No Other Place On the Earth Like It
Where the Great Plains Prairie & Grassland Meets the Rugged Badlands Wall
M Paulson
South Dakota
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Word-for-word transcription of the audio sermon - transcribed by Bob Harris |
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Part III 3:11-24 |
This is April 8th. This is actually Easter, as they say. And we are in the process of doing 1 John.
Let me make a couple comments here ahead of time here. By the way things are going zero for any future, but I’ve heard more about it. So, if you want to know more about what’s going on here, let me know. I’ll tell you what it really turned out to be.
Anyway, let’s look here. Mark sent an e-mail that he received, if I can tell you this here. And a couple comments were made. And, you know, it just makes me, just to think of something here. It was a number of years ago when somebody told me that the 1611 was the word of God, none of the others were. That was a big move for me. And, I’ll have to admit, it was Dr. Ruckman, and when he said that the big issue or them, what he talked about, the first thing I heard of was that the King James Bible is our final authority. And I know Gipp says it is our final authority in all faith and practice. Yeah, I understand that, but we don’t look at it as our final authority in all practice. We still have our flesh issues, and neither does he, because they get into the Great Commission thing, and that may be your final authority, but you’re tweaking the wrong section.
But, anyway, besides that, but the point is, when you’re talking with people, typing with them, you know, or just talking casually with them, and they get mad at you for any kind of comment you make as you’re judging them. And we know the story, we know the verses about judging. And, yes, we do. But it’s not us that’s judging, see, it’s this Bible. It’s the word of God.
And then they get mad and they throw a judgment at you, which they can do, but we can’t. And we know all this kind of stuff; nothing new there.
But that issue of “final authority.” That is just an issue that is no longer in existence, because they’ve had their Bibles taken away for so long, and different bible versions, and they all know they all don’t say the same thing. Everybody knows that, and the King James Bible — that’s old and archaic, and so how can that be any kind of authority in these new bibles.
See, one of the comments this lady made was, “So before you get on here and start preaching the Bible, read in a study bible; that breaks it down for people who don’t know what they are truly reading.” And she says here, when it says sin was abolished, all sin was abolished. Well, what’s that lady’s final authority? Well, supposedly, her study bible, her notes, her footnotes at the bottom, I imagine that’s what it must say.
And he says up in the front thing, she says the laws of the Old Testament do not apply any more. They are over and done. And in the done of Jesus, we were set free — not just some of us, but all of us.
Well, see, the response to that would be, no, that’s not true. But where do you have to go to show this person? You have to go to your Bible. Got to go to a King James Bible. Well, they don’t have a King James Bible probably. They haven’t read a King James Bible, so it’s your Bibles against her opinion.
And it’s just like music. People like what they like. And if this lady feels secure with her footnotes, then she’s being lied to obviously. But you can’t prove that, except with a King James Bible.
For example here. It’s just one key word. Because of what she says, I would go to Romans chapter 5 with her, and I would show her verse 12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” So she’s being taught that there is no law.
But ... Romans 10, ma’am, says that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” So, if somebody doesn’t believe, then the law still has its purpose.
Go to Galatians, and you show her that she needs Christ — the real one.
And, if you keep going through that thing back in Romans chapter 5, you know, it says, verse 15: “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” And you keep reading through 16, 17, and down to 20 and 21, you see the word “many.” It doesn’t say “all.”
And then again, you go back to Romans chapter 10, and you see, you know, you have to be a believer, to believe. And then she says, where we were set free. No, we were never set free. If we were set free, we wouldn’t be here. That’s a Tribulation comment, because they will have to be away from all the pollutions of the world. They will have to be set free. But Christ isn’t going to just set them off to the side; they still have to do it on their own — from that standpoint.
My point is, what is your final authority? Is it really a King James Bible? Well, sure it is. OK, is it rightly divided? Well, sure it is. Well, are you sure? Are you sure that the people you listen to are always quoting and proving that final authority in all matters of faith and practice? See, practice means the doing part.
Anyway. So there’s that comment anyway. That seems to be the issue for people.
Then, what do they say? What does our crowd say more and more nowadays? Well, you know, if all you’re going to talk about is a King James Bible, you’re not going to get anywhere with people. OK, so let’s throw away our final authority, and let’s hobnob with them and let’s fit in — and maybe they’ll get the truth then? Wait a minute — you just threw out the truth to mix in with them. How are they going to get the truth? You’re no different than an ecumenical church yourself. You’re an ecumenical Christian.
But then you get this “bad attitude” thing thrown at you. Well, no, speaking of a bad attitude here, let me ask you a couple of questions here. We’ll get to 1 John here in a minute. Let’s go to Acts 19, and, yes, the King James Bible is the final authority, no doubt. Even historically — Old Testament. Well, sure, that’s the final authority. That’s the final history. That history is true. Well, the history books don’t seem to match with the Bible. OK, then the history books are wrong. That’s simple.
