How to Recognize False Teachers (Part Three)

How to Recognize False Teachers ( Jude, Part Three)

Jude 13-25

Introduction:

Over the past few weeks, we have begun to examine Jude’s warnings regarding false teachers and false brethren. He has given examples and has warned of the coming judgment. Here, in verses 13-19, he continues to describe such individuals by the fruits of their words and lives.

Characteristics of False Teachers

¹³Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Some such men are very vocal and public about their stance, John says they are “raging waves of the sea. ” Waves of the “raging” sort only cause damage. Storm waves are truly spectacular. Some people make special trips to the coast to watch the violence of the storm-driven waves in the winter. But such watchers usually know enough to stay out of the reach of those waves, for fear of their lives. People who get up close for a “special photo” often become casualties.

Human Movements and Waves of Unrest

Similarly, people who join movements that God did not originate eventually become part of the sad wreckage those movements bring. Even genuine believers can become distracted by the affairs of the world, and often become “shipwrecked,” unable to function as believers, because they have abandoned the path that God offered them. They have become judicially blind, and they are now unable to see His light. They unwittingly worked for the enemy, just as Samson did: He was physically blinded, and enslaved by the enemy, because of his own bad decisions.

There are deceitful leaders, who claim the mantle of “religion,” but who only use the church as a political platform. They start Political Action Committees, and Social Reform movements. They draw others to follow them, and they stir up people to anger and unrest.

In some cases, their activity may turn out well, in the short run, but often, there was a hidden agenda. The founder of the movement turns out to be “not as advertised.” They sought money, power, or fame, and often had a “secret life” that gave the lie to everything they said they believed. Sadly, when they are exposed, it also gives “ammunition” to those who claim that “all Christians are hypocrites.” They give unbelievers cause to feel more secure in their unbelief.

We are warned to stay out of the reach of such “waves” and movements. We are commanded to follow Jesus.

Wandering Stars

The phrase “wandering stars” is actually in reference to “planets.” (The Greek phrase is “asteres planetai”) They look like stars, but they do not maintain a reliable position in the sky, and (at that time) they could not be used for celestial navigation.

Today we have reliable predictions as to where in the sky a given planet should be at any given time. So, if a person wanted to use a planet for navigation, they could do so, but with great caution. But, at that time, though the planets looked like very bright stars, people could not use them for navigation, as they kept changing their relative positions in the sky.

Recently, Ann and I noticed some bright lights, to the east of us, low in the sky, hours after sunset. I first thought that they were planets, and I wondered which planets they were. But these were more unreliable than planets: They were the landing lights of distant aircraft, facing toward us, so that we had to watch carefully, to see their movement. It was fun to watch the steady stream of aircraft moving into the landing approach pattern, but we can never use such lights to guide our walk on earth. They are not in a stable location in the sky.

Don’t get your directions in life from a false teacher! They might seem to be “shining lights,” but if they are not directing you right back to the Word of God, they are unreliable guides.

God addresses false teachers quite sternly, both here and in 2^nd Peter 2. Here, it says that, because they have rejected the light of God’s Word, and because they have taught others to do so, what awaits them is the blackness of darkness forever. What a grim, terrifying statement!

So, How Do We Learn to Spot a False Teacher?

We do so by learning God’s Truth so intimately that any divergence away from His Word is immediately obvious! And the only way to do that is to deliberately, consistently, feed yourself on His Word. Study it, in orderto root yourself securely in His truth. Allow His Holy Spirit to speak to you through the Word. Go to Him in Prayer, seeking His face, to learn His ways.

Then, when a false teacher opens his or her mouth, your spirit will receive the warning “nudge” of the Holy Spirit, alerting you to listen very carefully: there is something wrong!

Reference to Enoch

Here is another apocryphal quotation. The Book of Enoch is not part of the Canon of scripture. But John uses it to remind us that judgment is coming. All through scripture He repeats the reminder, that God is still the Majesty on high, and He is the Omnipotent, Holy Judge.

¹⁴And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

¹⁵To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

The clear message here is that “no one is ‘getting away with’ anything.” Judgment is coming! Jesus is the Eternal Judge, as well as our Savior. He is the Eternal Judge of all the Earth, as revealed in Genesis 18:25, and John 5:22. He is the coming King, in Revelation 19, arriving to destroy the enemies, and to exact judgment on the Earth.

Observe the Character of False Teachers

¹⁶These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

They murmur against God, and cannot be content. These people pursue their own interests and desires, good or bad, and they do not focus on the things of God. They are great talkers: They use inspiring words, to impress people, and to influence others to think the way they do.

Other translations render this last phrase as, “they seek admiration from other men, and give their admiration to others, to gain advantage.” They seek social advantage and influence, and are willing to say and do the things that gain that advantage.

We Have Been Warned

¹⁷But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁸How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

In our times we have watched the stream of televangelists who have become incredibly wealthy through their preaching. Journalists have caught some in their lies and some in their immorality, and their hypocrisy. But it did not stop them: they kept right on preaching and condemning those who exposed them.

God warned us that they were coming. And the world has flocked after such leaders, openly applauding them for their excesses, and extolling them as “men of God.”

Conclusion, Response of the Believers

So…What are We Supposed to Do?

Jude switches his focus from pointing out the coming hazards and the coming judgment, to giving us final instructions as to how to live in the age of apostasy, when everything around us is collapsing into unbelief and apathy.

First: How do We Respond to God?

What are we to do, to pursue our relationship with Him? (verses 20 and 21)

²⁰But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, ²¹Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Building up (edifying) yourself in your holy faith (Do the things that God says edify believers)
Praying in the Holy Spirit. (Fervent, honest prayer, pouring your heart out before the Lord, and depending on the Holy Spirit to direct your thoughts.)
Keep yourselves in the Love of God. It is our responsibility to direct our love back toward God, who is the origin of the Agapé love. (1^st John 4:7-21)
Look for the Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life. We look only to Jesus for eternal life. We recognize that it is only by His Mercy and Grace that He does not condemn us for our sins. God calls us to continually turn our eyes toward Him, and seek His Mercy and Grace by which to live.

Then: How do We Respond to Those Around Us?

²²And of some have compassion, making a difference: ²³And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

In the context of having warned us of ungodly teachers and deceivers, it would seem that the “some” here, must refer to unbelievers around us, though some assume it is referring to correcting sinning believers.

If we see this passage (verses 22, 23) as being about evangelism (which makes sense, as that is what the Lord left us here to do!) then we may see three categories of sinners:

One

On some, having compassion: “…making a difference” This is a strange phrase, and it is rendered differently in different translations. The distinction (difference) mentioned may be that the person on whom they are having compassion may be “making distinctions” or doubting, arguing against the gospel, or questioning the truth of God’s Word. (Some commentators see it that way.) But it sounds as though we are the ones who are called to be discerning. We may discern that a person’s doubts only amount to excuses for unbelief. We may “challenge their thinking” by using the Word of God as the Sword of the Spirit; gently reminding them that they are running out of time.

Two

“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire…” There may be some that require rather drastic urging, warning them of the coming judgment. Jesus spent far more time warning of the coming Judgment and a literal Hell, than He did describing the Joys of Heaven.

Three

…hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. There may be some that require us to exercise great caution to avoid our being drawn into the sin that is enslaving them. This has frequently happened to believers who attempted to “get close to someone” as an avenue of approach for the Gospel. They tried to “become relevant” to ungodly people by joining them in their activities.

But eventually they found that in doing so, they had wandered away from their own walk with God, and were ensnared by sin, themselves. They ruined their own testimony and instead of “becoming relevant” by joining the world, they became completely irrelevant, as there is no distinction between their life and the lives of the ones whom they are attempting to reach. Bear in mind that light dispels darkness. How? by being the opposite of darkness, not by joining it. Light exposes the deeds of darkness for what they are.

Jude’s Final Benediction

Jude closes his letter by blessing the believers, and by committing them unto the care of God. He blesses God, and declares that all Glory belongs to Him.

²⁴Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

God is the One who keeps us from falling. He is the One who will present us faultless before His throne. He is to be our eternal Joy, as Our Savior and Our God.

²⁵To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Lord Jesus, as You are making us intensely aware of the darkness of the World around us, draw us deeper into Your Light and deeper into Your Truth, so that we truly shine in that darkness, reflecting Your Light, and so that we will have answers for the doubts of those who ask a reason for our faith.

November 15, 2025November 15, 2025

How to Reliably Recognize False Teachers

Part Two: Judgment is coming

Jude 8-13

Introduction:

Last week we began exploring the book of Jude. We only got through the first seven verses. Jude exhorted the true believers to contend for the faith. Why? Specifically because he said there were certain false teachers who had infiltrated the church. Jude listed examples of Old Testament groups God judged for their behavior, connected with unbelief and deliberate disobedience.

Some were believers: Humans, who initially embraced God’s Promise. But they ultimately rejected His command to enter the promised land, and they denied the validity of His promise. They looked at “current events and circumstances,” and chose to reject the promise. So, He denied them the privilege of receiving His promise, and gave it to their children instead.

Some fallen angels, chose to “Go one step further:” They interbred with humans, according to Genesis 6:1-5. God judged these Angels uniquely: Unlike the rest of the fallen angels, their judgment has already fallen. They are in eternal chains, in darkness, awaiting final judgment in the lake of fire.

Some were unbelieving humans: who flagrantly despised both the truth of God, and His holiness. God destroyed them for their immorality and violence.

Jude goes on to describe the “current crop of false brethren.” He said, these likewise “defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Beginning A List of Examples

⁸Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Once again, this is nothing new. Romans 1:21-32 describes the pattern of behavior and the continual deterioration of morality and faith, within the Human Race. The pattern hasn’t changed. Humans still follow this pattern! We wallow in our sin, and we proudly say things like, “Ain’t nobody tells me what to do!” I knew, a man, supposedly a believer, who told me those exact words. He angrily declared himself to be the only authority in his life.

People feel free to excuse or deny their own sins, saying they are just following their heart: they say, “God made me this way!”

Additionally, and even more common: We humans (including believers) feel pretty free to slander politicians we don’t like, as well as other people in authority. We make skits on television mocking the leaders of our country. We have zero respect for the office they hold, let alone the person in question.

Unbelievers even go so far as to mock the Lord himself. They mock His Word with impunity, and make gross allegations against Him, sometimes very publicly. They write books and movies depicting Jesus as a grossly sinful hypocrite.

Jude included examples from outside the Bible as well as from within scritpture.

Extra-biblical Examples

⁹Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

This is a peculiar comment…it stands alone in scripture. There is no other reference to this event. All we know for certain about the body of Moses (other than this snippet) is that GOD buried the body of Moses, and no one has ever known where.

This quote is actually from an apocryphal text, claiming an argument regarding the burial of Moses’s body. The original text has no authority. Jude used it as an example of how we should treat high rank with respect. The military practices the same concept: The concept is, “we salute the rank, not the man.”

And, that is pretty much all we can use it for. We recognize and respect the authority of the badge, for example, even when the person wearing it is acting in an unrespectable manner.

But regarding this specific Biblical incident, please read Deuteronomy 34:5, 6. God says that He buried Moses’s body, and that no human knows where it is. Make of it what you will.

This is not a unique occurrence in scripture. Writers cited extrabiblical sources to support an argument in several other places. Paul did so in Acts 17:28 as well as in Titus 1:12. We may be uncomfortable with that fact, but it remains a fact. (Jude does it again in verse 17.)

More Examples

¹⁰But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Jude says, effectively, that these people are acting as though they are animals, without a consciousness of right or wrong: Without an awareness of a sovereign God’s authority over them. I once witnessed a male robin, fighting his own reflection in a shiny hubcap. It was funny to watch, but that bird was not playing. He was attacking something he could not understand.

Jude says, these people speak evil of things they know nothing about. People have defiantly declared to me that “The Bible is nothing but fairytales!” I said, “You have not read it at all, so you don’t know what you’re talking about” They were angry, but they couldn’t respond. It was true! They did NOT know. It didn’t change their thinking, but it was the end of the argument.

