Hello, friends, grab your
Bible and a friend and sit back
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as we explore
God's word together
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on this edition
of "House Calls."
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Welcome to another
"House Calls" program.
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As you can see
I stand out today.
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I didn't know my
shirt was this bright.
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But there is a guy to my right,
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his name is John Stanton.
Good to have you here, John
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It's good to be here, John.
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Man, I didn't--I'm
looking at the monitor there
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and this is really
bright. But that's okay.
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I think I'm allowing
my light to shine today,
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not just through my shirt
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but through the
glory of God's word.
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So thank you for tuning in,
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because today we
are excited not only
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to share the Bible with you,
but to talk about the topic.
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Many people, John, wonder,
what it means to be justified.
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That's a word that just
seems to elude many people
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when they try to extract
from it all that it really means
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and we're gonna talk
about that today, right?
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Amen. And also
your Bible questions
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and comments are
very important to us.
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And we'll talk about
that in just a moment,
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in case you have
questions or comments,
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you want to send to us,
but before we do anything
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we always like to
begin with prayer.
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So, John, take us before
the throne of God with prayer.
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Let's do that. Father in heaven,
we need You each and every day.
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And it's no different today.
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We pray for Your
presence to be with us
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here during this
program and with all our viewers
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and listeners that You would
and impress upon our hearts.
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Speak to us today
through Your word.
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In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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Well, the first
half of our program
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is always Bible
questions and comments
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and we
appreciate, even if you send
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a question to
rebuke us, we read them.
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And so today I have
a few that I'm gonna--
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actually one
that I'm gonna read.
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I don't read too many of those.
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And but remember
also we have a question
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that has come to us today.
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And make sure you
look at those Bible verses
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before you send
them because sometimes,
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you'll include a Bible
verse that really doesn't exist.
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And such is the
case today, so we'll try.
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Thankfully the person
that sent this question
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put more than one verse.
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And but the question
itself is still there.
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So we do appreciate it.
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But, John, what do
you have for us today
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as far as
questions are concerned?
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Well, we've got a
question from Mona
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who writes from Virginia.
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Okay. And she
asked the question,
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"What does it
mean, when the Bible says
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we will judge our angels?
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Does that mean they mess up
sometimes or layoff the job.
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If you don't really know
the answer, don't make it up.
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I'd rather have you
say that you don't know
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if you don't know.
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What happens if we
judge them critically?"
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Okay, let's look
at a couple of things
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that might be behind this topic
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that we really
need to understand.
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The first one is that at
the very beginning of sin,
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Satan who was an angel,
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the highest
angel looked to deceive
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the rest of the angels to
believe that God was not fair,
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was not just, did
not have their true
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and best interests at
heart. And spread his lies
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and tales
throughout all the angel host.
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He was successful in deceiving
a third, the Bible says.
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We don't know if that's
exactly a third or what.
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But we do know it's a
large number of angels,
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a third of the
angels from heaven,
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they were then
embroiled in this battle.
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That's right. And then
eventually these angels
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that followed Satan
were cast out of heaven.
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And they are known
as evil angels, demons.
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There still remains
double the host in heaven
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who were loyal
and faithful to God.
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And the battle that
we see on this earth
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is between good and
evil. It's a great controversy,
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if you will,
between good and evil,
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Christ at the
head of His angel host
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and Satan at the head
of those that followed him,
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his angel host,
the demonic host.
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And so what we see here
is when sin finally wraps up,
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when we finally
see an end to sin
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and see an end to those who
followed in the sinful life,
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including those angels,
there will be a judgment.
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And if you turn to 1
Corinthians Chapter 6,
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we read about the
judgment of these wicked angels,
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not the good angels of heaven,
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not the angels that
are sent to our aid,
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to help us along,
they can do no wrong.
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The Lord sends them
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and they follow the
Lord's will in every way.
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But as we read beginning
with, just to get the context,
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verse 1of
Corinthians Chapter 6, it says,
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"Dare any of you have
a matter against another,
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go to law
before the unrighteous,
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and not before the saints?
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Don't you know that the
saints will judge the world?
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And if the world
will be judged by you,
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are you unworthy to
judge the smallest matters?
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Do you know that
we will judge angels?
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And much more--
how much more things
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that pertain to this life?"
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Here is one thing that,
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I'm gonna kind of step
out of the question here
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for just a minute, John,
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and just open up
a little dialogue.
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Because I think sometimes
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we to a degree here
are so careful about this
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word judgment and making
sure we don't judge people.
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Paul is saying that
there is a kind of judgment
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that we should do as Christians
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and then there's
a kind of judgment
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we should not do.
Over and over again,
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Jesus said that
we should not judge
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another and Paul
says the same word,
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we shouldn't judge
another human being.
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But here he says we should judge
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between each other in
these matters that come up.
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That's right.
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And the judgment
we're finding here
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is a more
discernment kind of a judgment
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between right and wrong,
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not judging an
individual and their salvation,
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their destiny
but judging a matter,
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a situation that might come up
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between individuals or
even in someone's life.
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They may be
battling a situation.
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We can judge, we can discern
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whether or not that is right
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and or whether
or not it's wrong.
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And this is what
he's talking about here.
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So as we carry it
into the realm of angels,
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what he's saying
here is there will be
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some angels that do wrong
and that they will be judged
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and we will play a
part in that judgment,
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but these are not good angels.
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These are the
demonic host of angels
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that followed Satan when
he was cast out of heaven.
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John, this idea
about judging is just--
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it has taken such
a bon rapid ain't.
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When people say,
"Don't judge me,"
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they're almost saying,
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"Let me do what I want to do
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without you
commenting about it."
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That's really
what they're saying.
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You have no
right, they're saying--
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and I've-- this
is what I picked up,
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because I've seen situations,
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a person could be
smoking or drinking or living
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a double life and
they say, "Don't judge me."
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They're almost saying
don't condemn my actions.
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Now we can condemn actions.
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What people fail to
realize is there's a whole book
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in the Bible called Judges.
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So if you read
the Book of Judges,
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you'll come away with a
reality that God has given
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many that are in
positions of responsibility,
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the right and the responsibility
to be able to judge.
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What they're missing is
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and then let me just
go to the court setting,
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because the court
setting will help you
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understand this
very, very carefully.
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When a person is on
trial, who is the one--
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who are the ones
that are listening in
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on the testimony to the accused?
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An entire jury and they
are a jury of your peers.
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And what are they
there for? To judge.
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Determine right from wrong.
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Determine whether
you're telling the truth
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or whether
you're being dishonest.
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They are judging.
They are called to judge.
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And the question will be
where did that idea come from?
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Well, that's a clear
scriptural example in the Bible.
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You have the Matthew 18 as
one of the classic examples
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of this whole
idea about judging.
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If a person does
something that is right or wrong
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or in this case wrong
and you go to that person
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and say to them, talk
to them about the matter
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and they don't listen,
you bring another person.
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What's the purpose of
bringing the other person?
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To judge about this--
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to be not a mediator
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but to be a witness,
because the Bible says
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in the mouth of two or three
a thing shall be established.
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So you bring that another person
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along to once again reiterate,
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this is what I'm
asking you not to do.
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Then if they
choose not to then they go
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before a committee, the church.
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What are they there for?
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They are to
judge in these matters,
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singular, double, committee
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and then if that person chooses
once again not to listen,
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you deal with that
person as a heathen.
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But we miss this whole ideology.
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When the Bible says by
their fruits you will know them,
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well, how do we
know them by their fruit?
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We judge their fruits.
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Now what I know
you're meaning in many cases
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is don't condemn me.
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That's pretty much
what they're meaning.
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Right. Don't condemn,
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because the position of the jury
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is in fact moderated
or refereed by the judge.
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But when it comes down--
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The judge sentences.
Right, the judge sentence,
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but the
community of jurors decide
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whether they're
guilty or innocent.
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So what are they
doing? They are judging.
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So that whole concept of
don't judge is misused today,
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almost to give a person license
to be living in transgression
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or when we see something
we disagree with they say,
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"Well, don't judge me."
Well, we're not condemning
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or we're not appointing
you to hell or to heaven.
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We're simply saying
what you're doing is wrong.
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And that's why the
Bible says in this context
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we should judge.
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Faithful are the
wounds of a friend,
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but the kisses of
an enemy are deceitful.
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What does a friend do?
A friend looks at the life
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you're living and
says this is not right.
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They're judging
your actions. Right.
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This is not what
God wants you to do.
00:10:06.54\00:10:08.83
And hope to do what?
00:10:08.86\00:10:11.20
To turn you back
to the right path,
00:10:11.23\00:10:13.54
to make sure that
your outcome is good,
00:10:13.57\00:10:16.70
not the
direction you're heading.
00:10:16.73\00:10:18.24
Right and so
when you look at that,
00:10:18.27\00:10:20.68
if you just do that
word judge or judging,
00:10:20.71\00:10:22.74
you look that up in the Bible,
00:10:22.77\00:10:24.14
give yourself an
homework assignment
00:10:24.17\00:10:26.10
and you'll find there
is a number of Scriptures
00:10:26.13\00:10:28.70
that puts us in the
responsibility as those
00:10:28.73\00:10:31.07
who are under
God's guidance to make
00:10:31.10\00:10:32.97
a judgment about
a certain situation.
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And Paul makes that very clear.
00:10:35.29\00:10:37.29
The church, if those of
us in leadership in churches
00:10:37.32\00:10:40.04
didn't have the right to judge,
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well, those of us who
are called to be Christians
00:10:41.79\00:10:43.33
didn't have a right
the judge in a matter
00:10:43.36\00:10:46.24
as Paul just talked about
00:10:46.27\00:10:47.87
in this
Scripture that John read,
00:10:47.90\00:10:49.81
then we would all just
be giving license to sin.
00:10:49.84\00:10:52.62
And unfortunately,
John, that's the kind of world
00:10:52.65\00:10:55.03
we're living in today.
People just want to do wrong
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and have no one
say anything about it.
00:10:58.07\00:11:00.75
I've had parents come to me,
00:11:00.78\00:11:02.24
where their teenager
just flipped in one day.
00:11:02.27\00:11:05.12
And they say to me, "You
know, what's the first thing
00:11:05.15\00:11:07.41
my daughter said
to me this morning?
00:11:07.44\00:11:09.09
Don't judge me.
00:11:09.12\00:11:10.89
You used to be a
teenager, so don't judge me."
00:11:10.92\00:11:13.20
And I'm thinking, she says,
00:11:13.23\00:11:14.60
"She forgets that I'm
not her friend, I'm her mom."
00:11:14.63\00:11:17.91
And so that's the key,
but when the Bible says,
00:11:17.94\00:11:21.97
"Judge not that,
ye be not judged,"
00:11:22.00\00:11:24.20
it means you cannot
appoint a person saying,
00:11:24.23\00:11:26.43
well, you're going to hell
00:11:26.46\00:11:27.83
or you're going to
heaven or you are lost.
00:11:27.86\00:11:30.80
That's the context
of that "judge not that,
00:11:30.83\00:11:32.65
ye be not judged."
00:11:32.68\00:11:34.05
We're all on a journey. Yes.