OK, the life of Jesus. OK, the final authority for the truth of the life of Jesus — sure, Gospels. Well, what if these movies that are coming out about the Passion of Christ, you know, and the life of Christ, all these things. They don’t match with the King James Bible. OK, then the movies are wrong. And you’re going to sit down and watch a wrong movie; you going to learn some false doctrine.
OK, well what about the pastors and everybody who’s preaching Hebrews to Jude? You know, I mean, there’s some pretty good stuff in there to put the guilt on people so they start walking right. Is that our final authority? No, that’s the final authority for the Tribulation. And, besides that, there’ll be a famine of hearing the word of God. So they’re probably not even going to have it there to read anyway. And God handles that. See, that’s the final authority for the Tribulation.
So, if you want to buy these books about Revelation, you know, and the Tribulation this and the Tribulation that, and the Rapture this and the Rapture that, and if it doesn’t go with Hebrews to Jude or Daniel — I mean, you could pull out the Old Testament stuff — yeah, you could pull out the Old Testament stuff and go ‘way over people’s heads. Or, you can go simply to Hebrews to Jude and give them the detailed, daily, what it’s going to be like to be that kind of a person. That’s the final authority for the Tribulation.
Why don’t people want to talk about that? My whole Web site is learning to live the risen life. It says at the top there, “Come hear about the goodness of God.” And all this stuff does is just make people mad.
I know, I know. It’s me. It’s how I say it. It’s how I presented it.
No! I just get so tired of that, you know, because, haven’t you told your kids, or told somebody something as nice as you possibly can, and just sugar-coated it and the whole thing — and they still don’t want it, they still didn’t like it? What could you have done differently
Well, how about if I just ignore it for now? Well, timing is very important, no doubt.
So, this whole thing in Acts chapter 19 — I’m leading up to this thing in Acts chapter 19. And you know the story up there, in verse 26, 27, 28, you know, it says here, “their income has been set at naught,” you know, and it says here, “the temple of great goddess Diana should be despised and the magnificence should be destroyed.”
Well, you know, we understand that. That’s the King James Bible. That’s the final authority. That’s Acts. That’s Paul, the last half of Acts. That’s what Paul has done to the people in Asia. And what does he do? Verse 28; man, he makes them mad! Well, shame on you, Paul, you must not have said it right. The whole city was filled with confusion; they did everything they could to get at Paul.
OK, here’s my question. This being Easter, so, do we despise Easter? Do we try to destroy the magnificence of it?
Well, let’s look at some questions here, or some thoughts here. Is there anything in Easter that is Scripturally correct? Well, Jesus died and rose again. Well, yeah, the concept, the fact there, yeah, he did. OK, there’s an element of truth.
Let’s see here, does he tell us to celebrate it? No. It’s like Christmas; he doesn’t tell us to celebrate it. It’s a Catholic thing.
You look at any aspect of the Easter celebration of the day, we know it’s Ishtar. Oh, the word “Easter” is in the King James Bible, and it probably shouldn’t be. No, it probably should be, because that’s exactly what it is. It’s a pagan holiday, something that was going on back in Pentecost times. So, yeah, it’s the right word.
Now, I could read the explanation to you. It’s like a page and a half of study. Nah, I don’t need that. It’s the word that’s in there; there’s a reason for it being in there.
So, does that make it a good thing? No, it’s not talked about in a good way at all. Now, what about the bunnies and the eggs and all that stuff? You know, that’s Ishtar — you know, the jive bunny in the river, and all that stuff. No, it’s about being born again, it’s the new birth. Yeah, it’s like an “egg”. Where do you get that out of the Bible? Well, first of all, being “born again” is not even a Scriptural by looking to Paul.
Well, you know, you’re just a party-pooper.
Well, just consider a couple more of these thoughts here. Are we to love Easter? Well, of course not; there’s nothing Scriptural about it. And, in fact, it’s actually putting forth a false doctrine. Now people hang eggs on their trees, and they look at the whole bunny thing, they look at the whole new birth, and they get new clothes and become a new person. And people come to church for the first time since Christmas, you know, and, well, we bring them in at least twice a year. Ah, we are so full of justifications, aren’t we?
Well, let’s see, what else have we got going on here? Hot-cross buns? I’ll eat hot-cross buns all year long, put a little butter on there, so. Now, if you want to go to Hissop’s Two Babylons, you could find out the details of the past of Easter. It’s pagan to the max; it has nothing to do with Christianity — zero, zilch. It’s just another one of those ecumenical, let’s all celebrate Easter together, you want to come to church with me? Today it’s Easter Sunday, you know. No.