I remember someone telling me the same thing, years earlier: but my response was to go home thinking, “Well, then! I’ll just read that book, and then I’ll show ‘em!” I would like to hope that the man I spoke to responded in similar fashion, but, so far as I know, he did not. God’s Word affected my life, even though I read it as an unbeliever, seeking only to argue against it. But eventually, it convicted me, and brought to me to the Cross.

¹¹Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Jude lists three examples in one verse:

Cain tried to circumvent his own guilt as a sinner: He avoided a blood sacrifice. He failed to satisfy God, with a bloodless sacrifice. Cain attacked Abel (whom God already accepted on the basis of that blood sacrifice,) and he killed him! This has been a pattern throughout history, as well. The people of the unbelieving world, especially the unbelieving religionists, hate the believers who follow Jesus.

God says Balaam was a real prophet, a real believer. But Balaam sold out and was killed. Today we only remember Balaam for betrayed Israel, in direct disobedience to God. He ran after money and fame and power, and was destroyed with the unbelieving enemies of Israel.

Core (Old Testament spelling “Korah”) in Numbers 16:1-35, defied Moses as the appointed authority, assuming that Moses was promoting himself as the leader, when in fact, God had not only appointed him, but He had proven it over and over, in supernatural ways.

It is Insanely Bad Judgment to Usurp Authority!

It is astonishing to me that Korah and his comrades could just assume that they could “take over,” and that God would empower them in similar fashion. Moses had already predicted the supply of manna from God: He had already brought water from the rock. He had already led them through the supernaturally parted Red Sea. But somehow Korah still thought he could usurp that authority, and gain the power and position: He led more than 250 others to do the same.

The Earth opened, and it swallowed Korah and his closest comrades, so that they fell alive into Hell, along with their families and all their belongings. And all those who followed Korah (the other 250 men) died supernaturally, as fire shot out from the LORD, from within the tabernacle, and burned them up where they stood! (Wow!)

And Jude likens the false teachers in the Church to those usurpers in the Old Testament.

The Character of these False Teachers, and False Christians

¹²These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

False believers have frequently infiltrated the church. They pretend to be one of the flock. They feed with the flock, amusing themselves that we can so easily be deceived. Jude says they are like a diseased spot among us…a cancer, perhaps.

2^nd Peter 2:13 says “¹³And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

And we are easily deceived, because we want to believe the best of people. We want to think they are true brothers and sisters in Christ. But, they think it is fun…a game, to see how they can deceive Christians.

What Other Signs of False Teachers Can We See?

Jude says they are waterless clouds: they billow and show promise of rain, but they do not deliver. They simply blow around, attrracting attention, obscuring the sun, but not bringing rain. He says they are trees whose fruit withers before it becomes edible. They produce nothing of value. Such trees produce no fruit, specifically because there is no root. They are not rooted in Christ. Their “religion” is all a product of their own works, not Him working through them.

¹³Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Some become quite vocal and public about their stance: John says they are like “raging waves of the sea”. Waves of that sort only cause damage: Storm waves are spectacular, to be sure, and people make special trips to the coast to watch the violence of the storm-driven waves. But such watchers usually know enough to stay out of the reach of those waves, for fear of their lives. People who get up close for a “special photo” often end up as casualties.

What Happens to the People They Mislead?

People who mistakenly join movements that are not of God eventually become part of the wreckage those movements bring. Even genuine believers who become distracted by the affairs of the world often become “shipwrecked,” unable to function as believers, because they have abandoned the path that God offered them. They have become judicially blind, and they are now unable to see His light. They were unintentionally working for the enemy, just as Samson was: He was physically blinded, and enslaved by the enemy, because of his own bad decisions.

There are deceitful leaders, who claim the mantle of “religion,” but who only use the church as a political platform. They start Social Reform movements, and Political Action Committees. In some cases, the activity may turn out well, but often, it turns out there was a hidden agenda, and the founder of the movement turns out to be “not as advertised.”

They sought money, power, or fame, and often had a “secret life” that gave the lie to everything they said they believed. Unfortunately, when they are exposed, they also give “ammunition” to those who claim that “all Christians are hypocrites.” They give unbelievers cause to feel more secure in their unbelief.

We are warned to stay out of the reach of such “waves” and movements. We are commanded to follow Jesus.

What are Wandering Stars?

The phrase “wandering stars” is actually in reference to “planets.” (The Greek phrase is “asteres planetai”) They look like bright stars, but they do not maintain a reliable position in the sky, and could not (at that time) be used for celestial navigation.

Today we have reliable predictions as to where in the sky a given planet should be at any given time, so, if a person wanted to use a planet for navigation, they could do so, but with great caution. But, at that time, though the planets looked like very bright stars, they were utterly unreliable for navigation, as they kept changing their relative positions in the sky.

Don’t get your directions in life from a false teacher! They might seem to be “shining lights,” but if they do not direct you straight back to the Word of God, they are unreliable guides.

False teachers are addressed quite sternly both here and in 2^nd Peter 2. Here, it says that, because they have rejected the light of God’s Word, and because they have taught others to do so, what awaits them is the blackness of darkness forever. What a grim, terrifying statement!

So, How Do We Learn to Spot a False Teacher?

By learning God’s Truth so intimately that any divergence from His word is immediately obvious! And the only way to do that is to deliberately, consistently, feed yourself on His word: Studying, in orderto root yourself securely in His truth. Allow His Holy Spirit to speak to you through the Word. Go to Him in Prayer, seeking His face, to learn His ways.

Then, when a false teacher opens his or her mouth, your spirit will receive the warning “nudge” of the Holy Spirit, alerting you to listen very carefully: there is something wrong!

Lord Jesus, please guard our hearts and teach us to walk with You, learning Your truth, absorbing Your Word, to protect us against the enemy of our souls. Make us lights in the dark world, faithfully reflecting Your Light, in our lives.

November 8, 2025November 8, 2025

Do You Know What Jude Teaches About False Teachers?

Jude: The False Teachers and Apostates (Part 1)

Judgment is Coming!

Jude 1-25 (Read it!)

Introduction:

Jude, is the writer of this epistle; he is the brother of James (per verse one) who was the half-brother of Jesus (Please compare Matthew 13:55. James and Jude are the names of two of the half-brothers of the Lord.) They are the writers of the epistles of James and Jude.

Both James and Jude introduce themselves as “the servant…of Jesus Christ.” They do not claim any special privileges or authority due to sharing half his gene-pool. Until late in His ministry, they were not even believers, so it seems fitting that they see themselves as “servants,” not “special-case super-saints.”

They finally realized that Jesus was not “just their older brother,” but truly God in the flesh. So, they repented of all they had previously imagined of Him. (They once thought that He was crazy, or that He was promoting himself as a prophet or a leader.) They abandoned all their former opinions. Therefore, they no longer knew Him from a fleshly perspective: So now they simply called themselves His servants. 2^nd Corinthians 5:16 says, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” This is a good way for us to see Him, too!

These men, with ample cause to think of themselves more highly than others, did not do so. It behooves us to follow their example. In my own case, the longer I “toddle along,” trying to walk with Jesus, the more I realize that I am nobody special…I’m just a servant of Jesus!

To Whom is the Epistle Addressed?

¹Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified (sanctified means “Declared holy: Set apart for His service”) by God the Father, and preserved in (kept in) Jesus Christ, and called: (Yes, you are called! If you are a believer, you are called to serve Jesus with your life. Read Romans 8:28-30, and spend some time thinking about the implications for your own life!)

Years ago, an older woman emphatically told me that “Yes, you are saved by faith, but you are kept by works!” This verse clearly refutes that false teaching: He says we are “preserved in Jesus Christ”. That is a passive truth on our part. God is the one taking action on our behalf. He does the “keeping,” as well as the calling.

²Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. (Notice the order in which these things are offered: You cannot have peace with God before having received His Mercy as a guilty sinner. And, after receiving His Mercy, and His peace, His Love should begin to take root in your heart.)

The Result of Genuine Faith

³Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common (that which all believers share: what we “have in common”) salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

What does it mean to “contend for the faith?” Titus 1:9-13 makes it clear that deacons should at least be able to use God’s Word well enough to spot false teaching and show it to be false. But this passage seems to make it the responsibility of every believer to grow into that ability… taking a stand for the faith. (Compare Ephesians 6:10-18. The armor of God is definitely for all believers!)

When a verse begins with the transition word, “for,” it is giving the reason for the previous statement. (Why should believers contend for the faith? Because… false brethren and false teachers abound.)

The Subject: Men who have “Crept In Unawares:” False Teachers.

⁴For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

We have this clue that perhaps not all those who came out of Egypt were actually believers. However, it may be noted that ALL of them had placed themselves under the blood of the Passover Lamb. All had left Egypt with Moses. All had crossed the Red Sea on foot. There was no one among them who did not “qualify as a believer,” by those standards.

Unbelief Among Believers

But, in Numbers 14, the LORD commanded them to go into the promised land, and they ALL believed the evil report of the ten spies, as opposed to the godly, correct report of the other two (Joshua and Caleb.) They did not believe God, when it came time to actually enter into His promises. And ALL of that (huge) group of people, who assumedly were believers, were destroyed. They died in the wilderness. The ten spies who gave false testimony, discouraging the people, died on the spot, under God’s Judgment. But, over the next forty years, that entire generation died, before God took their children into the land, and fulfilled His promises.

So, the question for us remains: Were they “under the blood?” Evidently they were! No one died in their homes. Were they “followers of God?” Evidently they were! I seriously doubt that I would have just “taken off across a desert with Pharoah’s army chasing me,” much less walked between the “walls of water” (See Exodus 14:22) to cross the Red Sea on foot. So…were they believers? I think they were! But God still judges unbelief among believers, too.

A Warning to Believers

Hebrews 4:1-11 warns us that due to unbelief of that same sort, we, too, can fail to enter into the “Rest” of God. Jesus’s finished work at the Cross should enable us to “Cease from our own works” and rest in HIS works.

If you think that your works are somehow making you righteous before God, or that they are maintaining your standing with Him, then you are not “resting” in His completed work. You are supplanting His work with your own! As a result, you can never rest, because you fear that without your continued Good Works, you may be lost. But God says we are to place our full trust in His completed work, and that, on the basis of that faith, we can KNOW that we have eternal life (John 5:11-13.)

The Israelites (in Numbers 14) should have “rested in God’s word,” and entered the land in full confidence: But they saw the question as being “Can we defeat the giants?” not, “Has God truly given us the land?” Joshua and Caleb argued that “Because God has given us the land, we cannot fail!” But, because the people completely rejected that specific promise, God judged them for their unbelief.

Judgement of Fallen Angels

⁶And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

We might ask ourselves, “which angels fell into this specific judgment?” The ones we call demons evidently did not, as they were present in the time of Christ, and apparently still are today.

But, if we think of a specific group of angelic beings who “stepped across the boundary” between Angelic existence and Human existence and (Genesis 6:1-4) interbred with humans, then this comment may make perfect sense. Those angels are “in everlasting chains under darkness” waiting for the final judgment. But Satan and the rest of the fallen angels are not chained…yet.

Judgment of Specific Humans

⁷Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

We still remember Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of God’s fierce judgment. And, ironically, the people who “go after strange flesh” in the same manner they did are still called “sodomites” today (though not very often, as public opinion has shifted to actually approve of them.) But the Law still calls the sins they commit “sodomy” in today’s legal terminology. God “set them forth as an example,” as the scripture says, and the example still stands.

Beginning A List of Examples

⁸Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Once again, this is nothing new: In Romans 1:21-32 Paul describes the pattern of behavior and deterioration of morality and faith, within the Human Race. The pattern hasn’t changed. Humans still follow this pattern! We wallow in our sin, and we proudly say things like, “Ain’t nobody tells me what to do!” I had a man who claimed to be a believer tell me those exact words, angrily declaring himself to be the only authority in his life.

