All right, if you wish to follow
along, turn to Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians, 2
Corinthians chapter 11. 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Before I read, I'll just read
a couple of verses just to get a couple, a thought here this
morning. In this chapter, and it's, You
know, these books are, the chapters could be, and verse divisions
could be very helpful, but they're not like most novels you read
of today that have different chapters where it goes on to
a different scene. This is just a letter Paul sat
down and spoke to someone, and they, many times, they wrote
it for him, and then they maybe made copies, and they sent it
out to people. And there were no chapter divisions.
But in chapter 11, specifically this chapter. Paul is setting
forth the defense of God's gospel. Now, I understand he is defending
himself, but he's defending himself because God sent him to preach
the gospel. And people were attacking Paul. Verbally, they were attacking
Paul, talking bad about Paul in Corinth to the church. Even
men who were evidently leaders at Corinth were doing this. So
this here is Paul's defense of God's gospel. And we know that
when Paul feels this being forced to do this, he says, I speak
as a fool. I speak as a fool. This ought
not have to be done, but it's got to be done. He said, I speak
as a fool. But this is Paul's defense of God's gospel against
the false message of the false apostles. Some people probably wonder,
well, I understand you believe what you believe, but why do
you have to talk bad about other people? Because they lie on God. Because they claim to be messengers
of God and they do not speak the truth about God. And that
must be exposed. I'm not up here to expose a man
or a woman who may come into this assembly. And I seen them
down at the beer joint the other day. Now that's what religion
will do. I'm not here to expose that man
or woman I seen in the beer joint the other day dancing and drinking
and partying. But I am here to expose false religion. I'm here
to expose error. God will expose that man or woman's
heart to them if he's pleased to do that. But false religion
is a deadly trap. And it sent millions, I have
no doubt, as to that statement. I can't prove it in itself, but
false religion has sent millions of men and women headlong into
hell. Now here's what I wanna read to you. 2 Corinthians chapter
11, verse 22 and 23. He's talking about these false
apostles. Now there are no false apostles
today, as in Paul's day. Although there are those who
claim to be apostles that are not apostles, there are no apostles
today. Let me put it that way. Anybody
who says they're an apostle is not just a false apostle. As
Paul means, they're a liar. There were at least apostles
in this day when Paul wrote this. He was one of them. Are they
Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of
Abraham? So am I. Now, up to this point,
you think, all right, we're talking about DNA, right? Right? Now, not completely out
of the question. That's not the point. Look at
the next phrase. Are they the ministers of Christ? You see
how he connects all that together? Notice the connection of that
together? I speak as a fool. And I can almost see him emphasizing
to his, what is amnionesis or whatever you call it. Put this
in there now because he's probably, what am I gonna write? He may
have wrote two or three letters for Paul. Paul, what did you
just say? I speak as a fool. In other words,
I'm talking like they talk. That's what he's saying, I speak
as a fool. I am more. I am more and then
he goes on to show what he went through because of the preaching
of the gospel Now these men evidently boasted
about them taking money from Corinth well you pay us you pay
us Go on look at all the things they said Now may it be this morning May it be that God Almighty will
give each and every one of us, I include myself, ears to hear
what I have to say this morning. Remember James' exhortation,
let us all be what? Slow to speak, swift to hear. I have nothing new, but it is
something that I have been considering for several months now. I have
found here lately that it does not benefit me nor you for me
to rush into something. Here's my question for this morning. When you read this, are they
Hebrews? So am I. They Israelites, are
they the seed of Abraham? They ministers of Christ. What
do all of those things signify? If you could sum all of those
four things up, what would you say? Who are the people of God? Is that not, who are the Hebrews? God's people. Who are the Israelites? God's people. Who are the seed
of Abraham? God's people. Who are Christ's
servants, male or female? Granted here Paul's talking about
preachers, apostles in particular. He's talking about, but all people
who are God's people can preach the gospel to some extent or
another. Who is a minister of Christ?
