The Bible is pleased to the 7th
chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 7. Let's read beginning with the 8th chapter
verses 21 and 22. Then I would like to read through
the 7th verse of the 9th chapter. So let's begin with verses 21,
let's begin with verse 20, Isaiah chapter 8. To the law and to the testimony,
if they do not speak according to this word, it is because they
have no dawn. Now, the word dawn is used here,
But that's not the word that is used in the King James. No
light in them. Now look at the 21st verse. And they will pass through the
land hard pressed and famished. And it will turn out that when
they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king
and their God as they face upward. Then they will look to the earth,
and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they
will be driven away into darkness." Now don't stop. Continue with
chapter 9. but there will be but, that's the NASB and you'll find
notwithstanding used in the KJV and we'll discuss those two words
with you later, but there will be no more gloom for her who
was in anguish. In earlier times he treated the
land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt. But later on he shall make it
glorious by the way of the sea on the other side of Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light. Those who live in a dark land,
the light will shine on them. Thou shalt multiply the nation.
Thou shalt increase their gladness. They will be glad in Thy presence,
as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide
the spoil. But Thou shalt break the yoke
of their burden, and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of
their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian, For every boot of
the booted warrior in the battle tumult and cloak rolled in blood
will be for burning, fuel for the fire. Now you're familiar
with this next passage. For a child will be born to us. A son will be given to us. And stop right there. That's
talking about the first advent of Christ, isn't it? He didn't
stop. Notice how He just rolls it all
into one in the Old Testament. And you have to learn how to
divide it. And the government will rest on His shoulders. That's becoming prophetical,
isn't it? And His name will be called Wonderful,
Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, there
will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace
on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it
and to uphold it with justice and righteousness. From then
on and forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish
this. Let me take time to just say
a word about the opening word of Chapter 9, BUT, OR, NOTWITHSTANDING. The King James used NOTWITHSTANDING,
and when you study this word in the original, it could mean, nevertheless,
in spite of that. So, in spite of that. The NASB has chosen to use the
conjunction but. And you could translate it like
this, except for the fact. Except for the fact. Now let me give a few things
about this passage before we turn and get into another study
this morning of the same passage but from a different perspective.
Isaiah the prophet shows in Isaiah 8 and verse 20 that the only
resource for faith, and let me emphasize, the only resource
for faith in any age is the Word of God. Now we have to settle that to
begin with or we don't have a message. There is a distressing picture
in Isaiah 8, 21 and 22. And they will pass through the
land hard-pressed and famished. And it will turn out that when
they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their King
and their God, spelled with a capital G, as they face upward. then they will look to the earth
and behold distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they
will be driven away into darkness. So in the midst of thick darkness,
that is without, there is a never satisfying longing within the
unregenerate heart. Now here is a message for every
one of us in this auditorium this morning. Saved and lost
alike. So let's listen closely. I said, in the midst of thick
darkness without, there is a never satisfying or satisfied longing
within the unregenerate heart. Looking up the unregenerate heart,
finds no comfort in anything on the earth. Within, without, above or below,
such a person finds nothing but darkness and anguish. That's
a fact, folks. The last verse of Isaiah 8 tells
of some who prefer any source of assumed intelligence, even
though it be diabolical. I said even though it be diabolical. However, there are some who cleave
to the Word of God's testimony, and on them light shall shine. In chapter 9, I'm connecting
the two now. I want you to see this. We see
the light using where least expected. Jesus Christ makes His dwelling
in the dark place. Christ began His public ministry
by leaving Nazareth and taking up residence in Capernaum. I'm
talking about Christ's public ministry. This was in order that
