Turn with me again to the book
of Revelation 2. This morning we looked at the
Scriptures, and I'll just read them and pick up where we left
off. Unto the angel of the church
in Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God. who hath
his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine
brass. I know thy works, and charity,
and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and
the last to be more than the first." group that had been raised up
in a place called Thyatira, a city where the Lord was pleased and
merciful to place the hearing of His Word in the midst of that
church and in a place where the Lord recognized and acknowledged
that which He Himself had performed. in his people, in that place
there was a blight within that group that needed
to be dealt with. It says in verse 20 to 22, notwithstanding,
I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman
Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to
seduce my servants, to commit fornication, and to eat things
sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent
of her fornication, and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her
into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great
tribulation except they repent of their deeds. Now, I do not
doubt that there was in this place, the Scripture gives no
reason whatsoever to believe otherwise, that there was at
that time a woman who claimed to be a prophetess. That is what
the Scripture says. a woman preacher that our Lord
referred to as Jezebel. Now, I don't want to go into,
and I don't think I need to go into the fallacy of women that
have placed themselves in the position as being pastors, as
being preachers, whatever they want to call themselves. This
is no slight upon a woman's character. The point of the matter is that
God Almighty calls men as being pastors. Now that just ends it. The Lord says, why? Because Paul
the Apostle, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit of
God, said this, I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp
the authority over a man. It's not up for debate. It's
not up for question. That's just the way it is. But
men and women, being like they are, both of them, they are both
cut out of the same pit, you know. Men and women both find
it, you know, within their own human nature to exalt themselves
above measure. And I don't doubt, like I said
for a second, that there wasn't a woman that had actually exalted
herself called herself a prophetess, said, ìThe Lord has called me,î
and put herself in a position as being a teacher. Now, who
this woman was is not exactly known. ìThe Lordî refers to her
and the crime that she actually committed against God and His
people and called her a Jezebel. Now, that name has come to carry
quite a significance, hasnít it? I mean, there's not a mother
in this world, I don't think, that would ever name her daughter
Jezebel. I mean, that's just a name like
Judas. I mean, it's just a name that
carries great reproach. But this woman, obviously, is
also, though I said before, I don't doubt that she was actually there. But this letter that was written
to the church at Thyatira is a letter that is written to all
churches, true churches. And therefore, there is instruction
to every church in every letter. This woman is a type of all who
would attempt to spread the soul-damning doctrine of man's rebellion against
God which evidences itself every time in free willism. Every time. Someone could say,
why do you harp on free willism? Because that is the heart of
rebellion. There's only two wills that's
in question here. God's will or our will. Now, that's the bottom line.
It's one or the other. It's either God is in control
or man is in control. There can't be two equally in
control. This doctrine of free will, that
is the heart, the foundation of all rebellion against God. And God Almighty referred to
this woman as Jezebel, this false doctrine is set forth in the
Scriptures as spiritual fornication, unfaithfulness to God and to
His Word, and it is the spread of the meat or the food of evil
that a dead sinner truly believes is his food and his meat. We preach without a doubt, a
positive gospel. We preach the gospel of God's
free grace, but we absolutely can allow no room whatsoever
for doctrine, or that is, teaching. Whenever you hear the word doctrine,
it's teaching, it's preaching about something. We allow no
room for doctrine that is contrary to the gospel of God's free grace. Every false preacher, man or
woman, is referred to concerning this letter right here as a Jezebel,
a rebel against God, deceiving and seducing the souls of men. Beware of false prophets. The Scripture says they come
in sheep's clothing, but are actually ravening wolves. And the Lord will destroy them
because they repented not. That's what he just said. He
said, I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented
not. Now let me ask you this. Why
does a man or a woman not repent? You know why? They don't want
to. That's the reason they don't.
