All right, if you wish to follow
along, turn to Proverbs chapter 11, verse one. Just one verse. Proverbs chapter 11, verse one. Proverbs 11, verse one, I'll
read that verse. A false balance, now that means
scales. It's a word used to illustrate
scales. And I think all of us know what
that is. You put a weight of a certain
thing, or you put a certain thing on this side, and you have certain
weights that are supposed to be calibrated with the scales,
or the scales calibrated with the weights, I should rather
say, to make sure what's on the other side is just and equal.
That's what he's talking about here, what Solomon's talking
about. A false balance is abomination to the Lord. That's a serious
word. It's a serious word. A false
balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his
delight. When it comes to any and all
topics of scripture, Now Christ is the theme, the central theme
of all scripture. But scripture has hundreds of
topics. Hundreds of topics. And of course,
theology has kind of broken them, you know, theologians has kind
of broken them down into different subjects. But even they do not
cover everything. But when it comes to any and
all topics of scripture, anyone who lays the finger of their
opinion to the scale, You hear what I'm saying? Anyone who reaches
out with their opinion and touches the scale with their opinion,
this, I don't care if it's me as a believer, you as believers,
or the reprobate, anyone who reaches out with the finger of
their opinion and puts their finger on the scales, it's an
abomination. The reason is our opinions don't
matter. Now someone says, pastor, don't
you respect the opinions of other pastors? I do if they know a
good place to go get my car fixed and I need help with that. But
when it comes to this word, faithful pastors merely preach this word
and constantly affirm what this word says. And they refused to
go no further, but they were not refused to clearly declare
what is actually said in the scriptures. And I really don't
need, and you don't need anyone to explain it to us. I think
too many of us think that the pastor has this great ability,
we don't, and then he gives us this great insight. No, he's
given this gift to publicly proclaim and can consistently remind us
of the truth without compromise and the spirit of God uses that
to teach us what he's already put down in our hearts. So again,
when it comes to any and all topics of scripture, anyone who
lays the finger of their opinion to the scale, we have did that
which is abomination in God's sight. If you raise your finger
and say, here's my opinion, that's okay. If you don't touch the
scales. Now you understand what I'm saying?
But you best make sure that everyone knows this is just your opinion
and an opinion applies to two things. One, it's one of the
words we get from a root word in the Greek that means heresy.
So you gotta watch out when you look at opinion. Right? But also, we have opinions about
many things, but we have God's revelation translated for us
into clear English. It's fine to give your opinion,
but you best make sure you let everybody know without question,
this is just my opinion, and opinion really only applies to
me. Because any man that thinks something is sin, If he thinks
it is, it is. But that don't mean it is to
somebody else. If it's your opinion. Now that
doesn't mean if a man thinks fornication ain't wrong, he's
okay. There are some things that are clearly stated as sin. Other
things, there are gray areas. Any preacher who thinks he knows
all the gray areas and can explain it to you, He's touching his
finger to the scales. Now I know you're wondering,
what in the world is he going after this morning? Well I recently
was reminded by a certain thing of another certain thing, a periodical
that I had read months and months, maybe a couple years ago. This
periodical was circulated, or is circulated, I think it's four
times a year by a group of local churches and they are grace churches,
believe in Calvinism and sovereign grace. This one thing that I
read this past week reminded me of that periodical because
it was about the same subject. And in this periodical and in
what I read that reminded me of the periodical, various pastors
wrote on the subject of what should believers wear. Now don't
hold me to the actual quote of that, but it was along that line.
They're talking about our clothing. And mainly, the periodical, mainly
it was talking about public worship, and so was the thing that reminded
me of the periodical. The sad thing was, in what reminded
me of the periodical, and in the periodical, Only one pastor,
and that was one from the periodical that I read a couple months and
months ago, only one pastor did not lay his finger to the scales.