00:11:34.08\00:11:35.68
We have not
reached are in this nation,
00:11:35.71\00:11:37.45
so to say to
someone who's going to be
00:11:37.48\00:11:39.33
ultimately lost
is condemning them.
00:11:39.36\00:11:42.61
But to say that someone is doing
00:11:42.64\00:11:44.02
something right or
wrong in a specific situation,
00:11:44.05\00:11:46.75
to judge that, to
discern that is absolutely
00:11:46.78\00:11:49.66
what we're called to
do in the Scriptures.
00:11:49.69\00:11:51.25
And John 7:24, here's the
text that you could appreciate.
00:11:51.28\00:11:54.57
It says. "Do not judge
according to appearance,
00:11:54.60\00:11:57.79
but judge with
righteous judgment."
00:11:57.82\00:12:01.39
So it's given you,
don't judge by what you see,
00:12:01.42\00:12:03.58
because God looks at the heart,
00:12:03.61\00:12:05.83
man looks at the
outer appearance.
00:12:05.86\00:12:07.28
Sometimes a person we'll
look at one individual and say,
00:12:07.31\00:12:10.73
"wow, they look like
an upstanding citizen,"
00:12:10.76\00:12:12.46
yet they could be a criminal
00:12:12.49\00:12:14.11
and the person
who looks very poor
00:12:14.14\00:12:15.65
and not well kept
could be such a just person.
00:12:15.68\00:12:20.63
So John 7:20, "Do not
judge according to appearance."
00:12:20.66\00:12:24.82
So they say, "See there it is."
00:12:24.85\00:12:26.60
"But judge with
righteous judgment."
00:12:26.63\00:12:29.58
So the Lord is saying,
00:12:29.61\00:12:30.98
"You got to do
that, you must do that."
00:12:31.01\00:12:34.28
Okay, I don't know, shall I go?
00:12:34.31\00:12:35.99
Yeah, your question.
00:12:36.02\00:12:37.39
Okay, I want to
read this question, John,
00:12:37.42\00:12:40.13
just because I want
to put this in context
00:12:40.16\00:12:41.53
and I just want
to respond to it.
00:12:41.56\00:12:43.31
It's not a Bible
question. It's just a comment.
00:12:43.34\00:12:45.73
I was listening to
your message tonight
00:12:45.76\00:12:47.27
for the prayer meeting program.
00:12:47.30\00:12:49.35
While I have been
blessed many times
00:12:49.38\00:12:50.89
with what I've--I'm
hearing on a 'Sharper Focus,'"
00:12:50.92\00:12:54.30
that's by the way
on Wednesday night,
00:12:54.33\00:12:55.87
live Bible study, 7
o'clock central time.
00:12:55.90\00:12:57.91
This is not a commercial.
00:12:57.94\00:13:00.32
They said, "While I was
listening to the program,
00:13:00.35\00:13:02.03
I was disappointed
tonight, not in the subject,
00:13:02.06\00:13:04.66
but in the way you
endeavored to teach this
00:13:04.69\00:13:07.11
by the comparative use of
competitive sporting events.
00:13:07.14\00:13:12.53
I do not think
that I'm confused.
00:13:12.56\00:13:14.34
I'm looking for preaching
to call sin by its right name.
00:13:14.37\00:13:17.66
We have been counseled
against competitive sports
00:13:17.69\00:13:20.58
yet as a
denomination we seem to be
00:13:20.61\00:13:22.71
joining in them
by leaps and bounds.
00:13:22.74\00:13:26.06
I'm referring to the Laodicean
condition of God's people
00:13:26.09\00:13:28.71
and the three things
they need to buy from God.
00:13:28.74\00:13:32.64
If as a people we are
to have the White Rayment.
00:13:32.67\00:13:36.04
that our nakedness not show"--
00:13:36.07\00:13:37.54
now you're going
into something else
00:13:37.57\00:13:38.94
that I didn't go into.
00:13:38.97\00:13:40.63
See, I used sports and
let me just use an example.
00:13:40.66\00:13:44.51
I used sports as an analogy,
00:13:44.54\00:13:46.37
not to say this is
what you should do.
00:13:46.40\00:13:49.36
And what the person is--
00:13:49.39\00:13:50.76
they're going into all
kinds of other stuff here,
00:13:50.79\00:13:52.35
football and the folly.
00:13:52.38\00:13:54.05
They're writing papers
to other people in 3ABN.
00:13:54.08\00:13:56.72
They're becoming a
lot more critical about
00:13:56.75\00:13:59.70
what I didn't
say then what I said.
00:13:59.73\00:14:01.98
And let me make it clear,
00:14:02.01\00:14:03.38
I don't know if you
listen to the program or not.
00:14:03.41\00:14:04.78
But if you are
listening to the program,
00:14:04.81\00:14:06.97
we could use anything in
our world as a comparison.
00:14:07.00\00:14:11.24
I could say okay,
let's look at the drug world.
00:14:11.27\00:14:13.53
Compare it to the
people that don't take drugs.
00:14:13.56\00:14:16.60
Am I becoming a proponent
of a person that uses drugs?
00:14:16.63\00:14:20.61
Absolutely not. We
could talk about gun violence
00:14:20.64\00:14:23.82
and all these school shootings.
00:14:23.85\00:14:25.73
Am I becoming a
proponent of one or the other?
00:14:25.76\00:14:27.80
Absolutely not. So
when you say, okay,
00:14:27.83\00:14:30.13
one football team
is at the 2 yard line
00:14:30.16\00:14:32.18
and the other football team
00:14:32.21\00:14:33.58
is trying to keep
them from going in,
00:14:33.61\00:14:35.60
let's look at the
football team at the 2 yard line
00:14:35.63\00:14:37.83
trying to make their goals
00:14:37.86\00:14:39.23
as a Christian
trying to make it home.
00:14:39.26\00:14:41.05
And let's look at the
team trying to stop them
00:14:41.08\00:14:42.54
as Satan trying to keep
them from making to heaven.
00:14:42.57\00:14:45.23
That's the kind of
analogy that I used.
00:14:45.26\00:14:47.44
And that is not saying
00:14:47.47\00:14:49.12
that I'm condoning
competitive sports.
00:14:49.15\00:14:51.68
So when you
listen to the program,
00:14:51.71\00:14:54.08
if you hear the word
sports try not to go off
00:14:54.11\00:14:56.27
on a tangent of
something that I'm not saying.
00:14:56.30\00:14:58.80
My program on Wednesday
nights by no means says
00:14:58.83\00:15:01.05
become a basketball player,
become a football player,
00:15:01.08\00:15:04.08
get all your churches
involved in competitive sports
00:15:04.11\00:15:06.34
and fight against each other.
That's not what's being said.
00:15:06.37\00:15:09.20
So I think that this
person is out of touch
00:15:09.23\00:15:11.14
on the rest of the question.
00:15:11.17\00:15:12.54
I used that as an
analogy, not as saying,
00:15:12.57\00:15:15.12
by the way, from now on,
00:15:15.15\00:15:16.52
I think all Adventist
churches should have sports.
00:15:16.55\00:15:18.43
But I'm gonna go
a little further.
00:15:18.46\00:15:19.87
I'm gonna go a little further.
00:15:19.90\00:15:21.52
I don't think
competition is bad per se.
00:15:21.55\00:15:24.46
I think Paul even
talks about those in his day
00:15:24.49\00:15:27.63
who competed for the prize
00:15:27.66\00:15:29.03
and he doesn't speak
negatively of it either.
00:15:29.06\00:15:30.43
He used it as an analogy
which you're talking about.
00:15:30.46\00:15:32.81
Well, the issue here
is that we need to be
00:15:32.84\00:15:35.11
very careful with
competitive sports.
00:15:35.14\00:15:36.66
If you look around sports today,
00:15:36.69\00:15:38.06
one of the things
I'm most disappointed
00:15:38.09\00:15:39.46
about is all the fleshiness.
00:15:39.49\00:15:41.37
It's all the
pride. It's all about me.
00:15:41.40\00:15:44.14
The bling.
00:15:44.17\00:15:46.09
It can very well
bring the worst out in us.
00:15:46.12\00:15:49.45
But in some respects, it
can also help us understand
00:15:49.48\00:15:53.98
and to be challenged in our
own life to grow spiritually.
00:15:54.01\00:15:58.22
So I just carte blanche say,
00:15:58.25\00:16:00.41
you know, competition's bad
00:16:00.44\00:16:01.81
and I don't think
we would advocate that,
00:16:01.84\00:16:03.21
but we are saying is that
in the course of an analogy,
00:16:03.24\00:16:09.07
the Bible, Paul, so
let's be critical of Paul then,
00:16:09.10\00:16:11.42
because that's
what you were doing.
00:16:11.45\00:16:12.82
Analogy. You know
using it as an analogy.
00:16:12.85\00:16:14.22
But even in the area
of comparative sports
00:16:14.25\00:16:15.90
we have to be careful too
what we're saying about that,
00:16:15.93\00:16:18.42
because to some degree
00:16:18.45\00:16:21.56
all competitive
sports are not bad
00:16:21.59\00:16:23.73
and so I will say
that unequivocally
00:16:23.76\00:16:26.28
and not just because I
play competitive sports or have.
00:16:26.31\00:16:29.04
But I specifically
made a decision, John,
00:16:29.07\00:16:31.45
years ago to stop
coaching competitive sports
00:16:31.48\00:16:34.35
because I disagreed
the direction it was going.
00:16:34.38\00:16:37.02
I said I will
not do this anymore,
00:16:37.05\00:16:38.68
because the
emphasis was on winning
00:16:38.71\00:16:41.29
more than
growing and being a team
00:16:41.32\00:16:43.65
and all the things that
competition can teach us.
00:16:43.68\00:16:46.52
And once you start
emphasizing winning
00:16:46.55\00:16:48.71
then I would say
that is bad competition.
00:16:48.74\00:16:51.57
But when you
emphasize growing as a team,
00:16:51.60\00:16:53.57
working together,
00:16:53.60\00:16:54.97
that's a good kind of
sporting activity, so.
00:16:55.00\00:16:57.22
I think, let me
put this into context.
00:16:57.25\00:17:00.16
You know the only exercise
00:17:00.19\00:17:01.74
we get here is
on Tuesday nights.
00:17:01.77\00:17:03.60
We get together
with a community of guys
00:17:03.63\00:17:05.19
and we play basketball together.
00:17:05.22\00:17:06.59
We're the same
people everywhere.
00:17:06.62\00:17:08.52
We're like a little
family. We look forward to
00:17:08.55\00:17:10.30
"hey, see you
next Tuesday night."
00:17:10.33\00:17:12.12
It's not a league.
00:17:12.15\00:17:14.39
We get together to
have a good time together.
00:17:14.42\00:17:16.36
We sit down
afterwards and talk about it.
00:17:16.39\00:17:17.80
We sometimes talk
about it afterwards,
00:17:17.83\00:17:19.21
"hey, we have a concert
coming up Saturday night.
00:17:19.24\00:17:20.81
Come on out." You know we
have a Bible study coming--
00:17:20.84\00:17:23.44
it's a way to reach
people in this community,
00:17:23.47\00:17:26.31
whereas they are
not yet at the place
00:17:26.34\00:17:27.88
where they want
to come to church.
