Grab a hymnal and turn to our first hymn, 147,
leaning on the everlasting arms.
147, 147, leaning on the everlasting arms.
147, there on the first.
♪ What a fellowship ♪
♪ What a joy divine ♪
♪ We have seen what this was like ♪
♪ We have a short run in this billboard way ♪
♪ We have danger, and sickness from here ♪
- Heavenly Father, we thank you just again for this day.
Lord, I just thank you for leading us
to those that accepted salvation today,
that you'd be with those that accepted your word,
and also with those that heard and received the word,
hopefully that that would be a good seed planted
that could be watered in the future.
I pray that you would just continue to be with us,
with our church, and with the service,
that everything would be done decently and in order.
These things we pray in Jesus' name, amen.
All right, for our next hymn this evening,
turn to 166, I will praise him.
166, 166, I will praise him.
166, starting there on the first.
♪ When I saw the fencing fountains ♪
♪ They were all stiff and covalent ♪
♪ And it was plain blood and wash away each stain ♪
♪ And then I jumped away ♪
♪ And then I jumped away and it was plain blood and wash away each stain ♪
- We'll bring you on.
That is our Bible memory passage of the week,
Galatians chapter number one, verse 11.
On the inside, you'll see our service times listed there,
Sunday morning at 10.30, Sunday evening at 4.30,
and our Wednesday evening Bible study at seven.
Below that are our soul winning times listed there,
as well as our nursing home ministry schedule.
Below that is our year to date statistics,
and praise the Lord, we had five salvations today,
so great job out soul winning this afternoon.
On the right is our list of expecting ladies.
Please be in prayer for Mrs. Reed.
Events, April 13th, we'll have another men's preaching night
for the PM service, followed by a church potluck.
April 19th is our Easter soul winning marathon
in Oklahoma City.
That's gonna be in the southeast area of town
that we're gonna go to there.
May 16th through the 18th is the King James Conference
Shear Foundation Baptist Church in Vancouver, Washington.
May 31st is the Durant, Oklahoma soul winning marathon.
And we're gonna be teaming up
with Steadfast Baptist Church for that.
And we should have a ton of labors for that
because, you know, praise the Lord,
our sending church, Steadfast Baptist Church,
broke their attendance record today.
And I don't remember the exact number,
but I know it was in the 270s.
So praise the Lord for that.
I know there was a couple of families
that moved there today, I believe.
So yeah, praise the Lord.
Their church is doing really, really well.
So we should expect to have a lot of laborers for Durant.
And we are looking forward to it for sure.
June 28th, that's a Saturday.
We're gonna be going to the Tinker Air Show,
just as a fellowship event.
And then the next day on Sunday,
Brother Ben Naim from Steadfast
will be preaching both services for us.
So we're excited to have him.
Brother Ben is a great preacher.
You know, he's not ordained or anything like that,
but he preaches better than a lot of pastors
in this country.
So you won't be missing out on Sunday.
He's gonna be bringing all he has, I know that for sure.
August 27th through 31st is
Fire Breathing Baptist Fellowship in Texas.
And October 6th through the 11th
is the Bahamas Mission Trip.
Make sure if you wanna go to that,
that you get your passports.
And you know, there's new rules with like the real ID
if you wanna fly.
So make sure that your IDs are up to date,
passports, all that stuff.
And then once you have your flights purchased,
send that itinerary to Steadfast Baptist Church
so they can make sure that they're getting
all the logistics planned for that missions trip.
If you'd like to give online to our church,
there is a QR code there
or you could give by check in person.
Another thing just wanted to mention is
I'm aware of the issue with the hot water.
Last week I called maintenance
and we're getting a plumber to replace
that hot water heater.
So Lord willing by Wednesday or next weekend
that should be 100% fixed and good to go.
There is a prayer list there on the back.
If there's any updates, please do email me.
There's a QR code for first time visitors
and you could even scan it just to check it out
what it looks like for them.
But just asks for some basic information from them
so we could keep up to date with them.
Below that, I talked about our SWAT team,
our new soul winning action team that we're doing.
And even this afternoon, we sent a group back
to that same apartment complex
I was telling you about this morning.
And praise the Lord, we did get another person saved.
So, so far from that apartment complex,
there's been six people saved and we're not done yet.
There's still another building there.
So, like I said this morning,
it can kind of push people two directions, tragedy,
could make them hardened, can make them receptive.
But I think that the sooner we go,
the better of a chance we could catch them
when their heart is not hardened.
So, we definitely wanna keep that going.
And, you know, if you hear about something
throughout town that happens, feel free to message me.
We can consider sending teams there.
I don't know if you realize,
but one of the places that we were soul winning
about a month ago, when it was really cold,
the apartment complex just across the street from here,
one of the units burned down completely.
And so like stuff like that, when it happens,
we can go and talk to the neighbors there.
And it's kind of a way to bring up the gospel
that's very relevant to them.
You could be like, hey, you know,
you heard what happened to your neighbors.
You never know when your last day is.
Are you 100% sure?
And it might give a chance for them to wanna listen.
So I had someone tell me this morning
that they saw the SWAT team insignia
and was like, what's going on?
No, no, we're not buying any land in Waco.
We're not getting any grenades or anything like that.
We're sending soul winners to preach the gospel, okay?
That's what the SWAT team is.
So that's it for announcements.
We'll go ahead and go to our third song.
Our third hymn this evening, 173, Love Lifted Me.
173, Love Lifted Me.
173, there on the first.
♪ I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore ♪
♪ Buried deep, we stayed within, seeking to rise no more ♪
♪ But the master of the sea heard my despairing cry ♪
♪ From the waters lifted me now sing ♪
♪ Love lifted me, nothing else could help me ♪
♪ My bread and her praise it seems so mighty and so true ♪
♪ Where is my soul that's gone ♪
♪ Faithful loving service due to him ♪
♪ He'll be saved a matter of ♪
- Plates are being passed.
Turn if you would to Second Timothy chapter number two.
Second Timothy chapter number two.
- Good evening, Second Timothy two, the Bible reads.
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast heard of me
among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men,
who shall be able to teach others also.
Thou therefore, endure hardness
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warth entangleth himself
with the affairs of this life,
that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
If a man also strive for masteries,
yet is he not crowned,
except he strive lawfully.
The husband men that laboreth
must be first partaker of the fruits.
Consider what I say,
and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David
was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer,
even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound.
Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sakes,
that they may also obtain the salvation
which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him,
we shall also live with him.
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.
If we deny him, he will also deny us.
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful,
he cannot deny himself.
Of these things, put them in remembrance,
charging them before the Lord,
that they strive not about words to no prophet,
but to the subverting of the hearers.
Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and vain babblings,
for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
And their word will eat as doth a canker
of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,
who concerning the truth have erred,
saying that the resurrection is past already
and overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth ashore,
and having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his,
and let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only vessels
of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth,
and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
If a man therefore purges himself of these,
he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet
for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness,
faith, charity, peace, with them that call
in the name of the Lord out of a pure heart.
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid,
knowing that they do gender-strives,
and the servant of the Lord must not strive,
but be gentle unto all men apt to teach,
patient and meekness, instructing those
that oppose themselves, if God, peradventure,
will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth,
and that they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil,
who are taken captive by him at his will.
Let's bow our heads forward to prayer.
Father in heaven, we thank you for this day,
and we thank you for our church,
the souls that were saved out today.
We ask that you look over the families in here,
that you help us apply to some of your lives,
and that you fill our paths with the Holy Spirit,
in Jesus' name we pray, amen.
- Amen, all right, well, 2 Timothy chapter two,
Bible says in verse number 15,
"Study to show thyself approved unto God,
"a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
"rightly dividing the word of truth."
So we have a commandment in the Bible
that we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God.
And we do that by studying the Bible
and showing ourselves a workman,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
And the title of my sermon this evening
is "How to Understand the Bible."
How to understand the Bible.
It's kind of the theme of this Sunday.
We're talking a lot about the Bible itself.
But recently, I've been trying to make some more content
for our church, make some reels,
and trying to engage people out there
that have different beliefs than us.
And especially during Lent as it's known in Catholicism,
I've been trying to do my best to expose
that false religion for what it is.
And in doing so, I've been reminded of how true it is
that most people don't understand the Bible.
And that the world doesn't understand it,
false religions don't understand it.
And I thought it'd be a good reminder for us
to just remind us, remember how it is that we understand
the Bible.
So I have some six principles this evening
to help us understand the Bible.
If you would, first go to 1 Corinthians chapter number two.
1 Corinthians chapter number two.
And my first point this evening on how to understand
the Bible is get saved.
Number one, get saved.
And in making these videos about Catholicism,
I did have at one point a Catholic
that I was kind of going back and forth with.
And I was just thinking like, hey, if it drives engagement
and views to our channel, no big deal.
Obviously, I know that this person needs the gospel
and I tried to point them to that.
But in doing that, I mentioned about getting saved
and the idea of salvation.
And this Catholic respond to me, he says,
what do you mean get saved?
And it's just like, wow, we're not even at step one here.
You don't even know what it means to get saved.
No wonder you don't understand the Bible.
No wonder you can't understand these videos that I'm making
where I'm just showing clear scripture.
You need to get saved before you understand the Bible.
Now, where am I coming up with this?
First Corinthians two, verse 11.
The Bible says, for what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man, which is in him.
Even so, the things of God knoweth no man,
but the spirit of God.
It's like, how is it that we as human beings
are able to communicate with each other
and understand each other?
It's because we're both human beings, right?
We have the spirit of man that enables us to communicate.
Well, when it comes to the things of God,
it's saying in the same way, even so,
the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God.
So to know the things of God, to understand the word of God,
you must have the spirit of God.
It's not optional.
It is a necessity to understand the Bible.
You have to have the spirit of God.
It says in verse 12, now we have received
not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God,
that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God, which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth,
comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Verse 14, but the natural man,
that's just your regular unsaved guy,
the natural man receiveth not the things
of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him.
Notice this next phrase, neither can he know them
because they are spiritually discerned.
Just like it would be literally impossible
for me to try to have a conversation with a horse.
You know, like I'm just gonna speak to a horse
and this horse is gonna understand me
and the horse is gonna neigh
and I'm gonna understand it back.
That's not possible.
It's just not gonna happen, right?
It's the same thing with the carnal man.
The unsaved man, he is not going to be able
to understand the Bible because it is a spiritual book
and the words of God are discerned spiritually.
We have to have that same spirit of God
in order to understand these things.
Now, obviously we don't wanna take this so far
to think that someone can't read the Bible
and glean some general truth from it.
Of course they can.
Of course they could learn about how Noah built an ark.
It's just a carnal truth that you could read.
It doesn't take any spirituality to discern that.
You could learn that God is the creator of the world, right?
But when it comes to deep spiritual truths,
those things require you to be saved
and require you to have the spirit of God.
Go to Ephesians chapter number one.
Ephesians chapter number one.
And the Bible explains to us how we get the spirit of God.
'Cause again, to someone who's unsaved,
this would all be new to them.
I mean, just like, what do you mean salvation?
What do you mean spiritually discern?
What do you mean spirit of God?
What do you mean getting the spirit of God?
You know, we get these things from the Bible.
Verse 13 says, "In whom you also trusted after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise."
So notice, after you hear the gospel and decide to put your trust in the gospel, which the
Bible uses the word trust and believe interchangeably, that's what it means to believe in Jesus.
It means that you trust that His death, His burial, His resurrection is the only thing
taking you to heaven, not your own works, not going to church or anything like that.
Once you've put your trust in Him, then God seals us with the Holy Spirit of promise.
And so now after that happens, after we've trusted in Christ, we now have the Spirit
of God.
And so now by having the Spirit of God, we're able to discern spiritual things.
Now you actually have the ability to read the Bible and glean deep truths and study
these things and understand the scripture.
Now when you get saved, a light bulb doesn't go off and you just automatically are just
imported with all this knowledge, that's not how it works, but now you have the ability
to learn.
Now you can open the Word of God and now rivers of water are going to be flowing.
Now you're really going to have things clicking because you have that Spirit of God.
You know, by the way, this idea that people could just read the Bible and get saved is
ridiculous because salvation is a spiritual transaction, and you know, you cannot just
get this deep spiritual truth by just reading the Word of God.
It has to be preached by another Spirit-filled person, okay?
Salvation is from faith to faith, Romans chapter 1 verse 16 teaches.
So where do we end off?
13, let's look at verse number 14, says, "Which is the Holy Spirit, which is the earnest of
our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His
glory."
So God gives us the indwelling of and the sealing of the Holy Spirit as like an earnest
payment, because when we get saved, we still have our carnal flesh.
We have the new man, you know, we have the Spirit of God, but nothing has changed about
bodies.
But, you know, the Bible does teach that someday all of God's people are going to be resurrected
and that God is going to give us a new glorified body.
And so God showing us that he's serious about this transaction has given us like an earnest
payment like you do when you buy a house.
You pay like $2,000 to where you're saying, I'm serious about going through with this.
And if you back off, you lose the $2,000.
But if you follow through, then that goes towards whatever the cost of the house, right?
So this earnest payment, God gives us this Holy Spirit ceiling to show that he's serious
about redeeming us.
And someday he's going to fully redeem us by our bodies being new, right?
We have spiritual salvation right now, but someday it's going to be spiritual and physical.