Only one. I'd actually heard that pastor
preaching person before. He did a Christ-honoring job. I was glad to hear him, glad
to meet him, but I've never met him since. I just get the periodical
every once in a while. But only one pastor. When it
come to that subject, did not lay his finger to the scales. Would it surprise you if I told
you the New Testament deals with this subject? A believer's apparel? A believer's apparel. Now turn
with me to Matthew chapter six first. I mean, there are four major
passages in the New Testament that deal with a believer's apparel. Matthew 6. The believer's need
for clothing is never the chief concern. I say never. Now, you can read the whole context
later. I expect you. to question what I'm saying this
morning. Some preachers don't wanna be questioned, but you
question what I'm saying, you apply what I say to the word
of God. Matthew chapter six, verse 33,
the context is God or mammon, which one you serving? The context
is food and clothing, God's got to provide it. And he provides
the birds with food and clothes the field with lilies and flowers.
And this is Christ's conclusion. But seek ye first God Almighty's
reign and his son. That's what he's talking about.
But seek ye first God Almighty's reign and his son and his righteousness
and all these things shall be added. It's not about seeking
it for a while, that is the first thing, and getting a hold of
that swell, you can leave that first thing and then go on to
seek other things. That's not what he says, is it?
So it means every day, Seth, my first priority has to be seeking
the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And I'll say it this way, if
I do that, he'll give me these other things. Yes or no? He'll give me those other things.
Now that doesn't mean if your shirt gets a big rip in it, you'll
say, well I'll just wait till God opens the door to go get me another
shirt. If you got the money, go buy you another shirt. But
that's the whole point. Have your mind and heart set
on the person and work of Jesus Christ. God'll take care of the
rest of that. Sometimes it'll just fall in
your lap. Other times you may have to go out and work hard
for it. But it will be added unto you. The believer's need
for clothing is never the chief concern, public or private. Public or private. The gospel
in Christ's reign is daily paramount. Seek anything else first, what
have you done? You're putting your finger to the scale. Are you not? Putting your finger
to the scale. Number two. Turn to 1 Peter chapter
three. 1 Peter chapter three. 1 Peter chapter three, the clothing,
of a believing woman who has a rebel for a husband. You heard
what I just said? The clothing of a believing woman
who has a rebel for a husband, her clothing is never the chief
concern. Now, is that my opinion? Am I
laying the finger to the scale, 1 Peter chapter three? Look at
the context. And verse three, yes, verse three,
who's adorning? Who's adorning? The context is
a woman who believes and her husband doesn't. Isn't that the
context? You'll read it. Who's adorning,
let it not be, that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, or of wearing
of gold, and then he even says, or putting on of apparel. Right? That's not the thing that
you're adorning yourself with. Especially in light of this thing,
you've got an unbelieving husband. Now it even says that the unbelieving
husband may be won by the way of life of the woman, but that's
won to maybe be a good husband. And it says to be done so without
the word. No man or woman is ever saved
without the word of God. Faith comes by hearing, hearing
comes by the word of God. God's people are sanctified by
God's truth and his word is the truth. What Peter's talking about
is you may just win your husband over and he may end up being
just a decent husband to you, at least. Then God Almighty might
bring him the gospel as well. But what's the whole point? Do
you impress him with your attire? No, but let it be the hidden
man of the heart. Right? In that which is not corruptible,
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, don't be badgering
him all the time. That's what it's talking about.
Which is, in the sight of God, a great price because your sisters,
other believers, this is the way they conducted themselves
in times past. You make clothing a gauge to
godliness. You make clothing a gauge to
godliness, you've stuck your finger on the scales. Number three, turn to 1 Timothy
chapter two. Go back the other way just a
little bit. 1 Timothy chapter two. There is a commandment, especially
for women, and public worship when it comes to clothing. There
is. There is a commandment, especially
for women, in public worship. First Timothy chapter two, verse
nine, in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel. with shame-facedness and sobriety. And that's not talking about
just physical sobriety. Nothing wrong with you having
a glass of wine or whatever. Maybe it's talking about mental,
spiritual sobriety. Sobriety not with broader hair
or gold or pearls or costly array, but which becometh women professing
godliness with good works. You see it? You see it? He says
here about clothing, modest apparel. That means not showy, but not
scanty. But decorous. Sometimes it could
even mean elegant. But it's never extravagant. It's
modest. It's in the middle. Never too
far this way, never too far that way. And note, the Spirit of
God stops right there. He coulda told us how far down,
gals, your clothes supposed to go on your legs. He coulda told
us how far down, gals, them clothes supposed to go on your arms.
He coulda told you, gals, how far up them clothes supposed
to come on your neck. Could he not? But he didn't. Why? Because God's got his scales.
He's given us the modicum here, the moderation here. And his
spirit will lead you into the correct way. Ah, people like
me just got to be constantly confirming these things to us.
Now folks, that's what it is. Modest apparel, not showy, not
scanty, but decorous or elegant, but not extravagant. And he says
this is godliness. Because this is a woman seeking
to honor the Lord Jesus Christ in his person and work. And that's
what godliness is. I'm not telling you all to take
up smoking, but godliness ain't I don't smoke. I'm not telling
you to go to the movies. Most of it's probably a waste
of time. Wait until it comes out on DVD, you can get it for
a dollar or two. But if you wanna go out to the
movies with your wife, I can't tell, that's my opinion, Seth.
I gotta keep my finger up here. Gotta keep my finger up here.
What I'm saying is this. Godliness is this. It is to speak
the truth about the personal work of Jesus Christ and to tell
the truth about yourself. It's summed up under those two
headings. Tell the truth about Jesus Christ, tell the truth
about yourself. So there is a commandment, especially
for women in public worship. Now, ignore this, my sisters. Ignore this, my sisters. You
put your finger on the scale. You hear what I'm saying? And
as Earl used to say, a word to the wise is sufficient. A word
to the wise is sufficient. Don't put your finger on the
scale, but let's put a little bit more shoe leather on this.
If you opine, if anyone opines, you know what to opine is, don't
you? To bloviate forth with your opinion. That's what opine means. To opine for dresses for women,
and it's amazing. In these periodicals, and what
reminded me of the periodical, that was the phrase in both of
them. Dresses for women, dresses for
women. They never said modest dresses
for women. Why? Is it because they want
immodesty? No. But the problem is they got
their opinion. Women should wear dresses. And
I'm gonna touch my finger to the scale. Because it's modest
dresses, not just dresses. Is it? I'll tell you what, even
here in our small little group, there's some of you ladies that
wear pants. You showed far less skin than some of our visitors
who come in with their dresses on. And when they realized they
weren't in pews and they were in chairs, they had to sit with
their hands on their knees or their legs folded to keep from
exposing their undergarments. Now you tell me who's wearing
more modest apparel. Tell me. Don't ignore this, my sisters.
Don't ignore this. I wear whatever I want. No, you
don't wear whatever you want. Modest apparel. Is that not what
it says? That's what it says. So don't
opine. In these articles, even blue
jeans were mentioned. Oh my. I'm serious, folks. Even blue jeans were mentioned,
and they were indicated to be disrespectful. That's putting your finger to
the scale. I'm telling you, it's putting
your finger to the scale. And it's an abomination in God's
sight. I even heard casual clothing
put this way. If your clothing is casual, your,
it may not be exact quote, but your worship or reverence or
devotion will be casual. Somebody just stuck their whole
hand on the scale. I'm not real savvy when it comes
to clothing. I have to ask my wife sometimes
what matches. Now I don't ask her what's modest,
I know I need to cover up my nakedness. But I'm not savvy
on clothing, so I got online, Joe, and looked up casual. Casual
clothing. Here's the facts. Not all dresses
are intrinsically modest. Jeans have no revealed disrespect
intrinsically to God. And not all jeans are blue, by
the way. Some jeans are green, gray, black, whatever. And I
have wore several pairs standing behind this podium. At least
you couldn't see them, I'm behind the podium. Not all dresses are intrinsically
modest. Jeans have no reveal, disrespect
intrinsically, and not all jeans are blue. And some casual clothing
is far more decorous than some formal wear. Because I begin to look it up.
