Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Let Us Draw Near Pt.3

Amen! Let's turn to Hebrews 6 and pick up where we were this morning. We're going to have a number of sessions tonight, Wednesday, and probably next Sunday, at least, dealing with this particular subject. If you were working in one of the other departments this morning, be sure to get this morning's tape and have it listened to by Wednesday so that you can get on course. We're dealing with a vital subject, as we were sharing this morning, on how we relate to those who have apostatized from our midst. Primarily, we're going to talk about how it relates to our family members. The Scripture speaks to this very clearly; it speaks to it with numerous references throughout the Old and the New Covenant. The fact of the matter is--as we were sharing this morning--we actually take sin, as it pertains to our loved ones, too lightly. We take backsliding too lightly. The one thing we need to make a distinction of in our minds, right now, as we go into the study is this: there is a big difference between a backslidden Christian and a pagan who has never been born again in the way that we relate to them and, very frankly, in the way God relates to them. We do not treat traitors, defectors, blasphemers, those who had tasted the good things of God and now mock them and bring a reproach daily to the Lord that we love, in the same way that we treat those that are ignorant and have never been freed from sin's power. We don't spend our time "smooching" the dog that's returned to his vomit. It's important for us to realize that there has to be that distinction. Your backslidden friend, your backslidden child, your backslidden spouse, is not the same as the average pagan who has never been regenerated, and we're going to see that clearly in the Scriptures.

In Hebrews 6, as we were studying this morning, we saw.... [Two people have already asked me about verse 4 of the 6th chapter, and we'll respond to that later on in the teaching. It's something that we will respond to, but it's not what we're emphasizing at this particular time.] The impossibility for those who were once enlightened, those who had tasted of the heavenly gift, those who had been partakers of the Holy Ghost, those who had tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, "If they shall fall away, [it's impossible] to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God [and this next word is a key to the answer if you have a question] afresh, and put him to an open shame." We were emphasizing, this morning, the fact that the backslidden Christian is someone who is in a perpetual mode of despising, mocking, and defiling the name and the blood of Jesus. In the spiritual realm, just as those of us that are living in obedience bring delight to God, and our names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and our reputation in the heavens goes throughout the demonic and angelic hosts, so the celebration of those who have defected and the ability to move in supernaturally upon these lives and use them for the glory of Satan and for the kingdom of darkness, who are taken captive by Satan at his will, is the way Scripture puts it. These people who, having tasted the powers of the glory of the realm that is to come, are now without power--not only without power, but under the influence of seven demons stronger than those that had been cast out of them previously. These are principles that apply to everyone who has defected from the kingdom of God, and they are puppets in the hands of satanic power. They speak his words, they perform his doctrine, and they are, very frankly, being used as those who infiltrate, undermine, and destroy the rest of your family members and those that they have access to. They are not neutral; they are enemies of the cross. They are now working under a new agenda: to destroy the church of Jesus Christ, to defy the kingdom of God, to exalt the flesh, and to serve their lord, Satan. You're for Me or you're against Me. You love Me or you hate Me. It's light or it's darkness; you cannot serve two masters. That's how important it is to understand what's going on in our midst and why it cannot be taken lightly--those who have defected and hate the Lord that we serve.