We're gonna have a new body.
And so God gives us that Holy Spirit.
And now if you'll turn to Acts chapter number eight, and I'm going to read for you John
chapter 14 verse 26, Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in My name, He shall teach you all things."
You know, this is where there's a huge divide between biblical Christianity and Catholicism.
And let me tell you why there's this big divide is because Christians are saved and Catholics
are not.
So because we're saved, we have the Holy Spirit of God.
And Jesus said that the Comforter, when he comes, he's going to teach us all things.
And so when we're reading the Bible, the God himself, the Holy Spirit himself is teaching
us and showing us things from the scripture.
But Catholics, because they're not saved, they don't have this.
What they teach is that there has to be a human authority to define to you what the
Bible says.
And look, Catholicism, this is one of the biggest things in Catholicism for thousands
and thousands of years, and it's no different today, is that they don't trust people to
interpret the Bible, to read and study the Bible, and here's the thing, they themselves
are not saved, so I understand why they think that.
But they're like, "Okay, we need pros, we need the Catholic clergy, we need the cardinals
and the pope and the bishop, and all these people to tell you what the Bible says because
you can't understand it on your own."
Here's where they're right.
The Catholic parishioner who's unsaved is not going to be able to understand the Bible,
neither is the pope, neither is the bishop, neither is the cardinal because neither of
them are saved.
But here's the difference with biblical Christianity, and here's the thing, I have no motivation
to tell you this because if anything, this truth could kind of be harmful to a pastor
or to a church, but I'm just going to be honest with you, you do not need me.
You do not.
You do not need a preacher to teach you the word of God.
You really don't.
Now here's the thing, God gave it to us, he wants us to have it, and I believe that preachers
can help people go faster in their growth, and can kind of accelerate and show things
that they weren't thinking of.
I am not down on church, folks, I wouldn't be a pastor if I was down on church, okay?
But what I'm telling you is that any truth that I present from the word of God, you did
not need me to tell you that because you could have opened the Bible and gotten it on your
own.
How?
Because the Holy Spirit is there to teach you.
And this is where Catholics are just like, their mind is blown.
And I'm just saying like, I'm a pastor, and I'm telling you, you don't need me.
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit can teach you all things. We don't need an official church council to say, you know
This is what this Bible verse says and you can never change it
No, we need to just go with what the Bible says what the Holy Ghost teaches us and and they like to play semantics like
Well, you know Catholics weren't really against the translation of the Word of God into English. They were just against the
unauthorized translation of the Word of God into English
Translation Catholics wanted to keep all the power
They wanted to keep the Word of God away from their parishioners
And so they're like, oh only we can only translate the Bible within the church itself
Why because they want to make sure that the false doctrines that they teach are not gonna be exposed by the Word of God
And so men like William Tyndale come around where he's just faithfully translating Bible says in English
That's a threat to Catholicism because newsflash everything that the Catholics believe can be easily
Debunked by the Bible, you know, it's like oh Mary was sinless
Well, that's weird cuz Mary said that her soul doth magnify the Lord and her spirit does rejoice in God her Savior
It's like whoa. Wait a second. Why does Mary need a Savior? Oh, yeah, because she's a sinner because she's just like every other human being
Now she was a godly woman. She was chosen by God to carry the Lord Jesus Christ, but Mary is not deity
We are not gonna pray to Mary. She's not interceding for us. Mary needed the Lord Jesus Christ
Okay, and it's like they don't want you to read those things
They want to keep the Word of God from people look at Acts chapter 30
Philip sees a man and he's running to preach him the gospel and in verse 30
It says that Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah's and said
Understandest thou what thou readest so this man he's reading the Bible, but he asked this very important question
Do you actually understand what you're reading verse 31 and he said how can I?
Accept some man should guide me and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him
see someone trying to read the Bible and
Understand the spiritual truths found therein when they are not saved is like handing me a book written in Arabic
And I could sit there and I could put my eyes on the page and I could pour over it all day long
But unless someone guides me I'm never gonna understand it. You know, I'm not gonna be able to comprehend it
That's what he's saying here. Then it says in verse 32 the place of the scripture which he read was this
He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before his shearer
So opened he not his mouth in his humiliation
His judgment was taken away who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth
Now people in this room that are saved we read that and it's just so obvious what this is talking about
It's so obvious that it's talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, but yet to someone who's unsaved. It's very cryptic
It's not really intelligible, but then he asked this question and the eunuch answered
Philip and said I pray thee of whom speaketh the prophet this of himself or of some other man
Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus
And as they went on their way they came unto a certain water and the eunuch said see here is water
What doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest and he answered and said
I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God
So here we see a really common interaction of what we see all the time out soul winning is the fact that
People don't understand the Bible and maybe they go to church and maybe they've even read the scripture
And I mean we're in the Bible Belt here in Oklahoma a lot of people know some things about the Bible
But yet when we talk to them, we realize very quickly that they're unsaved
You know, I ran into a guy today that told me that he was
100% sure that he's going to heaven and he he started telling me that it was by faith alone
But then he told me that you could lose your salvation
So I start preaching the whole gospel because I'm realizing hey, he's trusting in himself then towards the end of it
He says oh, yeah
I was a hundred percent sure when you got here that I was going to heaven because I had a brain aneurysm a few years
ago and that caused me to repent of my sins and now I don't chase women anymore. I don't drink anymore
I don't do all these bad things anymore
You know, I've really changed my life and I've turned things around and you know
I'm looking at this guy and he probably in his heart thinks like hey
I'm doing the right thing and good for him that he's made some changes
But here's the thing he's still unsaved and because he's still unsaved because he's trusting in himself
He could read the Bible all day long, but he's not going to be able to discern the truths of the Bible
He's not going to be able to understand salvation when he's
Unsaved so when we see people we need to realize that we have to guide them
How can I understand except some man should guide me don't believe this idea that people could just get saved on their own
That doesn't happen folks boy. Would that be awesome?
I mean if we just want to live in ideal la la land wouldn't it be so great if people are just randomly just getting saved on
Their own just reading the Bible. That's not how it works
This is a doctrine that lazy people like to hear they like their ears tickled by this lazy doctrine
Hey, don't worry people are just gonna get saved on their own. You don't have to do anything
No, I'm telling you that if someone's unsaved they are never going to get saved on their own
They are never gonna get saved by just reading the Bible. They need a man to guide them
They need a woman to guide them. They need a spirit-filled child to guide them
They need someone and we are the people that Jesus Christ gave that responsibility to go to Romans chapter 1
if you will Romans chapter number one
Notice what the Bible says in verse 15 the Apostle Paul said so as much as in me is I'm ready to preach the gospel
To you that are at Rome also for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ
For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek
So notice the gospel is the power of God unto salvation
But what did the Apostle Paul say? I'm ready to preach the gospel not I'm ready to hope that you read the gospel
No, no, he's ready to preach the gospel
Then he says for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith
As it is written the just shall live by faith
It takes someone who has faith who is saved to preach the gospel
Then that gospel is the power of God unto salvation and can get them saved go to Romans 10
Romans chapter number 10 explains the process by which someone is saved now Romans 10
It explains the process by which someone is saved but kind of in reverse order
So look at verse 13 says for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved
That's how you put your faith in Jesus, right verse 14
How then shall they call in call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom?
