Hi and you're now with
The Forerunner Chronicles.
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All right everybody, so,
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I received a text
message the other day
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and the text read,
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"Hi, I was talking to
someone regarding the Sabbath
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and they used Matthew
chapter 19 verses 16 through 19
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as an excuse that Jesus
didn't mention the Sabbath,
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could you do a
video regarding this?"
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So, in response to your
text, here's a video answer
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and I'm not only going to deal
with verses from 16 through 19,
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I'm going to go all
the way through verse 22
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it's so
important, are you ready?
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The Bible tells us in Matthew
19 beginning at verse 16,
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"And behold one
came and said unto him,
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'Good Master, what
good things shall I do
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that I may have eternal life?'"
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And He said unto him,
"Why callest thou me good?
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there is none good
but one, that is, God:
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but if thou wilt enter into
life, keep the Commandments. "
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He said unto him, "Which?"
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Jesus said, "Thou
shalt do no murder,
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Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not steal,
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Thou shalt not
bear false witness,
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Honor thy father and thy mother:
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and, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. "
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And the young
man saith unto him,
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"All these things have
I kept from my youth up:
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what lack I yet?"
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Jesus said unto him,
"If thou wilt be perfect,
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go and sell all that thou
hast, and give to the poor,
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and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven:
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and come and follow me. "
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Now, individuals that
read these verses of scripture
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on a very superficial
and surface-level basis,
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come to the erroneous conclusion
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that because
Jesus never mentioned
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keeping the seventh-day
Sabbath as holy before the Lord,
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as one of the
Commandments that were essential
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for this young man to abide by
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so that he could
obtain eternal life,
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this must mean
that as Christians today
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the fourth Commandment
which is the Commandment
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that tells us to remember
the Sabbath day to keep it holy,
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is as well, unessential
to us, in our Christian walk
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in our
discipleship before the Lord
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so that we can
obtain eternal life.
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But this is a very short-sighted
deduction to come to.
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It's pretty
ridiculous, to be frank,
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because number one,
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if only the Commandments
that Jesus mentioned
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to that young man,
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as the
Commandments as essential...
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to enter into eternal life,
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or the Commandments
that we need to abide by
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as Christians today,
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and by the way,
those Commandments were,
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"Don't murder, don't steal,
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honor your
father and your mother,
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don't bear false
witness, don't commit adultery,
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and by doing so,
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you will love your
neighbor as yourself,
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if these are the
only Commandments
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that are essential
for us as Christians
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to enter into eternal life,
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not only are you
doing away with the Sabbath,
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but you're doing away with
all of the other Commandments
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that Jesus didn't mention.
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This means, that as Christians,
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we can take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain,
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because Christ didn't
mention that Commandment,
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and as well as,
Christians today,
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we can worship graven images
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the same way that some of
us worship our flat-screen TVs,
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okay, yeah, but...
Jesus didn't mention that
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so that means worship
graven images... right?
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And this also means
that as Christians today,
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we can have other gods before us
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and we can still
enter into eternal life
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because Jesus didn't
mention that Commandment
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when He spoke to
the rich young ruler,
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but do you really believe that?
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Obviously, you
can't believe that.
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I believe that any
true-hearted Christian
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that is sincerely seeking
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for a knowledge of
the truth will say,
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"No, I don't believe that. "
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And you're right
because that is not the truth
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that the Bible teaches.
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And number two,
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if those Commandments
that Jesus presented
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to that young man,
are the only Commandments
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that are
essential for us to abide by
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so that we can be
partakers of eternal life,
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then when Jesus
presented those Commandments
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to that young man
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and the young man's
response to Jesus was,
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"All these things have I kept
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from my youth
up, what lack I yet?"
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Jesus should have
responded to him by saying,
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"Oh, you're not lacking
anything you're doing great. "
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But that wasn't what Jesus said.
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On the contrary,
Jesus responded by saying,
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"If thou will be perfect,
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go and sell all that thou
hast and give to the poor,
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and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven
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and come and follow me. "
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Obviously, Ladies and Gentlemen,
every word that Jesus spoke
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to that young
man, it was calculated
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to help that
young man comprehend
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a deeper spiritual condition
that he was faced with.
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A deeper, spiritual predicament
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that we are going to
discuss at this time.
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You see, from the very
onset of this verbal interaction
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between this
young man and Jesus,
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the young man
presented a question to Jesus,
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and that question was,
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"What good things shall I do
that I may have eternal life?"
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This gives us deep insight
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into the psyche
of that young man
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because obviously
that young man thought that
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he was a good
person that had the ability
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to do good things,
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so good that his good works
could gain him eternal life.
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But notice, in response
to that young man's question,
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Jesus didn't
immediately answer the question
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that he presented, but rather...