We see, then, these were people having tasted, these were a people having now despised. The 10th chapter of Hebrews, as we read this morning, said it this way over in verse 26, "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth...." Epignosis. Epignosis. This is not eido. These are not people who have just sat and heard a teaching on the Word of God. These are not people who have just stored in their memories passages of Scripture, but a people who have tasted, as the 6th chapter said. Epignosis means a working knowledge of the truth and it says that, after having received that, if there is a willful sin, "...there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." Powerful passage of Scripture. Not only is there no other provision made, other than that that they've rejected, that they've tasted and said it's not sufficient, it doesn't satisfy. I choose the other kingdom. The apostle speaks to us here and it says, because there is no other provision made, there must then be judgment, verse 27. If they deny the Lord that bought them, if they forsake the only name under heaven whereby they may be saved, they've put themselves willfully under the judgment of God. Now we sit there and we say, "This is insanity, no one would do that!" Listen to what the Scripture says--and you've read it as you've studied the book of Revelation--those who've seen Jesus in the last days, those that have actually watched His thousand-year reign upon the earth, when Satan is loosed, it says those who will defy the kingdom will be as the sands of the sea. Can you imagine taking arms up against the Lord of Glory after having watched Him reign for a thousand years? Yes, those who are under sin's power are insane; that's why you can't reason with them. That's why regardless of their awareness of the consequence of their defiance and their rebellion, they've chosen their own personal lordship, they've chosen to regain control of their lives, and by retaining your life, we read this morning, what happens? You lose it. The simplicity of Jesus' words. You want to live? You've got to die.

We saw this morning how tragic these lives are in bringing reproach to the kingdom of God and their blasphemy to the Lord Jesus. It says they're then fit for nothing but judgment, to be cast out, the Scripture says, to be trodden under foot, that salt that's lost its savor. The Scripture goes on and then it says, there's "...fiery indignation, [that will be sent forth to destroy] the adversaries [of God]." Now, we all understand that that's going to happen in the last days, but what we don't realize is that there is judgment that's taking place right now, and that there are two different ways that that judgment occurs. The judgment--and we're all very aware of this--is not just left for the last day, the Great White Throne Judgment. Judgment begins in the house of the Lord. Judgment begins with Matthew 18. Judgment begins with the established authority of the church. Judgment begins with the reproof of the Word of God, the "...instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished..." (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Judgment begins with marking those who cause divisions. Judgment begins with shaming those in our midst. There are so many opportunities that precede the fiery indignation because God is merciful. But those that defy parents, those that defy the church, and those that defy the working of the Holy Spirit will experience the final fiery indignation of the Lord. As we ended this morning, we saw in verse 31 that, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." God is not mocked.

Turn over to Psalm 5 for just a second, and let's refresh our understanding of how God views the backslidden sinners, those that have blasphemed His name, and those that have reproached Him. Too many of us, whether we know it or not, have been vexed by the world's perception of God--this "Santa Claus" God, the "grandpa" God, the overemphasis of the love of God, if you can overemphasize love. That's probably the wrong word. It hasn't been overemphasized; it's been perverted, the perverted representation of the love of God. A love without chastening. The Lord chastens those that He loves, the Scripture says. Love is keeping the commandments of God, perfect love, 1 John says. It's a love without obedience that so much of the church has embraced. It's a love without relationship, it's a love without consequence, it's a love without justice, it's a love without truth, and therefore it's not love. In all of that, we've lost sight of the vengeance of God, the justice of God, and the holiness of God. We, as a people, have heard teaching on it, and we embrace it doctrinally, but whether we know it or not, many of us have been vexed, because our daily response is no different than those whom we would refer to as "nominal" Christians. It's by our fruit that we are known.