They have not heard notice this and how shall they hear without a preacher?
They must have a preacher to hear then when they hear they could believe
Then when they believe they could put their faith in Christ and call upon the name of the Lord
How shall they preach except they be sent?
Look, this is why we go so winning
This is why because this is what it takes for people to get to heaven and this is step one in learning the Bible
Step one and learning the Bible get saved. How do we do that?
We go out and preach the gospel to people we make it plain
We help them understand we transfer our faith to them go to psalm 119 psalm 119
So number one if you want to understand the Bible you got to get saved if you're not saved
You're not gonna understand the Bible if your family members want to argue with you about doctrine
Realize that you need to get them saved first before that could be a profitable discussion
It's just not gonna work number two pray and ask God to give you understanding pray and ask God to give you understanding
Look at Psalm 119 verse 18
Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law
You know God wants like we talked about this morning. He's ready to pour out his spirit upon people
He's ready to shower people with knowledge and understanding, but you have to want it
How does someone know the Bible really? Well, they wanted to know the Bible really well
And so one of the things that you should do when you read the Bible is pray and say God help me know the Bible
Help me to understand what I'm gonna read open mine eyes and show me wondrous things out of your law
You know, that is a prayer that God will answer
I'm telling you God wants you to know the Bible if you ask him in faith to get knowledge from the Word of God
He's gonna give it to you liberally go to James chapter number one James
Chapter number one by someone foolish regarding the Word of God. It's because they love foolishness because they love being simple
It's because they didn't ask God for understanding
James 1 verse 5 if any of you lack wisdom
Let him ask of God that giveth to all men notice liberally and abradeth not and it shall be given him
Notice he's he's gonna give out just liberally
I mean if you're asking for knowledge, he's ready to give you a ton of knowledge and he abradeth not he's not gonna be like
Hey, quit asking me. Hey, you're asking for too much here, you know, he's not gonna chide you or afraid you for asking for knowledge or wisdom
He's like yes, please here have as much as you want and so people that are really wise in the scriptures
I guarantee you they are people that asked God for understanding, you know
Prayer is not just some religious right or exercise that we do prayer actually changes things prayer actually makes a difference
And you know, I look up to guys that I have been looking up to and following for over a decade like pastor Anderson
It's like the guy is so wise in scripture
And he talks about how when he was a young child and a teenager how he would just pray and pray and pray
For wisdom you pray to learn how to win a soul that he would pray to understand the Bible
It's obvious that God has answered that prayer
It's obvious that God has been giving liberally and not abrading and you know what that's not exclusive to him
We all have the same access to that, you know, isn't that encouraging to know all of us could be
Extremely knowledgeable in the scriptures because we all have the same Spirit of God
We all have the same Heavenly Father that we could pray and ask for knowledge from says but let him that ask
For let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
With the wind and tossed for let not that man think that he shall receive
anything of the Lord a double-minded man is
Unstable in all his ways. So of course when God when we pray to God and we ask for knowledge and wisdom and gives it to us
He expects us to take that knowledge that we get and actually apply it, you know
He expects us to take the knowledge and listen to it and not just harden our hearts or say like I changed my mind
I mean I asked for knowledge, but I don't really want to know that, you know people ignorance is bliss, right?
My life was a lot more comfortable before I learned that if I don't preach the gospel to someone that people are gonna go to hell
No, never mind. I don't really want to hear that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and
Don't think that if you're asking God for knowledge, but then he gives it to you and you don't care you don't change
You don't take it to heart. Well, you better expect that. He's probably not gonna give you much in the future
And again, we look at someone. Why are they dumb? Why are they stupid?
Why are they ignorant of the scriptures because they want it to be because they got answers and they didn't listen to it
They didn't care about it, you know, we need to make sure if we ask and he gives it to us
Okay, let's obey what it says. Let's do what God says go to first Kings chapter 3
You know an example of a man that did this was King Solomon King
Solomon was one who asked God for wisdom and God gave it to him first Kings chapter number 3
Look what it says in verse 5 in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night
Now could you imagine God appearing to you in a dream by night? I mean, that's a pretty amazing thing
Today the Bible teaches us that in times past God spake by the prophets
But now he's spoken to us through his son
We have the word of God
But at this time the Lord actually came to Solomon in a dream and God said what will ask?
What I shall give thee and Solomon said thou has showed unto thy servant David thy father
My father great mercy
according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee and thou has kept for him this
Great kindness that thou has given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day
And now oh lord my god thou has made thy servant king instead of David my father and I am but a little child
I know not how to go out or come in and my servant is in the midst of thy people which thou has chosen a great
People that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude
so Solomon is kind of understanding the gravity of the
responsibility of leadership and he he looks at it kind of with awe and with respect and
Kind of with a little bit of fear as to what he has responsible on his shoulders
and so what he asks in verse 9 says give therefore thy servant an
Understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this
I so great a people God comes to him in a dream and says ask for me
What do you want and Solomon?
He didn't go asking for riches or for whatever it is that man's heart would normally ask for
He just says like wow God you've been so merciful to us. You fulfilled your promise to my father
You gave him a son to sit on your throne
Look at this great nation of God's people who could judge so great a people. So here's what I want God
I want you to give me an understanding heart
You know, what a great thing to ask of God and notice God his reaction to it in verse 10
It says and the speech pleased the Lord, you know
God is happy God is pleased with you when you pray and ask him for understanding and ask him for knowledge that makes your heavenly
Father happy to hear you know, we should take that seriously that as Solomon pleased God when he asked for wisdom
So us too if we ask for wisdom that's gonna make God happy
that's going to please him that Solomon had asked this thing and God said unto him because thou hast asked this thing and
Has not asked for thyself long life neither has to ask riches for thyself
Nor has to ask the life of thine enemies but has to ask for thyself
Understanding to discern judgment behold I have done according to thy words lo
I have given thee a wise and an
Understanding heart and boys that true because Solomon wrote a lot of the Proverbs where it's a book just about wisdom
Right so that there was none like thee before
Neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee and I've also given thee that which thou has not asked
Both riches and honor so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy days
You know the Bible says that wisdom is the principal thing it says with all thy getting get
wisdom and
Solomon had this mentality where he has an opportunity from God to ask God anything and he prioritizes
Wisdom and oftentimes when you prioritize wisdom
God will also bless you with other things that you like the other desires of your heart, but we should first prioritize
Wisdom that's what Solomon did. That's why he was a great judge. That's why he was a great
Discerner go to Habakkuk chapter number two Habakkuk chapter number two
So, you know, we need to take these things to heart that when you read the Bible
Hey, sincerely ask God to give you wisdom to give you understanding. You already got point one. I hope down get saved
I hope everyone in here is saved but point two you could do you could work on today?