They just don't want to. They have no desire to. You see,
unless there's a new nature put inside that longs after Christ,
leave a man or a woman to themselves, and you know what they're going
to do? Rebel against God. That's all that's there. Leave
a cat. Leave him to himself, and you
know what he's going to act like for the rest of his life? A cat. You say, why don't you act like
a dog? Because there's nothing there
to act like a dog. Flesh is flesh. That which is
born of the flesh is always that way. The Lord said in Matthew
7, 22, many, many, Man by nature doesn't believe
this, but the Lord says, many will say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name
has cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity, Cast them out. Bind them up. Put them in hell. That's where they deserve to
go. I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me to 1 John 4. 1 John chapter 4. Now, a letter was written to
a church in Thyatira. The Lord said, there's a woman
there, a prophetess, as she calls herself, And this woman has seduced
my servants to commit fornication, to eat things sacrificed to idols. I want to read you something,
1 John chapter 4, verses 1 to 6, and I want to explain for
just a moment how do you know a false prophet? Now, you know you say a lot of
things. I can say this. I can say that. I know I've told
some of you this statement that was made to me years and years
ago by a friend of mine, and I thought that was a pretty good
statement. He had a nephew. This friend
of mine was a preacher. Preached the truth. And his nephew
said to him, he said, you know, you say that this guy's a liar,
and that guy says you're a liar. You say, they're hawksters. And
he said, how do I know? How do I know who's telling the
truth? And my friend said, but for the
grace of God, you won't. And what will happen is, but
for God's grace, you'll find something that sounds right to
you, sounds good to you. But for God's grace, you'll settle
down right there and you'll die. I thought, you know, that's pretty
true. How do I know a false prophet? I hit on this this morning, but
this afternoon I got to thinking about it. And I thought, you
know, let me go back and prove what I'm saying. If I'm going
to say something, let's back it up with Scripture. And if
I can't back it up with Scripture, I'll recant it. I'll take it
back. But if I can, Bob, I won't. 1 John chapter 4, Beloved, believe
not every spirit. Now, the word spirit there, you
know what that means. It means a preacher, a man that
preaches. Believe not every spirit, but
try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false
prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit
of God. Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is not of God. And this is that spirit of anti-Christ."
Now let me stop right here. False preachers, those men that
are going out in this world, and the Scripture says, here's
how you know them. Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. Now, I dealt
with that pretty completely, I think, this morning. What does
it actually mean to preach that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh? It is not that we preach that
there was a man named Jesus Christ that died on the cross and tried
to save everybody. It's not that. Jesus Christ,
man, God, He was born and He called His name Jesus. Christ
is the Messiah. The God-man come in the flesh
is of God. Every spirit that confesseth
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God. And this is that spirit of not
anti-religion. Man's religious. They're not
anti-moral. They're moral. They're not anti-devotion. They're devoted. But they're
anti-Christ. They're against Him. Whereof
ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is
in the world. Ye are of God, little children,
and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you
than he that is in the world. They are of the world, therefore
speak they of the world, and the world heareth them." Now
again, I said a few weeks ago, whenever I say, when the Lord
says, they are of the world, they speak of the world, it's
not talking about this creation. This is a wonderful place. God
made it this way. And He made it and saw that it
was good. This is the world. This is God's world. But when
He speaks of, they are of the world, it is of the world's religion,
the manner of thinking of the way man by nature rebels against
God. Not this dirt that's out there. We, verse 6, are of God, and
he that knoweth God heareth us. that is not of God, heareth not
us? Hereby know we the spirit of
truth and the spirit of evil. How do you know? How do you know? The saints are exhorted to believe
not every spirit, but to try them. How do you try the spirits? Well, obviously, you know that
by the Word of God. What does God's Word say? Does
the Spirit of God, through a man, say this? That God has chosen
a people that He has everlastingly loved. Did the Scripture say
that God chose a people in Christ before the foundation of the
world? The answer is yes. Ephesians 1-4. To what did He
choose them? that they might be holy and without
blame before Him in love." That's what He purposed, Neal. He chose
them to that. That's what He chose them to
do. Did the Lord Jesus Christ say when He was in this world,
He said in John 17, verse 9, I don't pray for the world, but
I pray for those that you've given Me out of the world. That's
who I'm praying for, those that you've given me out of the world. Does it not appear to you that
God Almighty has got an elect people in this world? When Paul
said in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, we are bound, we're bound
to give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord,
because, why? God hath from the beginning chosen
you. to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Did the Lord Jesus Christ
say, as I quoted this morning, I lay down my life for who? The sheep. Did Christ Himself
say that His death was particular, that He died for a particular
people? Did He say that? Yes, He did. In John, I think, 637. I'll quote
it right, even if I miss the Scripture. Did he not say, All
that the Father giveth me, what? Shall. Shall. Shall come to me. They shall. All that the Father gave me shall
come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast
him out. Did he say that? Therefore, judge what any man
says based on that scripture. And if any man preaches any other
gospel than that which Paul says we've preached unto you, let
that man be anathema, maranatha, let him be accursed. Let him
be accursed. John is saying, try the spirits. If a spirit A preacher does not
preach according to this gospel. He is not of God. And men will
say, wait a minute, no, I do not have time to wait a minute,
Brother Scott. The first mark, the first mark right out of the
chute, that gate comes open right out of the chute, the first mark
that gives a man away is his universal attempt at converting
the world. We're preaching to convert the
world. I'm going to tell you something. I don't know who God's
sheep are. I don't know who they are. But
I do know this, and I'll preach exhorting all men to repent. You know why I do that? Because
that's what the Scripture says to do. Exhort them all to repent. But I do know that setting forth
the truth concerning Christ, it is through that preaching
according to this book that the Spirit of God blesses the calling
out of His people. Now, I know what man does by
nature. He hates this message. I know
that. I did the same thing. And all of you that have believed,
You heard it, and it went contrary. This is where I was going, I
thought, and this goes this way. And it just broadsides me, and
I'm thinking, now wait a minute. That you're taking every foundation
away from me. Everything that I've ever believed.