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Jesus presented His own question
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and Jesus' question was,
"Why callest thou me good?
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there is none good
but one, that is, God. "
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In other words, Jesus was
trying to help this young man
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understand that man
does not have the ability
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to do anything
good in his own power.
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The characteristic of goodness
is a characteristic trait
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that is only
attributable to God Himself,
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and this is why
the Bible tells us
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in the book of Psalm
chapter 53 and verse 1,
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"The fool hath said in
his heart 'there is no God. '
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Corrupt are they and
have done abominable iniquity;
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there are none
that doeth good. "
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Then in Psalm
chapter 53 and verse 3,
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at the very end
of that Scripture,
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the Bible tells us,
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"... there are none that
doeth good, no not one. "
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In case you didn't
get it the first time
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but then the Bible tells
us, "The one who is good... "
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in the book of Exodus
chapter 34 and verse 6,
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when the Lord
passed by before Moses,
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and proclaimed
His name, he said,
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"The LORD, the LORD
God, merciful, gracious,
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long suffering, abundant
in goodness and truth. "
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And so the Bible counsels us
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in the book of Psalm
chapter 34 and verse 8,
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"O taste and see
that the Lord is good:
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blessed is the man
that trusteth in Him. "
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You see Ladies and Gentlemen,
if we want to be partakers
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of the goodness of the Lord,
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we must place the full
weight of our confidence,
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we must place
our whole existence,
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we must place our complete
trust in the goodness of God
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and thereby, we can be
partakers of God's good nature
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so that He can provide
us an abundant entrance
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into eternal life.
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"Not by might, nor by
power, but by His good spirit,
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sayeth the Lord of hosts. "
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Yeah I added, "good"
but that's the principle
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founded in the
Bible, so I spoke truth,
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and that young
man, did not understand
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that he needed to
place his trust in God
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so that he could be good,
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and Jesus wanted
him to comprehend this.
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By the way, pay close attention
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to what Jesus first
said to the young man.
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He said, "Why
callest thou me good?"
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In other words, this
young man should know
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that there's no man that's good
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so if he called
Jesus "The good Master"
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was he acknowledging
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that the one whom
he was speaking to
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was not simply just
a good man but rather,
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the man he was speaking
to was God in the flesh?
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If this young man understood
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the message that Jesus was
trying to present to his mind,
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through this question,
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he would have
immediately fallen on his knees
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and cried out to
Jesus to save him.
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But this young man was so
stuck in his self-righteousness,
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that he was waiting to find out
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what good thing
that he could do.
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And understanding his spiritual
predicament, Jesus said,
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"Well, if you
will enter into life,
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keep the Commandments. "
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But notice the Commandments
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that Jesus
presented to that young man.
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I want you to look at them.
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I'll put them on
the screen right now.
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It said, "Thou
shalt do no murder,
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Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not steal,
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Thou shalt not
bear false witness,
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Honour thy
father and thy mother:"
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and notice
there's a colon there,
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and it says, "and thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself. "
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Remember, a colon means
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that the sentence
that comes after the colon
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is further
explaining the sentence
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that preceded the colon,
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which means... according
to the mouth of Jesus Himself,
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to love your
neighbor as yourself,
00:09:51.52\00:09:54.42
you must not kill,
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you must not commit
adultery, you must not steal,
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you must not bear false witness
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and you must honor
your father and your mother.
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All of these together,
constitute what it means
00:10:03.77\00:10:07.20
to love your neighbor
00:10:07.24\00:10:08.57
or to love your
fellowmen as yourself.
00:10:08.60\00:10:11.27
I hope you got what I just said.
00:10:11.31\00:10:13.04
And this brings us now to
our next point of interest
00:10:13.07\00:10:16.31
in this whole interaction
00:10:16.34\00:10:17.98
between Jesus
and this young man.
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And this point of interest is,
00:10:19.88\00:10:21.65
"Why didn't Jesus mention
any of the other Commandments
00:10:21.68\00:10:25.19
found in the book of Exodus
chapter 20, beginning at verse 3
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which tells us, "Thou shalt
have no other gods before me.
00:10:28.92\00:10:32.53
Thou shalt not
make any graven images,
00:10:32.56\00:10:34.56
or any likeness of any thing
00:10:34.60\00:10:35.93
that's in the heaven
above, or on the earth beneath,
00:10:35.96\00:10:37.83
or in the water under the earth:
00:10:37.87\00:10:39.20
Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them:
00:10:39.23\00:10:41.37
for I, the Lord thy
God am a jealous God,
00:10:41.40\00:10:43.14
visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children
00:10:43.17\00:10:45.84
and upon the children's children
unto the third and fourth
00:10:45.87\00:10:48.14
generation of them that hate me;
00:10:48.18\00:10:49.68
and shewing mercy unto
thousands of them that love me,
00:10:49.71\00:10:52.51
and keep my commandments.