the Scriptures might be fulfilled. And we're talking about Isaiah
9, 1 and 2 in Matthew 4, 15 and 16. Zebulun and Naphtali were under
greater darkness under the Romans than under the Assyrians. The
moral darkness was greater than the national misery. Now looking
at the 9th chapter, especially verses 3-5, and I'm just filling
in some things here. So Isaiah 9, 3-5 will be fulfilled
WHEN Christ comes in power and great glory, not His first advent. It is here, as in Zechariah chapter
9, No distinction is made between the first and the second advents
of Christ. That's why a lot of people get
confused in the study of prophecy. You must study Joel 3, 9-14,
Zechariah 14, 13, Isaiah 63, verse 3, Isaiah 66, 15 and 16, and Joel,
going back to last Sunday's study, Joel 2 verse 30, chapter 2 verse
30, in connection with verse 5. Now, let's go two more verses. Isaiah 9, 6 and 7 are to be viewed
if Messiah was first born to Israel as a nation. Isaiah 66 verse 7, As indeed
he is, and that the nation itself is also just born again to welcome
him. The statement unto us refers
to the only nation, the only nation ever elected as a nation. God chose a nation and then he
chose a spiritual group of people within that nation. And that's
proved to anyone who is interested in the facts. Romans chapter
9 explains it wonderfully through about the first eight verses. The promises of Isaiah 9, 6 and
7 are followed by further denunciation
of evil and warnings of impending judgments,
both political and otherwise, religiously. This division takes in the following
verses, chapter 9, beginning with verse 8, all the way through
chapter 10 and verse 4. So in this section, we have pride,
chapter 9, 8 through 12, P-R-I-D-E. Secondly, we have false teaching,
chapter 9, verses 13 through 17. Number three, we have violence,
chapter 9, 18 through 21. And finally, chapter 10, verses
1 through 4, we're introduced to injustice. injustice. Now let's look at another thing
or two before we really introduce our subject and get into the
study of it this morning. I want to go slowly, I want to
speak distinctly, and I don't want to miss a thing because
this passage is one of the most important passages that we will
ever study as Christians and what our responsibility is under
God. I want to raise a question, first
of all. What is the greatest sign of apostasy? Write down
what you think the greatest sign of apostasy is. Write it down
on a piece of paper. What is the greatest sign of
apostasy? We're in the midst of apostasy.
Religionists don't want to recognize it, but we are. And that shows
you where we are when it comes to eschatology. What is the greatest sign of
apostasy? Do you have it in your mind?
I'll give you a quick answer just in a few words. It is seeking
wisdom outside the wisdom of God. Let me state it again. It is
seeking wisdom outside the wisdom of God. In other words, it is
seeking wisdom outside of the wisdom of this book right here,
folks. I haven't had anything recently
that has touched me like this subject has in the last few days. So let's get right into the study.
Seeking wisdom. Outside the wisdom of God is
a sign of increasing apostasy. And folks, there is a lot of
apostasy today. That's about all you hear. And the result of that is what? Demonic deception. I said demonic
deception. Since man poses or possesses a spirit, and he
does possess a spirit, man is body, soul, and spirit. That's
1 Thessalonians 5, 23. Body, soul, and spirit. Now you
and I have been renewed, but not the body. And so we're living
in this body that is not redeemed yet, and it will not be redeemed
until the Lord comes or we are called home to be with the Lord. So since man possesses a spirit,
he is driven to seek support for that spirit in the day of
mental strain and distress. And there is a mental strain
today and there is a distress on the part of people, generally
speaking, and you know what I'm talking about. The unsaved person who has no
support is a fit target for demonic deception. He won't
admit it, but he's a fit target. Satan does not allow that vacuum
to go without filling it his way for his purpose. His way for His purpose. Mediums
will tell their clients what they want to hear. And whether the person is a politician
or a preacher, it doesn't make any difference. They're out to
tell people what they want to hear. And that's why we are in
this apostate condition today. One of the reasons. However, Isaiah declared that
the only resource For faith in any age, in any age, is the Word
of God. And you and I know how the Word
of God is despised today by politicians and educators alike. Therefore, in the midst of thick
darkness, and we're in the midst of thick darkness, The condition of everything outside
the Christian life is diabolical. However, Christians depend on
God's Word and testimony. Listen to this statement again.