But, here’s another question here: Should we do it? You know, should we participate in that kind of stuff anyway? Do you believe it? I mean, if you believe Easter is what Easter should be, then, yeah, the case is closed. Go out there and have a good Easter. Get yourself some new clothes, a bonnet, the white gloves, the whole bit, you know. Color your eggs, the Easter egg hunt, you know, that’ll be fine. Whatever. You know.
But if you actually believe it, then you’ve got a Scriptural problem. Then the King James Bible is not your final authority. If you actually believe Christmas for what it says people say it is, then you’ve got a problem.
But, it exists; it’s a holiday. Is it wrong to be around it? Do you need to bash it to everybody? I look at Romans 14, for example, here. Romans 14, verse 20. I think it gives us some insight here. But, hey, it exists; people do it, people go there. You know, if you don’t believe in Easter, and you’re totally against it, from that aspect of it, then you should go to work tomorrow. But it’s a holiday, OK, like Christmas. If you’re a Jew and you don’t believe in Christmas, then Jews ought to be working the next day. But you accept the holiday. Anyway, whatever.
But look at 14:20 of Romans. Romans 14:20. It says: “For meat destroy not the work of God.” Now, if there was ever should have been a comma, to me it would have been after the words “for meat.” But he doesn’t put one in, so it doesn’t have to be there. But it plainly says, “For meat destroy not the work of God.” God wants people to understand about the risen Saviour. And Easter is about the risen Saviour.
And what a paradox. These people all over the country and world want to celebrate the risen Jesus, but they 100 percent ignore his writings since he rose. It’s that simple. His writings went to Paul.
Now, his first comments were to Peter, to get out to the Jews and do the Great Commission thing. OK, we understand that. And yet, when the Jews and everybody rejected Christ, then he goes on to Paul. I mean, that’s the order in your Bible.
And, from that point on with Paul, that’s the risen Jesus, the risen Saviour’s teachings to the Gentiles. If the Jews want in on it, they can, but they rejected it, and so they’re blinded and kind of taken out of the picture for now. If a Jew can figure that thing out, then more power to him — but they usually don’t. They usually catch into the ecumenical Jesus stuff like everybody else does.
But, we go back to this verse where it says, “For meat.” Now, we understand Easter. We understand Ishtar. We understand the false doctrine of it all. We understand that it should be despised, and I do — I despise it. But do I bash it to people? Do I stay away from it? Well, I stay away from it the best I can. But if we were to be having family coming over, that would be a miracle. But if we were to be having family coming over because it’s Easter, would I be the Archie Bunker of the Bible guys? No. What if they wanted to have the kids do an Easter egg thing? Well, that’s betweem them and the kids and their parents and blah-blah-blah-blah, you know. If anybody wants to ask me about Easter, I’ll be glad to tell them.
But, you know, as soon as they do, they’re going to get angry.
So, the meat that we understand, if we bash people with our meat, we could very easily destroy the work of God in these people’s lives.
Well, is God working in their lives? Doesn’t seem like it, does he? Maybe he can only work in their lives through you. And that’s not by bashing. Look at 15:1: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Of course, there has to be balance in this whole thing. No doubt about it. It’s a false thing. We despise it. We are to destroy the magnificence of it. We’re to avoid it. It’s a false doctrine thing. We’re from such turn away.
But then again we have to be careful because these people who are weak in their knowledge, weak in their faith, don’t understand all this kind of stuff, so we could actually cause somebody to stumble by bashing this thing. We could cause someone to stumble by participating in it as well.
Can we be around it? Sure. Do we have to participate in it? Not really. It’s one of those things where you’ve got to deal with.
But from a Scriptural standpoint, that’s point to this, as a final authority, Easter is a lie. Easter is a piece of religion. I despise what religion has done to me and to my family, to other people in church. I despise that. People have got religion engrained in them. They can’t even grasp the truth of Paul’s teachings. They will hear what they hear, and if it’s done in an authoritative manner, which Paul should be done, because it says right there in Titus — you know, it says, “Therefore these things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.” That’s a command from Paul. “Let no man despise thee.” Well, they’re going to despise you. Well, don’t let them. Don’t let them bother you.
I’m getting tired of it in some respects. I’m getting tired of being blamed for this. You know what? I’m getting tired of being blamed for kids, for how their kids are turning out. It’s my fault, I didn’t, you know — that’s just baloney.
So I despise this stuff. But am I going to bash it on everybody? I’ve been there, done that. Did it do any good? I can’t think of any good that it did.
But am I going to go to an Easter church service with somebody? No. Because now we’re talking about worshipping idols, and God says, you know, you just don’t do that. That’s what he says in Romans 14 and some other chapters. No, you don’t get to that point, you don’t do that. You want to sing praises to God, sing some Easter songs, with a grasp on the — no, you don’t do that. Because you’re actually participating in it.