Now there was some casual wear I wouldn't even wear in my yard,
let alone wear here. I wouldn't even spend money on
it. They buy clothes today, you buy pants, and you get more rag
than you get anything else. I'm not gonna do that. But I
will ask you, do you really want to wear a pair of those kind
of jeans here? But that is me, gotta leave it right here. Do
you hear what I'm saying? That's leaving my finger right
here. Because you are God's servant. And you don't answer to me, you
answer to God. And I, God help me, God help
me. Not to say I don't, but God help
me not to touch my finger to the scale. Beware of putting
your finger to the scale, my brothers and sisters. But there's
one more. And it's very enlightening in
all the first three. Turn to James chapter two. James chapter two. There's one more very enlightening
passage, James chapter two. Are you there? We'll give you the statement. And then I'm going to paraphrase
James chapter two, verses two down through I think about verse
seven. But we'll read the verses after my paraphrase. And I want
you to judge if what I've given you is what this is actually
saying. Here's my statement first. There is a gospel dishonoring
conduct when judging people by clothing. There is a gospel dishonoring
conduct when judging people by their clothing. And I don't care
if it's Peter. If I'm going to not compromise,
I gotta withstand him to his face. Now one, I'm not an apostle,
so it's not up to me to go out and straighten everybody out,
but you understand what I'm saying. I can't sit here and be silent
when I know this stuff's out there. Here's my paraphrase. Remember,
there's a gospel dishonoring conduct when it comes to judging
people by their clothing. Here's my paraphrase. My fellow
believers, verse one of chapter two, My fellow believers, and
he's talking to believers, the brethren. This ain't to a bunch
of reprobates, you see. My fellow believers, having Christ's
faith been given you should never be associated with high regard
for a man simply because of his affluent station in this world. You hear what I just said? Now
I bumbled that a little, but you hear what I said? My fellow believers,
having Christ's faith given to you should never be associated
with high regard for a man simply because of his affluent station
in this world. My brethren, have not the faith
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of
persons. James says I'll give you an example.
Doesn't he? He said I'll give you an example.
A man attends gospel services, got a nice watch, freshly dry,
clean dress coat and pants, pressed white t-shirt, and even got a
undershirt under it, pressed to make sure nothing else shows
through. You got a silk tie, dress shoes, and his socks even
match. The second man attends gospel
services. He has very little. Even his clothes are dirty, cheap,
and shabby. Four, if they're coming to you,
your assembly, a man wearing a gold ring, a goodly apparel,
there come one in also, a poor man in vile raiment. Now look at that, that's exactly
what that means. Dirty, cheap, and shabby. Paraphrase going
on. And you treat these two men differently.
Verse three, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and saying to him, sit thou here in a good place, and say to the
poor, stand thou there, or sit under my footstool. Continue
with the paraphrase. You treat them differently, and
you, are you not laying the finger to the scales? You see verse
four? Are ye not then partial in yourselves,
and are become judges of, and that is in the possessive in
the Greek, it means you're a judge with an evil thought. You've
laid your hand to the scale. Let me go on with my paraphrase.
No, wait a minute, that was the end of the paraphrase. You're laying your finger to
the scales. Somebody says, but pastor, that's
just two visitors. I won't argue with you about that. Very well
could be speaking of two men unassociated with the gospel
to begin with. We all are by nature. We all
are by nature. But different men and women have
different stations in this world. And I don't care just because
we live in America, not everybody's affluent. Not even, some of us
ain't even close to it. I feel I'm far well better off
than I ever deserved to be. But I don't even consider myself
poor. I've never missed a meal. You
know, always had a way to get to work and always actually had
a job. But be that as it may, some of us are just visitors.
I got no argument, but let's read on. Let's continue the paraphrase. Listen to me intently, my fellow
believers who are most dear to my heart. Does not the gospel
clearly reveal that God chose those in poverty and elected
them to have a true living belief in Christ and these do have love
for Christ and our kingdom heirs even in their present poverty? Hearken, my beloved brethren,
hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
why they're still poor. And heirs of the kingdom which
he hath promised to them that love him. So they believe they're
heirs and they love him. So don't gauge men and women. and their spirituality, or their
devotion, or their love for, or any other, is it an adjective,
Joe? Any other thing, don't judge them based on their clothing. Even if they're wrong in the
clothing they're wearing, you probably did it one time too.
