To first Peter chapter 4 I'm going to read one verse this
morning First Peter chapter 4 and verse
17, I think I told you yesterday Paula 18, but it was verse 17 First Peter 4 and verse 17 where
Peter writes these words I For the time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God. And if it first
began at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the
gospel of God? Now you, later on, I would encourage
you to read the context in which Peter gives these words. And
I think when you do, you will see that I'm not outside the
context in what I say to you this morning. Before I get to the body of my
message, I will first say this. There are five absolutes found
in this verse. Now, at least five. There very
well may be more. But there are five absolutes
found in this verse. These are things that I would
refuse to debate men and women over. There are five absolutes
found in this verse. There are some subjects of scripture
we may debate. For instance, was Noah a vegetarian
before the flood? We may debate that. One or the
other is true. We may stand and debate things
like that. And you know, you may realize you were on the wrong
side of that argument and come over to the right side, but for
the most part, that's probably going to make no difference in
the state of your soul whatsoever. You understand what I'm saying?
There are things we may debate over, we may disagree on. Did the seven who entered in
with Noah, did they enter in because Noah, their Husband father
and father-in-law preached to them and they heard the gospel
through him. We don't know much about that We may debate over
those things Mason or were they with him in this thing from the
get-go Did God speak to them as well as he spoke to Noah,
you know, we may we may debate over things like that But there
are some things in Scripture. We do not debate over and And
let me just give you five things from this verse. One, there is
a house of God. There is. Not there should be,
might be, could be. There is a house of God. And the word simply means God's
dwelling place. Now, if you know the New Testament
scripture, then you know where is God's dwelling place. Well,
we know God's always dwelt in heaven. But where does the New
Testament speak of God's dwelling places being? Not in temples
made with hands. God Almighty dwells inside His
people. There is, this is undebatable,
this is absolute, there is a house of God. Number two, judgment
issues forth from that house. Do you hear me? Judgment issues
forth from that house to try to give you something to help
you grasp that. You remember there's a phrase
used in the Old Testament at least a couple times, and everyone
did that which was right in his own eyes. That is not what this verse teaches. For the time has come that judgment
must begin at the house of God. Judgment issues forth from God's
house. That's absolute. That's what
it says. Number three, God's people are
that house. It says it right here. This building is not that house.
Whether we are in this building or whether we're in my home or
your home or some other building, when this group is gathered together,
and as a matter of fact, even when we're not gathered together,
we are that house. God's people are that house.
And they exercise judgment amongst themselves. You hear what I'm saying? They
exercise judgment amongst themselves. Number four, God's people, his
house, obey the gospel of God. That is indicated in the text
because there are those who do not obey the gospel of God and
where shall their end be? Number four, God's people obey.
Now I said obey. Yeah we believe, but most people
think believing is just acknowledging the facts, accepting the facts. No, it is obeying the gospel. Believing is obeying. Obeying is believing. If you
believe but are not obeying, then you're not truly believing. By faith, Noah being warned of
God, what did he do by faith? He moved with fear and built
an ark to the saving of his house. Those are not two separate things.
That's faith in action. Believing faith is obedient to
the gospel of God. And that's the primary thing.
That's the primary thing. Number five. Those who obey not
the gospel of God are not a part of God's house. I will not debate those things.
If you disagree with me this morning, you're wrong. Because
you're not disagreeing with me. You're disagreeing with what
God says through his inspired apostle, Peter. That's just the way it is. Penny heard the other night,
or was told, or text, or I guess you can say text. Well, everybody
interprets the scripture their own way. That's a lie. There are some. And they are
called the house of God. They don't interpret the scripture
at all. They look for thus saith the
Lord. They don't care about interpretation.
They want to know what did God say. And that settles it. People talk like that only when
they have something in the forefront of their heart and mind other
than obeying the gospel of Christ. I didn't say they were lost.
I didn't say they were saved. I ain't for sure what they are.
