Participants: John Lomacang (Host), John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL150011A
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00:01 Hello, friends, grab your Bible and a friend and sit back
00:03 as we explore God's word together 00:05 on this edition of House calls. 00:26 Welcome to our Bible living room. 00:29 This is our Bible living room. 00:31 I like it. 00:32 We are comfortable 00:34 and we want to make you comfortable 00:35 with what the word of God has to say to you today. 00:37 Welcome to House calls, the, 00:40 what I call one of the best Bible... 00:42 Well, sorry. Let me repeat. 00:44 The best Bible program, undeniable, incomprehensible. 00:50 What other word can we add to that, John? 00:51 Unrivalled Unrivalled. 00:53 And John and John are residing here, 00:56 waiting for the Spirit of God to speak to our hearts 00:59 so that we can speak to your heart. 01:01 And so get your friends, 01:02 your family members, your Bible, your pens 01:05 and prepare yourself a wonderful time 01:08 as we have another excursion through the living word of God. 01:12 But before we do anything, before we get to your questions 01:15 and your comments, 01:16 John will lead us 01:17 before the throne of grace through prayer. 01:19 Let's do that. 01:21 Gracious Father, 01:22 we thank you for another opportunity 01:24 here to gather together to study your word, 01:26 we pray that 01:28 we will rightly divide the word of truth 01:30 as we study the various topics in line for today 01:33 and the questions that have been submitted. 01:35 Please, Lord, 01:36 guide our minds and help instruct us 01:39 and give us the words to share from your word 01:41 that answers the questions in the hearts of all of us. 01:43 In Jesus' name, amen. 01:45 Amen. Thank you, John. 01:47 And, friends, as you may know we get the Bible questions, 01:50 you e-mail them to us, 01:52 we try our best to respond to them. 01:55 And, John, I'll let you go ahead 01:56 and dive in for the first question today. 02:00 Alright. 02:02 A question from Clark. 02:04 And it says, "Can a Christian lose his or her salvation? 02:10 What text do you have to support the conclusion?" 02:13 So, let's take a look at a few things here. 02:18 You know for the most part, 02:19 I think the Christian world today 02:22 has moved into a teaching 02:25 where, two things God's covenant always exist. 02:31 He is covenant to save mankind 02:32 and he will not fail with his covenant. 02:34 And number two, 02:35 that because of that once you give your life to him 02:39 you cannot lose that salvation. 02:42 While the first is true, God is true, God is, 02:46 he will always keep his covenant with us. 02:49 The second is not true. 02:51 And to conclude that once you're saved 02:55 that there's nothing you can do, 02:57 to walk away from the redemption 02:58 you have in Jesus is to miss 03:00 many very clear text in scripture 03:02 that say that some have done that 03:04 and will do that right on through to the end of time. 03:07 That's right. 03:09 And, so we'll share some of those text 03:10 with you here today. 03:11 But I want to start off with a general concept here 03:14 that is found throughout scripture. 03:17 And it's driven by the word "Keep," OK. 03:21 So we know we read from scripture, 03:23 especially from the Old Testament, 03:25 when the covenant of God to save his people, 03:28 this everlasting covenant to save all mankind 03:32 was lay that he will be true to that covenant, 03:34 true to that promise to save. 03:36 And by sending Jesus 03:38 he is guaranteed salvation now for all. 03:40 OK. 03:41 So that part is the true part of this two pronged equation. 03:46 But the other part is that he asks us to keep, 03:50 OK. 03:51 Keeping the covenant 03:53 not in the way that God keeps the covenant 03:55 because God is true and forever true 03:57 and his truth goes beyond what we're capable of. 04:00 But in the way that we with our will give ourselves to him 04:04 and keep those things which he gives to us 04:06 and entrust to us 04:07 for the redemption of our lives. 04:10 Let me give you just a few examples. 04:13 From 1 John 2:5, 04:16 the Apostle John says, 04:17 "But whoever keeps his word 04:20 truly the love of God is perfected in him. 04:24 By this we know that we are in him." 04:26 So he's writing to the church, 04:28 the whole church has professed the name of Jesus. 04:33 Yet, he's saying that you need to allow, 04:36 you need to keep the word 04:37 so that the love of God can be perfected in you, OK. 04:40 So there's he's going somewhere, 04:42 he wants to transform, and remake, 04:44 recreate our life into the image of Christ. 04:46 Here's another one, same book, Chapter 3:24, 04:51 "Now he who keeps 04:52 "his commandments abides in him, 04:54 "and he in him, 04:55 "and by this we know that he abides in us 04:57 "by the Spirit whom he has given us." 04:59 So another "Keep," OK. 05:00 So twice we've heard, 05:02 keep the word, keep the covenants. 05:04 And here's another one, from Revelation 16:15, 05:07 "Behold I'm coming as a thief, 05:08 blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments." 05:11 Right. 05:13 Now the interesting thing about this one... 05:14 I was about along that line, 05:16 I'll just put in this right to... 05:17 Yeah. 05:18 The neat thing about this is that he adds to this lest 05:20 he walk naked and they see his shame. 05:23 So again writing this letter to the church, 05:25 he's saying that you need to keep 05:26 that garment on or you will be found naked. 05:29 Right. 05:31 We know that the garments, the white garment, 05:34 that is spoken of throughout scripture 05:35 represents the righteousness of Jesus. 05:37 And that righteousness is given to us, 05:40 it's not only imputed to us, 05:41 it's credit to do our count and we're justified in him. 05:45 But we are we receive the imparting of righteousness 05:48 from Christ. 05:50 The garment itself represents both. 05:53 And unless we have that garment on we're not saved, 05:57 that is very clear throughout scriptures. 05:58 Right. There several text about that. 06:00 But here's the thing, go back to this word, Keep. 06:04 If we didn't need to keep, why the command to constantly, 06:09 command throughout scripture to Keep, keep the commandments, 06:11 keep the word, keep the garment, 06:13 keep your relationship in Christ. 06:17 Keep yourself unspotted from the world 06:18 Unspotted from the world, keep yourself blameless. 06:22 So this word keep, evidently as a concept 06:24 that something that you don't hold on to it, 06:27 you would lose it. 06:28 Another keep, remember the Sabbath, 06:29 to keep it a Holy. 06:31 Keep it Holy, there we go. 06:32 So keep is throughout. 06:33 And if it's something that you could not lose anyway, 06:37 why the admonition to keep? 06:39 It doesn't make sense. 06:40 So we find that throughout scripture 06:42 God is going to keep his covenant 06:43 to save all mankind 06:45 but we enter into that covenant with him. 06:47 And as we do that by faith and it is the grace of God 06:51 then that saves us, he gives us things, 06:55 the word, the commandments, a garment. 06:57 And he says, keep those things I've been trusted to you. 07:00 Here's the other thing is you can't keep something 07:02 you haven't been given. 07:05 So those that are not in Christ 07:06 have not been given these things. 07:08 It's those who are saved, who are called to keep. 07:11 In fact, John, this whole thing about the command, 07:13 you have to keep the command is to be saved. 07:15 It's kind of a moot point. 07:17 Here's why. 07:19 God only gives us the commandments 07:21 when we're saved. 07:23 Right. 