Good morning. Good to see all
of you. Right. Many more than we saw
last week, wasn't it? Let's take our Bibles. Probably one of the most familiar
books of the Bible to most of us. is probably the gospel of
John. So if you'll turn there to John
chapter 8. John chapter 8, and we will look at a good many verses in
this chapter, not all of them. I wish we had that luxury. but enough to help us understand
and identify and see where we are, each one of us, for ourselves
in regard to faith in Christ. So I have given this the title of Counterfeit
Faith. The majority of the professing
denominations and churches in the Christian religion are actually
in false religion, just like I was. I grew up in
a Baptist church much like this one, and the gospel had already left that
place. I was born in 1943. And the things that I see in
the Bible now, just what little bit I can recall from boyhood
days all the way to a young man, it is incredible. Absolutely
incredible. Now, before we tackle this, you
just hold on to John 8. and try to do so the whole time,
and we'll not be far from it. Let us have prayer and then beg
the Lord to visit us today in this place. Where does God presence himself? It ain't where people are making
a lot of noise. That is as bogus as a three dollar
bill. It just doesn't fly. I want you to try to make an honest assessment of what you hear from week to
week in this place. And if your soul has benefited
by it. Because there are two kinds of
believing. One is false and the other is
true. Let us beg the Lord now to help
us. Lord, thank you for letting us
gather in this place this day. How wonderful the language of
these hymns. How difficult it is in our generation
to find any of the hymn writers still in existence that wrote
these grand old hymns. of years gone by. But Lord, we can do with songs or without
songs, but we cannot do without Christ. We must have Christ, all of Him,
all the time. It's Christ this Sunday, and
Christ Wednesday night, and Christ next Sunday, and all the Wednesdays
and Sundays after that. Lord, you must come in the precious
power of your Holy Spirit and speak these glorious words concerning
our Savior to our poor souls, enabling us to receive them,
to rejoice in them, and to bless and praise your name for giving
them. Guide our thoughts and our steps as we proceed. May all that is said and done
in this place this day be to the honor and glory of the triune
God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Now, in order to properly understand
the verses that I'm going to spend the most time on, which
I won't tell you what they are. You'll be looking over a reading
ahead of me. But it will be in the 30's. But without this first
introduction, beginning at verse 12, I wish I had time to go back
into the woman that was caught in the act of adultery, and they
dragged her into the temple complex where our Lord was teaching,
and tried to trap Him into saying she is to be stoned according
to the law of Moses. But their scheme backfired. When our Lord, I don't know what
he wrote on the ground, but he wrote twice. And I suspect, though
I could be altogether wrong, so don't believe me just because
I said it. I suspect that our Lord wrote some very revealing
words in that sand. And then he asked, for the person
among them that wanted this woman stoned, who is without sin, Let
him cast the first stone. And I think that's what that
writing was about. I may be wrong. Verse 12, John
chapter 8, Then spoke Jesus again unto them,
saying, This again means that there must have been something
said already, and indeed there was, and particularly to the
scribes and Pharisees. So he spoke unto them saying,
I am the light of the world. Now ladies and gentlemen, for
one to declare himself to be the light of the world, he has
to be God. Has to be. He that follows me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees
therefore said unto him, You bear record of yourself, your
record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto
them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true,
for I know from where I came and where I go, but you cannot
tell from where I've come and where I go. You judge after the
flesh. And our Lord says, I judge no
man. But, He's not finished with that
statement now, that I judge no man. For He says in verse 16,
and yet, if I judge, my judgment is just. I'm sorry, my judgment is true.
