Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Law, Liberty And Lasciviousness Pt.2

Let's turn in our bibles to 1 Timothy where we left off this morning. 1 Timothy 1: as we were shutting down this morning we were talking about the purpose of the law and saw it for what it's original intent was. We saw by Galatians that the law was the schoolmaster to point us to Christ. We know throughout Hebrews and the other epistles that have been written to us it was just a shadow, a foreshadowing of that which was to come in Christ. We saw as we looked at the word of God that the law then being that-that was God's instrument to preserve us and keep us from destruction until the free gift could manifest itself. We saw that the law was perfect. We saw that the law was good in Timothy. We saw the necessity then in Timothy as we were closing down this morning to use this law lawfully, chapter 1 verse 8. We know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully knowing this that the law is not made for a righteous man. So we're trying to get that established in our thinking this morning. The law is not for a righteous man. You and I are not under the bondage, the compulsion of the law. We saw this - that the purpose of the law was to convict us of sin, to reveal sin, to make sin abound in our awareness. Now if we're righteous we don't need that. We don't need to be told if you do this you will not be in fellowship with God. If you continue in this vein you will experience separation, ultimately damnation. We don't need the law to say thou shalt not. Why? Because we have a new law working in us - the law of spiritual life in Christ Jesus that we don't have to be told you can't do that. Why? Because we don't want to do that and so we don't need the law. Why? We have a new heart. So I don't have to be told you cannot do that! What I'm being told now is here is the power so that you don't have to do what you don't want to do. And that's what Paul was lamenting in Romans chapter 7 - the things that I don't want to do I find myself doing. The scripture says that for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh and God sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin did what? Condemned sin in the flesh. So we realize that the law and flesh could not get the job done. The law could not be affected because of the weakness of sin in man's members. What's happened now because of the indwelling holy spirit and sin no longer being the dominant force in our members though it's still in our members. We don't need law to tell us thou shalt not. The law now serves a purpose to us; it no longer holds us to bondage and condemnation, but it still remains there as that guide. The moment we transgress the spirit of God, the conviction that takes place in our heart. We look to our heart, we see the offense, we turn, we repent and fellowship is restored. And so that's how the law relates to us, but the law is not for a righteous person in that we have to go down and continually go through a check list to find out whether we're offending God. We're in right relationship with him, why? Because of faith in Jesus Christ. We're going to see very clearly in Colossians in just a moment and in the book of Galatians how this works itself out. He says the law is for the lawless, the disobedient, the ungodly, for sinners, for unholy and profane, murderers of fathers, murders of mothers, manslayers, whoremongers, those that defile themselves with mankind, men stealers, liars, purgered persons and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine the law then is applicable to those individuals. When we're dealing with people within the body and we go to a brother or sister and we speak to them the principles of exposing or reproving as children of light and we say a godly or christlike person does not respond this way and they reject that admonition we find ourselves in a Matthew 18 situation. Now, this person who rejects grace, rejects light, has to now be dealt with how? According to the law, we bring them back under the law for the law is for the lawless. And that's why we have to respond to those children who are disobedient, who are rebellious, who are walking after the flesh, as though they were in fact heathen many times. So there has to be a clear line drawn into what we're dealing with and that has to do with all these principles we've been teaching you for the last month. As to whether it's shaming, whether it's marking, or whatever it is but whenever that offense is there and it's not repented of we have to deal with it according to the law.

Now look over at Colossians for just a moment and I want to get into the liberty aspect that we spoke of this morning. Remember we said that when we're talking about liberty, we're dealing with this subject matter as it pertains to law and we talked about the different aspects of law. We said there was moral law, we said there was ceremonial law, and civil law. What we're looking at predominantly in Romans we said was contrasting redemption and the work of the grace, the blood of Jesus with the misconception that the law was sufficient to bring about reconciliation to Father. Galatians however is dealing with a whole other principle. We said it was dealing primarily with the ceremonial aspect or the infiltration of the judiazers into the body of Christ. The judiazers being different than the gnostics in that the gnostics said that you can be right with God, and we shared with you numberous times, you can be right with God internally, you can know God in your heart and yet you can manifest lascivious behavior in the flesh and because of knowledge still be right with God. Because of this secret knowledge of grace and faith. And we talked about how that was combated so many times by John. The other problems that the church was experiencing, of course, was the judiazers and what were they saying - yes we believe in Jesus Christ, but you need to be circumcised. We believe in salvation but you must still involve yourself in temple worship, keeping the sabbath, the holy days, that it manifests in themselves ceremonial cleansings, and the degree that they held to these ceremonial laws varied depending on what particular sect of the judiazers you were involved in. Some were liberal judiazers and some were conservative judiazer legalists. Nevertheless, what we're dealing with is adding to the redemptive work of Christ that it takes the blood of Jesus plus. That's very dangerous in our day and it's very easy to recognize the blasphemous, heretical infiltration of gnostics. The judiazers look so spiritual. I mean we can see that these people that are saying I can be a christian man and go involve myself in the temple orgies and we go that doesn't seem right. When you're regenerated how many of you know that doesn't sound right? But what about the guy that says you know praise God I've been born again, Jesus is the Lord of my life and I want you to understand something man that you could really have even a greater relationship with Him if you start fasting six days a week. You fast six days a week? Yeah. Oooo wow. Really? And I've given up Christmas. Wow. And we don't go trick-or-treating. Oooo wow, these people are spiritual. And you begin to see these things and Colossians speaks to it this way if you'll turn to the book of Colossians. It begins to tell us we need to be careful in Colossians and Galatians that-that leaven that can come into our midst - and the spiritual pride and apostacy through what Paul tells us in the letter to the Galatians is a show of wisdom through will worship. It has not power in contending with the flesh. So Paul starts this off and he tells us then in verse 14 of the second chapter of Colossians he says that God has already provided for us and made us alive, verse 13, with Christ having forgiven us all of our trespasses. God has made us alive! Why? Because we have been buried with Him in baptism, risen with Him through faith of the operation of God. Let me tell you something tonight you don't need to add to God's operation. He's doing a good job, amen? He's got this thing under control and you need to have faith in God's operation. He, God, who has raised Him Jesus from the dead and us with Him. You having been dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made you alive with Him having forgiven you - how many? All of your trespasses having blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. So we rejoice in the great work of Jesus. It was nailed the scripture says here in this last phrase of verse fourteen to His cross. And He spoiled principalities and powers so we rejoice in this finished work of Jesus and we say praise God the work's done. Then Paul says if it's a finished work, why are you letting men judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of holy days, or in new moons, or sabbaths, verse 16. If it's nailed to the cross, if it's finished then what are you doing giving ear to these people that are saying that we have to add to the operation of God. Oh, what Jesus did was good, this will make it better and from that, of course, what do we get we get different monasteries and we got little monks that crawl up in the hills somewhere and they hit themselves with whips and they practice all kinds of ascetic types of living. And the world looks upon these holy men who are murderers and adulterers, slanderers and backbiters in their heart. And yet the world admires ascetics. It's their perspective of spirituality and tragically it's come in among those who are weak christians and think that-that also is a sign of spirituality. Paul said it's not so. He said all of these things that you're trying to emulate that the judiazers brought upon you are a shadow of the things to come, but understand this the body is the true church of Christ. Don't let any man beguile you of your reward. In a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels intruding to things that they've not seen, puffed up by fleshly mind and not holding the head, not giving pre-eminence to the Lordship of Jesus from whom all the body by joints and bands have been nourished by His headship and by the care of one member to the other, being knit together. Being edified or increasing with what - the increase of God or the presence of God. Now if you be dead with Christ he says why, and still living in the world, are you subject to ordinances? If you be dead with Christ then why are you making efforts to appease God? What is it that you think is lacking? Touch not, taste not, handle not which all are to perish with the using. Those things that are after the commandments and doctrines of men. Paul goes on and he's speaking to them and he says these do in deed have a show of wisdom. It looks great. Sounds great. If this is good more must be better. You can't add to the operation of God. Now he says the problem is this - watch. The whole principle is a neglecting of the body. Asceticism, punish the body. Abstinence now, as we know, that abstinence is a biblical principle but I want you to know that there is something more beneficial for you and is an indicator of spiritual maturity that goes beyond abstinence. Abstinence is for babies. Abstinence is for the weak. Abstinence says if your eye keeps offending you and you can't control it pluck it out. But if you can discipline your life and you're eye be single it's full of light, it brings understanding. It's a show of wisdom, it's will worship, self-discipline, but it's not faith and it's not spirituality. What do we need? We don't need abstinence, we need sobriety, we need self-control that's what the spirit of God wants you and I to grow into. And so what the judiazers are saying are look you'll never make it by faith, you'll never make it by grace, you've gotta have these rules to keep your flesh under, to keep you under control. Otherwise, you're going to go crazy if somehow you get turned loose. And so we have churches for years trying to keep people in bondage and in fear. You have the pentecostal holiness, the assemblies of God are guilty of this. They have all these rules, touch not, taste not. We don't smoke, we don't chew, we don't run with girls that do and all the different things - we don't go to the movies, we don't go bowling, we don't go to the pool hall. All of those things were well-meaning. What it was doing was saying look shun the very appearance of evil, flee youthful lusts, amen? And we know those are great principles and when we talk about liberty we're not talking about going out and transgressing against principles such as those I just stated. What we're saying however is this, that as we walk in the spirit, beloved we don't have to be afraid of the world and we don't have to fear our flesh anymore. The old man is dead, amen? I've shared with you the story that I went through - experienced years ago that the enemy held me under bondage for so long as it pertained to my temper and my tendency to respond to pressure with violence. I was the type person if you put pressure on me I responded physically, it was just the way I responded. The first - nothing else crossed my mind. For years I was tormented with the fact that one day somebody was going to get in my face at church and I was going to put their lights out. How many of you think that probably would be a bad testimony for the pastor? You know? One day I got the opportunity and it was a deacon. We had different types of deacons back in those days, they would've been very, very good mascots for a team in North Carolina or is it South Carolina - the demon deacons. We had demonized deacons and this particular individual got in my face and you know what happened? I grabbed a hold of the counter and I abstained - no. To my surprise nothing was there. I'd been tormented for years. Satan said one of these days man I'm going to give you opportunity and you're going to lose it. You know what, that man was dead. There was no response at all from the natural. Now what I'm sharing with you is this, most of you are in better spiritual shape than you think you are and many of you because of these doctrines have kept yourself in fear and bondage. You're going to see when we talk about this liberty that we're in no way talking about giving or making provision for the flesh. We're not talking about occasion to the flesh, we're talking about the fact that the grace of God and the blood of Jesus is sufficient for what's taking place in you if you'll begin to trust. For if you be risen with Christ the third chapter goes on to say, seek those things which are above. Now let me ask you something, are you seeking for more efficient methods of disciplining your flesh? Are you spending your time just seeking fellowship with the things that are above? Just enjoying the presence of God? Not what do I have to do to be better? How can I know as I'm known. I just want to spend time with God. And as it begins to be a pursuit of His presence rather than the perfecting of yourself maturation is taking place, because that in and of itself is an indicator that you are no longer in self-worship. All of this ascetic approach is selfish, it's self-centered, it focuses on self, it focuses on flesh. What can I do to bring flesh under? What can I do to make me better? What can I do to impress people that God's really working in me? It's all selfish, it's all self-centered. Seek the things that are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affections on the things above and not on the things of the earth. Stop looking for a spiritual reputation and just look to fellowship with Father. Stop worrying about what people think about you, your judge is God and you want to know what the very fact of the matter is - that as you become more mature, you're going to be judged guilty by weak people around you. They're not going to understand your liberty and they're going to be tempted to judge you as carnal in their weakness. We'll show you that as we go on in Corinthians in the study, but we can't be taken up with people's judgement of us. But we must be very conscience of our liberty becoming a stumbling block to them and so we have to strike the balance as to how we walk as mature believers in liberty. To in no way minimize what Jesus has done in our lives, but at the same never begin to be an offense or a stumbling block to the weak that are around us who are still caught up in meat's and drinks and sabbath days. That's when the law of love begins to manifest itself that Paul speaks of in Corinthians and in Romans. We're going to spend a little bit of time and we'll have to go to Romans chapter 14. We may not get there tonight. You might want to do a little reading in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 6, 8 and 10. Chapters 6, 8 and 10 of 1 Corinthians, Romans 14 and just spend a little bit of time reviewing that. But right now we want to talk about this fallacy of will worship. It appears to be so spiritual. Now you know what's interesting? People misunderstand law and admonishment. We have the declaration here as a fellowship we meet for our times of prayer and for services. It never ceases to amaze me how many people say "we have to go!" Who's making you go? When's the last time a deacon showed up at your house with a gun and said you're going to prayer whether you want to or not. You say well last Tuesday - well it shouldn't have happened then, okay? Because that's not what we teach, that's not what the word of God teaches. It's not something that we are under the law of or bondage. It's something that we've made available to you and said that if in fact you are one who is seeking the things of above. This is going to be