07:24 He doesn't give his commandments 07:26 to people that are unsafe, 07:27 he didn't go to the nations of the world 07:28 who didn't follow him and say, "Keep my commandments," 07:30 he gave them to his people. 07:31 Right. And he said, "Keep them." 07:33 Right, when you enter into that saving relationship 07:35 now the parameters into that, 07:37 is like saying to it's like walking up 07:39 to a woman on the street and say, "Hey! 07:41 "Let's enter into a contract 07:42 "that married people have entered into, 07:44 "but we're not married." 07:46 And that's kind of like, "Well, who are you? 07:48 "How could you require me to do something 07:49 "when we don't have a relationship?" 07:51 It reminds me several times I think you've said this. 07:53 It's like going to the altar saying, 07:55 "I deal with your wife." 07:56 And then saying, "See you later." 07:59 You don't go live together, you don't do anything together, 08:02 you just married. 08:04 You just married and that's it. 08:05 You profess that you're married 08:07 but there's no evidence of marriage. 08:08 Not the relationship. 08:10 And so these are the reasons why God encourages us to keep. 08:13 And the other reason I bring this up 08:16 is because the question here is, 08:18 can you lose your salvation? 08:20 Well, if you called to keep something, 08:22 obviously, you can lose it too. 08:23 Right, that's right. 08:25 And one of the examples there with the garment. 08:28 I think it's in the book of James 1 or 2, 08:31 where it says, 08:33 "That your garments are moth eaten." 08:35 Right. OK. 08:36 They, they're, they're falling off of you. 08:38 They're no longer there, 08:40 which is why the admonition to keep your garments. 08:42 And if you lose your garment, Revelation 16:15, says, 08:45 "That you are naked and your shame is exposed." 08:49 Which means that you are no longer saved 08:52 and you will be lost. 08:53 Now here's what I'm not saying, 08:56 I'm not saying that God is not concerned for you, 09:01 and loves you, 09:02 and does everything he can 09:03 to keep you in that relationship 09:05 once you're saved. 09:06 This is not an issue of whether or not God loves you. 09:08 Right. 09:09 This is an issue of whether or not in a relationship, 09:11 you're committed to him, 09:13 and you return those affections 09:15 and you desire to remain in that relationship. 09:17 Because many times I think one of the things 09:19 that really attracts, 09:21 the most common thing that pulls us away from Christ 09:23 is the things in the world, the enticements of the world, 09:26 and the things, 09:27 they are to go back into that into a life of sin, 09:30 and to do those things that the body 09:32 which is sinful is naturally inclined to. 09:35 Which I'll bring one text and then I'll let you, John, 09:38 chime in on a few other ones here too. 09:40 But let's read from Hebrew 6:4. 09:46 Hebrews 6:4, and here's what it says, 09:52 "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened 09:55 "and have tasted the heavenly gift 09:58 and I become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 10:00 and have tasted the good word of God, 10:02 and the powers of the age to come. 10:04 If they fall away to renew them again to repentance, 10:07 since they crucify again for themselves 10:09 the Son of God 10:11 and we'll put him to an open shame." 10:14 Now it's interesting, we read that, we go, oh, boy, 10:15 I've lost my salvation I can't get it back. 10:17 This is actually not 10:18 what the writer of Hebrews is saying. 10:20 He's saying it's impossible for God to save you 10:23 if you've decided to go back into the world. 10:25 In other words, 10:26 he's not going to save you against your will. 10:30 So it's impossible for God to save one 10:34 who is left the taste of the good heavenly things, 10:36 and experience that it has see the world 10:39 as being more in enticing 10:40 and he's gone back into the world 10:41 to then save him 10:43 because they've chosen the world. 10:44 That's right. It's not impossible. 10:46 If they repent again and come back to him, 10:48 then it's possible. 10:50 But the impossibility is God never goes against our will, 10:53 he will never save us against our will, 10:55 and this is something that he's always given. 10:57 He's established from the very beginning. 10:59 Even to Adam and with Adam and Eve before sin, 11:02 he gave them the ability to choose sin which they did. 11:06 And so God does not save even against our will. 11:10 And in some respects 11:11 he won't even 'cause us to be lost 11:13 with outside of our will too. 11:15 But, anyway, John, 11:16 you probably have a couple more there let's, let's... 11:17 Yeah, I want to this, this idea. 11:20 I think the whole context of it is the, 11:22 once saved, always saved ideology 11:24 that oftentimes people get tripped up on. 11:29 Because the concept of salvation is misunderstood, 11:31 many people don't understand what salvation is. 11:34 So they remember these dates, 11:36 you know, I was saved on February 2, 11:39 you know, 1992, I got saved, I got saved. 11:42 It's like a God thing. Yeah, right. 11:44 It's like, I got a car on the next day, 11:46 and I got a house the week after. 11:48 Well, I don't want to be little, 11:49 that whole transaction, 11:51 but what you actually did when you said you got saved 11:54 or you were saved, 11:56 you entered into a saving relationship. 11:59 So when you were saved, 12:02 you were saved from the penalty of sin. 12:05 But you know you aren't safe from the presence of sin 12:07 because it's still there in the world. 12:09 Temptation is still there. 12:11 That's why Paul says, "I die daily." 12:14 Paul, as a matter of fact, after he was converted, 12:17 had a terrible struggle. 12:19 He says, "What I want to do I can't do, 12:22 "what I don't want to do, I find myself doing." 12:24 And then he said, "Oh, wretched man that I am, 12:27 "who will deliver me from the body of this death?" 12:30 In other words, the body of this death 12:32 and he didn't say the death of this body, 12:35 the body of this death. 12:37 Who is going to deliver me from the body of this death? 12:40 What he actually meant was he entered into a covenant 12:44 where the spiritual body or the corrupt body is dead, 12:49 but he's now... 12:51 the corrupt nature is dead, 12:53 but he's dealing with a body that is still mortal. 12:56 So the challenge of Christians is to enter, 13:00 to say, I have died to sin 13:03 but I've got this mortal body that remembers it. 13:06 Now I want to say that again, this mortal body, 13:08 when Paul says, 13:10 "Don't let sin reign in your mortal body." 13:13 He is saying even after 13:14 you've given your life to Christ, 13:16 sin wants to come back 13:18 and establish itself in your life. 13:21 Don't let sin... 13:23 Now matter of fact, go to Romans 8, 13:24 I have a couple of text I want to show you. 13:25 But Romans 8, pulls it into beautiful, 13:28 into a beautiful equation, what the saving relationship. 13:33 This idea that I was saved... 13:35 Somebody once said to me, "I was saved when I was four." 13:37 And I thought, you know, 13:39 you were not saved when you were four, 13:40 you just got a new bottle. 13:43 Salvation is like, salvation to the Christian 13:46 is like marriage to the husband or wife. 13:49 You got to know the parameters of your... 13:51 you don't get saved at four years old. 13:52 What did you do? 13:54 You enter into your first class and in church? 13:56 Some of these language statements are like, 13:59 well, OK, well, 14:00 so that means your saved longer than I was. 14:03 No, let's just understand the whole context here 14:05 of what salvation is. 14:07 Let's look at this now. 14:08 Give me the text again. Romans 8, OK. 14:13 This is Romans 8:12, 13. 