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how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he And what I want to preach about this evening is the topic of believing in vain. Now, I remember as a brand new Christian reading the Bible, and obviously at that point I was already saved, I'd gotten saved, and I knew that it was by faith alone, I knew that you couldn't lose your salvation. But you know, sometimes you run into certain scriptures that as a newborn babe can kind of throw you off. Does everyone agree with that? You know, sometimes you run into someone who's like, Man, that sounds like, you know, either you can just stop believing or, you know, maybe you could lose your salvation. But I know you can't because the Bible predominantly teaches that you can't. I'm going to go ahead and accept this by faith, and maybe I'll understand it later. And I'll be honest with you, this is one of those scriptures that really stumped me when I was a brand new Christian. Right here in verse number two where it says, By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. Now the question is, what does it mean to believe in vain? What does that mean? Well, I'm saved if I keep in memory unless, you know, whoever, whatever soul owner gave me the gospel, when they preached unto me, I just believed in vain. What does that actually mean? Well, the most simplest way to define this is this, to believe in vain means you never believed in the first place. It doesn't mean you forget your salvation. It doesn't mean that you got saved, but all of a sudden you start following a different Jesus. You became a Mormon. You became a Jehovah's Witness. You went back to the Catholic whore of a church. You know, you went back to your old system of beliefs. No, when the Bible says you believed in vain, it means you never really believed in the first place. This is what this is referring to. You know, it's when people give lip service. I guarantee you when we go out soul winning, everyone who we think we see saved is not, they don't always get saved. Now the vast majority of them, I'm sure of them do. But you know what? There's going to be times when people pay lip service. They tell us what we want to hear. They just give the right answers. Yay, they'll even pray with you. But you know what? They believed in vain. In fact, today I went with Brother Hector out to go preach the gospel. And I got to witness to this young man, and I believe he got saved. The reason I believe he got saved, he just seemed very receptive. He was answering the questions that I was giving to, I think it was his aunt or his father, both of them. And I believe he got saved. But you know, the second person we ran into, they listened to the entire gospel presentation. They agreed with every single point. She agreed with every point. She gave me all the right answers. But then when I asked her, would you like to pray and trust Christ as your Savior? She says, no. Now I'll be honest with you. Someone who believes what I just explained to them in regards to the gospel, if they don't want to accept it, if they don't want to pray, I don't believe that they're believing. You know, because if you believe you're going to hell, you believe that salvation is free. You believe that you don't have to do anything. You don't have to keep the commandments. You don't have to be a good person and you just completely reject it. You're just like, nah, I'm good. I don't believe you're even paying attention the whole time. I think that people like that are just trying to be nice. They're trying to just get you off their back. They have people skills, right? And what they're doing is just giving you the answers. And look, there's people like that. No, we didn't pray with that lady. I just gave her the verses and I moved on. But you know, sometimes we do pray with people like that, and I guarantee you they believe in vain. An example of this would be Judas Iscariot, if you think about it. Because he was one of the 12 apostles. He was with Jesus Christ for three and a half years. And Pentecostals will ironically use him as an example to say, well, he lost his salvation. No, he never believed. He's saying, show me proof of that. Well, John chapter six, you don't have to turn there. Verse six, he says, many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this said, this is in heart saying, who could hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, doth this offend you? What and if you shall see the Son of Man descend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickened it, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. But there are some of you that lost your salvation. No, there are some of you that forgot you were saved. No, there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him. So what is this telling us here? This is telling us that Jesus Christ already knew from the beginning. When he says the beginning, he's referring to the beginning of that ministry who did not believe. He already knew. You know what this shows me? That Judas didn't believe later. He didn't believe and then stop believing. He didn't get carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of man and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. No, in fact, he was the one doing the deceiving because he acted like he was a follower of Christ. He acted like he was saved. But the Bible tells us here that he believed not from the beginning. So this is a perfect example of someone who believed in vain. They didn't really believe. Now, there may be two cases of this. Maybe someone who thinks that they believed, but they're still adding works to their salvation. Haven't you heard of Catholics who say, well, I believe in Jesus. I believe you have to trust Jesus Christ as your savior, but you have to do your part. That person is believing in vain. But then there's also the person who is just a deceiver. They are liars. You know, infiltrators, false teachers, false prophets, reprobates who come to our church and they try to infiltrate and they'll talk the talk. They'll walk the walk. They're wolves in sheep's clothing. They'll act like they truly believe, but what is it? They're actually lying. The Bible tells us in 1 John 2, verse 18, Little children, it is the last time, and ye have heard, and as ye have heard, that the antichrist shall come. Even now there are many antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us. Now, the Calvinists like to use this verse to say that, John, if you get out of church, you weren't really saved to begin with. That's what they'll say. You know, if you don't continue in the paths, if you don't read the Bible, if you don't win souls, if you don't live a godly life and you just get out, you backslide. There's no such thing as a backslidden Christian. You just were not really saved to begin with. But in context of this, this is referring to who? The what? The antichrists. Not the antichrists, but the antichrists which now are. People who are antichrists. They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went out that they may manifest that they were not all of us. Now let me ask you this. Here's a really hard question. Who wrote the book of 1 John? John, right? So who's he talking about when he talks about antichrists? In fact, what's another name for antichrists? The son of? Perdition. What do they call Judas? The son of? Perdition. So who's he talking about there? He's talking about Judas. He says they went out from us. For they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have no doubt continued with us. Referring to Judas Iscariot. These are people that never believed in the first place. They aren't people who lost their salvation. You know, the Pentecostals want to use verses like this and say, yeah, you got to remember, you know, you got to continue in the faith. And if you don't, then you just lose your salvation. That's baloney. That's poppycock. Okay. You're in 1 Corinthians 15. Look at verse 2 again. It says, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory. Now, it says what it says. Right? You know what that means? You should remember. It's not something you forget. You know? And I'm not saying you have to remember the day that you got saved. I remember the day that I got saved. But that's not the same for everyone. You just know I got saved. It's not something that you forget. It's not something, you know, some false prophet's not going to come to you and persuade you through a different doctrine, a different way of salvation, a false way of salvation, and just trip you up and you just forgot how you were really saved. That's false. That's foolishness. And I love the language here. If you keep in memory. Why? Because you should know these things. You should know that you're saved. Now, babes in Christ, will they be able to articulate it as good as someone who's in church, who learns doctrine? No. But for the most part, they'll be able to give the right answer. Okay? If you keep in memory. What is he saying? He's insinuating it'll stay with you throughout your entire life. So look, the example that I give out in soul winning is this. Because, you know, I've had people ask me that. Catholics will primarily ask this. They'll say, well, you know, stop believing. And I'll say, well, think about that. Because that really irritates me, that stupid doctrine. Is it any surprise that only unsafe people come up with that? You know? Oh, I knew someone in our church who believed that. Yeah, like I said, unsafe people only believe that. And when I tell, I just give them this brief explanation that really helps them to understand. I said, do you have a dad? You know, they'll say, yeah, I got a dad. I said, if you don't get along with your dad and you move to New York and you stay here, you guys don't talk, do you just forget that you ever had a dad? He's like, no. I'm like, would you ever be able to put out of your mind that a dad, that your dad, you know, was your dad? I was like, no. You can get along with them, you can fight with them, but you'll never come to this realization, man, did I ever have a dad? I know I had a mom, but did I ever have a dad? It's funny, but you know, it's true. And you know what? And I explained to them in like manner, the Bible says that when you get saved, the Bible tells us, but as many as receive unto them give you power to become the sons of God, even unto them that believe in his name. God becomes our Heavenly Father. We become the children of God, and guess what? In like manner, we don't forget that. We do not forget that God is our Father. We keep it in memory. Now, why does it say, why does it use that terminology? Well, think about the process through which we get saved. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, is it not? So when we get saved, the Holy Spirit comes and he dwells within the believer. He's sealed until the day of redemption. And what is another name for the Holy Spirit? The Comforter who will bring all things to remembrance whatsoever I have spoken unto you. He brings those things into remembrance. Well, that's just the Bible. Amen, yeah. But you know what? If that doesn't suffice, how about Romans chapter 8 where the Bible says that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Now, think about this for a moment. If the Bible says that he bears witness, God is not a man that he should lie. So whatever the Spirit bears witness of, it's true. So if you believed in vain or you say, well, I forgot, oh, I don't really think I even believed in the first place and I just don't think, you know, I think the Mormon way is the right way. What you're calling the Holy Spirit is a liar if you're actually saved. But we know that that's not true because he bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And I would say that you need minimal amount of doctrine to even know that. Because I've known people