To the Law and to the Testimony. This is verse 20 of chapter 8.
To the Law and to the Testimony. If they do not speak according
to this word, it is because they have no light in them, the King
James, or they have no dawn in the NASB. And they will pass through the
land hard pressed. You see this now in a different
light as we're reading it out and just reading it coldly as
we did to begin with. and famished, and it will turn
out that they are hungry. And when they are hungry, what
will they do? They'll be enraged and curse their king or their
civil leader as well as their God. And I'm talking about the
Jewish people now. Because we're in Jewish territory.
This is what we're talking about. Then they will look to the earth.
What will they do? They will look to the earth and
behold distress and darkness. Folks, let's face it. Turn on
your television. What do you see? Nothing but
distress and darkness. You can't deny it. The gloom of anguish. And they
will be driven away into darkness. Now let's carry this a step further.
There are factors contributing to increasing demonic deception. Number one, what is it? The empty
soul, the empty soul, S-O-U-L, is an empty life. Turn if you
will, please, and let's read. Matthew 12, and verses 43 through 45. And
let me state it again now and I want everybody to look at these
scriptures because there's something here for every person this morning.
Every person. In Matthew chapter 12 and we'll
read 43 through 45. Now when the unclean
spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places,
seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, I will return
to my house from which I came, and when it comes, it finds it
unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes
along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and
they go in and live there, and the last state of that man becomes
worse than the first, that is the way it will also be with
this evil generation, our Lord said, as He was speaking to the
Jewish people. So the empty soul is an empty
life. As the soul of man becomes spiritually
depleted, and the idea of God grows increasingly dim, And the idea of God is growing
increasingly dim to a lot of people today throughout the world.
Man's soul becomes an undefended fortress into which evil powers
have easy access. Nothing there to stop them. No
grace there. We're talking about unregenerate
people. Nature abhors a vacuum. That's a common expression with
which we're all familiar. So nature abhors a vacuum, and
whenever a vacuum is created, there will be what? There will
be a balancing to restore the atmospheric equilibrium. Era of any sort is always looking
for an empty life. empty life, an empty soul, and
an empty house. See, and all three of those things
are mentioned in the passage we read. It has been said that
an open mind is required to understand certain things. The word mind
comes from the Greek word nous, and here's what it means. It
refers to thought Noose refers to thought, to reason, purpose,
attitude, inattention, understanding, discernment, faculties of perceiving
and understanding, feeling, judgment, determining, faculty of perceiving
divine things, recognizing goodness and hating evil, judging impartiality,
etc., etc. Kind of grabs you, doesn't it? The word open means relatively
unoccupied. No means of being closed or disregard
for all rules. An open mind without restriction,
or I should say restrictions, plural, is a target for demons
to enter. One who does not know biblical
principles, I want to say it again, one who does not know
biblical principles is open to being led further down the road
to destruction. Modern psychology, listen closely, Modern psychology is reducing
man to a bundle of instincts, to a conscious or subconscious
system of actions and reactions. This modern world has been repopulated
in the last 50 years plus. by demons and spirits who have
re-entered houses, using the first illustration I gave from
Matthew 12, by side doors and back entries. They are not less
harmful, even though they are given harmless names. Are you ready for this? And people
speak of them as complexes, neuroses, phobias and obsessions. Second, number two, there will
be deception in the last days. Deception will be great. Deception means to ensnare, take
unaware by craft or guile. calls to believe what is false,
misled as to a matter of fact, lead into error, impose upon,
or to delude. The fall of man, which was the
introduction of sin into the world of humanity, is traced
back to the deception of Eve, by God's great enemy, Satan. 2 Corinthians 11-3 and 1 Timothy
2-14. Listen to this statement in 2
Corinthians 11-3. The serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness. How was he able to deceive? He
didn't deceive Adam, he deceived Eve. or looking at 1st Timothy 2.14,
the woman being quite deceived fell into transgression. I'm
just saying it like it is. Since that original deception,
the heart of man has been infected with deceit. Out of this deceitful
heart arises all the evil with which we are faced. today. Mankind in a depraved condition
is a deceived race and there are also men who make it their
profession to deceive and promote the deceptions of the devil. This is the order of some forms
of deception in the last days. Let me give them to you. I said
this is the order of some forms of deception in the last days.