00:10:52.58\00:10:53.95
Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain;
00:10:53.98\00:10:56.28
for the Lord shall
not hold him guiltless
00:10:56.32\00:10:58.15
that taketh his name in vain.
00:10:58.22\00:10:59.55
Remember the Sabbath
day, to keep it holy.
00:10:59.59\00:11:01.49
Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work:
00:11:01.52\00:11:04.33
But the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord thy God:
00:11:04.36\00:11:06.73
in it thou
shalt not do any work,
00:11:06.80\00:11:08.26
thou, nor thy
son, nor thy daughter,
00:11:08.30\00:11:09.76
thy manservant,
nor thy maidservant,
00:11:09.80\00:11:11.17
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates:
00:11:11.20\00:11:14.10
For in six days the Lord
made the heaven and the earth,
00:11:14.14\00:11:16.91
the sea, and
all that in them is,
00:11:16.97\00:11:18.81
and rested on the seventh day:
00:11:18.84\00:11:20.64
wherefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day, and hallowed it. "
00:11:20.68\00:11:23.81
Why didn't God mention
any of those Commandments?
00:11:23.85\00:11:25.98
It's because,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:11:26.01\00:11:28.88
those Commandments are connected
to the first great Commandment,
00:11:28.92\00:11:33.72
which takes us over to
the book of Matthew chapter 22
00:11:33.76\00:11:37.53
beginning at verse 36,
00:11:37.59\00:11:39.39
remember somebody
asked Jesus this question,
00:11:39.43\00:11:41.80
"Master, Master, what is the
great Commandment in the law?"
00:11:41.83\00:11:45.73
and Jesus said,
00:11:45.80\00:11:47.17
"Thou shalt love thy Lord
thy God with all thy heart,
00:11:47.20\00:11:50.44
with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind.
00:11:50.54\00:11:53.31
This is the first
and great commandment.
00:11:53.34\00:11:56.08
And the second is like unto it,
00:11:56.14\00:11:58.71
Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself.
00:11:58.75\00:12:01.72
On these hang all the
law and the prophets. "
00:12:01.75\00:12:05.39
You see, Ladies and
Gentlemen, those Commandments
00:12:05.42\00:12:09.02
are associated
with our love for God.
00:12:09.06\00:12:12.33
The other Commandments that
Jesus mentioned to the young man
00:12:12.36\00:12:16.43
are associated with our love
and relationship with humanity.
00:12:16.46\00:12:20.54
And He says, "On these two laws
00:12:20.60\00:12:23.04
hang all the law
and the prophets. "
00:12:23.07\00:12:24.81
It doesn't mean that the
law has been done away with
00:12:24.84\00:12:26.64
and all you need to
do is love and love?
00:12:26.68\00:12:28.31
Who defines what love is?
00:12:28.34\00:12:29.68
God is the only one
that defines what love is.
00:12:29.71\00:12:32.35
But this is what that means.
00:12:32.38\00:12:33.78
Let me give you a
little demonstration here.
00:12:33.82\00:12:36.52
This is my hanger of love.
00:12:36.55\00:12:37.92
This part here,
let's say this symbolizes
00:12:37.99\00:12:41.09
the love for God.
00:12:41.12\00:12:42.76
Love God with all of your
heart, mind and soul... okay,
00:12:42.79\00:12:46.16
and then this part
is here, let's say...
00:12:46.23\00:12:48.66
this part defines your
love for your neighbor,
00:12:48.70\00:12:51.43
it says, on these, hang
all the law and the prophets.
00:12:51.50\00:12:56.34
Now if I were to hang something
on this, this is a pant hanger,
00:12:56.37\00:12:59.61
if I were to hang
something on this,
00:12:59.64\00:13:01.21
what is the strength
of those pants hanging?
00:13:01.24\00:13:03.85
This hanger! In other words...
00:13:03.95\00:13:06.11
the strength of the
law is our love for God.
00:13:06.15\00:13:09.22
You see, the first
great law is loving God.
00:13:09.25\00:13:12.75
And until that love
relationship is established
00:13:12.79\00:13:16.22
between man and God,
00:13:16.26\00:13:17.93
by man... not having
other gods before him,
00:13:17.96\00:13:20.90
by man not
worshipping any graven images,
00:13:20.93\00:13:23.77
by man not taking the name
of the Lord thy God in vain,
00:13:23.83\00:13:26.90
and by man honoring
God's holy Sabbath day
00:13:26.94\00:13:30.41
which is the seventh day...