14:20 Well, verse 13 actually is the direct one, 14:23 "For if you live according to the flesh, 14:27 you will die 14:28 but if by the spirit you put to death 14:31 the deeds of the body you will live." 14:34 Now get this. 14:36 Why would you live according to the spirit 14:37 if you are not in the spirit? 14:39 So he says, in the very next verse, 14:42 look at verse 14 to pull the whole context together, 14:46 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God 14:50 these are the sons of God, or these are sons of God." 14:53 So now, 14:55 when you enter the saving relationship 14:56 you enter a spiritual covenant with God. 15:00 Matter of fact, 15:01 let me just go and add one more, 15:02 you don't have to turn there, 15:04 but John 1:10, go there very quickly. 15:09 Look at this, 15:12 John 1:12, 15:19 "But as many as received him to them he gave the right." 15:25 Or the King James Version says, "The power, 15:27 to become children of God 15:29 to those who believe in his name." 15:32 Get this now, verse 13, 15:34 "Who were born not of blood 15:37 nor of the will of the flesh 15:39 nor of the will of man, but of God." 15:41 So when you're born of God 15:43 now you enter into this spiritual relationship. 15:46 You enter the spiritual relationship. 15:48 Being born of God, entering into the relationship, 15:51 one word. 15:52 Justification. 15:54 Think of it this way, 15:55 you have just been released from death row. 15:57 The death sentence has been hanging over your head 15:59 all your life, 16:00 now you've just been released. 16:02 Watch this, 16:03 you've just been released from the penalty of death, 16:06 but the criminal that's just been released 16:08 from the penalty of death, 16:10 wakes up in the morning and has to acknowledge the fact 16:12 that if I am not delivered from the power of sin, 16:17 I just been living from the penalty of sin. 16:21 If I am not delivered from the power of sin, 16:24 I could end up back in jail. 16:26 And you know they call that the recidivism rate, 16:29 I can end up right back where I was before. 16:30 So this idea 16:32 that you enter into a relationship with Jesus 16:33 and you'll never ever have the chance to go back 16:36 or fall or fall through, or for that matter, 16:39 walk away, then you forget this text. 16:42 Listen to this, 16:43 and this is one of the Gospel workers 16:44 in the New Testament church. 16:46 A man by the name of Demas, 2 Timothy 4:10. 16:50 Paul simply says, "For Demas has forsaken me, 16:56 having loved this present world, 16:59 and has departed for Thessalonica, 17:02 Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia." 17:07 So, Demas he says, the reason why he forsake me, 17:12 Demas was working for the Gospel. 17:14 He was a convert in the New Testament church. 17:18 But somewhere along the way, 17:21 he got caught up in the world and he left. 17:24 He says, I'm no longer doing this, 17:26 he went back. 17:27 And look at 2 Peter 2:20-22, John. 17:30 Something came to your mind? 17:32 No, go ahead. 17:33 2 Peter Chapter 2:20-22. 17:36 I'm going to make reference to Demas here 17:38 and to those who have given their lives to Christ. 17:41 That's why this phrase the word that John kept emphasizing, 17:44 keep, keep, keep, keep, keep. 17:46 Paul uses another word, 17:47 "Press toward the goal for the prize 17:49 of the upward call of God in Christ." 17:50 Press, you've got to you've got to press, 17:52 you've got to push, you've got to make sure 17:54 you move in the right direction. 17:55 Yeah. Here it is, 2 Peter 2:20-22. 17:58 This is powerful, 17:59 "For if, after they have escaped," 18:03 let me it, "For if, 18:05 after they have escaped the pollutions of the world 18:08 through the knowledge of the Lord 18:10 and Savior Jesus Christ, 18:12 they are again entangled in them and overcome, 18:18 the latter end is worse for them than the beginning." 18:22 Get this, 18:23 if they've already escaped 18:25 but now they've gotten entangled again 18:27 and it's going to be worse this time. 18:28 And I'm going to make emphasis, remind me of that. 18:31 it says, "For it would," verse 21,!" 18:33 it would have been better 18:36 for them not to have known the way of righteousness." 18:41 They knew the way of right... 18:42 it's better they didn't know it. 18:44 Then, 18:46 "Having known it to turn away from the holy commandment 18:49 delivered to them, 18:51 but it has happened to them according to the true proverb. 18:55 A dog returns to his own vomit and a pig, having washed, 19:00 to her wallowing in the mire." 19:03 So what's happened here? 19:05 He's went back. 19:07 He knew about the vomit, 19:08 he knew about the mud 19:10 and he went back to the vomit of corruption, 19:12 the vomit of sin, 19:14 the vomit of the world, 19:15 because that's what dogs do. 19:17 And why does it say that? 19:19 The dog did... 19:20 You know what happened here? 19:21 He wallowed, 19:23 he panted in there until he went back. 19:25 Now, I use one more example 19:26 then I'd throw it back over to John. 19:30 In the New Testament, 19:31 the Bible talks about when a man is cleansed, 19:33 when a man is cleansed 19:35 and the Lord cast demons out of that person. 19:38 It's power story. 19:39 And the demons are cast out and they go all out, 19:42 the Lord cleanse cleansed him. 19:44 But the Bible says, 19:45 The demons came back 19:48 and the demons looked at the man's house, 19:51 he found it swept, 19:53 that means that nothing was in there. 19:55 He found a clean, 19:56 that means those former things 19:58 he did were no longer being, done. 19:59 But he found it empty. 20:02 And because it was not filled by the Spirit of God, 20:06 he went back and got seven demons of worse 20:09 than the one that was there before. 20:11 And the Bible says, 20:12 "The latter end is worse for them than the beginning." 20:15 See, it's not enough to be swept, 20:16 it's not up to is not enough to say, 20:18 I've given up this, giving up that. 20:20 It's is not enough to be clean. 20:21 I've been justified 20:23 but you've got to be filled by the Spirit. 20:25 When you are not, filled by the Spirit, 20:27 you don't have the power to live by the spirit. 20:29 Romans 8:1. 20:31 Are you at that? 20:32 Where are you, are you at this particular... 20:33 I'm at another... 20:35 OK, I'll just hit Romans 8:1 and we'll dive into this, 20:37 "There is therefore now no condemnation 20:40 to those who are in Christ Jesus." 20:43 Here's where the condemnation is removed. 20:45 "Who do not walk according to the flesh 20:48 but according to the spirit." 20:51 So the devil does a serious a sinister thing here, 20:53 he removes the commandments, the obligation to follow God. 20:57 The obligation to provide evidence of your salvation 21:01 with good works. 21:03 He removes that entirely just to overemphasize really. 21:07 Maybe the word overemphasize isn't right, 21:09 but to emphasize justification 21:11 to the exclusion of sanctification 21:14 where salvation is both it's a package. 21:17 It's imputed righteousness, justification 21:19 and the imparted righteousness of Christ 21:21 the changing power of God, 21:22 giving you power, victory over sin. 21:24 That's right. 21:25 Those both are necessary for a transformed life, 21:29 one that's prepared and ready for Jesus to come. 21:30 Right. 21:31 And that's why it says in Luke 21. 21:34 And by the way, John, 21:36 the Bible was written to the churches. 21:40 Right. 21:41 It was given to those who had accepted Jesus. 21:44 OK. 21:45 Now granted, people come to another Lord 21:47 through reading the word, they give their hearts to him. 21:49 But the depth of the Word of God 21:52 the transforming power is given to those 21:54 who have entered into relationship with Jesus. 