Post by Paddy by Grace on Jun 26, 2009 14:55:45 GMT -7
Before you read this, let me explain something. I have only read part of this and I really haven't had the time to look it over completely to see how it matches up with scripture, but it looked good initially so I am placing it here for all to look over and I will deal with it when I have time.
Paddy
Fred R. Coulter - October 27, 2001
Now most Protestants believe that the laws of God have been done away. As a matter of fact I got a desperate e-mail from a man saying, “My father has been reading the Bible and he’s come to the conclusion that he ought to keep the Sabbath, that he ought not eat unclean foods, that he ought to keep the Holy Days, and I want you to send me some material to straighten him out.”
That was an e-mail. I don’t answer e-mail’s. So I sent back, “Please send your address and we’ll send you some material.” Because he said, “We’re not bound to this legalism or any of these things in the New Testament.” So OK, let’s look at it. Let’s come to the key verse in Matthew 5, and let’s look at it, and let’s really answer the question, how and what did Christ really do? Because remember this, that if you say that Jesus Christ did away with the laws and commandments of God and took away your obligation and requirement to do them, you are accusing Christ of being the minister of sin. Why? Because without law and commandments there is no righteousness and you have lawlessness.
Now before we go to Matthew 5, let’s go to Matthew 7 and let’s see what’s going to happen to the agents of lawlessness, who use His name, who preach His word, and like this man here. Now there are two men – two authors - that I may write to. I’m not going to say that I will, but I may. This man here, Samuel C. Gipp, who wrote, Understandable History of the Bible. He’s a Sunday keeper; and Alan Phelps, who wrote the book - and it’s going to be published in August – Vatican Assassins. And I told his representative when I called concerning getting the Vatican Assassins, I said, “You know, he’s got a lot of good points on what the Jesuits have really done down through history. But, you know, he’s really still a Catholic.” He only believes in the “grace” branch of the Catholics. See?
Protestantism is only the “grace” branch of the Catholics. Because if they still keep Sunday, which the Catholics say, “We know is not scriptural, and we know it’s only by the authority of the Pope that we keep it, and not by scripture,” and you keep Sunday, and Easter and Christmas and all of these days of Rome, however many or few, you are still a Catholic. I don’t care if you came out in protest against her, you are still a Catholic and you claim to believe all the word of God and turn around and say that the laws have been done away.
And Paul said clearly Christ is not the minister of sin. So if you say that He did away with the laws and commandments of God, you make Him a minister of sin, and you make Him lawless, the minister of lawlessness. Now let’s see what's going to happen to those who believe in lawlessness. Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” So it’s not that you understand some of the word of God, which the Protestants do. And like this man here, Gipp wrote, he says that Catholicism is 10 percent twisted scripture and 90 percent pagan fact. Well Protestantism is 40 percent scripture and 60 percent lawlessness and pagan fact.
Now notice, “…But he that doeth…” Now that’s one of those words which is a present tense participle in the Greek, which means, “the one who is doing”, present tense active, always on-going, because you can’t do the will of God in the past, because that’s already gone. And you can’t do the will of God in the future because it hasn’t arrived. So you always do the will of God in the present. “…Doeth [doing] the will of My Father [not just Christ] which is in heaven” (vs. 21).
Now here we have – what is this? Outcome-based education, and TQM - total quality management. If you try, you get credit. It’s like in education - if you try we’ll give you a diploma. In California they had a big headline in the paper. Students that pass the test with 55 percent - hello? Students that failed 45 percent of the test were given diplomas and they graduated because they tried. So not everyone that tries, you see.
“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils?” Now that’s notable, isn’t it? Yes it is. “…And in Thy name done many wonderful works?” Built buildings and churches, nations, cities, all of that. “And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you…” (vs. 22-23). Now what does it mean, to “know you”?
Hold your place here and come to 1 John 2:3. And that’s a favorite thing that the Protestants say, isn’t it – “Know the Lord”? Yes. “Know the Lord.” And they always seem to say, “The Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord.” Very seldom do they say God the Father and Jesus Christ. It’s not wrong to say “the Lord”, but that’s what the Protestants say all the time. Verse 3, “And hereby we do know…” now notice that is a double affirmative. It’s one thing to say, “I know.” It’s another thing to say, “I do know”, or really know. And so this is kind of, as we will see here, actually a triple affirmative. “We do…”, which is one, “…know…”, which is two, “…that we know Him…”, which is three. So we have three affirmatives here concerning knowing Christ.
“…If…” So there’s a condition to knowing Him. “…We keep His commandments.” It’s important. But on what are all the commandments and the law and the prophets hanging from? To love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your being, see. Let’s go on. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not [is not keeping, present tense] His commandments, is…”, what? “…A liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth [is keeping] His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected…” And that means on an ongoing basis, you see. “…Hereby [by this, that is, by this means] know we that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5).