Additionally, and even more common: We feel free to slander politicians we don’t like, as well as other people in authority. Unbelievers even go so far as to mock the Lord himself. They mock His Word with impunity, and make gross allegations against Him, sometimes very publicly.

Jude Includes Extra-biblical Examples

⁹Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Here is a peculiar comment…it stands alone in scripture. There is no other reference to this event. All we know about the body of Moses (other than this snippet) is that GOD buried the body of Moses, and no one has ever known where.

This is actually a quote from an apocryphal text, claiming an argument regarding the burial of Moses. We don’t see the original text as authoritative, but Jude used it as an example of treating high rank with respect. It is the concept of “we salute the rank, not the man.” That is pretty much all we can use it for. We recognize and respect the authority of the badge, for example, even when the person wearing it is acting in an unrespectable manner.

But regarding this specific incident, please read Deuteronomy 34:5, 6. God says that He buried Moses’s body, and that no human knows where it is. Make of it what you will.

This is not the only place in scripture where a writer cited an extrabiblical source to support an argument. Paul did so in Acts 17:28 as well as in Titus 1:12. We may be uncomfortable with that fact, but it remains a fact. (Jude does it again in verse 17.)

More Examples

¹⁰But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Jude says, effectively, that these people are acting as though they are animals, without a consciousness of right or wrong, without an awareness of a sovereign God’s authority over them. I have witnessed a male robin, fighting his own reflection in a shiny hubcap. It was funny to watch, but the bird was not playing. He was attacking something he could not understand.

The people Jude addresses, here, speak evil of things they know nothing about. I have had people defiantly tell me that “The Bible is nothing but fairytales!” When I confronted them with the fact that they had not read it at all, and thus they did not know what they were talking about, they were angry, but they could not respond. It was the truth! They did NOT know!

¹¹Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Here are three examples in one verse:

Cain tried to circumvent his own guilt as a sinner: He avoided a blood sacrifice. When that failed, he attacked the one who had already been accepted by God on the basis of that blood sacrifice, and killed him! This has been a pattern throughout history, as well.

Balaam was a real prophet, a real believer, but he sold out and was killed. Today he is only remembered for having sold out and having betrayed Israel, in direct disobedience to God.

Core (Old Testament spelling “Korah”) in Numbers 16:1-34, defied Moses as the appointed authority, assuming that Moses was promoting himself as the leader, when in fact, God had appointed him, and had proven it over and over, in supernatural ways. It is astonishing to me that Korah and his comrades could assume that they could take over, and that God would empower them in similar fashion. But God supernaturally put to death all those who followed Korah. At the authority of God, through Moses, the earth swallowed up Korah and his comrades, so that alive, they and thier familie fell into hell. (Wow! What an awful judgment!)

We will have to continue this passage at a later date. Jude has a lot more to say about false teachers, and false brethren. But the Judgment of God is Prominent throughout this epistle.

Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to see Your truth, and to apply it to our own lives. Help us to consistently reject the false claims of the World, of our own deceitful hearts an of the enemy. Let us shine as lights in the current darkness and present You as the Only source of Light.

November 1, 2025November 1, 2025

How To Tell Good Leaders Apart From Bad Leaders

3^rd John: A Letter to a Faithful Brother

3^rd John 1-13

¹The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. ²Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. ³For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. ⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

⁵Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; ⁶Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: ⁷Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. ⁸We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.

⁹I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. ¹⁰Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

¹¹Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. ¹²Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

¹³I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: ¹⁴But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Introduction:

¹The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Gaius may be one of the men who accompanied Paul in his work. Luke mentioned men with the same name (possibly both the same man) in Acts 19:29 and Acts 20:4. Is the “Gaius” in 3^rd John one of those men? Maybe. But, he is someone of whom John fully approves. In verse three we see that he was doctrinally sound, and was living the truth of the Word, not just verbally assenting to it. Read carefully: some of the passages here can be (have been) misused

The Root of the “Prosperity Gospel”

²Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

This verse has been used to teach that God’s primary concern is for all of us to be healthy and wealthy. That is false teaching. Hebrews 11:36-38 lists those who lost everything for the sake of the Gospel, and the name of Jesus, and it says that they were the “best of the best.” He says of them that, they were those, “of whom the world was not worthy…”

What does it mean, “to Prosper?”

I looked up the Greek word translated as, “prosper.” I had hoped to ascertain what kind of prosperity it implied. but it turns out that it is pretty much the same in Greek as it is in English: It can literally mean simply to “have a good journey,” or it can imply financial well-being.

Possibly Gaius was well-to-do, and John wished him to remain so. But, possibly his health was in question: The scriptures definitely do NOT teach that if you are walking with God you will never get sick. God says King Hezekiah was the best king Judah ever had. (2^nd Kings 18:1-6.)

Old and New Testament Examples:

And King Hezekiah not only got sick: He was told he would die of it. (2^nd Kings 20) But when he prayed and asked for a reprieve, God granted him healing and fifteen more years of life. In the New Testament, Epaphroditus was near death from sickness. He was sick, and it happened while he was faithfully serving Christ. (GOD says so! Philippians 2:25-30)

Whatever the circumstances, John wished for good health and general prosperity from God for Gaius. That is a common theme in our prayers for one another, too, but this verse does NOT teach that “If you have proper faith, you will always be healthy and wealthy.” That is false teaching, and it turns people’s eyes away from the Person of Christ, looking more to their own condition than to Him. It is becoming a widespread heresy, and it has ensnared many people, some of whom eventually become embittered and completely reject the entire message of Christ because they have been deceived by a false teacher or a false cult.

Leaning on Jesus

We are told to look to Jesus and to trust Him for our circumstances. Proverbs 3:5, 6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.” A sister, here in the church, recently sent me a photograph of a power-strip, plugged into itself: The caption read, “This is what it looks like to trust in your own wisdom: there is no Power!” It is a comical picture, of course, but the message is truly serious.

Romans 1:22 says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…”

Except for the wisdom that God gives us in His Word and by His Holy Spirit, we do not have answers for the problems and questions in life. When we claim to have the answers, we are immediately ensnared in the trap of “professing ourselves to be wise.” And the result for us is the same as the result for the people in Romans 1:22. We become fools.

What Did Gaius Mean in Verse 2?

It seems that John simply extended “Best wishes” for Gaius’ life, especially based upon what he knew of Gaius’ spiritual condition. He was not stating that God’s primary concern for believers is that we should be healthy and wealthy. God gives many warnings to the rich, about their spiritual condition NOT matching their wealth. He gives none at all to the poor, suggesting that they are poor because of a lack of faith.

No! In James 2:5 God says the poor are rich in faith. (click the link and read it!)

³For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

Evidently the traveling teachers saw that Gaius was living the faith, and obeying the truth. Possibly it was because they saw that he did what John commanded in 2^nd John 4-10. He had questioned them thoroughly before choosing to house and to feed them and sending them on their way, with provisions. They knew that he was faithful to the truth because of his actions, not just his words.

⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

This agrees with 2^nd John 4. But it also seems to imply that John considered Gaius to be his spiritual offspring…at least at some level. Whether John had personally introduced Gaius to faith in Christ, or simply had been feeding him and seeing him grow up in the faith, so that he saw Gaius as his “son in the faith,” we cannot know for sure. But we can see the sense of responsibility John felt and understand how pleased he felt to hear from others that Gaius was living the reality of His faith, and standing for the truth of the Gospel.

Fellowship in the Ministry of Missionaries

This is both in contrast and agreement with the warning and admonition given in 2^nd John 4-10. John had also commended “the elect lady” for walking in truth. But he had warned her against lacking discernment, and thereby inadvertently supporting false teachers. Here, in 3^rd John 5-8, he commends Gaius for supporting true teachers (“missionaries,” we might call them) and states that by doing so, we are thereby being “fellow-helpers to the truth.”

What questions should we ask?

How did he know they were true teachers? John gave some “litmus tests” in 1^st John 4:1-6, and in 2^nd John 4-10. The “tests” were doctrinal in nature. What were these teachers teaching? The questions had to do with the person and work of Jesus. Is he truly God in the Flesh? Is he truly virgin-born, thus fulfilling the “Seed of the Woman” prophecy? Did His blood truly satisfy the judgment and Holiness of God for the sins of the entire human race? Was he truly dead, and truly buried? Was He physically resurrected, and is He the eternal God, still today? Is His forgiveness available by faith in His blood, alone…without additional works?

I don’t know what questions Gaius may have asked. But these are the sorts of questions we ought to be asking before supporting missions. We try to only support missionaries who are faithfully teaching good doctrine and the pure Gospel of Christ.

Becoming Partners in the Work of the Gospel

⁵Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; ⁶Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: ⁷Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

Part of the proof of the character of these teachers is that they were not “seeking a handout,” and were only being funded by other believers who saw their work as being from God.

⁸We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.

This is God’s approval for Missionary support, and His statement that by doing so we are taking part in their ministry.

A Bad Leader: A Counterexample to Good Leadership

⁹I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

This is the only example of a New Testament church where one man had seized preeminence. All the other mentions of the church leaders stated “elders” (plural) in each “church” (singular.) But Diotrephes wanted to be the chief ruler. He rejected the authority of the apostles, and he rejected the travelling teachers, approved by the apostles. Further, he excommunicated believers who did receive the brethren.

This is a very stern warning to churches who declare themselves to be the sole proprietors of God’s truth. When WE become the standards of what is true, rather than God’s Word, we are in trouble with God.

¹⁰Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Diotrephes didn’t know it yet, but he was in deep trouble! There are many religious leaders in the world today, some of them claiming to be followers of Jesus, who are in the same trouble.

God does not allow us to elevate ourselves above God’s Word, nor to elevate ourselves above our fellow-servants. We do use the Word as a filter, to decide how to respond to people claiming to be disciples. God warns us in advance that false teachers abound and that false brethren are dangerous. (2^nd Corinthians 11:26) He warns us not to be partakers with them. (2^nd John 9, 10; Ephesians 5:7)

Conclusion: Follow That Which is Good.

¹¹Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

John had just warned them of an evil among them: He told them to “follow not that which is evil!” Then he said, in contrast, “Follow that which is good!” He gave his recommendation that Demetrius was a better example.

¹²Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

Two “Rulers of the Synagogue” (not the Church)

It is an interesting thing to observe, in Acts 18:8, and Acts 18:17 two consecutive “chief rulers” of the Synagogue at Corinth. One, Crispus, became a believer in Jesus, and evidently abandoned his position as “ruler of the synagogue.”

The second, Sosthenes, was savagely beaten by the unbelieving gentiles, after which, he evidently also became a believer…when? We don’t know, but Paul mentioned him in his first letter to Corinth, (1^st Corinthians 1:1) as a brother in Christ. The point is that there is no mention of a “chief ruler” of a church. Perhaps Diotrephes was trying to connect to that Jewish tradition under the Law. I don’t know. But John condemned Diotrephes’s works and he commended Demetrius. I think we can learn from that contrast.

We are given to hope that Demetrius was able to stand against Diotrephes, and that the church would have flourished under a multiple elders, (Gaius and Demetrius, to start?) not that one man who sought to be the “ruler.”

Personal Contact When Possible

¹³I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

Personal contact is important: Sometimes a letter is the best thing, but, these believers had the hope that John would meet with them soon. Did he? We don’t know. But that was his hope as well. The letter, however, stood for eternity. We learn from it today.

¹⁴But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

John’s final blessing to the believers with Gaius, through the mediation of Gaius, stands as one of the rarities among the epistles. Virtually all the epistles are addressed to the churches, NOT the leaders. The leaders are simply part of the church. This one is addressed to an individual. Verse 9 may reveal that Diotrephes had been intercepting John’s previous letters. So, this time, he circumvented Diotrephes by writing to Gaius.

But the blessings extended to the rest of the flock.

Lord Jesus, enable us to absorb the teachings in this epistle and to guide our decisions by the examples given here. Teach us to be the living examples of Jesus on Earth.

October 25, 2025October 25, 2025

How to Understand the Importance of Thanksgiving and Prayer

Thanksgiving and Prayer

1^st Thessalonians 5:16-18;

Introduction:

Throughout the Bible, God calls us to thanksgiving and prayer. It is important to realize that the call to thanksgiving is in spite of circumstances, not because of circumstances. The call to Prayer is similar, in that God does not guarantee that we will get what we want. We are the ones asking, but it is God who replies. And, we ask in our ignorance, and our relative blindness. Therefore, He, in His sovereign knowledge and His infinite wisdom, sometimes must refuse our request. Remember that His knowledge, His wisdom and His purpose are not only all higher than we can hope to understand. All also are better, from the perspective of eternity.

Prayer in the Old Testament

In ancient Judah, even after bad leadership split the nation, a king would occasionally proclaim a National day of Prayer, and usually a fast, as well. He did so, desiring the mercy and blessing of God for his nation. Or, perhaps desiring the direction and protection of God, for an upcoming challenge or threat. As far as I can recall, in every single case, God answered those prayers. He did not always answer how they had hoped, but He always answered.

God has recorded those histories for us to learn from them. But we must be careful not to “learn the wrong lesson,” so to speak. There were a few people (prophets) to whom God gave special authority. What came out of their mouths really was His will, and they really did occur. It was not that they were “special saints,” but that God put them in a special position.

Moses is a classic example. He called for the ground to split and swallow up some rebels in the camp. And it happened exactly as he said. But it was for God’s purpose, not some personal vendetta of Moses. As a rule, God uses miracles to draw attention to, and to validate His message. And, right then, Moses was the messenger of God.

Thanksgiving Was Part of the History

At least for the moment, when God stepped in and rescued Israel, it usually resulted in national giving of thanks. But they soon forgot the blessing, and they began to grumble again. Sometimes they abandoned all pretense of following Him.

Numbers 21:5-9 tells about when the Jews were scarcely out of Egypt. They already forgot the Salvation that was poured out upon them while the Judgment was being poured out on Egypt.

Unthankful Hearts Draw Judgment

They grumbled and were very ungrateful toward God, failing to appreciate His supply in their lives. He sent Judgment on them in the form of venomous vipers, migrating across their desert path, and killing many of the people. But God used even this calamity to demonstrate His Grace, in a prophetic “picture.” The bronze serpent on the pole represented the judgment for their sins, and God’s solution for sin.

That image predicted the Cross, where our sins were judged forever, and Jesus’s blood served as the eternal satisfaction for God’s Justice and holiness. It represented the Grace extended to Man, in payment for the sins of the Whole World, forever! In regard to that particular history, Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

So, even our ingratitude and our unbelief are under the blood of the Cross.

Unthankful Hearts Result in Spiritual Darkness

Romans 1:21, we see one cause of God’s judgment for sin: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Humans fail to recognize the authority and Grace of God. We fail to Give Thanks…and because of this, our hearts are darkened. We fail to see the truth that, when God’s reply to our prayer is “NO,” The reply is just as worthy of thanksgiving as when He gives us the desire of our hearts. We need to thank Him for His wisdom and grace in those times, too.

So, What about Prayer?

In Luke 18:1, Jesus taught that we “ought always to pray and not faint.” The apostle Paul reiterates this command in 1^st Timothy 2:1-4, saying that we are not only to pray for ourselves and for one another, but for unbelievers as well, and especially for national and civic leaders, so that we might reap the benefits of “a quiet and peaceful life.”

Today, we live in the only nation in the history of the world which was originally founded upon specifically Christian values, and grounded in the whole truth of God’s Word, the Bible. It was not founded upon greed, or nationalism, but upon humility and public awareness of our utter dependence upon the Almighty Creator God. Perhaps the unbelieving world around us has forgotten this, but we as believers have no excuse: We are to remember; we are to pray, and we are to give thanks, regardless of the circumstances.

God’s Word and His Values are Eternal

We live at a time when those Christian values upon which our Nation was founded have largely been set aside as “old-fashioned,” or “outmoded,” or “irrelevant for the realities of today.” However, the Word of God will stand for all time and Eternity, and it does not depend upon the opinions of humans for validity. The Law of Gravity will (literally) cease to exist before God’s Word will fail to be relevant. In Ps 119:89, the psalmist says, “Forever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven.” In light of eternity, the values of the humans of today are merely a passing aberration, while the values of God are the principles upon which the very Universe is founded.

Daniel’s Example

A heathen king ordered the Prophet Daniel to cease praying to his God. He immediately went to his balcony, opened the doors, and in public view, he prayed toward Jerusalem, as was his habit. You know the rest of that story, from Daniel chapter 6: Daniel “spent the night at the zoo,” as it were—specifically, in the Lion’s Den. But in the Morning…in the morning, the king released Daniel, and his enemies took his place. He had been under the protection of God—they were not…(It was “feeding time” at the zoo!)

We have a “Morning” coming, too! The Apostle Peter tells us in 2^nd Peter 1:19, that we are to focus our attention on the written Word of God as the only light in this dark world, “until the day dawns!”

Jehoshaphat’s Example

King Jehoshaphat, under threat of an invading army, declared a national day of prayer and fasting, and God answered through a local prophet. The troops of Judah went to the battle, all right, but they were led by the national choir, singing, and praising the beauty of holiness. They were giving thanks in advance, and worshipping the God of their salvation! The resulting battle was fought by God alone. The people of Judah never lifted a weapon. And every single enemy soldier died that day.

Modern Examples

Today we are still called to prayer, by God Himself. It is possible today, as always, in times of trouble, that some of the human leaders who may make that call are not believers, themselves. We should not be deterred from the privilege of prayer by those who do not know the God who answers prayer. Let us continue in prayer, undismayed. We also should remember that while prayer can “change things,” prayer definitely does not “control things!” Believers under fire are praying, but many of them die.

It is OK to pray and die!

An American missionary in the Philippines (Martin Burnham) along with his wife (Gracia Burnham) was kidnapped by Islamic rebels, there. They prayed daily for deliverance, and they prayed faithfully for their captors as well. But the day finally came when a firefight broke out between the national army and the rebel force. Martin threw his own body across that of Gracia, trying to shield her. Both were praying, but only Gracia came home alive. Martin was shot and killed, protecting his wife.

How do we respond to that sort of answer to prayer? Can I give thanks when the result was not what I wanted?

God’s Command

1^st Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning YOU!”

God says His will for us is that we should rejoice evermore, that we should pray without ceasing; and that in every circumstance we should give thanks.

Let’s look at that passage, point by point:

Rejoice evermore,
Pray without ceasing, and
In every thing give thanks
For this is the Will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning YOU!

Rejoice Evermore

Notice that He did not say, “Feelhappy,” or “feel Joyful!” He said “rejoice!” This directly ties into what Jesus commanded in John 16:33 “These things have I spoken unto you that in Me ye might have peace: in the World ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the World.”

Joy is a choice: Habakkuk chose joy in the face of the sure knowledge that his nation was about to fall to foreign invaders in judgment as a result of Israel’s sin. He said, “Yet will I rejoice in the LORD: I will joy in the God of my Salvation!”It was an act of the will, not a result of emotion. His emotion was grief at the collapse of Israel, but his choice was Joy!

Pray without Ceasing

God gives a clear command, that, just as Jesus commanded, we are not to give up on prayer: we are to “press on,” praying in the face of devastating news, in the hope that we will be delivered. And as the young Hebrew men under the threat of the furnace replied, “God IS able to save us: but even if He does not, we will not worship your idol!” They knew they faced death. They did not know for certain that God was going to deliver them.

Martin and Gracia Burnham knew they potentially faced death, and did not know that only one of them would be delivered. But they prayed and they chose the Joy of the Lord in response to their trauma. Afterward, Gracia shared her story in a book: “In the Presence of Mine Enemies.”

Perhaps we can learn from her example, and seek to find the “table” God has prepared for us in the presence of our enemies, The World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Hopefully, in the presence of our enemies, we can choose by faith to rejoice because of His supply. Perhaps we can choose to pray faithfully, in recognition that His supply is perfect, even when we fail to understand it.

In Every Thing give Thanks

Notice that God does not say “for everything give thanks!” Rather, He says, “in every thing give thanks.” Martin and Gracia Burnham surely did not “feel happy and satisfied” as the prisoners of a murderous band of Islamic terrorists. But they chose to rejoice IN that reality, rather than deciding that “God must have ignored their needs.” God calls us to do that, as well.

Was I “happy” that my mother had an incurable disease? Absolutely not! But could I rejoice in her testimony and the legacy she left behind? Yes, I really could, once I quit whining and crying to God, insisting that He change His directive Will for the benefit of my desires. But it took a while. (We can grieve; that is OK. It is OK to hurt, but it is not OK to allow the hurt to make us bitter.) Mom simply graduated early.

(Odd thing: she was valedictorian in both high school and college. She was the eldest of her siblings and the rest all lived well into their eighties, while she died at 65. So, once again, she “graduated at the head of her class!”) It caused us grief to lose her, but she blessed all those around her, by the overflowing Grace of her walk with God.

Is Martin Graham unhappy today with God’s decision to take him home and leave Gracia here? Absolutely not! Martin is rejoicing before the Lord, as we speak! Is Gracia unhappy with His answer to prayer? Not today: At that moment, Martin’s death filled her with grief! But God healed her of her grief, and she once again walked in the sure knowledge of God’s Grace.

Making it Personal

We are called to do the same: we are not told that we will always understand God’s will, nor, obviously, that we will always get what we desire. There have been times when I was certain that I was praying according to the will of God, but my hopes were dashed. There have been other times when I gave up hope, because of the circumstances, and God delivered, anyway.

It would be easy to “learn the wrong lesson,” here, and decide that “there is no point in praying, as God is just going to do His own will anyway.” But that attitude ignores that fact that we are commanded to pray; and, to “not faint”…not give up on prayer; and to “pray without ceasing:” How can it be within the will of God for me to disobey those clear commands?

The fact is, we simply have to admit that we do not know what is best. And, if we truly want what is best, then we need to subject ourselves to the will of the One who not only knows what is best, but desires to bless us to the utmost.

It IS Personal!

The final word in that passage is very personal: He says, “For this is the Will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning YOU!”

Don’t succumb to the temptation to “shuck that aside,” thinking, “Well, that was to the believers at Thessalonica!” Of course, it was! And it is also to you, personally, just like the rest of the epistles! Take this personally, and apply it to your life: the result will be a greater sense of peace and joy, as you learn to trust the Creator and Judge as your Savior, your Shepherd and your Friend.

Lord Jesus, please draw us close enough to you that we can feel your arms supporting us and hear your heartbeat for the lost around us, and be transformed into your likeness, sharing that care for the lost world.

October 18, 2025October 18, 2025

How to know the Free Will of Man vs the Sovereignty of God

The Sovereignty of God and the Free Will of Man

Introduction:

Romans 9-11: an overview. (Read the whole passage in one reading. Get the context.)

There was a time when Romans 9:19, 20 defeated my every attempt to understand it, and I became angry every time I tried, so I finally told God I would skip it until He enabled me to understand. Several months later, He honored my intent. He gave me at least enough understanding to be at peace about it. I don’t pretend to fully grasp any single passage of scripture. God’s Word is eternal, and its depth cannot be probed by human effort.

In reality, the focus in Romans 9 is not the “Free will of man vs. Sovereignty of God” at all: Rather it is the question, “So; what about Israel? What about the Jews?”

Within the scope of that question, the “Freewill vs. Sovereignty” question does pop up, but the context relegates it to an issue of service, and election as a chosen vessel, NOT a salvation issue.

It deals nationally with Israel, not on an individual basis. Israel has never been barred from salvation, as witnessed by the fact that Paul, and all the other disciples, plus thousands of Jews at Pentecost and thereafter, were saved, and, initially, those believing Jews comprised the church!

For around 1700 years, prior to the Cross, God used Israel as His main vessel to reach the world. They repeatedly failed Him and rebelled against Him: They sought their own enrichment instead of His Glory. They followed other gods, and they made His Name to stink in the unbelieving world. (Does that sound familiar? Do you know of any groups of people doing that today?)