Number one, false teachers and deceiving spirits. That's 1st
Timothy 4 verse 1, 2nd Peter chapter 2 verses 1 through 18.
Peter describes them very well. So false teachers and deceiving
spirits. Number two, false Christs, plural,
and prophets. Matthew 24, 4, 5, 11, and 24.
I'll give it again. Matthew 24, verses 4, 5, 11, and 24. And
Luke 21, verse 8. Number three, Not only false Christs, but false
antichrists, plural. 1 John 2, 18 through 26. Revelation 13, 14. And Revelation 19, verse 20.
Number five, the city of Babylon. And it is the religious whore,
as she is referred to. Revelation 18, 1 through 23. Finally, number six, and that's
the number of man, isn't it? Satan's war against the beloved
city of Jerusalem. Revelation 20, verses 7 through
10. Number three, God will sin. Now this one really will get
you if you're not accustomed to it. Boy, I can remember the
first time I read this, I didn't know what in the world to do
with it. And you didn't either when you read it for the first
time. And we'll read the passage in a minute. It's 2 Thessalonians
2.11. Let's turn to 2 Thessalonians
and read that verse. 2 Thessalonians 2.11. I may go
back a few verses so we can really get the impact of it. Let's go
back to verse 7. Paul said, For the mystery of
lawlessness is already at work. It was already at work in his
day. If it was at work in his day, it's really at work today.
Only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of
the way. And then that lawless one will
be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth,
and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming. That is, the one
whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all
power and signs and false wonders. Now watch the next two verses.
And with all the deception of wickedness, all the deception
of wickedness, for those who perish, because they did not
receive the love of the truth, and he's talking about the Word
of God, folks, so as to be saved or delivered. Now verse 11, and
this will shake you to the end of your toes. And for this reason,
God will sin. This will grab you, so watch
it. God will send upon them a deluding influence. Who's doing it? God, Jehovah God, the righteous
God, so that they might believe what is false. So folks, if you
think things are bad now, wait till that happens. Wait till
that happens. And we don't know how near we
are to it. We do not know. But it's a little
frightening, isn't it? I think so. It's very frightening. So God will send a working of
error. Coming to the conclusion of this
age in which we are living, there will be widespread, deep, and
awful deception when lies, L-I-E-S, will be believed as truth. Now you talk to the average person
today and mention that to him, he thinks you're a little cuckoo. The reason is threefold. Number one, ignorance of Scripture
because of one's lack of grace. Number two, increased demon activity. And number three, prevalence
of selfishness. All people are concerned about
is their selfish desires. my selfish desires. Therefore
God has ordained the assembly that he is continuing to build
and the local assemblies with their pastors, teachers to supply
that indoctrination that must be given. Teaching is the backbone
of Christianity and people today as a whole are not being taught
the truth of God. I want to read a passage. Turn,
if you will, to Ephesians chapter 4. Let's let Paul amplify that. Chapter 4 and beginning with
verse 8. Listen to this. Paul said, Therefore it says,
When he ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives
and he gave gifts to men. He gave gifts to men. Now he's
talking about what he has given the local assembly. Now this
expression, he ascended, what does it mean except that he also
had descended into the lower parts of the earth. He who descended
is himself also he who ascended, for above all the heavens that
he might fill all things. And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some
as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers. For the equipping
of the saints, for the equipping of the saints, You can't be equipped
without being taught by God's called elders and teachers. For the equipping of the saints
for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, the unity of the
faith, the unity of the faith. Can't stress it too much. to a mature man, mature man,
to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness
of Christ. As a result, we are no longer
to be children tossed here and there by waves and carried about
by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness
in deceitful scheming, but speaking the truth in love. And that's in love of the truth.