Now let’s go to Revelation 21 here for just a minute, then will come back to Matthew 7 and finish that. So let’s understand where liars are going to go. Now let’s look at the two contrasts here. Verse 7, “He that overcometh…” or that is, the one who is overcoming, “…shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.” That is, to enter into the Kingdom of God, no question about it.
Verse 8, “But…” I don’t know why they say it’s wrong to start a sentence with “but” in English. I think certain sentences ought to start with that. I have few difficulties with some people who edit my work, so I get a couple sentences with “but” in there, here’s one. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and Lady of the eveningmongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part and the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now let’s come back and finish Matthew 7. So you see, if you say you know Him, just like they profess they did all these works, and sure, they did all of these works. No doubt about it. But Christ said, “I never knew you.” “…Depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (vs. 23). Now the Greek there is anomia,which means, “you who work lawlessness.” Now part of lawlessness, the ultimate in lawlessness, is the abolition of the laws of God. Yet these same people who believe that pride themselves in the rule of law in which every country they live in. It’s almost like they have a split brain. This side for religion and this side for living in the land, you see.
So notice, verse 24, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them…” that is, present tense participle, now notice it is “sayings.” What does that include? What does a saying include? Anything He spoke. So what’s important? Every word of God. What did Jesus say how man ought to live? By every word of God.
But Alan Dershowitz would say, “Well, if you’re going to live by every word of God,” Alan Dershowitz will say, “Well, the reason I’m an atheist and I don’t believe in the Bible, and you say that you ought to live by every word of the Bible, it says that if a person commits adultery you ought to take them out and stone them. Or if they murder you ought to take them out and stone them. See? So if you don’t do that, you don’t believe every word.” Well, dear Alan, you need to understand that - being a lawyer - you ought to realize that God gave the law of capital punishment to sovereign nations.
When Israel was brought into existence, when it was given the covenant at Mount Sinai, it was not only just the people of God, but it was a sovereign nation. So therefore the same rule that applied in Genesis 9, where God said, “Man will take the life of a man who kills a man” (Genesis 9:6, paraphrased), which is capital punishment, God gave to Israel. But He did not give it to the church, because the church is a separate organization, scattered in many different nations and you cannot go against the command that you already gave to the sovereign nations, otherwise God would be duplicitous. So He did not give it to the church. How long you think any church organization would exist within any sovereign nation under heaven if they took to themselves the death penalty for the members within their organization? Never happen. It would never happen. Now that’s a seed for the future, which we’ll cover… I covered that on Refuting Sunday Keeping #12. Yes. The administration of death. A very important thing.
But He says “My sayings and does them.” Matthew 7:24, “…I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:” Now who is the Rock? Christ is the Rock, I Corinthians 10:4. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not…” Now this is indicative that all of those who follow Christ will have problems, difficulties, trials, challenges, assaults, whatever. “…And it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not…” And the Greek here for “doing” is poieo,comes from poieowhich means, “to practice.” “…Shall be likened unto foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matt. 7:25-27). And we’ve seen pictures of floods where it takes away houses.
Now let’s come back to Matthew 5 and let’s look at a slight of hand, which the Protestants have accepted and believed, which is absolutely contrary to the sayings and teachings of Christ. They say that the laws of God have been abolished and done away with. Therefore, we’re no longer required to do them. But we should love God, and if we love God then anything we do is right. That is, if you sort of had a warm feeling in your heart, then what ever you do is ok as long as you love God. Well, you see, that is again, terrible twisted thinking, because you can’t love God unless you keep His commandments. Now let’s read this carefully. Matthew 5:17, “Think not…” Now what does that mean? Don’t let it enter your mind. “…That I am come to destroy [and that means to abolish] the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
“So Christ fulfilled them for us, therefore we don’t have to do them.” That’s the way they reason it. But they don’t read verse 18 very often. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Where do you find jots, and where you find tittles? Hebrew. Where do you find the law and the commandments? Hebrew. That’s right - Old Testament. Now, we know heaven and earth is still here because we’re sitting in chairs on the earth and we know that the Sabbath has begun because the sun just set. So we know both are here. And if they weren’t here, we wouldn’t be here. So Christ has it very simple to understand.
Now what does it mean to fulfill? There are two meanings to fulfill. It comes from the Greek word plaroma, meaning to fill full. Like I’ve got a glass up here, I’ve got a quarter of a cup of stale coffee. If I throw that out and fill it full with another cup, I have a full cup of coffee, don’t I? Now how did He fill full the law? Let’s go on.
He began right here, verse 21. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:” Now isn’t that true? You could go back Exodus 21 and it talks about damage, manslaughter, murder. And they would go to the judge and the judge would determine whether he would give his life, or whether he would give the equivalent of money for the loss of the hand or the loss of an arm or the loss of an eye; which, by the way, is the very basis of insurance that we have today don’t we? All of you drove here to get here, and all of you cannot drive your car unless you have insurance on your car. And if you hit someone and they lose an arm or they lose in a leg or they lose an eye, your insurance company states in there, “We’ll pay so much for an eye, so much for a hand, so much for an arm, so much for a foot,” and so forth.