Some of them profess great professions, but it seems as though they have
very little possession of what they profess. Now with these
five things in mind, And in light of today's baptism, Ryan, I'm preaching this message
to you. But this message is valid for
each and every one of us here this morning. And especially,
especially if you profess to obey the gospel of God. So with
these five things in mind, and in light of today's baptism,
I present you with seven judgments. Seven judgments. Now I know most
people when they think of judgment, they think of just condemning
people all over the place. It may be that. There may be
some who hear this message, whether right here this morning or on
a tape some other time, that may be condemned by the very
words that I declare from God this morning. I don't know. But I want to give you seven
judgments. That's the meaning of the thing. The word can mean
condemnation, but it means to make a decision one way or the
other. Don't be wishy-washy. Don't bounce back and forth.
Don't be double-minded. James says a double-minded man
is unstable in all of his ways. Now, you're either this way or
that way. Quit riding the fence. Quit riding the fence. Don't
ride the fence. You remember what I said about
fence riders? It castrates everybody who rides them. Now you take
that as far as you want to take it. I want to give you seven
judgments that are pertinent. They are valid for both new and
old converts to Christ. This word presents hundreds of
judgments. Right? Hundreds of judgments.
But I want to try to give you just seven this morning in light
of the baptism today, and I'm speaking to Ryan Directly, but
also to every one of you This morning here all these seven
things are pertinent and they're pertinent to your soul if you
care about your soul number one the first judgment Ryan this
is true Whether you understand it to the degree you ought to,
and I doubt you do, because I don't know that I do. And I've been
in this way for a little over 30 years. I think I have some
grasp on it. But the first judgment is this.
Scripture. Scripture. God's Word. The Bible. The book. What is it? Somebody
help me. 27 in the New Testament. Is it
39 in the Old? What is it? 66, I think. Total
books. I'm not going to argue about how that's, those things. First of all, scripture is our
only rule of faith and practice. Three things here concerning
this. This is the first judgment I'm giving this morning. This
is a judgment. I'm drawing a line. I'm making a decision. I'm saying
this is the way it is. If I speak the truth of God's
word, you best hear what I say. And I don't, because I'm saying
it out of concern for your soul. First of all, scripture is our
only, only rule of faith and practice. And that is both private
practice and public practice. What we do when we're gathered
in this building and what you do when you're in the privacy
of your own home, it applies nonetheless. First of all, scripture is perfect
instruction. Perfect. 2 Timothy chapter 3.
And I know people quote this probably all the time in churches,
religious institutions. 2 Timothy 3 verse 16, all scripture. All of it. Not only every book,
but every chapter, every verse, every word, every preposition. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God. That means it's God breathed.
What I'm saying to you this morning is not inspired, but it best
be in line with this book. But what this book says, what
these men wrote when they wrote it down was inspired of God. It was God breathed into these
men and they wrote down exactly what God meant to reveal to the
people they were writing to. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God That's who inspired it. It's God breathed and is what
profitable profitable Profitable or what for doctrine? That's
what you believe For reproof. That's what you don't believe
you need to be corrected on Or what you believe wrongly and
you need to have straightened out for reproof for correction. Now you see it and for instruction
in righteousness, every kind, whatever it is, whether it's
imputed righteousness or whether it's a righteousness you're supposed
to conduct yourself in, whatever it is, all scriptures given by
inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of
God may be perfect, perfect, that is complete. thoroughly
furnished unto all good works. All of them. So that includes
public, private, where you work at, where you sleep at, where
you play at, no matter what it is. Scripture is our only rule
of faith and practice. Turn to Proverbs chapter 30.
And Lord willing, Ryan, we will get
you baptized, but I want to preach this first. This is the first
judgment that I'm presenting to you or sharing with you this
morning. Proverbs 30. Before I read the
two verses, I will make a statement. I will summarize. Scripture is
absolute. Scripture is absolute. Proverbs
30 verse 5. Every word of God is pure. That
means when something is pure, it's absolute. It's not mixed.
It has no fault. It's not too much. It's not too
little. It's exactly, exactly what it's supposed to be. Every
word of God is pure. So much so that one of the psalmist
or one of the writers of the Old Testament said, God has exalted
His word even above His name. