(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.) . . . . . . . . . . Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Mountain Baptist Church. Take your song books and turn to song 179. Song 179 in your song books. We'll sing Such Love. And if you would stand. That's for you. So we got it. If you would stand, we'll sing Such Love song 179. That God should love a sinner such as I Should yearn to change my sorrow into bliss Nor rest till he had planned to bring me nigh How wonderful is love like this Such love, such wondrous love Such love, such wondrous love That God should love a sinner such as I How wonderful is love like this That Christ should join so freely in this team Although it meant his death on Calvary Did ever human tongue find nobler theme Than love divine that ransomed me Such love, such wondrous love Such love, such wondrous love That God should love a sinner such as I How wonderful is love like this That for a willful outcast such as I The Father planned, the Savior bled and died Redemption for a worthless slave to buy Who long had my faith defied Such love, such wondrous love Such love, such wondrous love That God should love a sinner such as I How wonderful is love like this And now he takes me to his heart a son He asks me not to fill a servant's place The far off country wanderings all are done Wide open are his arms of grace Such love, such wondrous love Such love, such wondrous love That God should love a sinner such as I How wonderful is love like this And let's pray, Heavenly Father, Lord, we just want to thank you, God, for this beautiful Sunday morning that you've given us to be in your house and to hear your word preached. I pray, Lord, now that you would just be with our pastor, fill him with your power and spirit, for it's in Jesus' name we ask all of it, amen. All right, if you would be seated and turn in your songbooks to song 119. Song 119. We'll sing Till the Storm Passes By. Song 119. In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face While the storm howls above me And there's no hiding place Mid the crash of the thunder Precious Lord, hear my cry Keep me safe till the storm passes by Till the storm passes over Till the thunder sounds no more Till the clouds roll forever From the sky Hold me fast, let me stand In the hollow of thy hand Keep me safe till the storm passes by Many times Satan whispered There is no need to try For there's no end of sorrow There's no hope by and by But I know thou art with me And tomorrow I'll rise Where the storms never darken the skies Till the storm passes over Till the thunder sounds no more Till the clouds roll forever From the sky Hold me fast, let me stand In the hollow of thy hand Keep me safe till the storm passes by When the long night has ended And the storms come no more Let me stand in thy presence On that bright, peaceful shore In that land where the tempest never comes Lord, may I dwell with thee When the storm passes by Till the storm passes over Till the thunder sounds no more Till the clouds roll forever From the sky Hold me fast, let me stand In the hollow of thy hand Keep me safe till the storm Passes by Amen. So welcome to Mount Baptist Church on this Sunday morning. And definitely a beautiful, warm Sunday. And so I'm sure Carl the pig is feeling better now that he's not getting punched every single weekend. But why am I pulling that? That's not it. So just some general church announcements here. All our service times are as normal on here. We have obviously our afternoon service. But don't forget about the soul-winning time at 1 p.m. And so we'll be meeting up to go out soul-winning this afternoon. So definitely a good day to go out soul-winning. Being super sunny and warm and all that. And then don't forget about the regional soul-winning times on Monday and Wednesday. Where Brother Charles and Brother Richie lead those up respectively there. Our Bible memory for the month, Colossians chapter 3. And so be working on that. And I know some are catching up, but they're getting caught up and all that when it comes to Colossians. And when we get to Colossians 3 and 4, the chapters kind of get smaller. And the verses get smaller. So kind of as you're going downhill on that. If you got through chapter 1 and 2, it's kind of a downhill slope I think on getting the rest memorized there. John 5, 14 is our memory of verse 4 of the week. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you. And so John 5, 14. I want to make sure that I'm quoting that right. I don't think I have it on that. There's always maybe that where it's like he said unto them or whatever the case may be on that. So I should have had that marked. But ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. See, that was right. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. So that's our memory of verse 4 of the week. And I'll be hitting on that this morning honestly. So you'll kind of see why I'm putting that as a memory verse. And then the men's prayer meeting will be coming up. That's this Friday, right? We're going to be in May here soon. And then we change the women's prayer meeting to this Saturday. And so I think that's what I was told that you guys wanted girls. God forbid that I use an all-encompassing term. No. Like mankind. No, but so really this weekend or Friday and Saturday we'll have the prayer meetings there. And so that's what's on the upcoming list there. Then we have birthdays. So is brother Nick's this week? Yeah. So, is brother Nick not here? Oh, what? Oh, yeah. Yeah, okay. I'm like, his wife's here. His kids are here. What's going on? Is he sick? She's like, I'm just not going this morning. No. We'll have to sing happy birthday to him when he gets back in. And then pregnancy's being a prayer for all the ladies on the pregnancy list here. So we have Ginger, Catherine, Alyssa, and Rachel. And specifically being a prayer for Miss Ginger because that's coming up here soon. So we're almost in May. I'm not sure what the exact due date is on that, if it's early May or late May. But either way, babies come early a lot of times. So, being a prayer for all the ladies that have had babies and that have newborns and all that, as far as that whole transition, recovery, everything. Offering boxes in the back there. Mother baby room. Mothers and babies only. Is there anything I'm missing on announcements that we need to know? There's a pond back here with it being warm. Just remember, parents, that there's a pond back here. Kids, don't go anywhere near the pond unless you're with your parents. And I say specifically, with your parents. Just because there's a parent out there doesn't mean that they're necessarily watching those kids, particularly. But anytime there's standing water makes me nervous. So, yeah. Just be cognizant of that. That's about all I've got for announcements this morning. Brother Dave's going to come sing one more song. I think brother Shane, you're reading this morning. So, brother Shane's going to read Proverbs chapter 3 for us. Alright, take your song books and turn to song 129. Song 129. We'll sing Rock of Ages. Song 129. Be of sin the double cure. Save from wrath and make me pure. Could my tears forever flow? Could my zeal no anger know? These for sin could not atone. Thou must save in thou alone. In my hand no price I bring. Simply to the cross I cling while I draw this fleeting breath. When my eyes shall close in death. When I rise to worlds unknown and behold thee on thy throne. Rock of ages cleft for me. Let me hide myself in thee. Alright, take your Bibles and turn to Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3. We'll have brother Shane come and read that for us. Proverbs chapter 3. If you found your place say Amen. My son forget not my law but let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck. Write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones. Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord. Neither be weary of his correction. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth. Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth. By understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew. My son let not them depart from thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion. So shall they be life unto thy soul and grace to thy neck. Then shall thou walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down thou shall not be afraid. Yea thou shall lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in thy power of thy hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbor go and come again and tomorrow I will give when thou hast it by thee. Devise not evil against thy neighbor seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause if he have done thee no harm. Envy thou not the oppressor and choose none of his ways. For the froward is an abomination to the Lord but his secret is with the righteous. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked but he blesseth the habitation of the just. Surely he scorneth the scorners but he giveth grace unto the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory but the same shall be promotion of fools. Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you to be gathered in your house this beautiful day and I just pray you fill our pastor with your power and spirit today. Help us to learn from your word in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So you're there in Proverbs chapter 3. I'm going to preach a sermon titled Finding Favor with God. Finding Favor with God. Now, there's two fold reasons why I'm preaching this sermon. One, a member was kind of talking about James chapter 2 and kind of my stance on James chapter 2 and I kind of want to hit on that so I'm going to get into James chapter 2 with Faith Without Works is Dead and getting into that idea. But this is also a sermon that I had an old friend who used to be a sold out soul winner who's now getting mixed up with Pentecostalism and basically getting re-baptized and all this crazy junk that's in this Pentecostal type of movement and he told me that the reason that he got re-baptized was not because he was unsaved but because he said well I used to believe and this is a legalistic way. He said I used to have this legalistic and as soon as someone says legalistic I'm like alright you're some libtard Christian now. What are you, an illegalist? You want to be illegal? I want to be legal. I don't know about you. Especially when you're talking about the Bible. We're not talking about the laws of the land. Because obviously there's times where you need to go against the laws of the land because they're against the laws of God. But when we're talking about being a legalist according to the Bible yes, guilty as charged. Next question. Now when it comes to this he was saying that I had this legalistic view that basically God's favor to be in favor with God you needed to keep his commandments and do stuff like that and if you broke his commandments then you're out of favor with God and you have to keep his commandments in order to get favor with God. And I said yeah. I mean I'm thinking to myself yeah that's exactly what the Bible teaches on this. And you know what's interesting when you have false doctrines like that where it's like well basically I can break all these commandments and I can get into sin and God's favor hasn't changed towards me. It's interesting because there always seems to be a verse that completely contradicts that false doctrine. Now when it comes to salvation, let me be very clear. When it comes to your soul and your spirit the moment you believe you're in favor with God and nothing can change that. You are passed from death and the life. You are a child of God. You are without sin spiritually speaking. So let's put that on the shelf right there. Okay. I'm not talking about salvation. I'm not talking about being out of favor with God concerning salvation at all here. But physically speaking being in favor with God has completely to do with keeping his commandments. Let's be very clear on this and you think you say well what do you have to prove that. Well go to Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 1. Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 1 it says my son forget not my law but let thine heart keep my commandments. So what are we talking about that he's supposed to be doing? Forgetting not the law, right, my law and let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them upon thy neck, write them upon the table of thine heart, so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of what or who? Of God and man. So how do you find favor with God and man? By keeping his commandments. That's how. It's interesting that when you get into these false religions how the Bible just goes out the wayside. Well I just have this good feeling and you know what, God's nature isn't like that at all. Really? Have you read the Bible? And the thing that makes me more angry about this subject or about this person that has gone down this path is he knows better than that. Okay, and so if I'm a little fired up it's because you're not dealing with a baby Christian that just got into this type of stuff. You're dealing with someone that was well seasoned have read their Bible cover to cover many times and then they're saying garbage like that and then you're just like, Proverbs 3 is a very famous passage. Keep reading there because what's the next verse? Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil. I mean Proverbs 3 is filled with very famous verses that are brought up in the New Testament. I mean the Lord loveth him and chasteth him and discourages every son whom he receiveth. That's quoting back to Proverbs chapter 3. Hebrews is quoting back to Proverbs chapter 3. These verses, this is not an obscure passage that I'm reading to you right now. And do you see how that completely debunks that idea that, well you don't get favor with God by keeping his commandments. And by the way keeping his commandments, the opposite of that is not keeping his commandments. Now this gets into a false doctrine dealing with the idea of I'm not under the law brother, I'm under grace. Now that's a biblical phrase and let me go to Romans chapter 6. You ever hear those people, they're just like don't put me in bondage brother, don't put me under the law. Now spiritually speaking I'm going to show to you that we are not under the law. But again you have to understand the difference between the spirit and soul in the body and the flesh. The old man and the new man. And this is where a lot of false religions are off base. This is where Calvinism is off base because they don't understand the old man and the new man. This is where most people as far as that believe false gospels and everything don't understand this because they're like well over here it says that you don't sin and over here it says you do sin and they don't understand it. It's because one's talking about the flesh and one's talking about the soul and the spirit. So spiritually speaking that statement is true. That you're not under the law anymore you're under grace. And notice what it says in Romans chapter 6 and verse 14. It says for sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace. So this gets into the idea of okay whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he's born of God. Sin doesn't have dominion over you because you're not under the law anymore you're under grace because you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and you're made new and you're not under that bondage anymore. Next verse. It's like they don't read this part. It says what then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid. Because you know we get accused of this when we believe once saved always saved eternal security to like you're just giving people a license to sin. No you know what we're saying? God forbid that you should continue in sin. But it doesn't negate the fact that your soul and spirit is not under the law but under grace. Hey did he say well actually I made a mistake there. Let me rephrase this. No he's still saying that you shouldn't continue in sin even though you are under the law and not under the law but under grace. And the reason for that he's going to explain the reason for that. Because when he's talking about not being under the law but under grace he's not talking about the flesh. He's talking about the soul and the spirit. He's talking about that inward man which chapters 7 and 8 really get into which I'm going to give you a little snippets of that. But if you read chapters 6 through 8 you would understand exactly what he's talking about here. That he's talking about the difference between the spirit, the mind, and the flesh, the body. Now in Romans chapter 6 keep reading there verse 16 Know ye not that whom ye yield your member's servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. So what did they do? They obeyed the gospel. They believed the gospel. And spiritually speaking they are no longer servants of sin. But it says being then made free from sin you became the servants of righteousness. So that's talking about spiritually speaking. You became the servants of righteousness. You're made new. You're a new creature. But then in verse 19 it's like on the same token though you're not under the law but under grace but should you continue in sin? But here's the thing. If you're no longer a servant of sin and holistically then why would he even bring up the fact that they could still sin? Right? Why would he even bring up the fact that shall we continue in sin? Wait I thought you told me that we weren't a servant of sin anymore. Because there is a part of you that still is. That's the body. It's the flesh. Now notice what it says in verse 19. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your what? Flesh. So that's why he's saying that okay you're not no longer a servant of sin. You're no longer in bondage. You're no longer under the law but that's not talking about the flesh. What he's speaking about here about not continuing in sin and you know shall we sin? You know he's saying God forbid and he's speaking because of the infirmity of flesh for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now, notice this this is saying what you need to do now. Even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. So he's stating here that you know spiritually speaking you are no longer the servant of sin you're not under the law you're under grace but what you need to do because the infirmity of the flesh is you need to yield those members unto holiness and righteousness. Okay that's something that has to be done on a daily basis. Not for salvation but that the body is still under the law. Now go to Romans chapter 7 verse 18. Romans chapter 7 verse 18. Romans chapter 7 is very clear on this. It's basically saying like inwardly you know he wants to do what's right. Inwardly he wants to keep God's commandments. Inwardly he's a new man, he's a new creature but the flesh is still there and there's this battle. They're contrary to one to the other. Okay and in Romans chapter 7 verse 18 it says for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for it is for the will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not. So when it's saying that you're no longer the servant of sin is he talking about the flesh when he says that? No. So when you say don't put me under the law brother they're talking holistically. When they're saying that they're saying like holistically don't put me under the law basically I don't need to keep any of the commandments. Now they won't say that. They'll just basically say that with little things they want to do and get away with and you know whatever. They'll try to do that but they're not going to say like well I can go commit murder. Because they're not going to just come out and say something as stupid as that. Now don't put it past these people. Okay. Don't put it past false religions and say something that dumb. But at the same time you know what it's either you're under the law or you're not. Right? It didn't say like well your flesh is kind of under the law still. Just you know not under the smaller sins. Not under the smaller commandments. Right? But what did Jesus say you know that if you don't teach the least of these commandments then you know you're going to be called the least in the kingdom of God. The least commandments are important as well and that's something that we need to preach and take care of fleshly speaking. Obviously make sure that you're not doing the big sins but we should be going down the list of even the small sins. You know as far as like to him that know what to do good and do it not. To him it is sin. You should be worried about that too. But first of all don't kill people. Okay? Keep that one on the top. Priorities here. Okay? Like well but I did good unto somebody though. It's like well you didn't do good unto that person though but commit a murder. Romans chapter 8 and verse 1. It's funny because you know what I was pretty much rebuking this old friend of mine and he's like you know there's no room for condemnation here. No room for criticism or condemnation here. And then he gave a reference of Romans chapter 8 and verse 1. Okay? But I want you to look at this verse and see if this is a blank check for no condemnation ever. Okay? It says, and by the way does he care whether I'm condemning him? Because it's God that's going to condemn him if he continues in sin and he continues down a path of false doctrine and wickedness and all the stuff that gets into the Pentecostal type movement because it is a wicked religion that's based off emotionalism and is changing who God is and his nature. Okay? Now in Romans chapter 8 and verse 1 it says this, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Is there a period there or does the sentence continue? Now that's what some people want to say is that well if you're in Christ Jesus there's now no condemnation at all. Right? But is that where it ends? It says there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. So guess what Christian? If you're walking after the flesh there is condemnation in this time. There is now condemnation in this world. Because you know what? If you don't keep his commandments it says in the same chapter about finding favor with God in Proverbs chapter 3 that to not despise the chastening of the Lord. Because if you're a Christian and you just go out and do whatever you want and you're not keeping his commandments he's going to chasten you. And I'm not here to say that well if you don't keep his commandments as a Christian then God hates you. Of course not. God doesn't hate any of his children. Okay? And God, you know, God, there are people that God hates. Okay? But those people are past hope of salvation. Okay? And God loves the world and wants them to get saved. He loves the unsaved. He wants them to believe on him. Okay? But this idea this Joyce Meyer thinking of God's not angry with you is a false doctrine. And if you want to just make yourself feel good that God's not angry at you when you commit sin then you can live with that thought in your mind all you want but that's not what the Bible teaches. God is angry with the wicked every day. You know what? Even Christians can do wicked things sometimes. Obviously there's a limit to the wicked things they can do. Right? They're not going to do unnatural wicked things of this world but you know what? I believe committing adultery is wicked. I believe committing murder is wicked but you know what? David did that. Do you think God was happy with him? When Nathan came up to him and pointed at him and said thou art the man. Do you think that that was just like thou art the man David? But you know God's not angry with you. You're going to be blessed. Or was it more so the fact that he actually had to pay for those sins in this life and he lost a child. The kingdom was taken away from him for a time. His own son was the one that took it away and then his son had to be killed to get the kingdom back. His wives were given to his son. Like that's another sermon for another day. But don't give me this garbage. Oh wait but David didn't fall out of favor with God? Then why did he pray to not take his Holy Spirit from him and restore the joy of his salvation? David didn't lose his salvation but to think that he was on the same fellowship with God when he committed adultery and had Uriah killed is complete lunacy and just not biblical. What are you reading? And I'm obviously not talking to you. But it's just you know, it's when people should know better that it just gets me fired up. Now go down to Romans chapter 8 and verse 14 there. I'm going to get to James chapter 2 eventually. I need to start moving faster here. On page 1 still. Romans chapter 14 or Romans chapter 8 and verse 14 it says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God. Okay I want you to keep that in mind. Go to Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5 verse 16. Those that are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God. Now this is not saying that like well only when you're led are you a child of God but more so there's a part of you that's a child of God and there's a part that's not. Spiritually speaking you're a child of God. Physically speaking you're not yet. In Romans chapter 8 for sake of time you can go in there to say that the body itself right will also be you know find the manifestation of the sons of God and because the body's going to be resurrected and we're waiting to with the redemption of the body right. So I mean it covers that that that's going to happen. So holistically once you get saved you're not all holistically a child of God but you will be eventually and nothing's going to change that. Anybody that believes on Christ will holistically be a child of God once the resurrection happens and all that okay. So don't misunderstand me here. But when it says for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God this sounds very familiar to 1 John where it talks about in this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. After it just got done saying that whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he's born of God. It's saying how does that manifest it out? How do they see that inwardly you're a child of God? Because in chapter 1 it says if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. So at the same time inwardly no sin outwardly sin. But how do you show people that you're a child of God? That's what it's getting into okay. Because you can hide that under a bush so to speak. In Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 it says this it says this I say then walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. So there's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus that walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. But if you walk in the Spirit you're not going to fulfill the lust of the flesh. So if you're fulfilling the lust of the flesh don't tell me you're walking in the Spirit. If you say that you know God but in works you deny him you know like don't give me that junk. If you're sinning you're not walking in the Spirit period. If you're sinning you're not abiding in Christ period. And to tell me that there's a difference that there's no difference in favor when you're abiding in Christ and when you're not abiding in Christ then you're just completely putting the Bible on its head. Now in Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 it goes into the fact that walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the ones of the other so that you cannot do the things that you would. But if you be led of the Spirit you're not under the law. Okay so what does that mean? That means being a child of God you're not under the law right? If you're led of the Spirit you're the sons of God. If you're led of the Spirit you're not under the law. What part of you is a child of God right now? What part of you is passed from death into life? What part of you is a new creature? What part of you is sinless? The n-word man. Okay not the flesh, not the body and so when someone says don't put me under the law I'm like well if you're saved then your soul and your spirit is not in law but your body still is. Your body is still dead and trespasses and sins or else why would it die? Because for the wages of sin is death. So if your body is not still dead and trespasses and sins then riddle me this why do you die? Why does anybody die? Then you're telling me no one's saved then? If that's the case. Now go to James chapter 2. I told you I was going to get there. James