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Reasonable Sacrifice, Reasonable Service

Posted on May 12, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God In His Mercy Gave Us The Sacrifice

In the ancient world under the Old Covenant, also known as the Mosaic Law, the system of “atonement” or the covering of your sins was done by animal sacrifice. This practice was started by God in the Garden of Eden to show mankind how horrendous sin is. God told Adam:

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam could have any fruit from any tree but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God knew that Adam would go for it, just as the parent who tells the child “Yes, there’s cookies. But no, you can’t have any till I say.” It isn’t long before the child plots on how he will get the cookies. So it was with Adam.

God made a promise to Adam, and
God keeps His promises.

“IN THE DAY THAT YOU EAT THEREOF, YOU SHALL SURELY DIE”. When the great General Joshua prepared to meet his Maker, he reminded Israel:

Joshua 23:14 (ESV) … not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.

God keeps His promises. Not one GOOD THING God promised has ever failed. Not one BAD THING God has promised ever failed. He told Adam:

IN THE DAY – The very day you disobey Me. Immediately.
YOU – No one else, Adam. YOU. When YOU do it.
EAT THEREOF – choose to disobey Me, and do the forbidden.
YOU SHALL SURELY DIE – Without pause, death comes!

Adam didn’t believe that God perfectly keeps His promises. He thought there was a little wiggle room. There’s not. What God has said, He will do. This is why the Bible says, “the FEAR of the LORD is the BEGINNING of KNOWLEDGE” (Proverbs 1:7).

When Adam sinned, his “eyes were opened”. He immediately died spiritually, and was – according to the promise of God – supposed to die physically. “Thou shalt surely die”.

But God did not kill Adam and Eve. He cursed them, but He did not kill them. Did God fail to keep His promise? No. Adam must die for his sin. He has died spiritually, and must die physically. And yet, “God Who is rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4), picked another avenue for Adam and Eve, for humanity. The Bible says:

Genesis 3:21 (ESV) the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

This was the first animal sacrifice. Either Adam must die, or an innocent must die in his place. There was no innocent Man, so an animal died. God “covered” Adam and Eve’s sin with the skin of the innocent animal. This covering is a picture of what God would do through Jesus Christ. The Bible says:

1 Peter 1:18-21 (ESV) … knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Lamb slain in the Garden of Eden for Adam’s sin was a “type” or a foreshadowing of what God had intended from the beginning. The Eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, would come into humanity from eternity. The co-Creator of all things (“for by Him all things were created both in the Heavens and on earth … by Him all things consist” Colossians 1:16-17) would one day step into His own creation. He would be born on a woman, live among us as a Perfect Man, and die for our sins as “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

The lamb slain in the Garden to cover Adam’s sin is a precursor to Jesus Christ slain on Calvary for our sins. By one man sin entered the world – and death reigned. But by Jesus Christ sin and death were vanquished (Romans 5:17). The Bible says:

John 3:15-18 (ESV) whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only {Begotten} Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

There is only one way to be right before God, and that is to receive the sacrifice of Christ as your own. The Bible tells us that in Heaven,

Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV) the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

The only ones who are in Heaven are those who have fallen in love with Jesus, who have given their lives to Him as Lord and Savior. In Heaven we will have the embrace of God. The Bible says that “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”. What does that mean?

I have seen mothers standing in courtrooms when their children were sentenced for some crime they committed. These mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers stand up and plead with the Judge for the life of their children. They beg for leniency. One day many who are born again will stand before God, and wonder where their children are. They will look at Jesus, and ask, “Where’s my boy, my girl?” And the Lord will say:

“I never knew them. They had to depart from Me, for they were WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS” (Matthew 7:23).

The parents will say, “But they went to Church. They paid taxes. They gave a tithe. They never committed crime. They were good citizens.” And God will say “they never did the works of God”. And they will say, “What are the works of God?” and God will say:

John 6:29 (ESV) This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He has sent.

Your loved ones who die without Jesus will not be in Heaven, though you are. The ones who go to Heaven love Jesus. They have given their lives to Jesus. You may say, “But why can’t my unbelieving relative be in Heaven with us?” The answer is simply,

God promised. God is faithful. God is holy, & just.
The only way to God is through Christ (John 14:6).

If your loved ones are not in Heaven, you can cry and weep, but God can only “wipe away every tear from your eyes”. He promised. God is faithful. So, what can I do to reach my family for Christ?

How Can I Reach Those Around Me
For Christ?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

IF you are saved by faith in Christ,
IF you have confessed with your mouth that he is Lord,
IF you have believed in your heart He is risen from the grave,

THEN you are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (1 John 5:1; Galatians 3:26). That’s what the Apostle is alluding to when He says:

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, BRETHREN

Word Study: The word “BRETHREN” is the Greek adelphos, which means “brothers and sisters, fellow believers, members of the same Family”. We who are saved are united together by the Blood of Jesus Christ. The word adelphos literally means “from the same womb”. We who are saved are born again into the Family of God. The Bible says that:

Ephesians 2:18 (KJV) For through {Jesus} we both have access BY ONE SPIRIT UNTO THE FATHER …

1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Believing in Christ, receiving Christ as dead men and women, God has covered us with the Blood of Christ. We are His, and He is ours.

Acts 4:12 (KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

So how can we convince others that Christ is true. How can we lead our loved ones to Jesus? We are to act as God’s Children. We are to:

Romans 12:1 (KJV)present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

In the Old Covenant, the priests offered animal sacrifices to God to act as covering or “atonement” for sins. Every sacrifice offered by the priests was offered “without blemish” (Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 1:10). The sacrifice was to be “killed before the Lord” (Exodus 29:11). The “blood was to be sprinkled on the people” (Exodus 24:8) as the priest reminded the congregation “Behold, the Blood of the Covenant”.

When Jesus Christ died on Calvary as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:36), the animal sacrifices ended. The Levitical Priesthood ended. However, we are under a new priesthood. Jesus Christ is our High Priest, as we are told in:

Hebrews 3:1 (KJV) Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Hebrews 4:14 (KJV) Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Our High Priest is Jesus. So who are the priests? WE ARE. Not fancy preachers wearing fancy collars, with fancy titles like DOCTOR or FATHER. The Bible says:

Revelation 1:5-6 (KJV) … Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, [6] And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

When Jesus saved us, Beloved, He “MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD AND HIS FATHER”. What do we sacrifice? Animals? No, for the Lamb of God has come once and for all for sins. What do we sacrifice? We sacrifice OURSELVES, just as Jesus sacrificed HIMSELF.

present your bodies a living sacrifice

How do we reach the lost around us? How do we reach our children for Christ. We become LIVING SACRIFICES. We don’t literally kill ourselves, but we lay our lives down for Jesus.

Beloved, a compromising waffling Christian cannot lead a loved one to Christ. When you look exactly like the world and Christ has no visible impact on your life, people see your Christianity as a “lucky rabbit’s foot” or a silly superstition. When angered, and you refuse to forgive your enemy, what you have is no more than a “made in China” knockoff.

When you tell your children about Jesus, but put greater emphasis in life on your hobbies, your job, your possessions, or your bank account, you convince no one. Children can spot a hypocrite a mile away! Why do so many young people leave the Church when they become of age, walk away, and never return? Because they saw nothing in you that convinced them that Jesus is alive, and Lord of all.

Romans 12:1 (KJV)present your bodies a living sacrifice, HOLY, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

God is not asking you to be “holier than thou”. Jesus was upset by the Pharisees. God is upset by the “holier than thou” crowd. God said of Israel and the Pharisees:

Isaiah 65:2-5 (ESV) I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; 4 who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; 5 who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

The Pharisees, Scribes, Herodians and Chief Priests made a game out of God’s Law, twisting it to suit their own fancies. If you didn’t live the Law according to the way that THEY SAID (not what God said), then they shunned you. “We are holier than thou”. God said, “These are a smoke in My nostrils!” When God says, “Present your bodies as living sacrifices, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD”, He’s not saying we should be holier than thou.

We are not to be HOLIER THAN THOU, but WHOLLY IN CHRIST.

We are to live our lives so as to honor Jesus, to glorify God, to magnify His Kingdom. We are to do our best – and when we fail – run back to Jesus’ arms. The Bible tells us:

Galatians 5:16-18 (ESV) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Pastor John Piper said of this text:

“If the Christian life looks too hard, we must remember that we are not called to live it by ourselves. We must live it by the Spirit of God. The command of love is not a new legalistic burden laid on our back; it is what happens freely when we walk by the Spirit. People who try to love without relying on God’s Spirit always wind up trying to fill their own emptiness rather than sharing their fullness. And so love ceases to be love. Love is not easy for us. But the good news is that it is not primarily our work but God’s. We must simply learn to “walk by the Spirit.”

Walking by the Spirit means to strive to do as Jesus commanded by His power. The old time Pastor Horatius Bonar said it even more clearly:

“The secret of a believer’s holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily [communion] with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labor, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers which accompany a clear view of the cross.”

It all goes back to our High Priest, Jesus Christ. We are saved by His sacrifice. We imitate His sacrifice in our lives. When we have enemies who attack us, Jesus tells us:

Matthew 5:44-48 (ESV) Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Lay your life down willingly, as Jesus laid His life down willingly. “DENY YOURSELF, Take up YOUR CROSS and FOLLOW HIM” (Luke 9:23). Imitate the Master. This is what will reach the world, the imitation of Christ. The children should look like the Father. Do you look like Jesus, dear Christian, in your walk? This is not unreasonable. But “your reasonable service”.

Stand Together Against Worldliness

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Too many who profess Christ are doing this sdrawkcab {pro. Strawcab}.

That’s “backwards” spelled backwards. Too many professing Christ are CONFORMING to the world, but not being TRANSFORMED. As a result, they have no idea “what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. We spend hours on social media, and minutes on the Holy Bible. Beloved, I despise it when I hear preachers quip,

“When I went to seminary, I was taught to make the sermon ABOUT Jesus and ABOUT 10 minutes long!”

That, to me, shows NO RESPECT for the Word of God. How can you be TRANSFORMED in your mind if you spend HOURS on television and social media, but MINUTES in the Word of God. You cannot. It is impossible.

Godly transformation comes from Scriptural meditation.

The malaise (discomfort, illness, uneasiness whose exact cause we seem to not know) of the Church today is because we are spending too much time CONFORMING and not intentionally TRANSFORMING. You are not saved by your works, but once saved you are children of God who are called to work for Him.

Period.

One day some of you will die, and, like the rich man of Luke 16:23 will lift up your eyes in Hell. You will cry out for relief, but there will be none coming.

And in Heaven, God will “wipe the tears from your dear mother’s eyes”.

Beloved, we are not saved by works, but our works prove our salvation. Salvation is a God imparted, Holy Spirit enacted gift of Grace that comes on you when you surrender your life to Christ as Lord and Savior. Once saved, God calls us to “REASONABLE SERVICE”. What is that? “PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS LIVING SACRIFICES”. Your willingness to follow Christ your High Priest, to be Priests who sacrifice yourselves for Him, this is evidence of a transformed life. The stepbrother of Christ writes:

James 2:17 … faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead

God created us in Christ to “do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). The Apostle said, “work OUT your salvation with fear and trembling, FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU, both to will and to work for HIS GOOD PLEASURE” (Philippians 2:12-13).

When you come to Christ by faith, the Holy Spirit changes you. And daily, the Holy Spirit will bid that you follow in Jesus’ footsteps. This is what will reach a lost and dying world. Not a denomination, not a creed, but a living faith where people see Jesus in you.

May God lead us all this way. Amen.

Posted in General, Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, born again, christianity, Faith, follow Christ, follow God, Following Christ, following God, Jesus, Proof of life, Reasonable Service, salvation, sanctification | Leave a comment

God Is Not Done

Posted on May 2, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 11:1-6 (KJV) I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

God “Foreknew”

I like to call today “Resurrection Sunday”, the most important Christian holiday there is. Though we make much of “Christmas”, very few people saw the Baby Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God in that manger in Bethlehem. I heard one man say,

When man reaches for God, this is called “religion”. But when God reached for man, we call this “Christmas”.

God reached down to save us. The Bible says that those who claim to follow Christ are to follow His example:

Philippians 2:3-7 (ESV) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Joy is not found in selfishness or narcissism, but in “humbling yourself, and count others more significant than yourselves”. Though He was God, and “in the beginning with God, and was God” as the Apostle John tells us (John 1:1-3), Jesus allowed Himself to be born through a relatively unknown virgin and her lowly carpenter fiancee’. The story of His birth into His Creation (for Jesus co-created this earth, and all that is in it):

Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV) {Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

The Creator became the Created, Perfect Man, to show us the heart of God, to show us how to live. But more than this, the Bible says:

Philippians 2:8 … being found in human form, {Jesus} humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The Creator became the Perfect Created, the Perfect Man. He walked among us, doing good. He healed. God did what God can only do:

Matthew 11:5 (ESV) … the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

But there was one thing God could not do. He could not cover our sin while He walked the earth. I have heard it said, “God will accept me because I’m a GOOD PERSON”. That’s what we believe. The Progressive platform is that we can make ourselves into anything we want – a man can become a woman, a woman can become a man. A person can become persons. Or a human can become non-binary, neither male nor female.

Surely we can make ourselves “good”. Michael Bloomberg, three time Mayor of New York City and ex-Governor of New York State was interviewed by the New York Times. He said that he thought he had earned God’s favor because of his humanitarian work. He said, grinning,

“I’m telling you, if there is a God, when I get to heaven, I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I’m heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.”

That’s the thought of many. Surely we can be “good”. “If anyone deserved to go to Heaven, he or she did”. Resurrection Sunday or “Easter” as many call it is proof that we cannot make ourselves be good.

A Perfect Man, God Himself, walked this earth. “Three days and three nights before today” (Matthew 12:40; Jonah 1:17) this Perfect Man completed a 3 ½ ministry of peace and blessing. This Perfect Man – in Whom none could find fault:

Luke 23:4 (ESV) .. Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this Man.”

Luke 23:13-15 (ESV) Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this Man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining Him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent Him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.

Three days and three nights before this day, Pilate and Herod – two politicians – found Jesus Christ innocent of all charges. There was no sin in Him. He was carefully examined by competent authorities, and He was innocent. And yet, “good” people, the Pharisees and Priests, would incite the crowds. “Crucify Him, and release the murderer Barabbas!” (Luke 23:18-19). This crowd of “good” people kept shouting in their “mostly peaceful protests” that Jesus should be crucified.

Their voices prevailed.
They voted, and the majority ruled.
Democracy won the day.
The “Good” nailed the “Perfect” to the Cross.