something that you would take opportunity of to be able to be able to prefer others better than yourself. These are indicators of a spiritually mature person, a person walking in the spirit. But there's not the legalism that if for some reason you have to miss once that you feel condemned, that you sinned and there shouldn't be that judgement passed upon one another for one another. When do we become concerned? When it begins to be something that's habitual. If we understand that the person is seeking the things that are above, these are people who's affections are set upon those things and not the earthly things. People who are dead and who's lives are hid with Christ will always manifest, verse five, a mortifying of your members. Oh, so the mortifying then of the members is a consequence not an avenue to right standing with God. I don't do these things to be right with God, I do them because I am right with God. I am not obligated to do these things, I want to do these things. Oh, we have to go down to prayer and pray. Well why? Because if we don't then we were told we wouldn't be seen as one of the faithful ones and I want to be one of the faithful ones. But with that spirit you're not. If you're still here everyday you're still not, you've missed the point. Stay home and we'll talk about you, is that what you're worried about? Let me share something with you, we're not gossips like you are. Okay? Well, that's what I'd do if you stayed home. Well, you're judging out of your own heart. But if you're dead with Christ the scriptures says you will mortify your members. You'll recognize what the flesh is capable of and you will give it no opportunity. What are we saying? We're saying that though we have this liberty in Christ it is not a liberty from the moral law. We spent a lot of time this morning and we're dealing with it again. We're in no way, as we talk about liberty saying that we can ever, ever have liberty to commit fornication, to express inordinate affections, to involve ourselves in covetousness. He says in verse six "for which things sake you involve yourselves in these, the wrath of God will come upon the children of disobedience." You are obligated, it goes on to say in verse 7 to put off these things: anger, wrath, malice, blaspheme, filthy communication out of your mouth. Put off the old man with all of his deeds. Why? Because you're dead in Christ, you've been crucified with Him, buried with Him, raised with Him. These things can no longer manifest themselves in the life of the believer. Therefore, I'm not under the law, I'm not being told that I cannot do these things. I'm being told that I no longer have to do these things. It's not you can't - you don't have to, you're not under it's power anymore. I study the word now to allow myself, spiritually, be energized by the life of the word of God. Spiritual nutrition that allows me to make these decisions to die on a daily basis to self - partake of this new life in Jesus Christ or the putting on of the new man who is now elect of God verse twelve holy and beloved. Mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind I am now able to forebare etc

So with that in mind and you're understanding that we're coming to the law not to find out what we can and can't do, we now come to the word of God to experience our liberty as James calls it the perfect law of liberty. Come and look into that perfect law so that you don't forget what manner of man you are. What I potentially can be without Christ and what I am in Christ. It's not just from the negative. When you look in the word of God and he says continue in that so that you don't forget what manner of man you are it comes from both sides beloved. It's a two-edged sword that we're looking at. I no longer am under the power of this, but here's what I am, the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. You'll forget that if you get out of the word, out of the law. The law continually tells me here's what a natural man is bound by and here's what you are by faith in Jesus Christ. And I can rejoice in that. Well Galatians says it this way - turn over to Galatians and as we're talking about this liberty, here was the misunderstanding of the judiazers and the christians that Paul was dealing with. Chapter five Galatians, Paul says stand fast in the liberty where of Christ has made you free and don't be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Well check out the good news man - stand fast in the liberty. It's amazing those of you who weren't raised in those kinds of churches - you know it's a bummer growing up in a judiazer church man. A legalistic church. I remember the church that we ministered in Bakersfield, I was youth pastor. It was an Assembly of God church and some of you may remember that they had little cards that you signed for membership. To join the church you would have to sign and pledge that you would do certain things and wouldn't do other things. You had to do things such as going to movies and dancing and many of these other things. You've heard us jokingly say that the Assemblies of God preach very strongly against premarital sex because it might lead to dancing. That's about where they held it. Those of you that are trying to put the two together, they felt that one might lead to the other and there's some wisdom in that. There's some wisdom in the fact that young men in their adolescence, in their hormonal borage should not be taking young women into their arms and embracing them. There's some wisdom in that. There's real wisdom in not going to movies that are physically, sexually provocative, movies that bombard your mind with innuendo. Some of the most offensive things are some of the language, it just begins to beat you down when you're used to words that are edifying. That's just wise. So they have this card and the interesting thing was that I was youth pastor and after a short period of time the pastor wanted to know why I wouldn't join the church. And I told him well I can't sign that card. He said well what is it that you plan on doing on the card that you don't want to sign that you won't do? I said nothing, there's not a thing on there that I plan to do, absolutely because I know what your direction for this fellowship is, I know where your conscience is and I have no plans on doing anything on there that would be in opposition to that. But I can't sign that because of the very fact that I'm free to do all of those things and cannot sign. The fact that I won't so that I can remain right with God. I'm telling you I won't do any of those things, but it's going to be out of love for you and the brethren not out of obligation to enhance my righteousness.