The Times of the Gentiles

Acts chapter 10 tells the beginning of the Gentile-dominated church, which owes everything to Israel, according to Romans 9:4, 5; 11:11-15. That dominance grew throughout the book of Acts, and it is reflected in many of the epistles. But Romans chapters 9-11 warns that it is NOT permanent, but passing, and that Israel’s best day is yet to come.

The Church is the Bride of Christ, and its members are distinct from all other believers, though we are saved by the same Grace, redeemed by the same Blood, sanctified by the same Spirit, and fed upon the same Bread of Life. Within the church, all other distinctions become insignificant, so that Paul could say, “in Christ there is not Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female,” etc. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11.) So: What about the Jews?

What Choices Did Israel Have?

Did Israel have a choice in the matter of faith? Yes! Did God know ahead of time what their choice would be? Of course! Did he further harden their hearts to provide a clear lesson to others? Apparently so: Compare Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34, 35; 10:1, 27. In the early passages about Pharaoh, it says he hardened his own heart. In Exodus 10:7 everyone but Pharaoh saw that the hand of God was at work: They protested against the king, saying, “Don’t you understand that Egypt is destroyed?”

But, somewhere along the line, God took his already-hard heart, and extended that hardness beyond normal human capacity for stupidity, and thus took an opportunity to judge Egypt, and to set a standard for Divine Judgment that remains today, and is known throughout the world.

The Effect Upon the Unbelieving World

Pat James told me that his elderly mother, an atheist, read the secular history of the Jews, and the attempts throughout history to exterminate them. She came to see that history as proving the existence of God. She saw Him as the Savior of Israel: She could find no other explanation for their survival. Soon, shortly before she died, she chose to receive their Savior as her own!

But, God has hardened the collective hearts of unbelieving Israel, just as He did to Pharaoh. He stretches their unbelief past the logical limit, to make an example for us, the heathen gentiles.

**Unbelief is the Most Common Response Among all Humans**

Unbelievers have said, “Well, if I saw someone raised from the dead, I’d believe! I’d have no choice!” But, in Luke 16:31, God says they would not: Furthermore, He gave a living example of that truth, in John chapters 11 and 12. When the Jewish leaders saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, they did not embrace the Author of Life: They plotted to kill both Him and Lazarus.

Their unbelief and hardness of heart was incredible! And not all of it was forced upon them. Mark 3:5 says Jesus was grieved by their hardness of heart. Was it foreknown? Yes! Was it predicted? Yes! Was it forced upon them? No! They were given a choice, the same as we are.

When the Magi came to Jerusalem (Matthew chapter 2) “seeking Him that is born King of the Jews,” Herod and all Jerusalem was disturbed. But not a single person cared enough to walk the six miles down to Bethlehem with the Wise Men, to see the Child! Later, though, soldiers were sent to slaughter all the children in his age-peer group. Those were some pretty hard hearts!

The Shepherds had heard the same message, of His birth, and they rejoiced. Simeon and Anna also rejoiced. They were living proof that the remnant within Israel always exists, just as God told Elijah. But the heart of Israel as a nation was already very hard.

**A Personal Choice is Offered: “Whosoever Will”**

So…what about the issues of personal decisions, free will, etc? Does the Gospel really say, “Good News, brother! You may be predestined to spend eternity in Hell! (Heh, heh! Have a nice day…!)”? Or does it actually say, “God so loved the World…that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish…”?

1^st John 2:2 says the payment made at the Cross is full payment not only for our sins, “…but also for the sins of the whole World.” I have to believe that while God knew my response from eternity past, He still offered me the same choice as others, and He allowed me to struggle through the making of that choice.

More than 45 years ago, a teacher of mine proposed the idea that “We approach the narrow gate, and see written above it ‘Whosoever will may come’. We enter that door by faith, and having entered, we look back, and we see above the door, on the inside: ‘Chosen in Him before the Foundation of the World!’” I suspect that this idea may be pretty close to the truth.

Is God fully Sovereign? Absolutely. And does He give us choices to make, and then hold us accountable to those choices? Absolutely. But do I understand how both can simultaneously be true? Absolutely not! However, I do recognize that The Bible clearly teaches both, so I have to teach both to the best of my ability and understanding.

God Predicts Ultimate Human Failure

The Church is predestined to fail in its Great Commission. (In fact, the modern Church seems bent on following unbelieving Israel in her failure.) Does that excuse us from responsibility? No! The Great Commission stands. The church will fail (See Revelation 3:14-19). But God offers the walk of fellowship, faith and obedience to believers, one by one. (Revelation 3:20) The church at Laodicea was being judged: Jesus did not even say, “…except ye repent…” as a way to escape judgment. But in verse 20, to every individual believer, He still made the offer for personal fellowship and obedience and blessing.

God Saves People One by One

I read a story of a small boy on a Southern California beach: A storm had hit the area the night before, and many thousands of starfish had been washed ashore. Starfish are fairly mobile underwater, but on the beach, out of the water, they are helpless. As the tide receded, the boy was picking up starfish, one by one, and heaving them out, as far as he could, into the water.

A jogger stopped, and asked what he was doing, and with dignity, the boy explained. The man laughed, and said, “This beach stretches on for miles. The starfish will soon die in the sun! What difference do you think you can make?” The boy thought for a moment, then picked up another starfish and hurled it into deep water. “It made a difference to that one!” he replied, as he stooped for another. (James 2:13 seems appropriate: “Mercy rejoices against judgment.”)

We treat obstacles to faith in the same manner. Take them one by one, and make a difference to that one. Make a difference in that one place: That one situation. Make a good decision this time. Be a good witness now: today! Blossom where you have been planted, and await the Master Gardener’s direction for any transplanting that needs to happen. We can’t see the full scope of God’s program, nor could we understand it if we saw it. But we can take the challenges one by one, and daily strive to meet them with God’s Word, and by His Spirit.

**So, Again, What About the Jews?**

One by one, God calls us to love them, and to earnestly reach out to them with the offer of eternal salvation. One by one, we seek their redemption. Psalm 122:6 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” But, as a nation, they will continue to rebel until the end of the Church Age. During the Tribulation, a remnant (144,000, to be precise) will succeed in re-evangelizing the world. But many of them and many of those they reach will be martyred for their faith and obedience. The remnant left at the end of the tribulation will be saved by Jesus’ return in glory (Revelation 19, Zechariah 14.)

Then, for the first time ever, ALL Israel shall agree that “Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.” And all Israel shall be saved.

What Will Happen Then?

Then, Jesus will judge the living nations (the gentiles) according to how they treated his brethren. (Matthew 25:31, ff) Those He judged to have been believers, and His friends, (having obeyed, by faith, in even tiny acts of compassion to the Jews and/or the other believers) will enter into the 1000-year kingdom promised throughout the history of Israel.

During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be the center of the world’s political structure; Jerusalem will literally be the capital of the World, and Jesus will literally, physically, reign there in Jerusalem.

What About Today?

But for now, they (Israel, as a nation) are temporarily set aside: From outward appearances, they look withered, like a branch, cut from a tree. We don’t see the glory of God shining from Israel.

Now, some Christians may think that God has permanently set aside Israel, or even (as some teach) that the Church has somehow replaced Israel in the plan of God. They teach that the Church will now inherit all of Israel’s promises.

But Romans chapters 9-11 show that teaching to be false! The Church is not Israel. We will never inherit the land of Israel, nor their preeminent position during the Kingdom. The Church is called the Bride of Christ: We have an entirely different set of promises, which, while they may overlap in some ways, are completely separate from the promises to believing Israel.

What Choices Do We Have?

As believers, we are given some choices, too: 1^st Corinthians 3:10-16 outlines a two-choice offer always open to believers. We can build into our lives works, that are either “combustible” or “noncombustible.” ALL of those works will finally be tested by fire. The foundation, Christ himself, will be ours forever, along with a reward for that which does not burn, of all our works.

God invites us to work with him in His flock, in His vineyard, and in in His field. We are free to choose to do the will of the Father, or we can choose our own entertainment, our own enrichment and our own comfort, etc. Remember that those choices have eternal results, either way. It is worth thinking about.

Search God’s Word, and learn to make good choices.

Lord Jesus, train our hearts, day by day, and step by step, to choose to trust in You and to choose to follow Your leading. Transform each of us to be Your true Disciples.

October 11, 2025October 11, 2025

How to Choose Joy in a Discouraging World

All—and Nothing: Choosing Joy

Habakkuk 3:17-19; Ephesians 4:31, 32; Philippians 4:6, 7; Proverbs 15:13, 30

Introduction: Choosing Joy in the Face of Destruction

As we recall the destruction around the world, today, and see the continuing worldwide effects of sin, rebellion, persecution, oppression, greed, and poverty, it is easy to slide into either helpless rage or hopeless depression. I would suggest to you that neither is from God. That ALL of the wickedness and suffering we see in the world are the direct (or indirect) result of sin. And that God has provided a correct response for his people.

Please turn with me to Habakkuk chapter three. Habakkuk is a short book. It begins with Habakkuk’s complaint regarding the sin and oppression in Judah, the southern kingdom of divided Israel. God responded and told him that He fully intended to bring punishment through the invasion of a nation called the “Chaldeans”—whom we remember as the Babylonians. Israel and Judah were to go into captivity under Babylon.

A National Sin Problem

Habakkuk was shocked that God would use a nation far more evil than Judah, to punish His backsliding people, the Jews. God assured him that He both could and would do so, but that the Babylonians would transgress too far, and He would deal with them even more harshly than He did Judah. (Remember that Babylon, today, is just a ruin, while Jerusalem, though it has been destroyed repeatedly, is a thriving metropolis.)

Obviously, Habakkuk simply accepted this statement from God, and made a quietly amazing choice: There is nothing showy about it: He knew judgment was coming. But, he simply chose to find his joy in the LORD. (Read Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Finally, Habakkuk listed some the things he expected to see—the fall of Judah—destruction of the pleasant farms and plenteous crops, along with the destruction of Jerusalem’s splendor. He kept the list short, but, to an agrarian society, where the crops and flocks were the immediate, tangible evidence of God’s grace and blessing, these things were extremely important.

Habakkuk made his choice: “Yet will I rejoice in the LORD; I will joy in the God of my salvation.” How can we do that? How can we choose Joy? Let’s look at Ephesians 4:31, 32.

All? Yes, ALL!

Remember that Paul was in the middle of telling the Ephesian believers how to live. He told them (among many other things) that they were to put away from themselves ALL bitterness, ALL wrath, ALL anger, ALL clamor, ALL evil speaking (yes, that includes gossip, slander, etc.) and ALL malice.

Obviously, the problem is in the word “All.” If we misquote this as saying, “Let MOST bitterness and wrath, etc. be put away from you…” Then perhaps we would be “off the hook.” We might think we have an excuse. But that isn’t what it says! Furthermore, that passage is an imperative sentence (a command), and the word is “all”. We have no option to “play around” with evil thinking: God says to set ALL of it aside.

Learn to See Sin as “Weeds“

The biggest key to weeding a garden is to learn what weeds look like when they are very small, and deal with them immediately. Don’t wait to uproot them, until they are waist high and as thick as your finger. The same goes for sin. You need to learn what sin looks like when it is little.

Jesus gave us some hints (Matthew 5:27, 28). He said that the “weed” we call adultery looks like “lust” when it is little. And, maybe it is only known to the one doing the lusting. But that is the power of weeds. They are pretty little green plants when they are young: But they are nasty things when they grow up. And worse yet, they go to seed.

I do not have to wait until I completely fail and fall into sexual immorality before I stop that sin. I can recognize it when I am secretly “peeking” at some woman walking by.

What About Anger?

Obviously, we can recognize anger the same way. But, we can see that anger begins with irritation, indignation, frustration, or something of the sort. Things that we don’t recognize as sin. Be honest with yourself and God, and confess that “I am irritated… I am a little bit angry.” Recognize it as sin. Uproot that weed now! Don’t wait until you have ruined your testimony or your life, and that of your loved ones. Don’t allow bitterness and hatred to eat away at your heart, steal your joy, and ruin your relationship with God and those around you.