Did evil win? No. From the outside looking in, it was as if evil won. This Perfect Jesus was beaten with whips and rods, with fists and feet. His flesh was torn. They put a purple robe on His bloody body, and a crown of thorns on His head (Mark 15:17), then ridiculed Him, bowing down and mocking the Lord of Glory. Then they nailed Him to a tree.

Three days and three nights ago, people pointed at Jesus, bleeding, sighing, struggling to breath. Three days and three nights ago people mocked, saying “If you are the Messiah, get Yourself down from that Cross” (Matthew 27:40). These are all good people doing this. Was this a mistake? No. Jesus knew that it was going to happen. Jesus willingly went to that Cross. He told His disciples:

John 10:17 (ESV) For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

As Jesus hung on the Cross, the good people mocked and entertained themselves. The soldiers, stripping Jesus naked, cast lots or gambled for His clothing (Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34, John 19:23-24). The world saw three thieves hanging on crosses on that hill called Calvary. God foreknew this would happen, and decreed it to happen.

He Who hung on that Cross – the Creator become the Created, is “the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)

Is God Done With Israel? With America?

Three Days and Three Nights before today Israel cried out for Jesus to be crucified. Israel enlisted the Roman Empire, the Gentiles, to execute the Lord of Glory. He died horribly on that Cross, and was stabbed after death in the heart. Taken down by Nicodemus and a wealthy man named Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus’ body was washed, covered with myrrh and aloe – about a 75 pounds of it (John 19:39). He was laid in Joseph’s family tomb, the Tomb sealed, and guards placed on the sealed entrance.

This morning the Tomb was empty. An Angel reminds us, “He is not here, but He has risen! Just as He said (Luke 24:6).

Jesus came to this earth to fulfill the promise that He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paul asks the question:

Romans 11:1 (KJV) I say then, Hath God cast away His people?

Is God done with Israel? Israel called for His crucifixion. The Gentiles crucified Him. Is God done with us? Paul goes on to say,

Romans 11:1-2 (KJV) God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew.

God is not done with Israel. If God was done with His people, then Jesus wouldn’t have knock Saul down on Damascus Road, and called him to be the Apostle Paul. The Lord said:

Acts 9:15 (ESV) {Paul} is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

God is not done with His people. Easter reminds us of this. Jesus Christ died on the Cross to pay for our sins, and rose again to be the Lord and Savior of all that believe on Him. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 (ESV) … we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Both Gentiles and Jews murdered the Messiah – but God is in control. God has not given up on us. He has not given up on Israel, nor does He give up on YOU!

Oh, How Tired We Believers Get At Times

I love the message of Easter, because in it we learn “God is faithful, and God won’t give up”. We don’t need to give up either.

When we get saved, we are saved not because we deserve it, but because God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). He calls. He seeks. He does not give up. But we as humans often get disheartened, and want to quit. If you have been saved by faith in Christ, this next section is for you!

Romans 11:2-3 (KJV) … {do you not know} what the scripture saith of Elias {Elijah}? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Paul now calls to mind the life of Elijah. Elijah was a great believer in God, a mighty Prophet. Elijah prayed, and God caused a 3 ½ year drought on Israel for their sin of worshiping the false god Baal. Elijah was the first to raise someone from the dead (the widow’s son). He blessed the food and oil of the widow so it would not run out. Elijah stood alone on Mount Carmel, and through him God showed Himself to be the True God, and the false gods that Israel was worshiping to be indeed false (1 Kings 18).

After his battle for God on Mount Carmel, Wicked Queen Jezebel threatened that she would kill him before the day was out (1 Kings 19:1-2). No one stood with Elijah – so he ran. God came to Elijah and, feeding him with crows or ravens, God sent Elijah 40 days and 40 nights into the wilderness to Mount Horeb. When Elijah got to Mount Horeb, the Bible says:

1 Kings 19:9 (BSB) What are you doing here, Elijah?

Elijah told the Lord, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts, but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well. (1 Kings 19:10)”.

Elijah had served the Lord with all his heart. Yet the Israelites sought to kill him for what he told them about their false gods and golden calves. Israel rejected the Word of God.

Israel rejected the Abrahamic Covenant.
Israel rejected the Davidic Covenant.
Israel rejected the Mosaic Covenant.

Every Covenant, every good that God tried to do to them, they rejected it. The same thing happened to the Apostle Paul. Called to preach the Gospel on the Damascus Road, he was disowned by his family and friends. The Bible says:

Acts 9:22-25 (ESV) {Saul} confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. 23 When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Paul had a few who listened to the Gospel of Christ, but more shunned him. When he sought out other Christians, those who had heard of his previous life had nothing to do with him.

Like Elijah, Paul thought that he was all alone. But God spoke to Paul the same truths He spoke to Elijah.

Romans 11:4 (KJV) But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

The answer of God to Elijah was “you are NOT alone”. God said, “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal”. We are never alone.

Illustrate: Several years ago there was a commercial for the Army, where a young man or woman stood up and said “I am an Army of one”. That’s a stupid commercial, and a lie from hell. There is no “Army of one”. When I was in the Air Force, we were taught to work TOGETHER. One person cannot do it all. One team can. The Army is effective, the Marines effective, only with the support of the Air Force and the Navy.

Christian, you are not alone. Whatever you are going through, you are not alone. God is with you. There are other Bible believing Christians who are with you. Though America may seem like its in it’s darkest days, God is still in control. God told Elijah:

1 Kings 19:11 (KJV) Go, and STAND ON THE MOUNTAIN BEFORE THE LORD …

As Elijah stood on the mountain, a great wind tore at the mountain … BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE WIND. A great earthquake shook the mountain … BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE EARTHQUAKE. As Elijah stood there, a fire encompassed the mountain … BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE MOUNTAIN. Fury after fury passed by Elijah’s sight, but God was not in it. The storms of life may come and may go, but God is always faithful. Do not focus the eye of faith on the storm, nor on yourself, but focus the eye of faith on God alone. Paul tells us:

Romans 11:4 (KJV) I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.

“I am in control”, says the Lord. The redemptive love of God never gives up – don’t you give up! Keep telling others about Jesus. Your family may mock, they may reject, they may turn away in scorn. I find myself investing hours in people who have gotten themselves in trouble. In the name of Christ I find myself swimming oceans for people who wouldn’t cross a mud puddle for me. The users, the takers, the followers of the golden calves. You’ve been abused, if you’re a Christian.

Keep on going. Keep praying. Keep loving, telling, and calling. Remember what the Lord has said. God never gave up on me, so I must not give up on you. I am His possession – but He wants to possess you, too. Keep on telling others about Jesus.

There Is No Salvation Without The Election Of Grace

Romans 11:5-6 (KJV) there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

God calls people to Christ Jesus. It was He Who died on that Cross for our sins. It was He Who rose from the grave for our justification. People must know the truth. Heaven is not the default “good” people go to. Hell is the default. We must hear God’s call to salvation. We must heed the empty Cross and the empty Tomb. You are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Biblical definition of saving faith is:

A faith that has confessed with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believed in the heart that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

A faith that believes that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).

A faith that believes I can now stand before a Holy God because the handwriting of ordinances and righteous laws that I was guilty of breaking are now nailed to the Cross of Christ. My sins have been paid for, and I am Heaven bound” (Colossians 2:14).

A faith that says I belong to God, not to myself – that I am bought with a price. I must now glorify God in MY BODY, and in MY SPIRIT, which belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20).

If you are a Christian you no longer bow the knee to Baal, nor to the golden calf. You are bought. You belong to God. Look at what God had to pay for your purchase. He did not give livestock, or land, or jewels, or mammon for you. He allowed His Own Dear Son to go to a criminal’s punishment for you. He allowed Jesus to be beaten and torn and mocked and spat on and nailed to a tree. When all cruelty had been exhausted the Lord turned His back on Christ as your sins and mine were poured out on Him. If you have been saved, you belong to God.

If you belong to God, then God has the right to do with you as He will. “Hath not the potter power over the clay?” (Romans 9:21). Listen, dear ones, God never promised you this life would be a bed of roses. What He promised was that He would save you, that He would watch over and cherish you, and that He would one day take you into glory and give you a perfect and new body. He promised that your eternity would be flawless – but not your now. He promised that you would be His and that nothing – absolutely nothing – would come your way without His loving allowance. You were purchased at a terrible price. Do you believe that He will abandon you now?

When someone tells me “I’ve lost my faith”, I question whether that dear soul ever had it in the first place. If you understand that you belong to God, if you understand the price paid for your redemption, then you know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). Do you have incurable disease? Praise Him! Whereas others do not know the day of their death, you have been granted a wonderful gift. You know what day your Lord will call you home, and know the day when all suffering shall cease. He Who purchased you at great cost shall make sure you join Him in eternity. Have you lost loved ones to physical death, a cherished husband or daughter who also claimed Jesus to be their own? Praise Him! They are not lost, but are certainly with the Lord Who paid so much for them. Death has lost its sting for the Christian. You belong to God. He did the greatest thing of all for you when He saved you. He will not abandon you now. If you are saved, you are set apart. You are reserved unto God. You belong to Him. Nothing touches you without His permission.

But heed my word, which is His Word. If you do not belong to God by faith, if you live your life as if YOU are God and He is not, when you die you will be where you belong.

In Hell.

And it will be because you rejected every reach, every cry, every pleading from the God Who made you. You will have an eternity to worship Baal, for he will be there beside you. His name is Lucifer. It is he who has blinded you to the Gospel of salvation, a Gospel of surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Oh Beloved, seek Jesus today, for He seeks you to the grave.

May God touch your heart with His Word, the Gospel of the kingdom. Amen.

Posted in General, Lamb of God, Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Bought with a price, christianity, endure, Faith, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Goodness of God, gospel, Jesus, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Anathema Maranatha

Posted on May 2, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Revivals Are For The Church, The Saved

It is such a joy to be invited to preach to you tonight. When invited, I told my brother “Do you know who you’re inviting? I’m nobody. I’m nothing, and happy to be nothing.” I pray that God use this unworthy servant for His glory, and for your growth.

Beloved, “Revival” is not primarily about saving souls. I pray souls are saved, but “Revival” means “an improvement in the condition or strength of something, to make something important again”.

A lost person doesn’t need revival. A lost person is dead in their trespasses and sins. You do not REVIVE a dead thing – it must be QUICKENED. A lost person must be born again. A lost person needs to be found of Jesus. A lost person needs to be found of the Holy Spirit. Like Lazarus, Christ must call them, and they must come! You MUST be born again before you can be revived!

One of the favorite verses of Scripture – one we al learned in Vacation Bible School – is John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Those wonderful words are said by our Lord Jesus Christ to a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, an important Pharisee, a “ruler of the Jews”.

– Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. That’s one of the signs you need to be “born again”. You’re interested by Jesus, interested in Jesus, but ashamed to be seen of Him in public. If people around you don’t know you’re a Christian, a Child of God, then you may not be saved.

– Nicodemus came to Jesus and bragged on Jesus – PRIVATELY. “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2). Jesus didn’t want a spiritually dead man bragging on Him. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:3 (KJV) … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he CANNOT see the kingdom of God.

Lost people are blind – blind to their sin. They think they’re GOOD. They’re blind to Who Jesus is.

Nicodemus is standing before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Nicodemus is in the Presence of the One that Colossians 1:16-17 tells us “by Him all things were made”. Nicodemus is spiritually dead. He sees Jesus as the lost world sees Jesus. Jesus is just a great Teacher, a miracle worker. Jesus is more than a miracle worker. He is CREATIVE GOD. He is the only hope for salvation. He is the Only Savior of mankind.

Jesus told Nicodemus “you cannot see the Kingdom of God”. Those who are saved, are saved by the love of God. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

– Lost people believe they can be saved, then live their lives without regard to God or man – live their lives selfishly – then will die and go to Heaven. Beloved, when we are saved, we are saved into God’s Kingdom. We are saved into a Kingdom run by Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just save you to get you to Heaven. He saves you to get Heaven into you. Jesus said,

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

When Jesus told Nicodemus “You MUST be born again”, Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (John 3:4). That is so silly – but ..

– Lost people cannot understand the things of God, for they do not have the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) … the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are FOOLISHNESS unto him: NEITHER can he know them, because they are SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:5-7 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

What must a lost person know? What can they know?

First, the lost person must know they are lost. You cannot be found until you know you’re lost. When Jesus preached, He preached:

Matthew 4:17 (KJV) REPENT ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand …

Mark 1:15 (KJV) The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and believe the gospel.

The first thing the lost person must do is REPENT. That means to “agree with God on what God says”. What does God say about us humans? He says:

Romans 3:10-11 (KJV) … There is NONE righteous, no, not one: 12 They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

People are fond of judging themselves against other people. Hitler is BAD, but compared to him, I’m GOOD. But Jesus told us “There are none good but One, that is God” (Matthew 19:17).

Compared to God, we are all bad. God is pure, holy – holy – holy. He is the only One without sin.

Born into this world as sinners, we must all be born again. We must realize our first birth made us human, but we need a SECOND BIRTH TO MAKE US HOLY. How can we be holy? Can we follow a Law, and live it perfectly to be holy? No! Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again of the Spirit”. How can a person be born again?

Love The Lord Jesus Christ, or be ANATHEMA

Sometimes preachers “chase rabbits”, lose their point, and run in circles. I’m not “chasing rabbits”. Everything I told you ties into this verse:

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

What makes a person a believer, saved in the eyes of God. It is that you love His Son, Jesus Christ. If you love Jesus, then you are “BELOVED”, because Jesus is God’s Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). But if you do not love Jesus, “let him be Anathema”. What does that word mean?

Our Bible was originally written – not in English – but in ancient languages. The Old Testament is translated into English from Hebrew and Chaldean, the New Testament from Greek and Aramaic. The two words we see are not translated here, but are the original Greek words.

Word Study: Anathema means to be “bound under a great curse”. The word is usually translated in our Bibles, but here it’s not. The word Anathema is translated in Acts 23:14. The Chief Priests and elders said…

Acts 23:14 We have bound ourselves under a great curse {Anathema}, we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

They took a terrible curse upon themselves, and said that they would starve to death until they killed the Apostle Paul. It was a terrible curse, and a foolish curse, because Paul would not be slain until the Lord Jesus was done with him. Paul would stand in front of Caesar and fulfill the commission Jesus Christ called him to do,

Acts 9:15 … to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel

The word Anathema is translated in the Book of Galatians, where the Bible says:

Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ACCURSED. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be ACCURSED.

The word “ACCURSED” is the translation of the word Anathema. If anyone preaches a Gospel that departs from that which the Apostles preached, the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14), then that person is ANATHEMA, condemned, cast out. There’s a lot of this preaching going on today, dear ones. The beginning of the Gospel is

REPENT!

