The Apostle John, the elder,
unto the elect lady, whether an individual or a church, she is the chosen of God, the
elect of God, who John said, I love. Because I love you, I've written
to you. I desire God's grace to be with you and mercy and
peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of the Father in truth and love. And I've written to you
because I'm rejoicing that God's had mercy on your children. I
asked you last week, what are some reasons why you might write
a letter? And we saw some of those reasons
in John's letter here. When there's joy that just can't
be contained, you've got to tell somebody about it. And there's something that the
word beseech indicates in verse 5. Now I beseech thee, lady.
There's something I want to exhort you regarding. There's something
I want you to remember. I want to be sure that you know
this. And this is what we mostly talked
about last week. Be sure and love one another.
Be sure to remember that commandment that we've received. It's not
new, but it's still new. It's still most important that
you love one another. That's what this church is. It's
a group of people that love one another in Christ. Membership
with this church is not recorded anywhere on a piece of paper
or anywhere else. There's no need whatsoever for
that. Do you write down who your family
members are? You got that written down somewhere?
I got my sister, you know, my brother so-and-so, and my aunts
and uncle. You just kind of know who they
are, don't you? Membership with this church and
any true church of God is throwing in your lot In the name of Christ
and for the cause of Christ with this family here If you visit
here every once in a while if you check in every now and then
that's fine don't get me wrong I'm glad you're here Whenever
you're here, but I would encourage you to come in Come on in this is a family Families
don't visit one another. Not my immediate family, not
my real family now. I'm going to live with them.
One way or another. Wherever they are, that's where
I'm going to be. Isn't that right? We work together. Done a lot
of work together, haven't we? Play together too. We help one another with whatever's
necessary. That's what family does. We laugh
together. Cry together. Worship together. We pray together. With a unity
of heart and purpose. With one need, one common need.
We sing together for the glory of our Savior. For the glory of our God. We
enjoy being together. We are together in every way
that counts. Because we love one another. And notice in verse 6 that love
is not an emotion. This is love that we walk. Love is not an emotion. It's
a way of life. It's a way of living. And it's
God's way. We walk in His truth. It's God's
way. To walk in love is not to do
what feels right. It's not to follow your heart.
You know your heart's desperately wicked and deceitful. The scripture says who can know
it? To walk in love is to do what God says. He is love and you're not by
nature. Walk in Christ and walk in love
and there's one more reason why John wrote this letter a warning
That's another reason you might write one right if you wanted
to if it's important now I need to warn you about something.
I need to let you know about a danger This is why he wrote it now he
rejoices He beseeches and he warns Read verses 6 through 13
with me. This is love and that we walk
after his commandments this is the commandment that as you have
heard from the beginning you should walk in it for many deceivers
are entered into the world here's the warning now who confess not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver
and an antichrist look to yourselves that we lose not those things
which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever
transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath
not God. He that abideth in the doctrine
of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any
unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house.
Do you see the warning here? Neither bid him Godspeed. For
he that biddeth him God's speed is partaker of his evil deeds. He's not just confused now. This
is not a follower. This is not somebody that's just
deceived and doesn't understand. Here's somebody that has a gospel.