chapter 2. Now the thing is what people don't understand about James chapter 2 is because they'll just take a verse and just pull it out of context and they're not really understanding what the whole chapter is even talking about. The chapter starts off with the fact that not having the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory with respect to persons. So it's basically saying don't have faith with this but have faith with this. So it's saying if you have faith with respect to persons take that away but if you have faith with works that's what you want. You need to add this stuff to your faith but it's not saying you don't have faith. It's just stating what you should do and what you shouldn't do. James chapter 2 and verse 8. So we're talking about not being under the law but under grace spiritually speaking but that our flesh is still under the law. So in James chapter 2 and verse 8 it says if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture. Wait a minute don't put me under the law brother. Don't put me in bondage. What says if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself you do well. You say well yeah we should love one another but I can still go out and sin. I can still go out and commit adultery. I can still go out and kill. I can still go out and lie. I can still go out and cheat. I can still go out and do whatever. Right? Is that what you're telling me? Because tell me that you love your neighbor when you commit adultery on your neighbor's wife. Tell me you love your neighbor when you commit murder. Okay? And if you think that that's not what he's talking about when it says love thy neighbor as thyself because love thy neighbor as thyself it says the law is fulfilled in one word even in this thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. You know why that is? Because the law is about you not hurting your neighbor essentially. And if you don't think that's what it's talking about keep reading. It says in verse 9 after it just got done saying to fulfill the royal law is to love thy neighbor as thyself but if you have respect to persons you commit sin and are convinced the law is transgressed. So obviously being a respecter of persons is stating here that that is sin. You know regarding a rich man over a poor man that's sin. Okay? But then it goes on to say for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend at one point is guilty of all. For he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill. Now that thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the law. I love how it words this because it's basically stating like you know you didn't commit adultery you know but even if you kill you know you're still a transgressor right? You see how it almost looks like it's putting adultery on a higher level because it would be kind of like if I said this right? You know what the Bible says thou shalt not kill and then the or thou shalt not kill and then thou shalt like let's say thou shalt not steal or something like that right? You'd be like well you didn't steal but even though you didn't steal you killed somebody you're under the law. You'd normally say it the other way around right? Right? The idea is that you haven't killed anybody but you have stolen something and that would put you under the law like the lesser thing is what you're going to usually say to kind of get them to understand like even any smaller sins would do that. Anyway that's beside the point. The point that I'm making here is it doesn't matter what law you break you've broken the law and you're a transgressor. That's what it's stating here. It doesn't matter which one you break. Okay? Then it goes on to say here and this is what it's very crucial to understand in James chapter 2 and this is very crucial to understand the fact that there is still a part of us that's under the law or this wouldn't make any sense. Verse 12. James chapter 2 and verse 12 So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. So what is this talking about? Say well you know we'll be judged maybe in heaven or something like that. Well you know the bible says that our sins are as far as the east is from the west and that he's forgotten our sins so tell me that we're going to be judged when we get to the judgment seat of Christ for our sins. But notice what it says in verse 13. For he shall have judgment without mercy that has showed no mercy and mercy rejoices against judgment. So it's basically stating here that if you don't keep this royal commandment, this royal law of loving thy neighbor as thyself and you break these commandments, listen you will be judged by the law of liberty in this life and you're going to have judgment without mercy if you don't show any mercy. Now this is very important to understand James chapter 2 because later on it's going to basically talk about can faith save him and it's crucial to understand that what are we talking about being saved from? Judgment without mercy. That's what we're talking about. We're not talking about being saved from hell. We're talking about being saved from judgment without mercy and physical judgment. Now when it talks about the fact that we shall be judged by the law of liberty and that we're going to have judgment go to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. Just to be honest, I mean just hearing these responses from someone that used to read their Bible all the time used to be King James only, used to go out soul winning and then hear these responses, it's just baffling to me. I'm just flabbergasted by it to the point of just I'm going to be honest with you guys. Everybody can fall out of church. Everybody can fall out of being a soul winner, fall out of things of God but I'll say this. If I ever fell out you will not be finding me at some liberal Pentecostal church. You'll never find me listening to CCM breathy garbage music because that is not a temptation for me. It's not like, man I got to really keep myself away from that stuff. Just like really tempted to listen to, I don't even know who the bands are. You know, the skinny jeans you know, McDonald's church like CCM crap. I'm not tempted to listen to that stuff because when someone gets up there and they're singing all like breathy and effeminate it makes me sick. And you know what, it doesn't matter whether I'd be in church or not or whether I would think that would make me sick. I didn't like it before I don't like it now, I'll never like it. But I can see myself falling out and be like I'm just going to do things that I want to do. I'm going to take more vacations I'm going to, you know, go do stuff outside go ride four wheelers around on trails, I don't know. You know, like things that I would just want to have, do fun or whatever, right? But getting into that stuff is just, it's strange to me because I know what I know, right? You forget a lot don't get me wrong, okay? Like if I just stop reading the Bible there's a lot I would forget. But it's kind of one of those things that once you know something there's no turning back in my mind. It's like once you see something, you see a truth of something, you're just like well I can't unsee that. It is what it is. And you just be like fighting with your own self to deny it, okay? Now the only thing I can say here is maybe the person didn't ever really know why they believe certain things. And it was all a facade as far as like why they held those stances. That can happen. There's a lot of people that can basically hold hard stances but they never actually like looked at it themselves. They were leaning on other people for the answer, right? And that's why all of you in church should never just lean on me or anybody else in the church for why you take a stand on something, okay? Study it yourself. When I'm showing you this, study this out yourself. Study these doctrines out for yourself. Do the work to look into it yourself and say you know what? I read it. I looked at it. I looked at all the arguments against it and I've come to the conclusion there's no other way. This is the way it is. Because that's when you're really rooted and grounded in it and you're going to see it for what it is. But if you just say well, that person preached that sermon, I agree with that. But then you never really study it out yourself. You may get swayed from that type of stuff. And I'm not here to say wherefore will I tend to think if he stand to take heed lest he fall? I understand that. At the same time, I don't understand how you go back from seeing the things that are in the Bible that are very clear. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. It says for if we sin willfully. Now this passage I believe Paul wrote the book of Hebrews but it doesn't really matter because whoever wrote the book of Hebrews is born again Christian. I mean would you at least say that? It wasn't written by Judas. It wasn't written by some reprobate. It was written by a saved person. It says if we sin willfully. So are we talking about unsaved people or are we talking about saved people here? We're talking about saved people. We sin willfully. After that we have received the knowledge of the truth that remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Not only does it say we, but it says we have received the knowledge of the truth. We've received it. They don't just know it, they've received it. Verse 27. It says there's no more sacrifice for sins because there's a difference between sinning ignorantly and sinning presumptuously. Another word for willfully would be presumptuously. The Bible uses that. And it says but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. What does James chapter 2 say? He shall have judgment without mercy that has showed no mercy. Judgment without mercy. And it says that he shall die without mercy under two or three witnesses if he despised Moses' law. And you say well, you know, that's the Old Testament. The Old Testament is just harsher on them. Okay, let's keep reading. Of how much sore punishment? Does it sound like it's getting better? Suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified. So we're talking about someone that's sanctified by the blood of Christ and we're talking about the New Testament here, an unholy thing and had done despite the spirit of grace, for we know him that has said vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord, and again the Lord shall judge his people. It's a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God. Now let me ask you a question. Do you think God's favor is different with this person right here than with the person that's going to church and doing what they should be doing and trying to keep his commandments the best they can? Could you look at those two circumstances and say, well, I think that God's favor is on them exactly the same. Now they could both be saved. They're both saved. They're both going on their way to heaven. But would you say that, okay, well when David was, you know, when Saul was going after David to kill him, that the favor of God was different, there was no difference in the favor of God between Saul and David? Give me a break. Very clear that the favor of God had been taken away from Saul and given to David, and that's why Saul wanted to kill David. Should I continue with all the different places where God puts favor on someone above someone else? I just went through all these allegories of the Old Testament and New Testament and how he puts favor on certain people even for an allegory's sake. So go to James chapter 2 again. So what are we talking about? We're talking about having favor with God. James chapter 2 actually talks about, it kind of hits both of them, right, because Proverbs chapter 3 talks about having favor with God and man. But both are there, and James chapter 2 I think hits on both of these. And, you know, I think some people when they explain James chapter 2, they're just like, it's all about with man. And then, you know, I've kind of hit on it more about it's about God. But it's really both. This chapter is kind of hitting on both of these. And so I want to hit on both of these, but what does it say in James chapter 2 verse 14, very famous passage where people are trying to say that you need to do good works to be saved, or works are evidence of salvation. In verse 14 it says, What doth that profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? Now that's a rhetorical question, and that's a rhetorical no. In my opinion, I think it's very clear it's a rhetorical no, right? Now, the reason that that would make sense to be no is because it's not talking about eternal salvation from hell. Nowhere in this context have we been talking about, like, getting saved from hell. Actually, what's the two verses right before that? That ye shall have judgment without mercy that show no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment, you know, that's what we're talking about. That you'll be judged by the law of liberty. And then it says, What doth the profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him? From what? From judgment without mercy, which makes a lot of sense when you look at the example he gives. What's the example about not showing mercy to your brother and sister, right? Look what it says in the next verse. It says, If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food. So are we talking about unsaved people here or are we talking about saved people? He's saying brethren. And then he says, 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, notwithstanding give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? So it's not profitable to them. So these people are like, I got this mountain moving faith. Brother, you go to these children and be like, man, I got so much faith in God. I got so much faith. I just believe in him so much, but they don't do anything. Right? They're not going soul winning. They're like, I got this great faith that God's going to just reach the world and with the gospel of Jesus Christ, are you going to go out soul winning this afternoon? Nah, nah, I don't do that. It doesn't work anymore. Listen, that's what happens in churches today. And I have friends that are looking for churches that go soul winning, and they'll preach, and they'll say we need to evangelize the world, and why aren't people going out and evangelizing the world? And then after the service, they'll be like, you want to go out soul winning? Nah. What? What are they doing? They're saying, be ye warmed and filled, but they're not going to give them those things that are needful to the body. And keep reading there, because what's at the profit, right? It's basically saying that's not profitable. So on the surface level, if I just told you, okay, you told a brother and sister to be ye warmed and filled, and then you didn't give them anything, you'd be like, well, that was useless. Right? Wouldn't you just, on the surface, if you didn't even know what we were talking about in this passage, you'd be like, well, that person didn't help them at all. What good are your words if you're not going to do anything with it? So this is a great passage to kind of throw shade on anybody who just tries to say they have all this great faith, but they don't do anything with it. Now, it says, even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone. Now, just because it's dead doesn't mean that it's not faith. Because what's the opposite in context here? There's a contrast that's being made here. Right? Faith with works and faith without works, right? Well, faith without works is dead, but what's faith with works? What's that being likened to, being profitable? It's profitable if your faith has works. That means that if you don't have works with your faith, it's unprofitable. So if you have an alive faith, if you will, that means it's profitable. Because a dead dog is better, I'm sorry, a dead an alive dog is better than a dead lion. Something like that. So, but basically it states that it's better to have a dog that's alive than having a lion that's dead. It's not profitable. You know, at the end of the chapter it says that as the spirit without the body is dead, so faith without works is dead also. It's like, well, okay, so is the body not a real body now? Because it's dead? Still a real body. Just as much as the body as it was before, it's just not alive. It's not profitable if it's dead. Now, keep reading there. It says, yea, a man may say, thou hast faith and I have works, show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believeth that there is one God, thou doest well, the devils also believe and tremble, but wilt thou know O vain man, that faith without works is dead? So when it says here show me thy faith by thy works, I'll show you my faith by my works, you show me your faith without your works. Okay, the idea is that that person is saying be you warmed and filled, have fun trying to convince people that you have this mountain moving faith if you're not doing anything with it. But then also he's saying that I'll show people my faith by my works and they'll see from what I do that, hey, that person believes that. They may not believe in Christ. This isn't lifestyle evangelism as far as like they see what you do and they're just like, I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. But it will help when you do go give them the gospel, when they see what you do and see that you're not just saying you believe it, you actually do what you say. You practice what you preach. Now, when it says thou believeth that there is one God, thou doest well, the devils also believe and tremble. Remember this, that the Muslims believe that there is one God. A lot of people believe there's one God. A lot of people believe that there is a God. That doesn't mean that they're saved. Okay, it's stating here is that even though they believe and know who God is, they still tremble before him. And what the point of this is is that we need to be serving God with fear and trembling because that same God is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And if you don't show mercy to your neighbor, you don't show mercy to the house of faith and to your brethren, then you know what, there's a certain fearful looking for judgment and fire indignation which have devoured the adversaries. That's what he's stating here is that even the devils will tremble. You know, when the devils say, thou art the Christ, thou art the son of God. And they're like, are you come to torment us before the time? And they were afraid of Jesus. So they're trembling before him. They know who he is. And basically saying here, you know, can faith save you though? Believing? You know, even if that were talking about something, which it's not, obviously the devils can't get saved. They've left their first estate and they're reserved under judgment. But also it's just stating a fact that even the devils tremble right before God. They're even fearful before him. Why aren't you? Right? Now, how about this same kind of language is used to go to 1 John 3, 1 John 3 and verse 17. Dealing with the fact of, you know, you're telling