In other words, that's my title, that's my question for this morning.
Who are God's people? Who is a Hebrew? This was heightened in my mind
some several months ago when I had an individual that worked
for me, came and asked me some of these questions. Well, when
did people first start to be called Hebrews and Jews and Israelites? You understand Abraham was not
an Israelite. Now Abraham was a Hebrew, but
Abraham was a man whose name was Abram to start with, who
was called a Hebrew. There was a Hebrew before Abraham,
did you know that? That's right, his name was called
Eber. He was at least the grandson
or great-grandson of Seth. And Eber, that's the base word
for the word Hebrew, which means one who has passed over from
the other side. It was people who lived on the
east side of Babylon who had passed over to the west side. They were called Eberites. And
an amazing thing, you go back, and I'm not even gonna preach
on this, that was the first Hebrew. His name is the basis for the
word Hebrew. And you know what the book says
about him? In his day, Hebrews chapter 10. You read it, this
so and so Seth had these sons, and these sons, and these sons,
and then he had, so and so had Eber, and Eber had two sons.
And the earth was divided in his day. Now the archeologist says the
great earthquake happened and it literally was divided. That
may be so, but that's not the point the scripture's making.
The first Hebrew ever mentioned, and the book says the earth was
divided, split in two in that day. There are two kinds of people
in this world. Those who are Hebrews, those
who were on one side and had been moved to the other. and
those who are right where they always have been. Who is a Hebrew? Who is an Israelite? The first Israelite would have
been who? Jacob. Jacob, his name was changed to
Israel. And thus, after him, all of his
descendants were naturally called Israelites. But here's a question.
Who really is an Israelite? You remember when, was it Philip
and Nathanael? Is that who it was? And our Lord
looked at Nathanael, I believe it was, you forgive me if I'm
wrong, he said, there's an Israelite, what did he say? In DNA. No, there's an Israelite in deed. Now, our Lord knew exactly what
he meant to say. He wasn't just filling in words,
was he? The seed of Abraham. Who is the
seed of Abraham? Who is a minister of Christ or
a servant of Christ? That's my title. Who are God's
people? First thing, two clearlies. Clearly,
not all are God's people, okay? Not even every Jew, not even
every Hebrew, not even every Israelite, not even every natural
descendant of Abraham is God's people. Look at John chapter
eight. Now these are the words of our
Lord Jesus Christ. John chapter eight, and listen
to what our Lord said, just one verse, verse 39. They answered
and said unto him, Abraham is our father. They're saying we're
Hebrews. We're Israelites. Now this is
the chronological order. We're Hebrews, we're Israelites,
and we're Jews. The word Jew originated mainly
from when the kingdom was split in the northern kingdom and southern,
and the southern was called Jews of Judah. I said, they answered and said
unto him, go back and look at the context. And most of you
know the context if you're hearing me on TV. Go look at the context.
They answered and said unto Christ, Jesus Christ, Abraham is our
father. They were the natural descendants
of Abraham. He'll tell them that here. But
look at what he says. If ye were Abraham's children,
if you really were, because I'll tell you, DNA don't matter. And listen to me, I haven't always
understood this. It never has, never is now, and
never will make the difference. If ye were Abraham's children,
you would do the works of Abraham. And then he says, you're trying
to kill me. Abraham didn't do that. You're not Abraham's children. I don't care what your DNA says. What is the company now you can
do 28 and me, 5,000, 60, 104, four and me, I don't know what
it is. Everybody wants to do it. You
know, it's just like people used to brag about, I got 1 15th of
American Indian in me. I remember people used to brag
about stuff like that. So what? So what? It gives you nothing
in the sight of God. Nothing in the sight of God.