They have doctrine. And it's anti-Christ. Don't have
anything to do with them. Having many things to write unto
you, I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come
unto you and speak face to face that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister
greet thee. Amen. Now we've noticed the word
many before with regard to Antichrist in our studies. Many, you see
that? Verse seven, for many deceivers
are entered into the world. It is rampant. It is widespread,
this error, this deception. Just like it was in our Lord's
day. There were just a handful who knew the truth, who believed
on the Lord Jesus Christ, who knew God. The established religion
of the day was not among them. The Pharisees, the Sadducees
were not among them. It's the same today. It's exactly
the same. There are many Few there be that
find the way to God, which is Christ. But there are many deceivers. It's rampant. This world is anti-Christ. This world is anti-Christ. This
country, and don't misunderstand me now, I love my country. And
I say that without hesitation. I've heard specifically from
two so-called friends of mine recently that claim to know the
Lord Jesus Christ. I've heard this terrible statement
just recently. I hate my country. Well, I've
got some suggestions for you on what to do about that. I love
my country. And if you want to know what
I mean by that, I'll tell you another time. But what I will say without
hesitation is that this country's government is anti-Christ. And
most people in this country are anti-Christ. The religion, the
established religion of this country All of it, it doesn't
matter what you call it, it's anti-Christ. Well then Chris,
how can you love an anti-Christ country? How did God love the nation of
Israel? Stiff-necked and rebellious, despisers of his name, their
religion was repulsive. Now I don't love my country the
way God loves his people, it's not the same. Nor for the same
reason. That's not what I'm saying. But
what I'm pointing out here is how foolish it is to say this
country is anti-christ. So how can you love it? That's
just foolish. And there's one similarity between
why God loves his people and why I love my country. This is
my country. That's why. That's why I love
it. It's mine. But no question, this is not
a Christian nation. There are very few true believers
in this country. And the ones that are here are
outcasts from the religion of this world, in this nation, the
established predominant religion of this country, just like God's
people have always been, by the way. Outcasts. And remember from
our study in 1 John that the gospel is the person of Christ. Notice it here in our text. What
is anti-christ who are these deceivers what these evil evil
ones now They're not just confused they evil They're not just victims
they're evil Who are they those that confess
not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and Those who are
preachers of God's gospel sent by God to preach the message
that he gave us to preach, preach that Jesus Christ who came in
the flesh, the Son of God, came to this earth on a mission from
heaven to accomplish a purpose. So what is antichrist? Just put
a knot in front of that. Just put a knot in front of that.
That's what anti is, not, against, no. It doesn't matter what they
preach. It's not about that. It's what
they don't preach. It's who they don't preach. It doesn't matter how good it
sounds. It doesn't matter how lovey-dovey and helping the poor and all
the brotherhood of man and stop the hate and all that. It's not
Christ that's the problem with it. It's not Christ. They preached not Jesus Christ
who came in the flesh. Now verse 8, he says, now look
to yourselves. Be warned about them, but look
to you. This is important now. Don't focus so much on them.
Be warned about them. They're out there. Wolves in
sheep's clothing be warned about them, but look to yourself You
see this ain't about you fixing the world or fixing them The
Lord said leave them alone This ain't about that. It's about
you It's about I love you. I Rejoice with you. I beseech
you. I'm warning you look to yourself
Don't make a lifetime study of Antichrist Follow Christ. Those who are preaching against
this and against that and you know what not to preach, they
hadn't preached Christ yet. They just telling what not to
preach. Follow Christ. Our Lord said if the blind are
following the blind, leave them alone. Keep doing the only thing you
can do for them, proclaim Christ. The way to fight Antichrist is
to preach Christ. Declare the gospel. Pray for
them, but don't argue with them. Don't associate with them. And
we'll see in a moment, don't even wish them well in what they're
doing. But first, verse nine, whosoever
transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, The word doctrine means teaching. Hath not God, he that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. Now there are two very important things here that we must understand.
The doctrine of Christ is the Bible. The teaching of Christ. What is the teaching of Christ?
Where are you going to find the teaching of Christ? This book, if it's according
to this book, then it's from God. If not, it's not. The teaching
of Christ is the Bible. This gospel, Paul said in Romans
chapter one, concerns God's son, Jesus Christ. It always has.
From the beginning, the prophets spake of him. If you and I are going to have
a discussion on the importance of doctrine, then I need to know
this. When you say doctrine, are you
talking about this book? Are you talking about your man-conceived,
man-written confession of faith or denominational creed of some
kind? I'll tell you what this book
is talking about when it talks about the doctrine of Christ.
When this book says the doctrine of Christ, this book is talking
about this book. We abide in the truth of God. And it's one, not the doctrines.
It is the doctrine. It's a whole message. One message. It's always been the same. The
Bible doesn't say a lot of things. It says one thing a lot of different
ways. And the message is a person. He that preaches that Jesus Christ. The doctrine of Christ. Here's the second thing. It's
even more important if that's possible. The doctrine of Christ. Now, this not only means that
it's from him, but it means that it concerns him. What is your
doctrine of? Well, it's of Christ. We preach
Christ crucified, Paul said. Not sometimes. That's not among
the things we preach. That's what we preach. We do
not preach that there are some things that you need to know.