your brother to be warmed and filled, but you don't give him anything. What's this talking about? It's basically saying you're doing it in word, but not in deed. You're saying to go be warmed and filled. You're saying a lot. There's a lot of stuff coming out of your mouth, but what are you doing? That phrase, don't tell me, show me. You know how to do it. Now, in 1 John 3 and verse 17 it says, But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his vows of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. So he's basically saying, you know, don't just be hearers of the word, but doers of the word. Don't just say you're going to do something, actually do it. And if you have the needs, and you know what's interesting about that? In Proverbs chapter 3, there's a supplementary, you know, like there's a verse that kind of supplements this, or compliments it, I guess. You don't have to turn there, but in Proverbs chapter 3, as we're reading through here, in verse 27 it says, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Right? So, in the same passage about having favor with God, he's basically saying if you have the means to help somebody, then do it. And if you don't, you know what? To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth not, to him that is sin. By the way, that's in James. It's interesting how all this stuff kind of fits together. But, go to Titus chapter 3, Titus chapter 3, this really shows you to what James 2 I think if you wanted one verse to really show you what James chapter 2 is talking about, when it comes to faith without works is dead, this just, I think this is just a powerful verse to be very simple and to the point. Okay? It just got done saying that we're not saved by works or righteous, which we have done, but according to mercy he saved us. You know, it's very clear that it's by faith, it's by his mercy. But in verse 8, so Titus chapter 3 and verse 8, it says, This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. Why? You can prove that you're saved. So you can show everybody else that you're saved. Is that what it says? No, it says these things are good and profitable on the men. Why should you maintain good works? Why should you do good works? One, because it's profitable on the men. Because it's not profitable for you to just tell your brother and sister, you know, be warm and filled, and not give them those things which are unequal to the body. And don't tell me that you have all this love of God in your heart. When you have this world's good and you shut up your bowels of compassion from them, and you don't give them those things which are unequal to the body, don't tell me you have all this love of God in your heart, because if you did, you would do it. Does that mean that you're not saved? No. When we're talking about the love of God dwelling in your heart, when we're talking about having profitable faith, that is not talking about salvation. You can get saved and have a dead faith all your life and not be profitable at all for God, and you're still saved. Because believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. But, don't tell me you're some profitable Christian. Don't tell me you have some mountain moving faith that's gonna just turn this world upside down for Christ if you're not doing anything. That's what James 2 is hitting on. How about this in Matthew chapter 5? Matthew chapter 5, you know, this idea that, well, God, the favor of God, you know, it's always the same, you know, it doesn't, you know, if you're committing sin, then you don't fall out of favor with God. It's like, well, you know, that's just ridiculous on so many levels. Like, if you're committing some major sin, and you're just like, well, God's favor's still with me the same as it was before, right? On a physical level. But how about this? This is about soul winning, right? Matthew chapter 5, I believe, is hitting on specifically on soul winning, on being a witness. And notice what it says here in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 13. Ye are the soul of the earth, but if the salt have lost the saver, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot of men. Did God just call somebody good for nothing? I think He did. I think He just said that you're good for nothing. You're like, I can't believe you'd say that about another Christian. That's what the Bible says. The Bible says that if you've lost your saver as a Christian, you're the soul of the earth. Notice that it says ye are, meaning spiritually speaking, even if you lose your saver physically, you're still the soul of the earth. You just need to do something about that. But He's saying you're good for nothing. You know another word for that? Not profitable. What good is salt if it doesn't taste like salt? Amen? Because salt is good. If you ever get a church sign, that's what I'm putting up there. You know, one of those phrases. Salt is good, but salt loses its saver. It's good for nothing. Who wants to put salt on their food and it doesn't actually have salt taste to it? It doesn't add that flavor of just goodness and spice. So keep reading there though, because I think this ties in very good with James chapter 2. It says in verse 14, ye are the light of the world. So He gives two examples. Salt, but if the salt has lost its saver, it's good for nothing. It says ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on the hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. So how could you put that light under a bushel? Well, if you veil it with your flesh. You're like, the flesh, where does that say that's a veil? I don't know. Maybe in Hebrews where it says that it was through His flesh, the veil, they went through the veil, which is to say His flesh. Because you can veil the light that's in you. You can veil that inward man with your flesh. But it says if that light be darkness, how great is that darkness? Right? So, yeah, you can veil it. You can put it under a bushel. Notice what it says in verse 16. Why don't you want to put it under a bushel? Why do you want to make it manifest? It says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Now another place in 1 Peter talks about that they may see your good works, that they may glorify God in the day of visitation. Which is very similar to the phrase obviously here. Meaning this is that when you go to give them the gospel and they look at you and be like this guy doesn't just say he believes it, he actually does it. He does what he says. He practices what he preached. And it doesn't matter that salvation has nothing to do with works, it's what they see and they're going to look at that and be like this person actually believes what they're telling me. But if you were just living in sin and you're just like drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes and doing all this stuff, even though we know that salvation has nothing to do with getting rid of any of that stuff, who is that person going to be more likely to talk to? The person that comes up to them with a Budweiser in their hand and saying let me show you how you can get saved and know how you're going to heaven? Or the person that goes to church every Sunday that's trying to do what they're doing and they go up to the door and say let me show you how you can know 100% sure you're going to heaven. Who are they going to be more likely to listen to? And it doesn't matter that that person holding a beer obviously being inebriated and giving the gospel is probably not going to work. So maybe that's a bad example. They're holding a cigarette and they're like let me show you how you can know you're going to go to heaven and that person can get someone saved just as much as the other person but who's going to listen to them? That's what it's talking about. Is that they're going to actually be more likely to be open for the gospel because of what they see from what you're doing. I'll show you my faith by my works. That's what it's talking about. And that has nothing to do with you being saved. That's all to do with being profitable unto men. Being profitable unto others. And this idea that God doesn't change his favor with you depending on what you do well if you're not the soul of the earth you're good for nothing in God's eyes. You want another verse? Go to John chapter 15. John chapter 15 and verse 1. John chapter 15 and verse 1. It says, I am the true vine and my father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purges it that it may bring forth more fruit. Verse 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. This is talking about saved people. But it's just as much as if your salt is lost at saver then you're good for nothing to be trodden underfoot of men. It's saying that if you don't abide in Christ and you're not doing what you should be doing to God you're profitless. You're not profitable to him. You're not a profitable servant. You know what the Bible says? That when you do your duty say you're an unprofitable servant because you haven't done anything above and beyond what you're supposed to be doing. You've done your duty. So if you keep the commandments and what he says to do you've just done your duty. It's when you go above and beyond that that you be considered profitable. Go to James chapter 2 again. Now what this passage is dealing with especially when you get into Abraham is that obviously doing works, adding works to your faith is going to be profitable to other people. And it's also going to keep you from being judged without mercy by not showing mercy to others. We need to be