We are to grow up in all aspects unto Him who is the head, even
Christ, from whom the whole body being fitted and held together
by that which every joint supplies according to the proper working
of each individual part causes the growth of the body for the
building up of itself in love. The goal of Christianity is Jesus
Christ, but the conclusion of professing Christendom is the
Antichrist. Let me say that again. The final
goal of Christianity is Jesus Christ, but the conclusion of
professing Christendom is the Antichrist. The Bible unmistakably
teaches that the goal of history is not the product of history.
And the Kingdom of God does not come through growth and ascent,
but only after worldwide collapse and catastrophe. Now that statement
would go over like a lead balloon in the average religious institution
today. LAWLESSNESS WILL INCREASE. THE LOVE OF MANY WILL GROW COLD,
Matthew 24, 12. And listen to this one, WHEN
THE SON OF MAN COMES, WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH? That's
Luke 18, 8. THE REASON CHRIST HAS NOT COME,
listen to this closely, THE REASON THAT CHRIST HAS NOT COME because
the world is not Christian enough, but the world is not unbelieving
enough, or as lawless or violent as it will become. And the proof
of this is 1 Timothy 4, 1 through 3, 2 Timothy 3, 1 through 5,
and 4, 3 and 4, and 2 Peter 3, 3. The reason Christ has not come
is not because the world is not Christian enough or as lawless
or violent as it will become. So a basic principle of the divine
government of the world is that all things, the good and the
evil, must reach their respective ripeness. Evil's got to be ripe,
and that which is good has got to be ripe. The patience of God leads to
more severe judgment or punishment. By the intensification of evil,
not by reconciliation, God's final judgment will come. The Kingdom will come not by
glorifying human development, but by its collapse. Its collapse. Not by a compact
between God and civilization, but by the shattering of the
kingdoms of this world by divine judgment. Proof, Daniel 2, 34
and 35. Revelation 19, 11 through 21. This is the manner in which the
affairs of the world will triumph. However, all things will first
appear to be the reverse of this. A system of civilization will
arise that will appear to fulfill all the longings of mankind through
thousands of years. We might say, number one, at
its head will stand a mighty ruler, a genius for organization. who will be at once a world ruler,
Revelation 13, 7 and 14. I'm talking about the Antichrist
when he comes. He'll be received. He'll be looked
upon as the only hope for humanity. Number two, he will be a counselor. Not only will he be a mighty
ruler, but he'll be a counselor. of the nations who will secure
them against all danger of war. He'll talk about peace, peace,
peace, when the scripture says there is no peace. But he'll
be talking about peace and people will fall for it. I tell you, all Iraq would have
to do now is just say, we're a peaceful people and let's have
peace and start saying that. The Democrats would all say,
oh boy, let's get behind them. You think they're interested
in peace? That's what's going to happen.