00:17:27.91\00:17:29.74
So we have to
understand when you talk about--
00:17:29.77\00:17:32.47
and this person
went off on a tangent
00:17:32.50\00:17:34.14
on things about
Laodicea and time is short
00:17:34.17\00:17:36.99
and this is critical
00:17:37.02\00:17:38.61
and I'm writing to
all these different people
00:17:38.64\00:17:40.43
and the character
of God being perfected
00:17:40.46\00:17:42.09
and produced in His people
00:17:42.12\00:17:43.49
over one comment
about using it as an analogy
00:17:43.52\00:17:46.41
like I just did a
moment ago with the yard line
00:17:46.44\00:17:48.88
and we're try to make it in
00:17:48.91\00:17:50.28
and the devil is like
the other football team
00:17:50.31\00:17:51.68
trying to keep us out.
00:17:51.71\00:17:53.08
We have as--and I
don't mean to be critical.
00:17:53.11\00:17:56.74
I don't like to be
critical of my church
00:17:56.77\00:17:58.30
and I'm not critical of
the church as a structure.
00:17:58.33\00:18:00.40
It's God's church.
But I can be very critical
00:18:00.43\00:18:06.50
of what I see amongst our people
00:18:06.53\00:18:08.67
sometimes in our methods
of reaching out to the world
00:18:08.70\00:18:12.37
and showing the truth.
00:18:12.40\00:18:13.77
We have this mindset
that the Pharisees had,
00:18:13.80\00:18:17.53
which is I cannot be corrupted.
00:18:17.56\00:18:19.11
Let's make sure that
I'm saved and I'm okay.
00:18:19.14\00:18:21.15
And there's no
reaching out into the community
00:18:21.18\00:18:22.87
that surrounds us to try
and bring people into the truth
00:18:22.90\00:18:26.39
and to do that through
relationships and interactions
00:18:26.42\00:18:28.56
and social events other things.
00:18:28.59\00:18:30.15
Our socializing is becoming
very or has become very inward
00:18:30.18\00:18:34.67
rather than reaching or using it
00:18:34.70\00:18:36.25
as a tool to reach
out to our community.
00:18:36.28\00:18:38.19
Sports is the same way.
We play on Tuesday nights,
00:18:38.22\00:18:41.60
because the community comes out
00:18:41.63\00:18:43.19
and we can interact with people
that are not of our faith.
00:18:43.22\00:18:46.51
That is important to do
00:18:46.54\00:18:47.91
and once we start
closing our self off to that,
00:18:47.94\00:18:49.42
I'm sorry, I
disagree with his brother.
00:18:49.45\00:18:52.61
We are not taking a very--
00:18:52.64\00:18:54.01
It was actually a
woman. A woman, sorry.
00:18:54.04\00:18:57.36
Whether you're
brother or sister,
00:18:57.39\00:18:59.57
it doesn't
matter. I would disagree.
00:18:59.60\00:19:01.14
And I just think it's sad
00:19:01.17\00:19:03.34
some of the state
that we've come to.
00:19:03.37\00:19:04.99
What do you have for me?
00:19:05.02\00:19:06.40
I have another question. Okay.
00:19:06.43\00:19:08.68
Here we go. This
one is from Wayne.
00:19:08.71\00:19:11.66
"Watched your show twice
00:19:11.69\00:19:13.06
and having a hard
time understanding
00:19:13.09\00:19:14.46
what I'm supposed
to do in my prayers
00:19:14.49\00:19:15.86
in physical
flesh in the morning."
00:19:15.89\00:19:17.62
Talking about to
deal with my temptation
00:19:17.65\00:19:20.46
and stuff throughout
the sin. "How do I pray?
00:19:20.49\00:19:22.39
What do I need to do?
How do I get crucified?
00:19:22.42\00:19:26.34
How am I to be
crucified with Christ daily?
00:19:26.37\00:19:29.57
I'm asking the
Spirit to come into my life.
00:19:29.60\00:19:32.55
I've been working on
this for a couple months.
00:19:32.58\00:19:35.29
I have a tough time
keeping God's commandments
00:19:35.32\00:19:37.72
because it says is
no man can do that."
00:19:37.75\00:19:39.53
I think he's talking
about from personal perspective,
00:19:39.56\00:19:41.35
we can't keep those.
And it requires God's help.
00:19:41.38\00:19:45.55
"Only the Lord
Jesus Christ can do this.
00:19:45.58\00:19:47.34
So how can I grow in this area?"
00:19:47.37\00:19:50.35
Well, I'm gonna
go to Philippians.
00:19:50.38\00:19:52.20
All right.
00:19:52.23\00:19:53.60
Philippians, if
you turn there with me,
00:19:53.63\00:19:57.88
Chapter 4, excuse me
not Chapter 4, Chapter 2,
00:19:57.91\00:20:03.26
verse 12 and 13.
Chapter 2, verse 12
00:20:03.29\00:20:08.77
You have read verse 13 if
you're ever reading verse 12.
00:20:08.80\00:20:12.95
If you stop and
just read verse 12
00:20:12.98\00:20:14.81
you can get off
the mark, right, John?
00:20:14.84\00:20:16.65
And this is so
true. You are right.
00:20:16.68\00:20:18.05
This is a continuation.
00:20:18.08\00:20:19.52
Verse 12 "Therefore, my beloved,
00:20:19.55\00:20:21.36
as you have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only,
00:20:21.39\00:20:24.68
but now much more in my absence,
00:20:24.71\00:20:26.58
work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling."
00:20:26.61\00:20:30.75
Don't stop there.
00:20:30.78\00:20:32.19
Verse 13, "For it is God
who works in you both to will,"
00:20:32.22\00:20:38.92
that is to create
the will, the desire,
00:20:38.95\00:20:41.03
"and to do," the
power to perform,
00:20:41.06\00:20:44.09
"of His good pleasure."
00:20:44.12\00:20:46.42
So we need to work out
the salvation in the context
00:20:46.45\00:20:50.18
that Jesus is our everything
00:20:50.21\00:20:52.04
and that inviting Him
into our life allows Him
00:20:52.07\00:20:55.25
to be the one that
changes our desires
00:20:55.28\00:20:58.35
and the one that gives
us the power to overcome
00:20:58.38\00:21:01.87
the temptations
that we face every day.
00:21:01.90\00:21:04.02
So dying daily
is a death to flesh,
00:21:04.05\00:21:07.14
death to self,
death to our own desires
00:21:07.17\00:21:10.11
and a deferring, a
submitting to God's will
00:21:10.14\00:21:12.48
and His strength and His power
00:21:12.51\00:21:14.00
to help us to overcome,
00:21:14.03\00:21:16.60
to actually do
the overcoming for us.
00:21:16.63\00:21:19.51
Now some people as I talk
to, some of the language is,
00:21:19.54\00:21:24.13
well, Jesus has
come into my life
00:21:24.16\00:21:25.99
and now He gives me
the power to overcome.
00:21:26.02\00:21:29.06
And I still struggle
with that a little bit,
00:21:29.09\00:21:30.57
because even God
giving us the power,
00:21:30.60\00:21:33.39
we cannot overcome.
00:21:33.42\00:21:35.33
It is Christ's battle,
it is His power and strength
00:21:35.36\00:21:38.27
and as we submit to Him,
00:21:38.30\00:21:39.94
He provides the
overcoming in our life.
00:21:39.97\00:21:43.18
John, it's interesting,
I've--dmore and more
00:21:43.21\00:21:46.62
as I've looked at this
issue of the sanctified life,
00:21:46.65\00:21:51.32
I recall a story of
sitting there with a lady
00:21:51.35\00:21:54.13
who was working on my teeth.
00:21:54.16\00:21:55.53
She was cleaning
my teeth one day.
00:21:55.56\00:21:56.93
Okay.
00:21:56.96\00:21:58.33
And we were talking
about a topic similar--
00:21:58.36\00:22:00.18
a topic similar
to this and she said,
00:22:00.21\00:22:01.81
"You know, one
thing I've learned."
00:22:01.84\00:22:05.52
And this I didn't
realized her statement
00:22:05.55\00:22:07.01
was gonna change my
life, my perspective on this.
00:22:07.04\00:22:08.97
But she says "One
thing I've learned
00:22:09.00\00:22:10.81
and that is that once we
receive Christ into our life,
00:22:10.84\00:22:15.29
from that moment on I operate
from a standpoint of victory.
00:22:15.32\00:22:21.05
I'm not trying
to obtain victory.
00:22:21.08\00:22:24.89
I have victory,
because I have Jesus."
00:22:24.92\00:22:29.26
That has
transformed my thinking about
00:22:29.29\00:22:31.62
fighting this battle of sin,
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.60
because I need
to hold on to Jesus.
00:22:34.63\00:22:38.46
I need to
continue to submit to Him
00:22:38.49\00:22:40.22
and let Him do
the fighting for me.
00:22:40.25\00:22:43.58
I need to stay in His fortress,
00:22:43.61\00:22:45.73
which is, the
parameters of the fortress
00:22:45.76\00:22:48.04
are His Ten Commandments.
And he keeps me as--
00:22:48.07\00:22:51.22
He keeps that as a
barrier so that if I step out,
00:22:51.25\00:22:54.13
I know that if only I
step out am I then overcome.
00:22:54.16\00:22:57.83
But when I stay in His
parameter that He's given me,
00:22:57.86\00:23:00.57
I have victory. I'm in
the fort, I'm with Jesus.
00:23:00.60\00:23:03.68
I don't have to
worry about that.
00:23:03.71\00:23:05.66
So when sin gets a hold of me,
00:23:05.69\00:23:08.28
and we've all had our
battles with certain sins,
00:23:08.31\00:23:11.10
I've got to hold onto Jesus,
00:23:11.13\00:23:13.04
stay in the fort
and continue to function
00:23:13.07\00:23:15.77
from the position of victory,
not as a defeated enemy.
00:23:15.80\00:23:20.54
That's right. That's very good.
00:23:20.57\00:23:21.94
That's very good. And
so I encourage this man,
00:23:21.97\00:23:24.94
this Wayne to think in terms
of I'm victorious in Christ.
00:23:24.97\00:23:29.93
And when I'm praying,
I'm submitting to His power
00:23:29.96\00:23:32.96
and His strength to live for me,
00:23:32.99\00:23:34.75
to be the power
and the victory for me
00:23:34.78\00:23:38.28
and I'm going to
stay in His fort,
00:23:38.31\00:23:41.23
in His parameters
00:23:41.26\00:23:42.63
and He will
protect and carefully.
00:23:42.66\00:23:44.12
What was his initial
question? Just give me--
00:23:44.15\00:23:46.03
His initial
question is how do I overcome
00:23:46.06\00:23:48.37
or deal with this
physical flesh battle
00:23:48.40\00:23:51.44
that I have in the
morning in my prayers?
00:23:51.47\00:23:53.30
You know what do I pray about?
00:23:53.33\00:23:54.89
And so my
encouragement to him would be
00:23:54.92\00:23:57.13
to pray for more of Christ,
00:23:57.16\00:23:59.46
for interaction
with Christ there
00:23:59.49\00:24:01.03
and allow Christ to be the will,
00:24:01.06\00:24:04.76
to put in that desire within you
00:24:04.79\00:24:06.67
and then also the
power and strength
00:24:06.70\00:24:08.49
and to be your
victorious King of your life
00:24:08.52\00:24:11.56
and over your life each day.
00:24:11.59\00:24:14.01
When you-- when
you walk in the Spirit,
00:24:14.04\00:24:16.06
this is something else.
00:24:16.09\00:24:17.46
Paul says, "If we
walk in the Spirit
00:24:17.49\00:24:19.55
we will not fulfill"--
well, let me just read it.
00:24:19.58\00:24:23.51
Let me just read it. Romans 8:1,
00:24:23.54\00:24:25.71
"There is, therefore,
now no condemnation to those
00:24:25.74\00:24:28.90
who are in Christ Jesus."
00:24:28.93\00:24:30.39
That's what John was
saying, in the victory.
00:24:30.42\00:24:33.12
But what does that mean,
00:24:33.15\00:24:35.23
"Who do not walk
according to the flesh
00:24:35.26\00:24:38.69
but according to the spirit"?
00:24:38.72\00:24:41.12
So if we live according
to the flesh we will die,
00:24:41.15\00:24:43.71
but if we live according
to the Spirit we will live.
00:24:43.74\00:24:46.33
What does that mean?
That means every morning
00:24:46.36\00:24:48.29
what we do is we
commit ourselves to Christ.
00:24:48.32\00:24:50.63
And I, John, used
to think of that word
00:24:50.66\00:24:53.51
commit meaning to say okay,
you know, Lord, take my life.
00:24:53.54\00:24:56.59
Let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
00:24:56.62\00:24:58.71
We almost get into this
repetitious mound of commit
00:24:58.74\00:25:02.49
but then when I began to look
00:25:02.52\00:25:03.89
at that in the context
of marriage, relationships.
00:25:03.92\00:25:06.77
I'm married whether
my wife is around or not.
00:25:06.80\00:25:09.18
She's married
whether I'm around or not.
00:25:09.21\00:25:10.69
If she is on the
road or I'm on the road,
00:25:10.72\00:25:12.09
I'm married whether
she is there or not.
00:25:12.12\00:25:14.57
And the parameters of my
relationship are the same
00:25:14.60\00:25:17.19
if she's an inch away from
me or 3,500 miles away from me,
00:25:17.22\00:25:20.81
the parameters of our
operation are the same.
00:25:20.84\00:25:23.10
We must always
operate in the context
00:25:23.13\00:25:24.94
of the love relationship
Christ as the husband man,
00:25:24.97\00:25:27.67
we are the church, His bride.
00:25:27.70\00:25:29.63
We must operate in the
context of He's right here.
00:25:29.66\00:25:32.54
What would I
do, what would I say
00:25:32.57\00:25:35.01
if He were right here?
And I always ask people that.
00:25:35.04\00:25:37.48
What would you do
if Jesus is right here?
00:25:37.51\00:25:38.88
And they say, "Well, you
know, I think differently."
00:25:38.91\00:25:40.28
Well, He is right here.
00:25:40.31\00:25:41.78
He is never--He never
leaves those who are in Him.
00:25:41.81\00:25:45.61
So we have to daily
commit ourselves to the Lord
00:25:45.64\00:25:48.18
and part of that is
many of us walk by sight
00:25:48.21\00:25:52.58
and not by faith.
If you walk by faith
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.66
and not by sight you won't
need a visible confirmation
00:25:55.69\00:25:59.34
that Christ is there.
That's the faith relationship.
00:25:59.37\00:26:02.16
One day we will
see Him face to face.
00:26:02.19\00:26:04.08
But I would suggest
submit yourself to the Lord,
00:26:04.11\00:26:06.52
commit yourself to the
Lord day by day and say Lord,
00:26:06.55\00:26:10.48
thank you for being
with me this morning.
00:26:10.51\00:26:12.39
My wife and I, we were having
a Bible reading the other day.
00:26:12.42\00:26:16.86
And we read it a little
slowly. Matter of fact the text
00:26:16.89\00:26:20.44
I was thinking of just a
moment ago is Galatians 5:16,
00:26:20.47\00:26:22.84
I was gonna share it with you.
00:26:22.87\00:26:24.38
Galatians 5:16 reads as follows,
00:26:24.41\00:26:27.65
"I say then, walk in the Spirit
00:26:27.68\00:26:29.98
and you shall not
fulfill the lusts of the flesh."
00:26:30.01\00:26:34.41
Walk in the Spirit.
"If we live by the Spirit
00:26:34.44\00:26:37.07
let us also walk in the
Spirit," Galatians 5:25.
00:26:37.10\00:26:40.77
So Galatians
5:16, Galatians 5:25,
00:26:40.80\00:26:44.17
if we live in the Spirit,
let us walk in the Spirit.
00:26:44.20\00:26:48.27
Once again, if
we have an umbrella,
00:26:48.30\00:26:50.69
stay under the
umbrella and you won't get wet.
00:26:50.72\00:26:54.24
One more question, John,
00:26:54.27\00:26:56.78
I have here from
a lady named Linda.
00:26:56.81\00:26:59.13
And, Linda, you put the
wrong text here but thank--
00:26:59.16\00:27:02.02
thank you for
putting both texts.
00:27:02.05\00:27:03.94
John, is it possible
you go to Psalms 52:5?
00:27:03.97\00:27:09.78
And I'll read the text.
00:27:09.81\00:27:11.18
"When I read these
texts it scared me.
00:27:11.21\00:27:14.79
Will God really
destroy me if I forget Him?"
00:27:14.82\00:27:18.16
And she puts Psalms 51:22
but there is no Psalm 51:22.
00:27:18.19\00:27:22.50
But read Psalm 52:5.
00:27:22.53\00:27:25.10
"God shall likewise
destroy you forever.
00:27:25.13\00:27:28.21
He shall take you away,
00:27:28.24\00:27:29.61
and pluck you out
of your dwelling place,
00:27:29.64\00:27:31.69
and uproot you from
the land of the living."
00:27:31.72\00:27:35.88
She asked "if you
can help me understand
00:27:35.91\00:27:37.99
why He says
these terrible things.
00:27:38.02\00:27:40.43
I thought He is a
loving and patient God."
00:27:40.46\00:27:42.93
God is a loving and patient God.
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.37
I want to give you
some Scriptures here
00:27:44.40\00:27:46.21
that gives us the
full picture of God.
00:27:46.24\00:27:48.86
God is-- God is, first of all,
00:27:48.89\00:27:50.83
He is not willing
that any should perish.
00:27:50.86\00:27:54.14
So let's not think that God
is waiting like an angry parent.
00:27:54.17\00:27:57.57
To say, "See, I told
you. Get out of my house."
00:27:57.60\00:27:59.88
That's not who God
is. He's long-suffering.
00:27:59.91\00:28:02.78
He's abounding
in mercy and truth.
00:28:02.81\00:28:06.37
At the very same
time Exodus 34:7,
00:28:06.40\00:28:09.44
"By no means will
He clear the guilty."
00:28:09.47\00:28:12.66
But let me give you an exploded
view of what is being said here.
00:28:12.69\00:28:15.62
The Lord
doesn't just cut us off.
00:28:15.65\00:28:17.96
You cannot ever be
00:28:17.99\00:28:19.36
as
long-suffering as God really is.
00:28:19.39\00:28:21.62
We cannot give another
person as much patience
00:28:21.65\00:28:24.96
as God extends towards us.
00:28:24.99\00:28:26.55
As He said to Peter
when Peter talked about
00:28:26.58\00:28:27.95
well, how many times
should I forgive somebody?
00:28:27.98\00:28:30.15
Seven times seven?
00:28:30.18\00:28:31.55
The Lord says "No.
Seventy times seven."
00:28:31.58\00:28:33.65
Now imagine somebody steps
on my toe seventy times seven.
00:28:33.68\00:28:37.37
That's 490, that's 490 times.
00:28:37.40\00:28:41.24
Well, I'll be
honest, after the third time,
00:28:41.27\00:28:42.93
I'm gonna just yell.
Look, get off my toe.
00:28:42.96\00:28:45.42
If I see you come near my toe,
00:28:45.45\00:28:47.91
I may have a different
attitude about what takes place.
00:28:47.94\00:28:50.45
Seventy times seven.
00:28:50.48\00:28:52.02
The Lord says if
this person offends you
00:28:52.05\00:28:53.96
or does something wrong
to you seventy times seven,
00:28:53.99\00:28:56.99
as long as they come
back and ask for forgiveness,
00:28:57.02\00:28:58.84
you forgive them. That's
not human, that's divine.
00:28:58.87\00:29:02.50
That can only happen.
00:29:02.53\00:29:03.90
But let me give
you Proverbs 1:22-30.
00:29:03.93\00:29:07.42
And we're gonna segue into
our topic right after this one.
00:29:07.45\00:29:10.09
Proverbs 1:22-30
00:29:10.12\00:29:14.26
"How long, you simple
ones, will you love simplicity?
00:29:14.29\00:29:19.10
For scorners
delight in their scorning
00:29:19.13\00:29:21.91
and fools hate
knowledge. Turn at my rebuke.
00:29:21.94\00:29:27.00
Surely I will pour
out My Spirit on you.
00:29:27.03\00:29:30.24
I will make My
words known to you."
00:29:30.27\00:29:33.41
And here's the context,
here's the continuation.
00:29:33.44\00:29:35.90
And this is in the
setting of Christ calling us.
00:29:35.93\00:29:38.92
"Because I have
called you and you refused,
00:29:38.95\00:29:42.42
I have stretched out My
hand and no one regarded,"
00:29:42.45\00:29:45.40
notice he's not
just making one attempt.
00:29:45.43\00:29:47.05
He's calling, He's
stretching out His hand.
00:29:47.08\00:29:49.46
"Because you
disdained all My counsel,"
00:29:49.49\00:29:51.62
He's giving us counsel,
00:29:51.65\00:29:53.50
"and would have
none of My rebuke,"
00:29:53.53\00:29:55.09
He's saying, "Come
on, get it together."
00:29:55.12\00:29:57.66
He says, "I will also
laugh at your calamity.
00:29:57.69\00:30:00.04
I will mock when
your terror comes,
00:30:00.21\00:30:02.37
when your terror
comes like a storm
00:30:02.40\00:30:04.56
and your destruction
comes like a whirlwind,
00:30:04.59\00:30:07.46
when distress and
anguish comes upon you.
00:30:07.49\00:30:10.11
Then they will call on
Me, but I will not answer.
00:30:10.14\00:30:12.95
They will seek Me diligently,
but they will not find Me.
00:30:12.98\00:30:15.96
Because they hated knowledge
00:30:15.99\00:30:17.36
and did not choose
the fear of the Lord,
00:30:17.39\00:30:20.97
they would have
none of My counsel
00:30:21.00\00:30:23.04
and despised every-- and
despised My every rebuke."
00:30:23.07\00:30:27.72
This is an example of a
person going to an extreme
00:30:27.75\00:30:30.21
and I could use this
set of Scriptures to say
00:30:30.24\00:30:33.83
this person has
quenched the Spirit of God.