who are super backslidden, have been in church, and they'll tell you straight to your face, no, I know I'm saved. You remember when you got saved? I don't remember exactly when I got saved, but I know that I'm saved. I'm just really backslidden because the Spirit bears witness. The Holy Spirit doesn't leave someone when they backslide. They're sealed until the day of redemption. Now, are they grieving the Holy Spirit of God? Yes. Are they quenching the Holy Spirit of God? Absolutely. But you know what the Bible tells us is that the inward man delights in the law of God. So there will always be a desire within a person to want to go to church, to read the Bible, to live a life that's pleasing unto the Lord. Why? Because they have the inward man. They have the inward man that desires these things, and that inward man coincides with the Holy Spirit that bears witness that we're the children of God. It's not something you forget. You don't need to go to theological seminary to learn that. You just need to get saved. And once you get saved, you know for a fact I'm saved. Okay? You're in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Look down at your Bibles at verse number 11. So the question is, why is the Apostle Paul telling the church at Corinth that they might have believed in vain? Well, a very, you know, surface understanding of the book of 1 and 2 Corinthians leads us to understand that Paul the Apostle was questioning their salvation. Right? I mean he went as far as 2 Corinthians 13 to say that they might have been reprobates. Because of the fact that they're in church, they're listening to preaching, and they're rejecting him as a leader, they might have not even had Christ in them to begin with. They might have just been reprobates. And specifically in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the reason he's explaining to them, hey, I delivered unto you, you know, that Christ was crucified, he was buried, he rose again, and he's explaining these things. Look at verse 11. He says, therefore whether I were, excuse me, therefore whether it were I or they, so he preached, so he believed. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? Now look, that's cause for concern. You run into someone that's like, yeah, I don't really know if Christ resurrected from the dead. It's like you might have believed in vain. Because if you're denying the resurrection, no, all you have to do is believe. Part of believing is believing that he resurrected from the grave. The Bible tells us that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You see, when we talk about believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, it's an all-encompassing believe that he died for all your sins and that he resurrected. That's what we're talking about. So he's like, you're saying there's no resurrection from the dead? Look at verse 13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain. And your faith is also vain. Now think about this, because I know people will use this and say, well, what he's saying there is that his preaching was worthless because they didn't really believe. No, what he's saying there is that his preaching doesn't even exist or that they're lying about what they're saying. You're reading too much into that. Well, let's read on. Verse 15, yea, and we are found false witnesses of God. So when he says that our preaching is vain, he's following that up with verse 15 that says we're found false witnesses. Why? Because what we told you wasn't even true. You know, like if someone says that they get saved and they don't really believe on Christ, they can say it's true, but it's not true. They can say they're saved, but they're not really saved because they gave a false witness of what they claim to believe. Does that make sense to everyone? Pretty simple. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not of, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then it's not Christ raised, but if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain and ye are yet in your sins. So this is what it means to believe in vain. In other words, you just bore false witness of what you testified that you believe. That's what it is. And you know, people will often take verses like this and teach false doctrine that we can stop believing. We had an idiot in our church who believed that. You know, they say, you know, you can stop believing. And he went as far as to say that, you know, the oneness Pentecostal people, the modalists are saved. I mean, this guy went as far as to say that Tyler Baker was saved. Like facepalm, like what? Oh, yeah, he just he believes in the right. You know, he got saved a long time ago. He just got carried about with a different Jesus. It's like, what in the world? And then the stupid logic behind it. Oh, you know, you can forget, you know, sometimes, I mean, I don't even know, you know, sometimes I can forget or something, you know. It's like, no, sometimes all the time, you're just a heretic. That's what it is. You're just not saved. And I personally think the guys are a reprobate because this isn't a soft, watered down, no doctrine church. Any time he was in this church, he was getting a lot of doctrine. And guess what? He rejected every single one of it. He heard all kinds of doctrine in regards to salvation. He heard all kinds of doctrines from the Bible. And he still left thinking that foolish doctrine, believing that foolish doctrine. Oh, no, he gave me a clear testimony. No, he believed in vain. He lied. That's what that means. He bore false witness of his own salvation. So-called, right? You know, they'll say, well, you know, we can believe in the right Jesus and then believe in a different Jesus. And here's the problem with this because people can't get carried away with this. You know, people can be deceived by these false teachers and false prophets because of the fact if they're not grounded in the Bible, if you're not grounded in