00:13:30.47\00:13:31.81
man can never have the power
00:13:31.84\00:13:34.24
given to him by
the spirit of God
00:13:34.28\00:13:36.18
to go forth and carry out
the second great Commandment
00:13:36.21\00:13:39.51
which is to love our
neighbors as ourselves.
00:13:39.55\00:13:42.42
Because God is love,
00:13:42.45\00:13:43.89
and for me to be able
to love somebody else,
00:13:43.95\00:13:46.49
I need God to be dwelling in me.
00:13:46.52\00:13:48.79
I must first acknowledge
God's sovereignty over my life,
00:13:48.82\00:13:52.79
I must first acknowledge
God's greatest power,
00:13:52.83\00:13:55.66
I must first
acknowledge Jesus as Lord,
00:13:55.70\00:13:58.33
and then, I can love
my neighbor as myself.
00:13:58.37\00:14:01.97
That's what the Bible
is trying to show us here,
00:14:02.04\00:14:06.24
and that was that
young man's problem.
00:14:06.27\00:14:09.64
You see, when God,
who was Jesus Christ
00:14:09.71\00:14:12.98
told that young man to
go and sell all that he had,
00:14:13.05\00:14:16.55
and give to the poor
and come and follow him,
00:14:16.58\00:14:19.39
he refused to follow
the command from God.
00:14:19.42\00:14:22.19
Why? Because he didn't love God,
00:14:22.22\00:14:24.33
he loved himself, and
he loved his possessions
00:14:24.36\00:14:27.30
which were his gods.
00:14:27.40\00:14:29.06
That's the situation that
we're looking at... right there
00:14:29.10\00:14:34.04
in the book of
Matthew chapter 19.
00:14:34.10\00:14:36.97
So, God says, "If you
love me keep my Commandments"
00:14:37.01\00:14:41.74
in the book of 1
John chapter 5 and verse 3
00:14:41.78\00:14:44.85
because his
Commandments are not grievous
00:14:44.88\00:14:47.85
but you can do all
things through Christ
00:14:47.88\00:14:50.85
who strengthens you, and
that's the end of the story.
00:14:50.89\00:14:54.29
As always...
this is The Forerunner
00:14:54.32\00:14:57.29
and whether you like it or
not, the truth is the truth.
00:14:57.33\00:15:01.66
Hi, and you're now with
The Forerunner Chronicles.
00:15:11.81\00:15:15.31
All right everybody, so,
00:15:15.34\00:15:16.68
the other day I
received a text message
00:15:16.75\00:15:18.28
and the text message read,
00:15:18.31\00:15:19.65
"Hi, isn't it impossible
for man to be perfect?"
00:15:19.68\00:15:23.39
Well, you asked the question,
00:15:23.49\00:15:24.82
and so I'm going to give
you an answer from the Bible.
00:15:24.85\00:15:26.62
In the book of Genesis,
00:15:26.65\00:15:27.99
chapter 6 beginning at
verse 9, the Bible tells us,
00:15:28.02\00:15:31.13
"These are the generations
of Noah: Noah was a just man
00:15:31.16\00:15:34.46
and perfect in his generation,
and Noah walked with God. "
00:15:34.50\00:15:38.30
Number one, God
declared Noah to be perfect.
00:15:38.33\00:15:40.90
Then in the book of Job,
chapter 1 beginning at verse 1,
00:15:40.94\00:15:43.57
the Bible tells us,
00:15:43.61\00:15:44.94
"There was a man
in the land of Uz,
00:15:44.97\00:15:46.88
whose name was Job;
and that man was perfect
00:15:46.94\00:15:49.78
and upright, and one that
feared God, and eschewed evil. "
00:15:49.81\00:15:53.68
So, Number two, God
declared Job to be perfect
00:15:53.72\00:15:56.45
and upright as well.
00:15:56.52\00:15:57.85
Then in the book of Deuteronomy
chapter 18 and verse 13,
00:15:57.89\00:16:00.72
the Bible tells us,
00:16:00.79\00:16:02.12
"Thou shalt be perfect
with the Lord your God. "
00:16:02.16\00:16:05.39
And now for
those of you out there
00:16:05.43\00:16:07.13
that are anxiously waiting
for me to quote a Scripture
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.86
from the New Testament,
00:16:09.93\00:16:11.27
I give you the words
of Jesus Christ Himself.
00:16:11.30\00:16:13.23
In the book of Matthew chapter
5 and verse 48 where Jesus said,
00:16:13.27\00:16:17.11
"Be ye therefore perfect,
00:16:17.14\00:16:18.64
even as your Father which
is in heaven is perfect. "
00:16:18.67\00:16:21.81
So, according to the Bible,
00:16:21.84\00:16:23.35
God has declared men to
be perfect in times past,
00:16:23.38\00:16:27.12
and Jesus Himself has commanded
us to be perfect... now.