00:30:33.86\00:30:36.59
They have turned away.
00:30:36.62\00:30:38.21
So when the Lord says,
00:30:38.24\00:30:39.61
"I will never leave
you nor forsake you,"
00:30:39.64\00:30:41.47
there is a condition to that.
00:30:41.50\00:30:42.87
Let's not leave that
00:30:42.90\00:30:44.27
just hanging out
there in the air by itself.
00:30:44.30\00:30:45.67
If we trust the Lord and
honor Him as He calls us,
00:30:45.70\00:30:50.43
He counsels us, He calls us,
00:30:50.46\00:30:53.27
He stretches out
His hands, He rebukes us
00:30:53.30\00:30:56.57
and then we
decide to go our own way.
00:30:56.60\00:30:58.24
He said, "Okay,
you are on your own."
00:30:58.27\00:31:00.63
And any loving
parent would do that.
00:31:00.66\00:31:02.41
But God is even more extended
00:31:02.44\00:31:04.95
than even the most
loving of our parents.
00:31:04.98\00:31:06.93
Very patient. Very patient.
00:31:06.96\00:31:08.33
I just have a text
here, 3 verses, Ezekiel 18:30.
00:31:08.36\00:31:13.73
"'Therefore I will
judge you, O house of Israel,
00:31:13.76\00:31:17.19
every one according to
His ways,' says the Lord God.
00:31:17.22\00:31:20.71
'Repent, and turn from
all your transgressions,
00:31:20.74\00:31:23.01
so that iniquity
will not be your ruin.
00:31:23.04\00:31:26.52
Cast away from you
all the transgressions
00:31:26.55\00:31:30.19
which you had committed,
00:31:30.22\00:31:31.59
and get yourselves a
new heart and a new spirit.
00:31:31.62\00:31:32.99
For why should you
die, O house of Israel?
00:31:33.02\00:31:35.66
For I have no pleasure in
the death of one who dies,'
00:31:35.69\00:31:38.30
says the Lord God.
Therefore turn and live!"
00:31:38.33\00:31:43.87
Right, I'm so glad
you read that, John,
00:31:43.90\00:31:45.57
because sometimes
people think that,
00:31:45.60\00:31:47.33
why is God being so terrible
as the person put it here.
00:31:47.36\00:31:51.24
When I get to know somebody,
00:31:51.27\00:31:53.75
I know the
difference between them being
00:31:53.78\00:31:55.85
angry with me for what
I've done and then rebuking me
00:31:55.88\00:31:59.46
for something I
should not have done.
00:31:59.49\00:32:02.55
God is a loving Lord.
00:32:02.58\00:32:04.96
He doesn't just cut us off
because we did something bad.
00:32:04.99\00:32:10.24
He's not gonna just whip
us up and down the street,
00:32:10.27\00:32:13.54
because we didn't listen to Him
00:32:13.57\00:32:15.27
one time or ten
times or fifteen times.
00:32:15.30\00:32:18.02
But He is saying to us,
"Your destiny is in your hand.
00:32:18.05\00:32:22.37
You choose death, I
cannot give you life.
00:32:22.40\00:32:25.64
I put before you two roads,
00:32:25.67\00:32:27.48
life and blessings,
death and cursings."
00:32:27.51\00:32:30.30
And then in Deuteronomy,
He says, "Choose life."
00:32:30.33\00:32:32.70
So let's be wise
in our choices today.
00:32:32.73\00:32:34.59
Well, we've gone a
little over our time,
00:32:34.62\00:32:36.78
but as you know, John,
00:32:36.81\00:32:38.19
we could always extend
our topic to the next program.
00:32:38.22\00:32:40.76
But if you have any
questions or comments
00:32:40.79\00:32:42.27
you would like to send
to us, whether it's rebuke
00:32:42.30\00:32:44.44
or word of encouragement,
we can accept them all
00:32:44.47\00:32:47.14
at the following
address, housecalls@3abn.org
00:32:47.17\00:32:50.49
that's housecalls@3abn.org
00:32:50.69\00:32:53.51
You send those
there and we promise
00:32:53.54\00:32:55.59
we'll go ahead and
get them down to you.
00:32:55.62\00:32:57.51
John, lead us
into our topic today.
00:32:57.54\00:32:59.66
I did the talking
just a moment ago.
00:32:59.69\00:33:01.49
I want to change the tone.
Talk about our topic for today.
00:33:01.52\00:33:05.32
Our topic is on
living the justified life.
00:33:05.35\00:33:09.25
There are three terms that
are kind of theological terms
00:33:09.28\00:33:14.21
and when we get
too deep theologically
00:33:14.24\00:33:16.55
we loose some people.
00:33:16.58\00:33:17.95
So we need to
define them a little bit.
00:33:17.98\00:33:20.56
Justification,
sanctification, glorification.
00:33:20.59\00:33:24.21
Being justified in Christ,
00:33:24.24\00:33:25.61
being when we first
accept Him as our Savior,
00:33:25.64\00:33:28.76
He becomes our
substitute, our surety.
00:33:28.79\00:33:32.67
His sacrifice on the cross
00:33:32.70\00:33:34.59
and He has paid the
penalty for our sins.
00:33:34.62\00:33:37.24
All our past sin
has been forgiven.
00:33:37.27\00:33:39.01
We are new in Him.
We are a new creation.
00:33:39.04\00:33:41.57
That's justification.
Sanctification is every day.
00:33:41.60\00:33:45.96
We've made this
commitment to Him now.
00:33:45.99\00:33:47.55
Every day He grows us.
00:33:47.58\00:33:49.58
He sets us apart as now holy
00:33:49.61\00:33:52.46
and then begins to use
our life to glorify Him.
00:33:52.49\00:33:56.49
And that makes us
witnesses for Him.
00:33:56.52\00:33:59.51
We become an evangelist for
Him. We become a servant of His.
00:33:59.54\00:34:03.26
We look to transform the world
and to fight against the enemy
00:34:03.29\00:34:07.38
who is sowing His
seed in this world.
00:34:07.41\00:34:09.85
That's part of the
life of sanctification.
00:34:09.88\00:34:12.03
It's a lifestyle in Christ.
And then there's glorification.
00:34:12.06\00:34:15.35
Glorification is
at the resurrection
00:34:15.38\00:34:16.94
when we receive new bodies
00:34:16.97\00:34:18.47
and we are taken
to heaven with Christ.
00:34:18.50\00:34:20.35
We receive this
glorified life now
00:34:20.38\00:34:22.55
where we in and of
ourselves have been given
00:34:22.58\00:34:26.04
perfection and a glory,
00:34:26.07\00:34:29.85
not that we'd
glory in ourselves,
00:34:29.88\00:34:31.78
but a glory, in that, we have
no longer an evidence of sin
00:34:31.81\00:34:36.63
that taints our body,
death that is part of our life.
00:34:36.66\00:34:42.16
We live a new life
from now through eternity.
00:34:42.19\00:34:45.54
And so this justification,
sanctification, glorification,
00:34:45.57\00:34:49.31
are all three parts of
salvation as an umbrella.
00:34:49.34\00:34:52.81
Today we're gonna talk
about living the justified life,
00:34:52.84\00:34:55.30
being justified in
Christ and what that looks like.
00:34:55.33\00:34:58.82
Now the word "to be justified"
00:34:58.85\00:35:00.72
and what I like
about this very topic is
00:35:00.75\00:35:04.05
it comes with a presupposition.
00:35:04.08\00:35:06.79
The
presupposition is I'm a sinner.
00:35:06.82\00:35:10.37
We could not even
want to be justified,
00:35:10.40\00:35:12.16
unless we come to the conclusion
00:35:12.19\00:35:14.81
that we are not just people
that have a few idiosyncrasies
00:35:14.84\00:35:18.91
or a few faults
or well, you know,
00:35:18.94\00:35:20.97
I do need a little
bit of refurbishing.
00:35:21.00\00:35:22.90
We have to come
to the conclusion
00:35:22.93\00:35:24.30
that we are sinners in
order to want to be justified.
00:35:24.33\00:35:26.44
We always hear, I'm
generally a good person.
00:35:26.47\00:35:29.45
You know, when
I hear people say,
00:35:29.48\00:35:30.85
well, I have a good
heart, that's not true.
00:35:30.88\00:35:33.17
"Our hearts are
deceitful above all things
00:35:33.20\00:35:35.65
and desperately wicked."
00:35:35.68\00:35:38.10
Quote verse from
Jeremiah. Jeremiah.
00:35:38.13\00:35:40.75
"Our hearts are deceitful
and desperately wicked."
00:35:40.78\00:35:44.76
So when a person says,
"Well, he has a good heart.
00:35:44.79\00:35:47.58
Why are you
getting upset with him?"
00:35:47.61\00:35:49.64
I don't have a good heart.
You don't have a good heart.
00:35:49.67\00:35:52.51
Outside of the grace of Christ,
00:35:52.54\00:35:54.06
our hearts will-- and
when we say our hearts,
00:35:54.09\00:35:56.95
meaning the
place of our affection,
00:35:56.98\00:35:59.00
the seed of our
thoughts, if we don't allow
00:35:59.03\00:36:01.98
those things to be under
the restraining power of Christ,
00:36:02.01\00:36:05.71
man, we could be--
00:36:05.74\00:36:07.11
We don't know
what we're capable of.
00:36:07.14\00:36:08.51
Oh, man, just look at what's
happening in our world today,
00:36:08.54\00:36:10.55
the things that are
happening in our world today.
00:36:10.58\00:36:13.67
I saw in the news just night,
00:36:13.70\00:36:15.16
there's a police in custody now
00:36:15.19\00:36:19.18
trying to convince
his wife to get involved
00:36:19.21\00:36:23.09
with him in
cannibalistic activity.
00:36:23.12\00:36:25.70
This is not a police that
oversees in some underdeveloped
00:36:25.73\00:36:28.63
deep in the forest
country, this is in America.
00:36:28.66\00:36:31.75
And this is a person who
has sworn to uphold the law.
00:36:31.78\00:36:35.58
See so that's the condition.
00:36:35.61\00:36:37.02
But what I want to
do before we talk about
00:36:37.05\00:36:38.71
the need to be
justified, justified, you know,
00:36:38.74\00:36:42.80
what's in that word is just.
00:36:42.83\00:36:45.00
Well, we can go ahead and say,
00:36:45.03\00:36:46.40
if you're standing before
a judge, you want justice.
00:36:46.43\00:36:49.53
Well, I want to talk
about the conditions for justice
00:36:49.56\00:36:52.16
and what else we can ask for
00:36:52.19\00:36:53.87
if we're
standing before a judge.
00:36:53.90\00:36:55.27
But let's start
with Proverbs 28:13,
00:36:55.30\00:36:57.79
because in order for us
to receive the mercy of God,
00:36:57.82\00:37:03.74
we've got to admit
something about ourselves.
00:37:03.77\00:37:07.07
I remember growing up,
John, you talked about this,
00:37:07.10\00:37:09.35
we always use our
lives sometimes as examples.
00:37:09.38\00:37:12.60
I want to have you--I want
to have you read Proverbs 28:13.