Someone says, “I can be homosexual, and be a Christian”. This is an ACCURSED, ANATHEMA – a false Gospel. Homosexual behavior is sinful, evil (1 Corinthians 6:9). It is unrighteous, just as it is to live in sexual union with another to whom you are not married. Homosexuality and adultery, along with bestiality, were CAPITAL offenses in ancient Israel.

Another says, “I can be a Christian, and carry hatred in my heart toward another person”. Brother, you have been sold ANATHEMA.

Yet another says, “I can be a Christian, and live to please myself above all else”. Sister, you have a “made in China, fake gospel”. “Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

We come to Jesus broken, and Jesus heals us. We are saved by Grace:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

But once saved, you are brought into the Kingdom of Christ. Once saved, we are told,

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are not saved BY works, but BY faith in Christ. But once saved, we are born again. Once saved, God changes us. We do not become perfect, but meeting Jesus

“the blind see,
the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
to the poor the gospel is preached”
(Luke 7:22)

The ACCURSED false gospel says that if you send money to a preacher on television that God will give you much more back. Beloved, God does not promise you earthly riches. Your riches are with Jesus! “You cannot serve God and mammon, God and money/ riches” (Matthew 6:24).

The ACCURSED false gospel says that God’s Word is not true, not for today, but what God said in His Bible applied only to then, not to now. Beloved, our God is sovereign. He wrote His Book through men submitted to Him. God is timeless, and His Book is timeless.

The ACCURSED false gospel says that Jesus saves you to go to Heaven, but you can walk like a child of Hell on this earth.

That’s a lie. If you are saved, you follow Jesus, you love Jesus. I already quoted this – but let’s say it again:

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life…

If you belong to Jesus, you live for Jesus. Church, Jesus expects you to love Him, to SHINE for Him. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

If You Do Not Love Jesus, ANATHEMA!

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema

Do you know why the Church in America is having so little effect on the sin and darkness in America? It is because many Churches have committed the sin of Achan.

God told Israel that when they went into the Land, do not take the ACCURSED thing, the idolatrous THING, the evil of the world into their homes. God tells us in the New Testament:

1 Peter 1:13-19 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; [14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. [17] And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear: [18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot …

When Israel went to battle, Achan (Joshua 7:1) brought the ACCURSED THING into his home. He buried it in the floor of his house. No one knew BUT GOD. But God knew. ANATHEMA!

The Church cannot change the world when it looks like the world. If we love Jesus, we will do as He says. Jesus said:

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

And

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Church, do you love Jesus? Christian, do you love Jesus? Those who will not love Jesus will be ANATHEMA, under the curse. Let me tell you a true story.

Several years ago at our Church a fellow told me, “I want to join the Church”. I asked him, “Do you love Jesus. Have you given your life to Jesus?” He said, “Yes, I have”. I told him, “Next Sunday come forward, profess your love for Jesus, and we’ll receive you once you are baptized”. This man – his name too is David – looked at me and said “I don’t want to be baptized”. I told him, “You have to be baptized or you can’t join the Church”. He said, “You preached a few Sundays ago about the man who died next to Jesus on Calvary. That thief said,

Luke 23:42 … Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Jesus told that man,

Luke 23:43 … Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

David said, “That man was never baptized”. I told him, “That’s true. But IF he could have gotten off that Cross and been baptized, HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT, because that man loved Jesus more than himself”. David couldn’t understand it. I told him, “Jesus commanded baptism. If you love Him, you KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS (Matthew 28:19)”.

I came in a Sunday School class, and the teacher came to me. Several men in the class told David that he didn’t have to be baptized to join the Church. I told them all that yes, he did. If you love Jesus, you will be baptized. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be ANATHEMA. If any CHURCH love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let it be ANATHEMA, under the dark curse.”

We’re not here to please ourselves, or puff ourselves up, but to love Him that gave His life for us twice.

Jesus gave His life on Calvary as the Lamb of God, and gives His life now sitting on the right hand of the Father, making intercession for US.

About a year later, David walked the aisle at Church. When he came to me, I asked “Will you be baptized?” He said, “Preacher, you’re asking a hard thing.” I told David, “No, I’m not. Jesus is commanding you. Will you be baptized?” He said, “Yes, for Jesus”. When David went under the water, when he came up everyone who witnessed his baptism that night said “he literally glowed when he came up”.

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Let me tell you another true story. Years ago I knew a very rich woman who was a member at our Church in Lexington Tennessee. God had been good to her. She had a nice home, and owned a thousand acres of land. Her husband left her with a full bank account. She had no want for anything.

I was cleaning up the basement of the Church when I came across a broken handled upright vacuum cleaner. It couldn’t be used, so I threw it away. Later that day I was at this lady’s home visiting with her, when I saw she had a brand new, top of the line Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner. I told her, “That’s the kind of vacuum cleaner our Church could use. I found an old broken one at the Church, but it was no good”. She looked at me and said, “All you had to do was get the handle fixed. I dropped that old one – it used to be mine – off at the Church when I bought this one. You had no right to throw it away!”

A few years later, I visited this poor old lady in the Nursing Home. She had lost her home. The Nursing Home took her money, and her lands. She could no longer walk. This lady looked at me, and said,

“Brother David, why does God hate me?”

Beloved, God doesn’t hate you. But His Word stands true.

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

As I close, I want to focus on the last word of this text, “Maranatha”. The word “MARANATHA” is two Aramaic words, marana tha. The word means “our Lord has come, and will come”. This word is only found here in the Bible. Marana tha reminds us that our God is returning, that He will “come quickly”. Jesus said,

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelation 22:12 behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

And our Bible ends with these words,

Revelation 22:20 … Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

We do not know when Jesus will return. It could be at any minute. Your last breath can be your next breath. Do you love Jesus? Oh, how I pray you do. We are all frail, all broken – but if we as His sheep follow Him, blessing is coming. But if not, ANATHEMA – you are under a curse.

Do you know Him? Do you love Him? If not, get right TONIGHT. Repent. Come to the King of Kings, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 16:23-24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Amen.

Posted in 1 Corinthians, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, born again, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, loved of God, quickened, revival | Leave a comment

Is Your Inside Out?

Posted on May 1, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 16:31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

The words “HOARY HEAD” is the Hebrew śêḇâ (pro. Say-baw’) which means “grayed headed” or “one of old age”. The Bible celebrates not just the older person, but the elder who walks “in the way of righteousness”.

Old age has little to do with the crown of righteousness.

The “Crown of Righteousness” is given to those who live for and love Jesus, even into old age. The Apostle Paul wrote:

2 Timothy 4:6-8 (KJV) For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Paul lived his life for Jesus to the fullest. As an Elder, he never shirked his Lord, but “kept the faith”. The “Crown of righteousness” is only for those who love the Lord, and look with anticipation to His appearing.

There are many elderly people who pursued wickedness their entire lives, and actually grow old sinning. The Prophet Job asked his friends the same questions we have often asked:

Job 21:7-16 (NKJV) Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power? 8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. 10 Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage. 11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance. 12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute. 13 They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave. 14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. 15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’ 16 Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

God allows the wicked many times to live, even into old age, because:

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

We do not understand it, but God is in control, and even uses the wicked for His own purpose. We read this at the beginning of this chapter:

Proverbs 16:4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

The wicked that the wicked do in this life often brings its own punishment. God “endures with much patience these vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Romans 9:22). No, the wicked elderly are not to be honored. But those who live in the Way of God are to be respected. The Bible says:

Leviticus 19:32 (ESV) You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

Those who live in the Way of God, pursuing righteousness, are to be respected. I heard someone say that “The Pastor knows more of the Bible than I do, but that doesn’t mean he’ll get to heaven any faster than I will”. That’s true. We are saved by Grace. The Bible tells us:

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

However, once saved by Grace you become the PROPERTY OF GOD. This is emphasized by the often ignored context of Ephesians 2:8-9.

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The Christian is saved to “walk in the Light, as Christ is in the Light” (1 John 1:7).

You may never know as much as the Pastor, but you are created to walk in good works. “What good works”, you ask? The “good works” God commands you to walk in, to produce as you live out your life to old age. Finish well! It is not the runner in the race who is honored, but the one who finishes the race!

A Christian is not saved by works. But a Christian is commanded to work to the glory of God. The Christian who does so into old age is celebrated and revered.

Isaiah 65:20 (NKJV) … the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.

Many who grow to old age without the Lord in their lives, who lived lives of selfishness and greed, are bitter and miserable. The evil that they have done hardens their hearts. “Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what HIS HANDS HAVE DEALT OUT SHALL BE DONE TO HIM” (Isaiah 3:11, ESV). Every day the wicked lives without Christ, they are:

Romans 2:5-9 (ESV) … STORING UP WRATH FOR YOURSELF ON THE DAY OF WRATH when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS: to those who by PATIENCE IN WELL DOING SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOR AND IMMORTALITY HE WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE; but FOR THOSE WHO ARE SELF SEEKING AND DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH. BUT OBEY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, THERE WILL BE WRATH AND FURY …

In the final analysis there is a judgment of works before a righteous God. Those who were flippant in following the Way of Christ may either be deceiving themselves and are actually under the curse and not saved, or they will be severely rebuked before the King of Glory. The lost, though long lived, will one day stand before the WRATH AND FURY of God.

Those who finish well, those who live to glorify the Lord until He calls them home in old age, are to be celebrated.

Grace in action is the glory of old age.

God demands the elder saint be respected, which explains a particularly difficult section of Scripture. The Bible says that the Prophet Elisha was traveling, when a group of teenage hooligans accost and mock him:

2 Kings 2:23-24 {Elisha} went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

That seems harsh, but in God’s eyes that is right. The elder believer who walks in the way of Christ is honored by God, and should be honored by the younger.

Control Your Temper

Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

I have heard it said “It is easier to subdue an enemy without when you have no enemy within”. Alexander the Great conquered the world, but because of anger killed his best friend and confidant Clytus. When anger seizes a person, it often runs away from reason. The Bible says that one of the characteristics of our God is:

Psalm 103:8 (KJV) The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (see also Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3)

In his book “The Art of War”, (required reading in military academies) the Chinese military General Sun Tzu wrote:

“Anger may in time change to gladness … but a Kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being”

Anger is fleeting, and can lead to foolish decisions and silly actions.

There are only three times Jesus showed anger when He walked this earth.

1. Jesus showed anger at compassion-less religion. In Mark Chapter 3 Jesus was worshiping in the Synagogue of Capernaum. There was a man with a withered hand worshiping there that day. The Scribes and Pharisees “watched Jesus to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so they could accuse Him” (Mark 3:2). Jesus asked them,

Mark 3:4 (KJV) … Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?

They refused to answer Jesus. The Bible says:

Mark 3:5 (KJV) … {Jesus} looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Jesus was angry with them, but did not attack them – but did good. They went off and plotted to kill Him. But Jesus controlled His anger – it did not control Him.

2. Jesus showed anger when people restricted the children from Him. In Mark chapter 10 people brought their children to Jesus, but His disciples refused them access. The Bible says:

Mark 10:14 (KJV) … when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

The words “he was much displeased” is the Greek aganakteō (pro. ag-an-ak-teh’-o) which means “to be indignant, greatly afflicted”. Jesus was “hot under the collar”. What did He do? He didn’t attack the disciples, but used this as a teachable moment. The Kingdom of Heaven is populated by those who love Jesus and want to be near Him with child like faith.

Jesus corrected the situation, He did not curse it!

3. Jesus was angry when His people seek profit from pilgrims rather than share the Gospel. This happened twice: once at the beginning of His earthly ministry (John 2), and once at the end just before He was crucified (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 21). When Jesus entered the Temple at the Court of the Gentiles, the only space non-Jewish people were allowed to enter. Jesus saw the moneychangers profiting from the pilgrims, He formed a whip out of cords, and lashed out at the vendors, driving away all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers, saying:

Matthew 21:13 (NIV) “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

Jesus treated the sellers as thieves or robbers, quoting scripture from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. Jesus used the minimum force necessary to run the thieves out of God’s buildings. Jesus did not want God’s facilities used in a way that limited the Gospel or His glory.

When the Gospel of God is misrepresented, the Glory of God is diminished. Jesus hated that!

We all get angry at times, but anger must not control us, but be controlled. The Bible says:

Ephesians 4:26-27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

The devil can inhabit our lives when we allow anger to control us. We must always remember that – no matter what – let God take vengeance. The Bible says:

Romans 12:17-21 (KJV) Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. [18] If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. [19] Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. [20] Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. [21] Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Evil will overcome us if we allow our anger to control us. Trust God, for …

God Is In Control

Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

In the Old Testament, people often made decisions by “casting lots”. This was like casting a die, or drawing straws and the short straw lost! When Jonah fled from God’s command and got on a ship headed toward Tarshish, a storm was sent by the Lord to toss the ship about. The sailors said:

Jonah 1:7 “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

God controls the outcome of the cast lot. He used this event to mark Jonah as a rebel, to get him cast off of the ship so He could get Jonah to Nineveh. You cannot outrun God!

My Commentary notes:

“ what human beings call “luck” is merely the sum of all the factors we cannot see or control. No dice roll, or casting of lots, ever takes God by surprise. Some things do happen “by chance,” from the human perspective, as even Jesus noted (Luke 10:31). That does not mean they are arbitrary or random from God’s point of view. Even those things we perceive as determined by chance are in the Lord’s control (Psalm 16:5). This proverb points out that even those things we think of as “pure chance” are still under God’s sovereign control.”

There is no such thing as “luck”. God controls all outcomes. In the Old Testament, the “lot was cast”:

1. To organize the service in the temple (1 Chronicles 24:5,31; 25:8)

2. To reveal the truth (1 Samuel 14:41)

3. To trace offenders (Joshua 7:16)

4. To stop disputes (Proverbs 18:18)

5. To divide Canaan among the tribes (Numbers 26:55)

The Christian does not cast lots, for we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; John 14:17). Further, we have the completed canon of Scripture that we can refer to to determine right and wrong.

The Holy Spirit acts in conjunction with the Holy Scripture to guide the believer in life (John 16:13).

The Bible says:

2 Peter 1:19 (ESV) … we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts

The Bible is “a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6). The Bridges Commentary notes:

“ The falling of a hair or a sparrow is directed, no less than the birth and death of Princes, or the revolutions of empires. (Matthew 10:29, 30) Everything is a wheel of Providence. Who directed the Ishmaelites on their journey to Egypt at the very moment, that Joseph was cast into the pit? Who guided Pharaoh’s daughter to the stream, just when the ark, with its precious deposit, was committed to the waters? (Exodus 2:3-5). What gave Ahasuerus a sleepless night, that he might be amused with the records of his kingdom? (Esther 6:1) Who prepared the whale at the very time and place, that Jonah’s lot was cast? (Jonah 1:17) Who can fail to see the hand of God, most wonderful in the most apparently casual contingencies, overruling all second causes to fulfill his will, while they work their own? ‘When kingdoms are tossed up and down like a tennis-ball (Isaiah 22:18); not one event can fly out of the bounds of his Providence. The smallest are not below it. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without it. Not a hair, but it is numbered by it.”