doctrine, you can get confused. And the problem here is that they will often associate believing all across the board with salvation. So just keep this in mind. When the Bible talks about believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, yes, obviously, that's for salvation. But I'll be honest with you, not every time that the word believe shows up, it's about salvation, right? Because believe simply means to have faith. And the Bible tells us in Romans chapter number one that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. You see, we often think about the verse, the just shall live by what? Faith, right? That's true in its most practical sense when it comes to salvation because in order for us to live forever, we have to have faith. But you know what? That doesn't stop there, though. Because after salvation, we still need to believe in God, not for salvation, but for his provision, his protection, his care, his favor. Everything that we need in this life, we need to believe. In fact, the Bible tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. You see, you've never seen God, I've never seen God, no one has ever seen God, but the Bible tells us that because we believe in him and if we diligently seek the person whom we have not seen with our own eyes, he rewards us for that because we have faith. So the Bible's telling us here that believing in faith is not just in regards to salvation. That is the beginning, amen? But thereafter, we need to grow in our faith. How do we grow in our faith? Well, we grow in our faith by obeying God, obeying God's word, praying for needs, and giving them answers. Because you know what that does to you? That increases your faith. You know what this did to me? It increased my faith. It increased my faith. It was like, man, I knew you could, but I didn't think you would. It increased my faith. We prayed and we, look, just this week, there was a big need that my wife and I had, a very large need that I've been praying for. For about five days straight. And we got the need answered yesterday. Just randomly. I mean, miraculously. Got it answered. You know what that did? That increased my faith. That made me want to pray more. Why? And I believe it's God rewarding us for diligently seeking him. You see, that requires faith. And we need to recognize, obviously we need faith to be saved initially, but thereafter, we need to move from faith to faith. And continue to pray and ask God to provide for our needs, to increase our faith. And what does it mean when we increase our faith in God? It means we trust him more. We trust him more. We don't just trust him for eternal life. We begin to trust him for everything in this present time, in this present life. The Bible says, as he have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. How do we receive Christ Jesus the Lord? By faith. By faith. So he's saying, how do we walk in him? By faith. Go to Luke chapter number eight, if you would. Luke chapter number eight. This is the problem when you fixate and you don't study the Bible, you don't rightly divide the word of truth, is you associate every single time a word is used for just one doctrine. And you don't learn how to rightly divide and compare scripture with scripture and see what is God saying in this portion of scripture? No, you just associate that word for everything. You can't do that. You need to go according to the context. You need to compare scripture with scripture. And the same thing goes with this word about believing, having faith. Now look at Luke chapter eight, verse number 11. It says, now the parable is this, the seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear, then cometh the devil, and then taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Now, practically speaking, how would this look like? Well, in my opinion, sometimes you witness to someone and you can tell they got it, but maybe they're just not ready. I mean, don't you often tell them, look, there's a prayer here, you can say that, this is how you can get saved. I believe sometimes people go back and actually get saved like that, because they understand, they know, we explained it, and they go do it on themselves, right? But I believe there's times when people do this, and Satan comes and steals the word of God out of their heart, lest they should believe and be saved. Okay? This could be an example of that. Look at verse 13. They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy, and these have no root, which for a while believe and a time of temptation fall away, the Bible says. Now, this heretic that was in our church uses scripture to prove his doctrine. It says right here, you know, they receive the word with joy, but they have no root, they believe for a while, but then in a time of temptation they fell away. See, they stopped believing on Jesus. It's like, whoa, you just went into the Greek, the Hebrew, you went into Septuagint, you went into everything for that one, because they'll use which for a while believe and a time of temptation fall away. Now, go with me, if you would, to Matthew chapter 13. Let's look at its parallel passage to get a clear understanding of what this is talking about. And by the way, I agree with what we just read, amen? There are people that when they get saved, they believe for a while, and then in a time of temptation, they do fall away. And let me say this, they do stop believing. But the question is, what do they stop believing? Right? Because is it only believing that we're saved? No. Look at Matthew 13 verse 18. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower, when anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside, but he that received the seed into stony places, the same as he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Yet hath he not root in himself, but doereth, that's another word for endure, but endureth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. So when it talks about believing, it associates it, it compares it with enduring. Enduring what? Persecution. Enduring what? Trials. Enduring what? Temptations. Enduring what? Tribulation. By and by he is offended. So if we compare these two scriptures, what did he stop believing in? Someone tell me. God's provision. God's protection. Because in the time of temptation, he got offended. What does that mean? He got scared. Go to Matthew 26. So often when we see this concept of being offended, it's often in reference to persecution. We often use it and say, oh, this guy got offended, you know, because he's a little weenie or whatever, you know, he's a snowflake, you know. We can apply like that, but biblically when we see that, that's actually referring to someone who's offended. In other words, they're caused to stumble because they have no root in themselves. They're not rooted in the Bible. They're not rooted in their beliefs. They don't have the core values, the core beliefs, really. You know, they haven't read the Bible. They haven't established a strong walk with God. Therefore, they may not know of God's protection and his provision. They lack faith, and what happens is they stop believing that God can actually protect them. Look at Matthew 26, verse 30. Let's verify this. It says in verse 30, and when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives, Then said Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night. Is he saying all you guys are just going to stop believing in me? For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. So what is he saying there? Is Peter saying, look, I'm never going to stop believing that you're my Savior. No, he knows what he's talking about. When Jesus said ye shall be offended, Peter knew, oh no, look, though all should forsake thee, I'm not going to forsake thee, I'm not going to be offended, even though the shepherd will be struck, even though the sheep, you said the sheep of the flock shall be scattered, I'm not going to leave you because I'm not going to get offended at that. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crowed, thou should deny me thrice. What is being offended associated with? Denying Christ. Right? Because you're scared, you don't want to die, you don't want to get beat up, you don't want to get persecuted, therefore he denies them, right? Verse 35, Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee, likewise also said all the disciples. See, Peter knew what he was talking about. He says, though I die with thee, though they kill me, in other words, though when they persecute me, I die, I'm still not going to deny you, I'm not going to be offended. Go to Luke chapter 22. Now, let's look at this story that we just read from the gospel of Luke. The gospel of Luke chapter 22 provides a little more insight on what we're seeing here. Now, it's very dangerous when you put the word of God, specifically, maybe obscure verses in the hands of unsafe people, because they can just pervert that thing to no end, i.e., Adam Fannin, who used this verse to preach some weird doctrine. Very weird. Luke 22, 28, it says, Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. Now, again, what does temptations mean? Trials. Doesn't mean that, you know, he's not talking, he's referring to like he's struggling with alcohol or anything. He's referring to his temptations as far as his trials are concerned. And I appointed to you a kingdom as my Father has appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on my thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Now, that's significant because of the fact that the disciples came to him and they asked to sit on his right, on his left, and he said, Can ye drink of the cup that I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I shall be baptized with? And they said, We are able. And they said, Indeed ye shall drink of the cup that I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. Now, the cup I believe he's referring to here, but the baptism I believe he's referring to is just the suffering he's going to go through because they were going to be persecuted. Look at verse 31, in the same context. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desire to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not, and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. You know where I'm going with this. I'm praying that you just stop, don't stop believing in me as your Savior. And look, once you get saved again, after you pass this test, once you get saved again, you got to strengthen your brethren. You know, because Peter had to get saved in the Old Testament, but then now that we're in the New Testament, he had to get saved again. It's foolish, but this is exactly what Adam, Phan, and Tom. And did he even apologize for it? It wasn't like, Well, I made a mistake. No, he was just like, Yeah, I believe it. But here's an example of what we see when faith doesn't mean believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul. Here's an example of what we see when the Bible even talks about being converted, doesn't mean about salvation. What is he talking about? Verse 33, and he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death. Peter didn't go to Bible college. He knew exactly what he was talking about there. He said, I know what you're saying. You're saying that I'm going to stop believing that you're going to provide for me, that you're going to protect me, that everything's going to be okay. Look, I am ready to go into prison. This is an association with persecution and to death. That is persecution. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, that the cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. So what do we see here? We see that Satan desires to have Peter, right? And he's trying to trip him up by what? By means of what? False doctrine so he can stop believing in Jesus? No. He's trying to trip him up by using persecution, by smiting the shepherd, scattering the flock, and striking fear in the heart of Peter. And Jesus already knows this. Because I prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. And look, at the end of the day, yes, Peter had a relapse of faith, but you know he came back. So you know why? Because Jesus' prayers always get answered, amen? That faith fail not, and when thou art converted, what does that mean? When thou art transformed, strengthen thy brethren. Notice it doesn't say, go witness to your brethren, because they need to get saved too since we're transitioning to the New Testament. They all need to get saved. All those people you guys just got preaching the gospel to in the Old Testament, you got to go get them saved again, you know? Sorry, this is the way Old and the New Testament works. No, strengthen thy brethren. You know why? Because when you go through persecution and you pass with flying colors, what does it do? It strengthens the brethren. It encourages the brethren. The brethren wax bold in the Lord. They're not afraid to speak the word of God with boldness. Because of the fact that you were able to go through that trial, that temptation, your faith failed not. You were converted. You were transformed. Amen? This is what that's referring to right there. Go to 2 Timothy chapter number 2, if you would. 2 Timothy chapter 2. So, let me give you a description of what we see in 2 Timothy chapter 2. We're still in the same topic of believing in faith and how believing in Christ for salvation, yes, obviously that's necessary, but afterwards when we see a commandment to have faith, that thy faith fail not, that we should believe, it's not always in reference to salvation. And 2 Timothy is a perfect example of that. Because of the fact that we're dealing with the Apostle Paul discipling his son in the faith, Timothy, and Timothy is afraid. That's why he says God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. He encourages them, be not ashamed of my shame. Because he knows, he probably knows that Timothy has the potential to be offended. Paul's getting persecuted, the Jews are out to get him, he has a target on his back. This is his disciple and Timothy's like, he can get offended at that and stop serving the Lord. He doesn't want that to happen. So this is what we see in 2 Timothy. Now look at 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse number 9. He says, wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds. Bonds means that he was imprisoned, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sake, 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. Now, remember, what is this talking about? Trials, afflictions, I endure all things. So he's saying, look, this is a faithful saying, if we be dead with him, we're going to live one day. Verse 12, if we suffer, we shall also reign with him. So look, what does the Bible tell us in Romans chapter number 8? It says that we're heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him. Every single person who's saved here, you're an heir of God, amen? But if you want to be a joint heir with Christ, you need to suffer. That is the qualification to be a joint heir with Christ is to suffer. What kind of suffering are we talking about here? Persecution. That's why he says here, if we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us. Now, haven't people thrown that out of context as well? Oh, you know, if we deny Jesus, if we don't serve God, if we deny him and all these things, you know, God's going to deny us when we get to heaven and we're going to say, Lord, Lord, and you know, they'll use Matthew 7. That's stupid. That's not what that's talking about. When it says if we deny him, in other words, if we're ashamed of his word, guess what we're going to be denied? Rewards. That is what we're going to be denied, okay? Verse 13, this was like the motto of this heretic that was in our church. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. Now, what is this referring to? Well, what we've just seen over the last couple of minutes is that believe is not always in reference to believing on Jesus Christ for salvation. What is he saying here? If we believe not, if we don't believe what? That God will deliver us. He's still faithful. He cannot deny himself. Now, here's the thing. Why does it say he abideth faithful? He cannot deny himself. What does that mean? We're going to look at that in just a bit. Now, go to, you're in 2 Timothy chapter 2. Go to chapter 1. Let me make sure I got the right verse here. Here's the funny thing is that this guy in our church, he basically had said, well, even the apostle Paul didn't know. He knew that he can stop believing because he said there, if we believe not, that leaves room for some doubt in Paul's mind that maybe he was saved or not. Don't look at me like that. This is what he said. I didn't say this. Okay? But your reaction is exactly what I'm thinking. I'm like, what? Here's the stupid thing about this. Look at verse number 12 of the same book. For the which cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed. Hello? For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded. Well, you know, no, no, but that's talking about something else. And then persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. So he just got finished saying in chapter 1, I know. I feel like he wrote that for this idiot. Like, hey, don't speak for me. I know. You don't know because you believe in pain. He says, I know whom I've believed in. He's like, man, I don't know. I wrote all these books in the New Testament and I struggled with this. And that's not, no. All this is in context of the salvation of his flesh. And what better person to talk about this than the Apostle Paul who was greatly persecuted. And in fact, when he says, I endured all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. He's not talking about the salvation of their soul. He's talking about the salvation of their