Let me share with you--and this is something that blows a lot of people's minds, but it's important for us to see God's response--Psalm 5, verse 5, "The foolish [Who is the fool? The man who says there is no God. I don't have to bow my knee, I'm an entity to myself.] shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all [say it with me] workers of iniquity." It didn't say He hates all sin, it says He hates all [say it] "workers of iniquity." "God hates sin, but loves the sinner." How many of you have heard that? It's not true. God hates sin and God hates the sinner. "Well, wait a minute, God loves the whole world!" Sure, He does. Remember, we're talking about God here. You remember when we studied the attributes of God? How many of you can understand God? God can perfectly love and perfectly hate the same being at the same time. You can't, okay? The Scripture is very clear that God loves the world; the Scripture is very clear that God loves sinners. "While we were yet sinners..." He what? He what? He loved us and He died for us. He also hates sinners, especially these who, willfully, having tasted His goodness, been freed by His knowledge and His provision, now crucify Him afresh and despise and reproach His name willfully on a daily basis. It doesn't take a whole lot of study to find out God's attitude towards sin. "For thou [verse 4] art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." So we see how God relates to sin and how God relates then to sinners, and it's very important. God allows the willful choice of sin in these people's lives to bring the fruit of rebellion. Turn over to Proverbs, chapter 1, for just a second. It gives you another insight into God's love and how Father responds to those who have rejected His wisdom, His knowledge, His provision. We seem to think that somehow God just winks at it, and we can just come in and go out of His presence and "1 John 1:9" our way through life whenever we feel like it. Can I share something with you, beloved? Whether it's the first time we've been drawn into regeneration or whether it has to do with the coming home of the prodigal, the backslidden, you cannot come when you want, you can only come when you're drawn. The Scripture makes it very clear. The Scripture makes it very clear that God will not always strive with men. As we go on in the study, we're going to see the consequences of sin, and the fact of the matter is, there is only one unpardonable sin, and that's the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost. That's what Hebrews, chapter 6, is making reference to.

In Proverbs 1, we get a little taste again for how God responds to those that He desires to embrace, to those that He's wooing, to those that His mercy and grace have been extended to, and they defy Him, they deny Him, and they despise Him. Verse 24, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But [in fact] ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof." We have talked about the profitableness of the teaching of the doctrine of God's Word, that it's profitable for reproof, "...for instruction into righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." We realize that those among us that have sat under the teaching of God's Word, and who've received the admonition of a loving parent and of friends that stick closer than brothers--and I might even refer to some of you parents who are defending some of your children that are in sin, and delighting and wanting to fellowship with them and help them out. They are backslidden and you're treating them just like all of the other members of your family. What a reproach to take a backslidden child and give them the Christmas presents, and go shopping with them, and invite them over to the house, and treat them just like the covenant children! What a reproach on the blood of Jesus when that begins to be a continuation of that relationship! I think we need to apply the same principle that Joab applied to David when he was mourning over Absalom. Do you all remember that passage that we referred to? Joab went to [David]. Absalom had been killed and David was mourning. Joab finally came to David and said, "Listen, how is it that you weep over your enemies and by doing so bring a reproach and despise your friends who laid their very lives down for you, their blood down for you? How is it that you choose your own natural blood over those that are doing the will of God?"

It's amazing to me how people in this room that have stood beside you, and lifted your hands up, and wept with you, and assisted you, have more love, more concern, and more commitment to a blood relative, a child, or a spouse, or some other relative who has defected and apostatized than they do for the household of faith. Jesus made it very clear who was to be preeminent in the life of a believer, and it's not natural blood; it's spiritual family. If you have trouble with that, I would suggest that you get born again. It's very important that we come to understand that--as I said this morning--or none of the rest of this makes any sense. As the Spirit speaks to us here, we see, then, that there's been in our midst the reproof of the Word that's come and it's been rejected. The parents have brought it, or the spouse has brought it, or the deacons, or one of the Pastors, and it's been mocked and denied. "But ye have set at nought [verse 25] all my counsel, and would none of my reproof." You want to see how God will respond to all of this? The moment you get in trouble and need help down at the DMV--I say that because that's an actual case here among us--or you need help with your finances, or you need help finding someplace to live, because, God forbid that you would be in discomfort somewhere. I want you to know something. I've been in discomfort for the kingdom of God. I would think your kids could stand a little discomfort for the kingdom of Satan. I slept in my car. I had no home for Jesus when my parents, for their god, Satan, kicked me out because I loved the Lord. They disinherited me because I loved Jesus. You've rejected my reproof and my love and, therefore, when calamity comes and hard times come, I'll rush to your assistance. I will coddle you. I will embrace you. Because ".you set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh." Doesn't sound like the little sweet Jesus that was created for 20th century America, does it? When you read that, how vexed is your mind? How much of the secular Jesus has crept in to where you cannot, in any way, relate this to a loving God, to a holy God?