You could ask God for those things number three this evening base your doctrine on clear
Statements, this is such an important principle when it comes to understanding the Bible base your doctrine on clear
Statements Habakkuk 2 2 says and the Lord answered me and said write the vision and make it plain
upon tables that he may run that read of it see the job of a
Preacher is to take what the word of God says and to make it simple
So that people could immediately know how to respond to the word of God, you know elsewhere in the New Testament first Corinthians 14
It talks about how you're supposed to blow the trumpet with a sure sound so that people aren't wondering like okay
It's like a trumpet for you know a battle or for a congregational assembly like you hear the trumpet, you know
Oh, this is what I need to do, right?
That's what good preaching is and the truth is is that a lot of the Bible is
Simple a lot of the Bible is clear now. There are definitely difficult passages in the Bible
There's no doubt about that. But a lot of the Bible it doesn't take all this like
Let's go back to the Greek and find out what it said and let's find out what the Church Fathers interpreted this as sometimes
It's just very clear what the Bible says and those scriptures that are very clear
Those are the ones that we base our doctrine on those are the verses that we use to help us
Interpret other verses that are not as clear right? It's like hey Jesus says call
No, your man your father upon the earth. That's a clear statement folks
You know verily verily he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. That's a very clear verse
Go to second Peter chapter number three second Peter chapter number three
But of course, you know, there are hard things in the Bible. No doubt about that
And I for one am glad that there are hard things in the Bible because I plan on reading this book every single day
Until I die and if it was just all easy all super
Simple it you could lose some interest in reading it, right? But every time I read the Bible, there's something to be learned there
There's something you didn't know before there's a deeper
Understanding that you could find second Peter 3 15 says and account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation
Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you
Also as also in all his epistles
Speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood
Which they that are unlearned and unstable
Rest so Peter's acknowledging which Peter's inspired by God. Peter's an apostle. Peter's a pastor
He's a great man of God, but even himself he's acknowledging
hey some of the things that the Apostle Paul wrote is hard to be understood and he says what people do with that those that
Are unstable and unlearned is they rest or twist those scriptures, right?
And this is what false prophets and false religion does they do not talk to you about the clear scriptures
Catholics are not gonna explain the doctrine of salvation to you using John 3 16. They're not gonna use John 3 18
They're not gonna use Ephesians 2 8 9. They're not gonna use Romans 3 23
They're gonna use James chapter 2. They're gonna they're gonna base their doctrine on salvation based on a question
Yeah, you can faith save him. No, you don't base your doctrine off of an unclear statement
You base doctrine on what's clear says those that are unlearned and unstable rest as they do also the other scriptures
Unto their own destruction they do the opposite they find the unclear scriptures
The ones where it's kind of muddy or they'll use a parable and they'll use those things to interpret the clear scriptures of the Bible
It's like here's 80 verses that say salvations by faith alone that it's not of works
That it's a free gift by grace. They're like, ah, but James - we have to realize that faith actually means work
No, no, no Romans 11 said it's not that it's actually the opposite of that work is not faith
Hey, it does not work, but they'll say well this question here it negates the whole rest of the New Testament
It's insanity, but this is what people that don't understand the Bible that are not safe
This is their method of understanding the Bible find the hardest most unclear verse and use it to discredit all the clear statements in
The Bible it's insanity folks. Let me tell you something if you come to a verse and you say man this verse
Seems like it's contradicting other clear statements folks chances are you're just not understanding that verse
Have you ever thought about that you ever thought about like hey, man, maybe I just need to study more
Maybe I need to read the Bible another time cover to cover and maybe I'll understand it next time but people read
60 80 a hundred verses about how salvations by faith face not of works
Not by the law not by the commandments and then they'll go to Philippians and it says oh working out your salvation
I guess that just discredits the whole rest of the Bible or maybe you just don't understand that verse they come to James chapter 2
Oh, you know can faith save him. Oh, I guess we just throw out in the rest of the Bible
No, that's foolish. You're one of those people that rests the scripture to your own destruction and let's go to James chapter number
Actually, we'll go there in a little bit go to
Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2 and I'm just gonna read a few verses for you
Okay, go to Ephesians 2. Let me just read a few verses for you John 6 47
Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life John 3 18
He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already
Because he had not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Romans 3 28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law
I mean, that's a clear verse, right?
I I sent that verse to a Catholic this week and they said huh a commonly used scripture taken out of contact
You want to know why it's commonly used because it's clear because it's a clear statement telling you we're not justified by the law
We're justified by faith Galatians 2 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law
But by the faith of Jesus Christ
Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law
For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Are there any questions?
Salvation is by faith. You're not gonna be justified. You're not gonna have your sins forgiven by doing the works of the law
Well, how do you know that because the Bible says that by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified
You see this just clear scripture, right? Look at Ephesians 2 8 9 for by grace. That's something you don't deserve
Are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves? It is the gift of God not of works. Let's say any man should boast
Oh, but here's what you have to understand. It's salvations by faith. Yeah. Oh, yeah, it's not of works
But faith means doing good works. You're an idiot. You're not saved folks
The Bible says salvation is by faith. It is through grace
It is a free gift and that means that it's not of works
because guess what if you think that doing works and
Living a good life and doing commandments is getting you a gift of eternal life
Then I hope that you are thanking your employer every payday for bestowing upon you the gracious
Free gift of your paycheck you better thank them for your free gift because you doing work 40 hours a week
I mean, that's faith. That's free, right? I mean, I I am NOT doing anything for my employer
I just work 40 hours a week and they give me the free gift of a paycheck folks. This is insanity
This is the carnal mind. This is what happens when you're not safe is that they can't even understand clear
Verses in the Bible. Okay, go to James chapter 2 then keep all that in mind all those verses that we just read that
We're so clear then this is what will happen James 2 verse 14 James 2 verse 14
What does it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and have not works
Can faith save him?
So here the Bible gives us a question and this question is asking not about salvation
It's asking what something profits. What does it profit my brethren?
