1 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:09,099 Thank you, music ministry. 2 00:00:12,133 --> 00:00:14,099 You have your Bibles, turn with me. 3 00:00:16,133 --> 00:00:19,500 to the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians, 4 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:23,266 chapter 5, and 5 00:00:23,300 --> 00:00:24,333 verse number 20. 6 00:00:27,533 --> 00:00:30,600 Today, I want to bring to 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,066 you part two of 8 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:38,600 my topical exposition on 9 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,833 the subject of discernment. 10 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:43,299 in the life of a Christian. 11 00:00:45,399 --> 00:00:49,033 If you remember in part one, we 12 00:00:49,033 --> 00:00:52,566 focused in on a particular phrase 13 00:00:52,566 --> 00:00:55,700 in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 20, 14 00:00:55,700 --> 00:01:01,633 and I want to go right back to that, 15 00:01:01,633 --> 00:01:07,166 where Paul says in verse 20, do not despise. 16 00:01:09,266 --> 00:01:11,233 prophetic utterances. 17 00:01:11,299 --> 00:01:12,633 You remember that? 18 00:01:13,599 --> 00:01:16,466 Prophet, in the Greek. 19 00:01:17,533 --> 00:01:21,500 Now, as I went over, and I won't go back into depth during 20 00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:24,666 the times of the apostles. 21 00:01:24,733 --> 00:01:27,733 There were people who were gifted with prophetic 22 00:01:27,733 --> 00:01:29,400 utterance, the apostles, and others. 23 00:01:29,466 --> 00:01:30,966 You can go back in the book of Acts. 24 00:01:31,033 --> 00:01:32,366 You can read through all that history. 25 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,366 As you know, we believe that came to an end, 26 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,200 and so by way of application today, in 27 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,333 2026, prophetic 28 00:01:43,333 --> 00:01:46,866 utterance is now, we apply that to preaching. 29 00:01:47,833 --> 00:01:48,666 That's what I'm doing. 30 00:01:50,033 --> 00:01:53,066 I'm giving you prophetic utterance from 31 00:01:53,066 --> 00:01:55,466 the word of God. 32 00:01:55,566 --> 00:01:58,700 And so, really, in the big picture, what 33 00:01:58,700 --> 00:02:02,966 Paul is doing here is he is exhorting 34 00:02:02,966 --> 00:02:06,266 the church for all time through 35 00:02:07,099 --> 00:02:08,800 this New Testament epistle. 36 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:13,766 Do not despise preaching. 37 00:02:15,199 --> 00:02:17,733 Do not look down on it. 38 00:02:19,333 --> 00:02:23,533 Do not treat preaching with triviality. 39 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:26,966 Do not diminish it. 40 00:02:28,733 --> 00:02:30,266 Do not belittle it. 41 00:02:32,500 --> 00:02:35,833 And then, remember, we also read next, 42 00:02:35,833 --> 00:02:38,066 when you do hear it. 43 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:44,433 And I'm talking about preaching, sound preaching, 44 00:02:44,433 --> 00:02:48,300 when you do hear it, verse 45 00:02:48,300 --> 00:02:51,833 21, next verse, but examine 46 00:02:51,866 --> 00:02:53,433 everything carefully. 47 00:02:53,466 --> 00:02:54,966 I don't care who it is. 48 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:56,599 Let's preaching. 49 00:02:57,733 --> 00:03:00,900 Examine everything carefully, 50 00:03:00,900 --> 00:03:03,133 and you sure need to do that with a false teacher, right? 51 00:03:04,633 --> 00:03:06,666 In other words, put it to the test. 52 00:03:08,599 --> 00:03:12,766 And as we said, that means, what is put it to the test? 53 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:13,533 The test of what? 54 00:03:13,633 --> 00:03:16,199 You put it to the test of scripture itself. 55 00:03:18,333 --> 00:03:21,433 The scripture itself is the only standard 56 00:03:21,433 --> 00:03:24,666 by which anything is 57 00:03:24,666 --> 00:03:26,166 tested and measured. 58 00:03:27,833 --> 00:03:29,666 And then look next in verse 21. 59 00:03:31,633 --> 00:03:35,900 Paul says, Hold fast, 60 00:03:35,900 --> 00:03:40,333 to that which is good, meaning, 61 00:03:40,333 --> 00:03:43,766 if you remember, that which is inherently good, 62 00:03:43,766 --> 00:03:45,199 and true. 63 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:50,066 So once you've tested it, and it 64 00:03:50,066 --> 00:03:53,433 passes the test, and it has proven 65 00:03:53,433 --> 00:03:57,533 to be good, Paul says, then hold fast to that. 66 00:03:58,900 --> 00:03:59,599 Cling to it. 67 00:04:01,233 --> 00:04:04,166 Cling to it with all your might. 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:07,900 For example, 69 00:04:10,033 --> 00:04:13,099 In my example, will probably 70 00:04:13,099 --> 00:04:16,100 give evidence of 71 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:20,466 why you will be stuck with me as your pastor, as 72 00:04:20,466 --> 00:04:21,733 long as you want me to be here. 73 00:04:23,233 --> 00:04:27,066 Not only will I, you 74 00:04:27,066 --> 00:04:30,066 can never say never about anything, but most certainly will I 75 00:04:30,066 --> 00:04:33,800 never be called to another church to 76 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,666 pastor, not only because of my lack of education. 77 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,666 But also probably because of examples I'm fixing to give you here. 78 00:04:42,733 --> 00:04:46,399 For example, Romans chapter 3. 79 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:48,800 Verse 20. 80 00:04:52,166 --> 00:04:55,399 Because of the works of the law, we're 81 00:04:55,399 --> 00:04:57,633 going to be discerning, right? 82 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:02,300 No flesh will 83 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:04,566 be justified in his sight. 84 00:05:06,133 --> 00:05:08,833 Now, you read that. 85 00:05:11,533 --> 00:05:15,500 You hear that preached, you 86 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:18,500 compare that, and 87 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:21,633 what it means, with many, many, 88 00:05:21,633 --> 00:05:24,833 many other scriptures that are directly related 89 00:05:24,866 --> 00:05:27,933 to that verse, and you come out with 90 00:05:27,933 --> 00:05:31,199 the doctrine of sola fide. 91 00:05:32,633 --> 00:05:35,666 in the Latin, fide, 92 00:05:35,666 --> 00:05:38,433 faith, sola, alone. 93 00:05:39,933 --> 00:05:43,633 Justification is by faith alone. 94 00:05:43,766 --> 00:05:46,766 That's what that verse means, and all of 95 00:05:46,766 --> 00:05:50,000 the many verses that you can go and study that are attached 96 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,933 to that verse. 97 00:05:53,233 --> 00:05:54,800 So you just tested that. 98 00:05:56,633 --> 00:05:56,966 Right? 99 00:05:58,399 --> 00:05:59,800 And it passes the test. 100 00:05:59,833 --> 00:06:02,666 With A plus 100%. 101 00:06:04,399 --> 00:06:08,766 And that means, as we just learned from Paul in Thessalonians, 102 00:06:08,766 --> 00:06:10,199 that means that it's good. 103 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,733 The doctrine of justification by faith alone is good. 104 00:06:16,133 --> 00:06:19,699 And so once you have examined it, and 105 00:06:19,699 --> 00:06:22,699 you have tested it, by 106 00:06:22,699 --> 00:06:25,766 the standard of scripture itself, you've compared it to other 107 00:06:25,766 --> 00:06:29,433 scriptures, Paul is saying in 1 Thessalonians 108 00:06:29,433 --> 00:06:33,433 5:20, once you've done that, hold 109 00:06:33,433 --> 00:06:37,333 fast to that good thing that you've just examined. 110 00:06:39,533 --> 00:06:40,933 Sola fide. 111 00:06:42,633 --> 00:06:46,899 The doctrine of justification by faith alone 112 00:06:46,899 --> 00:06:51,100 is an absolutely critical, 113 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:55,333 necessary component of the gospel. 114 00:06:56,833 --> 00:07:00,600 That component of the gospel is 115 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,233 completely non negotiable. 116 00:07:06,366 --> 00:07:09,966 It's not even debatable, though many have been debating it. 117 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,566 For 500 years or more. 118 00:07:14,133 --> 00:07:17,066 Now, Sola fide. 119 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:19,666 If you have no solo fide, guess what? 120 00:07:19,766 --> 00:07:22,766 You have no gospel, I don't care what other 121 00:07:22,766 --> 00:07:25,766 components are added in your version, if 122 00:07:25,766 --> 00:07:29,533 sola fide is not part of your gospel presentation, 123 00:07:29,533 --> 00:07:34,699 you have no gospel, and 124 00:07:34,699 --> 00:07:39,733 you hold fast, when you understand that, 125 00:07:39,733 --> 00:07:43,333 you cling to that good, 126 00:07:43,333 --> 00:07:44,966 doctrinal reality 127 00:07:47,033 --> 00:07:50,100 with all your might, that's first level. 