And God will teach them in his good time. Now granted, you come
in here You got a t-shirt on, and it's got a picture of somebody's
hand with a middle finger sticking up, I'll hand you my coat, and
I'll tell you to cover it up, or you can leave. And I'm not
even gonna lay my finger to the scale, I'm just gonna tell you
that's my opinion, but that's what I'm gonna do. Okay? If you disagree with me,
that's fine. If that person disagrees with
me, that's fine, but one day God'll teach them that. One day
he'll teach them that. But I think most every one of
us would realize that's inappropriate. See, that's pretty easy. The
problem is is when we generalize. When we generalize and we call
one thing wrong just because we don't like that thing. Or
because we prefer something else. What is a preference other than
an opinion? rather than opinion. So it says, listen and tempt
me, and tempt me. So I read to you, verse five, but you have
treated such ones like you are self-righteous, and you conduct
yourselves like the unregenerate wealthy around you. Verse six,
but ye have despised the poor. Isn't that what the Pharisee
was doing in the temple? Now that one guy, I don't know
if he's poor in pocket book, but he was poor in spirit. And
that Pharisee stood up there, and boy, he loved himself, but
he looked down on this fella. but ye have despised the poor.
Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment
seats? Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by the which
ye are called? End of paraphrase. Now, now that
that poor man is converted, and God does convert poor people,
don't he? Most of the people God saves
are of the poor classes. At least the poor are classes
and not the mighty, the rich, the wealthy, and the noble. Is
that not what the book says? Now that poor man is converted
by the gospel. What now is his first daily chief concern to
be? Gotta get rid of my dirty shirt.
God'll make sure it's not disheveled and I gotta get it ironed. No,
seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. God
will add the rest of this to you. Amen. That's it. And you say, preacher, you
worked up. That's one reason we sang that word. Sometimes
you come to the service and your heart's just so low. To any who hear me, to any who
hear me, This applies to me, this applies to you, and it applies
to anybody else that ever hears this message in any other venue.
Especially if you profess to believe God, these things apply
to us. Yes or no? Yes or no? Reach the finger toward God's
scales and hear me. If you feel a brother or sister
has a real need, I mean a real need. You feel they really have
a real need? Instead of doing these little
psychological tactics of making men and women feel guilty so
that they will follow your preference or your opinion, why don't you
just do this with tact, with graciousness, and with humility? Why don't you just supply to
them the actual need with no strings attached? If you think
they need dresses to wear, go buy them some. If that's what you feel, your
opinion is so strong, that's what they really ought to be
doing, go buy them some. But don't attach any strings
to it. Just go buy them some. Give it to them, right? Do not
just insinuate or indicate with mere words your preference or
even their need. Is this me putting my finger
to the scales? Let me give an old quote circa
early church. You wanna hear it? Give you an old quote early
circa church. Turn the page. Maybe, it might
be on the same page for you. Turn the page. Verse 15 of James 2. If a brother or sister be naked
and destitute of daily food, and don't try to overplay this,
well, they just really gotta be actually really bankrupt.
That ain't what he's talking about. He's illustrating. If a brother or sister be naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them,
depart ye in peace, be ye warmed and filled, give them one of
these. Well, here's what you ought to do, brother. Here's
what you ought to do, sister. No, why don't you just go get
them the things that they need? and with tact and graciousness
and humility, give it to them. Notwithstanding, you give them
not those things which are needful to the body, what good did it
do them? And James says, I'm illustrating
to you a dead faith. A living faith would just go
get them what they needed. Would it not? Mason, would it
not? To lift a finger. with an I prefer toward God. To just lift a finger and to
reach out to touch the scales with no but to negate self is
self. Now let me read that, try to
read it to you again. To lift a finger with a I prefer toward
God scales and try to actually touch those scales with no but
to negate self is self. For since we have the complete
word of God and the spirit of God to lead and guide us and
pastors that will unabashedly, consistently proclaim and remind
us of these truths, why do I need a man's preference when I got
God's word? God spare us from being an affluent
church. God spare us from being a poor
church. This is what I'm saying, folks.
God spare us from being an affluent church. God spare us from being
a poor church. God make us your church, made
up of both poor and affluent, if that's your sovereign purpose.
because there are no poor churches and affluent churches. There
is only the church of God made up of poor and affluent. Make
us love Christ in one another and make us not gauge devotion
to Christ amongst our brothers and sisters by their clothing.
Amen. Turn and let's see. 66.