Well, it’s going to cause a lot of problems. Well, yeah, it does. Is it because you’re not doing it? No, it’s because you are turning your King James Bible into a final authority, rightly divided. If you want to claim the Gospels as your final authority, then, yeah, have a happy Easter. Have a merry Christmas. Because that’s where they can pretend that it exists.
So, anyway. So this lady turns to her study bible for her final authority. And you know it’s not a King James-only Bible, because, you know, if their notes say all sin is abolished, that’s a Lutheran-type thing. That’s a modern Christian thing, you know. Well, yeah, Christ took care of the law, but for those that believer. So, if you’re a believer, you’re truly one of his, then, yeah, there is no sin to impute. There is no law; there’s no transgression, there’s no law — a couple other verses like that.
So, anyway, that’s just my hors d’oeuvres for the morning. That’s my Easter message, you know. I get up this morning, and there’s hot cross buns and cinnamon rolls. Well, that’s fine. I’m glad I have that. Am I going to turn this into an Easter service? Are we going to put eggs in it? No, we’re not. Then we’re going to cause problems in our family? I suppose. What’s new?
And I despise religion, because it’s a lie. And people think everything is fine and hunky-dory. And, from what I’ve heard, and I guess I’ll still leave it alone on the Web site, though — what that Web site can cause in a person’s career.
OK. We’re looking at 1 John chapter 3 here. I hope I’ve got everything going right, here. If I don’t, Mark, I hope you’re getting it. I notice lately that my microphone has been so close to my papers that the papers are making a lot of noise, so, for you Web site video people who hear that, my apologies.
OK, so we’re 1 John chapter 3. We are looking at, again, not the doctrine, so much as what it’s going to take to be a person in the Tribulation. Well, why? Why do you want to do that? Why do you want to talk about that? Well, for one thing, it’s in the Bible. Two, preachers are using Hebrews to Jude in their preaching to teach people how to be today. And, three, it causes confusion, because if you happen to be a Bible reader — which most Christians aren’t anymore — and they hear what he says, and they believe it, and then they read some other things in 1 John, they say, “Well, if he’s going to quote, you know, 1 John chapter 3 verse 1, well, is that true about verse 10?” You know, kind of a thing.
See, there’s a difference between the rightly dividers who go verse-by-verse, they have to pick the verse and make that verse apply to whichever dispensation they want to, because, see, that takes an education. If you want to learn that, you need to come to my school, and we’ll teach you how 1 John chapter 3 verse 1 applies to you. Because it says we’re sons of God. But ... 1 John chapter 3 verse 6 doesn’t apply to you, it applies to the Tribulation. And verse 14 tells me how it important it is that we need to love the brethren, but verse 15 is not written to us, because it’s about the fact that you can’t hate your brother and be saved. See, verse 17 talks about you haven’t got the love of God in you, but verse 22 says that if you’re born of God — you know, this is what they do.
And the people sit there with their tongues drooling in this poison. “He’s just a good pastor, he’s doing so good. Look at all the people he’s got coming. Look at the community. Look at the friends. Look at the family. Look at the joy here. Oh, it’s just so cool!”
But, see, he’s wrong. And I’ll show you here. To be a Christian, a believer, during the Tribulation, just because you’ve got the Spirit of God upon your flesh — Acts chapter 2 — doesn’t mean you’re going to have the joy and the strength to just do what you have to do, and just not do what you’re not supposed to do. It’s not going to be that easy. And, if you’re not careful, you’ll see this morning here that, yes, it’s important to love the brethren, but how important is it to love the brethren today?
And we’re going to pick it up at verse 10. Oh, kind of review a little bit. Let’s go back to verse 8: “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Which we showed last week that, yes, he is going to do that, but he hasn’t done it yet. It’s called burn up this Earth because he is the god of this world, and burn all this stuff up in 2 Peter chapter 3, et cetera, et cetera.
So, verse 9: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” OK, as somebody who says they are born of God, “Have you done any sinning?”
And they’re going to say, “Well, yeah, but I confess them.” No, it doesn’t say that. It says, if you’re born of God, you don’t commit sin. You can’t do it; you cannot sin. I mean, he’s capable, but he cannot. Why not? He’s a child of God. You can’t do that; you’re a child of God. You can’t wear that; you’re a child of God. You can’t go there; you’re a child of God. You can’t think that, you can’t watch that, you can’t eat that, you can’t be that way. You’re a child of God. You can’t do that. And Christ will chastise you because he loves you. All that kind of stuff.
And if you do, you better confess it, 1 John 1:9.