00:37:12.63\00:37:18.17
But we talk
about some of the ways
00:37:18.20\00:37:19.84
that our parents
governed our homes
00:37:19.87\00:37:21.64
and many times growing up,
00:37:21.67\00:37:24.35
I pleaded for
mercy, because I was wrong.
00:37:24.38\00:37:29.67
And did you ever plead
for mercy from your parents?
00:37:29.70\00:37:33.56
Yes, after lying
through my teeth.
00:37:33.59\00:37:36.80
Right, we--I saw a
video somebody sent,
00:37:36.83\00:37:40.05
actually my wife
showed this to me on Facebook.
00:37:40.08\00:37:42.27
A little kid, he
couldn't have been
00:37:42.30\00:37:43.67
more than 2 1/2, 3 years old.
00:37:43.70\00:37:45.82
He's got sprinklers, you know,
sprinkles all over his mouth.
00:37:45.85\00:37:49.06
You know, the
ice cream sprinkles?
00:37:49.09\00:37:50.46
Chocolate, then strawberry,
they're all over his mouth.
00:37:50.49\00:37:52.69
And she says, "Now, Tommy,
did you eat these sprinkles?"
00:37:52.72\00:37:57.23
"No, mommy."
00:37:57.26\00:37:58.79
"Now, Tommy, are you sure
you didn't eat these sprinkles?"
00:37:58.82\00:38:03.21
"No, mommy, I did not have any."
00:38:03.24\00:38:04.84
"So did you eat any of them?"
00:38:04.87\00:38:06.24
"No, mommy, I did
not eat any of them."
00:38:06.27\00:38:08.45
He's going like
this-- this kid is like--
00:38:08.48\00:38:10.75
so this is the funniest thing,
00:38:10.78\00:38:12.17
but it's showing the
human nature of a child.
00:38:12.20\00:38:14.61
She takes him to the kitchen,
00:38:14.64\00:38:16.01
shows him the glass bowl that's
all turned over on the counter
00:38:16.04\00:38:20.15
which he did and there's
evidence all over his face.
00:38:20.18\00:38:24.67
"Did you, Tommy?"
00:38:24.70\00:38:26.25
"Mommy, I would never do
anything you told me not to do.
00:38:26.28\00:38:28.91
No, mommy, I did not eat it."
00:38:28.94\00:38:30.31
And the video stopped
right there and I'm thinking,
00:38:30.34\00:38:31.93
I've got to use that
video to talk about human nature
00:38:31.96\00:38:35.33
from the standpoint of a child.
00:38:35.36\00:38:37.10
Children are not innocent.
00:38:37.13\00:38:38.86
The reason why God allows
them to be born that small,
00:38:38.89\00:38:41.79
you don't want to deal
with an un-regenerated heart
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.38
of a 150 pound baby.
00:38:44.41\00:38:46.45
They'll slam you against the
wall if you fail to feed him.
00:38:46.48\00:38:49.39
But-- just a thought.
00:38:49.42\00:38:51.21
But Proverbs 28:13, this is
the condition we must accept
00:38:51.24\00:38:55.93
that we are in before we
even ask for God to justify us.
00:38:55.96\00:38:59.62
All right, verse
13 of Proverbs 28.
00:38:59.65\00:39:02.36
"He who covers his
sins will not prosper,
00:39:02.39\00:39:05.46
but whoever
confesses and forsakes them
00:39:05.49\00:39:07.65
will have mercy."
00:39:07.68\00:39:09.54
So notice what happens.
00:39:09.57\00:39:10.94
Should I just say
I'm wrong to have mercy?
00:39:10.97\00:39:14.49
Yeah, we need to
confess. Admit you're wrong.
00:39:14.52\00:39:16.75
And what else?
Confess and what else?
00:39:16.78\00:39:20.25
Forsakes them. Right.
00:39:20.28\00:39:21.65
So not just confessing,
but we have to get to the point
00:39:21.68\00:39:24.71
where we decide, I got
to turn away from that.
00:39:24.74\00:39:26.79
If I want God's mercy at all,
I've got to turn way from that.
00:39:26.82\00:39:30.23
See, so this whole idea--
and I want to go to Psalms 32.
00:39:30.26\00:39:36.53
Psalms 32, yeah,
hit this one, too.
00:39:36.56\00:39:40.71
You want to
comment about that at all?
00:39:40.74\00:39:42.53
No, no, I think
we're on the right track.
00:39:42.56\00:39:45.74
Psalms 32 and I
want to see verse 5 here
00:39:45.77\00:39:49.27
and look at verse 5.
00:39:49.30\00:39:51.04
"I acknowledged my sin to You,
00:39:51.07\00:39:53.98
and my iniquity
I have not hidden.
00:39:54.01\00:39:57.15
I said, 'I will confess my
transgressions to the Lord,'
00:39:57.18\00:40:02.36
and You forgave the
iniquity of my sin. Selah."
00:40:02.39\00:40:08.31
Now when you read that verse,
00:40:08.34\00:40:10.12
a lot of times then people say,
00:40:10.15\00:40:11.62
"Well, isn't
iniquity the extended sin
00:40:11.65\00:40:14.31
that really causes
God to cut you off?"
00:40:14.34\00:40:16.82
No, not if you acknowledge
it and not if you confess it.
00:40:16.85\00:40:20.85
So when you want mercy,
the first thing we have to do
00:40:20.88\00:40:24.29
and by the way mercy
is extended to the person
00:40:24.32\00:40:27.11
who acknowledges that
he or she is a sinner.
00:40:27.14\00:40:30.38
That's what he says, "I
acknowledge it. I confess.
00:40:30.41\00:40:34.90
I am not gonna cover my sin,
00:40:34.93\00:40:36.86
because I know I
will not prosper."
00:40:36.89\00:40:39.36
Prosperity is not
something that the person
00:40:39.39\00:40:43.52
who intentionally
lives in sin gets.
00:40:43.55\00:40:46.12
You don't really come
to that particular position
00:40:46.15\00:40:48.38
or that particular place.
00:40:48.41\00:40:49.87
What verse do you have for us?
00:40:49.90\00:40:52.39
Well, there are several of them.
00:40:52.42\00:40:53.79
I mean, my mind
goes, you know, wild.
00:40:53.82\00:40:55.73
The Bible is replete with
God giving, extending mercy.
00:40:55.76\00:41:02.66
And I think maybe a
good place to really
00:41:02.69\00:41:05.10
kind of come back up
and look at His character,
00:41:05.13\00:41:07.59
to understand His
character and who we're talking
00:41:07.62\00:41:10.54
with here is to go to Exodus.
00:41:10.57\00:41:14.29
Chapter 34. All right.
00:41:14.32\00:41:18.21
Just to give some
context here, Exodus 33.
00:41:18.24\00:41:23.99
Moses is meeting with
God on top of Mount Sinai.
00:41:24.02\00:41:29.16
They are having a conversation.
00:41:29.19\00:41:31.97
God asks to see His
glory, to see God's glory.
00:41:32.00\00:41:36.69
Of course, no man can
see God directly and live
00:41:36.72\00:41:39.46
to tell about it.
00:41:39.49\00:41:40.86
So God hides him in
the cleft of the rock,
00:41:40.89\00:41:44.55
it says there, passes
by Him covering His eyes
00:41:44.58\00:41:48.42
and then allows
Moses to see His back.
00:41:48.45\00:41:51.89
And, of course, then we see
00:41:51.92\00:41:53.85
that kind of
transitioning into chapter 34
00:41:53.88\00:41:57.29
where the Ten
Commandments are introduced.
00:41:57.32\00:41:59.93
This whole
picture of God's glory,
00:41:59.96\00:42:02.51
this whole picture of God's
character in chapter 33 and 34
00:42:02.54\00:42:07.30
surround this
Mount Sinai experience
00:42:07.33\00:42:09.50
and Moses meeting
with God on the mountain,
00:42:09.53\00:42:11.44
seeing His glory and being
given the Ten Commandments.
00:42:11.47\00:42:14.10
So we can't divorce
the Ten Commandments
00:42:14.13\00:42:15.79
first of all from His glory.
00:42:15.82\00:42:18.05
But the Ten Commandments
reveal that we're sinners.
00:42:18.08\00:42:21.80
None of us can look at
the Ten Commandments and say
00:42:21.83\00:42:23.47
well, we've done that,
perfectly, 100%, all of us.
00:42:23.50\00:42:26.35
When we say-- when we talk about
00:42:26.38\00:42:28.17
what comes as a
result of looking
00:42:28.20\00:42:30.82
at the commandments of God,
00:42:30.85\00:42:32.22
it's like looking at a mirror
00:42:32.25\00:42:33.62
and I think that
this is a good analogy.
00:42:33.65\00:42:35.02
I use comparisons.
00:42:35.05\00:42:38.20
When we look at the
mirror in the morning before we,
00:42:38.23\00:42:40.36
like I blow dry my
hair and spray it every day,
00:42:40.39\00:42:42.81
we shave and brush our teeth,
00:42:42.84\00:42:44.62
but we do that and we
look at the mirror to examine,
00:42:44.65\00:42:46.92
okay, did I get it all?
00:42:46.95\00:42:49.09
The commandments
are the very same way.
00:42:49.12\00:42:50.74
We never know what help we need
00:42:50.77\00:42:53.35
until we are confronted
with our real condition.
00:42:53.38\00:42:56.37
And unless we look at
the commandments of God
00:42:56.40\00:42:58.56
and see that we are in fact
sinners in need of a Savior,
00:42:58.59\00:43:03.84
we never get to the
point were we desire a Savior.
00:43:03.87\00:43:06.23
I think what
happens in the world today
00:43:06.26\00:43:08.02
and this ideology about the fact
that my heart is good enough
00:43:08.05\00:43:11.61
or well, you know,
generally we have a pretty good
00:43:11.64\00:43:15.85
neighborhood,
because it's fenced in.
00:43:15.88\00:43:18.96
Well, all that has happened
as you fence in neighborhood
00:43:18.99\00:43:21.31
and you fenced in sin,
because while we're trying
00:43:21.34\00:43:25.50
to keep the criminals out,
there's crime in our hearts.
00:43:25.53\00:43:29.32
While we're trying to
keep the burglaries down,
00:43:29.35\00:43:32.10
there are problems in every
home in that gated community,
00:43:32.13\00:43:37.00
because we haven't
come to the conclusion
00:43:37.03\00:43:38.98
that we are in
need of the Savior.
00:43:39.01\00:43:42.87
And so the
question I would ask is,
00:43:42.90\00:43:44.59
what do we have to do
00:43:44.62\00:43:45.99
in order for us to
receive mercy from God?
00:43:46.02\00:43:49.06
Well, and then he goes
on because he talks about
00:43:49.09\00:43:51.75
the Ten Commandments
as the perfect standard.
00:43:51.78\00:43:54.17
It's really that it
reveals the glory of God,
00:43:54.20\00:43:56.68
the transcript of
His character, who He is.
00:43:56.71\00:44:00.60
And so let's look
at who God is here.
00:44:00.63\00:44:03.62
So verse 34--
verse 5, Exodus 34:5.
00:44:03.65\00:44:08.48
We're just continuing
on with the same passage.