Though a man say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him now if this is talking about
Spiritual salvation as far as going to heaven your soul being redeemed and escaping the flames of hell can faith save him
Well, let's answer that question stay there and James 2 Romans 4 5 says but to him that worketh not
So this person does no works. They don't go to church. They don't confess their sins to a priest
They don't do the sacraments
They don't you know pray to marry whatever stupid works the Catholics think you have to do to get to heaven
But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly that's Jesus Christ his faith is
Counted for righteousness. There's a clear scripture, right? So can faith save him spiritually? Absolutely
How do I know that because there's a clear Bible verse that says even if you have zero works
But you have faith you are safe. You are justified now James 2 14 though
Notice the example that it brings up the question is does it profit someone if you say you have faith and have no works
can that faith save him verse 15 gives us an example if a brother or sister be naked and
Destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be ye warmed and filled not withstanding
You give them not those things which are needful to the body
what does it profit if a church member was literally starving and
Destitute and naked and just about to die and you say hey brother be ye warmed and filled
Have a good day as they starve and as they're naked and as they don't have what they need
Does your faith?
Profit them the answer is no and that's what this is teaching if you have faith, but you don't have works
You know what you are you're unprofitable to other people
But if I have faith and no works, am I still safe? Yes, if I have faith and never preach the gospel though
Am I profiting anyone? No, I'm not if I have faith and just sit in my my
House and don't ever go to church on Sunday and don't ever come and exhort God's people is my faith profiting anyone
No, it is not. Okay, and if someone was literally naked and starving and I just said be you warmed and filled
That's not gonna profit them. Is it no it is not go to I look at verse 17 even so
Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone
It's talking about being profitable to other people elsewhere in James chapter 2
It says well even the devils believe and tremble and so Catholics will say see the devils have faith alone
Doctrine, but since they don't have works, they're going to hell
no, it says that the devils believe that there's one God and
No Baptist teaches that believing one God exists is going to take you to heaven
What it means to believe is what we explained in Ephesians chapter 1 is that you're trusting in Jesus Christ
Believing Jesus Christ exists is not going to save anyone you have to yes believe he exists
But also trust that his death burial and resurrection are the only things taking you to heaven
That's what it means to believe in Jesus and guess what the devils don't do that
The devils believe there's one God big deal go to second Peter chapter number one second Peter chapter number one
But here's what I've noticed that false prophets and false religions do is that when there's a clear statement
Just as clear as day that debunks their false doctrine. They love to hide behind this magical word called
Interpretation where even if the Bible just clearly destroys their false doctrine. Oh, that's your
Interpretation raise your hand if you've heard this before everyone who's ever gone soul-winning has heard this. Oh, that's your interpretation
Okay, second Peter chapter 1 verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy
Whereunto you you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and
The day star arise in your hearts knowing this first that that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
Interpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man
But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost who gave us the word of God
God gave us the word of God not man Catholics like to believe
Oh the Catholic Church gave you the word of God
No
God gave us the Bible and Catholic Church throughout history has tried to censor and ban and
Criminalize people having the word of God, but guess what the Bible says it's not of any private
Interpretation go to first Timothy chapter number three
Let me show you an example of this first Timothy chapter number three meaning that you shouldn't read the Bible and come away with some
Personal interpretation that is not shared by other Christians
Every single thing that I believe is shared by millions and millions of other Christians because I'm not teaching something that's private to me
I'm teaching what the clear words of the Bible say, okay
First Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 this is a true saying if a man desire the office of a bishop
He desire at a good work a bishop then notice this word must this is a qualification a bishop then
Must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality apt to teach
The Bible says oh you want to be a bishop. That's great. You're desiring a good work. Here's the qualifications
You must be blameless and you must be the husband of one wife
So we as Baptist say hey check out first Timothy chapter 3 check it out where it says that to be a pastor
You have to be the husband of one wife. Hey Catholics
Why do you teach that to be a bishop? You must not be married
You must not be the husband of one wife. Look at what the clear verse is. Oh, that's your interpretation
No, it's not you false prophet. This is just clear statements from the Bible. I'm not interpreting the Bible
I'm making an observation of what the text says
Observation. What does the text say?
Interpretation what does the text mean?
Application, what should you do? Stop doing think stop thinking feel stop feeling. Okay, so it's like
Observation. Oh look to be a bishop. You must be married or you must be the husband of one wife
Interpretation. Hey, you know, you have to be married to be a pastor and here's another interpretation
You can't be divorced and remarried either because it says you have to be the husband of one wife
So there's an app there's an interpretation, but guess what? My interpretation is shared by millions of other people
It's not some private interpretation. Okay application, huh? I should realize that the Catholic Church doesn't believe the Bible
I should realize that that's a false religion. Here's the application for Catholics
You should repent you should change your false belief and the false idea that you have
Because it's against what the Bible says first Timothy chapter 2 look at verse Timothy chapter 2 verse 11
Remember we base our doctrine on what clear statements verse 11
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection man. That is a hard verse to interpret right there
They won't have any idea what silence means because man, it's just really hard to understand silence
What is that?
But I suffer not a woman to teach in order to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence
Just I'm racking my brain here
I just can't figure out what this means for Adam was first formed then Eve and Adam was not deceived
But the woman being deceived was in the transgression folks. It's a clear passage
Let the woman learn in all silence. I suffer not here. Let me interpret that for you. I allow not I
Allow not a woman to teach nor for a woman to usurp the authority over the man
So here's an application. Hey women should not be pastors women should not be clergy. Oh wait. That's your interpretation
No, it's not that's the clear verse that's in front of your face
And what you got to realize about people that do this when someone just denies a clear verse
Like this person is a scorner. This person is a heretic and heretic after the first and second admonition
Reject if someone's not going to change their mind by clear verses in the Bible
There's nothing you could ever do to change their mind. It doesn't matter if you show them that Jesus Christ had siblings
They will still believe Mary was the perpetual virgin
It doesn't matter that the Bible says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
They will still believe that Mary was sinless doesn't matter that you show them. Hey pastors have to be married
They will still believe clergy has to be unmarried because they don't care about the truth
Okay, they are heretics and so they must be rejected
These are clear clear verses my friends go to Matthew chapter 24 Matthew chapter 24, you know
What about end times prophecy? Well, just like anything else in the Bible. What do we do?
We make our doctrine based off of clear statements Matthew 24 verse 29
immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall
fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven and
Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man
Coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his angels
With a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other
This is known as the rapture and when is it that the rapture occurs? The Bible says it happens after the tribulation
Huh? I wonder when the rapture happens. It says after the tribulation. Oh, that's your interpretation. What are you talking about?
It's a clear scripture after the tribulation go to Revelation 4 now
here's where pre trippers will base their doctrine off of because you know people who are pre-trib their Baptist and
They would agree with my point tonight. They would just disagree with its application
They would say of course we should base our doctrine off of clear scripture. We're Baptist, right?