OK, so now verse 10, here we go, next part here: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.” Here’s how you tell the difference between a Christian, a believer, or one who is not. Now, here’s how you tell: “Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God.” Oh, OK. So, if you’re doing — doeth righteousness — then you are a child of God. But if you’re doeth — doeth-ing — not righteousness, you’re not of God.
OK, we’ve been over that. We see the word “doeth” in 1 John all the time. Yes, it’s 1 John. It’s “doeth,” it’s “do,” it’s “doing righteousness,” it’s not being “made” his righteousness like Paul teaches.
See, we today are the kind of Christians we are is because we don’t really have to doeth righteousness, he’s already made us his, and the righteousness that we do do, based on Paul’s teachings, not the Beatitudes — based on Timothy and Titus especially — we will be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ, for the things that we don’t do, or don’t doeth, will burn in the Judgment Seat of Christ. We ourselves will be saved.
We we kind of build upon our foundation. Great. But, see, in the Tribulation, their “doething” righteousness will tell them whether they’re of God or not. OK, so we’ve been over that.
Now, look at verse 10, the last part, seven words here, there’s a “neither” here, another thing. Not only are you supposed to “doeth righteousness,” but you’re supposed to love your brother. “Neither he that loveth not his brother.”
Now, I can tell you right now, I could give you some lists of people in my recent past, in the last five, seven, eight years of pastoring and stuff, or people out there in the community here that say they’re Christians, you know, they’ve met the Web site, and they manage to get me fired over — is that what it is? Well, I don’t know, I’ll tell you later if you want to know. People who I’ve written to, people who have written to Mark, and you’ve written back to Mark, written back to those people, and you’ve all had your conversations with people, you know, you’re own kids in fact, you know, it’s so easy today to take kids as worldly trek and blame the parents.
No, I’m going to blame religion. I’m not going to blame parents anymore. I’m going to blame religion. Sure, we parents should have wised up to religion. But we did what we could, and we were doing it on religion.
Now, when the kids figured out religion and how fake it was, they left it. Well, I’m happy about that. You should be happy about that. However, they’re not looking for God anymore because they’ve been burnt by religion.
But, all these people who are out there that say they are Christians in our past, whatever, I’m sorry, but they’re supposed to still love me, according to this. And I know some that don’t. I’m sure, three years later, that I’m still bashed. I’m sure I’m bashed from back in when I lived in Rapid City, we had our home church, I was bashed. I’m sure, if we go back to First Bible, I’m still bashed. I’m sure if we go back to Las Vegas, I’m still bashed. Where’s the love of the brethren?
According to this. Remember, we’re looking at this according to this right here in 1 John. Because, see, it says right there that “neither he that loveth not his brother.” “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” Well, sure we should. So, pull that little verse out right there, and that’s fine. We should love each other.
Well, yeah, we should. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” People still have me for dinner. I’m sure they do.
Well, what about you bashing pastors and stuff there, Pastor, or Paulson, or whatever you want to call yourself? Listen, I’m just exposing false teachings. I’m exposing whom you think is fantastically marvelous, who says they don’t love them, OK — But who says they’re brethren? They’re teaching a false doctrine; they’re not teaching Paul’s doctrine. Or, they’re 'using' it.
Anyway. “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” Yeah, well, I guess I’m not surprised. I’m not surprised that this is how people react to the Web site. I think it’s really sad, because there’s nothing really hateful in there. I changed that Web site a long time ago. “The goodness of God” — living the life of the risen Saviour — how can that be hateful?
Oh, you do it with authority. You do it with hate speech. No, I don’t. Biblical authority, sure — what’s wrong with standing on something that’s solid? People are going to get mad at you because they have a hole in their boat, and you don’t, so you’re going to float, and they’re going to get mad at you as their boat sinks? Yeah, they are. That’s just the way they are.
OK, here we go. Now it gets tougher here. By the way, verse 13 — we don’t need to go out of our way to make people hate us. That’s against Paul’s teachings. We’re not to go out there to be offensive. The Scriptures will be offensive — but we don’t have to be.
And, let’s see who we've got here. We've got Grandma, we've got Bob, we've got Gramofeight, you were there, Jeannette, you were there, Mark, you were there for all those times that when we believed that if you don’t offend somebody, then you haven’t done a good job with your sermon, so you go out there to purposely offend people. Well, those bridges were burnt.
But that was wrong. That was wrong. You know, if I could talk to these people again, A, I would apologize to them. “Say, you know what? I taught you a false teaching.” I wouldn’t have a problem with that. I’d like to show them the truth of the whole thing. I tried with my family, I tried it with other people’s family. You tried it with your kids.
No, they’re just looking for a way to get out of this world. This world is a powerful force in their life, and music — by the way, anyway.