Clearly, not all people are God's people. Not everybody is Abraham's
children, even if they're from the loins of Abraham. Ishmael
came out of the loins of Abraham, did he not? He went into Hagar,
and you know what he and Hagar did, and they had a son. It was
his real son. They named him Ishmael. He was
the child of Abraham, but he wasn't a child of Abraham indeed. Indeed, that's not I-N, then
another word D-E-E-D, that's I-N-D-E-E-D. But there's another one. Let's
turn to the book of the Revelation. Think about this. The book of
the Revelation chapter two first. Similar thing said twice. I'll
read them both. Revelation two and verse nine. This is what Christ is saying
through John. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty,
but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews and are not. But it's even worse than
that. But are of the synagogue of Satan. Now the same thing is said in
chapter three in verse nine of another group of people in another
local assembly. Chapter three in verse nine.
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say
they are Jews and are not, but do lie. Now this is what Christ
said through John. Are we to say that this was people
who were bragging about their DNA? And I'm using that so you'll
know exactly where I'm coming from. Is this, are we to think
now that Jesus Christ is saying through John, these people were
bragging about their DNA, but they were lying about who they
really were by DNA? No, no. Clearly, not all people
are the people of God, are they? Not everyone's a Hebrew, not
everyone's an Israelite, not everyone is the seed of Abraham,
not everyone is the minister of Christ. That's the way it's
always been, and that's the way it will always be, even unto
the end of all things. The first two male children that
we're told were brought into this world, Cain and Abel, and
there was a distinguished, there was a differentiation by God
between those two boys. God received Abel and his sacrifice,
and God did not receive Cain and his sacrifice. Right from the get-go, God divided
us as a human race. Did he not? And there are two
people, now you can break it down further, but when you break
it all, when you take all the fluff, you break it down, you
got those who are God's people and those who are not. And those
who are God's people have always been God's people from all eternity. And those who are not God's people
have never been God's people, even from all eternity. Now I'm
not here to argue that point itself. This book's clear, not
everybody's a child of God. Is that not true? There's many
more verses, but clearly, all the elect are. Now look at Galatians
chapter three. Galatians chapter three. And verse 28. Talking about being in Christ
Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither bond
nor free. There's neither male nor female. What's he talking
about? That we're all now unisex? Of
course not. Right? Of course not. I mean, we've got a young man
here this morning and his wife here. They had a baby. They didn't
have it by immaculate conception. One was a male, one was a female.
They're both believers. Mason, that distinction still
stands. That's how we still get babies
in this world. What's he talking about? In Christ, God does not
look at what you are, where you came from, what the color of
your skin is, what your caste in society is. Young, old, ugly,
beautiful, mean, sweet. It doesn't matter in Christ. But, and some people say, oh,
see, that's the distinction of the church. No, it's not. That's the distinction that's
always been in Christ. Even in the Old Testament. Even
now. And even any time to come after
now. that still stands and has always
stood. Go back and look at what he says
previously in chapter three. God made promise to Abraham,
how? Two words, in Christ. In Christ. In Christ. So it applied back yonder. Right? Now look, but he didn't
stop there. There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor female, for
you're all one. Now notice, he didn't say we're
all just the same. Of course, we're not the same.
We are still different. David, right? You're still a
black man. I'm a white man. And that didn't change. Didn't
change, did it? But we're all what? Joined together. One. in Christ. But look, and if ye be Christ,
that's Jew or Greek by DNA. Right? My DNA is still the same
as it always was. God didn't change that when he
saved me. He didn't change it when he chose me. He didn't change
it when he saved me. I'm still what I am by nature. But look,
and if ye be Christ, then are ye Abraham's seed. and not just that. And heirs
according to the promise. What promise? The promise that
was made way back yonder to Abraham in Christ. And was even covenant
established by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost in holy trinity covenant union before the world began. Look at Philippians 3. Philippians
chapter 3. Remember what Paul wrote? Finally, my brethren, rejoice
in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is
not grievous, but for you it's safe. Beware of dogs. Beware
of easel work. Why don't you just leave them
alone? Because you always, a true gospel minister will warn of
the error as well as preach the truth. Beware of this concision,
for we are, now this was, it wasn't a Gentile church. It was
a local assembly that was predominantly Gentiles, but it wasn't a Gentile. There were not Gentile churches
in Jewish churches. You hear Ben say today, that's
a white church, this is a black church. Then it ain't one of
God's churches. Now it may be an assembly that's
predominantly black, white, Mexican, Asian, that don't matter. You
understand what I'm saying now? For we are the what? Circumcision. You see it? We are the circumcision
which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and
have no confidence in the flesh. He's not saying, now what he
is saying, we've been circumcised by God. It's called the operation. He calls it the operation of
God in Colossians, the epistle to the Colossians. We've been
circumcised by God. We have been revealed the personal
work of Christ in the preaching of the gospel. And we've been
shown what we are by nature. And while we still at times reach
out for those things by nature, we know in here and in here,
our flesh is nothing. Every time I lay hold of it,
God makes it stink even the more. You understand? Paul's not saying,
well, I never trusted myself ever at all. Go back and read
2 Corinthians again in the first chapter. He said, God put me
in the dirt. But remember, God has saved us,
he has saved us, and he will save us. But do you see? The elect are
what? Circumcised. They're really circumcised. It's a real circumcision. It's
a real work of God. It's just not in their flesh.
It's in the new man. It's in this creative act of
God almighty. Here's another one, Romans chapter
two. Who are the people of God? Romans
chapter two, verse 28. For he is not a Jew, which is
one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward
in the flesh. Paul, you've went mad. Don't you figure some people
probably said that? And they read that or, here's what Paul
wrote. Well, he's nuts. Right? He is if you don't know the truth.
He is if you don't know the truth. He's not denying the reality
of the flesh, but he's showing the important, the vital, the
all-exceeding reality of the Spirit of God. Look, for he is
not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision
which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one
how? Inwardly. And he's not talking
about DNA. No, and circumcision is that
of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose
praise is not of men, but of God. I am a circumcised Jew this morning,
if God Almighty has regenerated me. Do you hear me? Now, if your
millennialism can't deal with that, then your millennialism
is wrong. You hear what I'm saying? And
it's always been that way. This is not a church thing. And
I'll add, a New Testament church thing, so you know exactly what
I'm talking about. Because God called out his people and gathered
them together even back yonder. Now, no, they were not the New
Testament church, but Mason, they were still, bless God, the
church. If they were circumcised inwardly, that circumcision is
made by God, made without hands, but is the operation of God according
to Paul in the Colossian letter, then they are a Jew. In its truest, most true sense. Second Peter chapter two. Second Peter chapter two. Now
I know there are those who say, well, Peter was writing only
to Jews. If they say that, there's two
things, they haven't really studied. Or they are a deceiver. And I'll
show you why, 2 Peter chapter two. And let me see, verse nine
here. But ye are a chosen generation. A royal priesthood. Who's he
talking to? A bunch of Levites that worked
in the temple? Huh? Now weren't they a chosen
generation? Huh? Weren't they a royal priesthood? Yes they were. They were ordained
of God for that time, for this particular purpose. But that's
not what he's talking about. He's talking to these people.
First Peter two, chapter two verse nine. But you're a chosen
generation. A royal priesthood, a holy what? Nation, the true nation of God
are the elect of God. The true nation of God, the true
Israel of God, the true Hebrews, the true Jews, the true seed
of Abraham are the elect of God. Look, a holy nation, a peculiar
people. That don't mean weird, though
we might be weird in ourselves, but this talk about a people
that God Almighty has set apart specially for himself. A peculiar
people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time
past were not a people. but are now the people of God,
which have not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
And you look at what Paul, he is Peter's quoting from Hosea.
And look at what Paul says about what Hosea meant when he wrote
those words. He says, not just to the Jew
only, but it's also of what? The Gentiles. It's those whom
God has called. So again, clearly not all are
Hebrews, even if their DNA says they are. Not all are Israelites,
even if their DNA says they are. Not all are the seed of Abraham,
even if their DNA says they are. Not all are ministers of Christ,
even if they say they are. Right? But all the elect are. Are. Now, Paul never tried to
rewrite vocabulary. There are some that I hear preach.
I'm talking about people I love, people I care about, as though
they think Paul's trying to rewrite or maybe show you what the real
vocabulary is. Paul doesn't do that. Don't be
confused. Some men think they got a grasp
on all this, and they're able just to lay it out so that every
time Paul talks about a Jew, he's talking about a Jew inwardly,
not outwardly. That's not so. Now you can't read these epistles
with any reasonable soundness and think Paul has changed the
vocabulary or has now went to the true spiritual vocabulary.
But let me tell you, the context will prove exactly what Paul
means when he uses any of this vocabulary. So Paul never tried
to rewrite vocabulary, but he did distinguish the spiritual
reality from the fleshly reality. Turn to Romans 9 now. Having
said that, I'll say it again, then we'll read it. And I'll
show you exactly what I'm talking about. Turn to Romans 9. First few verses. I said Paul
never tried to rewrite the vocabulary. Nor was Paul trying to say, okay,
we've got the true spiritual vocabulary now. No, he wasn't
doing anything like that. But what he was doing was he
was distinguishing the spiritual reality, which really matters
before God. from that of the flesh, which
makes no difference to God. God is no respecter of what?
Persons. That's always, it didn't become
that in the New Testament church. God's the same yesterday, if
God's no respecter of persons today, he was that yesterday,
and every other yesterday that came before it. And every other
tomorrow that comes after it. So look at it Romans 9. I say
the truth in Christ. I lie not my conscience also
bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost He said I'm being straight
up with you. I mean just beyond being straight up with you That
I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could
wish that Myself were a curse from Christ for my brethren my
kinsmen according to the flesh. Now, who do you think he's talking
about? Those this DNA matched his That's what he's talking
about. That's what he means Who are
Israelites? Now just, then go down a few
verses, and it says, look at what it says, verse six, not
as though the word of God taketh none effect, for they're not
all Israel, which are of Israel. Oh, you're going mad! Right? You're going cuckoo! You called
them Israelites, now you're saying they're not all Israel. The very
same people. Do you see what I'm saying? Paul
you're bonkers, no he's not bonkers, he's showing the distinction
between natural Israel and spiritual Israel. And you go on and look
at it, he says this don't just include Jews who were elect,
this includes Gentiles who were elect. Look, read the rest of
Romans chapter nine. Now Israel as a nation, as a
people of DNA, had great privileges. That's what he's talking about.
in verses four and verse five. Great privileges and with great
privileges comes what? Great responsibility. But they
squandered all of it by nature. They could not but squander all
of it by nature and the giving of the law proved that. Israel looked pretty good. until
God Almighty gave them, not even the world, but gave them the
law. And before Moses even got back
down off the mountain, they'd done stripped off their clothes,
made them a golden calf, was worshiping that thing and doing
all other sorts of ungodly stuff. These Israelites, think of an
opportunity squandered. But isn't that true of the visible
New Testament church today? People who profess to be the
children of the living God, believers in Christ, great responses or
great privileges, hearing the gospel, fellowshipping with God's
people, living amongst them, eating with them, enjoying many
of the same things and blessings they enjoy, but they squander
it. And they cannot but squander
it by nature. Jew or Gentile were all under
sin. So Paul didn't try to change
the vocabulary, but he did distinguish between the spiritual reality
from the fleshly reality, right? And that's what he does here.
That's what he does everywhere. Now there is not. There is not
a earthly people of God that God has to give all these earthly
blessings to because he promised all these earthly blessings to
him. But then there's these spiritual people that God have to give
all these spiritual blessings to because they're all these
spiritual promises. Every promise to the natural
Hebrews, the natural Israelites, the natural Jews, all was filtered
under and brought into the covenant of the law. Their circumcision
was. Their promise to the land was. What did this prove? You can
accomplish none of it by the flesh. Hmm? And let me point out something
to you. It's not just, oh, well, then God'll regenerate us, then
we can have all them physical blessings. No, no. Remember what
Joe read, too, of better promises? There's a better city. What,
Abraham, yes, God showed him actual landmarks. But what city
was Abraham looking for? Jerusalem, which is below? that Jerusalem which is above,
which is the mother of us all, Jew or Gentile, male or female,
rich or poor, young or old, do you see it? And this is not something
new God's had to do because the other way failed. This is exactly
what God ordained from the get-go. You see, Paul was also not merely
using Old Testament descriptions and giving them some kind of
church application. Our Lord came along and says, and it's
recorded by John in John 10 verse 16, and other sheep, he was talking
to the Jews right at that time. Go back and read it. And other
sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring,
and there shall be, how many folds? How many folds? whether it's gonna be a Jewish
church and a Gentile church. No. Well, one of these days that
distinction will be crossed out again, not according to Paul
in Ephesians chapter two, verses 11 through 16. He says he's taking
Jew and Gentile, who are totally opposite by DNA and by upbringing. And he's made in Christ of the
twain one new man. And that distinction will never
be undone. I'm sorry, not distinction. That
union in one will never be undone. Christ said there will be one
fold and one what? One shepherd. So if I'm one of
the sheep and you're one of the sheep and we're worshiping a
different shepherd, one of us is a liar. One of us is, right? A man that says, I believe in
Jesus, and I say, I believe in Jesus, but the Jesus we're talking
about is totally different. One of us is a liar. I'm preaching the right one.
You hear what I'm saying? I'm declaring to you, I'm preaching
the right one. I know the right one. Paul tells
these people, there's another Jesus, another spirit, and I'm
afraid you can put up with them. You have been. You've been giving
them money. They're bragging about it. They're
bragging about it. Let me just give you this. This is no dispensational thing.
Paul says in Romans 11 that even when he's quoting the Old Testament,
he said, back yonder, in the Old Testament days, God had an
elect remnant amongst the Jews. Isn't that what he said? And
they constituted the true Israel, the true Hebrews. Everybody else
was just mere professors. Oh, they may have had true DNA,
but that's not the point. Because John comes along and
tells us in 1 John, if you're a son of God, if you're a son
of God, God gave you the right to be called that. And he gives
this right to those that believe in Christ, which were born. How? The first one is not of
blood. Listen, it's not dispensational,
never has been, it is not now, and shall never be. If you're a millennialism, I
don't care who you are, what you are, it don't matter to me. All
millennialism is equally under fire if it's in error. If your
millennialism says that one day God's gonna save Jews, is this
gonna save Jews? You got no basis of scripture. Do you? No basis of scripture
whatsoever. And men read Romans chapter 11,
and it talks about God's able to save the Jews. He can even
graft them back in again. Does that not what he says? But
why is it most people says that's some distant thing way down yonder
in the future. You ever notice that? Go back
and read Romans chapter 11 with the right now, present day reality,
and it'll say a little bit more to you. Don't read Romans chapter 11
always looking to, well, it was 10,000 years out there, or maybe
it's the seven year tribulation, and that's when God will really
save the Jews. God's been saving every Jew he intended to save
from the first one right down to the last one. That's just
the way it is, folks. Who is a Hebrew? Who is an Israelite? Who is the seed of Abraham? Who
is a true servant of Christ? Those that God has called out
of darkness into his marvelous light. That's the way it's always
been, that's the way it's always gonna be. Never gonna be any
different. Is this just semantics? No, this
goes to the very purpose of God in sending his son to save his
people. I got to read you this one. Turn to Hebrews chapter
two. Hebrews chapter two. Just one verse, verse 15. For truly, that's what verily
means, for truly, he took not on, and then we read, took not
on him the nature of angels. And you'll see that him, the
nature of is in italics. And this is one of those places
in the King James Version where that is a bad, a bad forcing
in of words. Here's what it literally reads
in the Greek, from the Greek that the King James Version was
based on, what they called the accepted text, the received text. Here's what it says, for not
indeed of angels takes he hold, but of seed of Abraham takes
he hold. He's not talking in verse 16
about the nature that he took on. That's mentioned in verse
14 and in verse 17. In verse 16, he's talking about
him being their representative, their surety, their sacrifice,
their substitute. That's what he's talking about.