128 00:07:52,333 --> 00:07:55,566 And then Paul goes on in his instruction 129 00:07:55,566 --> 00:07:58,433 for our discernment. 130 00:07:59,333 --> 00:08:00,866 Look, next in verse 22. 131 00:08:01,033 --> 00:08:04,266 What happens next in this chain? 132 00:08:04,333 --> 00:08:05,533 Verse 22, 133 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,300 Abstain from what is evil? 134 00:08:10,199 --> 00:08:12,699 Some versions say shun. 135 00:08:14,733 --> 00:08:19,100 So, for example, in 136 00:08:19,100 --> 00:08:22,333 the modern day Roman Catholic Church, in 137 00:08:22,333 --> 00:08:25,500 its current catechism, which I have a copy of in 138 00:08:25,500 --> 00:08:29,533 my library, continues, 139 00:08:29,533 --> 00:08:33,833 to this very day in 2026, 140 00:08:33,833 --> 00:08:37,266 to hold to the proclamation of 141 00:08:37,266 --> 00:08:39,966 the Council of Trent, not that Trent, 142 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,200 Council of Trent was a response 143 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,600 to the Reformation, and 144 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:52,033 it was held between 1543 and 145 00:08:52,033 --> 00:08:53,966 1565, 146 00:08:54,533 --> 00:08:57,966 You can go online in Google, Council of Trenton, all the canons 147 00:08:57,966 --> 00:09:03,066 will be there, just as they were stated, back at that time, 148 00:09:03,100 --> 00:09:06,366 and you get to the section on the doctrine 149 00:09:06,366 --> 00:09:07,566 of sola fide. 150 00:09:08,933 --> 00:09:09,733 faith alone. 151 00:09:11,899 --> 00:09:16,566 And when you read it, you will find that 152 00:09:16,566 --> 00:09:20,899 it is completely contrary to 153 00:09:20,899 --> 00:09:24,799 the Bible's teaching, on solo, fide. 154 00:09:25,299 --> 00:09:28,533 And at that moment, when you read those clear words 155 00:09:28,533 --> 00:09:31,933 that were proclaimed all that time ago, 156 00:09:32,533 --> 00:09:34,500 you have to use discernment. 157 00:09:37,033 --> 00:09:40,100 You then, following Paul's instruction 158 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:43,866 here in 1 Thessalonians, examine carefully 159 00:09:43,866 --> 00:09:46,033 those words with what? 160 00:09:46,166 --> 00:09:49,933 Scripture as your guide, and 161 00:09:49,933 --> 00:09:53,600 your standard, and 162 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,533 first you come to canon number nine. 163 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,733 out of the council of Trent. 164 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:02,666 And I'm going to quote it for you verbatim. 165 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:08,366 If anyone says that 166 00:10:08,366 --> 00:10:12,100 by faith alone, the 167 00:10:12,100 --> 00:10:15,799 sinner is justified, so 168 00:10:15,799 --> 00:10:19,633 as to mean nothing else is 169 00:10:19,633 --> 00:10:22,033 required to cooperate 170 00:10:22,166 --> 00:10:26,500 in order to obtain the grace of justification. 171 00:10:27,899 --> 00:10:30,766 Let him be anathema. 172 00:10:34,533 --> 00:10:35,533 I'm not making that up. 173 00:10:37,633 --> 00:10:38,533 I'm telling you what it says. 174 00:10:40,433 --> 00:10:43,700 The word, anathema, was 175 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:46,766 used by the Catholic Church as a formal declaration of 176 00:10:46,766 --> 00:10:50,233 exclusion, an excommunication 177 00:10:51,533 --> 00:10:53,066 from the Church. 178 00:10:54,133 --> 00:10:58,633 And it was primarily used against those who 179 00:10:58,633 --> 00:10:59,766 were teaching heresy. 180 00:11:00,833 --> 00:11:03,733 Anathema literally means this. 181 00:11:04,733 --> 00:11:06,200 devoted to evil. 182 00:11:08,533 --> 00:11:12,200 Cast out an offer to God's judgment. 183 00:11:13,133 --> 00:11:16,700 In modern day vernacular, that 184 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:19,399 is, damned to hell. 185 00:11:23,233 --> 00:11:27,899 According to the Council of Trent, for 186 00:11:27,899 --> 00:11:31,966 anyone who is examined carefully, 187 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,266 as we did earlier, by the supreme 188 00:11:35,266 --> 00:11:38,533 standard of scripture, the doctrine of 189 00:11:38,533 --> 00:11:41,533 justification by faith alone, 190 00:11:41,533 --> 00:11:42,966 and as you did, 191 00:11:43,033 --> 00:11:46,799 you found it good, and you cling 192 00:11:46,799 --> 00:11:49,933 to it in saving faith, if 193 00:11:49,933 --> 00:11:53,166 you did that, according to Trent, you're a heretic. 194 00:11:54,700 --> 00:11:58,466 According to the Council of Trent, you are damned to hell. 195 00:12:00,533 --> 00:12:01,799 Well, brother Philip. 196 00:12:03,899 --> 00:12:06,399 The church has evolved since the 1500s. 197 00:12:07,933 --> 00:12:10,100 What about the modern day teaching? 198 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,200 of the Roman Catholic Church that's currently found in 199 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:17,933 the catechism? 200 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,700 Well, what do we do? 201 00:12:21,700 --> 00:12:25,166 Well, we continue to follow what Paul said in 202 00:12:25,166 --> 00:12:28,299 1 Thessalonians 5:21, but 203 00:12:28,299 --> 00:12:31,799 examine everything carefully. 204 00:12:33,133 --> 00:12:35,600 And so we go to the catechism. 205 00:12:36,433 --> 00:12:37,633 of the Catholic Church. 206 00:12:38,533 --> 00:12:42,200 And we find there numerous doctrines 207 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,600 where the Council of Trent is cited 208 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,066 by name. 209 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,166 In numerous places, and 210 00:12:52,166 --> 00:12:56,366 never, on any page, in the modern day catechism, 211 00:12:56,366 --> 00:12:59,366 is there any disagreement with 212 00:12:59,366 --> 00:13:02,833 the Council of Trent in the modern day catechism? 213 00:13:03,733 --> 00:13:07,533 And it never 214 00:13:07,533 --> 00:13:11,366 reprints verbatim 215 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,566 the anathemas, and says that anything is 216 00:13:16,333 --> 00:13:19,500 anathema, because we live in the modern 217 00:13:19,500 --> 00:13:23,100 day, and I'm going to explain what that means in a minute, but 218 00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:27,000 in every case, it 219 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,866 takes the exact same doctrines, 220 00:13:30,899 --> 00:13:34,766 and presents them from a positive 221 00:13:34,766 --> 00:13:37,399 and affirming position. 222 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,600 It never negates any of the canons of the Council 223 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,666 of Trent, and in every case, 224 00:13:44,666 --> 00:13:47,733 where the doctrine, in particular 225 00:13:47,733 --> 00:13:50,933 that's being discussed, is cited 226 00:13:50,966 --> 00:13:53,966 that is derived from the Council of Trent 227 00:13:53,966 --> 00:13:57,333 by name, the catechism of today, 228 00:13:57,333 --> 00:14:01,133 always agrees with the proclamation in 229 00:14:01,166 --> 00:14:02,833 positive affirmation. 230 00:14:04,533 --> 00:14:07,933 And then, using 231 00:14:07,933 --> 00:14:09,066 discernment. 232 00:14:10,233 --> 00:14:13,566 We can look directly into 233 00:14:13,566 --> 00:14:16,633 Part 2, Section 1, chapter 3, and 234 00:14:16,633 --> 00:14:19,633 Article 2 on grace and justification, 235 00:14:19,633 --> 00:14:21,299 in the catechism. 236 00:14:22,333 --> 00:14:25,766 And we find, as its listed paragraph 237 00:14:25,766 --> 00:14:28,833 numbers are listed throughout the entire catechism, we 238 00:14:28,833 --> 00:14:32,633 find in paragraphs 1987 through 1995, 239 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:34,066 A lot of statements. 240 00:14:35,533 --> 00:14:37,033 on grace and justification. 241 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:39,566 That while again? 242 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,866 The exact wording of anathema, 243 00:14:45,866 --> 00:14:50,533 damn to hell, is not stated, its 244 00:14:50,533 --> 00:14:53,533 wording is clearly exactly 245 00:14:53,533 --> 00:14:56,666 in line when Trent's 246 00:14:56,666 --> 00:15:00,200 proclamation, and here's an overview in those paragraphs, 247 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,033 where it says, that the doctrine of justification is 248 00:15:04,033 --> 00:15:06,966 a grace fill transformation, 249 00:15:07,466 --> 00:15:10,700 infused, very important word, remember 250 00:15:10,700 --> 00:15:14,299 that word infused, by the Holy Spirit, 251 00:15:14,299 --> 00:15:18,000 involving both 252 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,233 good works, rather 253 00:15:21,266 --> 00:15:23,666 than imputation. 254 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,466 Everybody in this building ought to know what that word means. 255 00:15:31,299 --> 00:15:31,533 So 256 00:15:33,399 --> 00:15:37,333 Today's Catholic catechism not only continues 257 00:15:37,333 --> 00:15:40,500 to hold to the same view as the Council 258 00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:43,566 of Trent on solo fide, but also 259 00:15:43,566 --> 00:15:46,933 it agrees with the Council of Trent that 260 00:15:46,933 --> 00:15:50,533 the imputation of the righteousness 261 00:15:50,533 --> 00:15:54,133 of Jesus Christ is not what the Bible teaches either. 262 00:15:57,266 --> 00:15:58,166 I'm not making this up. 263 00:15:59,766 --> 00:16:01,933 This is not my spin. 264 00:16:04,033 --> 00:16:05,166 This is not my opinion. 265 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:07,899 And somebody else has a different opinion. 266 00:16:09,899 --> 00:16:13,066 Justification, by faith alone, and the 267 00:16:13,066 --> 00:16:16,266 imputation of Christ's righteousness are false 268 00:16:16,266 --> 00:16:18,966 doctrine, according to Catholic teaching. 269 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:20,899 Period. 270 00:16:23,433 --> 00:16:26,766 But both doctrines, when examine 271 00:16:26,766 --> 00:16:30,666 carefully, using the standard of scripture, 272 00:16:31,933 --> 00:16:33,266 are taught as Bible truths. 273 00:16:34,533 --> 00:16:36,433 So we have an apple in an orange here. 274 00:16:37,733 --> 00:16:38,000 Right? 275 00:16:38,733 --> 00:16:40,799 Well, we have two apples and two oranges here. 276 00:16:41,399 --> 00:16:42,799 With these doctrines. 277 00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:47,266 So that means that 278 00:16:47,266 --> 00:16:51,066 any religious system, Catholic 279 00:16:51,066 --> 00:16:54,133 or otherwise, that teaches contrary to what 280 00:16:54,133 --> 00:16:57,433 scripture does teach on 281 00:16:57,433 --> 00:17:00,666 those two great doctrines, justification 282 00:17:00,666 --> 00:17:04,633 by faith alone, and the imputation of Christ's righteousness? 283 00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:07,700 I don't care what system it is, contrary to 284 00:17:07,700 --> 00:17:10,766 what the Bible teaches, is false. 285 00:17:14,533 --> 00:17:17,766 So, la fide and the imputation of Christ's 286 00:17:17,766 --> 00:17:20,833 righteousness are first level 287 00:17:20,833 --> 00:17:24,900 primary components of the gospel itself. 288 00:17:26,733 --> 00:17:27,366 Take them out. 289 00:17:28,599 --> 00:17:31,700 Teach them differently from the way that scripture, 290 00:17:31,700 --> 00:17:34,933 presents them, and I'm sorry, you 291 00:17:34,933 --> 00:17:37,866 do that, you have a false gospel. 292 00:17:39,933 --> 00:17:41,466 And you know what a false gospel is? 293 00:17:42,733 --> 00:17:43,566 Evil. 294 00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:47,900 There's not many things in all of the world, more evil than 295 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:49,466 a false gospel. 296 00:17:49,566 --> 00:17:53,000 Well, what does Paul say next in verse 22 of 297 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,433 1 Thessalonians 5? 298 00:17:54,433 --> 00:17:57,799 After we've done all this homework, we are to what? 299 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:00,900 Abstain from every 300 00:18:00,900 --> 00:18:03,166 form of evil. 301 00:18:06,266 --> 00:18:07,033 Now let me be clear. 302 00:18:10,099 --> 00:18:13,533 What I just presented to you is not an attack. 303 00:18:15,099 --> 00:18:18,500 What I just presented to you is not an anti 304 00:18:18,500 --> 00:18:22,266 Catholic attack at all. 305 00:18:22,900 --> 00:18:23,266 OK? 306 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,200 I love Catholic people. 307 00:18:27,533 --> 00:18:30,733 I have family and friends that are Roman 308 00:18:30,733 --> 00:18:32,066 Catholic. 309 00:18:32,166 --> 00:18:33,799 I love them. 310 00:18:35,099 --> 00:18:36,266 But what am I doing up here? 311 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,400 I am simply following scripture. 312 00:18:41,433 --> 00:18:45,299 I am simply using discernment. 313 00:18:45,366 --> 00:18:48,799 I have a Bible with words in it that 314 00:18:48,799 --> 00:18:52,099 have meaning, and I have a Council 315 00:18:52,099 --> 00:18:55,233 of Trent that's still written out that I can read 316 00:18:55,233 --> 00:18:58,333 with my eyeballs, and I have a Catholic 317 00:18:58,333 --> 00:19:01,500 catechism of today's teaching that I can open up, 318 00:19:01,500 --> 00:19:04,500 and I can read, and I can understand with 319 00:19:04,500 --> 00:19:08,333 my brain, and I can lay all of that, side 320 00:19:08,366 --> 00:19:11,533 by side, and I can compare what 321 00:19:11,533 --> 00:19:15,433 each of them teaches about two of the most important components 322 00:19:16,099 --> 00:19:17,900 the gospel of Jesus Christ. 323 00:19:19,033 --> 00:19:22,633 And again, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 22, 324 00:19:22,633 --> 00:19:24,299 what do I do with all of that? 325 00:19:24,366 --> 00:19:27,533 I examine everything carefully? 326 00:19:29,099 --> 00:19:33,066 I hold fast to that which is good, and 327 00:19:33,066 --> 00:19:34,933 I abstain from every form of evil. 328 00:19:37,099 --> 00:19:38,200 I shun. 329 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,666 I abstain from the teachings of the Council of Trent. 330 00:19:43,766 --> 00:19:45,200 I shun. 331 00:19:46,033 --> 00:19:49,566 I abstain from the teachings of the catechism on 332 00:19:49,566 --> 00:19:52,133 these two vital doctrines. 333 00:19:52,266 --> 00:19:54,433 Let me tell you, and let me be very clear. 334 00:19:54,500 --> 00:19:56,133 Those teachings are the heresy. 335 00:20:00,033 --> 00:20:01,333 I'm being like a Berean. 336 00:20:02,633 --> 00:20:06,733 I'm searching the scriptures to see if these things are so. 337 00:20:09,033 --> 00:20:12,299 Scripture, folks, is the standard by which 338 00:20:12,299 --> 00:20:15,900 we test and examine everything 339 00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:17,700 carefully. 340 00:20:20,299 --> 00:20:22,400 As we talked about last time, OK? 341 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:27,933 What we did in this little exercise that we just went 342 00:20:27,933 --> 00:20:30,966 through for my example, which would get me kicked out of 343 00:20:30,966 --> 00:20:34,333 probably a lot of churches, is 344 00:20:34,333 --> 00:20:36,666 we used precision. 345 00:20:36,733 --> 00:20:38,000 Remember I talked about that last time? 346 00:20:39,833 --> 00:20:42,900 We have to be precise when we're dealing with the things 347 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:46,966 of God and the things that claim to be the things of God. 348 00:20:47,066 --> 00:20:50,299 We've got to get down to the nitty gritty in 349 00:20:50,299 --> 00:20:54,666 examining everything carefully, accurately, precisely. 350 00:20:54,799 --> 00:20:58,266 We don't just take somebody's word for it, right? 351 00:21:00,333 --> 00:21:04,500 Sadly, in much of today's 352 00:21:04,500 --> 00:21:07,799 evangelical world, there is no premium 353 00:21:07,799 --> 00:21:11,933 on precision like this whatsoever that I just gave to you. 354 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,633 Today, the prevailing notion 355 00:21:16,633 --> 00:21:19,766 is everybody's entitled 356 00:21:19,766 --> 00:21:23,233 to their own spin on scripture and theology. 357 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,466 And as far as most people in the church are concerned, oh, 358 00:21:28,466 --> 00:21:30,500 any old answer will do about anything. 359 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,066 But that is not. 360 00:21:35,799 --> 00:21:39,400 how scripture teaches us to operate. 361 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:45,066 And that way of thinking and behaving is 362 00:21:45,066 --> 00:21:47,033 certainly not pleasing to God. 363 00:21:50,099 --> 00:21:53,466 Discernment is critical in 364 00:21:53,466 --> 00:21:57,299 the life of the church is what I'm trying to get you to understand. 