Now then, Jesus says, verse 22, “…And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [or that is, “fool”], shall be in danger of the council:” or that is, the Sanhedrin. But Jesus says, “…But whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Now which is worse: standing in front of a Sanhedrin, or council, or judgment seat, or standing at the edge of the lake of fire ready to be thrown in? Now did that not fill full of the law, “You shall not murder?” Because where does murder start? In the mind. And it starts by looking down on someone to the point that you hold them in contempt and judge them worthy of death by your action. And when you do it, you judge it a good deed because you have done something that needed to be done. Which is most of the defense of people who murder, right?
Jesus also says, verse 23, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,”, that is, you come before God in the presence of God, which was then at the altar, “…and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way…” God doesn’t even want to hear your prayer. He doesn’t even want to accept your offering. Because it’s more important that you love your neighbor and you love your brother and you love each other, so go get reconciled.
Now it’s a different thing when you come to doctrinal differences and problems. That is an entirely different thing. This is personal relations. God does not want you to come to Him to develop a personal relationship with Him and Jesus Christ, and you can’t even get along with your brother and sister whom you can see. Now if you go to them and you try and be reconciled, and you have done everything that you can and they still refuse, then it’s upon them.
Verse 24, “…Go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then offer thy gift.” Now, this is far more binding isn’t it? This is a higher standard to fulfill, is it not? Yes. So in coming to fill the law full, He’s giving the full spiritual meaning and intent of the law. He just did with murder, ok? Let’s look at the next one. Which then murder is what? The sixth commandment, right? Adultery is the seventh commandment, right? You’re all supposed to memorize them, aren’t you? Is that not true?
“Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:” And regardless of Bill Clinton’s definition of “is” is, or sex, it’s still adultery. “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (vs. 27-28). Now that’s a far higher standard, isn’t it? From having a situation that: it’s not adultery until the physical act has been performed; to the now higher standard, the higher spiritual standard: that if you lust - a man lust after woman, or woman lust after a man - it is already adultery in the heart.
Now let’s come here - hold your place here, we’ll come back - and let’s go to 2 Corinthians 10. Let’s tie a few other scriptures together with this. Because how on earth are you going to handle that? Now that’s a tough one isn’t it? Saying, “Well, Paul’s interpretation of the Scriptures is just carnal.” He’s not walking according to the flesh. Now notice, he says [verse 3], “…Though we walk in the flesh…” Now, there’s a difference between walking according to the flesh and walking in the flesh. What is that? If you’re walking according to the flesh, you’re carnal minded. Just put in your notes Romans 8. Because if the mind of the flesh is minding the things of the flesh and you are walking according to the flesh, but if you walk according to the Spirit, you see, that’s a different proposition entirely.
“For though we walk in the flesh…” We still are in the flesh, you see. “…We do not war after the flesh.” We don’t overcome with carnal means. You know, you can’t overcome carnality with carnality. All you can do is what they call in psychology, is sublimate. Which is substitutionary behavior. You never get rid of the lust. You never get rid of the carnality; you just change your carnal behavior from one which is evil to one which is less evil, but you have not changed your nature. Only the Spirit of God can change your nature, you see. Only the Spirit of God can convert you. You can have all kinds of programs - psychological programs - where you increase your thinking, you become a better speaker, you become more confident, and all those things are just carnal development of the personality, which they’re not necessarily wrong. But you can’t substitute carnality for spiritual conversion.
Here’s how. Verse 4, it says we do not war after the flesh. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)” And the biggest stronghold is right here between your two temples. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (vs. 4-5).
Now that’s how you overcome spiritually, you see. These things will come along. The lust will be there. But you overcome it by using the Spirit of God and casting the thought down and saying, “God, help me cast this thought out of my mind.” That way, then, you are not committing adultery, or stealing, which covetousness which is idolatry, and all those sort of things. You bring every thought into captivity to obedience of Christ.
“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (vs. 6). Now then, that’s why you have to be always under the grace of God and loving God, and that is the fuel, and that is the power of the Spirit, which helps you to overcome those things. Now when a lust comes along - you see, under the Old Covenant you could sit there and you could just watch all the women and all the men walk by. They have that now they have the underwear ad for women sitting on a park bench and they're guessing, you know, what kind shorts does this guy wear? That’s female lust for men, right? And you have men looking at every woman that walks along, and that’s male lust for women, right? None of them have committed adultery in the letter, have they? But what has it done? It has mentally and psychologically broke down resistance, hasn’t it? Yes.