21:57 And so when he saying, 21:59 "Don't let these things snare you, 22:00 make sure you watch out for this and that" 22:03 it's telling people who are saved of those things. 22:06 Like, it's like giving somebody an auto manual for a car 22:09 that they don't have. 22:11 I like that. 22:13 You know... Exactly right. 22:14 And so you can't read these things in like, 22:16 they're for people that are unsaved 22:18 that they need to wake up and give themselves to Jesus. 22:20 These are written to people that are saved, 22:22 who want to stay safe. 22:24 Yeah. 22:25 Can you imagine that, I never said that before, 22:26 as you know. 22:28 Imagine a Toyota manual show up in your mailbox. 22:32 John Stanton, Toyota Avalon manual, 22:34 And you say, 22:37 "I think you sent this to wrong..." 22:38 "No, no, no we have the right name, 22:39 John Stanton." 22:41 "But I don't have a Toyota Avalon." 22:42 "According to our records you need this manual." 22:45 "I don't have it." 22:47 You cannot maintain something you don't have. 22:51 The Bible is a manual for the Christian, 22:54 it's a book that leads you in wisdom, 22:56 it unfolds a knowledge 22:58 that will lead you to accept Christ. 23:01 But once you accept him, now, you live by... Matthew 4:4, 23:05 "Man shall not live by bread alone 23:08 but by every word 23:10 that proceeds from the mouth of God." 23:12 It becomes our life manual. 23:15 So, nutshell, can you lose your salvation? 23:18 Of course, you can. 23:20 When you put it in your own hand 23:22 and not allow yourself to be daily moulded 23:25 by the Spirit, 23:27 you are in danger of going back to the dog pan, 23:30 and going back to the mud pan. 23:33 Going back to the vomit and going back 23:36 to the whatever garbage the pig eats. 23:38 That's right. 23:40 But if you submit yourself to Christ, 23:42 He said, the Bible says, and Paul says, 23:45 "I am persuaded that he is able to keep 23:50 that which I have committed to him against that day. 23:54 I am persuaded that neither death, 23:57 nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 24:00 nor thing present, nor things to come, 24:02 no height, no depth, 24:03 nor any other created thing 24:05 shall be able to separate me from the love of God 24:08 which is in Christ Jesus." 24:10 Submit yourself to God, 24:12 resist the devil and he will flee from you. 24:14 These are all action scripts. 24:17 Resist, submit, commit, 24:19 and when you do that the Lord will give you power. 24:21 That's why it says, "As many as received him, 24:24 to them he gave the power to become the children of God." 24:27 There's a power in the Christian life 24:29 that we don't often tap into that's why we fail. 24:31 And I'm gonna end with this one point, 24:33 I think that the doctrine of once saved always saved 24:38 is better described as the doctrine of insecurity. 24:42 Beautiful. 24:43 And here's why I say it's a doctrine of insecurity, 24:46 because you ask the person... 24:49 Well, because, the, 24:51 the assertion is that what you're saying 24:53 you're always saved, they're secure. 24:54 You know that you're in Christ. I'm on a conveyor belt. 24:57 OK. 24:58 But my question to them then would be, 25:00 and I've asked people this, 25:01 so what about the person 25:03 that gives their life to Christ, 25:04 he's in the church, 25:06 and they leave the church later and they become a murderer, 25:07 and they get on death row. 25:09 Are they saved? 25:10 They're going to heaven, no matter what. 25:11 That's what they teach. 25:13 But you know what their response is? 25:14 Well, they weren't really saved in the first place. 25:18 Yeah, I've heard that. 25:19 So, what is it that saves you? 25:22 Do you mean, when he was in the church 25:24 and he gave his life to Christ 25:25 and professed his commitment to Jesus, 25:28 he wasn't saved at that moment? 25:29 Didn't understand how... 25:30 You're going to actually, 25:32 what you will breed is a bunch of people 25:34 running around a church saying, "Did I.did that take..." 25:39 You know I said I give myself to Jesus, 25:41 did that work, did that one work? 25:43 Well, the murderer on death row would have to say, 25:46 I guess that one didn't work. 25:48 Right. You see, this is simple. 25:50 You're in Christ, you're saved. 25:52 You're out of Christ, you're not. 25:54 The evidence of that is what is your life look like. 25:58 Are you following him? Are you committed to him? 26:00 Do you have a devotional life? Do you have a prayer life? 26:02 Are you becoming Christ like? 26:04 Are you becoming more and more like him? 26:06 Those are evidences that you are in Christ 26:08 and you are saved. 26:10 If you're walking away from him, 26:11 you're going back in the world, 26:12 you start parting again, you're drinking things, 26:14 you're doing stuff you know really isn't good. 26:15 That's evidence that you're not saved. 26:17 I know where I stand with God by the evidences of my life, 26:21 that brings security. 26:23 That's why the Bible says, 26:25 "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, 26:28 that everyone must give an account 26:30 for the deeds done in the body. 26:33 So speak and so do as they that shall be, 26:36 judged by the law of liberty. 26:39 So speak, so speak, 26:41 and so do as those that would judge by love." 26:43 Fear God and keep his commandments 26:45 for this is the whole duty of man 26:47 for God will bring every work into judgment, 26:50 with every secret thing 26:52 whether it be good or whether it be evil. 26:54 Why is that so important if you're just saved and locked 26:57 and, "Hey, guys, 26:59 I've been spiritually fastened into the seatbelt 27:02 and even I want to get out I just have to go to heaven. 27:05 I don't want to be there any more." 27:07 This is ridiculous. 27:08 But that is the deception, the doctrine of insecurity. 27:12 Thank you, John, I appreciate that, 27:13 the doctrine of insecurity. 27:15 So, what are we saying? 27:16 Maintain your relationship by the power, 27:18 the presence that God makes available. 27:21 The Spirit of God wants to work in your life 27:23 but he can only work in your life, 27:25 if daily you are willing to die to self. 27:29 And what's the promise? 27:31 He who has begun a good work in you will complete it 27:34 until the day of Jesus Christ. 27:36 But you got to awake in the morning and say, 27:38 OK, Lord, please keep going 27:40 because if I have try I'm going to mess it up." 27:43 And he says, 27:44 "It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, 27:47 but we do know that when he is revealed, 27:49 we'll be like Him for we will see him as he is," 27:52 1 John 3:2. 27:53 So let him keep working. 27:55 I began the work, I'll complete it. 27:56 But if you don't give me permission, 27:59 you will end up as you are. 28:00 I think that's a good enough for the first question. 28:02 I think we need to dive in. 28:03 We have some good questions for the next program. 28:05 But, you know, it's important to spend time sometimes 28:07 on really important questions because saving relationship 28:10 is what everybody needs to know about. 28:12 Yes, that's really critical. 28:13 You know, it's like saying to a husband and wife, 28:15 "Well, you're married, you know, go and sin no more." 28:20 You know... 28:21 What does that mean? How do you know that? 28:22 That means, get rid of your black book, 28:24 you get rid of all of the girl friends you have, 28:26 and we know it's deeper than that. 28:28 Well, anyway, if you have any questions 28:29 you'd like to send to us, 28:31 the following e-mail address will let you know 28:33 how you can get those to us. 28:36 You can send those to House Calls at 3abn.org. 28:39 That's housecalls@3abn.org. 28:42 And surely, we will do our part to answer your questions. 