Here’s how we know: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” Wow. Do we know that? No, we don’t know that. That’s not our final authority. That is not the fact that we love everybody makes me a Christian. That is not my final authority at all. That’s Tribulation.
I’ll show you here in a minute what Paul says about the brethren, by the way. Yeah, the brethren are important. But is it proof that we’re a Christian? Not at all.
Look at this; it gets tougher: He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Now, can’t you just take a preacher today, and we got problems within the church, you know, somebody’s mad at each other, which just happens all the time. Boy, I’ll tell you, people are just yo-yo Christians in a church. One day, they’ll hate each other; one day, they love each other.
I got so many memories of ladies who one day would, somebody would hate the one, and then the next day she’d be going on garage sales with them, you know, and then a couple days later she’d scratch their face off again. I’m saying, “Gee, I’m sure glad you guys didn’t believe in this 1 John stuff, because look at this thing here. Your salvation is dependent upon whether you love your brother or not.”
Verse 15: “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” Well, see, if you don’t love the brethren, then you’re a murderer, and you can’t be a Christian, because you’re a murderer.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” OK? That’s pretty tough there. This is how you know you have the love of God, because you give your life for somebody else.
Now, as we get going here, well, I’ll show you, just hang in there, don’t make any preconceived conclusion and click off of this thing and fall asleep here. You’ll see how this all fits in together. Now, here we go; I like this one, but don’t take it wrong this morning, folks: “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” Boy, now, there’s a guilt trip! You want me to put you on a guilt trip this morning? A pretend a guilt trip — I don’t mean this. But if 1 John was written to us, and the situation I find myself in right now — not because of anything I’ve done, but because of my age and because of the tenure situation, and because of what I believe — I could possibly be up a major creek in about two or three months. Major creek. You know the whole story; who wants to hire these old teachers, these old-fashioned anyway, blah-blah-blah-blah.
But, see, if you have world’s goods out there — and you know I have a need — you’re not a Christian if you don’t help me out. You got money? You send me money.
Now, I’m just talking here. But a couple of you have sent some money already, and I’ve set it aside for when it really crashes here, if that happens. I’m just saying — here’s how they use this verse. It’s that you don’t have the love of God if you don’t help me — I need money, I need more money than I’ve needed for a long time, I need to have some encouragement, I need to have some guidance — blah blah blah blah.
Now, aren’t you glad this isn’t your verse? Because there are people out there who wouldn’t help me if I was hanging on the edge of a cliff with a string with a rattlesnake hanging on my ankle, with a buffalo down at the bottom of the cliff. So, if I fall, they’re going to trample me. With my family and friends watching with video cameras. They wouldn’t help me for anything.
Are they Christians? Do they have the love of God in them? According to this, they don’t.
Where’s your compassion, folks? “Well, he’s just got everything he deserved. And they fired him because he probably did something stupid with the kids,” you know, “and he’s always done that, and,” you know.
I was told by somebody really close to me that “you’ve been doing this since 1970. This is always the way you’ve done things.” Blah blah blah blah. Well, you know, I appreciate the compassion. But, according to the part of the Bible that you tend to believe that is true, then you don’t have the love of God in you.
And these people who, Mark, that you wrote to here, where’s this lady’s love of God that bump you off the Web site? Or bump you off the e-mail there, the Facebook? Where’s her love of God, according to what she believes.
Matter of fact, the Beatitudes tell these people who disagree with us that they’re supposed to fight us. They’re supposed to “agree with thine adversary.” Where’s their love?
If we are so wrong, why didn’t a Lutheran try to show me, because he has the love of God, to show me where I’m wrong? Blah blah blah blah.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue” — that’s a good one “— but in deed and in truth.” OK, that’s good. That’s a good verse to pull out of there for today. But that isn’t written to us today, because the verse before that says if you don’t help somebody who has a need, and you’ve got the way to fulfill the need — which some people do — I’m telling you, this Web site, I mean, how long is it going to last? How long am I going to last? People’ve got the bucks, people’ve got the time, people’ve got the compassion. It’s out there.
I’ve always said this back in those days, didn’t I, Bob? The devil’s got so much money to send all these fantastic brochures, that we could barely afford to print them on regular paper. The devil’s got all the cash. Oh, come on, God’s got all the ten thousand cattle, he just hasn’t cashed them in yet? kind of a thing.
See, we could be so easily bashed for not having he love of God in us. These people who want to do Easter — let them do Easter. Well, if we don’t the Easter with them, then we don’t have the love of God in us. No, I like to show you some things about Easter if you don’t mind, but otherwise go do your thing, I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me any.