365 00:21:57,366 --> 00:22:00,900 Knowing what sound doctrine is, is 366 00:22:00,900 --> 00:22:03,000 essential in the life of the church. 367 00:22:04,799 --> 00:22:08,166 Now, the last time we were here with this subject, the 368 00:22:08,166 --> 00:22:11,400 first reason we gave for the lack of discernment in the church was a 369 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,266 lack of doctrinal clarity and conviction. 370 00:22:16,299 --> 00:22:19,666 is so very clear that the majority of 371 00:22:19,666 --> 00:22:23,233 evangelicalism in America today has neither of those things. 372 00:22:25,799 --> 00:22:27,466 If you want to do a little experiment, 373 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,166 You want to test that out, what I just said? 374 00:22:33,299 --> 00:22:35,866 Next time you're with family. 375 00:22:36,500 --> 00:22:40,033 Next time you're with friends, especially 376 00:22:40,033 --> 00:22:43,033 with those who go to a church that puts all of its 377 00:22:43,033 --> 00:22:46,633 emphasis on music and programs, and the preaching 378 00:22:46,633 --> 00:22:48,366 is real man centered and light. 379 00:22:48,500 --> 00:22:51,066 You just go ahead and ask them, 380 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:53,433 Could you please give me a presentation of the gospel? 381 00:22:55,799 --> 00:22:56,200 Try that. 382 00:22:58,333 --> 00:22:59,099 Ask him. 383 00:23:00,633 --> 00:23:01,766 What is the gospel? 384 00:23:01,866 --> 00:23:02,833 Ask them that. 385 00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:03,500 Just ask them that. 386 00:23:03,566 --> 00:23:05,500 What is the gospel? 387 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,933 And then prepare for things to get real uncomfortable. 388 00:23:12,099 --> 00:23:14,900 especially if they professing Christian. 389 00:23:16,599 --> 00:23:19,900 And prepare at best to hear an extremely 390 00:23:19,900 --> 00:23:24,000 minimalist version of the gospel. 391 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:28,099 Prepare to hear a version of the gospel that 392 00:23:28,099 --> 00:23:31,466 is not what you hear at Providence 393 00:23:31,466 --> 00:23:33,133 when I give you the gospel. 394 00:23:33,833 --> 00:23:35,000 Prepare not to hear that. 395 00:23:35,933 --> 00:23:36,433 Hope you do. 396 00:23:37,599 --> 00:23:39,466 But prepare, mostly, not to. 397 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:42,400 And the gospel church? 398 00:23:44,299 --> 00:23:48,166 Is the most important piece of information in the universe? 399 00:23:50,033 --> 00:23:54,066 No piece of information ranks higher in importance. 400 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,200 If you can name a piece of information in all of 401 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,366 information more important than the gospel, 402 00:24:00,366 --> 00:24:01,500 please see me after church. 403 00:24:01,566 --> 00:24:03,533 I'm real interested in what you have to say. 404 00:24:06,733 --> 00:24:09,866 Because the gospel gives 405 00:24:09,866 --> 00:24:13,166 us how it is that a sinful 406 00:24:13,166 --> 00:24:17,000 human being can be made right with a holy God. 407 00:24:17,733 --> 00:24:21,066 And there is nothing more important than getting the 408 00:24:21,066 --> 00:24:23,400 answer to that question right. 409 00:24:23,966 --> 00:24:26,433 Because there's only one correct answer. 410 00:24:29,033 --> 00:24:30,266 Because there's only one gospel. 411 00:24:31,700 --> 00:24:34,866 That's why Paul was so 412 00:24:34,866 --> 00:24:37,799 emphatic in Galatians 18. 413 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,000 Listen to it again, because you've heard it, but please 414 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,066 look at the emphasis. 415 00:24:44,299 --> 00:24:48,166 He is dire right here with these Galatians. 416 00:24:48,266 --> 00:24:51,500 But even if we are an angel from heaven 417 00:24:51,500 --> 00:24:54,900 should preach to you a gospel contrary 418 00:24:54,900 --> 00:24:57,900 to that which we have preached to you, he 419 00:24:57,900 --> 00:25:02,333 is to be accursed in the Greek anathema. 420 00:25:02,466 --> 00:25:06,133 Same word we looked at earlier, damned to hell. 421 00:25:08,033 --> 00:25:11,233 And in case you didn't get that, look 422 00:25:11,233 --> 00:25:14,233 next in verse 9, because he says it again, as 423 00:25:14,233 --> 00:25:17,599 we have said before, so 424 00:25:17,599 --> 00:25:20,833 I say again now, if any man 425 00:25:20,833 --> 00:25:23,900 is preaching to you a gospel contrary to 426 00:25:23,900 --> 00:25:28,500 what you have received, he is to be accursed, 427 00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:32,400 anathema damned to hell, any other gospel. 428 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,799 Now, it's that important. 429 00:25:38,933 --> 00:25:43,933 When it comes to the gospel, it's that important. 430 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,200 Let me give you the next reason for the lack of discernment 431 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,233 that we find in the church of today. 432 00:25:50,299 --> 00:25:53,599 And I'm going to give you, are you ready for the big word of the week? 433 00:25:54,433 --> 00:25:55,466 You ready for this? 434 00:25:55,500 --> 00:25:59,233 And I want you to remember, big words that 435 00:25:59,233 --> 00:26:02,533 you don't know the meaning of are simply 436 00:26:02,533 --> 00:26:05,599 because you've never looked up the definition for the big 437 00:26:05,599 --> 00:26:09,000 word, and once you do, presto, 438 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:10,033 you know the meaning of it. 439 00:26:10,099 --> 00:26:11,000 Okay? 440 00:26:11,066 --> 00:26:12,266 I mean, look. 441 00:26:13,733 --> 00:26:17,066 I have my highest level of education 442 00:26:17,066 --> 00:26:20,099 is an associate's degree in business administration from 443 00:26:20,099 --> 00:26:23,099 Delta Junior college, not exactly 444 00:26:23,099 --> 00:26:26,099 the academic elite in 445 00:26:26,099 --> 00:26:27,366 colleges in America, okay? 446 00:26:27,433 --> 00:26:30,566 So if I can look up what this next word means, and 447 00:26:30,566 --> 00:26:34,333 understand the definition of it, I promise so can you. 448 00:26:36,599 --> 00:26:39,700 The next reason for the lack of discernment in 449 00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:43,333 the church is a failure to be antithetical. 450 00:26:45,099 --> 00:26:46,000 You ever heard that word? 451 00:26:46,033 --> 00:26:46,766 What does that mean? 452 00:26:46,799 --> 00:26:48,166 Antithetical. 453 00:26:48,266 --> 00:26:51,433 That's an adjective, describing something that 454 00:26:51,433 --> 00:26:54,900 is in direct and extreme opposition or 455 00:26:54,900 --> 00:26:58,033 contradiction to something else, right? 456 00:26:58,033 --> 00:27:01,099 To be antithetical, to 457 00:27:01,099 --> 00:27:04,533 put it another way for our purposes in what we're talking about. 458 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,900 The problem in the church is 459 00:27:09,900 --> 00:27:12,733 an unwillingness to disagree about anything. 460 00:27:15,299 --> 00:27:18,500 and unwillingness to be antithetical. 461 00:27:20,500 --> 00:27:23,733 And then Martin Lloyd Jones, the doctor 462 00:27:23,733 --> 00:27:27,533 himself, says this, quote, 463 00:27:27,533 --> 00:27:31,200 When you remove polemics 464 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:34,466 from the church, the church dies. 465 00:27:34,466 --> 00:27:37,233 Now, there's another word we need to define, right? 466 00:27:37,266 --> 00:27:39,900 Polemics means this. 467 00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:44,200 A forceful, aggressive, or spoken 468 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,766 argument designed to fiercely attack, 469 00:27:47,766 --> 00:27:51,500 or vigorously defend a specific opinion, 470 00:27:51,500 --> 00:27:52,766 belief, or doctrine. 471 00:27:54,500 --> 00:27:56,733 Dr. Lloyd Jones says, when you remove that, 472 00:27:57,733 --> 00:28:01,200 When you remove polemics from the church, the 473 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,366 church dies, and I agree, especially in 474 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:06,033 this internate age. 475 00:28:08,433 --> 00:28:11,599 What I'm telling you, what's critical right now in 2026 is 476 00:28:11,599 --> 00:28:14,700 there has to be constant, healthy 477 00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:17,700 discussion and debate about 478 00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:19,566 truth in the church. 479 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:25,233 That's what Pastor Brian Gunnar and I from Salem Baptist 480 00:28:25,233 --> 00:28:28,333 Church were engaged in, when we responded 481 00:28:28,333 --> 00:28:31,466 to the events down the street here that became national news 482 00:28:31,466 --> 00:28:33,033 and went viral online. 483 00:28:34,133 --> 00:28:37,700 We decided, together, that it was important for 484 00:28:37,700 --> 00:28:40,866 two local pastors to step up and answer 485 00:28:40,866 --> 00:28:45,299 the question publicly, When is violence justifiable 486 00:28:45,299 --> 00:28:46,799 according to scripture? 487 00:28:48,733 --> 00:28:50,099 But as I said in my remarks, 488 00:28:51,433 --> 00:28:54,433 Me and Brian look around for other 489 00:28:54,433 --> 00:28:57,966 church leaders to join us in these endeavors, we 490 00:28:57,966 --> 00:29:00,000 only find ourselves looking at each other. 491 00:29:02,633 --> 00:29:02,966 Why? 492 00:29:03,066 --> 00:29:03,900 Why is that? 493 00:29:03,966 --> 00:29:06,433 Most people are just afraid. 494 00:29:08,333 --> 00:29:08,966 That's what it is. 495 00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:13,766 Afraid, for many reasons, to be involved in 496 00:29:13,766 --> 00:29:17,166 any way, in anything that even smacks 497 00:29:17,166 --> 00:29:20,466 of a controversial issue in the public arena. 498 00:29:21,900 --> 00:29:22,466 Let me tell you. 499 00:29:22,500 --> 00:29:25,666 When you decide that taking 500 00:29:25,700 --> 00:29:28,833 a stand for something, or debating 501 00:29:28,833 --> 00:29:33,033 something is being divisive, 502 00:29:33,033 --> 00:29:36,200 or that disagreement is intolerable, 503 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,200 because everybody's got a right, to their own 504 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,900 opinion, let me tell you, in that kind of environment, 505 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:46,133 you forfeit any chance for 506 00:29:46,166 --> 00:29:48,333 real reformation in the Church of Jesus Christ. 507 00:29:49,299 --> 00:29:50,133 Forfeit it. 508 00:29:52,533 --> 00:29:53,466 Listen to me. 509 00:29:53,533 --> 00:29:55,933 As Christians, we have to be antithetical. 510 00:29:57,233 --> 00:30:00,500 especially in this day and age, because 511 00:30:00,500 --> 00:30:01,566 there's only one truth. 512 00:30:04,099 --> 00:30:05,066 God's truth! 513 00:30:06,833 --> 00:30:08,366 Founding God's word alone. 514 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:12,700 And because of that, reality? 515 00:30:12,733 --> 00:30:16,566 Let me tell you, we have to, as Christians have 516 00:30:16,566 --> 00:30:20,333 to be willing to say things like, that is right, 517 00:30:20,366 --> 00:30:23,433 and that is wrong, according to the Word of God. 518 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:26,500 We cannot be afraid of that. 519 00:30:28,933 --> 00:30:32,099 Right now, the majority 520 00:30:32,099 --> 00:30:35,866 report in the church is this politically 521 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:41,066 correct sentimental, safe relativism 522 00:30:41,066 --> 00:30:44,700 that doesn't want to disagree with anything or 523 00:30:44,700 --> 00:30:47,833 anybody, don't rock any boats, just 524 00:30:47,833 --> 00:30:49,166 stay in your four walls. 525 00:30:49,266 --> 00:30:52,400 And even if somebody does disagree with 526 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,500 something, hoo, they 527 00:30:55,500 --> 00:30:56,933 don't have the courage to say it out loud. 528 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:00,099 Not publicly. 529 00:31:01,799 --> 00:31:04,933 You may remember the emerging church, some years 530 00:31:04,933 --> 00:31:08,066 ago, one of the many fads that came and 531 00:31:08,066 --> 00:31:11,466 went, but sadly, 532 00:31:11,466 --> 00:31:14,766 it still has some of its lingering effects that 533 00:31:14,766 --> 00:31:17,933 continue to this day, such 534 00:31:17,966 --> 00:31:21,299 as, well, you know what, man, you are too intense, 535 00:31:21,299 --> 00:31:24,366 because nobody's really all the way wrong, 536 00:31:24,366 --> 00:31:26,599 and nobody's really all the way wrong. 537 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:30,966 Nothing's really all the way true, and nothing's really 538 00:31:30,966 --> 00:31:32,400 all the way false. 539 00:31:32,466 --> 00:31:34,933 We're all just here trying to figure it out. 540 00:31:36,500 --> 00:31:38,500 That's the emerging church in a nutshell. 541 00:31:38,533 --> 00:31:42,433 I mean, you have a right to come to whatever spiritual 542 00:31:42,433 --> 00:31:45,799 conclusion you want to, and that's good for you, that's good for you. 543 00:31:48,433 --> 00:31:51,900 Let me tell you, that is poison to the church. 544 00:31:51,966 --> 00:31:53,900 right there, that kind of thinking. 545 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,366 When everything is subjective, that 546 00:32:00,366 --> 00:32:03,533 spells disaster for the church. 547 00:32:05,599 --> 00:32:09,066 Today, biblical expository 548 00:32:09,066 --> 00:32:12,066 preaching is no longer 549 00:32:12,066 --> 00:32:13,133 relevant in our culture. 550 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:14,266 Why? 551 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,633 Because it's too definitive, like today. 552 00:32:19,633 --> 00:32:22,266 It's too offensive, like today. 553 00:32:23,599 --> 00:32:27,099 It's too sharp, like today. 554 00:32:27,133 --> 00:32:29,400 It's too black and white. 555 00:32:29,466 --> 00:32:31,266 It's too absolute. 556 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,833 It hurts people's feelings. 557 00:32:36,099 --> 00:32:37,666 It offends people. 558 00:32:39,299 --> 00:32:40,766 when you're this black and white. 559 00:32:43,433 --> 00:32:44,466 But let me tell you something. 560 00:32:47,599 --> 00:32:51,066 If you properly understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, 561 00:32:51,066 --> 00:32:54,233 then you understand that the gospel is 562 00:32:54,266 --> 00:32:58,233 the most offensive message that exists on Earth. 563 00:33:01,333 --> 00:33:04,466 Being antithetical in a world that is shaped 564 00:33:04,466 --> 00:33:08,200 by voting Bachham's 11th commandment, Thou 565 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:12,033 shalt be nice, means, 566 00:33:12,033 --> 00:33:15,200 What it's going to take to be a 567 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,866 faithful Christian in this environment 568 00:33:20,799 --> 00:33:23,366 that we live in today boils down to one word. 569 00:33:25,033 --> 00:33:25,700 Courage. 570 00:33:28,433 --> 00:33:32,099 And I find courage to 571 00:33:32,099 --> 00:33:36,366 be in short supply amongst our church leaders, today, 572 00:33:36,366 --> 00:33:39,500 and that makes me wonder, what would happen with 573 00:33:39,500 --> 00:33:42,666 the church in America, if real persecution 574 00:33:42,666 --> 00:33:45,200 broke out, like right now, that what they have in Africa? 575 00:33:47,833 --> 00:33:50,766 And look, let me be clear, too, here. 576 00:33:51,799 --> 00:33:55,533 Being antithetical does not mean being ugly to people. 577 00:33:57,533 --> 00:34:01,633 Being antithetical does not mean being mean. 578 00:34:04,799 --> 00:34:07,966 Just because I raised my voice when I preach doesn't mean I'm a mean guy. 579 00:34:09,333 --> 00:34:12,300 Or I'm ugly, or I'm being ugly. 580 00:34:14,033 --> 00:34:17,233 What being antithetical is simply 581 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:21,400 defending God's truth against error. 582 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:24,366 in a very clear and articulate way. 583 00:34:25,599 --> 00:34:27,699 That's what being antithetical is. 584 00:34:29,833 --> 00:34:31,766 And really, just think about it. 585 00:34:32,599 --> 00:34:35,733 When you read your Bible, it's 586 00:34:35,733 --> 00:34:39,466 not just the words in the pages that are black and white, the 587 00:34:39,500 --> 00:34:43,400 pen is black and white, it's absolute. 588 00:34:44,433 --> 00:34:45,566 From start to finish. 589 00:34:46,733 --> 00:34:50,900 Oh, I want you to listen to something Bible commentators John Adams wrote. 590 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:54,066 It's a lengthy quote, but it's good for our instruction 591 00:34:54,066 --> 00:34:55,133 in this situation. 592 00:34:56,633 --> 00:34:57,966 Listen to what he wrote, quote. 593 00:34:58,833 --> 00:35:03,199 From the Garden of Eden, with its two trees, 594 00:35:03,199 --> 00:35:07,099 one allowed, one forbidden, to 595 00:35:07,099 --> 00:35:10,099 the eternal destiny of every human being 596 00:35:10,099 --> 00:35:12,933 in heaven, or hell. 597 00:35:14,099 --> 00:35:17,199 The Bible sets forth two and 598 00:35:17,199 --> 00:35:21,000 only two ways, God's way, and all other ways. 599 00:35:22,133 --> 00:35:26,599 Accordingly, people are either saved or lost. 600 00:35:28,133 --> 00:35:31,633 They belong to God's people, or the world. 