Everything that I was ever taught. Everything. Are you saying, Marvin,
that I was wrong? Yeah. If we believe not this
gospel, We're wrong. We're wrong. Now that just goes
against the flesh. I mean, it just does. A truthful
preacher confesses by conviction of the heart, by the regenerating
power of the Spirit of God, that God the Son, the only One who
is the surety of the sheep, the covenant head of the church,
the husband of the bride, actually has come in human flesh to tabernacle
among His people and to redeem them. John said in John 1 14,
ìWe, the regenerate, beheld His glory.î Do you know why a man
does not believe this message? Because he doesnít behold the
glory of God Almighty. He just doesnít. We can try to
pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves we're okay and
I've been this and I've been that. I'm telling you, a man
or a woman that dies in unbelief, the Scripture reveals the end
thereof. John says, don't believe every
spirit. Those that deny this message
deny God's Godhead and the Holy Spirit's person and ministry
of actually calling out the sheep. Those who confess not this and
die in this, turn over one page probably to Jude, one chapter
in Jude, verse 4, for there are certain men crept in unawares
who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly
men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying
the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Now let me ask
you something. And just before I even ask this
question, ask yourself this when I ask you, will we take God's
Word are our fickle thoughts. Now, which one are we going to
take? Who is going to be truthful? My depraved heart born in Adam
or God's Word? Now, you know, if we are honest
about it, we will say, well, I will take God's Word. There
are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained
to this condemnation. Do you know what that word ordained
means? Announced formally. That's what
ordained means. Announced. Some ordained to everlasting
life. They were announced formally.
Who makes thee to differ? God Almighty. I'm telling you,
the reason that there's no fear of God is that man by nature
doesn't know Him. Doesn't fear Him. Doesn't respect
Him. They speak in such disrespectful
terms concerning Him. They speak of Him as if He is
some old, feeble man that is trying to do whatever. There is but one infallible security
against being led away, and that is the regenerating power of
the Spirit of God being kept by God. The sixth verse of 1 John 4 that
we read says, We are of God. He that knoweth God, that is,
knows Him by regeneration, heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth
not us. know we the spirit of truth and
the spirit of error. Now back in Revelation. The Lord said in verse 23 concerning
Jezebel calling herself a prophetess, to seduce my servants, to commit
fornication, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, gave her space to
repent, verse 23 says, I will kill her children with death.
And all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth
the reins and hearts, and I will give unto every one of you according
to your works. In the destruction of the wicked,
God's elect are proven, are shown, and they're instructed. God's
people are taught that God is omniscient. He knows. Now, I look out and I see a group
of people. And there is in this group of
people, Gary, some that I assume are believers. The reason I assume
that they are believers is because they talk like a believer and
they walk like a believer. And I listen to them and I just,
you know, I assume. But do you know that I'm not
the one that knows? I don't know. There have been
some before that I fought. May God keep me. May God keep
me. Only the Lord Himself is the
omniscient God and knows men's hearts. They are taught, that
is, God's people, that God is just and deals with men in righteousness. But unto you, verse 24 and 25,
I say, And unto the rest in Thyatira,
as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the
depths of Satan as they speak, I will put upon you none other
burden, but that which ye have already. Hold fast till I come."