body. Because you don't endure things to see a person saved. You preach the gospel to see someone saved. You endure things so that they may get emboldened to also endure the same afflictions so that God can deliver them as well. Why? Because they're exercising faith is what they're doing. Okay? Now, look what it says in chapter 2, verse number, let's see here. Let's read verse 13. It says, if we believe not, yet he abideth the faithful. He cannot deny himself. I'll explain that in just a bit. Of these things, put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but the subverting of the hearers. Now, I always wonder, like, what does that mean? Why does it say charge them before the Lord? So he's saying, you know, if we believe not, yet he abideth the faithful, he cannot deny himself. And he's telling Timothy, you need to charge this before the Lord, that you're faithful and you cannot deny yourself. That's what he's saying, right? Now, go with me if you would. Hold your place there. Go to Luke chapter 18, if you would. Luke chapter number 18. I'm going to explain to you what I believe this is referring to. Now, there's a concept in the Bible. Remember, I'm not giving points here, okay? I just threw the verses on here. We're just explaining them away. We're studying the Bible in regards to this topic, right? There's a concept of the Bible called importunity. It's found once in the Bible in Luke chapter number 11. Importunity means persistence. And the Bible explains to us that we need to have importunity types of prayers to God. In other words, be persistent when asking God for something. And he gives the example of the friend that goes to the other friend to ask for bread, and the guy is like, I'm in bed. My children are in bed with me. I cannot rise. And he says, though he wouldn't, but yet because of his importunity, he rose up and he gave him bread. He's like, this guy's persistent. I'm just going to give him bread. We see the same concept in Luke chapter 18, but with a different outcome. In Luke 11, it's the importunity for God for his what? Provision. Look at Luke chapter 18 verse 1. It says here, and he spake a parable unto them to this end. Then men ought always to pray and not to faint. Think about that. I mean, do you ever faint when you pray? No. No one faints unless you're really out of shape or something. You're just like, oh, yeah. This is referring to when you're going through trials, you faint. So he's saying, men should always pray and not faint. What does that mean? Endure. Right? Look at verse 2, and he explains it. There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. So what is the story here? The story is God is talking about a judge who is basically saying, you know what? Because you're persistent, I'm going to avenge you. I'm going to take vengeance upon your adversary because you're persistent in asking me to. What is the application? Look at verse 6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith, and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cried day and night unto him, though he bear long with him? Huh. Oh, this is not talking about his provision anymore. This is talking about his protection. In fact, a step further, it's talking about God taking vengeance. And he says, Don't you think that I won't take vengeance for you if you continuously come to me like that woman came to the unjust judge? That was an unjust judge who was willing to answer that for this woman. What about the judge of all the earth that does right? If you come to me asking me to avenge you of your adversary, you have importunity in prayer, I'm going to avenge you. But here's the problem. Look at verse 8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? What is that talking about? Talk about end times. Because during the end times, there's going to be great trials, great tribulations. Many Christians are going to die, and he's like, Will I find faith on the earth during that time? Now, Revelation 6, and let me say this. I believe this is in the truest sense, obviously, even today, why we're alive. But I believe it even has to deal with those who are in heaven right now. That they can pray for this. Because we see the example in Revelation 6. Those souls who were killed for the testimony of Christ are under the altar, and they're asking, When will they avenge us? And he's like, Just a little while. Christ comes back, and then the wrath of God is poured. So we see here that faith is not in reference to salvation right here. It's in reference to having faith that God will avenge us of our enemies. Oh boy, don't we have enemies? We have a lot of enemies. We have people who hate our guts. I have people who threaten me on a weekly basis. Say the most vile things. You say, What do you do? I have importuned prayer. I pray. And I know that he will avenge me speedily. Well, how fast? Well, to the Lord, a day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is a day. And look, the Bible tells us that everything is beautiful in His time. He just has perfect timing. Go back to 2 Timothy chapter 2. So when the Bible tells us to charge these things before the Lord, be importuned in your prayer for Him, towards Him, as you ask Him to avenge us. Well, I don't have any enemies. Stick around. Keep serving God, and you will. Now, let's answer this question in verse 13. It says, If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful, He cannot deny Himself. Why is He saying that? And it's funny because no one who believes this stupid doctrine ever answers that question. Why is He saying He abideth faithful? Because He cannot deny Himself. Well, think about this. Hold your place there. I'm going to have you jump around a lot. Go to John chapter 6, but hold your place there. Go to John chapter 6, and then we're going to go to Hebrews chapter number 6. What does it mean that He abideth faithful? What is He faithful in? Well, keep this in mind that when we get saved, our soul