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made us free and don't be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing. Well for some of us here in the room that's bad news, others if you just read it at face value - amen, praise God brother. The fact of the matter is any of you who are or are not circumcised in this room probably neither one occurred for anything that pertains to this passage of scripture. All of these years later historical, cultural, medical, but not spiritual. What's Paul saying? If you were circumcised to get a seal of approval finally in the eyes of others that you are right with God, he said Christ profits you nothing. Christ has become of no affect, verse four, unto you whosoever you are that are justified by the law. The show of will worship. Those of you that must fast, those of you that must abstain, those of you that are involved touch not, taste not Christ profits you nothing. That's a powerful statement man if you think there's justification by some action outside of the work of Jesus. He says you've fallen from grace. Don't go back under the bondage, don't buy this lie that there's some form of lifestyle that's going to make you holier than the blood of Jesus. It doesn't work. For we who through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness which is by faith the scripture says. You've been running well, who's hindered you, verse seven, that you should not obey the truth? It's not from Him who called you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Isn't it interesting how we use that passage and we normally use it and it's not wrong to use it this way, but we normally use it against those who are coming into our midst who are blatantly gnostics when in fact it should be used toward the judiazers? The leaven, those that are coming and trying to put up their own spirituality and saying if you're really going to be spiritual you have to hold your tongue this way when you pray. You have to pray at this hour, you have to pray this many hours, you have to study this many hours. Well, you know, over the years I found in my experience that gifts vary in the church. I've been fortunate to be around people who are great bible teachers and to see the amount of time, and you can't be a good bible teacher if you don't spend time studying. I've also seen people who move in the power of God and by the leading of God's holy spirit are able to be used in the gifts of the spirit, but I've found that most of those people are not good bible students. But like a friend of mine from years ago, Ethel Hook, a woman who spent a minimum of eight hours a day in prayer. I mean when she was in prayer you can forget about getting in touch with Hookie. I mean it didn't matter if the building was on fire she'd probably just keep praying and neither shall the flame kindle upon me and pray right through the thing who knows, but you know she probably wouldn't even know that scripture was in there. What am I saying to you? Who are you going to follow? Which avenue are you going to take? You can't pray eight hours a day and study eight hours a day and have any ministry to others that's effective. We're under condemnation because we can't pray eight hours a day and study eight hours a day and preach eight hours a day. Who's going to put that kind of - sounds spiritual, but what about your children? Well God will take care of them. Well what about your wife? Well, she's the Lord's problem. If you're spiritual here's what you'll do - will worship, sounds good, a little leaven however can leaven the lump. And we begin to trust in works and not in Christ. Who are these people? Well we look at them from both sides, I shared with you this morning, you find the different groups that are out there. The Church of God out of Anderson, you find a number of the holiness groups, but Paul goes on and tells us here, he says look the answer is this beloved, that law is fulfilled in one word, love your neighbor as yourself. This is what I want to admonish you in, if you walk in the spirit you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Now here's a people who obviously were wanting to live free from the flesh, they knew what was in their members and they said how can we escape this thing? Well, it's through touch not, taste not, you must be circumcised, you have to soujourn to the temple. Paul tells us in the other epistle, look it's not meat or drink, it's righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy ghost. It's not whether you come to Jerusalem once a year to the temple. It's not whether you're circumcised, it's not when you practice certain dietary laws, it's not whether you eat or drink. It's righteousness, it's peace, it's joy in the holy ghost. Now are you all worried about whether you're in the flesh? Here's a list and if you're saying you're right with God but this list is manifesting in your life understand this, verse twenty-one, you will not inherit the kingdom. But don't get all taken up with this stuff, the list will be a non-issue if you walk in the spirit - if you acknowledge that this work is finished in you. What are we saying this evening? Beloved listen, if you're so taken up with touch not, taste not, you're not regenerated. You haven't been born again, you're still trying to appease God. You still think man there's something else I have to do. It's finished, the work is done. Who's bewitched you? Who told you this stuff? Paul said I didn't tell you this. My message to you is this that if your intentions are to do the will of God and that's habitually what you're pursuing and involved in then you are a new creation and these transgressions that manifest periodically is sin in me. It's not I, it's sin in me he says in Romans. Now can we use that as a cop out? Oh, that wasn't me that was just sin in me. Yeah, but we can't use this as an occassion to the flesh, we can't justify it. When it occurs we hate it! If you hate the offense and you turn from it immediately, if you make no provisions for it, if you're not planning this thing out moment after moment, day after day, if you're not delighting in it, then beloved it's not you it's sin in you. Amen? There's a liberty for us in Jesus Christ. Why would you be brought under the bondage of these things? Because you lack that assurance, the love that's in Jesus Christ. Let's finish with this for tonight we'll pick the rest of it up on Wednesday.