601 00:35:32,500 --> 00:35:35,599 There is garism, the amount of blessing, and 602 00:35:35,599 --> 00:35:36,933 evald the amount of cursing. 603 00:35:38,500 --> 00:35:41,733 There is the narrow way and the wide way. 604 00:35:42,933 --> 00:35:45,966 One leads to eternal life, the 605 00:35:45,966 --> 00:35:47,166 other to eternal destruction. 606 00:35:48,433 --> 00:35:50,000 There are those who are with us? 607 00:35:51,099 --> 00:35:52,666 There are those who are against us. 608 00:35:54,233 --> 00:35:56,099 There are those who are within the kingdom. 609 00:35:57,199 --> 00:35:59,199 There are those who are outside the kingdom. 610 00:36:00,199 --> 00:36:02,666 There is life, and there is death. 611 00:36:04,233 --> 00:36:05,300 There is truth. 612 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:07,099 And there is falsehood. 613 00:36:07,833 --> 00:36:08,699 There is good. 614 00:36:09,533 --> 00:36:10,400 and there is bad. 615 00:36:11,233 --> 00:36:14,000 There is light, and there is darkness. 616 00:36:14,099 --> 00:36:18,066 There is the kingdom of God, there is the kingdom of Satan. 617 00:36:18,199 --> 00:36:21,333 There is love, and there is hatred. 618 00:36:21,366 --> 00:36:24,833 There is spiritual wisdom, and the wisdom of the world, 619 00:36:24,866 --> 00:36:28,199 and Christ is said to be the way, 620 00:36:28,199 --> 00:36:31,199 the truth, the life, and no one 621 00:36:31,199 --> 00:36:33,766 may come to the Father, but by him. 622 00:36:33,866 --> 00:36:38,000 He is the only name under the sky by 623 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:39,866 which anyone may be saved. 624 00:36:39,966 --> 00:36:40,933 End quote. 625 00:36:41,066 --> 00:36:42,800 That is Christianity. 626 00:36:45,199 --> 00:36:46,000 Antithetical. 627 00:36:49,033 --> 00:36:52,199 That is exactly, folks, 628 00:36:52,199 --> 00:36:53,400 the way the Bible presents itself. 629 00:36:55,333 --> 00:36:59,300 There is right theology, and anything that disagrees 630 00:36:59,300 --> 00:37:00,433 with right theology. 631 00:37:00,566 --> 00:37:01,300 Guess what that is? 632 00:37:01,333 --> 00:37:02,699 wrong theology. 633 00:37:04,333 --> 00:37:07,466 There is a right way to understand God 634 00:37:07,466 --> 00:37:10,633 and Christ and the Holy Spirit and salvation 635 00:37:10,633 --> 00:37:14,066 in a wrong way, many wrong ways, for that matter. 636 00:37:16,133 --> 00:37:19,866 This is on every page of the Bible. 637 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,333 This antithetical kind of thinking is 638 00:37:25,333 --> 00:37:26,699 everywhere inscription. 639 00:37:28,099 --> 00:37:29,599 Real quick example. 640 00:37:29,666 --> 00:37:33,566 Think about how God put 641 00:37:33,566 --> 00:37:36,566 the ceremonial law in 642 00:37:36,566 --> 00:37:38,433 place in the Old Testament. 643 00:37:38,466 --> 00:37:42,300 You ever wonder why in Old Testament Judaism. 644 00:37:42,433 --> 00:37:45,566 There were many distinctions in the Old Testament 645 00:37:45,566 --> 00:37:48,033 Judaism that didn't really have anything to do with morality. 646 00:37:49,099 --> 00:37:51,766 I mean, there were clean and unclean animals, right? 647 00:37:52,833 --> 00:37:55,166 I mean, there was things you could eat and things you couldn't eat. 648 00:37:55,833 --> 00:37:59,833 There were certain ways that the food had to be prepared. 649 00:37:59,900 --> 00:38:02,733 They had all these little rules. 650 00:38:02,766 --> 00:38:03,900 And why? 651 00:38:04,033 --> 00:38:07,566 Why did God put all that in place back then? 652 00:38:07,633 --> 00:38:10,800 Well, it wasn't arbitrary, that's for sure, because God doesn't 653 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:12,000 do anything arbitrary. 654 00:38:12,133 --> 00:38:15,199 And it covered all kinds of things, how you ate, how you 655 00:38:15,199 --> 00:38:18,266 cooked, how you formed, how what kind 656 00:38:18,266 --> 00:38:21,566 of clothes you wore, and so consider this. 657 00:38:22,833 --> 00:38:26,466 As an Old Testament Jew, you had to think. 658 00:38:27,900 --> 00:38:31,900 about everything that you did. 659 00:38:32,199 --> 00:38:35,233 And you had to know, in your mind, every 660 00:38:35,233 --> 00:38:38,233 single day, that there was 661 00:38:38,233 --> 00:38:42,900 God's way of doing things and every other way. 662 00:38:45,433 --> 00:38:47,300 And you lived it out daily. 663 00:38:48,933 --> 00:38:50,099 And you never forgot it. 664 00:38:51,633 --> 00:38:53,233 They were real clear about it. 665 00:38:54,733 --> 00:38:55,866 Today is totally different. 666 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:02,000 Very few distinguish between God's 667 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:06,199 way in every other way, in 668 00:39:06,199 --> 00:39:07,466 every subject under the sun. 669 00:39:09,933 --> 00:39:12,000 We have God's truth and the world's wisdom. 670 00:39:14,033 --> 00:39:18,000 And those with worldly wisdom think that 671 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:21,066 they are the intellectual elites, and we are 672 00:39:21,066 --> 00:39:23,699 just the old Bible thumping hillbillies. 673 00:39:25,900 --> 00:39:27,866 They absolutely have no idea. 674 00:39:29,433 --> 00:39:31,199 What true reality is. 675 00:39:33,300 --> 00:39:37,233 Even among the politically conservative, those 676 00:39:37,233 --> 00:39:41,833 who are Christless conservatives, guess what? 677 00:39:41,900 --> 00:39:43,699 They have nothing but worldly wisdom, too. 678 00:39:43,766 --> 00:39:46,699 They may have some morality that lines up with us, but that's about it. 679 00:39:47,599 --> 00:39:50,666 And that's why, for example, chryslist conservatives will 680 00:39:50,666 --> 00:39:53,533 support two men being married and adopting children. 681 00:39:53,599 --> 00:39:55,866 Many Republicans support that. 682 00:39:55,933 --> 00:39:58,933 That's worldly wisdom, which is 683 00:39:58,933 --> 00:40:01,199 really not wise at all in any way. 684 00:40:02,433 --> 00:40:06,366 Look at what Paul says in Titus 1, verse 9. 685 00:40:08,233 --> 00:40:11,833 Holding fast the faithful word, 686 00:40:11,833 --> 00:40:15,566 which is in accordance with the teaching, 687 00:40:15,566 --> 00:40:19,466 so that he will be able both to exhort in 688 00:40:19,466 --> 00:40:22,933 sound doctrine and to 689 00:40:22,933 --> 00:40:25,500 refute those who contradict. 690 00:40:26,699 --> 00:40:30,133 Holding fast means having a strong grip 691 00:40:30,133 --> 00:40:33,199 on the faithful Word of God, in accordance with 692 00:40:33,199 --> 00:40:36,266 the teaching, understanding what it teaches, 693 00:40:36,266 --> 00:40:39,733 so that you will be able, and here's the kicker, 694 00:40:39,733 --> 00:40:42,866 so that you will be able both to exhort in 695 00:40:42,866 --> 00:40:47,199 sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. 696 00:40:48,833 --> 00:40:50,300 In the ministry, especially. 697 00:40:51,300 --> 00:40:54,199 We exhort people in sound doctrine. 698 00:40:54,266 --> 00:40:58,033 Today, I'm exhorting you in sound doctrine. 699 00:40:58,099 --> 00:40:59,000 That's the positive side. 700 00:40:59,099 --> 00:41:02,333 But it's also critical that we refute those 701 00:41:02,366 --> 00:41:05,500 who contradict sound doctrine. 702 00:41:05,533 --> 00:41:09,366 We live in a time where discernment is 703 00:41:09,366 --> 00:41:10,500 viewed as harsh. 704 00:41:13,633 --> 00:41:16,633 mean, calling out 705 00:41:16,633 --> 00:41:19,800 someone else's error, for 706 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:23,166 many people is just flat out, intolerable. 707 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,099 And what happens in that scenario when you don't do that? 708 00:41:27,133 --> 00:41:28,800 Well, that error wins the day. 709 00:41:30,933 --> 00:41:31,566 Here recently. 710 00:41:33,733 --> 00:41:37,633 as a part of responding to the week 711 00:41:37,633 --> 00:41:40,266 long national news that we had down the street here. 712 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,766 anybody who called out the 713 00:41:44,766 --> 00:41:47,766 major heresy of oneness 714 00:41:47,766 --> 00:41:51,966 theology which denies that God is Trinity. 715 00:41:52,033 --> 00:41:55,400 Anybody that called that out online was 716 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:56,533 roasted in the comments. 717 00:41:56,599 --> 00:41:59,300 How dare you say that about that man? 718 00:42:01,833 --> 00:42:04,933 Pastor Brian and I both did, from the pulpit. 719 00:42:05,066 --> 00:42:08,000 And we posted the video publicly. 