See now, ours are entirely different. When a temptation comes along we need to apply 2 Corinthians 10. Bring every thought into captivity. So let’s go to James 1, and let’s see how the process takes hold, and why Christ says that he who looks upon a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Now this is especially true if he's been a Lady of the eveningmonger because his mind will be filled with many different women. And it’s the same thing with a woman who has become a Lady of the evening. Her mind will be filled with many different men. So they have a tougher proposition to overcome.
Now, verse 13, let’s see how the process takes place. We’ve already seen that Christ said, “You shall not lust.” We’ve already seen that we are to cast those thoughts down and bring them into captivity unto Christ. Now let’s see the process and see at what point we can capture that and cast it down into the obedience of Christ. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:”
Let’s understand - this is very important to realize. God did not send that man or woman to walk past you when you lusted. God sets before you good and evil and life and death, and you must choose. That’s what God does. What came before you to fill your eyes with that was not God but another human being. So it’s a temptation. So you cannot say, “Well, why did God let that woman come right in front of my eyes?” Or, “Why did God let that man come right in front of my eyes?” God had nothing to do with it. When that happened, you had a choice.
Now notice, verse 14, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away…” From whom? From God. “…Of his own lust…” So the first place to stop it is at the thought of lust. That’s the easiest and quickest way to stop the lust. Bring that thought into captivity, cast it down, and ask God to give you the strength to overcome, ask God to cast that thought out of your mind right then. You don’t have to run home, get in the closet, lock the door, and say, “Oh God, by the way, when I was on Fifth and Main…” see? [Laughs]. You do it right then. “God, don’t let this lust go any further in my mind.” You see? Right then. You don’t wait.
Next, the next point is, “…And is enticed.” So you don’t stop it at the lust point. You sort of develop the thought a little further, see. Then you’re enticed. Now then when this happens, verse 15, “Then when lust hath conceived…” So you have lust, you have enticement, and then you have conception – conception of sin in your mind. It’s not wrong to be tempted, it’s not wrong to fight against the lust or have it enter into your mind. It is wrong when you entice it and conceive it. You see, because all those things will happen to everyone. But if you stop it at the first point of temptation, or you stop it at the second point of enticement, then you’re not going to have it come to conception.
Conception was - let’s use the example of David and Bathsheba. Bathsheba said in her heart, “The king walks up there every night.” Why was she bathing at the time he walked up there? Bathsheba was not innocent, but David was responsible. So David looked down and he said, “Wow.” There’s lust. And then he said, “Well, hey,” sent his servant on down, and he says, “You tell the woman the king wants to talk to her.” Well who could refuse the king? So now it has been enticed and conceived. Then the act takes place. So at any one of those points David could have stopped. But he didn’t. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (vs. 15).
So Christ now, let’s come back here to Matthew 5, has given us a standard, which starts with the thought so that we can stop the thought from conceiving to sin. Now that’s a whole lot harder. That’s a lot higher standard, isn’t it? Is that law filled to the full greater in its requirement, or less in its requirement? It is greater. So therefore to fulfill means to fill to the full.
Now, same thing concerning adultery. Same thing concerning swearing. How many people…? Let’s come here to verse 33, “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself [or that is, swear by yourself], but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:” And we have it today, don’t we? You go to court, “Place your hand on the Bible and raise your right hand you promise to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” “Yes, I do,” and you sit down and lie. Because the outward act had no impression upon your mind spiritually. So Christ is now giving a higher standard. And this is really quite a high standard. You think about it.
“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:” How many people say, “I swear by God's throne,” or, “I swear by my mother’s grave,” or “my father’s grave,” or whatever? You’re swearing on dead bones. I mean, come on. Think about it. “…Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay:” In other words, let your “Yes” be a true yes, and let your “No” be a true no. “…For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (vs. 34-37). Or that is, the evil one. Who is what? The father of liars, right?
Now if you’re not sure about something, you can give a qualified “yes”, but make that qualified yes be known. “Yes, I would like to come, but I have some other things that I need to do. “ Or a qualified “no.” But still let it be a true yes or a true no. Now is that hard? Of course it's hard. Is that a higher standard? No question about it, it's a higher standard.
Let’s come down to verse 43. Let’s look at this higher standard. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” Now that’s the way the world does it, isn't it? Same way in sports. Sports teaches this: you love your home team and you hate the other team, right? Notice what He says. Now, is this harder? Is this harder? I dare say this is the hardest one for all of us to really get and understand, isn’t it? Now we are not to love Satan, because he is beyond any hope. These are human beings. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (vs. 43-44). Now that is hard, isn’t it? Yes it is. But what does this - what is the reason for this? There’s a reason why Christ said this. And it’s based on God says, “Vengeance is Mine.” He’ll take care of the enemy. Can He do a better job of it than you? But of course.