If we're walking in the Spirit, how is it that we can't relate and make distinctions between the temporal and the eternal, between God's eternal value system and our human, temporal value system? Everything that God does has eternal value and consequence to it, and it is just, and it is right, and our natural minds struggle with the infinite justice, holiness, goodness, and the love of God and His application. Because we faint at it, we judge God unfaithful and ourselves true. Do you want to know how God responds when hard times come to those who have denied Him? "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh." It's a little bit different isn't it? "When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me [for temporal relief], but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me." You don't come when you want; you come when you're called. You don't come how you want; there is no other way under heaven given by which a man can be saved. You don't bring any other ideologies, philosophies, methodologies with you, for it's a straight and narrow way. Why will they not find Him? "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord." This passage is what Hebrews 6 and 10 are all about. The Scripture is speaking to us here about how God responds and relates to the sin and the sinner, to the apostate.

I want to tell you something. It's harder to totally defect than many people would think. Since it is harder to totally defect than people would think, to be able to get to that place of defection has caused grave consequences in the hardness of people's hearts and the searing of their consciences. Those of you that have tried to talk to these people understand it. Things that were truth to them yesterday are now a lie, and things they could see yesterday they are now totally blind to, and things they loved, they now hate. It's not just intellectual decisions that are being made, heart changes have been made. It is absolutely spiritual death that has occurred. The things of God can only be spiritually discerned; the natural mind cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him, as Corinthians tells us. In other words, you're not going to argue them out of this. You're not going to win them over with kindness any more than you can win a person into redemption the first time through kindness or through an intellectual argument. There's only one thing that can do it, and it's the power of the gospel; it's the proper application of the gospel. It's the proper application of the justice of God, the knowledge of God, and the wisdom of God. So why, having begun in the Spirit, at a time when they are in seven times worse shape than they were the first time they got saved, are you going to try and win them through natural means, and not stand for the gospel, the only power that can set them free?

The Spirit speaks to us and says, "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way...." What happens so many times is that we get between God and the object of His love, because of our own self-love, because we feel bad, we feel guilty, "maybe I caused this." We saw this morning that you may have contributed, but you didn't cause it. You can't do enough lousy things to make somebody reject Jesus. It's a willful choice. It's a love for sin, it's a love for Satan, and it's a love of self. The Scripture goes on and says in verse 31, "[Because of that, there will be sowing and reaping.] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way...." Now, watch, they want to blame it on everybody else. It was Mom and Dad, it was the preacher, it was the deacon. ".and be filled [get it in your notes] with their own devices." They are eating the fruit of their own doing. Nobody put this on them. They sowed to the wind and they are reaping the whirlwind. As the wisdom of God speaks to us, He continues and says, "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them." The prosperity--this isn't talking about financial--this is talking about the way that Satan solicits people and seduces them by letting them taste the "goodness" of sin. There's a time when it's enjoyable; there's the pleasure of sin for the season. It tastes good at first and then it turns to gravel in your mouth. It's sweet in your mouth, but then it's bitter in your stomach. It speaks to us and says, "There is an abundance of natural.... It's so good to finally be free and out from under the control of my parents, and out from under the control of the church." Only to realize they are now under the control of a more severe taskmaster than they've ever known. It's presented as the prosperity of freedom, liberty, and it is absolute bondage and death.

"But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." What's it saying here? Don't go the way of the backslider! If you abide, no man can pluck you from My hand. If you abide in Me and My Words will abide in you, if you will hearken to the truth, you will dwell in safety, praise God! It's perilous out there with the backslider. If God is for us, nobody can be against us, but if you resist God, what does the Scripture say? It's tough out there with God resisting you every step of the way. If you're trying to help those that God is resisting, you're going to partake of the judgment. Let's look at that and find out if that's a biblical principle or not, and cause us to understand how important it is for us to keep ourselves and the rest of our family pure from that judgment. One of the best passages, very simply, is to look over at the second epistle of John. When you look at what the beloved is saying here, John the beloved, the disciple that laid upon the bosom of Jesus, the disciple, an apostle of love, the one who is the greatest writer on the love of God in the Scriptures. The big argument seems to be, "Well, we just want to love them. We want to continue to show them the love of God and the mercy of God." Read the epistles of John and you'll find out what love is.