28:47 Praise the Lord for that. 28:48 John, we're continuing today in a wonderful study, 28:50 just lead us into that. 28:52 We've been talking about baptism. 28:54 You have part one already. 28:56 And some of the important aspects, 28:58 really the essential foundational parts baptism, 29:03 the fact that its right, it's important, 29:05 something we must do. 29:07 The Bible has called us, commanded us to do that. 29:09 And what we didn't talk about, John, I think, 29:13 maybe this will help us segue into the rest of the study 29:17 is that although it is a commandment, 29:20 a command to be baptized, it's a right of the Christian. 29:24 It's a statement that I now belong to Christ, 29:26 I do not belong to the world or to Satan 29:28 or do anything else, 29:29 I've left those things behind, I've died to self. 29:32 That what about the pride, I know it's out there, 29:35 so what about the person 29:36 that can't get into the baptismal waters 29:38 but wants to give their life to Christ? 29:40 What about you know, 29:41 if I haven't been saved 29:43 or someone give their life to Jesus, 29:44 and they had an accident and their life is over, 29:47 and they don't they couldn't have a chance. 29:49 So, let's answer that before we move on to the rest, 29:51 because I know some people will be thinking, 29:53 hey, if unless you're baptized, unless you're underneath water, 29:55 you're lost and you know... 29:58 Well, you want to answer that one? 29:59 No, go ahead. 30:01 You know, when Jesus was baptized he said to John, 30:04 "Permitted to be so now for thus 30:06 it is necessary to fulfil alrighteousness." 30:10 And I want to clarify something and actually amplify it 30:13 what I said on a previous program about this. 30:16 I made the statement, when Jesus went into the water, 30:19 since he was not a sinner, 30:21 the Bible says, he became sin for us, 30:23 but he was not a sinner. 30:25 You got to separate the two. 30:27 He became sin for us that we might through him 30:30 become the righteousness of God. 30:32 OK. 30:33 So when he went into the baptismal pool 30:35 or the Jordan River, 30:37 he made provision for those 30:40 who could not physically have a baptism 30:44 and for those who could physically have a baptism 30:47 because alrighteousness was fulfilled. 30:50 And what John was talking about and what we mean by that 30:53 is there are those extenuating circumstances. 30:55 And you know, it wasn't too long after that, 30:58 that a perfect example came up. 31:00 We, today, 31:01 have incessantly referred 31:03 to this as a thief on the cross. 31:05 The thief on the cross, 31:08 "Lord, remember me when you come in new kingdom." 31:11 "I'm saying to you today, you'll be with me in paradise. 31:14 I promise you that. 31:15 When I come I will remember you." 31:17 And so, the Lord, when he returns 31:20 he will respond to the request of the thief. 31:23 The thief said, "Lord, 31:25 remember me when you come into the kingdom." 31:26 And the Lord says, I'm telling you this today 31:29 you will be with me in paradise. 31:31 He couldn't come down to be baptized, 31:33 there could be no possible... 31:34 That's right. 31:36 So Jesus imparted to that man his righteousness. 31:39 And that's what Paul, 31:40 that's what Matthew meant when he said, 31:43 when John said, when Jesus said in Matthew, 31:45 "Permitted to be this way now 31:47 for it is necessary to fulfil alrighteousness. 31:51 But in most cases, John... 31:52 Most people are cut off from being baptized. 31:55 So you need to make that decision 31:57 and follow through with it. 31:58 But you know what in some of our pastors have done this 32:00 in this is wonderful how provision can be made. 32:02 Other than a baptismal pool, 32:04 but we've been instructed Ellen 32:07 White talks about this in our church manual says, 32:09 if at all to make this ceremony special 32:11 if it's possible at all to have a baptism 32:14 in running water in a wonderful river 32:17 or lake do it is so special. 32:20 But if not if they can't make it to a baptismal pool 32:23 or river anything at all. 32:25 And they are incapacitated. 32:27 There was a young man in Russia 32:28 that Mark Finley did his baptism in a bath tub. 32:31 He said I want to be baptized, 32:32 I want to he said but you can't make it to the church. 32:34 So they said OK, fill up the baptism 32:37 fill up the bath tub and they baptized in the tub. 32:41 But this right is a beautiful thing. 32:43 And so, yes people can be saved without baptism 32:46 in extenuating circumstances. 32:48 Don't make you as an excuse and say, 32:50 'Well, I actually intended to be here." 32:53 It's not that that but that's not what we mean. 32:55 Yeah, you give your life to Christ unreservedly. 32:57 Right without reservation. 33:01 So yeah, you mentioned the thief on the cross 33:03 and the fact that he was not able to be baptized 33:10 but still was saved 33:12 and so that kind of dance that answers that question. 33:15 But let's talk about more about this ordinance about baptism. 33:17 OK. 33:19 And those that are sincere I want to follow through that 33:21 and what does that represent what does that mean 33:23 when we talk a little bit about how this is death to self. 33:26 New Life in Christ we die to the old man. 33:29 We live now to Jesus through his power his strength 33:33 but it also there is there is other things 33:37 that it symbolizes as well. 33:40 One of those coming into a faith with doctrine, 33:46 the church the body that's part of what baptism symbolizes. 33:52 In fact, Ephesians 4:5, 33:56 Ephesians 4:5 Let me read that. 33:59 Sure. 34:01 While you turn there let me just hit this one 34:02 because you talked about this a lot of times 34:04 you get baptized. 34:06 They said, I don't want to be baptized into a church 34:08 I just want to be baptized into Jesus. 34:09 Well you know saying 34:11 I don't want to not only be in a football team. 34:12 I just want to football uniform. 34:14 Well nobody is and said, island of, 34:19 of activity unto themselves. 34:22 The Lord Acts 2:47 34:25 the Lord added to the church daily 34:28 those who were saved in the saving relationship. 34:33 There's a place is a community there's a fellowship 34:35 and let me tell you something. 34:37 There's a text in the Bible says, "Iron sharpens iron" 34:41 You will never know what kind of Christian 34:43 you have become 34:44 unless you have somebody to test you. 34:47 And saints will test you. 34:48 And believe me Saints will test you. 34:53 You will test others and they will test you 34:56 you've gotto you grow in a community. 34:59 You don't you know, 35:00 you don't grow into 35:02 you don't grow into grace you grow in grace. 35:07 You don't grow into Christ you grow in Christ. 35:12 See so we're not a fish doesn't swim into the water, 35:16 he swims in the water. 35:19 A plant doesn't grow into the pot 35:20 it grows in the pot. 35:22 So when you planted it was Christ, 35:25 you grow as the phrase has grow your planted 35:27 was the text you have for us John. 35:30 Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 4, 35:33 There is one body and one spirit, 35:36 just as you were called in one hope 35:37 of your calling one Lord, 35:39 one faith, one baptism, 35:41 one God and Father of all 35:43 who is above all and through all and in you all. 35:47 But each one of us grace was given 35:49 according to the measure of Christ's gift." 35:51 So we're talking about here a body of believers 35:54 who have received doctrine. 35:58 They've received the Holy. 36:00 Spirit into their lives, 36:01 they've been bonded together in peace. 36:05 They have been, given hope, 36:06 they have one faith that they practice 36:08 and they had been, baptized. 