What about Fear?

What about fear? Many passages tell us not to fear. I am not going to read any of them right now. I only want to state that fear begins as “anxiety.” Anxiety is from unbelief—not trusting God. We—I—am anxious about all sorts of things. And I am commanded to not be anxious.

What do we call it when we do what God told us not to do? Or fail to do what He commanded us that we should do? We call it sin, don’t we? And all sin breaks fellowship with God. All sin keeps us from feeding on His Word. All sin makes our prayer life fruitless and empty. Fortunately, all sin can be taken to God in confession, according to 1^st John 1:9. (Sometimes that word “all” is pretty nice.)

Nothing? (Yes, Nothing!)

So, what kinds of things are OK to be anxious about? Surely there must be some things about which we can say, “Oh, I’m not anxious! I’m just concerned!” (heh-heh!)

Let’s turn to Philippians 4:6, 7 please. (These are good verses to memorize, by the way!) Paul says that we are to be anxious about very few things, right? Only a short list? One thing? No, he says we are to be anxious for nothing. Instead, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, we are to bring our concerns to God. Did Habakkuk do that? Yes! And he had a great deal more about which to be concerned than most of us have today, though those of us who try to keep up on the world-news expose ourselves to more sources of anxiety than even Habakkuk had to face.

Anxiety is the beginning of Fear

Just like other sins, we are to recognize fear in its infancy. Anxiety is the “baby-form” of the weed called fear. This is not the good, clean, healthy kind of fear that we call the “fear of the Lord:” This is the infectious, unreasoning kind of fear that says, “God cannot take care of you—you had better take care of yourself!” This fear is from the pit.

During one of the sieges of Jerusalem, the (Assyrian) enemy captain (a fellow named “Rabshakeh”) came and told the people in those exact words, not to place their trust in God. (Isaiah 36:7, 18) Rabshakeh told the people of Jerusalem not to listen to the king who encouraged them to trust in God.

He said that none of the “local gods” had turned away his power, and that if the Jews trusted in their God, they would fall under his army, just as had the others. Rabshakeh was doing his best to instill fear, specifically unbelieving fear, in the hearts of the listeners. He even said that Hezekiah had torn down all the idols, therefore God would judge him. But Hezekiah had done so at God’s leading—God did not honor the idols, and wanted them removed. He had done a good thing! So, the people trusted in God and He saved them from the king of Assyria.

If we begin to recognize sin in its infancy, and root it out by confession and repentance, it will not gain such a deep root. If we learn to literally “pray about everything,” then we will be more focused on God than we are focused on self.

What about Human Enemies?

So, what about folks we don’t like? Do you have an enemy? Or at least, someone you think of as an enemy? In fact, maybe all you admit is that you don’t like them. How do we deal with that?

You Must Ask Yourself: “Is that person someone for whom Jesus died?”

(The Answer is “Yes!”—1^st John 2:2) If that is so, how is it that you feel free to despise them? What did Jesus say to do about our enemies? (Matthew 5:44) He said, “Love your enemies.” (And, that is the Agapé love…it has nothing to do with feelings.) He said “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.” (Hmmm…. We are back to not being angry, not being anxious, and praying about everything, aren’t we?)

So, What about an Impending Disaster?

Is there something you can/should do to prevent it? If so, then do it. If not, then you have to accept that a disaster is “on your list for today,” and allow yourself to go through it with God. All of us face death. Each is born with a death-sentence. Those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation still face death, but it has lost its sting. Death is a shadow, not a substance, and we pass through (not fall into) the valley (not the pit) of death. We travel with Jesus.

Geologists tell us that what we call “Yellowstone Park” is actually one gigantic super-volcano, one of the three largest in the world. The geologists say that if (or when) it erupts, the United States, as we know it, will simply cease to exist. It would essentially wipe out a third to a half of the continental US.

Is there anything we can do about it? Nope! The Yellowstone Caldera is capable of an eruption 1000 times greater than that of Mt. St. Helens. There was nothing we could have done, even, to stop Mt. St. Helens from erupting: Far less the Yellowstone Super-volcano. Is there any reason to be anxious, then? No, not really! God has his plan, and we will have to accept it as it comes.

Can We Act, to Avoid Danger?

But let’s say it is something more recognizable, like a hurricane or tornado, or a fire, or flood: is it OK to “get out of the way?” Of course it is! The proverbs (Proverbs 22:3) say that “the wise man sees the evil and hides himself, while the simple continues on and is punished.”

My mother and sister were crossing West Texas in a small car. A rainstorm had begun, with wind and lightning, and it soon was raining so hard they could hardly see the road, even by driving very slowly with the wipers going at full speed. They came to an overpass, and saw a cluster of vehicles crowded up under it. Being Oregonians, they didn’t know the significance, and they simply drove on, laughing: They thought, “The rain isn’t that bad!”

But, they had no radio in the car: Everyone else was taking shelter from a tornado! They drove on, and only heard about the tornado much later. I’m grateful that God kept them safe, but in truth, had they known the danger, the wise thing would have been to take cover (and they would have done so). Wisdom and timidity are two different matters. “God has not given us the spirit of fear (timidity—cowardice) but of power, and of Love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

So, What about Depression?

There are whole books on the subject, but I would like to point out that we are each a three-part being: body, soul and spirit. All three parts affect the whole. If you allow your spirit to be unhealthy, through sin or neglect, it will affect the whole person. And, if you feed your soul on emotional trauma and unnecessary, ungodly drama, then it will affect the whole person. If you allow your physical body to deteriorate through lack of exercise, bad physical habits, lack of sleep, or bad nutrition, eventually it will affect the whole person.

Elijah suffered from depression on at least one occasion (1^st Kings 19.) He begged God to let him die. God took care of the physical needs first; he gave him sleep, food, and water, and then exercise. Then he corrected his thinking: you see, one of the things tormenting Elijah’s mind was simply an error. He did not know the facts. God straightened him out on that level. Finally, He gave him a purpose—a new assignment from God. And the depression was gone!

Can We “Alleviate” Depression?

In many (not “all”) cases, depression can be alleviated by following God’s example and getting adequate sleep, good nutrition, proper exercise and proper thought-food, or emotional-food. (What kind of music do you listen to? What kind of books do you read? Are you watching TV? What kind of shows? Do you watch Movies? What kind of movies? What kind of conversations do you engage in?) Finally, most importantly, how is your spirit being fed? Are you in the Word? And, are you feeding on the Word, or just putting in your time? Are you rejoicing in the Lord? Or just doubting him?

Proverbs 15:30 says that “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good word maketh the bones fat.” (Fat bones?) He says that I can choose the light of the eyes…I can look to the light, rather than focusing on darkness. We don’t deny that darkness exists. We simply shine the light of God’s Word on the dark things, thereby dispelling the darkness. That is healthy! It “nourishes the bones.” It makes you strong. And it rejoices the heart.

Yet Will I Rejoice in the LORD

Let’s go back to Habakkuk 3:18, 19. The all-caps “LORD” is how the translators chose to designate the YHWH of Hebrew scriptures. This is the “I AM”, of Moses’ experience. The “I AM THAT I AM:” It was God’s answer to the question, “Who are you?”

We are to rejoice in who God is. We are to rejoice in all of his attributes. Learn to list in your mind all that you know about God, and to find joy in who He is. Thank Him, and rejoice in each thing as you remember it. Can you at least look around yourself at the creation and rejoice in the incredible variety and intricacies of life? Can you take joy in the order of the creation, its beauty and the fact that the Maker thereof has chosen to reveal himself to you at all?

Habakkuk said, “I will joy in the God of my salvation.” If nothing else, can you be glad that you are saved? Can you take heart in his Grace? Ponder for a moment why God even wanted to save you. I confess that I can’t understand His love at all. I do not know why he stooped to save us all. But I am awfully glad He did. I can rejoice in that!

Hind’s Feet on High Places

In conclusion, look at verse 19. Habakkuk says that the result of finding your joy in the LORD is that He will make your feet like “hind’s feet.”. (A “hind” is a type of deer that loves high country. It is extremely sure-footed, and very seldom falls.) God says He will not only make you sure-footed, so that you will never fall: He says He will also “set you on your high places.” He will put you above the disasters of life …make it possible to see things from His perspective.

We read in 2^nd Peter 1:10 that “…if you practice these things you will never fall.” (What things??) The things he listed in verses 2-9. We are to grow in the Lord, by Bible study, prayer, and obedience. Some of the commands that we are to obey involve the words “all”, and “nothing”. We can either “learn to lay aside all the sin that so easily entangles us” and “be anxious for nothing,” or we can go on muddling along in darkness, wasting our time and our lives, and being miserable as a result. That is the choice we have to make.

Joy is a choice. It takes practice. It takes diligence. But it is a choice, and it is one we can live with. I haven’t mastered this, but I am working at it, and will continue to do so. There are those around us who have already learned to choose joy. Take their example, and that of Habakkuk….

Choose Joy.

Lord Jesus, help us to respond to Your Word in faith, and make us surefooted in our walk with You. Teach us the art of contentment and the treasures of Joy.

October 4, 2025October 4, 2025

Balance the Truth of God’s Judgment with the Love of Christ

2nd John: A Letter to “The Elect Lady”

2^nd John 1-13

Introduction:

The book of 1st John was “a letter to the children.”

The book of 2^nd John is a letter to “the Elect Lady.” Who is she? God does not tell us.

There are several possibilities: She could have been someone John knew, personally, in whose home believers were meeting. We don’t know for certain whether the “Elect Lady” was an actual woman, or if John was addressing a local church, in the feminine form, as a portion of the Body of Christ: The Bride.

Whether an individual or a local assembly, His message includes an Emphasis on Truth, as a foundational concept. It includes a Reminder of the Commandment of Christ, and a Warning against joining in the works of false teachers. All three are directly applicable today. So, we can take these teachings and apply them to our own lives.

A Strong Emphasis on Truth

Notice that, in the first four verses, John emphasized “Truth” five times. We frequently hear people claim that “God’s Primary attribute is Love,” because of 1^st John 4:7, 8, where it states that “God is Love”…but the rest of the Bible makes it clear that His Primary Attribute is Holiness. And His truth goes right along with that Holiness.

In Numbers 23:19, God says, “God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of a man, that He should repent.” Remember, too, that Jesus did not say, “I am the way, the Love and the Life.” He said, “I am the way, the TRUTH and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Me.” Jesus also said, in John 4:24, that “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” Jesus said, in John 8:32, “Ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” So it seems we cannot over-stress the importance of the Truth of God’s Word.

¹The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

We can easily forget that Jesus said He is the truth. If we remember that, then we see that John said He loved this person (or persons) in Christ. Further, he said that anyone else who had an ongoing relationship with that Truth (Jesus) would love her, too!

Remember: 1^st John 4:11, 12 says, “¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. ¹²No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Truth is the Ground and Basis of Faith.

John says that the reason we love each other is for the truth’s sake. Specifically for the sake of the Truth which now dwells in us. In John 14:16-23, we see that the Holy Spirit will live in us forever, and that, in the person of the Spirit of God, Jesus (God the Son) AND God the Father have made their abode with us!

²For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. ³Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. ⁴I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

According to John 1:17, Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ. God reveals the truth. We believe Him, trusting in His Word, as opposed to believing the countless contrary voices around us in the World: And He calls that trust “Faith.”

On the basis of that faith, He declares us righteous, just as He did Abram. God calls this “Justification.” It means that God has declared you righteous. But He only does so on the basis of faith in His Word. In Romans 3:25, God makes it very specific: He says that salvation is based upon faith in the Blood of Jesus.

Jesus is the Living Truth

John confirms, here, that the Truth (Jesus) “dwells in us” (verse 2) and that “He shall be with you forever!” But, he also says that in addition to “knowing the truth” (verse 1), he asks us to “walk in the truth” (verse 4.) Walking in the truth builds greater faith.