God is always in control!

Is Your Inside Out?

I have known those who profess Christ as Savior who are on anxiety medications – some on three or four types for nervous disorders. This isn’t sinful, I don’t believe, and mental illness is a reality that sometimes needs medical intervention. BUT many of those who are so afflicted need to learn of Christ, to realize that God is in control. There are two ancient words I want to leave you with:

Orthodoxy
Orthopraxy

Orthodoxy refers to “correct belief, based upon the clear teaching of Scripture”. What you believe is fine, but you must put it into practice. That’s what Orthopraxy is – “the outward action of faith based on the inward belief of faith”. One should lead to the other.

Orthodoxy is inward belief. Orthopraxy is outward expression of your faith in your daily life. The Bible demands that we have both of these things.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, “Take MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN FROM ME, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS”. If you believe in Jesus, surrender your life to Jesus. Learn all you can about Jesus and the Word of God, and “YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS”. God said in …

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV) Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

To know the Way, the Path of the Almighty, is fine. But to NOT WALK THE PATH will not bring “rest for your souls”. The Apostle wrote:

1 John 2:6 (ESV) whoever says he abides in {Jesus Christ} ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

What is believed inward is only effective if it is acted on. You must “WALK IN THE SAME WAY JESUS WALKED”. Jesus said, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and NOT DO WHAT I TELL YOU?” (Luke 6:46).

To be blessed, your INSIDE must be OUTSIDE. We are to follow in Christ’s steps (1 Peter 2:21-23). We are to obey Him above all else (Hebrews 5:9). We are to keep His commandments OPENLY, or else we do not enjoy His Presence (John 15:10-14). In short, our INSIDE (Orthodoxy) must be OUTSIDE (Orthopraxy).

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Faith, Following Christ, God, Jesus, living for Jesus, living for the world, Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, salvation, Visible Faith | Leave a comment

The Way To God

Posted on April 28, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

Gentle, Then Harder Is More Effective

Our Lord Jesus Christ is a perfect example of One Who is “wise in heart” and yet “sweet of the lips”. Jesus knew that most people responded easier to gentler teaching, or as the Apostle said,

Ephesians 4:15 … speaking the TRUTH in LOVE …

When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well our Lord knew that she was living in adultery. Jesus would later tell her,

John 4:16-18 (NKJV) .. Go, call your husband, and come here. 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.

Jesus did not begin with her sin, but with “Give Me some water from the well”. Intrigued, and knowing Jesus was a Jew, she said,

John 4:9 (NKJV) How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

The Samaritans had become used to the Jews spitting at them, reminding them they were inferior, telling them they were unworthy when compared to a Hebrew. It surprised this woman that Jesus would even talk to her!

Jesus turned the conversation back to Himself, the living Water of God. He said “If you knew the Gift of God, and Who I am, you would have asked Me for water”. Jesus was not ugly with the woman, but Bible based. He did not try and win an argument with the woman, but stayed with the Wisdom of God, the Word.

Proverbs 16:21 the SWEETNESS of the lips increaseth learning

Word Study: The word rendered “SWEETNESS” is the Hebrew meṯeq (pro. meh’-thek). It doesn’t mean sugar coated, like honey, but instruction that comes from a heart filled with compassion and love. We previously read in:

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

As Jesus did, we should seek to speak the truth without forcing confrontation. Jesus stood on the phrase, “it is written”. He referred to what the Scripture said. There were times when Jesus rebuked those who would not listen (such as the self-righteous Pharisees), but

Jesus’ intent was to lead others to the Word of God, the Wisdom of God. If He could teach others gently, He did so – but without compromising the Word of God.

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

The intent of teaching others the Word of God is not to prove ourselves right and others wrong, but to lead as many as possible to life. God’s Word is Life. When the Apostle preached, he focused on:

Philippians 2:16 (KJV) Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

As believers we want to lead others to Christ, to the teachings of the Scripture. “Pleasant words are as honeycomb”.

Illustrate: In the ancient world, people considered honeycomb as we think of so called “energy drinks” today. God’s Word is

Psalm 19:10 (AP) More to be desired than gold, yes, more desired than fine gold: sweeter than honey and the honeycomb …

It is God’s Word that gives life and joy for living. Those without hope are without strength. The word of man cannot bring hope and joy that lasts. Only God’s Word blesses us – but we must eat it. It must become part of us. The Prophet said:

Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV) Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Proverbs 16:22 (KJV) Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary comments on this verse: “As ‘understanding’ or intelligence is its own reward to its possessors, so ‘folly’ is its own punishment to fools. Or, taking the English version, All ‘the instruction (i.e., the wisdom) of fools is (nothing but) folly;’ it is ‘a well-spring’ of folly, and therefore of death (the opposite to ‘of life’). Water cannot rise above its level. Not only in serious concerns does the wise man’s ‘understanding’ well forth, but even in his moments of relaxation. The fool’s wisdom, not only in ordinary concerns, but even in serious ones; as, for instance, his efforts by way of ‘instruction’ betray his ‘folly.’ ”

Right after Jesus fed the 5000, He sent His men to Capernaum by boat while He went into the mountains to pray. As Jesus set up camp the next day, crowds began to come to Him not to hear the Word of God, but to fill their bellies as they had the day before. This is foolishness! “The instruction of fools is folly”.

I saw a Jeep wheel cover today that had on it “Not all wanderers are lost”. People choose to wander, to forsake God and His Word. They don’t know they are lost!

You cannot teach a fool! The fool wants the temporal, the easy. The fool stands in the very presence of God Incarnate, and desires a fish and bread dinner rather than the wisdom of God. Jesus told these people:

John 6:26-29 (ESV) “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

These people came to Jesus because He filled their bellies the day before, and they were hungry again. They wanted a free lunch. Jesus wanted to teach them, to give them the “wellspring of life” that understanding of God’s Word brings. They wanted to know what the work of God is, and Jesus told them:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This is the well spring of life. To receive Jesus, to hear Jesus, to follow Jesus, to live for Jesus. His Kingdom is a Living Kingdom. And then these fools said this:

John 6:30-31 (ESV) “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

Jesus, how do we KNOW You are the Messiah? We know that Moses was a Prophet of God because Moses gave us bread from Heaven to eat. This is the statement of a fool!

Moses did not give bread from Heaven.
Elijah did not bring fire from Heaven on Mount Carmel.
Mary did not make the Son of God in her womb.
John the Baptist did not bring the Holy Spirit down to Jesus.
God did those things!

God does the miraculous! Jesus Christ came into this world because God the Holy Spirit created His humanity through Mary, but the Eternal Son allowed the birth. Jesus told them:

John 6:32-33 “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

These people saw all the signs they needed to see the day before, when Jesus fed 5000 with a few biscuits and fish. They came to fill their bellies – but Jesus came to fill souls.

Jesus spoke harshly to the fools – and they departed, saying “This is a HARD SAYING – who can hear it?” (John 6:60). The foolish departed from Jesus, and never came back to walk with Him again. They came to Jesus for amusement, for selfish gain, but not to hear the Kingdom Gospel.

The Growing Christian Is A Disciple

Proverbs 16:23 (KJV) The heart of the wise TEACHETH his mouth, and ADDETH LEARNING to his lips.

Christians are called to be DISCIPLES, students, children of God who learn from His Word. Once we LEARN, we SPEAK what we have learned.

Jesus asked His disciples, “Will you leave Me as well?” They replied,

John 6:68-69 (ESV) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

The genuine believer in Christ (not the ones who just want to fill their bellies) will learn with the intent of telling others. Jesus’ commission is for us to MAKE DISCIPLES or STUDENTS (Matthew 28:19) – then to tell others.

The Bridges Commentary notes:

“ The excellency of a believer is, not that he hath a large apprehension of things; but that what he doth apprehend (which perhaps may be very little) he sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving, soul-transforming light. And this is that, which gives us communion with God.’”

The genuine Christian never fully understands all the truths of God, but as God is infinite, our learning is infinite. We will always be learning – even into eternity. We learn to stay near the Shepherd of our souls:

1 Peter 2:24-25 (KJV) {Jesus} his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

The wise person is humble in the Presence of God. The wise person realizes that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil belongs to God, not to us. We are truly ignorant – so we pursue learning through the Word of God.

The Christian Walks The Way Of Life, Of Christ

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

This is a repeated Proverb, previously found in:

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Things may seem right to us, but we are not as God. God is OMNISCIENT, all knowing. We are told in:

Isaiah 46:9-10 I am God, and there is NONE LIKE ME. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

We are limited by space and time, and sometimes something that seems a good idea will actually turn out to be a very bad idea. The Supreme Court upheld the right of marriage to same sex couples. The unintended consequence of this is that same sex couples are now legally able to adopt children, and raise them in homes where confusion reigns. When we depart from God’s design, people become confused about life.

Disease and sickness are spread by bad decisions. Death comes by by decisions. I remember years ago having to bury a child who, with his friends, went four wheeling on a farmer’s land. They were trespassing. At one point they ran into a barbed fence, and one child was garroted, killed by the wire.

The first murder ever committed in human history was when Cain killed his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel? Because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but not Cain’s. God told Cain to repent, and to do the right thing. God told Cain:

Genesis 4:7-8 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

When we do what God says not do, sin becomes our master. This is what happened with Cain. The Bible tells us that:

1 John 3:11-12 (ESV) For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Those who follow evil are the slaves of evil. We are saved by the Grace of God to be freed from sin. Paul makes this point in:

Romans 6:12-18 (ESV) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

We who love Jesus are to be slaves of righteousness, not of sin. We are to follow HIS ways, not our ways. This is the Way of Life and Peace. Who are those who pursue evil rather than Christ?

The GREEDY person:

Proverbs 16:26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

The believer in Christ is told,

1 Corinthians 10:31 … whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

The selfish person lives for themselves. They destroy churches with their complaints. Beloved, “Whatever you do, do it HEARTILY, as to the LORD and not men” (Colossians 3:23, NKJV).

The GODLESS Person:

Proverbs 16:27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

The godless are always digging about, looking for new ways to blaspheme the Lord and to please their flesh. They use their lips to spread evil.

The PERVERSE Person:

Proverbs 16:28 A FROWARD {tahpukâh, perverse} man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

The perverse person, the person who wants to twist God’s design, and the murmurer or complainer are thrown in together in this parable. The intent of both the perverse and the murmurer are to destroy Godly order, while sowing confusion. In this sense God equates the murmurer who sows discord with the sexual pervert who sows confusion.

The ANGRY or ACTIVIST Person:

Proverbs 16:29 A VIOLENT {ḥāmās} man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

This person, much celebrated in America today, stirs up trouble, and destroys civil liberties. This type of crowd are found in ANTIFA, Black Lives Matter, and in rioters. Their way is not the way of Christ, but of disorder and disharmony.

May Christ lead us away from these evil ways! Come quickly Lord Jesus! Amen.

Posted in General, Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, disciples, discipleship, discipling, Faith, Following Christ, God, Jesus, living for Jesus, living for the world, salvation, students | Leave a comment

The King’s Highway

Posted on April 16, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Proverbs 16:16-17 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! 17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth His way preserveth his soul.

Do You Have The Right Treasure?

WISDOM – the ability to properly apply what you know – comes from God. We are told in …

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Illustrate: The LORD is the Great I AM, the God Who created everything that we see. We cannot stare directly at His sun in the morning sky, but we take its light for granted. Did you know that the Sun loses 4 million TONS of mass EVERY SECOND due to nuclear fission – the equivalent volume of our Mount Everest! Our Sun is not the only star – God made all the stars. Stars like our Sun burn for about 9-10 BILLION years, according to scientists. Our Sun is due to burn out in about 5 BILLION years.

That’s Who God is! That’s what His wisdom and knowledge accomplishes.

As the economy bounces up and down, I hear people saying “You’d better buy gold and silver, for the dollar may crash”. So people are rushing to buy gold and silver. But, as my friend Pastor Edward Dickson said, “Gold and silver will only be good if people will trade for it. If the economy falls, who’s going to want gold and silver? We all want:

Basic Physical Needs (Air, Water, Food, Shelter, Clothing)
Safety & Security
Love & Belonging
Self-Esteem
Self-Actualization (Growth into Purpose)

Gold and silver are earthly things, temporary, and fleeting. They can help meet some of the needs that all humans have. But they cannot meet our greater needs.

Mammon or Money can be stolen, taxed, removed. It can fail or let us down. The LORD wants us to be fully vested in what is BEST FOR US and BEST FOR THOSE AROUND US. This is why Jesus said:

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It is wisdom to choose desire for God over desire for the things of this world. The center of your life cannot be built on silver and gold, on temporary things. We place the crucifix in a prominent place in our Church, in the center, where your attention is drawn to it. We place the Word of God and the Communion Table, along with the pulpit, at the center of the room we call a sanctuary. We used to put the Churches at the center of our towns. Why?

PREACH! Psychologist Jordan Peterson said, “We used to understand that the proper foundation of the world is voluntary self sacrifice upward. If you understand that truth, your life becomes meaningful, even in its suffering, and you set things right around you.” Life has little meaning if you are living for the temporal, the fleeting. Life is a gift from God, and God gives us wisdom to live our lives best. Our desires are only fully filled when we fill them with the wisdom of God.

Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil

A young lady asked a Pastor “How can I know that I am saved?

I often have bad thoughts, and sometimes allow myself to act on those thoughts?” A Christian is saved by Grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Once we are saved, we become the property of God, members of His Kingdom. The Bible shows this relationship in

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

We are saved BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH NOT OF WORKS. We bring nothing to the table of salvation but our broken selves. Pastor Jonny Ardavanis said, “We bring nothing to the table salvifically other than the sin that made Jesus’ death necessary.” But once we are saved, we are His workmanship. We are created to do good works for God, to be obedient children.

As God is Sovereign, the Christian who is not just a professor, but a possessor of salvation WILL DO GODLY WORKS. How can you know that you are saved? By your desires. Do you desire to obey Him as Lord? Do you desire to know God? Do you desire to have Him know you? Do you desire to honor God, to please Him? Do you desire to obey His Word?