How about those that persecute you? Despiteful use you? You pray for them. I wonder if anyone was praying – we’ll look at two examples here, now. Let’s come to Acts 7, and let’s see what Steven did. Now he came and witnessed before the Sanhedrin. Arrested, delivered into their hands. He gave them a testimony that was so moving and stirring, that I tell you, it’s really something.
www.cbcg.org/hdjftl_part1.htm
Paddy
Fred R. Coulter - October 27, 2001
Now most Protestants believe that the laws of God have been done away. As a matter of fact I got a desperate e-mail from a man saying, “My father has been reading the Bible and he’s come to the conclusion that he ought to keep the Sabbath, that he ought not eat unclean foods, that he ought to keep the Holy Days, and I want you to send me some material to straighten him out.”
That was an e-mail. I don’t answer e-mail’s. So I sent back, “Please send your address and we’ll send you some material.” Because he said, “We’re not bound to this legalism or any of these things in the New Testament.” So OK, let’s look at it. Let’s come to the key verse in Matthew 5, and let’s look at it, and let’s really answer the question, how and what did Christ really do? Because remember this, that if you say that Jesus Christ did away with the laws and commandments of God and took away your obligation and requirement to do them, you are accusing Christ of being the minister of sin. Why? Because without law and commandments there is no righteousness and you have lawlessness.
Now before we go to Matthew 5, let’s go to Matthew 7 and let’s see what’s going to happen to the agents of lawlessness, who use His name, who preach His word, and like this man here. Now there are two men – two authors - that I may write to. I’m not going to say that I will, but I may. This man here, Samuel C. Gipp, who wrote, Understandable History of the Bible. He’s a Sunday keeper; and Alan Phelps, who wrote the book - and it’s going to be published in August – Vatican Assassins. And I told his representative when I called concerning getting the Vatican Assassins, I said, “You know, he’s got a lot of good points on what the Jesuits have really done down through history. But, you know, he’s really still a Catholic.” He only believes in the “grace” branch of the Catholics. See?
Protestantism is only the “grace” branch of the Catholics. Because if they still keep Sunday, which the Catholics say, “We know is not scriptural, and we know it’s only by the authority of the Pope that we keep it, and not by scripture,” and you keep Sunday, and Easter and Christmas and all of these days of Rome, however many or few, you are still a Catholic. I don’t care if you came out in protest against her, you are still a Catholic and you claim to believe all the word of God and turn around and say that the laws have been done away.
And Paul said clearly Christ is not the minister of sin. So if you say that He did away with the laws and commandments of God, you make Him a minister of sin, and you make Him lawless, the minister of lawlessness. Now let’s see what's going to happen to those who believe in lawlessness. Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” So it’s not that you understand some of the word of God, which the Protestants do. And like this man here, Gipp wrote, he says that Catholicism is 10 percent twisted scripture and 90 percent pagan fact. Well Protestantism is 40 percent scripture and 60 percent lawlessness and pagan fact.
Now notice, “…But he that doeth…” Now that’s one of those words which is a present tense participle in the Greek, which means, “the one who is doing”, present tense active, always on-going, because you can’t do the will of God in the past, because that’s already gone. And you can’t do the will of God in the future because it hasn’t arrived. So you always do the will of God in the present. “…Doeth [doing] the will of My Father [not just Christ] which is in heaven” (vs. 21).
Now here we have – what is this? Outcome-based education, and TQM - total quality management. If you try, you get credit. It’s like in education - if you try we’ll give you a diploma. In California they had a big headline in the paper. Students that pass the test with 55 percent - hello? Students that failed 45 percent of the test were given diplomas and they graduated because they tried. So not everyone that tries, you see.
“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils?” Now that’s notable, isn’t it? Yes it is. “…And in Thy name done many wonderful works?” Built buildings and churches, nations, cities, all of that. “And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you…” (vs. 22-23). Now what does it mean, to “know you”?
Hold your place here and come to 1 John 2:3. And that’s a favorite thing that the Protestants say, isn’t it – “Know the Lord”? Yes. “Know the Lord.” And they always seem to say, “The Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord.” Very seldom do they say God the Father and Jesus Christ. It’s not wrong to say “the Lord”, but that’s what the Protestants say all the time. Verse 3, “And hereby we do know…” now notice that is a double affirmative. It’s one thing to say, “I know.” It’s another thing to say, “I do know”, or really know. And so this is kind of, as we will see here, actually a triple affirmative. “We do…”, which is one, “…know…”, which is two, “…that we know Him…”, which is three. So we have three affirmatives here concerning knowing Christ.
“…If…” So there’s a condition to knowing Him. “…We keep His commandments.” It’s important. But on what are all the commandments and the law and the prophets hanging from? To love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your being, see. Let’s go on. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not [is not keeping, present tense] His commandments, is…”, what? “…A liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth [is keeping] His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected…” And that means on an ongoing basis, you see. “…Hereby [by this, that is, by this means] know we that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5).
Now let’s go to Revelation 21 here for just a minute, then will come back to Matthew 7 and finish that. So let’s understand where liars are going to go. Now let’s look at the two contrasts here. Verse 7, “He that overcometh…” or that is, the one who is overcoming, “…shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.” That is, to enter into the Kingdom of God, no question about it.