These that the Lord spoke to that knew Him, those that God
had kept, from the seducing lies of false prophets. The Lord said,
I'm not going to impose on you any greater burden, no other
burden. Now in that, I read that and
I thought, when the Lord said, I'll impose upon you no greater
burden, I saw in that the mercy of Almighty God in chastening
those that He loves. And he said, I say to you that
have not this doctrine of Jezebel, I'll put on you none other burden. He revealed to the church at
Thyatira that they allowed Jezebel freedom that she shouldn't have
had. He said in verse 20, I have few
things against you because thou sufferest You know what that
means? You allow it. You put up with
it. That's what you do. You tolerate
it. You suffer. And she should have
never had the leeway that she had. The problems that arise
from such error truly are a burden to the flock. They are. In loving kindness, the Lord
shall keep His people. but they shall feel the sting
of disobedience even while He says, I will put no greater burden
upon you." A person that tolerates, and I know from just things that
I've heard that's happened here and in other places, there's
been no tolerance. There's been things that's come
up. And it's not only been here. It's been in other places where
a stand had to be made for the truth. And you know that. You
know what I'm talking about. We've all been there. I was there. You all were there. And there's
times that you have to just take a stand. And there's a sting. The Lord told the church at Thyatira,
those that He had kept, He said, I'll put no greater burden upon
you. But the revelation of what they'd done was a burden. The revelation being told This
is what you've done. You've allowed it. The reason
that we cannot allow any man to stand in a pulpit, in a position
of authority, is because of the grave responsibility of the setting
forth of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. No leeway. No tolerance
whatsoever. David said in Psalm 119.71, it's
good for me that I've been afflicted, that God's taught me of myself,
that I might learn of thy statutes." We cannot tolerate, you cannot
compromise under any circumstances the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ, under any circumstances at any time. Verse 25 says, "...but
that which ye have already, hold fast till I come." 2 Timothy
1.13 says, Hold fast the form of sound words. That's what he's
talking about. Hold fast. Don't deviate. Don't go to the left or the right.
That which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is
in Christ Jesus. The words of the Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Keep a steady course is what
Paul was saying sound words. This God Almighty is sovereign
in creation. God Almighty is sovereign in
providence and salvation. Man is helpless to help himself. Don't deviate from that. And he, verse 26, that overcometh
and keepeth my works unto the end, to Him will I give power. over the nations, and He shall
rule them with a rod of iron. As the vessels of a potter shall
they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father. And
I will give Him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh,
that is, overcometh the religion of this world and believes that
Jesus is the Christ. He that keepeth my words, not
your words or my words, but His words, keeps them by faith to
Him. I give power over the nations,
make Him rule with a rod of iron. Now, believers shall rule with
Christ, the Scripture says, over our enemies. Now that's an amazing
thought when you hear that. All who persevere in the faith
of the gospel will sit as kings with Christ upon His throne. Turn over to Revelation 3.21.
Let me show you how I didn't make those
words up. Revelation 3.21, to Him that overcometh will I grant
to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set
down with my Father in His throne." He shall sit as the judge of
all men. He will judge them in righteousness.
All rebels against Almighty God will feel the sting of His judgment. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
chapter 6. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 2 and
3. 1 Corinthians 6, 2 and 3. Do ye not know? Now, just reading
those first few words, this is a statement that Paul is about
to make, and it's made in such a manner, stated in such a manner,
it's just such a matter of fact. ought to be understood perfectly. Is it not obvious to you, he
says, verse 2, do ye not know that the saints shall judge the
world? And if the world shall be judged
by you, are ye not unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know
ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain
to this life. In Romans 8, verse 1, I know
this, Therefore there is now no condemnation to them that
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit. Therefore we shall not be in
the condemnation. I know that. We shall be as Christ
says we are. But how is it that we shall be
as judges? only as we are found in Him,
seated with Him. He's the judge. We're seated
with Him. We are His people. We ourselves
are not judges and will not. He is the judge, but we are found
with Him. Know ye not that we as being
found and considered in Him. Turn with me to Psalm 2. Psalm
chapter 2. That's an amazing thought. You
know that we're seated with Him in the heavenlies. You know that
God the Father has always considered us chosen in His beloved, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said, I was crucified with
Him when He went to the cross, being considered in Him. I was
crucified with Him. He was raised for our justification. When He came out, we came out.
And the Lord Himself says that you'll sit with Me on My throne. He is the judge, and we'll be
seated with Him. Now, how much of that I understand,
I would not even venture to say the fullness. But I can say this,
based on His Word, it shall be so. It shall be so. Psalm chapter 2, verse 8 and
9. and I shall give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a
rod of iron, and thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's
vessel." That was the Scripture that was quoted back in Revelation. On this day of final judgment,
Christ Himself will execute judgment. But to those who overcome, those
everlastingly loved by the Father, by the Son, by the Spirit, the
Scripture says to them, verse 28, I will give him the morning
star. And we shall forever possess
by sight the Lord Jesus Christ In 2 Peter 1, verse 19, the Scripture
says, We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereinto ye
do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in
a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your
hearts. The day star Himself will introduce
us in the glorious day of eternal life. And then John closes this
second chapter and says this, ìHe that hath an ear, that is
a new ear, an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.î Lord willing, the next time we shall deal,
starting in the third chapter, with the church at Sardis. This Tuesday night we shall meet. Linda and I have to go to Franklin
this next week, and so our services will be Tuesday night instead
of Wednesday night, and Lord willing, Brother Scott will be
preaching for us next Sunday. All right? Okay, Gary, you come.