00:16:27.15\00:16:30.39
So the question isn't whether
or not man can be perfect,
00:16:30.42\00:16:33.66
the question that we
need to be considering is,
00:16:33.69\00:16:36.26
Number one, what
is God talking about
00:16:36.29\00:16:37.99
when he calls us to be perfect?
00:16:38.03\00:16:39.56
And Number two, How
do we obtain to the state
00:16:39.63\00:16:42.70
of being perfect
in the sight of God?
00:16:42.73\00:16:45.07
Now, that word
"perfect" in the New Testament
00:16:45.10\00:16:48.07
from the original Greek
from which it was translated
00:16:48.10\00:16:50.87
means to be "complete"
00:16:50.91\00:16:52.57
once again, that word "perfect"
00:16:52.61\00:16:54.24
from the original
Greek means to be "complete"
00:16:54.28\00:16:56.38
to come to a state of
full mental and moral maturity
00:16:56.41\00:17:00.25
so how do we become complete?
00:17:00.28\00:17:02.35
Well, the Bible tells
us, speaking of Jesus Christ,
00:17:02.38\00:17:05.35
in the book of Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 10,
00:17:05.39\00:17:08.32
"And ye are complete in Him,
00:17:08.36\00:17:10.26
who is the head of all
principalities and powers. "
00:17:10.29\00:17:13.53
So we are made
complete or made perfect,
00:17:13.56\00:17:16.77
or we are brought to a state of
full mental and moral maturity
00:17:16.87\00:17:20.54
that we can
reflect the image of God
00:17:20.57\00:17:22.90
when our lives are
hidden in Jesus Christ.
00:17:22.94\00:17:26.98
Because the Bible tells
us that when we're in Christ
00:17:27.01\00:17:29.31
a radical
transformation takes place.
00:17:29.34\00:17:31.41
That's what we're told in
the book of 2nd Corinthians
00:17:31.48\00:17:33.82
chapter 5 and
verse 17 which says,
00:17:33.85\00:17:35.78
"If any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature:
00:17:35.82\00:17:39.32
old things are passed away;
00:17:39.35\00:17:40.96
behold, all
things are become new. "
00:17:40.99\00:17:43.93
So, we can be perfect creatures,
we can be made complete
00:17:43.96\00:17:48.33
we can come to a full
mental and moral maturity
00:17:48.36\00:17:51.83
that we will reveal the
divine nature, the image of God,
00:17:51.87\00:17:55.50
if we are in Christ
but the question now is,
00:17:55.54\00:17:58.67
"How do we experience
this entering into Christ,
00:17:58.71\00:18:01.88
how do we have
this new-life experience
00:18:01.91\00:18:04.21
or this born-again experience?
00:18:04.28\00:18:06.08
Well, the Bible tells us
00:18:06.11\00:18:07.88
in the book of 1 Peter
chapter 1 and verse 23,
00:18:07.92\00:18:10.95
"Being born again,
not of corruptible seed,
00:18:11.02\00:18:13.89
but of incorruptible,
by the word of God,
00:18:13.92\00:18:16.76
which liveth and
abideth for ever. "
00:18:16.86\00:18:19.29
You see, the Word of God,
00:18:19.33\00:18:20.96
is that power that God
places within our lives
00:18:20.96\00:18:23.90
to transform us, to
create us into new creatures,
00:18:23.97\00:18:26.77
because the Word of
God contains creative power
00:18:26.84\00:18:29.54
that's what the Bible says
in the book of Psalm chapter 33
00:18:29.57\00:18:32.67
verses 6 and 9,
00:18:32.71\00:18:34.08
it says, "By the word of
the Lord were the heavens made;
00:18:34.11\00:18:36.31
and all the host of them
by the breath of his mouth
00:18:36.34\00:18:38.78
for he spake and it
was done; he commanded,
00:18:38.81\00:18:41.35
and it stood fast. "
00:18:41.38\00:18:42.72
The Word of God
has creative power.
00:18:42.75\00:18:45.29
And the same way that
God's word was able to create
00:18:45.32\00:18:48.32
the heavens and the
earth, that very same word
00:18:48.36\00:18:51.49
has the ability to
create you into a new creature
00:18:51.53\00:18:54.60
that will reflect
the image of God...
00:18:54.63\00:18:56.93
a perfect man
or a perfect woman.
00:18:56.97\00:18:59.17
But notice that the Bible
symbolizes the Word of God
00:18:59.23\00:19:03.34
in 1st Peter chapter 1
and verse 23, as a "seed"
00:19:03.37\00:19:06.47
now when you think of a
seed what do you think of?