The HIGHWAY of the UPRIGHT is to DEPART FROM EVIL

The HIGHWAY of the UPRIGHT is to DEPART FROM EVIL. The word HIGHWAY is the Hebrew mecillah, which means “the best way to go or travel”. Jesus talked of two ways –

“WIDE is the gate, and BROAD is the way that leads to destruction {but} STRAIT (stenos, narrow) is the gate, and narrow the way that leads to life” (Matthew 7:13-14)

The best way to travel if you are the UPRIGHT or saved person is WITH GOD. A person’s life is not a single step, but a journey. Once saved, we journey with the One Who saved us. When we walk with the Lord, we preserve our souls from damage. “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV). If saved, we no longer walk according to our whims and dictates. We are followers of Christ, imitators of God. The Apostle said:

1 John 3:9 (ESV) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning

he that keepeth HIS way PRESERVETH his soul.

Word Study & Illustrate: The word translated PRESERVETH is the Hebrew šāmar, which means “to guard, to keep watch over, to protect”. When I wood work using my table saw, I’m always very careful around the spinning blade. Though I do not work with a blade guard, I always use a push stick to handle material close to the blade. The blade is made to cut wood, but it really doesn’t care if it cuts flesh!

As a saw blade can cut flesh or wood, sin can cut and damage the soul. The Bible truly said “the wages of sin is DEATH” (Romans 6:23). Consider the stories of the Scripture. Can a saved person sin? Absolutely! Samson was a Judge, chosen by God to represent Him to the people. But Samson did not walk the way that God would have him walk. Samson was prideful, and filled with lust for women. Samson dishonored his parents. The Bible promises us that:

Proverbs 19:16 (ESV) Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises His {God’s} ways will die.

Samson brought death and misery on himself. Though he killed many Philistines as he died, he died tied to two pillars, his eyes burned from his head, and his body probably castrated. When you keep God’s Way and walk with the Lord, you “preserve your soul”. And what of King David? He stole another man’s wife, then took that man’s life. He thought he had covered his tracks until God sent Nathan to confront him. The Bible says:

Proverbs 10:9 (ESV) Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

David’s sins came to haunt him when his Beloved Son Absalom tried to take his throne, and eventually was killed in battle. When you walk the highway of the upright with the King of Kings, you are always blessed. But when you depart the King’s Highway, you open the door to destruction of your soul.

Compare the lives of David and Samson to the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Though terribly tried in life, these four men lived their lives so as to please their God – even though they were in a foreign land. Consider the life of Paul the Apostle, who suffered horribly in order to share the Gospel of Christ. When the Apostle Paul stood bound before the Governor Felix, he said:

Acts 24:16 (ESV) … I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

He sought to please God first, to love those around him, and put himself last. This is the way to blessing!

Humble Yourselves To Be Blessed

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

I am told in Clarkes Commentary that a notation in most Masoretic Hebrew Bible has a note is placed on verse 18:

chatsi hassepher: “the middle of the book.”

This verse is the middle verse of the Book of Proverbs. This is an anchor verse of Scripture.

When Adam desired to be as God, his pride brought destruction on all of humanity. The higher we seek to elevate ourselves, the farther we fall and the more damaging our landing. The Bridges Commentary notes:

“David gloried in the number of his people, and the Lord diminished them by pestilence. Hezekiah boasted of his treasure; and the Lord marked it to be taken away. At the moment that Nebuchadnezzar was proud of his Babel, he was banished from the enjoyment of it. “The vain daughters of Zion,” priding themselves on their ornaments, were covered with disgrace. (Isaiah 3:24.) Yet after all, the state of heart that prepares man for the fall, is the worst part of his condition. For what is our pride is our danger …”

Satan, the Arch Angel Who fell from pride, uses pride as a weapon against us all. Satan tried to trap our Lord Jesus with pride, saying:

Matthew 4:5-6 (NKJV) … IF You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

“I don’t believe you are the Son of God! Prove it! Throw Yourself down!” Jesus wouldn’t play his evil game, but stayed on the King’s Highway, saying:

Matthew 4:7 (NKJV) … It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.

When it came time for Jesus to go to the Cross, Satan again reached out through the Apostle Peter. Peter told Jesus,

Matthew 16:22 (AP) Peter rebuked Jesus, saying, this will never happen to You, Lord! It cannot happen!

Jesus replied, “Get behind Me, Satan! You offend Me. You do not savor the things of God, but the things of this world, of mankind!” (Matthew 16:23, AP).

The Bible is filled with accounts of men and women who were lifted up with pride – and who died horrible deaths because of it. Jezebel was eaten by dogs (1 Kings 21:23-24; 2 Kings 9:30-37). The Pharaoh of Exodus destroyed under a wall of water, his firstborn child killed (Exodus 14:5-29). Haman hung on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai (Esther 7:10). King Nebuchadnezzar ate grass in the field like a dumb ox (Daniel 4:25-35). King Herod was consumed by skin worms (Acts 12:20-23). Ananaias and Sapphira died for lying to God (Acts 5:1-11).

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an HAUGHTY spirit before a fall

Word Study: The word translated HAUGHTY is the Hebrew gobahh, which means “physical or spiritual HEIGHT”. We all have dignity and worth because we were created in the image of God – yet we are not gods. When Jesus Christ, the Beloved Son of God, walked among us, He walked in humility.

We are made in the IMAGE of GOD, but we are not gods.

The Bible says that Jesus literally: Philippians 2:7-8 (ESV) emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus told us that the way to power with God was by humility. Just before He went to the Cross, Jesus gathered His disciples. The Bible tells us that:

John 13:3-17 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them…

Jesus took on the action of a lowly servant in washing the feet of His disciples. Throughout Jesus’ life on this earth, He humbled Himself in order to elevate others.

You cannot serve God and yourself. You cannot walk the King’s Highway in pride. Growth as a believer is self sacrifice UPWARD, love OUTWARD.

1 John 2:6 (ESV) whoever says he abides in Him {in Jesus} ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

Our Lord Jesus “left us an example, so that we might follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21-23).

Proverbs 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Those who “divide the spoil with the proud” will one day enter a terrible hell, either on this earth or in the Presence of God.

If your treasure is yourself and your things more than God and others, one day you will find yourself suffering eternal loneliness with this temporal trash. Jesus warned us:

Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV) Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

We are to seek “the honor that comes from God, not from men” (John 5:44).

Handle God’s Word With Respect

Proverbs 16:20 He that handleth A MATTER wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

Word Study: Though I love the King James Version, there are times when the translators for whatever reason missed the mark. The words translated A MATTER is one word in the Hebrew, dāḇār. The most common translation for the word in the King James is WORD (807 times), though it is also translated CHRONICLES (38 times), SAYING (25 times), or COMMANDMENT (20 times). When I read “He that handleth a MATTER wisely” I have no idea what God is asking me to do. But when I read it as “He that handles the WORD wisely shall find GOOD”, I know exactly what it is that God wants me to do.

God wants us to trust in Him, to trust in his Word. His Word is always faithful. The Bible is TRUTH!

I checked the translation against how other word to word translations defined the verse. I found:

NKJV He who heeds the Word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

NASB One who pays attention to the Word will find good, And blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.

ESV Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

“The Word” listed here is the Word of God, as the second half of the proverb is introduced with AND. What someone thinks or has seen on the basis of human experience is always suspect. Just ask any policeman who is investigating a crime. Various witnesses will tell you what they saw, and often their description is very varied – even as to the color of the perpetrator!

Illustration: I was reading a “Biography” article the other day entitled “For Decades, Titanic Survivors Said The Ship Split In Half. Nobody Believed Them.” There was a lady named Eva Hart who was 7 years old when she boarded the Titanic. When the ship – supposedly unsinkable – struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Eva survived because she was on one of the few life rafts. Eva and several other survivors said the ocean liner broke in half, “with the bow section sinking away as the stern bobbed in the water for a few minutes before finally descending underwater”. For 73 years the survivors claims were dismissed, until the wreckage was discovered in 1985. The article states:

“The wreckage of the Titanic would not be discovered until 1985, when Bob Ballad and Jean-Louis Michel found it using the side scan sonar during a joint French-American expedition. The ship was found in two widely separated pieces, definitively establishing that the ship had indeed split.”

For years people have suggested that we “evolved” from lower life forms that somehow mysteriously became self-existent. We have heard scientists talk about a “Big Bang”, along with other strange theories. None of these so called scientists were there, neither are the skeptics who mock the idea of God. Yet Someone was there at the beginning.

John 1:1-3 (ESV) IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, and THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, and THE WORD WAS GOD. He was in the beginning withn God. All things were MADE THROUGH HIM, and WITHOUT HIM WAS NOT ANYTHING MADE THAT WAS MADE.

God was there at the beginning. Jesus Christ was there at the beginning. We have an Eyewitness Who can tell us exactly how all things were made, and Who can tell us how all things should be. We can trust God. We can trust His Word, both Living and Written. Let us strive to follow Him, to live confidently for Him.

As we approach Resurrection Sunday, the usual suspects will tell us that Jesus was a myth, that either He never existed, or if He existed, that He was killed and His body hidden. They will tell us that Jesus never rose from the grave. But there were eyewitnesses. The Apostles witnessed the resurrection, and wrote of it. Hundreds of people saw the resurrected Savior, and heard Him teach. When Chuck Colson was told “the Apostles made up the resurrection”, he replied:

“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world — and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”

The Word is true – and man often is not. Let us trust in Him, and live to learn more of His Word.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Bible is accurate, Bible is God's Word, Bible is true, christianity, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, King's Highway, Proverbs, salvation, Word of God | Leave a comment

Obeying The Gospel

Posted on April 14, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 10:16-21 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias {Isaiah} saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias {Isaiah} is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

The Glory Of The Gospel

There is nothing greater than the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! The word “Gospel” is first mentioned in the Bible in:

Matthew 4:23 (KJV) … Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom ..

The word “Gospel” is the Greek euangelion, which means “good tidings or good message”. Some say it means “good news”. Jesus called the Gospel the “Gospel of the Kingdom”. The God Who created all that you see is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16). To enter His Kingdom (not a democracy, but a Kingdom) you must heed His Gospel. Jesus preached:

Mark 1:15 (KJV) … The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

What does the Gospel teach us, the glorious Good News from God. The Gospel teaches us that The King of Glory left His Throne in Heaven, and came to this earth to become like us. Without sin, the King, the Great Shepherd laid His life down for the sheep, His Kingdom (John 10:15, 17). Our sins, our willfulness, our unrighteousness, our wickedness separated us from God. We were all hopelessly adrift, unfit for the Kingdom of God. The Prophet wrote:

Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) … we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Our sins and sinful desires took us all away from God. Born into this world as sinners, we all need another birth. We must be born again (John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:23). We cannot make ourselves right before God. The animal sacrifices, the ceremonial laws, the Mosaic Code set a standard, a yoke that no one could bear (Acts 15:10).

But then came Jesus. Prophesied in the Old Testament, the Messiah came. The Law said “Do this, and live!” (Romans 10:5). The Law became the king to Israel, but as king it’s purpose was to lead us all to understand how badly we need Jesus. The Bible tells us:

Galatians 3:22-26 (KJV) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

What is “FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS”? It is to turn to Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are told:

Romans 10:9-13 (KJV) That if thou shalt CONFESS (homologeo, say the same thing about yourself) with THY mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

To be saved, you must AGREE with God that you are a sinner, lost and desperately need to be saved. We all need Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. We are told that “there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek”. The Jew believed that because they as a nation were “God’s Chosen People” that they needed no salvation. Beloved, “there is no difference”. To prove this to the Jew, the Apostle quotes:

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed

a quotation from Isaiah 28:16 (NASB) “… this is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested stone, A precious cornerstone [for] the foundation, firmly placed. The one who believes will not be disturbed”. The promise of the Gospel is that:

whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED

What Causes A Person To Be Cursed?

What causes a person to stay lost, separated from God? To whom is the Kingdom of God shut? We are told:

Romans 10:16 (KJV) But they have not all OBEYED THE GOSPEL. For Esaias {Isaiah} saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

To help the Jew understand the Gospel – as well as us – the Apostle quotes the Prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 53 the Prophet foretells the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. He starts with this statement:

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

The “ARM OF THE LORD” or the POWER OF GOD is not REVEALED or MANIFESTED to those who do not believe the Gospel.

When the Messiah came, He did not come to rule over an earthly kingdom. When Jesus came, He was born in Bethlehem, of lowly parents. He was raised up in Nazareth, a small town. Isaiah wrote:

Isaiah 53:2-3 (KJV) For He {the Messiah} shall grow up before Him {God the Father} as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

The Messiah would not be a movie star. He would not be a beautiful Person. In fact, when He revealed Himself, He would be “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief”. The Lord of Glory, God Incarnate, He came to this earth to reveal the heart of God to us. He walked among us, healed and did good. But the main thing Jesus showed us is that we are all – even the Pharisees and Chief Priests – totally lost and undone without the Gospel! The Pharisees attacked Jesus. The Herodians mocked Him, and treated Him as a threat to the Roman throne. The Sadducees despised Jesus because He taught that there was a resurrection coming.

Isaiah went on to prophesy, Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The King of Kings came to this earth, and was rejected by the world He made. He died on a terrible cross on a hill called Calvary. “He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death” (Isaiah 53:9). Jesus died as a sinner, between two other sinners. He died a criminal’s death. Yet it was not a martyrdom, for Jesus said:

John 10:15-18 (AP) .. I LAY MY LIFE DOWN FOR THE SHEEP. Other sheep I have who are not of this fold: them I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd … No man takes my life from Me, but I choose to lay it down …

The Father laid on Jesus the INIQUITY of US ALL! He paid for our sins in full. Jesus Christ is the Key to Heaven, our only Hope.

A person goes to hell, eternal damnation, when they will not obey the Gospel. To obey the Gospel is not just to hear it. You have to hear it. We are told:

Romans 10:17-18 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Israel heard the Gospel. You can HEAR the Gospel, even from the lips of Jesus as Israel did, and yet just hearing will not save you. You must OBEY. The ARM OF THE LORD is ONLY REVEALED TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE. The Messiah came, and reached out to Israel.

But they did not believe.

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Israel rejected the prophesied Messiah, the Messiah of Isaiah 53

Israel wanted a Messiah that would fix their immediate needs. They wanted a Messiah that would help them overthrow Rome. This happened when Jesus fed the 5000 with two small fish and five little biscuits. They thought, HERE IS THE MESSIAH! Let’s declare Him to be King … and we’ll overthrow Rome! The Bible says:

John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone.

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords did not come to this earth to be another political appointee, a replacement for Herod or Caesar. The King of Glory (Psalm 24:8-10) came to bring us into His Kingdom, to save us by Grace.

Whosoever shall CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD shall be saved!