720 00:42:08,066 --> 00:42:09,400 You want to know why? 721 00:42:09,433 --> 00:42:12,433 Because denying the Trinity is first level, 722 00:42:12,433 --> 00:42:14,833 top of the list, heresy. 723 00:42:16,699 --> 00:42:19,833 As I said last week, if you don't believe in the Trinity, you're 724 00:42:19,833 --> 00:42:23,699 not a Christian, period, I don't care much, Jesus you attach to what you say. 725 00:42:26,133 --> 00:42:31,900 Listen, discernment will only thrive 726 00:42:31,900 --> 00:42:35,166 in an environment of necessary confrontation 727 00:42:35,166 --> 00:42:38,233 when you refute those who 728 00:42:38,233 --> 00:42:39,666 contradict sound doctrine. 729 00:42:40,900 --> 00:42:44,266 And an environment of pastors who 730 00:42:44,266 --> 00:42:49,599 have the courage to, as Titus, 731 00:42:49,599 --> 00:42:54,400 19, it says, again, 732 00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:58,933 look at it, refute those, who 733 00:42:58,933 --> 00:43:02,366 contradict sound doctrine. 734 00:43:04,099 --> 00:43:05,300 That's what Brian and I did. 735 00:43:06,033 --> 00:43:09,199 That's what the people who got roasted online did, when 736 00:43:09,199 --> 00:43:12,966 they pointed out oneness theology that denies the Trinity. 737 00:43:13,033 --> 00:43:14,066 Understand? 738 00:43:17,166 --> 00:43:19,433 There is antithesis, and there is thesis. 739 00:43:20,733 --> 00:43:22,199 There is black, and there is white. 740 00:43:22,266 --> 00:43:24,133 There is true, and there is false. 741 00:43:24,199 --> 00:43:27,900 There is right, there is wrong, and it's part of our responsibility 742 00:43:27,900 --> 00:43:30,900 as Christians alive on the earth right now to 743 00:43:30,900 --> 00:43:32,766 be guardians of God's truth. 744 00:43:32,833 --> 00:43:34,099 You understand that? 745 00:43:34,199 --> 00:43:36,433 That's not just my responsibility. 746 00:43:36,433 --> 00:43:39,066 That's your responsibility as well. 747 00:43:39,133 --> 00:43:41,466 Now, let me give you a third cause for the lack of discernment. 748 00:43:43,833 --> 00:43:47,066 A preoccupation with image and influence 749 00:43:48,400 --> 00:43:50,666 as a key to evangelization. 750 00:43:50,766 --> 00:43:51,966 The idea is this. 751 00:43:52,900 --> 00:43:54,500 And it's an old one, now. 752 00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:59,099 The church will be more effective in evangelism, 753 00:43:59,099 --> 00:44:03,133 if it can create an environment that embraces unbelievers. 754 00:44:05,099 --> 00:44:08,233 That's the methodology of the seeker friendly 755 00:44:08,233 --> 00:44:11,233 movement that's tried all kind of things over 756 00:44:11,233 --> 00:44:14,233 the last 30 to 40 years, and 757 00:44:14,233 --> 00:44:17,766 it still exists today in varying different types of iterations. 758 00:44:18,900 --> 00:44:22,033 The idea is, make unbelievers feel 759 00:44:22,033 --> 00:44:23,699 good about going to church. 760 00:44:25,433 --> 00:44:27,566 Which also, at the same time, means this. 761 00:44:27,599 --> 00:44:30,833 Do not confront them boldly 762 00:44:30,866 --> 00:44:33,400 with the full counsel of God. 763 00:44:33,433 --> 00:44:35,466 Don't do that, or they're not going to feel good. 764 00:44:36,933 --> 00:44:40,500 Do not, especially, confront them with their sin. 765 00:44:40,566 --> 00:44:41,699 Don't even say the word sin. 766 00:44:41,833 --> 00:44:44,366 Do not confront their error. 767 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:46,866 Do not call them to repentance. 768 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,233 Don't even use the word sin, repentance, wrath, 769 00:44:50,233 --> 00:44:53,900 judgment, or hell, because none of that makes them feel good. 770 00:44:56,966 --> 00:44:59,966 If you say any of that, that's going to offend them. 771 00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:05,866 Get anything remotely perceived as offensive out. 772 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:09,166 Get anything different out. 773 00:45:09,199 --> 00:45:09,866 You know what? 774 00:45:09,866 --> 00:45:12,733 Today, the old hymns are considered different. 775 00:45:14,900 --> 00:45:18,199 We are considered, if you didn't know this, different 776 00:45:19,733 --> 00:45:21,199 in our community as a church. 777 00:45:23,300 --> 00:45:25,400 Because we stick to the old hymns in our service. 778 00:45:26,599 --> 00:45:29,966 Expository preaching is considered different. 779 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:34,466 Very few pastors in our community, and comparatively speaking, 780 00:45:34,466 --> 00:45:36,866 in our nation, preach verse by verse today. 781 00:45:38,599 --> 00:45:42,066 The illusion here is that if we can influence 782 00:45:42,066 --> 00:45:45,433 them into Christianity by cutting out everything 783 00:45:45,433 --> 00:45:49,199 that is offensive to them, and we can just reinvent 784 00:45:49,199 --> 00:45:52,366 the church, and make it just another form of 785 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:55,466 entertainment, big musical productions, 786 00:45:55,466 --> 00:45:58,699 with psychology, and Jesus name, to 787 00:45:58,699 --> 00:46:01,699 boost their self esteem, well, 788 00:46:01,699 --> 00:46:06,666 then, kind of like undercover, we can subtly sneak in 789 00:46:07,633 --> 00:46:10,766 minimalist gossel, which doesn't give you all the necessary 790 00:46:10,766 --> 00:46:13,800 components that you have to know, like the bad news of the 791 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:16,199 gospel before you ever get to the good news of the gospel. 792 00:46:16,266 --> 00:46:17,766 You put all together, 793 00:46:17,966 --> 00:46:19,400 And let me tell you something. 794 00:46:19,500 --> 00:46:21,900 That is a place where discernment goes to die. 795 00:46:24,300 --> 00:46:25,233 Certain death. 796 00:46:26,599 --> 00:46:29,599 And that, to varying degrees in methods, is 797 00:46:29,599 --> 00:46:32,599 really the majority report, especially in most 798 00:46:32,599 --> 00:46:34,833 of our larger churches in America. 799 00:46:36,233 --> 00:46:40,033 The idea that somebody gets saved because of somebody else's 800 00:46:40,033 --> 00:46:42,500 influence is false. 801 00:46:43,733 --> 00:46:47,099 The only reason anybody ever gets saved 802 00:46:47,099 --> 00:46:50,533 is because they hear the biblical 803 00:46:50,533 --> 00:46:54,433 gospel, and they repent, and they believe that gospel. 804 00:46:55,900 --> 00:46:59,133 As you know, our worship 805 00:46:59,133 --> 00:47:02,633 service is designed by following the Bible, alone, 806 00:47:02,666 --> 00:47:05,900 which means our worship service, is 807 00:47:05,900 --> 00:47:09,066 designed for believers. 808 00:47:12,199 --> 00:47:15,300 The only seekers who 809 00:47:15,300 --> 00:47:18,300 are seeking God are 810 00:47:18,300 --> 00:47:21,433 genuinely regenerate believers. 811 00:47:21,933 --> 00:47:24,199 That's the only people that are seeking God. 812 00:47:25,099 --> 00:47:29,166 Breaking news from Romans 311 for all unbelievers. 813 00:47:29,166 --> 00:47:29,900 You ready for this? 814 00:47:29,900 --> 00:47:30,366 Breaking news? 815 00:47:31,500 --> 00:47:35,599 There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. 816 00:47:36,633 --> 00:47:37,566 Breaking news. 817 00:47:39,333 --> 00:47:41,699 Now, we want them to come on in, Jack. 818 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:44,266 I don't care how you're dressed. 819 00:47:44,366 --> 00:47:47,133 Long as you got clothes on, and you don't disrupt anything. 820 00:47:48,533 --> 00:47:51,599 We want them to hear the gospel, and if they 821 00:47:51,599 --> 00:47:54,666 repent and believe, guess what, then 822 00:47:54,666 --> 00:47:58,133 they can become seekers just like the rest of us, we're 823 00:47:58,166 --> 00:48:00,566 now seekers, that believe. 824 00:48:01,699 --> 00:48:04,833 If you are truly a believing seeker, guess what? 825 00:48:04,866 --> 00:48:07,933 All of a sudden, the preaching about sin, 826 00:48:07,933 --> 00:48:10,933 and about death, and about hell, and about a bloody 827 00:48:10,933 --> 00:48:13,933 substitutionary atonement on a cross becomes 828 00:48:13,933 --> 00:48:15,566 something you can't get enough of. 829 00:48:17,533 --> 00:48:18,366 When you're a believer. 830 00:48:21,500 --> 00:48:24,733 If you think that dishing 831 00:48:24,733 --> 00:48:28,033 out nothing but love, and care, and 832 00:48:28,033 --> 00:48:31,166 being nice, and, oh, if they'll like us, 833 00:48:31,166 --> 00:48:34,333 maybe they'll like Jesus is the way to go, well, guess what? 834 00:48:34,466 --> 00:48:36,266 You just skipped over Jesus' method. 835 00:48:37,633 --> 00:48:40,199 The Bible says Jesus came preaching repentance. 