Look, I taught in a public school. And may not ever again. I kind of don’t want to ever again. But what are you going to do? Well, maybe — da da ta da. Where’s the love of God in you? I’ve got the love of God and want to tell people about the truth, but they get angry. Yeah, I know. Well, let’s see, is it how I say it? No, it’s not how I say it. It’s because of the fact that I speak with — like in Titus, again, you know, I’ll read it again to us — this is how we’re supposed to be. “Speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority.” Paul also says to a father to “charge and to exhort.” Also says to “comfort.”
And we’ve got these people out there in this modern Christianity who are far more judgmental than we ever are. Far more judgmental. Where’s their love of God in them?
Let’s finish up; let’s keep going here. See, so that last one said, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” OK, that’s a good-sounding verse. And then he says, “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” OK, now, here’s how you know that you are of the truth. Here’s how you know, because you’re going to do life in deed and in truth. Here’s how you know you’re of that truth, verse 20. Got a good conscience? That’s what this is about: “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” You got a clean conscience? Well, then see, that means you’re a Christian. That means you’re of the truth; you have a clean conscience. Clean conscience from what? From doing the wrong thing.
You guys have a clean conscience this morning from not doing anything wrong? I have a clean conscience this morning because I know Christ didn’t impute it, and I know Christ took care of it, Christ paid for it, and Christ imputed his righteousness to me. That’s my clean conscience.
But is it based on my walk? Well, here’s what it’s supposed to be. Verse 22, here you go. See, you’ve got this clean conscience, so then, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him.” Oh, really? Is that true? Well, yeah, it also says that down in chapter 5, verse 14: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” So, let’s have a clean conscience, and God will give us whatever we ask.
Oh, really? Well, you think maybe I’m in the position I’m in is because I don’t have a clean conscience, maybe I’ve been doing some things not quite right? Everybody seems to think that I’ve done it wrong you know — “He’s always done it the wrong way anyway, so he’s just paying for it again. I’m not going to help him any now.”
No, look at what it says: “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments.” Again, that takes us back to 1 John, it’s all about “do.” Peter is all about “doing.” James is all about “doing.” Hebrews — “doing.” Jude — “doing.” Paul is not about doing. He’s about doing the right thing after we’re saved, after we’ve put our trust in him, after He’s made us into his righteousness, now we do the things that are pleasing in his sight. We try to.
But it says right here, “Because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” OK, question: What are the things you should do to please God? Well, let’s go back to Matthew chapter 5, 6, and 7. No! OK, let’s go to Peter in Acts chapter 2, verses 41, 42, 43 — no! Sigh — OK, let’s go to Hebrews — no! Let’s go to Peter; he tells us what we should do to please God — no! Well, Peter says we’re going to have trials of our faith. Well, yeah, but see we’re not in Peter’s time yet. Peter is the apostle to the circumcision. So that’s not to us.
“And do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” Oh, that’s Paul! We know that. So, why take these other books and put the guilt trip on people, when those things that you are doing that please God, it’s going to be there for a reward — not to clean your conscience, not so whatever you ask, you receive.
Remember, Bob, when you said it was my fault, and all that stuff? Yeah, sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up.
But I was OK with it; I understood. I understand why people think the way they do.
You tried to go to different churches to see if that would stand with everybody and found out it didn’t. I could do the same thing; I’m not going to waste my time doing it; I’m not going to go to all these churches around here to please somebody. That’s wrong. They’re a liar. They’re nice people. But this is the stuff they preach: “If you just do the right thing, God will bless you, you know. Do those things that are pleasing in his sight, and then ask, and he’ll give you another job, you know.”
“And this is his commandment” — here we go — “And this is his commandment.” Here we go: “That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.” So, do we see that in 1 John, that if you want to be a believer during the time of the Tribulation, not only do you believe on the name — what does that mean? The fact that he is the Son of God. Look at verse 15 of chapter 4: “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God.” That’s believing on his name, on the name of. What do you mean “the name of”? The name of Jesus Christ is the fact that he is God’s Son. The “name” — they believe that he is God’s Son.
You go to chapter 5, verse 1: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ —” see, that’s his name. Look at verse 5: “He that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” That’s how believing on his name; they believe that that name is the name of the Son of God.
Then it says, “and love one another.” Look at verse 24, kind of ties it all together, doesn’t it? “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.” That goes back to John chapter 14, by the way. Well, why not? This is still John, you know.
And it says, “And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” Not to me today! I know that he abides in me, and me in him, because of what Paul has taught me, from a King James Bible rightly divided has taught me. If I go by John, if I go by 1 John, I just need to believe that he is the Son of God, and then he will give me a clean conscience, because I’ll keep his commandments and I’ll do the right thing. See, now, love everybody — and I have to love everybody — and then that means that I’m a Christian.