We preach that there's someone you need to know, that you must
know. The scriptures are able to make
thee wise unto salvation, Paul said to Timothy, because it is
by the scriptures that God reveals Christ to you. He takes the things
of Christ by his spirit and reveals them to you. Then opened he their
understanding that they might understand the scriptures. On
what occasion is that written? When he began that Moses and
the Psalms and the prophets and all the scriptures he taught
them the things concerning himself. That's when they understood. Now there are those who want
to nitpick and split hairs over doctrine and they'll see that
word doctrine and they'll say okay see my doctrine is important.
No it's not talking about your doctrine first of all. and splitting
hairs and nitpicking and arguing and debating over doctrine and
how they differ from one another and they want to know what your
stance is on this and that. The issue is a lot simpler than
that. That's too complicated. The issue is a whole lot simpler
than that and the divide is much more obvious. Those who preach
Christ are sent of God and those who preach not Him are anti-Christ. That's the issue the scriptures
lay out. You need to know God with us. You need to know God
who came in human flesh to save his people. His name is Jesus
for a reason. And the reason is not that he
came to give mankind another shot. That's not why they called
his name Jesus. He came to save. You shall call
his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. And
He did save and He shall save. If you believe and or preach
or teach that the Lord Jesus Christ came down here to push
the reset button so you could do the right thing, then you
are anti-Christ. He's not giving you another shot.
He came down here to save somebody and He did it. I pray you're
one of them. I know this, all that cometh
to Him, He'll never cast them out. Because all that the Father
gave him are coming. Oh, he came in the flesh for
another reason than the one given by the religion of man. Galatians
4.4, listen to this. When the fullness of the time
was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under
the law. Why did he do that? To redeem
them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of son. And because you are sons, God
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father, wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a
son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 1 John 3, 1 Behold, what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. Reading that scripture in Galatians
4, how did we become sons? It is a blessing of God's grace
bestowed upon sinners That we should be called the
sons of God and that's why this world doesn't know us Because
it didn't know him The doctrine of Christ is the
teaching of That Christ is the successful Savior of His people. That He came. The name Jesus
means that. He shall save. He came and accomplished
salvation for His elect. That's who John is writing to.
The elect. The chosen of God. He did it by living for them
as representative Adam. He's called the last Adam. Why?
Because in Adam, all died. Adam was our representative in
the Garden of Eden. When Adam fell, all of us fell.
We are a fallen race because Adam fell in the garden. But
as in Adam, all died. So in Christ, all are made alive.
What does that mean? Well, everybody's going to heaven.
No, that's not what it means. As in Adam, all died. Everybody
Adam represented. As representative, federal head
man died in him. Well, who's made alive? Everyone
Christ represents. Everyone for whom he is mediator.
In his mediatorial prayer in John 17, he said, I'm not praying
for the world. I'm praying for those you've
given me, the elect. So salvation is preaching that
Jesus Christ came in the flesh, the last Adam, to save a people. He shall not fail. He did not
fail. He cannot fail. He did it by
living for them as the last Adam and by dying for our sins according
to the scriptures. How do the scriptures say he
died for our sins? What our brother read a while
ago, that my iniquities were laid upon him, that my sins were
put upon him, that he suffered in my place for my sins and that
when he did, justified me by God's righteous servant God justified
many all those for whom he died justified by his precious blood
so you tell me is salvation a person or a proposition God will if you will really is that the message of
this book God already did God already did. Salvation is
not an exertion of your will. It involves a transformation
of your will. It is a violation of your will.
Whose will was done the day Saul of Tarsus was put in the dust,
arrested on his way to hell, and for the first time bowed
and acknowledged Christ as Lord and said, Lord, what would you
have me to do? Whose will was done that day? Saul's or Christ's? It's the same with my salvation.