We OBEY THE GOSPEL by receiving Jesus Christ as He is, not as we want Him to be. Israel wanted Jesus to be a Roman Replacement. He is not a Roman Replacement. We today often try and make Jesus to be what we want Him to be. I was listening to a song today called “No Strings Attached”. It is a pretty song written by Kevin Winebarger. The song puts these words in God’s mouth:

Stop with the striving
Just start being
Stop with the reaching
Just start breathing
No need to try to earn affection
Just listen
Child just listen
You have purpose
You have meaning
For I have loved you since the beginning
You’re my beloved
Always been wanted

It doesn’t matter if you ever love Me back
Still I love you
No strings attached

I liked the song up to those last few lines:

It doesn’t matter if you ever love Me back
Still I love you
No strings attached

I don’t believe that’s Biblical. Listen Beloved,

You don’t know God if you don’t love Christ!

The Apostle wrote:

1 Corinthians 16:22-23 (NKJV) If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! 23 The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you.

If you do not love the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ, YOU ARE NOT SAVED. If you do not love God, YOU ARE NOT SAVED. When asked the question, “What is the first and great commandment?”, Jesus answered:

Matthew 22:37 (ESV) You shall LOVE the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind

Later Jesus would tell His followers:

Matthew 10:37 (ESV) Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of me.

That doesn’t sound like the song said, “It doesn’t matter if you ever love Me back, Still I love you. No strings attached.” No, Jesus loves you. But to be saved, you must love Him back. You must surrender your life to Him. You must listen to Him. Where does Grace come from? The Apostle said:

Ephesians 6:24 (ESV) Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

And Jesus said,

John 14:21 (ESV) Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.

Oh Beloved, you are “Beloved” because Jesus Christ is God’s Only BELOVED Son. You are BELOVED because you love the BELOVED. And why would we not love Him?

The Apostle wrote, 1 John 4:19 “We LOVE HIM because He FIRST loved us”. Jesus loved us enough to die for us. He loved us enough to redeem us, though we were far from God, dead in trespasses and sins. Once God opened our eyes, and we CONFESSED that we were sinners, we REACHED OUT in surrender to Him Who loves us, to Jesus Christ. Our love for Jesus defines us as Children of God. Pastor John Piper writes:

“Listen: one of the big issues we face over and over again in a multicultural situation, where lots of religions are coming together, is, “Don’t we all worship the same God? And you go through Jesus; I go through another prophet.” Loving Jesus is the test of whether you love God. Here’s what Jesus says. In John 8:42, Jesus looked right into the eyes of the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, and said, “If God were your Father, you would love me.” He’s saying to the most religious, the most God-oriented, Old Testament–saturated people on the planet, “You don’t know him. He’s not your Father.” In fact, he goes so far as to say, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). … What’s the litmus paper for knowing whether somebody is a lover of God? Answer: Do they love Jesus? Do they embrace Jesus for who he really is — not just some human teacher, not just some prophet alongside other prophets, but as the Son of God?”

To Obey The Gospel Is To Surrender
To Christ’s Love

Christ offered His love to Israel – but they rejected Him. But again, this was according to prophecy. We read again:

Romans 10:19-21 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

God knew that Israel would have their Messiah crucified, that they would reject Him. God knows everything.

Isaiah 46:9-10 (NKJV) Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure …

God knew when Messiah came that Israel, a stiff necked and disobedient people, would have Him crucified. The Apostle quotes what God said in:

Deuteronomy 32:21 They have made Me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

Israel’s disobedience did not thwart the love of God, but He fulfilled His Promise to Abraham that in him the whole world would be blessed. The Gentiles – that’s you and I – Jesus reached out to the Gentiles when Israel rejected Him. The Church became the Kingdom of God, because of Israel’s rejection. God’s people became the whosoever will love Jesus, love the LORD Jesus CHRIST, the One and Only Messiah.

In the Old Testament, God always intended to reach out to the Gentiles. Jesus was to be:

Luke 2:32 A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES, and the glory of Thy people Israel …

God was always going to save Israel, and through Israel save the believing world. When Peter spoke to the Church, he said:

1 Peter 2:10 (ESV) Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

How is one saved? By falling in love with Jesus. By submitting to Him as Lord and Savior. When you stop following yourself, stop trying to re-make God or make a golden calf of Jesus, and surrender to His love, He changes you.

Titus 3:3-7 (NKJV) For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

God will one day save Israel. One day, in the midst of GREAT TRIBULATION, a time called “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”, that nation will repent and cry out to Him. He loves Israel still. When Israel calls out to the Messiah, loving God, surrendering to God, they shall be saved.

What of you? Are you saved?

Not if you don’t love Jesus. If you love YOU more than you love Jesus, you are lost. A golden calf will not save you. Only Jesus. Only Jesus. Oh Beloved, fall in love with Him! Loving Jesus is the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Or suffer eternal damnation. Amen.

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Gospel truth, Idols Need Not Apply, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Only, love God, No Golden Calvers, salvation | Leave a comment

Godly Leadership Blesses A People

Posted on April 14, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

I preached this truth last Sunday morning:

“You CANNOT work your way to Heaven,
but you CAN work your way to Hell”

This is true not only for people, but for nations. For several years now America and the American Church has labored hard to get to hell. We have compromised the Word of God in order to make Christianity relevant to our “please me” society. We have redefined marriage, human sexuality, and even basic grammar (pronouns) in order to please the lost.

The light can only compromise with the darkness by dimming itself. We dim the light when we depart from the clear teachings of the Scripture. It’s time we stopped dimming the light, and letting Satan get victories.

God Blesses A People With Godly Leaders

Proverbs 16:10 A DIVINE SENTENCE is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

Word Study: The first three words of our text is but one word in the Hebrew: qesem. This is a very interesting word, because it is often used in Scripture of divination or witchcraft. God forbade divination – seeking wisdom apart from Him – as evil:

Deuteronomy 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth DIVINATION, {qesem} or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch …

Qesem – the seeking of guidance apart from God, is a devilish and idolatrous thing.

It is rebellion against God (1 Samuel 15:23), and leads to the abortion and destruction of the nation’s children (2 Kings 17:17). The Godly Leader does not focus on ungodly methods, as King Saul did when he sought out the witch of Endore (1 Samuel 28:7-20). Saul would not repent, and bring his heart back to the Lord. Instead he asked the witch to let him speak with the Prophet Samuel, who had gone into the next life. Samuel told Saul from beyond the grave:

1 Samuel 28:17-18 (ESV) The Lord has done to you as He spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord …

King Saul was no longer fit to be a king, especially of Israel. Why? Because he would not obey the voice of the Lord, the Word of God. The King who “transgresseth not in judgment” is the one who heeds the Word of God, and does as the Lord says. God considers this to not be optional, but absolute!

When a King or a Leader departs from God’s Word to follow his whims, or the whim of the people, it has a destructive influence on the people.

When Israel divided into North and South under the bad leadership of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the rebellion’s leader King Jeroboam turned from God to idolatry out of pride. Jeroboam did not want the Ten northern Tribes going to Jerusalem to worship God, lest the rebellion end. So Jeroboam:

1 Kings 12:28-32 (ESV) … made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. 31 He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. 32 And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.

Jeroboam did want unity – he wanted to be King. Jeroboam cared nothing for God – he wanted to be god. Jeroboam departed from the Word of God, and created his own man-made religion, and his own man-made priests. This is extremely dangerous, for it set up a precedent where one bad King after another ruled Northern Israel.

Jeroboam’s son Nadab ruled in evil for two years.
Baasha killed Nadab, and Jeroboam’s family.
Elah killed Baasha, and ruled 2 years.
Zimri ruled one week before committing suicide.
Omri was incredibly evil, ruling for 12 years.
Omri’s son Ahab married Jezebel, and spread Baal worship.

The only King of Northern Israel who may have been righteous was Jehu. Jehu suppressed the Baal worship, but did NOT stop the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. Bad king led to bad king, and the people of Northern Israel suffered greatly!

Proverbs 16:11 A JUST weight and BALANCE are the Lord’s: all the weights OF THE BAG are His work.

It is God Who determines right and wrong, good and evil. It is not what we think, but what God thinks. Though King David was not perfect (we all remember his horrendous sins in murdering Uriah, and taking Bathsheba Uriah’s wife to be his queen), David nonetheless repented when confronted with his sins. David wrote:

2 Samuel 23:3-4 (NKJV) The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. 4 And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’

Illustrate Poor Leadership: When Leaders cease to be governed by the Word of God, and begin to follow their own desires or the desires of the people, it is not long before the body is diseased. The White House Faith Adviser, Prosperity Televangelist Paula White said on March 23, 2025 that if you send her $1000 before Easter:

“I believe that when you honor God on Passover starting on April 12th at sundown through Good Friday on the 18th and concluding on Easter Sunday, you can receive these seven supernatural blessings for you and your house. … God will assign an angel to you. He’ll be an enemy to your enemies. He’ll give you prosperity. He’ll take sickness away from you. He will give you long life. He’ll bring increase in inheritance, and He’ll give a special year of blessing.”

But wait! There’s more! If give the $1000, you will also receive a “beautiful 10 inch Waterford Crystal Cross”. If you don’t have $1000, for $125 you can have an “Olive Wood Communion set from the Holy Land, including unleavened bread and grape juice”.

We need to be in prayer for our President! A ruler is only as effective as he allows the Lord to lead him.

Proverbs 16:11 A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are His work.

The King, the President, the Governor, the Pastor or the Head of the Household are all overseers of God’s weights and measures. The Apostle Paul told the Pastors at Ephesus:

Acts 20:28 (KJV) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Godly leaders are to first TAKE HEED UNTO YOURSELVES. God has made the Leader. The Scripture says, “There is NO POWER BUT OF GOD: the POWERS THAT BE ARE ORDAINED OF GOD” (Romans 13:1). Leaders rule at the stewardship of God. To lead contrary to His directive is very dangerous to the leader. Secondly, the godly leader “TAKES HEED TO ALL THE FLOCK”. The leader represents God to the Sheep, to the Followers. Then the godly leader “FEEDS THE CHURCH OF GOD” not with what the leader thinks, but with what God has determined. The Bible says:

Proverbs 14:34 (NKJV) Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.

As the leader goes, so goes the people.

Evil Leaders Lead A People To FAIL

Proverbs 16:12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

When a leader – particularly a high profile leader like a King or a President – COMMITS WICKEDNESS – God says that this is an “abomination”. When the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Judah to destroy it, it was God Who sent Nebuchadnezzar because of evil King Manasseh:

2 Kings 24:3-4 Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon.

I was intrigued by the phrase “he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood”. What did God mean by “INNOCENT BLOOD”? Looking through the Scripture, I came on this text:

Psalm 106:36-38 (ESV) They served their idols, which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; 38 they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.

Under the godless leadership of Manasseh, not only was Baal and Asherah worshiped, but the cult of Moloch, which involved sacrificing children and burning their little bodies. God will not long tolerate the leader who departs from His Word.

“the throne is established by righteousness”

The leader who follows the LORD and does the best he can will find this is his best security. God protects the people who follow Him, who love His Word. The Bible says:

Psalm 125:1-3 (NKJV) Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever. 3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

When God’s people look to Him and His Word, He will eventually break the evil ruler to protect His own. When the ruler does right, even when doing right costs him, God promises blessing on his stewardship.

Proverbs 29:14 (ESV) If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.

The Leader should be committed to Divine good, and despise evil. Evil destroys a nation.

A Right People Will Love The Leader
Who Speaks RIGHT

Proverbs 16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and THEY LOVE HIM THAT speaketh right.

The wise and godly leaders are careful in how they speak. Their lips are to speak righteous words. There is always a temptation to modify the message, to be “politically correct” so as not to harm your base. The wise king will seek out the one that “SPEAKETH RIGHT” and not the “Yes Man”. When King Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream (Daniel 2), he called his “wise men” to get them to tell him what it meant. The wise men said, “Tell your dream to us, and we’ll tell you what it means”. Nebuchadnezzar was wise, so he told these charlatans “YOU TELL ME what I dreamed, and if not, I’ll have you CUT IN PIECES”. They told the King that what he asked was impossible. So Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the wise men in Babylon to be killed.

Why would Nebuchadnezzar order the wise men to death? Because he understood that godless leadership dooms a people.

The Prophet Daniel prayed, and God told him Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Daniel sought the King of Kings and Lord of Lords before approaching Nebuchadnezzar. When God answered his prayer, Daniel praised God, giving Him the glory for all. Hear his prayer:

Daniel 2:20-23 (ESV) … Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. 23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.

When Daniel shared what God told him about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the Bible says:

Daniel 2:46-47 (ESV) … King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a Revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.

Foolish leaders want “yes men” , but those who are wise and good leaders rejoice in hearing Godly counsel.

Wise leaders must also learn to
control their tempers.

Proverbs 16:14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.

In ancient times, kings had absolute power. It was a wise person who avoided “poking the bear”. When Nehemiah wanted to be released from his duty as a cup bearer in order to lead an expedition back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, he sought God first in prayer:

Nehemiah 1:5-11 (ESV) “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

God answered Nehemiah’s prayer by softening the heart of King Artaxerxes. The King blessed Nehemiah, and provided a guard as well as supplies for the journey. As we close, we read:

Nehemiah 16:15 In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.

When your heart goes to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords first, He will bless your pathway. May God richly bless us as we discuss the business of His Church. May He lead us to growth and blessing. Amen, and Amen.

Posted in Proverbs, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Following Christ, God, Godly Leaders, Godly Man, Jesus, Jesus loves you, Proverbs, salvation, wisdom | Leave a comment

The Real “Word Of Faith”

Posted on April 9, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 10:4-8 (KJV) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But 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…

There Is A False “Word Of Faith”

For everything that God has, the devil has an imitation, a forgery, a lie. Take, for instance, the phrase above: “The WORD OF FAITH”. There is a Charismatic “Christian” movement called “Word of Faith”. Started by television evangelists Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin, the movement teaches that God promises healing and prosperity to believers. Preachers like Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, and Kenneth Hagin teach that God wants you to be healthy, happy, and have a large bank account. The “Word of Faith” preachers want you to have “your best life now”.

What’s the problem with this? After all, everyone wants to be healthy, happy, and have a big bank account. It also would be great if we could all be famous. It’s in our national constitution that we have “the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (from the Declaration of Independence). Why wouldn’t God want us to have nothing but butterflies, peaches and cream?

The problem with the “Word of Faith” preachers is more than one level deep. I know of a lady who, years ago, was diagnosed with cancer. Her “Word of Faith” preacher told her that “if you believe hard enough, you’ll be healed”. She died of cancer anyway. Her “Church” blamed he faulty faith for her death. She just didn’t “believe hard enough”.

If you start to believe that God’s great plan for you is that you be HEALTHY, WEALTHY, INFLUENTIAL and IMPORTANT, then when you aren’t such then you begin to think that God doesn’t love you.