00:44:08.51\00:44:11.08
"Now the Lord descended in the
cloud and stood with him there,"
00:44:11.11\00:44:14.08
that is with Moses,
00:44:14.11\00:44:15.48
"and proclaimed
the name of the Lord."
00:44:15.51\00:44:16.88
Here's His name.
00:44:16.91\00:44:18.28
"And the Lord passed
before him and proclaimed,
00:44:18.31\00:44:20.46
'The Lord, the Lord
God, merciful and gracious,
00:44:20.49\00:44:24.69
longsuffering,' that is patient,
00:44:24.72\00:44:26.84
'and abounding in
goodness and truth,
00:44:26.87\00:44:29.56
keeping mercy for thousands,
00:44:29.59\00:44:31.34
forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin.'"
00:44:31.37\00:44:34.47
Boy, it sounds
like a wonderful God,
00:44:34.50\00:44:36.79
but it's only one
side of the equation.
00:44:36.82\00:44:38.49
That's right.
00:44:38.52\00:44:39.89
And he goes on saying, "visiting
the iniquity of the fathers
00:44:39.92\00:44:43.59
or by no means
clearing the guilty."
00:44:43.62\00:44:45.28
Excuse me, "visiting
the iniquity of the fathers
00:44:45.31\00:44:47.31
upon the children and
the children's children
00:44:47.34\00:44:48.84
to the third and
fourth generation."
00:44:48.87\00:44:50.52
That is the propagated sin among
generation after generation.
00:44:50.55\00:44:54.35
So God is a loving God,
merciful, gracious, patient,
00:44:54.38\00:44:59.82
giving mercy to thousands, yes.
00:44:59.85\00:45:02.40
But He's also a God of justice
00:45:02.43\00:45:04.03
and He will not let sin
remain in His universe forever.
00:45:04.06\00:45:08.37
There will come
a time of judgment.
00:45:08.40\00:45:09.89
So therefore, we need
something out of ourselves,
00:45:09.92\00:45:14.53
we need someone out of ourselves
00:45:14.56\00:45:17.85
who can extend that hand
of mercy and forgiveness,
00:45:17.88\00:45:20.46
because we are sinners.
00:45:20.49\00:45:22.07
We've all failed the test.
00:45:22.10\00:45:24.22
"We've all sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God,"
00:45:24.25\00:45:27.09
Romans Chapter 3.
00:45:27.12\00:45:28.90
And so when we talk about
justification we're saying
00:45:28.93\00:45:31.77
coming to Jesus who is merciful,
00:45:31.80\00:45:33.82
who is forgiving
and receiving from Him
00:45:33.85\00:45:36.09
that forgiveness that
He offers way, way back
00:45:36.12\00:45:38.46
from the very beginning.
00:45:38.49\00:45:40.11
And it's confirmed
for us on the cross.
00:45:40.14\00:45:42.35
We can have that through Him,
00:45:42.38\00:45:44.23
but only through
Him can we have that,
00:45:44.26\00:45:46.04
because we innately
are sinful human beings.
00:45:46.07\00:45:49.59
And we need to recognize
that, as you're saying,
00:45:49.62\00:45:51.54
we've already read the verses,
00:45:51.57\00:45:52.94
to confess it and to own
up to it and to turn from it,
00:45:52.97\00:45:56.45
then we receive mercy.
00:45:56.48\00:45:58.56
And I want to add another
word to the word justified,
00:45:58.59\00:46:01.16
because we're talking
about God's justification.
00:46:01.19\00:46:03.13
Well, when you're
standing before a judge,
00:46:03.16\00:46:04.88
let's go ahead and
put this picture together.
00:46:04.91\00:46:06.40
And what I did in
one of my programs,
00:46:06.43\00:46:07.91
actually on a Wednesday
night program I did this
00:46:07.94\00:46:10.15
and I thought it would be good
00:46:10.18\00:46:11.55
because we have
different audiences,
00:46:11.58\00:46:12.95
different people
watch at different times.
00:46:12.98\00:46:14.96
I wanted to bring this
topic also to our Bible program,
00:46:14.99\00:46:18.48
because a lot of
times we misunderstand,
00:46:18.51\00:46:20.71
what mercy is all
about and we say well, okay,
00:46:20.74\00:46:24.22
under what
condition would mercy be--
00:46:24.25\00:46:29.50
would mercy be extended to me?
00:46:29.53\00:46:32.38
What would actually happen
for mercy to be extended to me?
00:46:32.41\00:46:35.30
And if you look down at
question number five here,
00:46:35.33\00:46:37.58
there are six little
questions I have here,
00:46:37.61\00:46:39.73
I want you to see this.
00:46:39.76\00:46:41.77
Look at this and this is
kind of a true and false thing.
00:46:41.80\00:46:45.28
And I want to just go
ahead and point them out
00:46:45.31\00:46:47.20
and then I'll
give you the answer.
00:46:47.23\00:46:48.84
Which of the following
statements are true about mercy?
00:46:48.87\00:46:51.73
A mercy sets aside the
requirements of the law.
00:46:51.76\00:46:55.85
Does mercy set aside
the requirement of the law?
00:46:55.88\00:46:58.62
Yes or no?
00:46:58.65\00:47:00.19
The answer is
no. Can't be, yeah.
00:47:00.22\00:47:01.59
Mercy can't set
aside-- matter of fact,
00:47:01.62\00:47:03.74
I wouldn't even
know I needed mercy--
00:47:03.77\00:47:07.29
Unless the law was in effect.
00:47:07.32\00:47:08.69
Unless the law was in effect.
00:47:08.72\00:47:10.09
I'd go further,
Jesus would not even
00:47:10.12\00:47:12.01
have had to have
come to die on the cross
00:47:12.04\00:47:15.04
if He could have just changed
this law and made it void.
00:47:15.07\00:47:17.76
So now, John, here's
where we're headed with this.
00:47:17.79\00:47:20.74
There are people today
that teach we're saved by grace.
00:47:20.77\00:47:23.27
We don't need
the law any longer.
00:47:23.30\00:47:24.81
I want you to expound on that.
00:47:24.84\00:47:26.34
We are saved by grace.
00:47:26.37\00:47:27.74
We no longer need
the law, is that...?
00:47:27.77\00:47:29.95
Well, essentially
what they're saying
00:47:29.98\00:47:31.35
is that we don't
need mercy anymore.
00:47:31.38\00:47:33.01
Really, grace and
mercy often we mix this.
00:47:33.04\00:47:36.74
They are two different things
00:47:36.77\00:47:38.99
and here is the simplest
way that I can share this.
00:47:39.02\00:47:41.84
Grace is receiving
something that I do not deserve,
00:47:41.87\00:47:47.30
but mercy is not receiving
something that I do deserve.
00:47:47.33\00:47:52.38
Good way, I like that.
00:47:52.41\00:47:53.78
So I deserve to be
held accountable for my sin
00:47:53.81\00:47:58.20
and burned in hell, in the
lake of fire, I deserve that.
00:47:58.23\00:48:04.15
But mercy says,
mercy from God says,
00:48:04.18\00:48:06.61
I'm not going to do that.
00:48:06.64\00:48:08.05
I'm not gonna give
you that experience.
00:48:08.08\00:48:10.83
Grace on the
other hand is different.
00:48:10.86\00:48:13.00
Grace gives us something.
00:48:13.03\00:48:15.03
It actually is
giving us something
00:48:15.06\00:48:16.45
from God that we don't deserve.
00:48:16.48\00:48:18.72
But mercy and
grace are still in action
00:48:18.75\00:48:20.90
in the New
Testament, not just grace.
00:48:20.93\00:48:23.36
So don't say it's all
about the grace of God.
00:48:23.39\00:48:25.08
No, we need the mercy of
God as well and mercy implies
00:48:25.11\00:48:28.49
that God is still a just God.
00:48:28.52\00:48:30.72
Grace doesn't deal
with the justice issue.
00:48:30.75\00:48:34.24
Grace deals with the issue
of extending to us something
00:48:34.27\00:48:36.86
that we can't do for ourselves.
00:48:36.89\00:48:39.15
That's kind of my new
definition of grace now.
00:48:39.18\00:48:41.22
John, I've used it
over and over again.
00:48:41.25\00:48:42.89
I felt--I was praying
for just a new understanding.
00:48:42.92\00:48:45.72
We hear unmerited
favor, but it's so to me,
00:48:45.75\00:48:49.20
so kind of ethereal.
00:48:49.23\00:48:50.60
It's out there, it's
hard to understand that
00:48:50.63\00:48:52.04
and we use it so much.
00:48:52.07\00:48:53.44
Right, it's lost its impact,
because we repeat it so much.
00:48:53.47\00:48:55.96
We repeat it so much.
00:48:55.99\00:48:57.39
So here's the definition of
grace that I found that I use.
00:48:57.42\00:49:01.21
Grace is any time God reaches
down to do something for us
00:49:01.24\00:49:07.59
that we cannot do for ourselves.
00:49:07.62\00:49:09.60
Very good point.
00:49:09.63\00:49:11.20
We need power and
strength that we don't have,
00:49:11.23\00:49:14.90
when He gives us
that, that's grace.
00:49:14.93\00:49:17.53
We can't save ourselves.
00:49:17.56\00:49:18.93
When He reaches down
to save us that is grace.
00:49:18.96\00:49:22.09
Grace is when God activates,
does something in action
00:49:22.12\00:49:25.17
from Himself to us,
to give us something
00:49:25.20\00:49:27.43
we don't have that
we need, that's grace.
00:49:27.46\00:49:29.73
Mercy is withholding a
judgment that we deserve
00:49:29.76\00:49:34.01
and He does not give it to us.
00:49:34.04\00:49:36.77
That's the difference
between mercy and grace.
00:49:36.80\00:49:39.64
And here and we find that if
you eliminate the law of God,
00:49:39.67\00:49:43.57
you eliminate
the need for mercy.
00:49:43.60\00:49:46.29
Yet over and over
in the New Testament
00:49:46.32\00:49:47.69
as well as the Old,
mercy is still in action.
00:49:47.72\00:49:50.85
God forgiving sinners. I
thank you for that, John.
00:49:50.88\00:49:55.36
And I'm gonna build on that
because I want to put this back,
00:49:55.39\00:49:58.94
you're standing right
in front of the judge now.
00:49:58.97\00:50:01.31
And you're innocent.
00:50:01.34\00:50:03.92
What do you ask
for, mercy or justice?
00:50:03.95\00:50:10.52
You're innocent.
00:50:10.55\00:50:11.92
What do you ask
for, mercy or justice?
00:50:11.95\00:50:15.44
You know what you ask for?
00:50:15.47\00:50:17.06
You don't ask for mercy,
because you are innocent.
00:50:17.09\00:50:19.29
You ask for justice.
00:50:19.32\00:50:20.87
You are on a,
"I demand justice."
00:50:20.90\00:50:23.29
Justice says if
you're innocent, you go free.
00:50:23.32\00:50:27.29
Mercy, if you ask for
mercy, you're not innocent.
00:50:27.32\00:50:31.78
See so when we say,
"Lord, be merciful to me,"
00:50:31.81\00:50:34.78
remember what David said,
00:50:34.81\00:50:36.18
"Be merciful to me a sinner."