I don't have time right now, in the first epistle, but it only takes a casual reading to find out that perfect love, chapter 2, verse 5, is keeping His commandments. Chapter 4, verse 17, "Herein is our love made perfect..., because as he is, so are we in this world." We're to walk as He walked. In this second epistle--a very interesting thing as the apostle speaks to us--verse 6, "And this is love...." Do you want to know what love is, how to love these people that we're talking about? "And 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." Now this whole thing--if you read these epistles--the whole issue is this: did Jesus come in the flesh or not? I won't go back into all of the study, but it's referring to the doctrine of the Gnostics. Basically, the Gnostics were saying, "You can live like the devil, you can live to your flesh, and still be right with God." John is saying, "[No, that's not true. If you love Him, you'll keep His commandments.] He that doeth righteousness is righteous..." (1 John 3:7). We see, then, that this is the message that we heard from the beginning, that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. That's the message that we heard from the beginning, God is light, God is pure, God is holy, and there is no darkness in Him. This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. He's speaking again to that same spirit in this second epistle. He says in verse 7, "For many deceivers are entered into the world [not into the church], who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." The backslidden person in our midst that leaves--John's gospel says they went out from us because they were not of us--and embraces the world and justifies their actions, says what they are doing is not contrary to the Word of God, the will of God, says they are still Christians, and wants to attend another church, are antichrists. They've embraced and imbibed the spirit of Antichrist. They've been indoctrinated with the Gnostic's doctrine.

John says, because you know what the argument of Jesus coming in the flesh is all about, right? The Gnostics said that all matter, all material things, were evil, that Jesus' body was an illusion, that He really wasn't a man, that He didn't really live a sinless life, that there was not really a perfect atonement or sacrifice. It doesn't relate to the natural; it's all a nebulous spiritual realm that we're talking about. John says, "Not so. Don't tell me that. We've fellowshipped with Him. I handled Him with my hands." That first epistle says, "I've touched Him." That Jesus would come in the flesh and be able to, in the flesh, live victoriously over sin, because that's what the whole issue was. The Gnostics wanted to be able to live a lascivious life and still say they were holy and right with God. John says you can't do that. So in this epistle, he goes on and says these people that deny Jesus coming in the flesh--and we're to live holy lives, and that the flesh can be subordinated to the Spirit and brought into subjection, and that sin no longer has to have dominion over us--those that oppose this doctrine, are antichrist. "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things [that we heard from the beginning], but that we receive a full reward [of our obedience]." That's important, beloved, because what's happening is that some are offering up their crowns. Some are putting their other children in jeopardy. Some are running around after the prodigal and bringing a reproach and dishonoring the obedient children and those that are still at home. "Whosoever transgresseth [look at verse 9], and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, [say it with me] hath not God [abiding in the doctrine of Christ]. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."

Verse 10, here's the practical part of this, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine...." It's talking about visiting speakers, preachers; it's talking about other Christians that come into our midst--and whether it's into this building here, whether it's at work--it doesn't just have to be church. It's talking about coming into your midst, coming into the life of the true believers and trying to influence them and solicit them away to other gods, to another doctrine. If you encounter anybody who is bringing another doctrine to you, "...receive him not into your house, [into your midst! I would think that has to do probably with Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas, hanging out.] neither bid him God speed." What is this God speed? It's trying to bless them; it's sending them on their way. It's acknowledging your concern for them. Do not bid them God speed. Don't fellowship with them. Don't try to bless them; don't try to somehow enhance their life. "For he that biddeth him God speed [say it with me] is partaker of his evil deeds." "That doesn't seem right." Take it up with God. There's an eternal purpose for this, beloved. God is trying to do what you, so many times, are incapable of doing; He's trying to love perfectly. We're so limited by time and space, by the observable, and we live in a kingdom of the invisible and the eternal. That's why we need to take up our cross and die to all of our natural emotions and be obedient to the wisdom of God and the reproof of God, and the ordering of our steps, that Proverbs 1 said, if we deny them, have grave consequences. This is how God says you relate. How have you been relating?