836 00:48:42,233 --> 00:48:43,466 And they hated him for it. 837 00:48:44,699 --> 00:48:47,800 And they constantly plotted to kill him, and 838 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:50,900 they eventually executed him because of 839 00:48:50,900 --> 00:48:52,400 the words that he said. 840 00:48:52,466 --> 00:48:53,800 Same thing happened to 841 00:48:53,900 --> 00:48:57,366 of the apostles, because as I said earlier, and I'll say all the time. 842 00:48:57,500 --> 00:49:00,733 The gospel accurately presented is 843 00:49:00,733 --> 00:49:02,833 the most offensive message in all of the world. 844 00:49:04,833 --> 00:49:08,666 Now lastly, for today, a fourth reason. 845 00:49:10,599 --> 00:49:13,699 that we have such a lack of discernment in the church today is a 846 00:49:13,699 --> 00:49:18,800 failure to interpret scripture properly. 847 00:49:21,099 --> 00:49:21,466 Guess what? 848 00:49:21,500 --> 00:49:22,166 It's real simple. 849 00:49:22,199 --> 00:49:24,233 The meaning of the scripture is the scripture. 850 00:49:26,300 --> 00:49:29,000 I, for example, what we looked at last week. 851 00:49:29,066 --> 00:49:31,033 Do you remember what we looked at in the Gospel of John? 852 00:49:31,099 --> 00:49:33,366 How in the world? 853 00:49:34,933 --> 00:49:38,766 Do you come away from that text that we read with 854 00:49:38,766 --> 00:49:42,000 an interpretation that says Jesus never claimed to be God? 855 00:49:43,300 --> 00:49:46,366 He said, I am the father of one, and for this very 856 00:49:46,366 --> 00:49:49,400 reason, the Jews picked up stones because 857 00:49:49,400 --> 00:49:51,566 he was making himself equal to God. 858 00:49:52,133 --> 00:49:53,966 How do you come up with any other interpretation? 859 00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:56,066 Then Jesus is God. 860 00:49:56,166 --> 00:49:57,800 I can't even begin to get it. 861 00:49:59,133 --> 00:50:03,066 The meaning of the words in the scripture is the scripture. 862 00:50:03,133 --> 00:50:05,099 If you don't have the true meaning, guess what? 863 00:50:05,233 --> 00:50:06,366 You don't have the scripture. 864 00:50:08,333 --> 00:50:12,266 So if you misinterpret the scripture, that's not the scripture, is what I'm saying. 865 00:50:12,300 --> 00:50:16,733 For example, if you're going to do a study 866 00:50:16,733 --> 00:50:20,300 on the nature, and the being of God, 867 00:50:20,300 --> 00:50:24,433 and you come out of that study with 868 00:50:24,433 --> 00:50:27,666 an interpretation that says, God can only exist 869 00:50:27,666 --> 00:50:30,833 in one mode at a time, he 870 00:50:30,866 --> 00:50:33,933 can only be the father, when he's in the mode of 871 00:50:33,933 --> 00:50:37,333 being the father, and so on, that's 872 00:50:37,333 --> 00:50:41,000 not the meaning of the scripture on that subject. 873 00:50:41,066 --> 00:50:44,300 I don't care how much Jesus, you shout 874 00:50:44,300 --> 00:50:48,033 and yell about in your service, and therefore, that's not the scripture. 875 00:50:49,500 --> 00:50:51,266 And with that subject? 876 00:50:53,033 --> 00:50:55,800 Well, church, that's more than just error right there. 877 00:50:55,866 --> 00:50:57,533 That's heresy. 878 00:50:59,300 --> 00:51:00,199 Heresy. 879 00:51:02,333 --> 00:51:05,699 If you can read just the book of Romans, and 880 00:51:05,699 --> 00:51:08,833 come out with an interpretation that says justification is not 881 00:51:08,833 --> 00:51:12,199 by faith alone, that our works play 882 00:51:12,199 --> 00:51:15,433 a role in our justification, that's not the scripture. 883 00:51:16,333 --> 00:51:19,566 And not only that, in denying sola 884 00:51:19,566 --> 00:51:23,233 fide, you have obliterated the gospel, and you 885 00:51:23,233 --> 00:51:26,533 have just made clear by your proclamation that 886 00:51:26,533 --> 00:51:29,533 Christ's work on the cross as your substitute 887 00:51:29,533 --> 00:51:30,800 was not enough. 888 00:51:31,733 --> 00:51:36,133 You have to add some things to what he did on the cross in order to be justified. 889 00:51:38,733 --> 00:51:42,500 So when we think about this whole issue of discernment, 890 00:51:42,500 --> 00:51:46,099 we have to realize that discernment 891 00:51:46,099 --> 00:51:49,266 cannot survive in an environment where 892 00:51:49,266 --> 00:51:50,833 doctrine does not matter. 893 00:51:52,699 --> 00:51:56,066 Discernment cannot survive in an environment 894 00:51:56,066 --> 00:51:59,466 where we are scared to offend anybody, 895 00:51:59,466 --> 00:52:02,466 where we are scared to disagree with 896 00:52:02,466 --> 00:52:06,233 anybody, or have a contrary opinion, 897 00:52:06,266 --> 00:52:09,366 or we're scared to call out false doctrine, 898 00:52:09,366 --> 00:52:11,333 because we're going to hurt somebody's feelings. 899 00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:12,533 Let me tell you something. 900 00:52:12,599 --> 00:52:17,033 The future of the church is absolutely counting 901 00:52:17,033 --> 00:52:20,066 on both courageous church 902 00:52:20,066 --> 00:52:23,366 leaders and membership, who are discerning Christians, 903 00:52:23,366 --> 00:52:27,099 who are very concerned to preserve, proclaim, 904 00:52:27,099 --> 00:52:30,800 maintain, and defend the truth at all costs. 905 00:52:30,900 --> 00:52:33,000 No matter what other people think about us. 906 00:52:34,699 --> 00:52:36,199 and to pass down the torch. 907 00:52:38,099 --> 00:52:41,366 of preserving, proclaiming, maintaining, and defending 908 00:52:41,366 --> 00:52:44,433 the truth to the next generation, and 909 00:52:44,433 --> 00:52:47,833 all the generations all the way down until the king returns. 910 00:52:49,800 --> 00:52:50,866 Now I'm really going to close. 911 00:52:52,133 --> 00:52:53,066 Really? 912 00:52:54,300 --> 00:52:55,666 2 Timothy 2:15. 913 00:52:57,900 --> 00:53:00,033 I don't know why y'all got me so wound up this morning. 914 00:53:01,633 --> 00:53:02,900 2 Timothy 2:15. 915 00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:04,900 Paul says this. 916 00:53:05,300 --> 00:53:07,633 Be diligent. 917 00:53:09,000 --> 00:53:12,133 To present yourself approved to God as 918 00:53:12,133 --> 00:53:15,133 a workman, who does not need 919 00:53:15,133 --> 00:53:18,199 to be ashamed, accurately 920 00:53:18,199 --> 00:53:21,199 handling the word of truth. 921 00:53:22,533 --> 00:53:23,599 Now I don't know about you. 922 00:53:25,000 --> 00:53:26,666 But when I face my king, 923 00:53:28,133 --> 00:53:29,900 I don't want to be ashamed of my ministry. 924 00:53:31,833 --> 00:53:34,866 I don't want to stand before my 925 00:53:34,866 --> 00:53:38,099 king ashamed of the Christian 926 00:53:38,099 --> 00:53:41,333 life that I lived, and 927 00:53:41,366 --> 00:53:44,466 to make sure that doesn't happen, I 928 00:53:44,466 --> 00:53:46,433 have to be diligent with this word. 929 00:53:46,500 --> 00:53:49,633 I have to be a workman. 930 00:53:49,766 --> 00:53:51,566 When I prepare these sermons for you, 931 00:53:51,599 --> 00:53:54,766 I have to be a workman, who, as best as I possibly can, 932 00:53:54,800 --> 00:53:57,866 accurately handles the word of truth, 933 00:53:57,866 --> 00:54:01,233 which means I have to be discerning. 934 00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:03,466 And guess what? 935 00:54:03,500 --> 00:54:05,433 So do you, Christian. 936 00:54:06,933 --> 00:54:10,566 You, Christian, have no less of a responsibility to 937 00:54:10,566 --> 00:54:12,199 be discerning than I do. 938 00:54:13,300 --> 00:54:15,933 We just have different levels of accountability before God. 939 00:54:18,733 --> 00:54:22,500 Look, you only get one life to get this figured out. 940 00:54:23,833 --> 00:54:26,966 You only get one life to get it right, and to 941 00:54:26,966 --> 00:54:32,233 get it done on a daily basis, and you do not know. 942 00:54:33,633 --> 00:54:36,733 As Lindsay Graham found out last night, and his family, and the 943 00:54:36,733 --> 00:54:39,733 rest of our nation, when your time is up. 944 00:54:42,866 --> 00:54:45,266 Just in case you're wondering, I have a little bit more to say about this. 945 00:54:46,733 --> 00:54:47,533 Next time. 946 00:54:48,333 --> 00:54:48,866 Let's pray. 947 00:54:49,633 --> 00:54:52,766 Father in heaven, we thank you for this infallible, 948 00:54:52,766 --> 00:54:54,933 inerrant, all sufficient word of God. 949 00:54:55,900 --> 00:54:57,466 It is our meat and our drink. 950 00:54:59,233 --> 00:55:02,666 Lord, I pray that your people have been fed, 951 00:55:02,666 --> 00:55:05,800 your sheep have been fed today, and that we all 952 00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:10,333 walk out of here with a deeper understanding of 953 00:55:10,333 --> 00:55:13,333 the need for discernment, and I pray it has been 954 00:55:13,333 --> 00:55:14,666 done all to your glory. 955 00:55:14,766 --> 00:55:16,266 In Jesus' name we pray. 956 00:55:16,333 --> 00:55:16,800 Amen.