Paul said my conversion is a pattern for all believers. We all save
the same way. It is a violation of my will
when God saves me. Repentance is a transformation
of your will, not an exercising of it. That which is born of
the flesh is flesh and looks to the flesh has confidence in
the flesh Rejoices in the flesh, but that which is born of the
spirit rejoices in christ jesus And has no confidence in the
flesh paul said Christ is our meat and drink
He is our life we preach him because He is all there is he's
the only Message that we have from God It's a person. He's our shepherd. Why do you
think David said the Lord is our shepherd my shepherd? The
Lord is my shepherd because he provides for me. He protects
me. He the Good Shepherd gives his
life for the sheep He's everything he's everything
to the sheep everything He prepares our table in the presence of
our enemies. He's with us in the valley of
the shadow of death. And we rejoice in Him alone.
He's our high priest. Why is that a thing in the scriptures?
Why was there a high priest? That's not history. As you sit
there this morning, you need a high priest. You need someone
to represent you before God. You need someone to intercede
for you before God. And you need somebody to offer
a sacrifice unto God for you. That's what a high priest does.
Christ is that high priest. He's our sacrificial lamb. Our
brother read in Isaiah 53. He was wounded. He was led as
a sheep to the slaughter. Every lamb that was ever slain
was just a picture of that one that John pointed to said, there's
God's lamb that takes sin away. The blood of bulls and goats
can never take away sin, but that one does. There's the lamb
of God. He's our kinsman redeemer. He's our brother. He's the one
who became what we are. That he might redeem us from
our sins and restore all that was lost and then some. We're
more than conquerors through him that loved us. He is our
Lord and our God. Thomas bowed before him and said,
my Lord and my God. There's Jesus of Nazareth standing
there. That's my God. Everything this book teaches.
The high priest, the lamb, the offering, the tabernacle, all
of the ceremonies, all the law, everything. The law is a schoolmaster
to bring us to Christ. The law is not a rule book so
you can please God. Have we got that into our heads
yet? Well, God gave the law so we
know how to act. No, God gave the law because you can't act
like you need to act. And there's accountability from
God for that. And Paul said the law is a schoolmaster
to bring us to Christ because what the law teaches us is not
that we need to be good. The law teaches us that we're
not good. And we must have Christ who alone
is good. He is our righteousness before
God. Whenever a church, and you think
with me, whenever a church over which Paul had some oversight,
and he wrote epistles to the various churches, and he had
some over, he had the care of the churches on him, he said,
And he had some concern for all these churches. Whenever a church
that he had some dealings with and had some oversight over by
the direction of God, providence of God, whenever they began to
fall into error, what was Paul's admonition to them? I want you
to turn and look at it with me. Second Corinthians 11.1. They
began to fall into error. And this is what John is warning
about. We have it straight from our text. John is warning there's
many deceivers in this world. There are many antichrists in
this world. And here's what they're doing. They're not preaching
him. That's what they're doing. Okay?
And here's a church now that's falling away. They're beginning
to fall away. Look at verse 1 of 2 Corinthians 11. Would to God
that you could bear with me a little in my folly, Paul writes to the
Corinthian believers, and indeed bear with me for I am jealous
over you with godly jealousy. This is a godly jealousy. You
know who you're jealous over? with good jealousy, those that
you love. That's what John said, I love
you, and so I'm warning you, and Paul's doing the same thing
here, for I have espoused you to one husband, not to me, not
to a system, not to a denomination, not to a church affiliation,
but that I may present you as a chaste version to a person,
the Lord Jesus Christ. I have espoused you to Christ
and now I'm worried about you but I fear lest by any means
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should
be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. The serpent
beguiled Eve through his subtlety. What was complicated about God
saying one thing do this and don't do
that. What was complicated about that?
And yet Satan was able to twist that around and cast a shadow on that and
oppose that and we were blind enough Paul's talking about the simplicity.
What's complicated about this? You're dead. You want life? There
he is. It's a person. There he is. Are you a sinner? Do you need
forgiveness of sin? Do you need cleansing before
God? There he is, right there. Come to my son. This is my beloved
son. Hear him. Do what he says. Whatever he says, do it. The simplicity, the all-inclusiveness
That's in Christ. He's all the righteousness you
need. You don't need Christ as your righteousness and then,
you know, well, we got to live like Christians in this world.