00:19:06.51\00:19:09.54
You think of growth, don't you?
00:19:09.61\00:19:11.11
And God has given us a
00:19:11.15\00:19:12.71
very special, simplistic
and powerful Object Lesson
00:19:12.75\00:19:17.35
from nature to
help us understand
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.55
this growth into
perfection in the book of Mark
00:19:19.62\00:19:23.06
chapter 4 and verse 28.
00:19:23.09\00:19:24.96
We are told there,
first the blade, then the ear,
00:19:24.99\00:19:28.43
then the full corn in the ear.
00:19:28.46\00:19:30.87
If you want to hear
the whole Scripture,
00:19:30.90\00:19:32.23
it goes, "For the earth
bringeth forth her fruit,
00:19:32.27\00:19:34.27
first the blade, then the ear,
then the full corn in the ear. "
00:19:34.34\00:19:37.31
Nonetheless, you see a
growth process taking place.
00:19:37.34\00:19:39.81
Now, in particular,
here, it's talking about corn,
00:19:39.84\00:19:42.34
but this deals with
every form of plant life.
00:19:42.38\00:19:45.05
Now think about this,
you have a seed, right?
00:19:45.08\00:19:47.75
Now, let's say it's a corn seed
00:19:47.78\00:19:49.75
because we're talking about
corn there in the book of Mark
00:19:49.78\00:19:51.59
chapter 4, verse 28,
00:19:51.62\00:19:53.15
so, say you have
a corn seed, right?
00:19:53.19\00:19:55.29
Now, even though
that corn seed is not a
00:19:55.32\00:19:58.19
fully grown stalk of
corn, within that seed,
00:19:58.23\00:20:01.00
are the genetic
instructions for that seed,
00:20:01.03\00:20:03.57
when it's placed in
the right environment,
00:20:03.63\00:20:06.00
to grow into a full
00:20:06.03\00:20:08.70
stalk of corn, now I
have a good question for you.
00:20:08.74\00:20:11.01
I want you to think about this.
00:20:11.04\00:20:12.37
I'm actually going to give
you time to think about this.
00:20:12.41\00:20:13.94
Are you ready...
the question is...
00:20:13.98\00:20:15.31
if that seed has
00:20:15.34\00:20:18.68
all of the correct
genetic instructions in it,
00:20:18.71\00:20:22.25
to become a
fully-grown stalk of corn,
00:20:22.32\00:20:25.59
but yet it's just a corn
seed, is that seed perfect?
00:20:25.62\00:20:29.42
Yes or no? The
answer is, "Yes. "
00:20:29.46\00:20:33.26
Even though it's not a
full-grown stalk of corn,
00:20:33.29\00:20:36.73
at this stage of its growth,
00:20:36.80\00:20:38.47
it's not supposed to be
a full-grown stalk of corn,
00:20:38.50\00:20:41.54
it's supposed to be a corn seed
00:20:41.57\00:20:43.94
that contains the
genetic instructions
00:20:43.97\00:20:46.61
for it to grow into a
full-grown stalk of corn
00:20:46.64\00:20:49.91
once placed in
the proper conditions.
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.41
Now, here's my next question.
00:20:52.45\00:20:54.25
When you place that
corn seed in the ground,
00:20:54.28\00:20:57.02
and then it grows into a
blade, is that blade perfect?
00:20:57.05\00:21:01.82
The answer is, "Yes. " Why?
00:21:01.86\00:21:04.79
Because that is the
natural process of the growth
00:21:04.83\00:21:08.26
from the seed to the blade.
00:21:08.30\00:21:10.43
The seed followed the
genetic instructions that were
00:21:10.47\00:21:14.24
placed in it by God,
and it grew into a blade.
00:21:14.30\00:21:17.67
And as long as that
blade continues to follow
00:21:17.71\00:21:20.98
the genetic instructions,
that were placed in the seed
00:21:21.04\00:21:24.01
that brought it to a blade,
00:21:24.05\00:21:25.38
then, that blade is
eventually going to become
00:21:25.41\00:21:27.28
an ear, you get the point here?
00:21:27.32\00:21:29.98
And on and on...
the process goes.
00:21:30.05\00:21:32.82
At every stage
of its development
00:21:32.85\00:21:35.56
it can be perfect until it
comes into its full maturity
00:21:35.62\00:21:40.00
as long as it follows
the genetic instructions
00:21:40.06\00:21:44.70
for that aspect or that
time period of its growth.
00:21:44.73\00:21:48.80
Are you
following what I just said?