He says in verse thirteen, brethren you've been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occassion to the flesh. Watch, but by love what? Serve one another. Here's how we begin to find out where our maturity is. If we're spending all of our time trying to make ourselves better or whether we're using the gifts and the grace in us to help others. A mature person is someone that's giving, someone that's looking to contribute, someone who's taking the grace, the gifts, the ability of Christ in us and sharing it with others. Lifting up their hands, encouraging them, in this pursuit. If you hold each other under the bondage of the law you bite and devour one another take heed that you be not consumed. Don't be running around nitpicking everybody especially as it pertains to - and we gave a lengthy study months back on disputable matters. You're not called to inflict your conscience on anybody. What does the scripture say? It says have your faith to yourself before God, amen? And don't worry about what others are eating or drinking. Whether they're celebrating christmas or halloween. There's a growth out of these things and in Hebrews 4, it's by reason of use. The milk of the word that we grow thereby, the milk of the word is for those that are unskillful, immature. Strong meat belongs to those who by reason of use have their senses exercised. If you have to have a set of rules and you're afraid to move beyond them then the paramaters that we set are not different than those little play pens that baby's have. That's the law. Can't move outside of that, and there you are with little Junior and he's sitting there looking out and we have him right where we need him, right! Why? Because he's lawless, but pretty soon you're going to have to let him out. Right? And if we come over there man and twenty-five years later Jethro is still sitting in there and he's never been outside what do you have? An idiot. And that's not what God wants for us. He wants us to be able to go out and encounter demon deacons, people that get in your face and you don't respond like you used to anymore. There isn't the pride the selfishness that reacts and you begin to realize hey I'm a new creature. Not doctrinally, experientially. I know by reason of use that I don't respond the way I used to. Now, we all know that abstinence to bring flesh into subjection could be beneficial. But abstinence as a doctrine of holiness is non-biblical. Abstinence as a discipline for a life that is out of control is a biblical principal. But to think that perpetual abstinence is spirituality is absolutely a misnomer. It is immaturity. We're talking about abstinence from things that are amoral. We talked to you earlier about - it's funny how these things carry over - about poolhalls. Well the poolhalls back when this became a big thing among the pentecostals, the poolhall is where people hung out. There was drinking going on, all kinds of carousing, dancing and you know a lot of other things that were going on then. Well this carried over to the fact that if a christian had a pool table at his house there was something wrong with that. Sin! And as a new christian, someone who was liberated from all that was in the world, knowing what sin is I thought how could taking a stick and rolling two balls together be sin. I don't understand this. Well brother when you're mature - I think you're getting a little of the picture. Now whether it applies to pool, whatever it is. Now should we go down and play pool down in some old dive somewhere you know and you've got all these people running drugs and fights breaking out and women that can spit the cue ball out between their teeth. That's probably not a good place to hang out. What do we do? In our liberty we apply wisdom that says, shun the very appearance of evil. Now we come back to another biblical principle and let's end with this one for tonight. We said we were going to end with the other one but - I want you to see a principle here that Paul gives us in Corinthians and I think we will unhook with this for tonight. We'll look at chapter six verse nine, "know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, don't be deceived. Fornicators, idolators, adulterers. the list seems to be pretty consistent doesn't it. How many of you are seeing whether the list is Galatians, Colossians, Romans, Corinthians how many of you are beginning to see that the list is pretty consistent. Therefore you are not free from those things. Anything on the lists you're not free from. That simple, but if anybody starts to add to these lists becomes suspect. Now we know that not everything that you shouldn't do is on the list - and such like. But when people begin to add to the list and they come to you and say brother