When it says the nature, it totally throws your mind to some way
where we don't need to go here. He did not die for the angels. He did not suffer for the angels.
He was not the substitute for the angels in his death. But
who was he the substitute for? Everybody? The seed of Abraham. and who is the seed of Abraham. Every person that's been brought
to believe Christ by work of the spirit and regeneration and
by the converting power of the gospel of God, that's the seed
of Abraham. Now when this book says it was
written to Hebrews, Joe, I don't know if that was really put in
there by anybody. The epistle of Paul the apostle to the Hebrews,
I know that couldn't have been a part of the original part because
men argue so much about that point. Okay? So when it says
the book of the Hebrews, men put that there because they thought
this was written mostly to Jews by DNA. Have you ever thought
that? Well, this was written mainly
to old Hebrews. Why do we always think that the
Gentiles were so stupid about everything else? Huh? These people have been saved.
They've been saved for long enough to where Paul, whoever wrote
it, was saying, listen, you should have grown up a little more by
now. Didn't he say that in chapter 6 or 5 leading into it? These
don't have to be Jews by DNA. Who are these Hebrews? Who was
this written to? A bunch of circumcised in the
flesh Jews? No! It was written to God's people. It was written to God's people. You know more about the Old Testament
law than probably most practicing Jews do today. Because you've
been taught the truth from the Word of God. Yeah, go out here
and talk to some of them today. A lot of them have no idea what
it's even all about. But you know something of what
it's about, don't you? Do you understand what I'm getting at?
And when you start looking at this book, and you look at it,
and you start reading that whole thing, and you're thinking, a
circumcised in the flesh Jew, a circumcised in the flesh Jew,
a Hebrew, an Israelite after DNA, then you're gonna be missing
much of what's intended directly for you, or somebody else done
got you on the wrong trail. They got you on the wrong trail. And there are some grace men
that do that. They go to Hebrews, they go to 1st, 2nd Peter, that
was written to the Jews in the church. Yes, it was. But it's written to me, a Gentile
in the church. It's just as valid for me because
Johe became me. And he took upon himself me,
took hold of me. If he didn't, I'm a goner. If
he didn't, I'm a goner. And now read Hebrews 2, like
14 down through 18 in a different light, and it'll make a little
more sense to you. Then it says, wherefore, because he done that,
in all things that behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. Now wait a minute, I will say
something that will throw you for a dead loop. I'm gonna kick
out a little grenade, pull the pin on it. Jesus Christ was not
a full-blooded DNA Jew. Do you remember somebody called
Rahab? You remember somebody called
Ruth? Rahab was an old whore from Jericho. Ruth was a Moabitess
from down yonder in Moab. Yea or nay? Thus saith the word
of God, Matthew chapter one. Go back and look at it. Now let us chew on that for a
little bit. Why was those women put in there, Joe? To let us
Gentiles know we are the seed of Abraham. Do you think anybody
come along? Remember old Solomon married
Rahab? Go back and look at it. Do you
think when anybody walked along and said, well, she's just no
whore, she ain't no Israelite. I bet you he'd have drawled back
and cracked them right betwixt the eyes. Don't you think so? You think old Boaz let any of
those Jewish men circumcised in their flesh sit around and
talk about Ruth, that Moabitess? Is she just some old dirty gal
from down yonder in the country that Naomi picked up and brought
back with her? Huh? Huh? Nah, I bet she'd have cold
cocked them right between the eyes. That's my wife. She's one with me. Yea or nay? And I am a part of
Christ. what my DNA is, don't matter
what the color of my skin is, it don't matter about my immoral
background, He's made me one with Him, and He is a Hebrew. He truly crossed from the other
side. Did He not, the Eberite? He truly crossed from up yonder,
came down here. He truly is what an Israelite,
the Prince with God. Huh? He truly is the seed of
Abraham. The singular seed of Abraham. He is Christ, the minister. Is he not? He is Christ. So who is a Hebrew? Who is an
Israelite? Who is the seed of Abraham? Who
is the minister of Christ? Where it really matters? And
that's the point I'm trying to make. Where it really matters?