Romans 1:17 says that as we continue in the Gospel of Christ, the Righteousness of God is revealed “from faith to faith.” Obedience to God, by faith, allows us to see the Righteousness of God, which, in turn, builds greater faith. 1^st John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life.”

A Reminder of the Commandment of Christ

⁵And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

⁶And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

John reminds the “elect lady” (whoever she is…I lean somewhat toward it being an actual person, though unnamed…but it could be a church.) He reminds her that we still have the same commandment Jesus gave from the beginning: That we are to exercise agapé love toward our fellow believers. And our blessing lies in obedience to that command.

But there may have been an ongoing trend within that church, (or that family) to receive “anyone and everyone” as if they were Godly teachers. The warning that follows this blessing is in stark contrast to the extensive message expounding the agapé love in 1^st John. He says there are some limitations as to how we are to receive traveling teachers. We are not to assume they are all Godly teachers, sent by God.

Why The Warning? False Teachers Abound!

(Compare 1^st John 4:1-3) The Spirit of Antichrist is already at work in the World, and we are called to discern that voice of evil when it arises. And the “litmus test” of false teachers, is their doctrine:

What Do They Do With Jesus?

Is He literally God in the flesh? Did He have a real, flesh-and-blood, physical, human body that God sent Him to offer as a sacrifice (God’s chosen sacrifice) in order for us to be saved? And was He physically, bodily, resurrected as predicted? Is He reigning as God the Son today? Is He coming back, physically, literally, and visibly, as He predicted?

All the false religions and cults (that I am aware of) deny the deity of Christ. They deny that He truly is God in the Flesh. Also, they deny that He is the Eternal Judge, as well as the only Savior. They deny the reality of the Virgin Birth, as well as denying the literal resurrection.

Such people are turning away sinners from salvation: They turn people away from the living God, and away from the Cross of Christ: They supplant the Grace of God with the Works of Religion!

⁷For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. ⁸Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

(Notice that there is a danger of losing rewards!) This seems to be a core message in the letter: He warned the recipients that they could ruin their own testimonies by consorting with false teachers. And that it was possible to lose the rewards they otherwise would gain through obedience to and respect for, the truth of the Gospel.

So, What Should We Do?

⁹Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: ¹¹For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

He states categorically that those who do not abide in this doctrine of Christ do NOT have God! This is the way we can sort out the false teachers from the faithful brothers. There is a serious warning here, against “supporting” false teachers by any means, or fellowshipping (partnering) with them.

We are not even so much as to offer a blessing to them. Galatians 1:6-9 says how God feels about people teaching a false Gospel. He says, “Let them be accursed!” So, why would you want to help them or bless them, in activities that God has already cursed? We must not join them in their sin, nor allow our testimony to be muddled or contaminated, by mixing with them.

Think Carefully About Who You Support!

This is one of the reasons we think carefully as a church, about what sort of missionary work we support. It is also an appropriate warning against receiving false teachers into your home, as if they were the honest messengers of God. 1^st John 4:1-3 says to “test them!” Ask them what they teach concerning these fundamental truths of God’s Word. And, if they seem to be “hedging” or “acting coy” about what they teach, take notice! If they are not willing to give a straight answer, then you must recognize that as a warning. They are not dealing in truth.

We actually had such a man as a pastor, years ago. He was teaching things that caused us to wonder whether he believed the Bible was God’s Word. So, we asked him outright: “Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?” He hedged, saying, “I believe the Bible is completely trustworthy!” But that did not answer the question!

So, we asked again, with emphasis: “Do you believe the Bible is THE Word of God?” This time we got a straight answer: “Of course I don’t!” (We were shocked!)

But, then we knew what we were dealing with: He was a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” and he was turning people away from Jesus. This is the kind of question a believer must be willing to ask, and to demand a straight answer from a professed “teacher of the Bible.”

Personal Contact is Important

¹²Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

John recognized that, in general, personal contact, face to face, is more effective than a letter. There is nothing wrong with a written communication, and for some things it is far superior: You can always “go back and review” what was actually said, in writing. There is far less ambiguity, and little room for doubt. But between friends and as a personal teacher, his personal contact would be a greater comfort and a deeper influence on the other believers.

¹³The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

This is one of the verses that makes me lean toward believing that it may have been an individual believer to whom he wrote, but I could see it meaning a local assembly, as well. Either way, it points out the unity in the Body of Christ at large.

The Outreach is Worldwide

We have brothers and sisters in Kenya and in Pakistan, who pray for us regularly, and who are thrilled at what the Lord is doing through our little church, as we are thrilled at what He is doing in theirs. We greet them, and bless them. They greet us and bless us, sending us photographs and testimonies of the believers there, rejoicing in God’s Word. And we rejoice with them!

Last night, the two primary leaders in Pakistan called me, in a video call, thanking us for the teaching they have received and for the Audio Bibles our church has been sending. They have been faithfully delivering those Bibles to the poor people in the slave camps in Pakistan.

Those leaders said that their church prays faithfully for our church and for the leaders here. They are taking the things they learn through us, and they are re-teaching it to younger believers who will also take it seriously, and who will go on to teach others. It was a joy to visit with them, to share the blessings, and to fellowship in the Word of God.

This is the Church, worldwide, looking to bless one another in Christ! That is what we do!

Lord Jesus, allow us to immerse ourselves in Your Work, and in Your Joy. Change our focus and make us true disciples of the Living Christ.

September 27, 2025September 27, 2025

How to Know God’s Will for Your Life, and Have His Assurance

Answers from the Mouth of God (Part Two)

How can I know God’s Will for my life?

Introduction: What About My “Feelings of Unworthiness?”

To begin with, let’s stop, and just admit it to ourselves: If I consider my personal abilities, my strengths, or my righteousness, of course I’m unworthy! But God isn’t looking at those things, so why am I?

God has already permanently placed you into the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:13 says that all believers were baptized into one Body of Christ, by the same Holy Spirit.) Ephesians 2:6 says He has already seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. We have been raised with Christ and we are seated with him in Heaven! (Strange: it doesn’t feel that way, does it?) Ephesians 1:13, 14 says we are sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit until the redemption of the purchased possession. (That’s us!)

Ephesians 4:24 says your new nature is already perfect in Him: That your new nature has been created in the likeness of God, in righteousness and true Holiness. And 2 Corinthians 5:21 says you have been made to be the Righteousness of God in Him. It says that Christ became sin for us, though he knew no sin, so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him. God no longer sees your sin at all, except as a hindrance to the blessing and work He wants to accomplish in you. According to Jesus’ promise, in John 5:24,you will never face condemnation.

Consider a Practical Example:

What would you think if, after a few attempts to learn to write his name, at age 4, your child declared himself a failure, and unworthy to be called your son? The issue of whether he could write his name is ultimately insignificant, and it has no bearing whatsoever on whether he is your son. The same is true in our relationship with God the Father.

We became children of God by rebirth, upon receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. Our works have nothing to do with whether we are saved. Our good works are only possible because we are children of God; not “required in order to make us children of God.”

Your child has the possibility of learning to write, because he is a human child. But some humans never learn to write. However, even if you could teach a dog to write, it would not become human. An unbeliever may do “good works:” Possibly even more consistently than most believers! But he does it for different reasons. Those reasons will be revealed, and his “good works” will not change his lost standing before God. Works are not in the picture at all, except as a result of saving Faith.

Feelings are Not a Reliable Measure of Reality

Finally, we need to recognize that “feelings are only valid when they reflect reality:” They are not a measure of reality. The fact of God’s Word is the true reality. We place our faith in His Word, and then we change our way of life to match His principles. We embrace His values as our own. Feelings of joy, satisfaction, and awe at the Majesty of God should follow.

But the fact is that our feelings don’t reliably reflect the reality of our new relationship with God. So, we need to constantly review the facts.

We can bask in the glory of God’s presence in His Word, and we can rejoice in fellowship with other believers. Those practices tend to insulate us from the negative feelings that besiege us through our life in the World. God’s Word reveals which feelings are from Him, and which are from our old sin nature. Satan will try to use my old nature as a tool to make me unprofitable to God. That is part of the battle—avoiding the traps he sets for our minds.

So, How Can I know God’s Will for My Life?

This is a very important question to answer, especially for a believer who has already settled the issue of his/her salvation. The Bible gives a great deal of information on the subject, and I won’t try to cover it all right now. The basics are as follows:

**Read the General Instructions:**

God gives a number of instructions to all believers: He wants all of us to walk in obedience to Him. He wants us all to live lives that are pleasing to Him, and which honor him before men. Additionally, He wants all of us to believe His Word; trust His grace, and His wisdom; and to tell the good news of salvation to others. He wants all of us to fellowship with Him, and with other believers. Finally, He wants all of us to pray constantly, and to be an encouragement to other believers, as well as praying for their needs.

What about Holiness?

He wants all of us to live without sin, but He knows our frailty, and He is more than fair: If we sin, we are to confess it to Him, make right whatever wrong has been done (if possible,) and go on walking with Him. The Lord wants all of us to love Him, above all things, and to grow in that love. He wants His Love to spill over from our lives into those around us, and to bless all those around us.

Human Relations:

God wants all of us to serve as His ambassadors, to reach the lost and dying world around us with the Gospel. He gives all of us instructions, as to how this is to be accomplished.

He gives all of us instructions as to how to relate to our spouses, our children, our employers or employees, the government, the police, the lost people around us, and to fellow Christians.

In short, all the general instructions regarding how to live for God are in the Bible.

Specific Instructions

Specific instruction, as to what school to attend, or who to marry, or how much to give, or where to seek employment, are a little different: They are a matter of applying the principles of wisdom given in God’s Word, and praying for guidance. If we write down the “pro’s and con’s,” and then apply God’s principles, to make our choices, many decisions can become a process of elimination.

How to Apply the Principles

Start by obeying the things you know, and praying for wisdom on the things you don’t know. (James 1:5) Then search the scriptures to see if there is a governing principle by which you can make the specific decision that is troubling you. If all the truth you know seems to point in a given direction, feel free to go that way.

Making Choices

If the answers you come up with really leave two equally good options, feel free to choose on the basis of personal preference. But be cautious; examine why you prefer one over the other. Ask God for guidance. It is OK to seek the counsel of others whom you consider wise in the Word, as well.

Finally, if you have gone as far as you can, and have made the best decision you know how, then commit your way to God, and trust Him to direct your path. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.”)

If He “closes doors,” so to speak, it could be that He is redirecting you. On the other hand, it could simply be an obstacle that you must overcome. At any rate, God wants you to know His will. He does not “play games of hide and seek,” or make you try to guess. If you are truly willing to obey His will, and are actively seeking His will, then you will eventually be directed by Him.

Knowledge is For the Purpose of Conduct

Remember that knowledge is for the purpose of conduct, not curiosity. If you are not already willing to do the will of God, then don’t bother asking what it is. We are not free to choose, on the basis of personal whim, whether to obey God. But many of the choices for which we want His direction are covered by principles, and He simply tells us to learn the principles in His Word.

But don’t make the error of asking God’s will so that you can decide whether to submit yourself to it. He doesn’t give directions to “submit them to us for approval.” His will is to be obeyed, not “considered.”

Assurance as a Believer

You can have assurance as a believer, then, based on the promise of God’s Word, that you will never be lost, and that God will continue to love you and provide for you, even through hard times, sickness, and death.

Also, you can have assurance that, as you search His Word for principles to live by, He will lead you in the path of His choosing.

You can have assurance that, if you follow the principles in His Word, the choices you make will be within His will, and that you will enjoy his blessing and guidance.

Notice what those three all have in common? God’s Word! That is where we find our assurance. Try to establish a regular habit of reading (or listening to the reading of) God’s Word, the Bible. That is where you will find assurance and peace. In this congregation, we will continue to feed on His Word, and we trust that it will be to your encouragement, as well.

What Does it Mean, to “Feed on the Word?”

There are five fundamental ways you can feed on God’s Word:

Hear it
Read it
Study it
Memorize it
Meditate upon it.