Number three, he'll be a great organizer. There never has been
such an organizer in the world. Ordinary human being I'm talking
about. He'll be an organizer of mankind who will bring order
into hopeless chaos of the masses. However, all of this, all of
this will be without God and without grace. No God, no grace. It will be
solely in self-confidence, all of which will be the glory of
man's own strength and defying. Well, let's read a little bit
in 2 Thessalonians 2. Let's begin with the first verse
of 2 Thessalonians. Scripture. We'll be in it one
of these days. We'll really get in it. 2 Thessalonians 2. Let's
begin with verse 1. Now we request you, brethren,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken
from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message
or a letter as if from us. Let me stop there a moment. Evidently
someone had written a letter and sent it around to some of
the churches and forged Paul's name. That's why he makes reference
to that here. So read verse 2 again, that you
may not be quickly shaken from your composure to be disturbed
either by a spirit or by a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of
the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive
you. For it will not come unless the
apostasy comes first. And the man of lawlessness is
revealed. And who is he? The son of perdition. Who opposes and exhausts himself
above every so-called God or object of worship. so that he
takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as
being God." Boy, that's boldness, isn't it? Do you not remember
that while I was still with you? I was telling you these things,
Paul reminds them. And you know what restrains him
now? So that in his time he may be
revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness
is already at work. He's already at work. Only he
who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the
way. And then that lawless one will
be revealed, whom the Lord will slay. Well, I'm looking forward
to that moment, aren't you? whom the Lord will slay with
the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of
His coming." Folks, that's shouting ground. Shouting ground. So payday is
coming. And we don't have to use the
same theme that R.G. Lee used for About 2, I think
2,500 times that he preached that sermon. But payday is coming. God's answer to the challenge
of the Antichrist will be to send His Christ. And God will
destroy the Antichrist through the coming of Christ as King
of Kings and Lord of Lords. Satan will give authority to
the Antichrist. Notice, Satan will give authority. Thus the Anti-God will give authority
to the Antichrist. Watch this, Revelation 13, 4. So the lawless one works through
the method of deceit. whose coming is as the working
of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all
deceivableness. I want to stop there for a moment. Apagate. Apagate. Deception. Apartheid. Deception. Plural. Deceitful. which is the light of the context,
means every kind of deception that one could think of, of unrighteousness
in them that perish. So those who are perishing will
be the passive targets for Antichrist's deception. That is not history,
folks. The second beast of Revelation
13, Watch this, will exercise all the power of the first beast.
This depicts the third person in the evil trinity known as
the Anti-Spirit. Anti-God, Anti-Christ, Anti-Spirit. He too will do great wonders
and deceive those who dwell on the earth. God will send the
perishing who receive not the truth a strong delusion. And we've already looked at that
word. God will send an operation of deception resulting in those
who are perishing believing the lie. So God has nothing to do
with sin as sin. However, he punishes sin with
sin. Unregenerate people are foolish
and disobedient. and they live in a state of deception. Titus 3.3. Paul described himself
thus prior to his regeneration. The Greek adjective used for
foolish in this verse, Titus 3.3, means foolish, ignorant,
inconsiderate, unintelligent, or unwise. unwise in the wisdom of God.
Not unwise in the wisdom of the world, but unwise in the wisdom
of God. This is opposite to being considerate,
intelligent, or wise in the wisdom of God. I've seen folks who weren't so
wise in the wisdom of the world, but they've been Christians long
enough and have studied the Scriptures long enough, they were wise in
the wisdom of God. I'd rather be the latter than
to be wise in the wisdom of the world and know nothing about
God. Men wise in the wisdom of God
judges things in the light of eternity, not time. The wisdom
of the world looks at success in the light of time, not eternity. The adjective for disobedient
is the plural of the word meaning rebellious,
disobedient, unpersuasive, noncompliance with what is heard. I see it
every day in the lives of church members. I just said church members,
I mean just broadcast. The foolish and disobedient are
being deceived. The Greek word for deceived is
the present plural passive participle of plenao, meaning to lead astray,
deceive. And in the passive voice it means
stray away. deception, delusion, wonder about. Nothing but the grace of the
Sovereign God can do anything for unwise and unyielding persons
who are being deceived. The wisdom of the world is valueless
in the things of God. 1 Corinthians 1, 18-31. Let's read
those verses. 1 Corinthians. They're so full of real teaching
and preaching. 1 Corinthians 1, beginning with
verse 18. For the word of the cross is
to those who are perishing foolishness. But to us who are being saved,
it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will
set aside. Where is the wise man? Where
is the scribe? Where is the debater of this
age? Has not God made foolish the
wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God
the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God
was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached
to save those who believe." Boy! For indeed, Jews ask for signs
and Greeks seek for wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified,
Paul said, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness. But to those who are the call,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom
of God. Because the foolishness of God
is wiser than men. Foolishness of God is wiser than
men. And the weakness of God is stronger
than men. For consider your calling, brethren,
that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble, but God has chosen the foolish things
of the world to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things
of the world to shame the things which are strong. And the base
things of the world and the despised, God has chosen the things that
are not, that are not, that he might nullify the things that
are. Can you beat that? You can't
say anything to compare with that. So idolatry is one of Satan's
many methods of demonic activity. There are demons in the vicinity
of every idol. Every idol. Idolatry is forbidden. Exodus 23, 4 and 23. Deuteronomy 4, 27 and 28. I'll close with one really great
for you and me. It is a heinous sin. Idolatry
is a heinous sin. The whole city of Athens, I heard
a man on television this morning say there were more than 50 thousand
idols in Athens when Paul gave his discourse. 50,000 idols in Athens, Greece when
Paul brought his great discourse in the 17th chapter of Acts.