00:50:36.21\00:50:40.84
See the reason I'm coming here,
00:50:40.87\00:50:42.24
because when you understand
the mercy of God you realize,
00:50:42.27\00:50:45.45
wait a minute, wait a minute,
00:50:45.48\00:50:46.85
I didn't see more and more
why I need to be justified,
00:50:46.88\00:50:49.50
why I need to be covered,
00:50:49.53\00:50:50.98
why my life needs to be changed,
00:50:51.01\00:50:52.72
why the old part of me
needs to be done away with,
00:50:52.75\00:50:57.99
why that old man
needs to be buried.
00:50:58.02\00:51:00.18
Here's another,
00:51:00.21\00:51:01.58
unless you want to comment
on that point I just made.
00:51:01.61\00:51:02.98
No, pretty good.
Here's another one.
00:51:03.01\00:51:04.93
Mercy is applied to
satisfy the demands of the law.
00:51:04.96\00:51:12.18
Is that true or false?
00:51:12.21\00:51:13.63
Mercy is applied to
satisfy the demands of the law.
00:51:13.66\00:51:17.94
Now justice is applied to
satisfy the demands of the law.
00:51:17.97\00:51:23.76
Mercy, when you
look at the mercy of God,
00:51:23.79\00:51:26.50
the law demands
that we be prosecuted.
00:51:26.53\00:51:31.05
The law demands
that we be persecuted.
00:51:31.08\00:51:34.33
The law demands
that we be locked up.
00:51:34.36\00:51:37.01
So justice would be applied to
satisfy the demands of the law.
00:51:37.04\00:51:40.75
What if the
law-- all have sinned
00:51:40.78\00:51:42.58
and fall short
of the glory of God.
00:51:42.61\00:51:43.98
The wages of sin is what? Death.
00:51:44.01\00:51:45.48
So if I want to
satisfy the demand of the law,
00:51:45.51\00:51:48.85
I'm gonna apply justice.
00:51:48.88\00:51:51.00
You will go to court, you will
go to jail for X amount of days,
00:51:51.03\00:51:54.60
X amount of
months, X amount of years,
00:51:54.63\00:51:56.64
but when the judge says,
"I know you've done wrong, "
00:51:56.67\00:51:58.63
and our lawyer stands
up on our behalf, Jesus.
00:51:58.66\00:52:01.64
Then mercy is applied.
00:52:01.67\00:52:03.04
But do the demands of
the law have to be satisfied?
00:52:03.07\00:52:07.00
Yes, there's no court system
00:52:07.03\00:52:09.46
that abrogates the
demands of the law.
00:52:09.49\00:52:12.45
That's why when
Jesus takes our place
00:52:12.48\00:52:16.39
we are justified by His
life, not by our own life.
00:52:16.42\00:52:21.10
When I get a--
00:52:21.13\00:52:22.50
Kind of deep
here, think on this one.
00:52:22.53\00:52:23.90
When I get a
ticket-- unfortunately,
00:52:23.93\00:52:25.30
I don't get many
tickets, speeding tickets.
00:52:25.33\00:52:27.64
But when I get a ticket,
00:52:27.67\00:52:30.40
the fact that I
go before the judge
00:52:30.43\00:52:33.86
and argue my case and
in many respects would say,
00:52:33.89\00:52:39.56
your honor, I was
speeding, I was speeding.
00:52:39.59\00:52:46.22
Many times in those
cases the judge would extend
00:52:46.25\00:52:52.22
some kind of mercy.
00:52:52.25\00:52:54.83
But he would not
eliminate the law that says
00:52:54.86\00:52:58.99
in that zone I have to
be doing 35 miles an hour,
00:52:59.02\00:53:03.37
not 45 miles an
hour that I was doing.
00:53:03.40\00:53:07.21
We today often view
mercy as receiving forgiveness
00:53:07.24\00:53:11.58
for breaking
the laws of the past
00:53:11.61\00:53:14.20
but license to break
the law in the future.
00:53:14.23\00:53:17.30
Ooh, very good approach.
00:53:17.33\00:53:20.08
And you see the
Bible is pretty clear.
00:53:20.11\00:53:23.31
Look at the Book of Jude.
00:53:23.34\00:53:26.20
We often don't go to Jude,
00:53:26.23\00:53:27.98
but Jude has some of my favorite
00:53:28.01\00:53:31.07
couple of verses
in it on this topic.
00:53:31.10\00:53:35.08
And I like it best in the NIV,
00:53:35.11\00:53:37.87
but I'm gonna read it
from the New King James here,
00:53:37.90\00:53:39.67
which is usually
my study Bible here.
00:53:39.70\00:53:41.50
Okay, well, I'll
bring up the NIV.
00:53:41.53\00:53:43.98
What verse?
00:53:44.01\00:53:45.38
It says verse 3,
this is verses 3 and 4.
00:53:45.41\00:53:48.09
"Beloved, while
I was very diligent
00:53:48.12\00:53:49.97
to write to you concerning
our common salvation."
00:53:50.00\00:53:52.75
So we are talking
about which subject here?
00:53:52.78\00:53:54.77
Salvation. Salvation.
00:53:54.80\00:53:56.32
"I found it necessary to
write to you exhorting you
00:53:56.35\00:53:58.86
to contend
earnestly for the faith
00:53:58.89\00:54:01.97
which was once and for
all delivered to the saints."
00:54:02.00\00:54:04.11
In other words, stay fast
in what you have received,
00:54:04.14\00:54:07.35
already what Christ has taught,
00:54:07.38\00:54:09.12
whether the apostles have taught
00:54:09.15\00:54:11.02
and what we've established
according to the word.
00:54:11.05\00:54:13.10
Stay in that faith and
contend earnestly for it.
00:54:13.13\00:54:16.67
Now look at verse 4,
why do we need to do that.
00:54:16.70\00:54:19.51
"For certain men
have crept in unnoticed,
00:54:19.54\00:54:23.20
who long ago were marked
out for this condemnation,
00:54:23.23\00:54:26.77
ungodly men, who turn the
grace of our God into lewdness
00:54:26.80\00:54:32.65
and deny the only Lord God
and our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:54:32.68\00:54:37.26
So read NIV. What does it say?
00:54:37.29\00:54:38.85
I'll read it further, yeah.
00:54:38.88\00:54:40.25
Verse 4 in NIV says,
"For certain men whose
00:54:40.28\00:54:43.07
condemnation was
written about long ago
00:54:43.10\00:54:46.09
have secretly
slipped in among you.
00:54:46.12\00:54:48.77
They are godless men, who
change the grace of our God
00:54:48.80\00:54:52.09
into a license for
immorality and deny Jesus Christ
00:54:52.12\00:54:57.35
our only Sovereign and Lord."
00:54:57.38\00:55:00.22
A license for immorality
00:55:00.25\00:55:02.04
and that's why I
say we often treat
00:55:02.07\00:55:03.90
mercy as receiving
forgiveness of the past.
00:55:03.93\00:55:07.09
And then as a license to
go on and continue the works
00:55:07.12\00:55:10.44
that we've always done,
00:55:10.47\00:55:11.84
the sinful life
that we've always had,
00:55:11.87\00:55:13.24
because Christ is
taking care of everything.
00:55:13.27\00:55:15.65
This is a cheap grace.
00:55:15.68\00:55:17.39
It is a grace that has
slipped into the church
00:55:17.42\00:55:19.90
that is not the
grace of the Bible.
00:55:19.93\00:55:23.33
We read the grace the
Bible says and his mercy says
00:55:23.36\00:55:27.54
that it is received,
we are justified in Christ
00:55:27.57\00:55:30.72
when we have repented of our sin
00:55:30.75\00:55:32.53
and we have turned
from our wicked ways.
00:55:32.56\00:55:36.09
We have stopped sinning.
00:55:36.12\00:55:37.82
We have stopped
committing those sins
00:55:37.85\00:55:39.27
that we have committed
and begin to align ourselves
00:55:39.30\00:55:43.39
in harmony with God's law
to live according to His plan,
00:55:43.42\00:55:46.98
according to His purpose.
00:55:47.01\00:55:48.68
That is when we receive
mercy and the grace of God.
00:55:48.71\00:55:52.62
Not this cheap grace that
is slipped into the church.
00:55:52.65\00:55:54.90
Wow, very good.
And it is true today.
00:55:54.93\00:55:58.39
And I want to go
farther than just saying,
00:55:58.42\00:56:00.32
well, you know,
there are a lot of churches
00:56:00.35\00:56:01.97
that teach God's law
has been nailed to the cross
00:56:02.00\00:56:04.23
and I want to go beyond
that because this whole,
00:56:04.26\00:56:09.02
this chronic attitude
is present even among those
00:56:09.05\00:56:13.82
who acknowledge the law of God.
00:56:13.85\00:56:16.52
They are saying,
well, intellectually
00:56:16.55\00:56:18.91
I acknowledge the law of God,
00:56:18.94\00:56:21.74
but I'm not acknowledging that
there's a bigger issue here.
00:56:21.77\00:56:25.18
That's why when
Paul, the Apostle is faced
00:56:25.21\00:56:28.02
and confronted
with the law of God,
00:56:28.05\00:56:30.01
he said this in Romans 7:14.
00:56:30.04\00:56:32.87
We're gonna talk
about justification
00:56:32.90\00:56:34.27
in our next program.
00:56:34.30\00:56:35.67
I'm gonna amplify it, but
we're laying the foundation.
00:56:35.70\00:56:37.28
He said this in Romans 7:14,
00:56:37.31\00:56:39.23
"For we know that
the law is spiritual,
00:56:39.26\00:56:41.34
but I am
carnal, sold under sin."
00:56:41.37\00:56:45.41
So, John,
that's the issue today.
00:56:45.44\00:56:46.86
Many people are sold under
sin, but they don't admit that.
00:56:46.89\00:56:49.59
And they admit sheepishly
that the law is there,
00:56:49.62\00:56:54.12
but they don't admit
that they are sold under sin.
00:56:54.15\00:56:56.36
Yeah, the fact is if
the law wasn't there,
00:56:56.39\00:56:58.77
we would no longer be sinners,
00:56:58.80\00:57:00.71
because there would be
nothing there in place,
00:57:00.74\00:57:02.67
in force to convict us of sin.
00:57:02.70\00:57:04.73
Just like the laws of our land.
00:57:04.76\00:57:06.13
If there were no
laws of our land,
00:57:06.16\00:57:07.53
we couldn't be convicted
as transgressors, as convicts.
00:57:07.56\00:57:12.58
We would be
always perfect citizens.
00:57:12.61\00:57:15.72
But laws are in place
to guide us. That's right.
00:57:15.75\00:57:18.81
We're gonna talk
about in the next program
00:57:18.84\00:57:20.21
the difference between being
a convict, convinced of the law
00:57:20.24\00:57:23.18
or a convert
justified by Jesus Christ.
00:57:23.21\00:57:26.70
So stay tuned to "House Calls."
00:57:26.73\00:57:28.39
On our next program we
look forward to seeing you.
00:57:28.42\00:57:30.53
May you have a
wonderful day in Christ.
00:57:30.56\00:57:33.41