Verse 8, “But…” I don’t know why they say it’s wrong to start a sentence with “but” in English. I think certain sentences ought to start with that. I have few difficulties with some people who edit my work, so I get a couple sentences with “but” in there, here’s one. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and Lady of the eveningmongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part and the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now let’s come back and finish Matthew 7. So you see, if you say you know Him, just like they profess they did all these works, and sure, they did all of these works. No doubt about it. But Christ said, “I never knew you.” “…Depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (vs. 23). Now the Greek there is anomia,which means, “you who work lawlessness.” Now part of lawlessness, the ultimate in lawlessness, is the abolition of the laws of God. Yet these same people who believe that pride themselves in the rule of law in which every country they live in. It’s almost like they have a split brain. This side for religion and this side for living in the land, you see.
So notice, verse 24, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them…” that is, present tense participle, now notice it is “sayings.” What does that include? What does a saying include? Anything He spoke. So what’s important? Every word of God. What did Jesus say how man ought to live? By every word of God.
But Alan Dershowitz would say, “Well, if you’re going to live by every word of God,” Alan Dershowitz will say, “Well, the reason I’m an atheist and I don’t believe in the Bible, and you say that you ought to live by every word of the Bible, it says that if a person commits adultery you ought to take them out and stone them. Or if they murder you ought to take them out and stone them. See? So if you don’t do that, you don’t believe every word.” Well, dear Alan, you need to understand that - being a lawyer - you ought to realize that God gave the law of capital punishment to sovereign nations.
When Israel was brought into existence, when it was given the covenant at Mount Sinai, it was not only just the people of God, but it was a sovereign nation. So therefore the same rule that applied in Genesis 9, where God said, “Man will take the life of a man who kills a man” (Genesis 9:6, paraphrased), which is capital punishment, God gave to Israel. But He did not give it to the church, because the church is a separate organization, scattered in many different nations and you cannot go against the command that you already gave to the sovereign nations, otherwise God would be duplicitous. So He did not give it to the church. How long you think any church organization would exist within any sovereign nation under heaven if they took to themselves the death penalty for the members within their organization? Never happen. It would never happen. Now that’s a seed for the future, which we’ll cover… I covered that on Refuting Sunday Keeping #12. Yes. The administration of death. A very important thing.
But He says “My sayings and does them.” Matthew 7:24, “…I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:” Now who is the Rock? Christ is the Rock, I Corinthians 10:4. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not…” Now this is indicative that all of those who follow Christ will have problems, difficulties, trials, challenges, assaults, whatever. “…And it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not…” And the Greek here for “doing” is poieo,comes from poieowhich means, “to practice.” “…Shall be likened unto foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matt. 7:25-27). And we’ve seen pictures of floods where it takes away houses.
Now let’s come back to Matthew 5 and let’s look at a slight of hand, which the Protestants have accepted and believed, which is absolutely contrary to the sayings and teachings of Christ. They say that the laws of God have been abolished and done away with. Therefore, we’re no longer required to do them. But we should love God, and if we love God then anything we do is right. That is, if you sort of had a warm feeling in your heart, then what ever you do is ok as long as you love God. Well, you see, that is again, terrible twisted thinking, because you can’t love God unless you keep His commandments. Now let’s read this carefully. Matthew 5:17, “Think not…” Now what does that mean? Don’t let it enter your mind. “…That I am come to destroy [and that means to abolish] the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
“So Christ fulfilled them for us, therefore we don’t have to do them.” That’s the way they reason it. But they don’t read verse 18 very often. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Where do you find jots, and where you find tittles? Hebrew. Where do you find the law and the commandments? Hebrew. That’s right - Old Testament. Now, we know heaven and earth is still here because we’re sitting in chairs on the earth and we know that the Sabbath has begun because the sun just set. So we know both are here. And if they weren’t here, we wouldn’t be here. So Christ has it very simple to understand.
Now what does it mean to fulfill? There are two meanings to fulfill. It comes from the Greek word plaroma, meaning to fill full. Like I’ve got a glass up here, I’ve got a quarter of a cup of stale coffee. If I throw that out and fill it full with another cup, I have a full cup of coffee, don’t I? Now how did He fill full the law? Let’s go on.
He began right here, verse 21. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:” Now isn’t that true? You could go back Exodus 21 and it talks about damage, manslaughter, murder. And they would go to the judge and the judge would determine whether he would give his life, or whether he would give the equivalent of money for the loss of the hand or the loss of an arm or the loss of an eye; which, by the way, is the very basis of insurance that we have today don’t we? All of you drove here to get here, and all of you cannot drive your car unless you have insurance on your car. And if you hit someone and they lose an arm or they lose in a leg or they lose an eye, your insurance company states in there, “We’ll pay so much for an eye, so much for a hand, so much for an arm, so much for a foot,” and so forth.