36:11 So as this message this word was going out 36:13 and people were being saved day-by-day 36:15 you also read that baptisms 36:17 were happening by the thousands... 36:18 By the thousands. 36:20 In the Book of Acts, so baptism went clearly 36:22 along with those that were being saved, 36:24 but it also was bringing them into the Body of Christ. 36:28 So someone can say, 36:29 Well I like to be baptized in a river and do I really 36:31 I really don't like being in church, 36:33 I don't like being in public. 36:34 It really challenges me I get anxious and so forth. 36:37 What we understand those kinds of anxieties. 36:39 But unless you're connecting with a body. 36:41 You're actually creating a very huge gap. 36:46 Not only in potential for growth, 36:48 which was what John always spoke about 36:49 already spoke about 36:50 but of being able to be sustained and encouraged 36:54 by the Saints to continue on. 36:57 I find John that when we're home. 36:59 If I'm home and I don't have a lot to do 37:02 I better find something to do. 37:04 And those are the times after well, lets say, OK, 37:07 where's my project list 37:08 and I've got to get out there wash the car. 37:10 I've got to get in the garden 37:11 and maybe mow the lawn or do something. 37:13 Because as we know slothfulness are just sitting around 37:17 with nothing to do 37:18 that doesn't incline us to do good things. 37:21 No. 37:22 It causes the old man to kind of rise up 37:24 and unless you're involved with the Saints 37:28 unless you're involved with the church, 37:30 and only you will not grow, 37:31 but I think there's a greater chance 37:33 to fall back into sin. 37:35 Right. 37:36 And as we're going into 37:38 the continual unfolding of baptism 37:42 the church is necessary 37:43 you grow together in the community. 37:46 I said this in a moment ago, 37:47 when you look at this when you look at this word 37:49 in the in the phrase in the New Testament 37:51 in the Book of Acts one accord, one accord, one accord. 37:54 You know they were in one accord 37:56 for prayer and supplication they were in one accord 37:59 when the Holy Spirit was poured out, 38:00 they continued daily with one accord in the temple 38:05 and breaking bread from house to house. 38:07 This accordance you can't be in one accord 38:10 with yourself you have to be in accord 38:14 in the word accord there means unity harmony. 38:18 Fellowship is the word Koinonia is the word, 38:22 fellowship with one another 1 John 1:7, 38:26 "If we walk in the light as he is in the light 38:28 we have fellowship." Koinonia. 38:30 The church is a place of fellowship 38:31 is also a church a place of service. 38:33 A place of growth 38:35 the Spirit of God works on you to bring you to a conviction 38:38 then you accept the Lord that is justification, 38:41 you into now into the relationship 38:43 with all the others who have done the same. 38:45 That's called, Sanctification 38:46 but you know you have to enter into this. 38:49 But let me also add this John, Mark 3... Matthew 3:11. 38:54 This is interesting because when Jesus, 38:56 was baptized by John the Baptist 39:02 a statement followed about what kind of baptism this was. 39:06 But read that for us. 39:09 "I indeed that is you with water unto repentance, 39:13 but he who is coming after me is mightier than I who sandals 39:17 I am not worthy to carry, 39:19 he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire." 39:22 OK, 39:23 so this says this is another baptism 39:25 people don't often think about, 39:27 what I want to also do is straight now 39:29 the distortion of baptism by the Holy Spirit of fire. 39:33 When the Lord descended on the disciples 39:35 on the day of Pentecost, 39:37 they were able to communicate the language 39:40 to the world in a tongue 39:42 that all the other nations knew. 39:44 But they themselves as galleons 39:45 didn't know the Lord equipped these Galilean men. 39:49 Let me just use of a loose phrase today, 39:51 he I'm from New York, so I'll use this, 39:54 he equipped all these people brought born in New York. 39:57 You know Brooklyn 39:59 with the ability to speak German 40:01 and Italian and Dutch and Portuguese and Spanish. 40:05 And the languages of the world, 40:07 what he didn't do 40:09 was 'cause them to start talking in tongues 40:12 things that nobody understood. 40:14 And so when you're baptized with the Holy Spirit. 40:18 That means the Holy Spirit now comes into your life 40:21 and makes you capable of accomplishing, 40:24 accomplishing what you could not accomplish in the flesh. 40:28 So as walk in the spirit. 40:30 So you will not fulfil the days of the flesh. 40:32 That's what happens the Holy Spirit comes in 40:35 and says, OK, I'm here 40:37 now there are a number of things 40:38 that you are going to do as I train you 40:40 as you submit to the will of God each day 40:42 the Spirit of God will come into your life. 40:44 And want to says, also with fire 40:46 it doesn't just mean on the day of Pentecost 40:48 the cloven tongues as of fire 40:50 representing the power of the Holy Spirit. 40:51 It means I'm going to burn everything out of your life 40:54 that doesn't have any place in the Christians life. 40:58 I'm going to consume all the sin 41:00 consume all the draws I'm going to purify you. 41:03 And that's why Jesus says, 41:05 "By of me gold tried in the fire in the fire." 41:10 This is the faith that work of the by love 41:13 the gold tried in the fire. 41:14 So before, we get to the kingdom. 41:16 Before we are perfected, 41:19 we will be under the constant firing of the Spirit of God 41:24 burning all the way that's what happened to Joshua 41:27 the angel put a cold on his lip 41:30 and he says, OK you're clean now see. 41:35 Isaiah I'm a man of unclean lips. 41:37 So we have a cleanliness that is necessary. 41:39 There's a cleaning process, 41:41 that's necessary for us to become like Jesus. 41:45 But Pastor. 41:48 I just I don't get along with the people in the church. 41:51 They just sometimes they're not very nice to me 41:54 and they just they're always judge mental, 41:56 they look at me funny. 41:58 I just I don't really get along there. 42:02 Well, here's something that is the challenge. 42:05 Here's where growth can be its greatest right. 42:08 Be that transforming agent in that church 42:13 be the one that's Christ like in the church 42:15 to introduce them to what Christ really is like. 42:21 Manifest his character. 42:22 Don't just go home and sit there, 42:24 that's what the devil want you to do. 42:26 He's the one telling you to stay home. 42:28 God is saying get in there, 42:30 and mingle and transform that church by my spirit. 42:33 I can use you to transform these Judge Mental unkind 42:37 even in words and even sometimes deeds 42:39 people by your love my love through you to them. 42:44 And yes, it's going to be a challenge. 42:46 Yes, you're going to have some difficulties... 42:47 But that's the iron sharpening the iron. 42:48 It is. 42:50 It is and when we shrink back from that, 42:54 I think it just allows the church 42:55 to continue to, to foster this negative kind of attitude 43:03 even keep us from ministry to others 43:05 and you know the heard those horrible stories 43:08 you know about the young girl 43:09 that walks in and her skirts too short or, 43:12 or maybe her. 43:14 Her neckline is a little too low 43:16 and grandma steps up and says, 43:18 "You better leave here now 43:20 and don't come back until you change your clothes." 43:21 you know and so no they never come back 43:24 you know that's the devil working 43:25 he does work through people in the Saints 43:28 column saying it's but not all of them are saints. 43:31 We've got convicts in the church 43:32 as we mentioned in a recent program, 43:33 but not a lot of converts. 