Christians are warned against idolatry. We're warned against
idolatry. Listen to what John said In the
last statement of 1 John, five chapters, giving us that perfect
tense verb, found more than sixty times, sixty times, if I remember
correctly, in five chapters, the perfect tense verb for know,
and knowing, makes you shiver. Little children, here's what
he said, last word, little children guard, Guard yourselves, the
King James says, keep yourself from idols. Christians have to watch that
constantly. After all, he was addressing Christians. We can
get occupied with something and it can take too much of our time
and we make an idol out of it. Demonic activity is rampant in
religion. Now, my closing remarks this
morning, and I have a brief paragraph to close with. I want to read
it. I want to read it slowly. I want
every word to sink in, and you'll see why when I get through. But
I'm not ready for it yet. Demonic activity is rampant in
religion. Paul told the intellectual religious
Athenians that they were too superstitious. Therefore, it
is imperative that Christians avoid false teachers, 1 Timothy
6.20. Unlike promoters of false teaching
who strive to win the affection, the proclamers of sound teaching
appeal first to the mind because judgment is based on understanding
truth. The soundly judging person rejects
the concept that experience instead of doctrinal persuasion unites
people of various doctrinal views. Christians proceed from having
been taught to experiencing the things they have been taught.
Conversely, religionists build their teaching around their experience
and their experiences. Since objective truth, listen
closely, since objective truth is the standard by which experience
is tested, religionists, that is, those who value experience
above truth, teach subjectivism. They teach subjectivism. Religionists
are persuaded by evil spirits. to replace OBJECTIVITY with SUBJECTIVITY. That's all you hear when you
listen to Pentecostals, folks. That's all you hear. Subjectivism
is the teaching that knowledge is limited to experience. However, every subjective experience
is required to be validated by OBJECTIVE TRUTH. If you make
a subjective statement, I'm going to test it by objective truth. Human experience that cannot
be validated by the Word of God must be rejected. Now, for the paragraph that is
so important to close with, this is good for the young people
who are here, and they've never come to know the Lord, listen
closely. It's good for all of us. The hope that disappoints has
its foundation in a subjective experience, not founded on the
objective covenant of God's grace. Let me say it again slowly. The
hope that disappoints has its foundation in a subjective
experience not founded on the objective covenant of God's grace. Now listen to this. Many subjectively
decide for Christ. I'll say it again, I want this
to soak in. Many subjectively decide for
Christ, but the decision is due to pressure. Are you with me? That has been applied to the
will. Now think that through, folks. Many subjectively decide for
Christ, but the decision is due to pressure that has been applied
to the will. They were willing to say something
and they said it. Therefore, these are people who
decided to take Christ as Savior Instead, watch what I'm saying
now. Instead of Jesus Christ having
laid whole of them. Folks, that is Philippians 3,
12 through 14. Now when you hear an Arminian,
give that one to him and tell him to eat it. Tell him to eat
it. He'll have to either eat it,
try to destroy it or accept it as the truth of God's Word. So instead of Jesus Christ having
laid hold of them, they laid hold of Christ subjectively,
not based on objective truth. This subjective experience will
bring nothing but disappointment and despair. Nothing but despair and disappointment. Seeking wisdom subjectively is
vain. Is vain. A subjective experience must
be in harmony with God's objective word. Let's stand