What is it that we do so often? Turn over to 2 Chronicles for just a second and let me show you something in 2 Chronicles as it relates to this same principle. In 2 Chronicles, chapter 15, we see that verse 2 is a passage that we're all very familiar with, "The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, [say it with me] he will forsake you." That's how God relates to the defector, the traitor, the enemy of the cross, the backslider, the despiser of the blood of Jesus, the one that you still want to call friend and family. He goes on in this passage and he says the way to get back under bondage, the way to be defeated by your enemy, is to begin to seek their gods, and to begin to embrace their methodology. If you're for me, I'll be for you. Look what he goes on to say in verse 13 of this chapter. It says that when they heard this from the prophet, about the desire of God to reign in their midst and to be a victor in their lives, and that He was going to bless them, it says that it delighted them to enter into a covenant, verse 12. Here was the covenant: "That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about." I'd say these people took this pretty seriously, wouldn't you? How seriously are we taking our covenant? We haven't taken verbal oaths in this fellowship, but I think it's been made very clear, the course that we're on here as a people, and what our commitment is, and what the consequence of embracing another doctrine is, as it pertains to us. What would make you think you're the exception?

We've known all along that it's easy to say amen, until it's our house, and then we look for all of the loopholes, instead of embracing the mercy, the love, and the justice of God. The fact of the matter is, defectors were not accepted in God's presence, and, in fact, were to be killed. Now, we know literally that we're not killing people today, but what do we do? We've shared this before. We just reckon them dead. These people are dead. So when they call you up to talk to you, you say, "I can't talk to you; the Bible doesn't let me talk to the dead." How many of you know it's a sin to talk to the dead? Read it; it's in the Old Testament. You can't talk with the dead. So here we are and we find these basic Bible principles. Same principle over in Joshua 7. We won't even turn over there, but you can get it into your notes. Joshua 7, verses 11 and 12, says, "...destroy the accursed [thing] from among you." As long as it's in your midst, your enemy is going to overcome you. You're praying; you want more wisdom, you want enlightenment. They went to pray. Do you remember the story here with the sin that was in their camp and they wouldn't do anything about it. They went to pray and what was it God said? He said, "Get up. You're wasting your time praying. Get the accursed thing out from among you." The principles are clear, beloved. There is nothing clearer than Deuteronomy, chapter 13. Look over there and let's take a look at that again. We'll probably end with this for this evening. (I can't believe the time's Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?) Most of us are familiar with this passage of Scripture, but again, as you get it into your understanding here and how it relates, many struggle with this passage, because when we talk about idolatry, we're looking at graven images again. What is an idol? What is an idol? Anything that's placed in front of God [right?] and given more credibility, more love, more attention. Self is the number one, the ultimate, idol. Self-will, that's the premiere idol of all men that brings death. It all comes back to self, to pride. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Beginning with you, is what it's really saying. Because every other god originates from where? From within, from your will. You acknowledge it. You give it credibility, whatever that god might be--education, vocational success, natural accomplishments--whatever it might be. We place that value upon it and it becomes preeminent in our lives. We sacrifice whatever's needed to obtain it. It's a god the moment it's placed before Jesus' lordship in our lives, the moment it interferes with any of the other mandates that God has placed in our lives as individuals, the minute it keeps us from being a godly father, a godly mother, a godly child.