That's what all Baptist will tell you
But yet this verse in Revelation 4 1 is where they would base their doctrine for a preacher rapture
You ask a pre tripper show me the preacher rapture in the Bible. They will show you this right here Revelation 4 1
Let's see if this is clear after this I that's John in the Isle of Patmos
Looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking
With me which said come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter
That was the clear statement that said that the Rapture happens before the tribulation
That's where they'll show you and you know
I know a lot of people in here
They weren't old IFB before they were in this church so you may not understand what I'm saying right now
But those of us who spent time in the old IV we've heard this revelation for one
This is the clear verse that says that it's pre trip folks
You got John who's in the Isle of Patmos who is in a spiritual vision where he sees these things
That's not a clear verse whereas Jesus's disciples asked him about the end times and he told them
Hey after the tribulation of those days, then the Rapture is gonna happen. That's a clear statement
Go to Matthew chapter 16 Matthew chapter 16. Let me show you another example
The Catholic Church teaches the office of the Pope, right?
We talked about the Pope a few weeks ago and you ask a Catholic show me a pope in the Bible
Like where do you guys get this idea of the office of a pope, right? There's Apostles bishops deacons evangelists pastors
I see all that. Where's the Pope? They'll say, okay, Matthew 16. So let's see if this is real clear
All right, and Simon Peter answered and said thou art the Christ the Son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto
Him blessed art thou Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven
and I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall
Not prevail against it and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven
Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven
You guys realize that peter was the first catholic pope, right? I mean wasn't that clear
I i'm i'm jesus you're peter and you are going to be the first
Pope of the holy roman catholic church. I mean that was really clear, right?
But yeah, this is what catholics will tell you think i'm joking
This is literally their verse that they'll hang their hat on say here's where pope is in the bible. Thou art peter folks
What have I told you that peter was a pastor?
What have I told you that he was yes an apostle, but he was also a pastor
You want to find me the word pope in the bible that you'll never find it
I'll eat my toe if you show me where pope is in the bible because guess what you'll never find it
There's no verse where it teaches that now go to first peter chapter number two
first peter chapter two
I think funny enough what was written by peter can kind of shed some light on what this is talking about here now, of course
We know in first corinthians the bible does tell us that that spiritual rock that the fathers followed in the wilderness was jesus
And I do believe jesus is the rock like capital t
He capital r rock like jesus is the rock but notice what it says right here in first peter 2 5 ye
Also as lively stones, you know, those are okay
Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
Acceptable to god by jesus christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture behold
I lay in scion a chief cornerstone that chief rock the rock, right?
He lect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. So amen. Jesus is the big rock
Okay, don't misconstrue what i'm about to say here
But verse 7 says unto you therefore which believe he is precious
But unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders
Disallowed the same as made the head of the corner and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
Even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed but ye
Are chosen generation royal priesthood holy nation a peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness
Into his marvelous light. So notice how peter said that ye also are lively stones
And so when jesus says to him thou art peter and upon this rock
I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it
Peter was the first if not one of the first pastors ever right a pastor is a new testament office
There's no pastors in the old testament
You have apostles those existed at the time of christ and shortly thereafter people who saw the risen christ
There are no apostles today, but today we have pastors and peter was one of those and he's telling him
Hey, thou art peter and upon this rock. I will build my church new testament christianity was just kicking off
And the apostles had to lay the foundation and build upon that foundation of christianity
And the apostle peter was a huge mover and shaker in that and so he's jesus ordained peter
As a pastor and he's saying hey i'm giving you power i'm giving you authority
And by the way your pastor you have real authority what you bind on earth. I've got your back
I'm gonna bind it in heaven and whatever you loose on earth. I'm gonna loose it in heaven just like today
Pastor is a position in the church that has authority and you know what that was the same thing with peter upon that rock
He will build his church and you know what upon these rocks too and upon this rock, too
You know, we are lively stones that are building up the foundation of the kingdom of god and every generation
We're just building on that last generation of stones building building building
But of course who is the chief cornerstone the lord jesus christ?
I have no problem when people say jesus is the rock. Of course
He's the rock but in this specific passage when he says thou art peter and upon this rock
I do believe he's primarily referring to the apostle peter. So here's where catholics and I can agree
Hey, this is talking about peter, but you know, what's funny is that the bible actually says elsewhere that he's a bishop
The bible teaches that he's a pastor, you know, it's funny. Where is it where it says he's a pope
Where's the where's the office of a pope? There's no scripture having that office first timothy chapter three
I'll show you the qualifications of a bishop titus chapter one. I'll show you the qualifications of a bishop
There's no qualifications of a pope because it's a damned office. It is a false office. It's not godly
It's not of god. It's wicked as hell the vicar of christ the vicar of satan
And you know what i'm still praying that this stupid pope francis dies and goes to hell burn in hell pope francis
Go to matthew chapter 19 while you're turning there proverbs 26 verse 7 says the legs of the lame are not equal
So is a parable in the mouth of fools, right?
And this is what people who don't understand the bible do they twist parables also
You know, you don't want to use stories in the bible to base your doctrine again. You want to use clear statements
Here's an example of people that did this matthew 19 verse 3
The Pharisees also came unto him tempting him and saying unto him
Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
And he said and he answered and said unto them
Have you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female?
And said for this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they twain
Shall be one flesh wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh what therefore god have joined together
Let not man put us under oh, but there are stories in the old testament of people practicing polygamy
It's a story. It doesn't mean it was right. Jesus said that those twain shall be one flesh
So you use the clear statement of the scripture to interpret the story by the way stories
They're interesting you can learn things from them, but you don't base doctrine off of stories
I had a catholic church ask me. Well, if you don't call clergy father, are you just going to ignore
Thousands and thousands of years of god's people calling clergy father. Yes, I am because history is not doctrine
Oh, but people have done this for thousands of years. That's not proof. What does the bible say and man baptist?
What's the big biggest difference between baptist and catholics? This is our final authority for catholics
It's the roman catholic church. That's their final authority. It's man's opinion
It's the pope which is why catholicism is a cult and it's the largest cult on planet earth
They don't follow the bible clear statements from the lord. Jesus christ
Go to hebrews 12 hebrews chapter 12 number four this evening. Let the new testament
Interpret the old testament. This is another really important
Idea when it comes to understanding the bible is that if you're struggling with something in the old testament
You let the new testament commentary tell you what the old testament means hebrews 12 verse 19 for the law made nothing perfect
But the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh into god verse 20 of hebrews 12
And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest for those priests were made without an oath
But this with an oath by him that said unto him the lord swear and will not repent
Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek by so much was jesus made a surety notice of a better
Testament the new testament is the better testament. Hey, I love the old testament. You should read it
You should believe it, but you know what the better testament is. It's the new testament jesus made a surety of a better
Testament now, let's look at an example of what i'm teaching go to genesis 12 and galatians chapter 3 genesis 12
In galatians chapter number three, we use the new testament to comment on the old
Not vice versa. Okay, we need to take advantage of the scripture that we have access to now genesis 12 verse 1
Now the lord had said unto abram get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house
Unto a land that I will show thee and I will make of thee a great nation
And I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing verse 3
We've all heard this one and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curse at thee
And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed boy. Oh boy
This has to be like the most quoted verse in independent fundamental baptist churches
And again, if you're from the old ifb this is what you've heard and this is probably how you've heard it read
And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that cursed thee
And in these shall all families of the earth be blessed and what are they talking about jews?