gets saved, but our body is not, correct? We're still waiting to wit the redemption of our body. And look, we could live up to maybe, let's say we live to 100 years. It doesn't mean that God is unfaithful in fulfilling that promise that He's going to resurrect His body, right? Because we know He abideth faithful. Look at John 6, 38 says, For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, and that will raise Him up at the last day. Go to Hebrews chapter 6. So the promise is not just the salvation of our soul, the promise is the salvation of our body in the last day. Now why is that significant to 2 Timothy chapter 2? Because he's talking about the potential that you have to die. But you know what God is saying? I will deliver you. But if I don't deliver you now, I'm still going to deliver you. You will still see the redemption of your body. I will still bring you back to life. So even if He doesn't, look, even if you burn in the fiery furnace with Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, what do they say? God is able, but if not, right? What about Abraham? Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, having faith that he was able to resurrect him still. Because at the end of the day, he abideth faithful. So whether he delivers me now or he delivers me at the last day, whenever that happens, I'm still going to get delivered. So the promise that God is going to deliver us is not based upon our timetable. He's just saying this, look, it's just going to happen. No matter when. Whether they kill you now or they kill you in the end times, guess what? You still come out winning because I'm going to resurrect your body. I'm still going to deliver you, physically speaking. Now, he says, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. I struggled with that for a while. Wondering, what does that mean, he cannot deny himself? Why does it say that? In reference to the salvation of our bodies, the fact that he'll deliver us. Well, look at Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 13. For when God made promise to Abraham, look what it says, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he attained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. What does that mean? He swore by himself. Because he can swear by no greater. There's nothing greater than God. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now here's the interesting thing. Remember in the morning we talked about the forerunner John the Baptist? Didn't John the Baptist prepare the way of the Lord? Well, here the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the forerunner. For who? For us. Because he goes to prepare a place for us. In my Father's house are many mansions. And so what this is explaining here is the fact, it's reiterating what 2 Timothy 2 is telling us, that he cannot deny himself. He made an oath by himself. For there's no one greater than he can make an oath for. By himself. Therefore, when it comes to the deliverance of our flesh, our resurrection, he can't deny himself. I mean, we say that all the time, right? God can't lie. If he promised to give you eternal life, he's going to give it to you. And if he doesn't, he's a liar. But we know that because God swore by himself, he made that oath by himself, he cannot deny himself. And that is good news, amen? So what's the sermon today? What's the application? The application is just get knowledge about this subject. And also, the application is, you know, we're going to go through times of trials and tribulation may not be said of us. That when we receive the word of God, we endure it for a while. But because we have no root, we stop believing. Because you can't stop believing. Not that you're saved, but you can't stop believing that God will protect you. You know? Every woman has this fear within them during pregnancy, right? It's like, what's going to happen? I'll tell you what's going to happen no matter what happens. You will be resurrected. You know, it's like, oh man, what if their enemies come and they just do something to our church and... Well, you know what, I'll tell you what happens. I'll tell you what's for sure going to happen. We'll get delivered. Sooner or later, we're going to get delivered. What happens if, you know, the world waxes worse and worse and worse? Hey, don't worry. He can't deny himself. He swore by himself and he cannot deny himself. So whether we get delivered now through the fiery furnace or when we die... Now, some people were able to see both, right? When Jesus Christ resurrected some people from the dead, they had to die again. He delivered them from that, but then they had to die again. But guess what? He's still going to deliver them even later on. So the message is this, is we haven't believed in vain if we truly believe on Jesus Christ. But thereafter, yeah, there could be times when we do believe in vain. It just goes empty. You may act like a good Christian. You may talk like you're rooted. You may talk like you're enduring. But you know what? When the stuff hits the fan, that's when we really know. That's when you really see who were made out of. So what should I do? Pray and faith not. Pray and faith not and get rooted. Amen. Let's bow our heads in our word of prayer. Father, we thank you so much for your word and the depth thereof. I pray, God, that you'd help us, Lord, to keep believing in you, not for salvation, obviously, but keep believing that you can provide for us, that you can protect us, that you will protect us. I just pray you keep us around, not because we're afraid of death, but because we want to accomplish more for you. We're afraid of cutting our time short here in the work that we do for you. And I pray, God, that you'd keep us around for decades on end so we can continue to serve you and see people saved and be instruments in the hands of God to do our work for thee. Help us to continue to go from faith to faith, and in Jesus' name we pray, amen.