careful about that. We need to show mercy. And even in Proverbs chapter 3 when it talks about forgetting all my law and that you keep my commandments it says let not mercy and truth forsake thee. And then it says then so shall thou find favor with God and with man. And good understanding which is also another sermon for another day on the idea of keeping his commandments and how you get more understanding when you keep his commandments. Because by reason of use they have their senses exercised in certain good and evil and you'll be able to handle strong meat. Another sermon for another day. I don't want to get into that. But it kind of hits two things at one time as far as keeping his commandments and finding favor with God but also knowing more. James chapter 2 and verse 21. Let me get into this because when it's talking about Abraham Abraham found favor with God. But when it's talking about here it's not talking about him getting saved. It's talking about him doing works. Okay? So James chapter 2 is not all about just being just before men. It's actually also talking about being just before God. It's talking about having favor with man first of all and then it talks about having favor with God. And notice it says in James chapter 2 and verse 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See as how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which said Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way. Whereas the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also. So again the idea that it's not really faith, it's not like it's just no faith. Basically dead faith is no faith is to say that a body that's in a grave is not really a body. Right? That's as ridiculous as saying that. But obviously the body's not profitable. It's not alive. Same thing with your faith. If you don't have works with it it's not profiting anybody. It's not profiting God. It's not profiting man. Now in Romans chapter 4, go to Romans chapter 4. So when we're talking about Abraham being justified by works, when was he justified by works? When he offered up his son Isaac. Okay so that's very important to understand that where are we talking about in the timeline of Abraham is when he offered Isaac upon the altar which is in Genesis 22. But let's first look at Romans chapter 4. So when we're talking about him being when it says that he believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness was works involved in that at all? Well let's look at Romans chapter 4 verse 1. It says, What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath wear of the glory, but not before God. For what set the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. So does it sound like works are involved there? Well you know works after that though. Well let's keep reading. It says, Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of death, but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifiably and godly his faith is counted for righteousness. So when it comes to Abraham being justified by righteousness being imputed unto him, were works involved at all in that? Now when this is stated, because it says as it is written, right? This is stated in Genesis 15 6. It says, And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15 Okay? Now all the kids out there Genesis 22 is when he offers Isaac upon the altar. Does 22 come after or before 15? Comes after. It's quite a bit after actually. So there's a lot of stuff that goes on between there, but basically, and I believe first of all that it's just stating a fact about him believing in Genesis 15. I actually believe he believed before he even came out of his own country in Genesis 12. Doesn't matter though, because Genesis 15 is still before 22. Genesis 22, look at Genesis 22 Genesis 22 and verse 15 So this is after he offered up his son Isaac, and obviously God said don't hurt the child, or hurt the lad, and obviously they find the ram and the thicket, and it's obviously a picture in Christ, and Abraham offering up his only begotten son, and just that picture of salvation, okay? So, but in verse 15 it says, and the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, said the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice. Now this is a case where God already said that he was going to do it, but he swore with an oath, right, by two immutable things. So this is a case where he's already stated this before, but because he did this, he confirmed it with an oath, okay? I believe it would have happened either way, even if Abraham wouldn't have done it, but the reason he confirmed it with an oath was because he obeyed his voice in what he said he would do, okay? Now, when it says that, this is, I believe, where he was considered to be God's friend. Now there's a couple places where it states this, I want you to go to John chapter 15, I'm going to read a couple Old Testament passages here where it states that Abraham is the friend of God, but it says in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 7, it says, Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of the land before thy people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever? Then it says in Isaiah 41 verse 8, it says, But thou Israel art my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. So that's why it's saying, and he was called the friend of God. Why was he called the friend of God? Because he obeyed the voice of the Lord, because he did what he told him to do. He did the works, that's what James 2 is talking about, is he did the works. And here's what it comes down to, John chapter 15 verse 14, this is your memory verse for the week, Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. Now, don't you think being the friend of God is a level above just a normal child of God? To think otherwise would be ridiculous. Right, why would this even be in the Bible about the fact that he was called the friend of God, or that, you know, this is some high honor, it says if ye do whatsoever I command you. So it's not talking about believing, it doesn't say if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you're his friend. Spiritually speaking, yes. Like I said, we're talking about it on the physical manner here. Spiritually speaking, you're his friend, you're a child of God, you're without sin, you're completely reconciled with him, right? But, it says ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you, henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth, but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. There's a couple things in here that says the reason that you're called friends and basically you keep whatsoever the commandments, but it says for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. So if you have favor with God, what do you have also? Good understanding. By what? Keeping his commandments. You keep his commandments, he'll give you good understanding and favor with God. And favor of God can also go into him answering your prayers. Because we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him, and the Bible says because we keep his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. You want to have your prayers answered? You want to have favor with God in prayer? The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. It's all the same. Do you see how ridiculous this is? Favor with God, obviously spiritually speaking is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But physically speaking, that is something you have to keep the commandments of God to be in God's favor and be in good fellowship. I mean, if you're walking in darkness, are you saying that you're in fellowship with God? Because in God there is no darkness. God is light and in him there is no darkness. And having fellowship with God you have to, it says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And we can get back in fellowship with him, but to think that, you know what, it doesn't matter, I don't have to keep his commandments. And this old friend of mine, he gave an example of the prodigal son, he says the prodigal son, I mean the father ran after him. Yeah, when he came back first because draw an eye unto God and he will draw an eye unto you. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double minded. You can't just take a passage over here and be like, well, he ran after him. Yeah, God is compassion and wants you to come back, but he asks and he demands that you come draw an eye to him first. He's like, well, draw an eye, that's just me like turning him. You know what the Bible says? Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double minded. Let your laughter be turned in the morning, the Bible says. So, obviously I'm a little frustrated with the whole aspect of this. Because it's just like putting the Bible on its head. Now the last thing, so I hope that makes sense. When you're dealing with Abraham Abraham believed God and it was imputed under righteousness. The prerequisite to being God's friend is you've got to be saved. It says, whosoever loveth not God or it says he that knoweth God and loveth God, I'm going to misquote that. But there's another place where it kind of shows you a prerequisite, it's in 1 John 4. I didn't put it in my notes, but just another place where you kind of see the same kind of thing that's being said. I'm going to take too much time to try to find where I'm looking at here. Okay, it says in verse 7 of 1 John 4, it says, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. So there's two things that are stated there, right? They're born of God and they know God. So if you love, then you're born of God and know God. So being born of God is obviously who's ever believed that Jesus Christ is born of God. That's very clear. But knowing God is something that's keeping his commandments, and that's what it states earlier in the book. He that loveth not, does it say is not born of God? No, it says he that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. What's the prerequisite to knowing God? Being known of God. Being born again. Okay, so the same thing with this is that you want to be the friend of God? Well, first you need to be saved. And that's why it says, and Abraham believed God, and there's a putative relationship, and he was called the friend of God. And why was he called the friend of God? Because he obeyed his voice, because you are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you, and his faith was perfected because of that. And Abraham had even greater faith because he kept what God told him to do. And he had favor with God, he had good understanding of God's word, why? Because he kept his commandments. So having good favor with God, that's something we all want to have, but how do you do it? Keep his commandments. Do what he says. And if you're not the friend of God, you're his enemy. Right? So as simple as this, if you're walking in the Spirit, you're being a friend of God. You're keeping his commandments. You're doing what you should be doing. If you're not, you're walking in the flesh, and that's being an enemy of God. You say, well, I can't believe you say that we're enemies. Well, go to James chapter 4. James chapter 4. James chapter 4 and verse 4. It's interesting because it's in the same book, where it's talking about Abraham being the friend of God, and then it's saying over here that you can be the enemy of God. Now obviously, being a hater of God is different. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? I count them mine enemies. And obviously, the haters of God are God's enemies, but there's a different level of being an enemy there than a believer that's not keeping his commandments. But it states here in James chapter 4 and verse 4, it says, The adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. So if you physically are a friend of this world, and particularly it's talking about getting in the sense of being an adultery, it's saying that you're the enemy of God. A similar thing stated in 1 John 2, where it says in 1 John 2.15, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. So that's kind of getting into the same realm of being a friend of the world. It says, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the world, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. So, when you're dealing with this, it's interesting because 1 John 2 is saying, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, and then in chapter 3 it says, you know what, if you have this world's good, and you shut up your bowels of compassion from him, how dwell with the love of God in him? James chapter 2 is stating that, you know what, you say to your brother or sister, be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding, and give them not those things which are needful to the body, but yet if you did, you would be in favor, and you'd be the friend of God, but, you know what, if you're a friend of the world, you're the enemy of God. It's interesting how it works out like that, and how the Bible is very consistent on how it's laying this stuff out. So, the last thing I was going to show you is that, spiritually speaking, we were enemies, and I'll just give you this verse here in Romans 5, 10, it says, For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And the last verse I want to show you is go to 1 Peter chapter 4. So, I kind of already hit on this, and the fact that, spiritually speaking, we are dead in trespasses and sins, but we were quickened, we were alive, and we were, spiritually speaking, made a new creature, so we were enemies back then, spiritually speaking, with God, but in chapter 5 it says we have peace with God, you know, and it's by, we have access into this grace, into this grace, we have access by faith into this grace where we stand, and it's obviously by faith that we that we're reconciled, that peace is made there, but in 1 Peter chapter 4, verse 3, notice what it says, it says, For the time past of our life may suffice us to wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries, wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riots, riots speaking evil of you, who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached unto them that are dead, talking about those that died in the flood, okay, because chapter 3 is talking about Noah and the flood, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. I believe there's a lot of people that got saved under Noah's preaching when he was preparing that ark for a hundred years, but only his family were physically saved from that judgment, but it says they lived according to God in the spirit, but they were judged according to men in the flesh, okay, and that's what we're dealing with is that so speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty, for ye shall have judgment without mercy that show no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment, and what doth the prophet, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works, can faith save him? From what? Judgment without mercy. And to think that you would have favor with God, the same favor with God as believers, if one is over here just breaking all of God's commandments, not doing what he should be doing, and then a person over here that's trying to keep as much as he can, trying to live a wholly separated life, trying to go out soul winning as much as he can, winning people to Christ, reading his Bible, trying to homeschool his children, trying to do all these things, and you're going to tell me that God's favor is the same on those two people? Insanity. How about this? The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are opened up to their prayers, but his face is against them that do evil. How many verses are you going to put on its head in order to say something that dumb? And you know what? Like I said, this would be like, this would be the equivalent of Brother Dave becoming a Pentecostal to me, or Brother Levi, or Brother Richie. This would be that equivalent. That's how just frustrated I would be. I'd just be like, listen, just get out of church. Just go do what you want to do, but don't go into that garbage. What are you doing? That's how frustrating this is, but here's the thing. I hope that this is a lesson, too, to know that first of all, a lot of us can fall into a lot of different things, and this is why it's so important to not only be in church and read your Bible, but to study. To study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. And listen, young people, adults, everybody, you need to study this stuff out. Because, I'm just going to tell you, the guy that I'm talking about, the old friend that I'm talking about, out of all my friends, I thought he'd be the one to start a church. Out of all my friends, I thought that he'd never be the one that would fall out. He was too structured. He was too, like, just hard-nosed, to the point, like, this is what it's going to be. I thought that would never happen, but it did. And, you know what, it's sad, but it is a warning shot to all of us. And yes, I am legalistic, just so you know. Because I believe the Bible, and this is the legal documents that I'm going by. You know what, you can give me all this flowery talk, and this Pentecostal talk, but you know what, you're going to have to prove it with a chapter and verse. Or I'm not going to believe it. And, so, I hope that makes sense, and I hope that ties in well with James chapter 2. And some of you probably have heard that sermon a couple times from me as far as my stance on James chapter 2. But hopefully that gives you another light as far as Proverbs chapter 3, as far as having favor with God and man by keeping His commandments. Because we are justified before God by our works, if anything, for the judgment seat of Christ. Right? I mean, when we stand before, not for sins, but for the things that we do in this body, whether it be good or bad, meaning whether it be profitable or unprofitable, that's what we're going to be judged by, and we're going to have rewards. So let's end with a word of prayer. The only father we thank for today, and thank you for your word, and thank you for these passages. And Lord, we do pray that we'd have good favor with you as much as we can. And Lord, just help us to keep your commandments, and help us to know what they are, and help us to also know that any of us can fall out of things, and any of us could get into bad fellowship, and get out of favor. And Lord, we just pray that you'd help us to walk in the Spirit as much as possible, and Lord, we just thank you for everything that you've done for us. Thank you for salvation, and pray that you'd be able to go out in the morning. And Lord, we love you and pray all this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. So by the day, we'll come and sing one more song, and that will be dismissed. Take your song books and turn to song number 97. Song number 97, if you would stand. We'll sing on I Need Thee Every Hour, song number 97. Don't bless me now my Savior I come to Thee I need Thee every hour Stay Thou nearby Temptations lose their power When Thou art nigh I need Thee, oh I need Thee