Are you going to hell? Really? I'm in big trouble then.
How about you? If it's up to me, if God has
done anything and left anything up to me, I'm in big trouble.
Christ is all my righteousness. He's all my sin offering. He
holds me up or I'll fall this very minute. So he said, I fear that you should
be corrupted. And when a church that Paul was
concerned with and loved and cared for was already falling
into error, look what he wrote in Galatians chapter one. You
see what he did there? He pointed them to a person and
said, he's all you need. This is simple, folks. This is
simple. It's him. Galatians one. This is the church that had already
fallen into error Galatians 1 1 let's read some
scripture here Paul an apostle not of men neither by man But
by Jesus Christ the doctrine of Christ you see that it's from
him. It's not from man. I Quit writing your thoughts
on a piece of paper or in a book or on some plaque and saying,
this is what we believe. No, this is what we believe. As soon as you put your hand
to it, you've messed it up. This is the truth of God. This
is the doctrine of Christ right here. And that's it. We preach
Him. If it's not according to this
book, the prophet said, it's because there's no light in them. and all the brethren which are
with me unto the churches of Galatia. Grace be to you and
peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who
gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this
present evil world, what our brother read in Isaiah 53. And
we are delivered by the will of God and our Father, to whom
be glory. I marvel, verse six, that you are so soon removed
from him that called, now notice this, that you are so soon removed
from him, that called you into the grace
of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another. There's
not another one. It's not a true God. It's not
good news. God's done all he can do. And now it's up to you.
It's not good news because you did. If God has left something
up to a dead man, that's not good news for the dead man. Which is not another, but there
be some that trouble you that would pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we are an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you. Then the gospel of what? Of Christ. Then that which we have preached,
let him be accursed. This is right with our text,
isn't it? John said, don't beat him, Godspeed. As we said before, verse 9, so
say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you than
that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade
men or God? Do I preach what people want
to hear or what God said preach? For if I yet pleased men, I should
not be the servant of Christ. That's what the Pharisees did
and still do. They preach what people want
to hear, that it's all up to you, that your fate is in your
hands. God's done everything he can do. This whole thing is
all up to you. That's not my gospel. I certify unto you, brethren,
that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I
neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation
of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conduct
in time past, in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted
the church of God, and wasted it, and profited in the Jews
religion above many mine equals in mine own nation, being more
exceedingly zealous of the tradition of my father. I was a wretch,
I was not worthy to be called an apostle, I was injurious,
he was the enemy of Christ. Oh, but when it pleased God.
How is Paul going to describe his salvation now that in both
cases here, a church that's falling into error and one that's already
just flat? Looks like they're falling. What did he do? Pointed him right back to a person.
You've been removed from him. Go back to him. Forget everything
but him. But when it pleased God, how
is He going to describe His salvation? Who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me. He revealed
His Son in me. That's what He did. When He was
pleased to save me, He revealed His Son in me. That I might preach
Him. If God ever reveals Him to you
and in you, then what you'll have to say will be Him. That I might preach Him among
the heathen. Immediately I conferred not... Once you know Him, faith fadeth each earthly joy. There is nothing else but Him,
once you know Him. He eclipses everything and everybody
else. And then John said in verse 10,
if there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, the
doctrine of Christ from Christ and concerning Christ, receive
him not into your house, neither bidding God's speed for he that
bid him God's speed is partaker of his evil deed. Well, maybe
we can find some common ground, though. This is the spirit of
our generation. Let's find some common ground
and maybe we can just help the poor together or We can at least
put on a Crispin's Cantata together. I've been asked if we wanted
to get in on that here in the community. Here is what I want to happen
to those who preach not Jesus Christ who came in the flesh.
Here's what I want for them. I want God to put them out of
business. That's what I want for them. Now, I say that without hesitation. If there's anything I can do
to put them out of business, I'll do it. Don't ever let them teach your
children anything. Ever. Don't ever let anybody
think that you're associated with them in any way whatsoever.