I have a word for you and this computer paper comes out at you and the list comes out and goes out the back door. Just added a few things to the list, begin to be a little suspect. This will make you a better christian. Well, listen to what he says, don't do these things, they're not going to inherit the kingdom thieves, covetous, verse ten drunkards. Well you said don't worry about what you drink, don't let any man judge you in meats or drink. That's a big issue in the church today. We've shared with you a little wisdom on that. Many, many people today say there's nothing wrong with christians drinking and you know what, they have an argument for that. But we all know that it's wrong to be drunk don't we? And so we realize then that very simply if you don't take a drink you can't get drunk. Now some christians not only abstain from drinking, they abstain from anybody that does. Well how are you going to get the gospel out? Doesn't that sound holy though? Well bless God if you're drinking I can't stay around here. Don't drink, make them uncomfortable while they're drinking. You're going to drink that huh? Now I wouldn't suggest that you do that, but the whole testimony when I was a brand new believer, I had only been saved a short period of time just like it happened yesterday. One of the deacons came down and tapped me on the shoulder during a service and said you have a phone call it's an emergency. And I went out an answered the phone and it was my mother and she said you're grandfather just killed himself. His name was Star Robert. Bob was an interesting guy he was alcoholic, real good to the kids, did some interesting things when he was drinking. We used to take advantage it was great. He'd get drunk and we'd throw him in the back and drive the jeep all around it was cool, and here's this alcoholic. I've shared with you before I was raised around a lot of drinkers and can remember more as a young child as the different special days are in your mind. I remember a lot more Christmases ruined by drink than I can remember those that weren't. Fist fights, breaking down the trees. I remember my aunt Leola knocking some guy out through the screen door one Christmas eve. That was cool. It was funny one Christmas time everyone's sitting around with their eyes all swollen, black eyes and people are all beat up and . that's one that stands out in my mind. I can remember my dad being drunk on Christmas eve one time and my mother leaving. It's amazing that things that stay in your mind as a little child. Remember the door slamming, my mother taking off and so I remember those things and a little about drinking - said I'd never drink and by seventeen years old I was by definition and alcoholic myself. Interesting to relate back to that so I get the word that Bob had killed himself. We went over for the funeral, Janet and I had just gotten engaged, we drove over. It was the first time she had met my family. That was an experience. Some of my uncles hitting on her and I had to leave her at the house with all those idiots because I had to go down to the bar to find my dad. That's how I got off on the story. Brand new christian, born again, brand new creature well I can't go into that bar, christians can't go in bars. How do you minister to people? It's a better ministry in a situation like that to go in take care of somebody, you don't drink, you get your job done and you go. I don't go hang out down there, but I'm not in bondage to these things. I'm playing golf with my brother and my father, we're in the Country Club they order their drinks I don't have to have one. What do I have to do? Get up and run outside? No, what's the irony? He that used to drink doesn't drink anymore. Why? Well, you know I've shared some things with you about my family about my dad, what's wrong? Your religion doesn't let you drink huh? He's right the religion I was in, the denomination I was in wouldn't let you, but I didn't sign the card. So I can answer truthfully, my religion doesn't have anything to do with this it's my recreation. I don't drink because I don't want to drink. Don't have any desire to drink, don't need to drink, don't need to hide behind it anymore. I'm not weak like you are, I'm strong in my liberty in Jesus Christ. I'm free from my fleshly appetites. I don't have to punch your lights out anymore. I'm free from that, I don't have to show how right I am, I can walk away and let you assume I'm wrong because I know I'm right. I don't have to prove it to you in witnessing, I don't have to prove it to you in my abstinence because I know who I believe, I'm persuaded that He's able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day. That's walking in the spirit. We'll talk about it some more on Wednesday.

