Acknowledge and / or Confess
this a basic outline that follows the audio sermon

Review:

All people
O.T. - Jew; Gentile
N.T. - Jew; Gentile; Church of God
I Corinthians 10:32
a.  Non Believer (Romans 1)                 b.  Bible Believer            c.  Make-Believer  (II TImothy 3:1-7; Romans 10:2,-4)

Fear (Jude 23)              or               Compassion (Jude 22)

We are to win them with our Walk, our Talk and our Prayer!
( That should 'shut them up' so they can listen to the H.S - John 16)
Romans 3:19

Then we ought to know that we PLANT and WATER
 and let God deliver them to Himself!
(not "for" us or even "to" us!)
First, it's US
We are to live for God - by our heart!
II Cor 8:5
Ephesians 6:6b-8
Romans 6:17,17
We Read - God works in us ; Eyes enlightened; Path given, etc.
Then it's THEM!
We study - II Tim 2:15
...to put them to silence! - I Peter 2:15,16; Titus 1:9
They ask... - I Peter 3:15
we are to respond in this manner - II Timothy 2:24, etc.
There will be Opposition!
They are not interested:  Romans 3:9-18 - There is no fear of God!
(nor is not even any knowledge of God today)

They are blinded!

a.  flesh / sin - Romans
b.  devil blinds and deceives them with righteousness, etc. - II Cor 4:4; Ephesians 6:12
c.  religion, education & science keeps them behind the veil - II Cor 3:14
d.  the world  - Luke 4
e.  God - Romans 11

They all need their eyes opened!

ONLY FAITH WILL OPEN THEIR EYES

our faith is then tested - I Peter 1:7; Rev 3:18

But... let's look a little deeper at all this by considering two words!

Sermon body:
"Acknowledge" / "Confess"

There is an observation and conclusion to be made concerning those two words!

We can acknowledge without confessing!
1.  in court, plea bargain...
but to acknowledge the crime doesn't mean you are confessing a guilt!

2.  kids often acknowledge what their parents say to them...
but they don't confess to doing it!

3.  Kids can acknowledge their parents existence...
but don't honor, obey, respect or be close with them!

4.  People can acknowledge a sermon...
but not do anything about it!

5.  People can acknowledge the pastor...
but not have him be 'their' pastor!

6.  A spouse can acknowledge their husband/wife...
but not love them like the Lord would have them!

7.  People can acknowledge God's existence...
but confess the world instead!

8.  People can acknowledge the King James Bible...
but not read it, nor study it, nor believe it, nor act upon it - they just confess their flesh!

Now, remembering those previous examples, turn to:

Ephesians 1:13   - acknowledge is to believe, but to trust, that is to confess!

Romans 10:9,10   - to believe with their heart is to acknowledge, but to confess gives them the salvation!

John 12:12   - they believed but would not confess Christ.

Romans 14:11   - they will acknowledge with a bended knee, but they will have to confess with their mouth!

Then finally, the simple meat of the sermon tonight!

II Timothy 2:20-26
People don't and won't acknowledge the truth!

They must first 'acknowledge' it before they can or will act on it!

Do we?

Take note that the new bible versions change many 'confession' words to "acknowledge!"

Notice that we must not only put off (acknowledge) but we must put on - (confess)!!!
Ephesians 4:22
Colossians 3:8,9
Romans 13:12
Galatians 3:27
Ephesians 4:24
Colossians 3:10

Folks, not only are lost people having a hard time acknowledging the truth,
King James Bible Believers are also having a hard time today 'acknowledging the truth!"

I hope you aren't!

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