There have been a fair number of people who bought into the “Word of Faith” movement who got sick, were financially challenged, or never gained a famous name. These people, disillusioned, walked away from Christianity. They thought that God hated them, or else that the faith was just a pipe dream. On the day that I prepared this sermon, my office computer died, and my wife (who has Lupus) called me, out of breath. Our refrigerator died, and our milk is clabbered.

Maybe God hates me?
Maybe my faith just isn’t strong enough?

Hogwash! In Matthew 26:6-13 (also repeated in Mark 14:3-9) an unknown woman anointed Jesus with expensive perfume while He ate with Simon the leper, a resident of Bethany. Some Bible scholars have suggested who the thought this woman was, but the Bible never tells us this woman’s name. Jesus was impressed by her act of faith, and said “where ever this Gospel is preached, what this woman has done shall be told for a memorial of her”. Wonderful Jesus! So WHO is this woman? Bible scholars have guessed it to be Mary Magdalene or Mary of Bethany, but THE TEXT DOESN’T TELL US TWICE. What kind of fame is that?

Or consider Jesus as He watched the Pharisees giving at the Treasury of the Temple one day. The Court of Women had 13 offering receptacles that people could cast their money in as they passed by. The Bible says:

Mark 12:41 (ESV) {Jesus} sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a POOR widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And He called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this POOR widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.

Jesus was impressed with this woman. What was her name? She impressed God, but never got famous. Also, she was POOR. Jesus didn’t run to alleviate her poverty. He was impressed with her, though no one knew her name.

The “Word Of Faith” movement is humanism re-branded, a false Christianity. Jesus said “you will ALWAYS HAVE THE POOR with you” (Matthew 26:11). If you read the Scriptures, you will know that God never promised us WEALTH, HEALTH, or FAME. Do you know what God wants for us? We are told in today’s text.

Romans 10:4-6 (KJV) For Christ is the end of the law for RIGHTEOUSNESS to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is of faith…

You see the word “RIGHTEOUSNESS” repeated three times in our text. God’s plan for your life is not that you be HAPPY or HEALTHY or WEALTHY. God’s plan for your life is that YOU BE RIGHTEOUS.

What does it mean to be RIGHTEOUS? It means to honor God above yourself. The Word of Faith movement, like the world that it glorifies, teaches that life is about US. That’s not what impressed Jesus. What impressed Jesus was when God was put first.

When Jesus went to eat at Simon the Leper’s home, Simon didn’t treat Jesus like the Son of God. Oh, he fed Jesus, but he did little else. When the unknown woman came in where Jesus was, she denied herself, and honored God by honoring the Messiah. This is why Jesus said that her act would be told every time the Gospel was told.

To be saved, you must glorify God, and deny yourself. To love God supremely whether you are poor, unknown, or even sick.

The same is true of the widow who gave all she had. She did what she did because she loved the Lord with all her heart. That impressed Jesus, that she denied herself. She could have made excuses. “Well, God knows I’m a poor widow lady. If I can’t give Him anything, then He’ll forgive me”. But no, she gave all that she had – and blessed God.

That is righteousness.
To deny self.
To give God your best!

Here Is The True “Word Of Faith”

The only time the phrase “Word of Faith” appears in the Bible is in our text today.

Romans 10:8 But 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

What God wants to produce in those who believe is not HAPPINESS, HEALTH and WEALTH. What God wants to produce in us is RIGHTEOUSNESS. Not self righteousness. The world has plenty on man made, man pumping up, virtue signaling self-righteousness. No, God wants us to be RIGHTEOUS. What does it mean to be RIGHTEOUS?

Think about the word itself. It begins with RIGHT. That means CORRECT, REAL, the actual truth. Who is RIGHT? “The LORD is righteous” (Exodus 9:27). The LORD, the Creator of all things, sets the standard of RIGHT and wrong. When we follow God RIGHTEOUSLY, God watches over us.

Psalm 1:6 … the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Those who follow God, God watches them. Again,

Psalm 5:12 (KJV) For thou, LORD, wilt BLESS THE RIGHTEOUS; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

God loves the RIGHTEOUS. He loves those who follow Him. But what of those who refuse to follow Him, who wander their own path? The Bible says:

Psalm 7:11 (KJV) God judgeth the RIGHTEOUS, and God is ANGRY WITH THE WICKED every day.

The RIGHTEOUS are those who follow the LORD, who heed His instruction, His RIGHT instruction. God is always RIGHTEOUS, always RIGHT. He is the Great Shepherd, and He watches over His Sheep who follow Him.

Psalm 34:17, 19 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

God delivers those who are righteous. The righteous are those who love and trust God, who follow Him. “The RIGHTEOUS shall be GLAD IN THE LORD, and shall TRUST IN HIM” (Psalm 64:10). “Rejoice in the LORD, you RIGHTEOUS” (Psalm 97:12). “The LORD is RIGHTEOUS: He cuts the cords of the wicked in two” (Psalm 129:4). And I’ll stop with:

Psalm 145:17 (KJV) The LORD is RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS WAYS, and HOLY IN ALL HIS WORKS.

God is always RIGHT. We are subject to failure, but God is not. When you follow God, you are RIGHTEOUS because you are following Him Who is RIGHT.

Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

Now we’ve defined that RIGHTEOUS, or BEING RIGHTEOUS, is to follow God. When Israel left Egypt after 430 years of slavery, they FOLLOWED GOD. When God told them to kill a lamb without spot or blemish, and put its blood on the doorway of their homes (Exodus 12:13-28), Israel didn’t argue with God. They did what God said. When God told Israel to follow Him, as a manifest Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Cloud by night (Exodus 13:21), Israel didn’t argue with God. They did what God said. When Israel got to the edge of the Red Sea, and were pursued by the Egyptian Army, Moses told them:

Exodus 14:13-14 (ESV) Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which HE WILL WORK FOR YOU TODAY. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.

What did God want Israel to do? FOLLOW HIM. TRUST HIM. HEED HIS DIRECTIVE. God is righteous. He is always right. Do what GOD says. Israel was saved apart from the Law. They had no Law but one – follow God. Honor God. Do what God says. God is always right.

But Israel had a divided loyalty. After they were saved at the Red Sea, the Bible says:

Exodus 14:31 (ESV) Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.

Israel “believed in the LORD”. But they also believed in “His servant Moses”. Now Moses was a fine man, but he isn’t the LORD. He isn’t perfect. Moses was righteous, because he followed the LORD. But Moses wasn’t the LORD. But the people put their faith not solely in the Lord God, but in MOSES. As a result, when Israel got to Marah, where the water was bitter, they grumbled (Exodus 15:22-25). Moses did the right thing. He went to God, and asked, and God told him what to do.

Moses was RIGHTEOUS, following God. Israel grumbled, following their own desires and wants.

God told Israel “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer” (Exodus 15:26).

God said, “Follow Me. I know what’s right. I am righteous. Just follow Me. Do what I say.” But Israel didn’t do that. They grumbled at Moses and Aaron every time something happened that they didn’t like.

– They grumbled because they had no bread – and God gave them bread.

– They grumbled because there was no water at Rephidim – and God gave them water.

– They grumbled and grumbled until the LORD gave them the Law.

Israel couldn’t keep the Law at all. But God never wanted His people to follow the Law. He wanted His people to follow HIM.

The Law said “the man which doeth those things shall live by them”. Since Israel would not follow the LORD, the LORD gave them the Law. The Law required absolute obedience, and was often quite harsh. But God never wanted His Children to follow a Law. God wants us to follow HIM. The Apostle wrote:

Galatians 3:24-25 (KJV) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The whole purpose of the killing of animals, the feasts and festivals, the dietary restrictions and other such things was to teach us that we cannot save ourselves – that we must DENY OURSELVES and come to God the Son for salvation.

We Cannot Fix Ourselves – We Need Jesus

Romans 10:6-7 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

We live before God by faith. Neither I nor you can go up to Heaven and bring Christ down again. We are called to believe on Him Who is “our HIGH PRIEST, seated at the right hand of the THRONE OF THE MAJESTY IN THE HEAVENS” (Hebrews 8:1). It is Jesus Who is the Key to Heaven. It is Jesus Who God the Father sent to this earth for us. It is Jesus Christ, the One and Only Messiah, that our Hope is on. He lives, and represents those who have given their lives to Him.

We cannot “descend into the deep, to bring up Christ again from the dead”. Jesus Christ died for our sins on the Cross of Calvary. He paid the penalty of sin in full. The Father “worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:20-23, NKJV).

What is “The WORD OF FAITH that we preach”? We are told:

Romans 10:9 That 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.

WORD STUDY: Let’s break this verse down. To be saved, a person must “CONFESS with thy mouth”. The word rendered “CONFESS” is the Greek homologeō, which means “to say the same thing as another, to agree with another, to concede or admit”.

To “CONFESS” means to openly and publicly say the same thing about yourself, about God, and about Jesus that God Himself says.

Jesus said,

Matthew 10:32 (KJV) Whosoever therefore shall CONFESS {homologeō} Me before men, him will I CONFESS {homologeō} also before My Father which is in heaven.

And again,

Luke 12:8 (KJV) Whosoever shall CONFESS {homologeō} Me before men, him shall the Son of man also CONFESS {homologeō} before the angels of God …

What are you to confess or declare publicly about Jesus?

CONFESS with thy mouth THE LORD JESUS

Openly agree that Jesus is your Savior and your Lord. Publicly state that Jesus is your Shepherd (John 10:10) and your Messiah. The Jews told their followers that if ANYONE “CONFESSED that Jesus was the CHRIST” (John 9:22; 12:42), that that individual would be cast out of Judaism and out of the Temple. It will cost you to follow Jesus.

Jesus is not just your Savior if you have believed in Him, He is also your LORD. You follow Him. You follow His Book.

There were some in the early Church who “PROFESSED {homologeō} that they KNOW GOD, but IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM” (Titus 1:16). God said of these people that they were abominable reprobates. The person who is righteous follows Jesus, and loves the Word of God.

You must also believe in your heart that

GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD

God has not promised you HEALTH and WEALTH and FAME. He has promised you RIGHTEOUSNESS. He has promised, if you come to Him surrendered, that He will walk with you from the day of your salvation into eternity. Beloved, you know that you are saved because the Word of Faith is in your mouth and in your heart. You have agreed with God that you are unable – but that Jesus is able. You have agreed that you need Him desperately.

The day that you called on the Lord Jesus Christ – believing on Him – the Incarnate God became incarnate in your very heart. Because you are changed from the inside out your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees. Because you are changed by God Himself – Who gave Himself for you on Calvary’s Tree – the very righteousness of God is on your life. Oh the joy of being in Christ! It begins by calling on Him. Confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ. Receiving Him as both Lord and Savior. Believing that He died for your sins. But

more than that, believing in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead. He is risen. He is Lord. He is your Lord – if you have given yourself to Him.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, Jesus, salvation | Leave a comment

Christ Is The Living End

Posted on March 31, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 10:1-4 (KJV) Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. (2) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. (3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

I remember several years ago in another town in another Church, I was asked to speak at a “See You At The Flagpole” event. I prepared for it, was even up late the evening before in preparation. I was supposed to be there at 7:30 am.

I forgot to set my alarm, overslept, and woke up at 8:00 am.

Though I rushed to get to the school, I was so embarrassed! Everything I prepared was wasted, as most of the students and adults had left the flagpole to go into the school. I was very embarrassed – and was never invited to speak at such an event again.

What happened with me was accidental, a human mistake. Our Lord Jesus told a parable once about being prepared and ready. We read:

Matthew 25:1-11 (NKJV) Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

To this day I regret missing my opportunity at “See You At The Flag”. But the world continued to turn. My face was red, but years passed, and I’m sure no one today even remembers that event but me. But there’s another event that’s coming – the return of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom, the Head of His Church. He warned us to be ready for His return. The Bible says:

1 Thessalonians 5:2 (NKJV) the DAY OF THE LORD so comes as a THIEF IN THE NIGHT …

We are to watch for Jesus. To be ready for His coming. The virgins in Jesus’ parable all went to sleep. We are all human and subject to failure. But the foolish virgins took no OIL FOR THEIR LAMPS. In the Bible, olive oil was used in lamps to light up the darkness. The oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s Presence, Power, and Anointing. When Kings were chosen by God, the LORD had the Prophet anoint them with oil (1 Samuel 16:1, 13) to show that God empowered their ministry. When Prophets were chosen by God, they too were anointed with oil (1 Kings 19:16), as were Priests (Exodus 28:41) and altars (Exodus 29:36).

Five of the virgins had lamps with oil (the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, see Psalm 43:3; 18:28; 119:105; Proverbs 6:23). But the five foolish virgins had the equipment – but none of God’s Word or Spirit.

If you’re going to be ready for the coming Jesus, you need to do more than look like a Christian. You need to be ready. You need to feed on God’s Word, and submit to God’s Spirit.

Israel Should Have Been Saved

If anyone should have been ready for the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, it should have been Israel. And yet, they were NOT saved. Oh, many Jews met Christ as Savior since His coming. But the nation of Israel as a whole generally rejects the Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah. Paul laments the state of Israel, saying,

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

Word Study: The phrase “heart’s desire” is the Greek kardia eudokia. The word is often translated “good pleasure”. Though Paul had been sent primarily as the Apostle to the Gentiles, his heart was hungry to see Israel come to Christ. But they would not. What was the problem? God throughout the Old Testament, the Scriptures that God entrusted to Israel, repeatedly prophesied that the Messiah would come through that very nation.

Bible scholar J. Barton Payne lists 574 verses in the Old Testament that reference the coming of Christ.

Theologian Alfred Edersheim counts at least 456 passages in the Old Testament.

Jesus fulfilled at least 300 prophesies in His earthly ministry.

The Jews knew that God was going to send the Messiah through Israel. Why did they miss Jesus? Because they were busy being religious. The Apostle says of Israel:

Romans 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a ZEAL OF GOD, but not according to KNOWLEDGE.

Word Study: Israel had a “ZEAL OF GOD”. The word ZEAL is the Greek zēlos, which means “to be on fire for, fervent, driven and devoted to”. It’s a good thing to have zeal, to have excitement of mind or fervency for something. God loves it when we are passionate about Him. When Jesus went into the Temple and cast out the money changers (John 2:15-16), His passion was such that the disciples saw this as the fulfillment of a Messianic Prophecy:

John 2:17 (quoting Psalm 69:6) (KJV) The ZEAL (zēlos) of thine house hath eaten me up.