This is what the old ifb does. I mean here's a clear verse that says that jews are forever blessed
They're still god's chosen people today, but hold on a second. The new testament actually interprets this story for us
I don't have to give you my interpretation
You don't have to give me yours the bible in the new testament tells us galatians 3 look at galatians chapter 3 verse 14
That the blessing of abraham isn't that what we just read might come on the who what what is that?
Gentiles every ifv person was like ah what does that say who snuck that into my bible read it man
that the blessing of abraham might come on the
Gentiles through jesus christ that we might receive the promise of spirit through faith
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men though it be but a man's covenant yet
If it be confirmed no man disannuleth or addeth thereto now to abraham and his seed
Where the promise is made he said not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed
Which is christ when god said to abraham that I will bless them
The and curse him that cursed thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed
You know what he was referring to he was referring to the promise of the coming of the lord jesus christ
And all families of the earth are blessed through thy seed to abraham
Because that seed was jesus christ jesus was physically descended from abraham
And so he is that promise that's how the promise could be fulfilled to the gentiles was because anyone can believe on jesus christ
Jew gentile doesn't matter what nation you're from
You can put your faith in christ and be saved and when someone puts their faith in christ
They are now god's chosen people. They now have the abrahamic covenant
Fulfilled in them because they have been blessed through abraham seed by believing on jesus christ
Go to romans chapter 2 and again, what are we talking about?
We use the new testament to interpret the old you say no
There's still these special people in the middle east that have this special covenant with god
And some people like john hagi would take it so far to say that the jews don't even need the gospel
They have a separate covenant and how could the jews be faulted for rejecting that which was never offered unto them, right?
He'll deny that jews need to get saved and believe in jesus christ because there's the special group
Well, look at romans 2 verse 28. What is a jew anyways for he is not a jew, which is one outwardly
Neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a jew which is one inwardly
And circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men
But of god being a jew is not that you live in israel
Being a jew is not that you've been circumcised being a jew is not that you have the law of god or something like that
Being a jew is one inwardly circumcision is that of the heart being a jew spiritually in the new testament
Is someone who believes in jesus christ. It's not someone who believes the satanic religion of what today is called judaism
Those are the ones that are called jews and are not
But lie that is what you call the synagogue of satan
See, this is how you actually can use the new testament to interpret the old to give commentary on the old
We'll go to three more scriptures will be done this evening go to psalm 119 number five a strategy to learn the bible
Is to memorize the scripture memorize the scripture now psalm 119 verse 97 says
Oh, how love I thy law. It is my meditation all the day
Thou through thy commandments has made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me
I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation
How does someone get more understanding than all their teachers says for thy testimony is my
Meditation meaning you're thinking about it over and over and over. I
Understood more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts and you know
I'm not gonna spend too much time developing this this evening
But I'll just tell you from my own personal anecdotal experience
Is that the chapters in the Word of God that I know the best are chapters that I have committed to memory
Because there's just something about God's Word being your meditation all the day that his testimonies being our meditation
That causes us to understand more than our teachers more than the ancients
There's just something about mulling the Word of God over over and again in your head and in your heart
That really just cements the truth of God's Word into your soul
You know you think about the soul winning verses that you all use every single week
No one's going to stump you on Ephesians 2 8 9. No one's gonna stump you on anything in Romans
No one's gonna stump you on these doctrines that you have just preached and heard and read and memorized over and over and over again
Because you've just got it committed to memory
So, you know, I would really encourage you to do the Bible memory verses that our church does because it will help you
Understand that chapter more than listening to a sermon about it more than just reading it once
Quoting and memorizing the Bible will really help you grasp it
And here's the thing if you memorize the chapter a year from now two years from now
You're probably not going to be able to word perfect quoted verbatim again in the future and that's okay
Okay, I'm a type a kind of guy kind of drives me crazy
I want to have it word perfect for all of my life, but I've just told myself
Hey, even if a year from now, I don't have it perfectly memorized
it's okay because you know what I do know I do understand that chapter now and
What's nice is I know where it's located in the Bible. I don't have to ever wonder
Yeah, where's that verse about how like we have an anchor of the soul because I've memorized Hebrew six, right?
And if I want to show someone that verse I'm just like I know it's Hebrew six
Oh something Romans boom, I know exactly what chapter that is
That is a skill that is very useful and let me tell you that's useful as a preacher you guys that want to preach
To know where things are in the Bible and soul winners, which should be every single person this room
You're a preacher too, you know having the Bible the soul winning verses memorized will help you greatly
Go to back to second Timothy chapter number two while I read for you John 14 26
But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name
he shall teach you all things and
bring all things to your
Remembrance whatsoever. I have said unto you the Holy Ghost can
Supernaturally bring Bible verses to your remembrance when you need them
But in order for the Holy Spirit to do that
He has to have something to work with meaning that you had to have heard those verses before thought about those verses before
Memorize those verses before then boom the Holy Spirit could step in and bring those forth to your remembrance
Last verse we'll read we'll go ahead and close with this verse 2nd Timothy 2 verse 15 study to show thyself
Approved unto God a workman that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth
I don't want to be ashamed
I want to be a workman that studies hard to know the word of God and so
Five things we could do to really know the Bible number one get saved
Hopefully everyone's already taken care of that unless you're real young number two pray for understanding
You could do this every time you read the Bible at home
You're doing your devotions every time you can say Lord open thou mine eyes that I may
Behold wondrous things out of thy law. You could get that wisdom from God number three based doctrine on clear statements
Number four interpret the Old Testament with the New Testament number five memorize the scriptures. Let's have a word of prayer Lord
We thank you for the Word of God the great gift that we have of the Bible preserved in English through the King James Version
I pray that we would all study every single day the Word of God that you'd help us to understand it more
I just pray on behalf of anchor Baptist Church that you would give us all
Wisdom and understanding in the scriptures that you would just pour out your spirit liberally unto us
That you'd help us to understand even the deep and darker passages of scripture and help us to share it with the world
We love you in Jesus name we pray. Amen. If you'll grab your hymnal our final hymn this evening number
180 isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful hymn number
180
180 isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful 180 there on the first
Isn't the love of Jesus