00:21:48.84\00:21:50.44
The same thing is for you and I,
00:21:50.54\00:21:52.04
some of us, as we
come into Jesus Christ,
00:21:52.07\00:21:54.48
all of us, as we
come into Jesus Christ,
00:21:54.51\00:21:56.88
we're children, and God
has different aspects of truth
00:21:56.91\00:22:00.45
that He might bring
to your understanding.
00:22:00.52\00:22:02.02
He might tell
you, "Okay, my child,
00:22:02.05\00:22:03.59
I want you to stop smoking now,
00:22:03.62\00:22:04.95
I want you to stop lying now,
00:22:04.99\00:22:06.32
I want you to
stop fornicating now,"
00:22:06.35\00:22:07.69
and you say, "Okay,
God, I'm going to do that. "
00:22:07.72\00:22:09.89
You are growing in the
perfection of Jesus Christ.
00:22:09.92\00:22:12.26
Why? Because you're continuing
00:22:12.29\00:22:14.20
in His instructions. Let
me break this down for you.
00:22:14.20\00:22:16.97
Remember, I told you
the seed is the Word of God.
00:22:17.03\00:22:20.10
And that should mean
that the same way that a seed
00:22:20.20\00:22:23.20
in nature contains genetic
instructions for that seed to
00:22:23.24\00:22:26.51
become exactly what
it's supposed to become,
00:22:26.54\00:22:29.08
to fully maturity,
00:22:29.11\00:22:30.45
God's Word contains
instructions as well.
00:22:30.51\00:22:33.48
Because the Bible tells
us in the book of 2nd Timothy
00:22:33.52\00:22:36.48
chapter 3 beginning on verse 16,
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.29
"All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:22:38.32\00:22:40.99
and is profitable for doctrine,
00:22:41.02\00:22:42.62
for reproof, for correction,
00:22:42.66\00:22:44.19
for instruction
in righteousness:
00:22:44.23\00:22:46.96
that the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished,
00:22:47.00\00:22:50.40
unto all good works. "
00:22:50.43\00:22:51.83
Notice that the
Scriptures contain instructions
00:22:51.87\00:22:55.27
and if these
instructions are followed,
00:22:55.30\00:22:57.91
they will bring
humanity into perfection.
00:22:57.94\00:23:01.01
This is not only
God's ideal for humanity,
00:23:01.04\00:23:04.25
this is God's whole
purpose for humanity.
00:23:04.28\00:23:07.42
This is why Jesus Christ
came and died on the cross,
00:23:07.45\00:23:11.05
rose again from the grave,
00:23:11.09\00:23:12.45
is at the right hand of
the throne of the Father,
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.56
interceding for us,
00:23:14.59\00:23:15.92
this is why He sent
forth His spirit of truth
00:23:15.96\00:23:18.16
into this world, to
guide us into all truth.
00:23:18.19\00:23:20.43
All, for the purpose of
leading humanity into a position
00:23:20.50\00:23:25.03
where we can perfectly reflect
the image of our Creator.
00:23:25.07\00:23:29.64
That's the whole point.
00:23:29.67\00:23:31.14
But let's go back
to our Object Lesson.
00:23:31.17\00:23:33.24
What if that corn seed...
00:23:33.27\00:23:35.01
it just grew into a blade,
00:23:35.04\00:23:36.71
as a matter of fact, what
if that corn seed grew into
00:23:36.75\00:23:38.91
a blueberry bush.
00:23:38.95\00:23:40.28
Would that be
accurate? Would that be correct?
00:23:40.38\00:23:43.12
Would that be
according to the design?
00:23:43.15\00:23:45.79
Absolutely not.
What's the problem here?
00:23:45.82\00:23:48.29
The problem is this.
00:23:48.32\00:23:49.66
It didn't go through
with the instructions
00:23:49.69\00:23:52.09
that were given to it.
00:23:52.13\00:23:53.46
And see that's the
problem with most of us
00:23:53.50\00:23:55.36
in our Christian walk.