For I am not alone, but I am the Father that sent me. It is
also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of
myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of me. Then
said they unto him, Where is your Father? Our Lord answered
and said, You neither know me nor my Father, For if you had known me, you
would have known my Father also." These words spoke Jesus in the
treasury, that is, in one of the courtyards that surround
the main part of the temple back in those days before the Romans
demolished it in 70 A.D. Our Lord spoke in the treasury. As He taught in the temple, And
no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come." The
time for which he would be to go to the cross has not yet arrived. Then said Jesus again unto them,
I go my way, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sins. Where I go, you cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill
himself? Because he said, Where I go,
you cannot come. And he said unto them, You are
from beneath. I don't mean on this earth. It goes deeper than that. He's
talking about the devil and hell. You are from beneath. I am from above. You're of this
world. I am not of this world. I said
therefore unto you that you shall die in your sins, for if you
believe not that I am," leaving off the italicized word. If you
believe not that I am, the word he is italicized. It was added
by the translators and they often were a little too zealous with
their editions. If you believe not that I am,
you shall die in your sins." Now, there's a lot of ways to
die. But this is one way to die that you don't want. To die in our sins. Then in verse 25, "...said they
unto him, Who are you? And Jesus said to them, even
the same that I said unto you from the beginning, I have many
things to say and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true. And I speak to the world those
things which I have heard of him. They understood not that
he spoke to them of the Father, that is, God the Father. Then
said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then shall you know that I am." Once again, the word he is added,
but it's in italics. This is one of the most honest
translations there is ever to this day to tell us that that
word was not in the original, it is italicized. And there are
a lot of words in our Bibles that are italicized. When you've lifted up the Son
of Man, then shall you know that I am, and that I do nothing of
myself, but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things.
Do you remember when Moses was at the burning bush in Exodus
chapter 3? None other than the Lord Jesus
was in that bush. None other than He. And He that sent me... Did I
stop with 28 or how far did I get? Huh? Alright, so 29 is the right
one. Alright. And He that sent me
is with me. The Father has not left me alone,
for I do always those things that please him." And as he spoke
these words, here's when I need both of your ears and, well,
if you've got a Bible in both of your eyes, don't look at this
crude face and all that stuff up here. This is what I'm trying to get
to, beginning at verse 30. As he spoke these words, many
believed on him. That's on Christ. But I'm going
to prove to you before we go very many verses more, that this
is not, these people are not, Believers, they do not indeed
believe and trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, what they
call faith is nothing more than a counterfeit. It isn't real. It doesn't have the right object,
namely, God and in Christ. So immediately upon this statement
in verse 31, 30 and 31, then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on Him. On Him. Now, some of you have
heard of a fellow named Charles Spurgeon that died in 1892 or
three, I can't remember. but probably one of the greatest
preachers of all time, said about this verse, this believing
on Christ, that these words should not indeed be in this. It's not
italicized. But it is translated this way,
and he says it should not have been. And I trust his judgment
a lot better than I do my own. But without using these two words
in this verse, I'm going to show you in just two or three verses and make it conclusive that what
these people thought was faith is nothing but a counterfeit.
It isn't genuine. It isn't true. It isn't God-given. In verse 31, after it says, which
believed on him, he said, If you continue in my
word, then are you my disciples indeed. Indeed. Verse 32, And you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free. You shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free. And they get all up in arms.
What do you mean free? We ain't never been anything
but free. And if you know anything of the
Old Testament, you know that ain't so. And you shall know the truth,
verse 32, and the truth shall make you free. Now they've lost
all manners and control, and they answered him, We be Abraham's
seed, and we were never in bondage to any man. And every one of
these people saying this knew at that exact second that they
were lying. The Romans controlled the Jews. They let them play their little
game of religion without much interference. But they don't know God. They
think they do, but they don't. We be Abraham's seed and we're
never in bondage to any man. My heavens, if there's any time
in this world that you need to leave all the falsehoods out
the door, it's when you're talking to the Lord Jesus Christ, God
the Son. These people just think they
can buffalo anybody, even God. And there's a whole lot of people
practicing that religion today. We be Abraham's seed and were
never in bondage to any man. How on earth could you say to
us, you shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, amen, amen, I say unto you, whosoever commits sin is
the servant of sin. And the servant abides not in
the house forever, but the Son abides ever." Now when our Lord
told them in verse 32, "...and you shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free." It upset them. They're somewhat
angry at Him for making such a statement to imply that they
can't do what they want to do. You know, every day they want
to do it. But this next statement is the
icing on the cake. They fall apart on this one.
I'm referring to verse 36. If the Son therefore shall make
you free, you shall be free indeed. Every poor sinner who has found
a refuge in Christ and him crucified is free indeed. Free. Free indeed. Now, watch how this plays out. I know that you are Abraham's
seed. That is, their kin to Abraham. But you seek to kill me, because
my word has no place in you. I speak
that which I have seen with my father, and you do that which
you have seen with your father.' They answered and said unto him,
Abraham is our father. Our Lord said to them, if you
were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. Abraham had some other children.