Now then, Jesus says, verse 22, “…And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [or that is, “fool”], shall be in danger of the council:” or that is, the Sanhedrin. But Jesus says, “…But whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Now which is worse: standing in front of a Sanhedrin, or council, or judgment seat, or standing at the edge of the lake of fire ready to be thrown in? Now did that not fill full of the law, “You shall not murder?” Because where does murder start? In the mind. And it starts by looking down on someone to the point that you hold them in contempt and judge them worthy of death by your action. And when you do it, you judge it a good deed because you have done something that needed to be done. Which is most of the defense of people who murder, right?
Jesus also says, verse 23, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,”, that is, you come before God in the presence of God, which was then at the altar, “…and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way…” God doesn’t even want to hear your prayer. He doesn’t even want to accept your offering. Because it’s more important that you love your neighbor and you love your brother and you love each other, so go get reconciled.
Now it’s a different thing when you come to doctrinal differences and problems. That is an entirely different thing. This is personal relations. God does not want you to come to Him to develop a personal relationship with Him and Jesus Christ, and you can’t even get along with your brother and sister whom you can see. Now if you go to them and you try and be reconciled, and you have done everything that you can and they still refuse, then it’s upon them.
Verse 24, “…Go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then offer thy gift.” Now, this is far more binding isn’t it? This is a higher standard to fulfill, is it not? Yes. So in coming to fill the law full, He’s giving the full spiritual meaning and intent of the law. He just did with murder, ok? Let’s look at the next one. Which then murder is what? The sixth commandment, right? Adultery is the seventh commandment, right? You’re all supposed to memorize them, aren’t you? Is that not true?
“Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:” And regardless of Bill Clinton’s definition of “is” is, or sex, it’s still adultery. “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (vs. 27-28). Now that’s a far higher standard, isn’t it? From having a situation that: it’s not adultery until the physical act has been performed; to the now higher standard, the higher spiritual standard: that if you lust - a man lust after woman, or woman lust after a man - it is already adultery in the heart.
Now let’s come here - hold your place here, we’ll come back - and let’s go to 2 Corinthians 10. Let’s tie a few other scriptures together with this. Because how on earth are you going to handle that? Now that’s a tough one isn’t it? Saying, “Well, Paul’s interpretation of the Scriptures is just carnal.” He’s not walking according to the flesh. Now notice, he says [verse 3], “…Though we walk in the flesh…” Now, there’s a difference between walking according to the flesh and walking in the flesh. What is that? If you’re walking according to the flesh, you’re carnal minded. Just put in your notes Romans 8. Because if the mind of the flesh is minding the things of the flesh and you are walking according to the flesh, but if you walk according to the Spirit, you see, that’s a different proposition entirely.
“For though we walk in the flesh…” We still are in the flesh, you see. “…We do not war after the flesh.” We don’t overcome with carnal means. You know, you can’t overcome carnality with carnality. All you can do is what they call in psychology, is sublimate. Which is substitutionary behavior. You never get rid of the lust. You never get rid of the carnality; you just change your carnal behavior from one which is evil to one which is less evil, but you have not changed your nature. Only the Spirit of God can change your nature, you see. Only the Spirit of God can convert you. You can have all kinds of programs - psychological programs - where you increase your thinking, you become a better speaker, you become more confident, and all those things are just carnal development of the personality, which they’re not necessarily wrong. But you can’t substitute carnality for spiritual conversion.
Here’s how. Verse 4, it says we do not war after the flesh. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)” And the biggest stronghold is right here between your two temples. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (vs. 4-5).
Now that’s how you overcome spiritually, you see. These things will come along. The lust will be there. But you overcome it by using the Spirit of God and casting the thought down and saying, “God, help me cast this thought out of my mind.” That way, then, you are not committing adultery, or stealing, which covetousness which is idolatry, and all those sort of things. You bring every thought into captivity to obedience of Christ.
“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (vs. 6). Now then, that’s why you have to be always under the grace of God and loving God, and that is the fuel, and that is the power of the Spirit, which helps you to overcome those things. Now when a lust comes along - you see, under the Old Covenant you could sit there and you could just watch all the women and all the men walk by. They have that now they have the underwear ad for women sitting on a park bench and they're guessing, you know, what kind shorts does this guy wear? That’s female lust for men, right? And you have men looking at every woman that walks along, and that’s male lust for women, right? None of them have committed adultery in the letter, have they? But what has it done? It has mentally and psychologically broke down resistance, hasn’t it? Yes.
See now, ours are entirely different. When a temptation comes along we need to apply 2 Corinthians 10. Bring every thought into captivity. So let’s go to James 1, and let’s see how the process takes hold, and why Christ says that he who looks upon a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Now this is especially true if he's been a Lady of the eveningmonger because his mind will be filled with many different women. And it’s the same thing with a woman who has become a Lady of the evening. Her mind will be filled with many different men. So they have a tougher proposition to overcome.