Jesus’ ZEAL or PASSION when protecting the faith of God proved He was the Messiah. Zeal is wonderful. But it must be backed by the Word of God. Israel had ZEAL, but we are told:

“but not according to KNOWLEDGE”

Word Study: The word “KNOWLEDGE” is the Greek epígnōsis, which means “full discernment, precise and correct knowledge”. Israel had drifted away from the Word of God, though they were keepers of the Word of God. It was the Word of God that chose Israel to be God’s people. God told them:

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 (KJV) … thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (7) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: (8) But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers…

By the time that the Messiah came to this earth through the little virgin called Mary, most of Israel had forgotten how to read Hebrew. As the Old Testament Text was written in Hebrew and Aramaic, this was a problem. Though some Jews read Hebrew, most spoke and read Greek. This led the Scribes to create a Greek translation of the Bible called the Septuagint (meaning 70, as there were 72 translators, 6 from each tribe of Israel). It was thought that by doing this, more would read and mediate on the Scripture.

Sadly, Israel didn’t then, and they don’t today. Israel relied on religious leaders like the Scribes, Pharisees, Chief Priests, and Sadducees to tell them what was Biblical and what was not. When the Messiah was born, the Angel of God told the shepherds watching their sheep at night (Luke 2:10-12). The Angel was specific:

Luke 2:11 unto you is born this day in the city of David a SAVIOR, which is CHRIST the LORD.

The shepherds were told that the long awaited SAVIOR had come. That this SAVIOR is CHRIST, which literally means THE MESSIAH. And finally the Angel said that this child born is THE LORD. The shepherds quickly went to see the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Messiah. From that point they went and told THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA about the Messiah. Did anyone else come to see Jesus?

No!

The Bible tells us that “people wondered about it” (Luke 2:18), but no one went to see Him nor worship Him. When Jesus grew up and began to minister, He started in Nazareth. Jesus came UNTO HIS OWN. This was His home town. How did they treat Him?

John 1:11-12 (NKJV) He came to His own, and His own did not RECEIVE Him. 12 But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who BELIEVE in His name…

They would not RECEIVE Him. Why? Because Israel had her own righteousness.

Your Own Righteousness Does Not Impress God

Romans 10:3 (KJV) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Israel was ignorant of God’s righteousness, just as many people today are ignorant of God’s righteousness. The late President Jimmy Carter made the statement:

“Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born, and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of His teachings about multiple things – He never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies.”

Many have pointed to this and said “This is what real Christians sound like”. No. Jimmy Carter had zeal, but NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE. The Bible that Jesus quoted defined the homosexual lifestyle as an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). The Bible written by the Apostles states:

1 Corinthians 6:9 (NKJV) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites …

1 Timothy 1:9 (NKJV) … the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine …

Jesus defined “marriage” as a union between “male and female” (Matthew 19:4). Our Lord quoted the Genesis text of the creation account when doing so. As to the statement, “Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born, and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality”, I might point out this is the very reason Jesus never spoke against it. As an Orthodox Jew, Jesus knew the penalty for homosexuality. Further,

Jesus never spoke about sex with a child or sex with a close relative. He did not address things that everyone knew was evil.

When people are ignorant of God’s righteousness, when they do not read and meditate on the Word of God, they “go about trying to establish their OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS”. That’s a dangerous path to be on! Zeal without Biblical knowledge leads to damnation. We today do the very same thing that Israel has done and continues to do. We are ignorant of God’s righteousness, but zealous, passionate, sincere, so we establish our own standards. The first time we did that in the Garden of Eden, it cost us Paradise!

There is no blessing apart from what God offers through His Word.

Romans 10:3 (KJV) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Salvation comes only by submitting yourselves to the righteousness of God. Is a “Homosexual” condemned before God because they are homosexual? No, a person is condemned because they “established their OWN righteousness, but would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God”. God doesn’t care what Jimmy Carter thinks, nor what the Pope thinks, nor even what you and I think. God cares about what He has commanded.

The Righteousness Of God Comes By Submitting To
& Receiving Jesus As He Is

Romans 10:4 (KJV) For CHRIST is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The Jews rejected Christ as Lord and Savior – though He was the promised Messiah – because they thought that their own righteousness, their own traditions, their own denominations made them acceptable in the eyes of God. What makes us acceptable in the eyes of God?

We are told in:

John 1:11-13 (ESV) He came to His own, and His own people did not RECEIVE Him. 12 But to all who did RECEIVE Him, who BELIEVED in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, 13 WHO WERE BORN, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD.

I often hear the statement – wrongly said – that you must “ACCEPT Jesus as Lord and Savior” to be saved. I hear people say this with PASSION, and “they have a zeal of God, but NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE” (vs 2). First of all, to “ACCEPT” and “RECEIVE” are related, but they are not synonyms. To “ACCEPT” means “to agree to or with, to approve or consent to”. But to “RECEIVE” simply means “to get or be given something”.

God does not ask that we agree with Him, which is what “accept” implies. God asks that we “surrender” to Him. We are told that “all who did RECEIVE Him, who BELIEVED in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…”

When the Shepherds heard that the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST was born, they rushed to see Him. Once they worshiped Him, they went out and told others about Him. The others “pondered” what they heard, but certainly didn’t go to see the LORD Messiah. They accepted, perhaps, but did not receive. Pastor John Piper notes:

“John puts believing in Jesus’s name in apposition with receiving him. “All who did receive him, [that is,] who believed in his name . . . .” Receiving Jesus is one way of describing believing in Jesus in a saving way.”

When you RECEIVE Jesus, taking Him to yourself as YOUR OWN, then you RECEIVE all that Jesus has. Jesus said “I and the Father are ONE” (John 10:30). When you RECEIVE Jesus as Lord and Savior, bending the knee to Him, you RECEIVE the Father as well. Jesus said when we who believe in Him share His Gospel:

John 13:20 (ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever RECEIVES the one I send RECEIVES Me, and whoever RECEIVES Me RECEIVES the One who sent me…

Matthew 10:40 (ESV) Whoever RECEIVES you RECEIVES Me, and whoever RECEIVES Me RECEIVES Him who sent me.

To enter the Family of God, you must receive the Gospel Jesus has given, a Gospel you heard through another believer who received Him. The righteousness of God is based on RECEIVING Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, on RECEIVING the Word of God as it is.

Will someone who was a homosexual, or a child abuser, or a murderer, or a rapist, stand condemned before God because of their sin? No. They will stand condemned before God because they – though zealous, passionate about what they believed, rejected the righteousness of God, and substituted their own righteousness. Those who stand before God will have this in common. They will have:

(1) Rejected the clear teachings of the Scripture, the Truth of God (John 17:17), for man made religion, and

(2) Refused to RECEIVE the Lord Jesus Christ as the One and Only Savior.

You misplaced zeal does not impress God. When Cain decided God would accept HIS sacrifice HIS way, and God refused, in zeal he killed his brother (Genesis 4:6-8). God was not impressed.

When King Saul turned to the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:7) in his zeal to keep his throne, (1 Samuel 28:7) God was not impressed.

When Peter zealously tried to keep Jesus from going to the Cross, Jesus was not impressed. He said, “Get thee behind Me, Satan – you offend Me. You cherish the things of MANKIND, but not the things of God” (Matthew 16:23, AP).

Passion without the anchor of God’s Word does not impress God! You must come to God’s Word. You must RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Salvation is based on your reception of Christ. The Bible says, “The Father has life in Himself. He has granted the Son to have life in himself.” (John 5:26, AP). Therefore,

1 John 5:12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

You only HAVE the Son if you RECEIVE the Son.

PREACH! When you RECEIVE the Son…

…you RECEIVE forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18).
…you RECEIVE the Father.
…you RECEIVE the Holy Spirit.(John 7:39).
…you RECEIVE the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:15).
you RECEIVE forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18).
… you RECEIVE joint-heirship with Christ (Romans 8:17).
you will one day RECEIVE a mansion in glory (John 14:2-3).

We often as believers fail the Lord. I know I do almost daily. I think or say the wrong thing – and then repent and place it under the blood of Christ.

Those who have RECEIVED Jesus as LORD and SAVIOR are certainly not perfect – but we cast our imperfections upon Him.

The Scripture says:

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV) As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so WALK in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving …

Christ dwells in our hearts BY FAITH (Ephesians 3:17). As Pastor John Piper said:

“… saving faith is both the first RECEIVING of Christ (John 1:12; Colossians 2:6), and the ongoing spirit of glad welcome to Him and dependence on him hour by hour (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:17).”

My salvation is not secured by how perfectly I live for Christ. My salvation is secured by RECEIVING HIM as LORD and SAVIOR. He relied on the Scripture – the Old Testament text – and often quoted it with “it is written”. He chose Apostles to write the New Testament text. When you receive Him, you receive ALL of the Scripture – not just the parts you like. And in receiving Him, you receive the Spirit and the Scripture which grow you to be more like Christ daily. To believe SAVINGLY is to RECEIVE and HAVE Christ as He is, not as you think He should be.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the END (telos) of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Word Study: The word that is used to describe Jesus in our text is the Greek Noun telos, which means “the termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be, the last in succession”. The last words that Jesus said on the Cross before He died were:

John 19:30 … IT is FINISHED

This is only one word in the Greek, the Verb teleō. FINISHED! Your sins were paid for. FINISHED! The Messiah has come. FINISHED! Come, imperfect ones, to the foot of Calvary. FINISHED! There is nothing you need do to add to it. FINISHED! Christ is the Key to salvation, the Key to glory. May God lead you to receive HIM. Not a man made righteousness, but a righteousness based on faith in HIM. In Christ name I pray – Amen!

Posted in Romans, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ the end, Cross of Calvary, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, It is FINISHED, receiving is believing, receiving Jesus, salvation | Leave a comment

Today The Day of Salvation
February 2026

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God made a promise to Adam, andGod keeps His promises.

How Can I Reach Those Around MeFor Christ?

We are not to be HOLIER THAN THOU, but WHOLLY IN CHRIST.

Stand Together Against Worldliness

Too many who profess Christ are doing this sdrawkcab {pro. Strawcab}.

Godly transformation comes from Scriptural meditation.

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God “Foreknew”

When man reaches for God, this is called “religion”. But when God reached for man, we call this “Christmas”.

Is God Done With Israel? With America?

This morning the Tomb was empty. An Angel reminds us, “He is not here, but He has risen! Just as He said (Luke 24:6).

Oh, How Tired We Believers Get At Times

I love the message of Easter, because in it we learn “God is faithful, and God won’t give up”. We don’t need to give up either.

Like Elijah, Paul thought that he was all alone. But God spoke to Paul the same truths He spoke to Elijah.

There Is No Salvation Without The Election Of Grace

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Revivals Are For The Church, The Saved

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Lost people are blind – blind to their sin. They think they’re GOOD. They’re blind to Who Jesus is.

Love The Lord Jesus Christ, or be ANATHEMA

The ACCURSED false gospel says that Jesus saves you to go to Heaven, but you can walk like a child of Hell on this earth.

If You Do Not Love Jesus, ANATHEMA!

Jesus gave His life on Calvary as the Lamb of God, and gives His life now sitting on the right hand of the Father, making intercession for US.

Beloved, God doesn’t hate you. But His Word stands true.

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Old age has little to do with the crown of righteousness.

Grace in action is the glory of old age.

Control Your Temper

There are only three times Jesus showed anger when He walked this earth.

When the Gospel of God is misrepresented, the Glory of God is diminished. Jesus hated that!

God Is In Control

Is Your Inside Out?

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Gentle, Then Harder Is More Effective

Jesus’ intent was to lead others to the Word of God, the Wisdom of God. If He could teach others gently, He did so – but without compromising the Word of God.

I saw a Jeep wheel cover today that had on it “Not all wanderers are lost”. People choose to wander, to forsake God and His Word. They don’t know they are lost!

The Growing Christian Is A Disciple

The Christian Walks The Way Of Life, Of Christ

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Do You Have The Right Treasure?

A young lady asked a Pastor “How can I know that I am saved?

The HIGHWAY of the UPRIGHT is to DEPART FROM EVIL

Compare the lives of David and Samson to the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Humble Yourselves To Be Blessed

This verse is the middle verse of the Book of Proverbs. This is an anchor verse of Scripture.

We are made in the IMAGE of GOD, but we are not gods.

You cannot serve God and yourself. You cannot walk the King’s Highway in pride. Growth as a believer is self sacrifice UPWARD, love OUTWARD.

Those who “divide the spoil with the proud” will one day enter a terrible hell, either on this earth or in the Presence of God.

Handle God’s Word With Respect

God wants us to trust in Him, to trust in his Word. His Word is always faithful. The Bible is TRUTH!

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The Glory Of The Gospel

What Causes A Person To Be Cursed?

The Father laid on Jesus the INIQUITY of US ALL! He paid for our sins in full. Jesus Christ is the Key to Heaven, our only Hope.

Israel rejected the prophesied Messiah, the Messiah of Isaiah 53

You don’t know God if you don’t love Christ!

Oh Beloved, you are “Beloved” because Jesus Christ is God’s Only BELOVED Son. You are BELOVED because you love the BELOVED. And why would we not love Him?

To Obey The Gospel Is To SurrenderTo Christ’s Love

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God Blesses A People With Godly Leaders

Qesem – the seeking of guidance apart from God, is a devilish and idolatrous thing.

Evil Leaders Lead A People To FAIL

A Right People Will Love The LeaderWho Speaks RIGHT

Why would Nebuchadnezzar order the wise men to death? Because he understood that godless leadership dooms a people.

Wise leaders must also learn tocontrol their tempers.

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There Is A False “Word Of Faith”

To be saved, you must glorify God, and deny yourself. To love God supremely whether you are poor, unknown, or even sick.

Here Is The True “Word Of Faith”

Moses was RIGHTEOUS, following God. Israel grumbled, following their own desires and wants.

Israel couldn’t keep the Law at all. But God never wanted His people to follow the Law. He wanted His people to follow HIM.

We Cannot Fix Ourselves – We Need Jesus

Jesus is not just your Savior if you have believed in Him, He is also your LORD. You follow Him. You follow His Book.

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Israel Should Have Been Saved

Your Own Righteousness Does Not Impress God

Jesus never spoke about sex with a child or sex with a close relative. He did not address things that everyone knew was evil.

The Righteousness Of God Comes By Submitting To & Receiving Jesus As He Is

God does not ask that we agree with Him, which is what “accept” implies. God asks that we “surrender” to Him. We are told that “all who did RECEIVE Him, who BELIEVED in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…”

Passion without the anchor of God’s Word does not impress God! You must come to God’s Word. You must RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

God made a promise to Adam, and
God keeps His promises.

How Can I Reach Those Around Me
For Christ?

To Obey The Gospel Is To Surrender
To Christ’s Love

A Right People Will Love The Leader
Who Speaks RIGHT

Wise leaders must also learn to
control their tempers.

The Righteousness Of God Comes By Submitting To
& Receiving Jesus As He Is