Each of the five ways in the above list requires more effort than the one before—and more time. Guess which end of the list has the most effect upon your life. Yep. The ones that cost you the most in terms of time and commitment are the ones that will do you the most good. The same thing is true for most relationships. The ones into which you put the most time and effort usually become the most valuable and enjoyable.

You Have to Make it Personal

Decide how you want to relate to the Lord. If you only want a “lifejacket” in the storms of life, then you may find that when the storms actually come you don’t really know how to use the lifejacket. If you want his guidance and love, and approval, and constant fellowship, then when the storms come, you will find that you are already prepared, and you can rest in Him.

I pray you will direct your hearts to find your assurance in the person of Christ, through His written Word, through His Holy Spirit, and through fellowship with other believers.

If there are specific questions for which you want answers, any of the leaders in this church will be happy to help you find them. You have only to ask.

Lord Jesus, please direct each of our hearts to make our relationship with you to be a personal priority, not just a matter of preference, and a conviction, not a convenience. Teach us to choose to feed on Your Word, and change our lives to reflect Your character.

September 13, 2025September 13, 2025

Do You Know How to Find Your Answers From the Mouth of God?

Where Do We Find Answers? From the Mouth of God!

(Part 1)

Introduction:

We all seem to have many questions in common. How can the believer have assurance that he/she is saved? And, how can we know for sure that “peace with God” is a settled issue? How can we overcome doubts and self-condemnation? How can we know God’s will for our lives? Believerrs ask these questions over and over, and in some cases, they never find an answer. Where do we look for answers? Can human wisdom (and/or human reasoning) provide solid answers? Or, should we simply, blindly, trust that “everything will be all right?” To whom should we turn for the answers?

God Has the Answers

To a new believer, I would advise: We need to begin by establishing a confidence that God himself has all the answers. We can’t count on ourselves or any other human being to have complete knowledge, insight and wisdom. But God does have it! Proverbs 2 tells us that He is the source of all wisdom. James 1:5 echoes this idea.

But Proverbs 2:6 says that “…out of his mouth comes wisdom…” God’s Living Word links Himself to us. He prompts us by his Spirit, by other people, etc., but the written Word is our “…more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place...” (2 Peter 1:19)

So, try to establish a pattern of reading, and study, to begin familiarizing yourself with God’s Word. If you don’t understand a verse, or a passage, or a concept, don’t worry about it: just make a note of that passage, and come back to it later. When you find something that seems to speak to your particular need, write it down, and perhaps select a verse to memorize. In this way, you will keep building a supply of material and tools that God can use to teach you.

Fellowship is Important

Also, begin to regularly attend a good church. Find an assembly of believers who teach the Bible as God’s Word, and who do not teach “peculiar doctrine,” or twist the scripture to make it say something unusual. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Additionally, you should ask for a doctrinal statement, and read it carefully. Not every group calling itself “Christian” is actually teaching the pure Gospel.

However, it is important to find believers with whom to fellowship, and from whom to receive encouragement and teaching. Then, as you study God’s Word, and as you fellowship with other believers, you should begin gaining a solid understanding of the answers to the questions most of us have. So, let’s talk about some of those specific questions:

How Can I Know I’m Saved?

This is a very common question, and probably the most important question one can ask. If you have no confidence that you are a child of God, then there is no point in trying to live like one.

A simple way to find an answer is to first ask, “What does it take to be saved?” and then, “Have I satisfied that requirement?” So: what does it take? How does salvation occur? The Philippian Jailer, in Acts 16:30, asked, “…what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:31 says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” That was Paul’s answer! It is not a complicated matter. But perhaps it bears clarification.

What Did Jesus Tell Nicodemus?

In John 3:14-16 Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, explaining to him how to be born again. He adds some insight as to the nature of belief and salvation, but still says “believe.” He said, “¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(Remember, we saw, in Numbers chapter 21, that the children of Israel were in trouble with God. He sent migrating vipers among them as punishment for sin: People were bitten, and they were dying! God commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent and hang it up high on a pole, where everyone could see it (bronze and brass were symbols of judgment.) He called for anyone who was bitten to look to that bronze serpent…confessing that this was God’s judgment, The result? They did not die. It does not say that the pain went away, or that He would heal miraculously the punctures in their flesh . But, having looked to God’s solution, they escaped death.)

A Promise From Jesus

In John 5:24, Jesus gives a conditional promise: it has two conditions to be fulfilled, and a three-clause promise. He said, “²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Jesus told the crowd:

If they heard his Words, and believed (placed their trust in) the One who sent him,
Then they had eternal life—right then!
And furthermore, He said that God would never condemn them:
They had permanently crossed over from death into life.

A Detailed Explanation from Paul

Romans 10:8-17 gives more detail: “⁸But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹²For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹³For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ¹⁶But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁷So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Paul said that if a person calls upon (invokes, places their faith in) the name of the Lord, they will be saved. Then he said that one could not “call upon” someone in whom they did not believe, and they couldn’t believe what they hadn’t heard, and couldn’t hear without one to tell them. This is why we practice evangelism, and support missions!

How Important is the Gospel of Christ?

Romans 1:16 says that the Gospel, being believed, is the power of God to save people…and it is the only thing so called in scripture. Jesus’ death at the cross is “Plan A:” There is no “plan B!”

1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 defines the Gospel. “³For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

The Gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins according to the scripture, that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (in fulfillment of prophecy). This message, being believed, is what Romans 1:16 says is God’s power to save those who believe.

Two Positions

1 Corinthians 15:22 defines two “positions,” with their respective results. Paul says, “all in Adam died; all in Christ shall be made alive”. Then, we can apply these verses to our own position, to ask, “Am I in Christ, or am I still in Adam?” This is a question that only you can answer. But, according to Jesus’ promise which we already read in John 5:24, if you have:

listened to, (or have read, or heard it in some other way) the Good News concerning Jesus’ death and burial and resurrection, and have
believed that His blood sacrifice is enough to pay for all your sins, and so have truly placed your dependence on Him as your Savior,

then God says you have eternal life already, and that you now belong to Him. He wants to begin to change your life, to make you more like Himself. If you rebel against him, he will not change his mind, and take away the eternal life He promised, but you will be unhappy and unfulfilled until you correct the problem, whatever it is, because you won’t be free to fellowship with Him.

**So, What do I do When I don’t “Feel Saved?”**

Many believers occasionally feel this way. When I questioned my salvation, I went back, mentally, and reviewed what itsalvation required. I asked myself, “Was there ever a time when you placed your full trust in Jesus’ completed work at the Cross? Do you believe His Blood is sufficient to pay for all your sins?” The answer in my case is “Yes.”

So, the answer forced me to conclude that salvation was not the issue. I had to conclude that probably I was simply out of fellowship with God. (Incidentally, as I have gone through this sequence a number of times, I have more and more quickly arrived at the correct conclusion: I was out of fellowship with God.)

So, What Breaks Fellowship With God?

In a word, “Sin!” Sin breaks fellowship with God. Amos 3:3 says that two cannot walk together unless they agree; Psalm 66:18 says “if I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me.”

Romans chapter 6 assures me that I do not have to sin. Romans 6:16 says that when I choose to submit myself to sin, I temporarily become a slave to it again.

1^st John 1:5, 6 says, “God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” So, if we say that we have fellowship with Him, and our lives don’t match His truth, then we are fooling ourselves. We are not in fellowship.

How do we restore fellowship? By confession. 1^st John 1:9 “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

How do we maintain fellowship? By obedience. 1^stJohn 1:7 “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

Walking with Jesus

Can we “eradicate” Sin from our lives? I don’t believe we can: 1^st John 1:8, 10 says that if we think we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and that if we simply claim we have never had a sin problem, then we are making God a liar. So, just as Paul struggled with his indwelling sin nature (Romans 7,) in the same manner, we have to fight it.

Colossians 2:6 says we are to walk in Christ in the same way we received Him (by faith). “Walking” implies a continuous action, not a one-time action. It also implies a step-by-step, relatively slow action, not an idea of moving by “leaps and bounds,” nor of coasting, gliding, or sprinting. In light of the verses listed above, and the wealth of information given to believers concerning how to live the Christian life, it seems safe to say that we will not be without sin until the day we go to be with God. Then, according to 1 John 3:2, “…we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

The Christian life has battles, in which God expects us to stand fast. (Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the armor and tells us who the enemy is; James 4:7 says we are to submit to God and resist Satan; 1 Peter 5:8, 9 says that the enemy is deadly, and that he stalks us, but that we are to resist him steadfastly.)

How Do We Do It?

The key is to be filled with, or to walk in, or be led by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18 “be filled with the Spirit”; Galatians 5:16-23 “…walk in the Spirit”; Romans 8:14 “be led by the Spirit.” All three are the same idea.) The Christian life is not difficult; it is impossible apart from the indwelling, presiding Holy Spirit living His life through us, moment by moment: day by day.

I trust that each of you is looking to God for the whole life He has to offer you. Please come again, next week, and we will discuss some specific issues in the Christian life.

Lord Jesus, please teach us to find our answers in You: in Your Word, by your Spirit, and always as a manifestation of your Wisdom. Help us to apply Your wisdom to each of our personal lives, so that we become the Men and Women of God that you have called us to be.

How to Recognize False Teachers ( Jude, Part Three)

Jude 13-25

Introduction:

Characteristics of False Teachers

Human Movements and Waves of Unrest

Wandering Stars

So, How Do We Learn to Spot a False Teacher?

Reference to Enoch

Observe the Character of False Teachers

We Have Been Warned

Conclusion, Response of the Believers

So…What are We Supposed to Do?

First: How do We Respond to God?

Then: How do We Respond to Those Around Us?

One

Two

Three

Jude’s Final Benediction

Part Two: Judgment is coming

Jude 8-13

Introduction:

Beginning A List of Examples

Extra-biblical Examples

More Examples

Jude lists three examples in one verse:

It is Insanely Bad Judgment to Usurp Authority!

The Character of these False Teachers, and False Christians

What Other Signs of False Teachers Can We See?

What Happens to the People They Mislead?

What are Wandering Stars?

So, How Do We Learn to Spot a False Teacher?

Jude: The False Teachers and Apostates (Part 1)

Judgment is Coming!

Jude 1-25 (Read it!)

Introduction:

To Whom is the Epistle Addressed?

The Result of Genuine Faith

The Subject: Men who have “Crept In Unawares:” False Teachers.

Unbelief Among Believers

A Warning to Believers

Judgement of Fallen Angels

Judgment of Specific Humans

Beginning A List of Examples

Jude Includes Extra-biblical Examples

More Examples

Here are three examples in one verse:

3rd John: A Letter to a Faithful Brother

3rd John 1-13

Introduction:

The Root of the “Prosperity Gospel”

What does it mean, “to Prosper?”

Old and New Testament Examples:

Leaning on Jesus

What Did Gaius Mean in Verse 2?

Fellowship in the Ministry of Missionaries

What questions should we ask?

Becoming Partners in the Work of the Gospel

A Bad Leader: A Counterexample to Good Leadership

Conclusion: Follow That Which is Good.

Two “Rulers of the Synagogue” (not the Church)

Personal Contact When Possible

Introduction:

Prayer in the Old Testament

Thanksgiving Was Part of the History

Unthankful Hearts Draw Judgment

Unthankful Hearts Result in Spiritual Darkness

So, What about Prayer?

God’s Word and His Values are Eternal

Daniel’s Example

Jehoshaphat’s Example

Modern Examples

It is OK to pray and die!

God’s Command

Rejoice Evermore

Pray without Ceasing

In Every Thing give Thanks

Making it Personal

It IS Personal!

The Sovereignty of God and the Free Will of Man

Introduction:

3^rd John: A Letter to a Faithful Brother

3^rd John 1-13

**Unbelief is the Most Common Response Among all Humans**

**A Personal Choice is Offered: “Whosoever Will”**

**So, Again, What About the Jews?**

**Read the General Instructions:**