Now, verse 13, let’s see how the process takes place. We’ve already seen that Christ said, “You shall not lust.” We’ve already seen that we are to cast those thoughts down and bring them into captivity unto Christ. Now let’s see the process and see at what point we can capture that and cast it down into the obedience of Christ. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:”
Let’s understand - this is very important to realize. God did not send that man or woman to walk past you when you lusted. God sets before you good and evil and life and death, and you must choose. That’s what God does. What came before you to fill your eyes with that was not God but another human being. So it’s a temptation. So you cannot say, “Well, why did God let that woman come right in front of my eyes?” Or, “Why did God let that man come right in front of my eyes?” God had nothing to do with it. When that happened, you had a choice.
Now notice, verse 14, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away…” From whom? From God. “…Of his own lust…” So the first place to stop it is at the thought of lust. That’s the easiest and quickest way to stop the lust. Bring that thought into captivity, cast it down, and ask God to give you the strength to overcome, ask God to cast that thought out of your mind right then. You don’t have to run home, get in the closet, lock the door, and say, “Oh God, by the way, when I was on Fifth and Main…” see? [Laughs]. You do it right then. “God, don’t let this lust go any further in my mind.” You see? Right then. You don’t wait.
Next, the next point is, “…And is enticed.” So you don’t stop it at the lust point. You sort of develop the thought a little further, see. Then you’re enticed. Now then when this happens, verse 15, “Then when lust hath conceived…” So you have lust, you have enticement, and then you have conception – conception of sin in your mind. It’s not wrong to be tempted, it’s not wrong to fight against the lust or have it enter into your mind. It is wrong when you entice it and conceive it. You see, because all those things will happen to everyone. But if you stop it at the first point of temptation, or you stop it at the second point of enticement, then you’re not going to have it come to conception.
Conception was - let’s use the example of David and Bathsheba. Bathsheba said in her heart, “The king walks up there every night.” Why was she bathing at the time he walked up there? Bathsheba was not innocent, but David was responsible. So David looked down and he said, “Wow.” There’s lust. And then he said, “Well, hey,” sent his servant on down, and he says, “You tell the woman the king wants to talk to her.” Well who could refuse the king? So now it has been enticed and conceived. Then the act takes place. So at any one of those points David could have stopped. But he didn’t. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (vs. 15).
So Christ now, let’s come back here to Matthew 5, has given us a standard, which starts with the thought so that we can stop the thought from conceiving to sin. Now that’s a whole lot harder. That’s a lot higher standard, isn’t it? Is that law filled to the full greater in its requirement, or less in its requirement? It is greater. So therefore to fulfill means to fill to the full.
Now, same thing concerning adultery. Same thing concerning swearing. How many people…? Let’s come here to verse 33, “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself [or that is, swear by yourself], but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:” And we have it today, don’t we? You go to court, “Place your hand on the Bible and raise your right hand you promise to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” “Yes, I do,” and you sit down and lie. Because the outward act had no impression upon your mind spiritually. So Christ is now giving a higher standard. And this is really quite a high standard. You think about it.
“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:” How many people say, “I swear by God's throne,” or, “I swear by my mother’s grave,” or “my father’s grave,” or whatever? You’re swearing on dead bones. I mean, come on. Think about it. “…Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay:” In other words, let your “Yes” be a true yes, and let your “No” be a true no. “…For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (vs. 34-37). Or that is, the evil one. Who is what? The father of liars, right?
Now if you’re not sure about something, you can give a qualified “yes”, but make that qualified yes be known. “Yes, I would like to come, but I have some other things that I need to do. “ Or a qualified “no.” But still let it be a true yes or a true no. Now is that hard? Of course it's hard. Is that a higher standard? No question about it, it's a higher standard.
Let’s come down to verse 43. Let’s look at this higher standard. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” Now that’s the way the world does it, isn't it? Same way in sports. Sports teaches this: you love your home team and you hate the other team, right? Notice what He says. Now, is this harder? Is this harder? I dare say this is the hardest one for all of us to really get and understand, isn’t it? Now we are not to love Satan, because he is beyond any hope. These are human beings. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (vs. 43-44). Now that is hard, isn’t it? Yes it is. But what does this - what is the reason for this? There’s a reason why Christ said this. And it’s based on God says, “Vengeance is Mine.” He’ll take care of the enemy. Can He do a better job of it than you? But of course.
How about those that persecute you? Despiteful use you? You pray for them. I wonder if anyone was praying – we’ll look at two examples here, now. Let’s come to Acts 7, and let’s see what Steven did. Now he came and witnessed before the Sanhedrin. Arrested, delivered into their hands. He gave them a testimony that was so moving and stirring, that I tell you, it’s really something.
www.cbcg.org/hdjftl_part1.htm