Now, Paul says it in a really good verse. I was going to get into these, but I guess I better not, it’s kind of late here. What does Paul say about loving the brethren? He says a lot of things about loving the brethren. “Be kindly affectioned one to another.” “Rejoice with them that do rejoice.” “Weep with them that weep.”
There’s this tract that’s called “God’s builders.” “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” Where’s the spirit of meekness when somebody does trip up? “Well, you know, he’s got it coming, I’m not going to help him any, blah blah blah.” We still look to the Gospels and to Peter and to John for our attitude toward the brethren. Paul is very clear that we’re to be there for each other. No doubt.
Now, maybe I’ll go through the verses tonight, but I doubt it’s like a part two thing, probably not. But we’ll see. I have something else for tonight, but we’ll see how that goes.
We just have to realize that 1 John, to be a person — here’s my point — to be a Christian during the Tribulation, you’re going to have to love your brother. And we already have a hard time with it. We got the Spirit of God in us. We’ve got a Bible that tells us we ought to.
But Paul also says, Romans 12 here, there is one more thing here, he says, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” That’s with “all men.” See, in the Tribulation, you’re supposed to just love the brethren, and you’re supposed to stay away from everybody else, 100 percent. You escape the pollutions of the world. You can’t participate with anybody for anything because you can’t buy, trade, sell, da-da-ta-da, or you’re done for. And if you don’t love the brethren during those hard, awful times, you’re not born of God.
Boy, if that were to be true today, most of us wouldn’t be born of God, because we’ve got somebody we’ve got an issue with. Or, I look back at my previous pastors, you know, how much they got me caught into religion, or how much they got me to follow the church, or how much they got me to follow them, or their drawings, or their notes, the things they caused me to do back in the earlier years — I’m not bitter toward any of them. There’s no point. I’ve realized what the truth is, and, can you be so right? Yeah! What’s wrong with being so right when my “rightness” is based on the Bible, not me?
“Well, you didn’t say everything right.” Well, get over it! And look at what was said, not how it was said. Look at the Scriptures. “Love the brethren” the best you can do. We’re supposed to live peaceably with all men. “As much as lieth within you.”
Then, how do we deal with all these issues in life that are so wrong — schooling, holidays? It’s simple. You just don’t do them. You avoid. From such withdraw...
But don’t get in there — just get out of there. Just get away from it. Do the best you can. Live as much as lieth possible in you. Stay with them. If you want to see God work in their lives, you’ve got to be there for a testimony. But you can’t fit in with them. That doesn’t work to fit in. It doesn’t work to change your clothes, ladies, to fit into them, because then they know that you’re just a flake with what you believe. You can’t do what you have to do, and it’s frustrating when you’re forced. Or, if I see somebody forced to do some things, how much that damages their testimony. But it’s not their fault, and what do you do? This is where persecution comes in.
In the Tribulation, if you are doing the stuff that we’re doing today, you will not be a child of God. There’s a difference in what it takes to be a Christian today — you know.
And all Paul says, the Saviour says, is just “reasonable service.” Not even that big a deal to dress right, talk right, do right, all this kind of stuff. Be the right kind of wife, right kind of husband. It’s like, why is it so hard? Well, our flesh is there. So in the Tribulation, he’s got to put the Spirit of God on them to handle that flesh. And then they’re going to have to do it all right.
What kind of person is it going to be in the Tribulation? Boy, I wouldn’t want to be that person — not at all. Because everything that’s going on today is leading toward that.
Here, what do we have in the news for Easter today? Tebow is making the main news. There’s another article, some people, someplace, are crucifying themselves on the cross. You’ve got the Chavez guy down in Venezuela or Colombia, somewhere down there, asking God to save his life, “put the cross on me, make me bleed.” Why? You’re better than Jesus? You can bleed enough to, you know? It’s just crazy things that are going on out there.
The news is just — again, there’s that final authority comes into place. I can tell you why that King James Bible says what it says about what’s going on in the news. Man, the home security stuff, the law of the gun stuff, the economy, the money — oh, man — the control of the Web sites, the hate speech is getting worse and worse. Oh, I tell you.
I’ll just be glad we’re not in the Tribulation itself, because we would all be up a creek. And I hear the congregation go, “Amen! Amen! Amen!”
Well, there you are this morning, folks. I probably didn’t get all I wanted to get said, but my mind is thinking of things again this morning. Love the brethren the best you can; help them out if you can. Boy, I’m sure not the only one in the creek without a paddle right now. I look at each one of those names up there, and everybody’s got a problem, everybody’s hurting for something — health, finances, family problems, being forced to do things you really don’t believe in doing, the struggle day-by-day at work, age — all this stuff. Family issues, husband and wife issues, kids out there playing in the world, having a great time.
Go ahead, everybody. Blame me for all your problems. But hang in there. Stay with me on this stuff. We’ll see you folks tonight.