Father we thank you for the word of God, we ask that as we come to a liberty in Jesus Christ that we would understand that in that liberty is never for an occasion to our flesh and it can never can be a selfish application to where it stumbles others that are around us. If I was ever to take that drink that I'm at liberty to take it would never be in your presence. I wonder if pastor is going to go take a drink? I wonder. Would you tell us if you did? No. Are you planning on it? Maybe. Depending on how many more headaches I get. It's not an issue, it's a non issue with me. I have no plans. I do plan on seeking the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. I do plan on abstaining from anything in your presence that could stumble you and hurt you. I would never solicit you into a liberty beyond your maturity to justify my own behavior. I won't eat meat until the world ends if it offends one of the little ones. I'm going to draw a distinction Wednesday between who these little ones are though. The little ones are not the judiazers. You don't abstain because there's judiazers around you, abstain because there are immature around. I'd be happy to eat a steak in front of a judiazer. There's a difference. That's what we're going to talk about Wednesday. Let's stand before the Lord.

As Gary plays we'll take just a moment. We're taking a little bit of time to teach this because of a re-emerging of the conflict of the ECT document. There's going to be a lot of material coming out on solidity and some of the other aspects of our faith in Jesus Christ. And we want you to embrace these teachings on faith and grace because if we have a tendency as a people to lean one way it's a little too much toward works. I don't think as a fellowship we're far off, but I'd say if we have a tendency it's that way. You can't trust in the wisdom of will worship nor will we allow the pendulum to swing into ultra grace. And your responsible to walk in the spirit. If you do those things that are of the flesh you will not inherit the kingdom of God. So we just want to throw out a couple of quick principles here in these three of four sessions to get you to recognize the arguments from both sides and find out what you believe and in whom you believe and we're not going to tell you what to believe, we want you to go out and by reason of use have your senses exercised to discern good and evil and to grow up. Now we'll tell you some things are going to kill you. We're desiring to see you prepared for the hour that's upon us, when each of us is going to have to know how to stand on our own. Thank God for the fact that we have one another and we need to benefit from the ministry to one another but you're going to have to be able to stand alone. As you're enticed by the gnostics, as you're judged by the judiazers you're going to have to know what you believe and stand. Don't let any man steal your crown. Those that have ears let's hear what the spirit is saying to the church. Let's sing this together. holy Lord. As Gary continues to play we'll just take a moment in the presence of the Lord. Paul goes on to say that all things are lawful to him but they're not all expedient. Lawful, but he'll not be under the power of any of them. It doesn't matter what it is, but if you're under it's power other than the lordship of Jesus Christ, if it's eroding into your affection and service for Him it's wrong, it's sin. The list if obvious, the spirit is service to Him. Seeking the things that are above. That's where our time and energy are supposed to be spent. That's walking in the spirit. If you're here tonight and you have a need in your life physically or you need the body of Christ to lift your hands up we want to pray with you before you go. As we start out this week we just want to encourage you. We're going to sing it one more time, if you do have a need come, let us pray for you. Receive the spirit of grace.

Let's pray for these that have come, Father we come in the name of Jesus and we just thank you for the opportunity of speaking into the lives of our brothers and sisters and proclaiming life to them. Peace Father in the name of Jesus. Lord that you would govern the hearts and the minds of the people. Strengthen each of these now Lord, bring healing by the stripes of Jesus, by the prayer of faith Lord into these bodies. Strengthen us. Father let your presence manifest. Lord we thank you for that love, we thank you for that grace. Thank you for your love. Let's just sing that together. Oh how He loves you tonight. Aren't you thankful for His love tonight a people who were not a people who have been made a people of God. No merit, but He loved us unconditionally and while we were sinners He died for us. Set forth a standard that no man in the flesh, but one could live up to and He who knew no sin, then was made sin with our sin. The sinless sacrifice. That the law could be fulfilled, it was obeyed it was established in the one man Christ and whereby one man sin entered the world and death. Even so much more by the one man eternal life. It's finished, the debts paid, free access to the loving Father has been established and I believe that Jesus accomplished that on my behalf. And I look to His finished work as having paid the price and nothing else is necessary for me to be right with God. I believe that, I receive it done and through that I am regenerated and now I have a desire to walk free from the things that I used to love I now hate. The servant to sin that I was I now am at liberty and I choose to no longer yield my members as instruments to any unrighteousness. That's what it means to be at liberty. Turn to somebody and say it's good to be free. Praise God. Amen. Go in peace God's love go with you in Jesus' name.

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