, 56:06 whether you're Jew and you believe in circumcision 56:08 or where you are not Jew and do not do not believe 56:10 in circumcision, neither one matters. 56:11 What matters is keeping the Commandments of God. 56:13 And why would Paul, the same writer of Ephesians 56:15 and Colossians the Jew passages 56:17 write this in 1 Corinthians contradicting himself. 56:21 He didn't. He didn't contradict himself. 56:23 That's the answer. 56:24 The Commandments of God and commandments in ordinances 56:27 are different, two different things. 56:30 Also another quick reference 56:31 to look at just to give them some text here. 56:35 I have it written in my margin here 56:37 so I won't be able to give that 56:38 them as you are going to Colossians 2. 56:40 Yeah, Colossians 2 to 6 down. 56:41 1 Chronicles 23:31 talks about ordinances there. 56:45 Go and read Colossians 'cause it talks about 56:47 ordinances to and I'll look this one up. 56:49 Well, in a nutshell, Colossians 2 56:52 is repeat of Ephesians 2 and in the interest of time 56:57 these are talking about all the shadows 56:59 that pointed to the coming of Christ 57:02 and all these things ended in Christ. 57:05 So therefore friends, at House Calls we see clearly 57:08 that these ordinances that were temporary only pointing 57:12 to the work of Christ, have all pointed to the Messiah 57:15 who did come, who through getting His life brought 57:19 these ceremonies and these traditions of the Jews to an end 57:23 but the Commandments would never done away with. 57:25 The commandments were never nailed to the cross 57:27 because still today they are transcript 57:30 of the Character of God. 57:32 By following Christ you'll find peace in Him 57:34 and give your life to Him today, 57:36 God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17