This is one of the reasons that I usually prefer people that
I just meet playing golf or something or whatever. I haven't played
golf in a while, but I got a couple of stories about that. But just
somebody you meet and have a casual acquaintance with. I don't want
them to even know I'm a preacher, because if they do, then I have
to explain that I'm not one of them. You see, because I've got
no desire to be associated in any way whatsoever with what's
commonly referred to as a preacher in this world. And it's important
to me that I'm not. There cannot possibly be a greater
sense of the word enemy than that which exists between the
gospel preacher and the preacher of man-centered, freewill, antichrist
religion. How can two be more opposed than
those two who are on exact opposite sides of the most important thing
that there is? I want to be real clear about
it. I hope I am being. Psalm 139. And it ain't hard to tell, my friends.
It ain't hard to tell, is it? Not for the believer. You know, when there's Christ
and not Christ, is there any difficulty telling the difference
between that? Christ or not Christ? That's pretty simple, isn't it? Psalm 139, verse 17. And of course, it's important
for us to make a distinction here. Those who are deceived,
who just don't know the Lord, and even a false preacher. Are we just not to pray for them
then at all? Well, what about Saul of Tarsus? Is he a false
preacher? I know some preachers of the
gospel right now that were false preachers at one time. But as
they openly oppose our Savior, Listen to what David says, Psalm
139, 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God. How great is the sum of them.
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.
When I awake, I'm still with you. Surely thou wilt slay the
wicked. Now, why didn't I just start
reading in verse 19? We're talking about the wicked
and enemies of God. Why did I start with verse 17?
Because this is why we feel the way we do about those who are
the enemies of our God. Because He's precious to us. Oh, He's precious to us. His thoughts toward me, I can't
even number them. When I wake up... What do you think about when
you wake up? And when you go to bed, He's with me. Isn't that what David said? When
I awake, God's with me. Christ is with me. Surely thou
wilt slay the wicked, O God. Depart from me, therefore, you
bloody men. Now God can save anybody now.
We need to remember that. Saul of Tarsus was an enemy.
And when the Lord told the disciples I'm gonna send Saul of Tarsus
you away. He's gonna preach to you. They said, oh, wait a minute.
We know this guy. We don't want anything to do
with him. The Lord said, wait a minute. You wait a minute.
He didn't say that. He said, I've called him. I've
chosen him. And then they said, well, where's
old brother Paul then? Well, we'll hear him. But as
enemies of God now, as they oppose God. We're not to have anything
to do. Depart from me, therefore, you
bloody men, you wicked, you enemies of God. For they speak against
thee wickedly. This is not your average, just
deceived person now. This is somebody that speaks
and say they speak for God, but they speak against God. They
despise his son. They preach not Jesus Christ.
And thy enemies take thy name in vain. That's not a cuss word. That's preaching anti-Christ.
Taking God's name in vain. You're using the name of God
for your religion. It goes back to these ones withholding corn
that we talked about this morning in our Bible class. What are
they doing? They're withholding the truth
for their own advantage. Because it's good for them. Because
they tell them what people want to hear and they withhold the
real food. Because that's what gets them what they want. They take His name in vain. Do
not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? And am I not grieved
with those that rise up against Thee? This is what I'm saying. As they oppose our Savior, we
oppose them. Period. Verse 22, I hate them
with perfect hatred. I count them My enemies. That's pretty clear. That's pretty
clear. Well, that's the Old Testament.
Truth is truth, my friends. Truth doesn't go out of style
now. John is saying the same thing. Don't you have anything
to do with them? And this is why David expressed
it the way he did, and this is why Paul expressed it the way
he did. Let them be accursed. As things stand now, as they
oppose our Lord, This is why John said it the way he did.
And I want you to understand there why I began with verse
17 again. Because He is precious to us.
Those who preach against Him, anti-Him, we count them our enemies. But there again it's because
of Him, isn't it? It's because of Him. It's for His glory. It's
not because we're better than them. It's not because we know
more than them. It's not because of us at all. It's because of
Him. May that be true. And may we be jealous for His
glory. And jealous over His people,
as Paul said, with godly jealousy. Godly jealousy comes from love. Let's pray together.