00:23:55.40\00:23:56.73
Some of us, we come in as
babes and we receive the Word
00:23:56.80\00:24:00.17
God tells us, "I need you
to stop having fornication,
00:24:00.24\00:24:03.54
you know, fornicating
and smoking and doing drugs,"
00:24:03.61\00:24:05.91
and you're excited about
not drinking liquor anymore,
00:24:05.94\00:24:08.18
you're free, you're
free, but all of a sudden,
00:24:08.21\00:24:10.58
God touches some
cherished sin in your life,
00:24:10.65\00:24:12.95
and He tells you,
00:24:12.98\00:24:14.32
"You need to stop
doing that as well,
00:24:14.35\00:24:15.82
I want you to do
this, my child. "
00:24:15.85\00:24:17.32
And then you start
rationalizing in your mind
00:24:17.39\00:24:20.29
how you really don't
need to stop doing that thing,
00:24:20.36\00:24:22.99
and it really can't be
God telling you to do that,
00:24:23.02\00:24:25.69
and it's really not the
Bible teaching these things,
00:24:25.73\00:24:28.73
that you're
thinking in your mind
00:24:28.80\00:24:30.37
and you try to rationalize
all of these things away,
00:24:30.43\00:24:33.34
so that you can chart out
your own path of salvation,
00:24:33.40\00:24:36.27
but all you're
doing is, stepping outside
00:24:36.34\00:24:38.97
of that
perfection of Jesus Christ,
00:24:39.01\00:24:41.31
you're stepping
outside of that experience
00:24:41.34\00:24:43.61
in which you are
developing into full maturity,
00:24:43.65\00:24:46.55
mentally and
morally in Jesus Christ,
00:24:46.58\00:24:48.62
you're no longer
walking in completeness,
00:24:48.65\00:24:50.65
you're becoming retarded,
and that's the problem.
00:24:50.69\00:24:54.29
Most of us out there
00:24:54.32\00:24:56.42
are refusing to
continue on in the truth
00:24:56.46\00:24:59.09
because the truth
calls for sacrifice.
00:24:59.13\00:25:01.63
The truth calls for change,
the truth calls for growth,
00:25:01.66\00:25:05.30
and its growth, and
change, and sacrifice
00:25:05.37\00:25:07.64
that God is not
calling us to do on our own,
00:25:07.67\00:25:09.84
God has given us his spirit
so that we can do all things
00:25:09.87\00:25:14.18
through Christ
who strengthens us.
00:25:14.28\00:25:16.11
The question is, "Do you want
to be perfect in Jesus Christ?"
00:25:16.14\00:25:19.88
If you want to, God
is able to help you,
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.48
because the Bible
tells us in the book of
00:25:22.52\00:25:25.05
Psalm chapter 18 and verse 32,
00:25:25.09\00:25:27.26
"It is God that
girdeth me with strength,
00:25:27.29\00:25:29.49
and maketh my way perfect. "
00:25:29.56\00:25:31.93
In the book of 2nd
Samuel chapter 22 and verse 33,
00:25:31.96\00:25:34.86
the Bible says,
00:25:34.93\00:25:36.23
"God is my
strength and my power:
00:25:36.26\00:25:38.40
and he maketh my way perfect. "
00:25:38.43\00:25:40.70
As you grab hold
of God's strength,
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.20
as you unite your
weakness with His power,
00:25:43.24\00:25:46.68
He will make your way...
He will make your life...
00:25:46.74\00:25:50.51
a life of perfection,
00:25:50.55\00:25:52.91
daily growing in the
grace of Jesus Christ.
00:25:52.95\00:25:56.65
And so, in closing,
in the book of Hebrews,
00:25:56.69\00:26:00.19
chapter 13 beginning at
verse 20 the Bible tells us,
00:26:00.22\00:26:04.89
"Now, the God of peace,
that brought again from the dead
00:26:04.93\00:26:08.90
our Lord Jesus Christ,
that great shepherd of the sheep
00:26:08.93\00:26:12.87
through the blood of
the everlasting covenant,
00:26:12.90\00:26:16.10
make you perfect,
00:26:16.14\00:26:18.44
in every good
work to do His will
00:26:18.47\00:26:22.11
working in you that
which is pleasing in his sight,
00:26:22.14\00:26:26.58
through Jesus
Christ; to whom be glory
00:26:26.61\00:26:29.38
for ever and ever. Amen. "
00:26:29.42\00:26:32.72
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:26:32.75\00:26:34.62
God desires to
do it in your life.
00:26:34.66\00:26:37.03
I want you to think about this.
00:26:37.06\00:26:39.36
If you cannot be
perfect in Jesus Christ,
00:26:39.39\00:26:43.00
if you cannot overcome
00:26:43.06\00:26:45.27
every hereditary
and cultivated sin
00:26:45.30\00:26:48.40
by the power of Jesus
Christ, then you are saying,
00:26:48.44\00:26:52.07
that darkness is
greater than light,
00:26:52.11\00:26:54.68
that error is
greater than truth,
00:26:54.71\00:26:57.01
that the power of Satan
00:26:57.05\00:26:59.11
is greater than the power
00:26:59.15\00:27:01.22
of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ,
00:27:01.25\00:27:04.32
and that is
blasphemy, think about it.
00:27:04.35\00:27:07.59
As always, this
is The Forerunner...
00:27:07.62\00:27:10.76
and whether you like it or
not, the truth is the truth.
00:27:10.79\00:27:15.76