I thought it was very interesting that an individual who left our fellowship went to another church.... I don't understand that. Why bother? In total, outright, abject rebellion to their husband, probably no clearer case of rebellion that you could ever see--of absolute, in-your-face defiance--and the Pastor at this other church says, "Well, you know, it's really not rebellion, it's just a difference of opinion." "Well, when I read the Ten Commandments, I have a difference of opinion." Isn't it interesting how we can believe a lie? Now watch what the Scripture says here in this 13th chapter. How hungry are you for the truth? When we talk about idolatry, see it for what it is. Idolatry is what those backslidden people.... The idol is what those backslidden people are pursuing, whatever it might be. You can wrap it any way you want; it can be moral, amoral, or immoral, but if it's not of God, if it doesn't represent His lordship; then it's of darkness, and it's idolatry. It's another god, and He'll have no other gods before Him.

Here's what He says to the covenant people, verse 6, "If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend [parent, that's not in there, is it?], which is as thine own soul, entice thee...." We made reference to this earlier. "Enticing" is not coming up and trying, "Come on, why don't you come with us? Come on." It doesn't have to be verbalized. It does not have to be blatant; it doesn't even have to be recognized in its subtlety. It's the very fact that by encounter, this one representing that kingdom and defending it, is an assault on our kingdom, and we need to see it for what it is. Satan is continually enticing you every day. There are some people right now that have waited all year, not for the football game that's going on, but the advertisements! There's a whole program given to advertisements and who's got the best advertisement, and all advertising is, is enticement, isn't it? It's a solicitation. Subtle, blatant, it doesn't make any difference. It's the partaking of that product instead of another. They "...entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers." Secretly. That "secretly" is a very interesting word. The Bible talks about a group of people in our midst in Romans that says, "...who by good words and fair speeches deceive the simple." The "secretly" doesn't just mean, "Pssst, psst, psst." It's talking about subtlety. They're not right out with what stand they are taking and who they are representing--they try to wrap it in the guise of morality, Christianity, justice, truth, whatever it is--but the fact of the matter is, beloved, when you've done this as long as I have, you'll find out that whatever the problem is, is not the problem. Whatever we're talking about right here and discussing, whatever seems to be the issue, it's not the issue. It's down there deeper. It's secret. It's not up front, and God puts His finger on it. It's very identifiable if you know the Spirit of God and the truth of God's Word. But "secretly" doesn't just mean he pulls you off in the corner. It's wrapped up in all kinds of other issues so that the real issue isn't dealt with. "Well, see, the issue isn't Jesus; the issue is they didn't understand. They didn't treat me right. You're trying to control my life. You never loved me. This is a great job offer." The one thing I know is this, doing it absolutely according to the Word of God, being subordinated to spiritual authority, whether it be parent, whether it be church, regardless, that's not where it's at, this is where it's at. But very few will stand up and say, "You know what? Jesus was a jerk. The Word of God is a lie and I'm serving the devil and my flesh." That's usually not what we're talking about. So the solicitation is other than the truth.

This is what we're going to end with this evening, verse 8. Now, who are we talking about here? Covenant people, the people who used to be among you, who've gone out, chosen another god, tasted it, denied the one that bought them, tread beneath their feet the blood of Jesus, and tried to make it look like what they're involved in is liberating, the truth, fulfilling, when anybody who knows the Word of God, knows it's a lie. "Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him...." Verse 8. Now watch, this gets pretty specific. You don't consent. You don't follow their admonition. You don't listen; don't listen to what their arguments are. "Well, you know, I just wanted to hear their reasoning and why...." "No, I know what it is; it's not what you're talking about here. It's self-will. It's pride. It's rebellion. It's hatred for Jesus, that's what it's all about. I don't want to hear your story." You don't consent, you don't hearken, and then it goes on and it says, "...neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou...." What? That's what happens many times, a concealing. We try to keep it from being.... "You know, they're really not that ugly." Yes, they are! We try to conceal it from ourselves; we don't want to deal with how ugly it is. We try to conceal it from others that are observing. We don't want them to see how ugly it is, and anybody who has walked in the light understands how ugly it is. The Scripture makes very clear the consequence of trying to conceal these individuals. The Scripture says we're to be the first one, verse 9, to kill them. We should be the first one to put our hand upon them, but what happens so often is we try to conceal it. We try to spare them the pain, the consequences, and it's the exact opposite of what God says you're supposed to do.