Those in Christ. Those in Christ. Paul was not
questioning these false apostles' DNA. He wasn't even throwing,
I'm a Hebrew just like they are. He was. And they were probably,
by nature, Hebrews, Israelites, the seed of Abraham. But that
doesn't matter. They were making it to matter.
You listen to us, we're the ministers of Christ and look what our background
is by DNA. It don't matter. You know, what
I'm preaching to you, if I preach to you from Peter, and I'm preaching
to you exactly what Peter said, that's just as much authority
as those words written by Paul the Apostle. So it doesn't matter
which one it was. Oh, if we can ever get this error,
get error out of our minds and read the book of God for what
it says, oh how it opens up. Paul's not questioning their
DNA. No, what he was doing was refuting their doctrine, their
message, their conduct, and their spirituality in spite of their
DNA and because of their satanic motivation. Look at what he says.
Now read it. Chapter 11, 2 Corinthians, verse
13. For such are false apostles. Deceitful workers. I don't care
if their DNA makes them a Hebrew. I don't care if it made some,
if they'd have had the 23andMe test back then. I don't care
if it could have proved it by DNA, not just the records over
in the temple, okay? For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into what? The apostles
of Christ. That was their whole, look at
what we really are by nature. You know we got to be one of
God's. But look, here's the problem, and no marvel. For Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. Satan, let me tell
you this, Satan is behind more podiums preaching in more so-called
churches today than he is in the beer joints and the brothels.
The beer joints and the brothels are full of fallen sinners. Behind
many a podium in many a so-called church today are many messengers
of Satan. And no marvel for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no
great thing if his ministers also, what's he calling them
now? What's he saying? They really are. They're the
ministers of Satan. Isn't that what he's saying?
He was being sarcastic, talking like a fool when he wrote this
up in 23 and 20, 22 and 23. Do you see it now? Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.
And here they think righteousness. They're not teaching men to go
out and commit adultery. They're teaching you that if
you won't commit adultery, God will accept you. If you'll quit
taking drugs, God will accept you. If you'll quit smoking cigarettes,
God will accept you. That's what they would teach.
That's what they're teaching today. God'll accept you if you
quit doing all this. They are ministers of what? Righteousness,
but it's the wrong kind. It's not God's righteousness,
it's a human righteousness. Whose end shall be according
to their works. And he doesn't say anything else.
That just leads me to think, Mason Lilly, that's not going
to be good for these guys. You know what that tells me?
Don't listen to them. You hear me? I'm saying that
to me as well as you. I'm pointing my finger at you,
but I'm pointing to me. Don't listen to them. If they're preaching
human righteousness, don't listen to them. They're the ministers
of Satan. I don't care what their DNA is.
I don't care what their religious trade is. I don't care if they've
been to the greatest schools in all of America. Whatever it
is, it don't matter. It's that man, that man trying
to preach, thus saith the Lord, concerning the person and work
of Jesus Christ. That's where it's at. That's
who a true Hebrew is. That's who a true Israelite is.
That's who the true seed of Abraham is. That's the true minister
of Christ. But that's also true of you,
if you believe Christ. It applies to you as well. Oh
God, don't just teach us these facts, or these things as facts. God, show it to us as your truth,
and embolden us by it, to give glory and honor to you in truth.
Oh God, force us away from human opinion. Force us away from what
we think, and look to what you say in your word, in Christ's
name, amen. Yeah, it was a little long, I didn't mean
to go that long.