We heard about them this morning in Bible class. If you were Abraham's children,
you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me,
a man that has told you the truth which I have heard of God. This
did not Abraham." Now the water is beginning to boil. It's going
to take it a little bit longer until it just overflows the container
that it's in. Verse 41, you do the deeds of
your father. Then said they to him, We be
not born of fornication, we have one Father, even God. The Lord
Jesus said to them..." Now let me remind you, I can't go
any further without making this statement if I don't forget it
first. Modern religion has painted the
Lord Jesus Christ as being a fellow that compromises. If you don't
like a certain doctrine, he'll just set it aside. That's how the religious world
makes its headway. It promises people. Lord, I've
got the article right here in my Bible. I'll just read it to
you. You need a dose of this every
once in a while, and so do I. There's a church ad. All this
was probably in the 80s. A little bit discolored by now. Here's the title. This is a paid
advertisement in the Fayetteville Observer. It comes from one of
the largest Methodist congregations in Fayetteville, but it could
just as easily be a Baptist congregation. Will you come back to church
if we promise Not to throw the book at you? In other words,
we ain't going to mention nothing out of this book unless we think
you're going to like it. The truth is, they didn't like
it either. So they have determined to weed
out from the Bible. It's going to leave a mighty
small Bible when you get through. But that's exactly what these
people are saying. Here they say it in actual words.
In our church, we believe in a loving and forgiving God. Well, how about a God who is
sovereign and just and righteous and holy? Do you believe in Him
too? Hell no! You sure don't. You can't handle such shenanigans
as that. and believe that you have contact
with the God of heaven and earth. Come and join us this Sunday
when we open up the good book in worship. Severely edited,
I might add. Pardon my language. I get so
upset. I just cannot stand it. Let me see. Verse 41, you do the deeds of
your father. Then said they to him, we be
not born of fornication, we have one father, even God. Our Savior
said to them, if God were your father, you would love me. For
I proceeded forth and came from God, neither came I of myself,
but he sent me. Why do you not understand my
speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word. Now, in our Bibles, there are
two kinds of hearing. This kind, and the hearing of the soul.
One is outward, the other is inward. One is carnal, the other
is spiritual. Proverbs 20.12 says, The hearing
ear and the seeing eye, both of them are from the Lord. And
it's not talking about The physical man is talking about the spiritual
person in Christ. Verse 44, I remind you again, if you haven't
seen this already, you're going to have trouble with it. The Lord Jesus is nailing his case with more
expertise than a Philadelphia lawyer. He's drawing the noose to expose
to these people where they are. Verse 44, you are of your father the devil. Now, congregations that have
decided to edit the Bible, that statement has to go. You just
can't leave it in there. My soul, it might offend somebody. You are of your father the devil,
and the lust of your father you will do. Speaking of the devil,
he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks
it of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. And because
I tell you the truth... Are you sure that's in your Bible?
Because I tell you the truth, you believe me not? Hmm. Which of you convinces me of
sin? These are the words of our Lord.
And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? He that is
of God hears God's words. Now, who on earth are these people?
He that is of God. That's the election of grace
that was made in old eternity. God the Father chose a people. He gave those people to Christ.
Christ is commissioned to come into this world and take on human
flesh and to suffer and bleed and die in order to obtain redemption
for his people. He that is of God hears God's
words. You therefore hear them not because
you are not of God. Then answered the Jews and said
unto him, Say we not well that you are a Samaritan?" Oh, they
despise these Samaritans. You can find that in John chapter
4. They are half-breeds, half-Gentile
and half-Jewish. Say we not well that you are
a Samaritan? Have a devil? Jesus answered,
I have not a devil, but I honor my Father, and you do dishonor
me. And I seek not my own glory,
there is one that seeks and judges. Amen, amen, I say unto you, if
a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death. Do you know any true believers,
I mean, people that you truly believe knew the Lord Jesus? Did any of them die? Yes, indeed,
they did. So what are you going to do with
this thing? I've lost my place. Craig, I
need some help. Huh? Oh, okay, 52. That's how
old I am, 52. You can laugh on that, sure enough.
Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets,
they're dead. And you say, if a man keep my
saying, he shall never taste of death? Are you greater than
our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead? Whom
make you yourself?" Jesus answered, if I honor myself,
My honor is nothing. It is my Father that honors me,
of whom you say, you say, it ain't real, but you say, He is
your God. Yet you have not known Him. But I know Him. The Lord Jesus
knows Him. And if I should say I know Him
not, I shall be a liar like unto you. But I know Him. And keep
his sails. There's some more coals on the
fire. This pot's coming to a boil. Verse 56, Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. Then said
the Jews unto him, You're not even fifty years old, and you've seen Abraham. What kind of fools do you take
us to be? A complete one, that's for sure.
Jesus said to them, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is going
to add some more temperature to that water. Before Abraham
was, I am. Abraham at this time had been
gone from this earth a long, long, long time. Thousands of
years. And our Lord says, before Abraham
was, I am. Christ is the eternal Christ. He's God. He can't be otherwise. Well, the pot boils over in verse
59. Then took they up stones to cast
at him. But Jesus, now watch this, hid
himself. And went out of the temple, going
through the middle of them. That's like leaving this pulpit
and going right down the main aisle. And so pass by. Oh my goodness. Goodness, goodness. If the Lord Jesus says it, put
it down as gospel. If men say it, do what you please, but don't
let it get in the way of believing this book. There's a lot of lying
preachers in this world. Thick-haired fleas in most places. Well, let me try to make a point
or two and I'll be finished. Continuance is the sure test
of God-given faith. God's people continue to believe. Yes, it is by virtue of the grace
of God to be sure. It is by the aid and help of
God the Holy Spirit. But they do continue. True believers. True believers cannot quit the
gospel. They just can't. Well, why not? Because God won't
let them. If we're His, if we're His, it is no temporary
matter. If we belong to Him, We belong
to Him forever and ever and ever. No exceptions. Not one. Not a single one. Here are three motives to continue
in God's Word. If you'll go back to verses 31
and 32, you can use those. First of all, verse 31. Our Lord certifies that certain
persons are his disciples. I quote, then are you my disciples
indeed. If you continue in my word, then
are you my disciples indeed. The second motive has to do with
sacred knowledge. It's in verse 32. And you shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Now listen,
you shall know the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus shall make
you free. We read in this chapter where
he said, I'm the light of the world. Well, in just a short
period away from this in John, we'll find him say that he is
the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes unto the Father
but by him, John 14.6. Sacred knowledge, one of the
motives that enable us to continue. You shall know the truth. Thirdly,
in verse 32, it is spiritual liberty. The truth shall make
you free. So the Lord Jesus took these
seeming interested people who gathered around him on this given
day, He tested them by the most effective
means ever to be devised, and it is the infinite, infinite
wisdom of God the Son that could make a statement like verse 32. And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free. These believers in this
32nd verse, certainly stumbled, fell in fact, by that one simple
statement in that 32nd verse. The Lord Jesus puts his finger
right on their pride. That is, they prided themselves
beyond everything else on being descendants of Abraham. But Abraham
had more than one son. One of them was named Ishmael.
He didn't turn out too well. But Isaac, oh, that's a different
matter. A different matter entirely. Spurgeon uses this illustration I read his message on this part
of John chapter 8. Lord, if I tried to tell you
everything that's in that one sermon, we'd be here till next
week. Or I would be here till next week. Y'all would be smart
enough to go home. But he said, talking about the
local merchants in London, England, He said if he ever sees a sign,
I've got it written down here someplace, here it is, with this
printed on the window, no cheating practiced here. He said he would
be sure to go to somebody else's shop, not to that one. You just, it is amazing. And if storekeepers
do it, preachers ought to be shot for
preaching a false gospel. If the businessman charges you
two dollars for what you can buy for a dollar somewhere else,
you ain't lost much. But if you sit under somebody
that loses his soul, That's a different ball game. Altogether different. And while you have this fresh
on your mind, I'm closing up shop right now. I hope you'll go back and look
at this chapter, hopefully today, And ask yourself this honest
question. Is the Christ in John 8 the one
that everybody is preaching in this generation? And any sane
person will tell you, no it ain't. All they do is use his name.
They make him do and say whatever they please. He's begging for
you to let him save you. That's a lie. You take the first
step and God will take the second. That's a lie. Free will religion invented all
this junk. Now we're reaping the benefits,
the curse, of such a false gospel. All right, that's enough.