Look over at Proverbs 17, and in Proverbs 17, we should end with this tonight. In Proverbs 17, we'll finish up, hopefully. Look at verses 13 through 15, "Whoso rewardeth evil for good [Whoso rewardeth evil for good], evil shall not depart from his house." You've loved, you've sown into these lives, you've gone the second, third, fourth mile, and they reward evil for your good. Evil will not depart from their house. "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. [We'll end with this.] He that justifieth the wicked...." Makes excuses for, says it's really not that bad, justify meaning "to pronounce it is right." "Well, I don't agree with it. I didn't say it was right." Then why are you bidding them God speed? Why are you eating with them? Why are you fellowshipping with them? Why are you consenting? Why are you trying to appease them? Why are you trying to enhance their life? Why are you trying to protect them? It's not what you're saying with your lips, it's what you're doing. "He that justifieth the wicked and [this is an interesting statement] he that condemneth the just...." In the majority of these cases, to embrace the apostate is to condemn those--the church--that put the judgment on them according to Matthew 18. To justify the wicked is to condemn the husband who made a biblical stand and brought reproof and instruction, because the moment you embrace, the moment you justify, you condemn the just, and God says this type of response is an abomination to the Lord.

In our next session, we're going to look again at how we relate to the backslidden, how God relates to them, and how we can more practically apply the wisdom of God, and the justice of God, and the love of God. Ultimately, ultimately, all judgment, all chastisement, whether it be the judgment of divorce--many times the best thing that can be done is a divorce--a marking, a shaming, is so that there can be a reconciling when these people have been brought to their senses and understand the cost of the reproach that their lives are bringing. It's all for the purpose, beloved, of reconciliation, and to do it any other way, to get between them, the object of God's love and His justice, is to bring death to yourself, to the one you're trying to protect, and you become just another instrument of bringing reproach to the blood of Jesus. In this last passage, we saw that that type of behavior is an abomination to God.

Father, we thank You for Your Word. This subject, though it's not one that is pleasurable, is necessary. It's where we live. According to Your teaching, Jesus, in Matthew, it's one we should expect. It's not uncommon. In fact, You, as the Rock of Offense, have said that it's going to be very common. It's going to be every household that will embrace this at one time or another. Help us to prepare our hearts now. Make us wise now, to be doers of Your Word, seekers of the kingdom first, so that all of our actions will be seen as good works and You will be glorified. It's our hearts' desire, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's stand before the Lord. As Gary plays for us, we'll take just a moment and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. The Spirit of God wants to prepare our hearts for this hour that we're coming into. The issue is the glory of God, the worth of the blood of Jesus, the integrity of the Word of God. What is at stake is you "feeling good" for the moment, or the eternal soul of your loved one. The issue is whether you're willing to die momentarily, that you could live forever. The issue is embracing a love that can't naturally be comprehended, a love that will pour out vengeance, and wrath, and judgment.

Let's sing it together, The Greatest Thing in All My Life. Oh, we bless You, Jesus! Hallelujah! Father, we do want to know You. The apostle cried out, he who knew You more than any other human being, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings...." Oh, how we need to know You more, that we could be touched with Your heart, that Your wisdom would dominate our thoughts and order our steps, that we could say with Paul, "For me to live is Christ...." There is nothing else of value, Lord. It's all dung when it's set beside Your love and Your blood, so we ask that You would cause in our hearts a refreshing that would cause us to fall in love again every day, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Before you go, turn to somebody and say, "For me to live is Christ." Go in peace, God's love go with you.

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