43:35 And so that that is what 43:36 you're going to run into so expect it. 43:38 I always tell someone baptized I maybe do this too. 43:41 If I'm baptizing I say, listen 43:43 this is where the battle begins you realize this. 43:46 This isn't like 43:47 just a culmination of the joy of the journey in Christ. 43:50 Just what is going to be Joy. 43:52 This is a culmination this is the beginning 43:54 of some incredible trials in your life 43:56 because, the devil's not to be happy 43:57 with you you're making a statement 43:59 you're standing up on, on a mountain, 44:00 you're saying, "Devil, I'm done with you." 44:03 I'm in Christ now, I'm his army." 44:05 What you think is going to do with his armory. 44:07 He's in the image right at you. Oh, yeah. 44:10 So when you're baptized when you make that statement. 44:12 The devil is going to come after you 44:14 and he doesn't do that specifically with himself 44:16 or with his demons 44:18 although there's temptations and other things. 44:20 But he uses even the people of God 44:21 to come after us 44:23 to discourage us to get us 44:24 to give up hope and to walk away. 44:27 Don't let him do that, 44:29 just allow Christ to transform you 44:32 and use you is that transforming agent 44:33 in the life blood of the church. 44:35 You know 1 Peter 4:12, there's a beautiful text here 44:38 that talks about the Christian life 44:39 and we were talking today 44:40 not just about the act of have to sin 44:42 but the kind of life 44:43 that a person who is baptized a lives. 44:44 We're trying to be practical, 44:46 We're trying to be practical here, 44:47 because a lot of times 44:49 people come to the life of a Christian 44:50 they enter into the community of faith 44:51 in the fellowship of believers 44:53 and they think it's going to be smooth, 44:54 they think that somehow 44:56 I have now been I have now been scotched guarded against sin. 45:00 No, you haven't. 45:02 You have received the righteousness of Jesus 45:06 keep it now, keep that garments unspotted from the world. 45:10 Keep it, committed, dedicated, grow in Christ, 45:15 grow in grace, understand that yesterday, 45:19 you're a hopeless center today you are a sinner with hope 45:24 without Christ as a hopeless and with, 45:26 with Christ as an endless hope. 45:28 So you have now entered the relationship 45:30 and like a husband or wife 45:31 on the first day of your wedding. 45:34 You can say, "Wow! 45:36 We've been married a long time." 45:38 I said to people when you hit 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 45:44 you understand you want it 45:45 you understand better than anyone else. 45:47 You don't just get there 45:49 because you both are war sanded before you met 45:51 you both sanded each other. 45:53 Your iron sharpened his iron in her iron 45:56 you both had those moments 45:58 where now like I said to my wife, 46:00 "Honey, 46:01 It took a long time for us to get to where we are today. 46:03 I don't want to do this again." 46:05 Not that undesired, undesirable 46:07 but once you once if it is 46:09 you know marriage is like 46:11 all the relationship with a Christian. 46:12 Is like you get a piece of wood and you've ever seen those 46:16 what structures that they put in those trinkets stores 46:19 and they look so beautiful. 46:21 One of the well let me use another example, 46:23 and I know 46:24 this is not something we all desire 46:25 because nobody wants to kill 46:27 elephants for their ivory tusks. 46:28 But have you ever seen some of those, 46:30 those little things that look like 46:32 how did they get in there 46:34 that they build an entire carbons 46:37 you know hard ivory. 46:39 And you look at the intricate detail 46:41 you think unbelievable. 46:43 How do they even see all that they see 46:47 by just looking at this ivory tusks? 46:49 The Lord looks at us as an ivory tusks so to speak 46:52 and he takes out his sharp Holy Spirit tools 46:55 and start carving out to create in us his image. 46:59 So that's a trial. But listen to this. 47:01 I talked about the fire matter of fact. 47:03 I've just been talking read 1 Peter 4:12 to 16. 47:10 This is so indicative 47:12 of how we are shaped in our Christian journey. 47:17 How we are shaped in our walk with Christ. 47:20 Starting with 1 Peter 4:12 down to 16, 47:23 "Beloved, do not think it is strange 47:26 it's a strange thing concerning the fiery trial 47:29 which is to try you as though 47:30 some strange things happened to you." 47:32 Look it's not unusual don't get bent out of shape 47:35 this is suppose to happen. 47:36 The Holy Ghost and with fire don't think it strange. 47:38 "But rejoice to the extent 47:40 that you partake of Christ sufferings 47:43 that when his glory is revealed. 47:44 You may also be glad with exceeding joy. 47:47 If your reproach 47:49 for the name of Christ blessed are you 47:51 for the whole for the spirit of glory 47:52 and of God rests upon you 47:55 on their part he is a blast fiend 47:57 but on your part he is glorified." 47:59 Now watch this, this is this is important now. 48:02 "But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief 48:05 an evil doer or as a busybody in other people's matters, 48:09 yet if anyone suffers as crude as a Christian. 48:12 Let him not be ashamed 48:13 but let him glorify God in this matter." 48:16 Right. 48:17 OK, so just stop there for a moment. 48:19 So this, this council is to the Christian. 48:22 This is not to the person who has a... 48:24 who hasn't accepted Christ and I want to bring this up 48:27 because he said, 48:28 you know some of you are going to suffer. 48:30 Everybody's going to suffer 48:32 but make sure that you are not suffering 48:35 because you want to head and kill somebody 48:38 or that you are thieves or that you're an evil 48:40 to know that you're a busybody in other people's matters. 48:44 Please as a Christian don't let that happen to you. 48:47 But if you suffer as a Christian. 48:49 Don't be ashamed. 48:51 So Christians do suffer 48:53 but don't let the suffering 48:55 be based on what you did and my good friend. 49:01 He's now a union president Ricardo Graham, 49:03 he once said to me years ago, 49:05 when I was in Northern California conference 49:06 he said John people will throw people will throw stones at you 49:11 but don't give them any. 49:13 OK. 49:15 and I never forgot that 49:17 because that's in fact the truth. 49:18 You're going to have trials. 49:20 That's a part of the process. 49:22 I want to read this statement here very quickly. 49:24 Listen to this and Ellen White wrote this. 49:27 This is powerful. 49:28 This is in Testimony Volume 5 page 344 listen to this 49:32 and for those of you that are not Adventists 49:33 listen to this council. 49:35 And this fits into everybody's category of life. 49:37 "There is a high standard to which we are to attain 49:41 if we would be children of God, noble, pure, holy, 49:46 and undefiled and a pruning process is necessary 49:51 if we would reach this standard." 49:53 What happens when a tree grows its branches out really fall 49:57 what do gardeners do... 49:59 They prune stuff off it's not as healthy. 50:02 Right and you say, 50:03 but the only thing we look at after the tree 50:04 is probably see how many cut so much off of this thing. 50:07 It's going to grow back. 50:09 And next season or look at the rose bush. 50:12 I'm glad I didn't do it 50:14 because I don't know how to prune it. 50:15 But the pruning process is necessary but get this. 50:19 "How would this pruning be accomplished 50:22 if there were no difficulties to meet 50:25 no obstacles to some mound, 50:27 nothing to call out patience and in durance 50:30 these trials are not the smallest blessing 50:33 in our experience," 50:34 in other words they're really good blessings. 50:36 They are designed to nerve us to determination to succeed. 50:42 We are to use them as God's 50:44 means to gain decided victory over self. 50:49 Instead of allowing, it to hinder, 50:51 oppress, and destroy us 50:53 so John, have you been through a new trials as a pastor? 50:56 Oh, yes. Yeah. 50:58 Do they still show up. Their rhetorical. 51:03 To be a Christian means the devil is against you 51:07 and you will be hit 51:09 and let me think a number 51:11 of other of a number of other texts 51:14 that we need to bring into also 51:16 the other thing about the other thing about 51:18 the life of a Christian. 51:20 You have to grow. 51:22 You have to grow spiritually 51:25 so many Christians 51:28 have no spiritual plan of growth. 51:34 We begin with milk because we're babies, 51:37 but at some point 51:38 you've got to go to the solid stuff. 51:41 And so many of us 51:43 don't have a plan of growth matter of fact. 51:47 I think you fit into this category 51:49 because you're involved in personal ministries 51:51 in your conference. 51:52 So talk to the issue of why is it 51:55 and why is it important for Christians to grow up. 51:58 Well, there is something called spiritual practices 51:59 that we have. 52:00 You know in the life of every Christian 52:02 the basic absolute necessity 52:05 to maintain that relationship you have with Jesus. 52:07 Number one, prayer, Prayer is absolutely, important 52:12 it's critical when on time not just praying for things 52:16 but just a connection with God If you have time, time a prayer 52:20 and you're not connected with him. 52:21 If you don't sense of connection 52:22 with the source of power throughout the day 52:24 you won't have any power. 52:26 So day-by-day morning-by-morning 52:28 and in the evenings, 52:30 you know I often say this, I say, 52:32 in the morning talk about 52:34 what you're going to need for that day. 52:35 Give yourself a place yourself into the hands of God 52:39 seek your spirit and let make sure 52:41 that you're walking in that spirit 52:43 from that moment. 52:44 At the end of the day 52:45 the evening when you pray to God at night 52:47 thank Him for all the things 52:48 in the way he used you throughout the day 52:50 it's a different kind of prayer. 52:51 Lord, I know I'm going to this day 52:52 I need these things, I need your blessing, 52:54 I want you with me at the end of the day 52:55 or thank you for being with me. 52:57 Oh, I praise your name for what you did through, 52:58 through me today, 53:00 that to touch this life or that life. 53:01 It's your per life bookends of your day 53:06 really, really important. 53:07 The second essential 53:08 one of the spiritual practices is reading the word 53:11 studying the Bible, 53:12 get to know the death of it's truths, 53:15 it is power in fact. 53:17 Was it Romans says 53:18 it has the power to save your soul. 53:20 Yeah. 53:22 Paul... Receive the implanted word. 53:24 Right 53:26 because it is the power to save your soul, 53:27 some of that effect. 53:29 Yeah, it says, 53:30 "Continue in the doctrine that you have learned 53:33 for in so doing you shall both save your soul 53:36 and those who hear you." 53:38 And so but continue in the thought pattern here. 53:42 Well those that's the second one. 53:43 And here's the third spiritual practice 53:45 and that is service to others. 53:47 Don't, don't cut off the spigot of what's flowing into you. 53:51 Make sure what flows into you is flowing out to others. 53:55 You're not you know your God is feeling you 53:57 so that you can empty yourself in the lives others 54:00 invest time in the lives of others. 54:03 Be there to encourage them, strengthen them, love them, 54:06 care for them, support them, 54:07 and whatever gift he asked you he's giving you to use, 54:10 use that gift to the best that you can 54:12 I say John, 54:14 that God has given us two things 54:16 one we're saved through his Spirit. 54:19 Number one, he gives us fruit. 54:22 And number two, he gives us gifts. 54:25 The fruit is desired designed to change us. 54:28 But if all you do is rely on the fruit 54:31 and that's your salvation. 54:32 That's selfish. 54:34 That's preparing yourself for the kingdom. 54:36 You've got to move into the gift categories. 54:39 Whatever gifts he's given to you one, two, three. 54:41 However many if you don't use that gift. 54:44 It will not grow either. 54:45 Just like if you don't allow Christ to transform you 54:48 and grow the fruit in you, 54:50 you won't see a change in your life 54:51 if you don't use the gifts given you. 54:53 You want change in areas of ministry. 54:55 Right. 54:56 So fruit and gifts both are designed to help 54:59 save you day-by-day 55:01 and to bring you into a deeper relationship 55:03 with Jesus and a relationship with others 55:05 and so don't just say you know what I'm going to 55:08 I'm going to receive this fruit to change me. 55:10 I'm going to kind of lock myself away from the world 55:12 and nothing's going to get to me 55:13 and I just wait for Jesus to come. 55:16 You're missing the second half, 55:17 the other part of what saves us, 55:20 I'm talking about sanctifies us and that is the gifts. 55:24 So those things are critical 55:26 all those things are critical in your daily life. 55:29 One of the one of the dangers that we have to talk about here 55:32 before we wind up this topic and as you know 55:34 we're not talking about doctrinal baptism. 55:37 We're not talking at all the tenets of the faith. 55:40 We are talking about the practicality 55:41 of how to survive and after your baptized. 55:45 One of the ways that you can guarantee your failure 55:47 is when you choose not to when you choose not to mature. 55:53 You know there are five dangers I did a series called, 55:55 The Danger Zone, 55:57 so you can probably get that at 3ABN 55:58 and if you have a desire to do that call 55:59 and ask for the series called, Danger Zone by John Lomacang. 56:05 I pointed out five dangers 56:07 that the book of Hebrews outlines 56:09 the want the first one is, The Danger of Neglect. 56:11 How shall we escape if we neglect. 56:14 The second one is, The Danger of Un-belief, 56:17 they did not enter because of unbelief. 56:19 The third one is, The Danger of Not Maturing 56:22 and this is the one 56:23 I want to talk about right now very quickly. 56:25 It says, "Therefore leaving the discussion 56:27 of the elementary principles of Christ, 56:30 let us go on to perfection 56:32 not laying again to form a foundation of repentance 56:35 from dead works of faith and of the doctrine of baptism. 56:41 But to go on to perfection to go on 56:44 and to add to your walk with Christ 56:47 this level of maturity." 56:49 I don't want to get into the program. 56:51 I want to take a little bit. We'll pick that up next time. 56:53 We'll pick it up in the next program. 56:55 But if you're not maturing you're going to die. 56:58 John go ahead and take it from here. 56:59 Where I found that verse James 1:21. 57:02 "Therefore, 57:03 lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness 57:05 and receive with meekness the implanted word 57:07 which is able to save your soul." 57:08 There you go, there you go. 57:10 So that's what I was looking for but praise God, 57:11 he probably has provided all we need to save us 57:15 that he has saved us 57:16 and he is saving us still today. 57:17 That's right. 57:19 Saves us from death row and saving us for his glory 57:22 producing in us day-by-day 57:24 that which will one day 57:26 finally, become the perfect image of Jesus. 57:29 May the Lord bless you and go toward to that goal, 57:31 until we see you again. |
Revised 2016-08-22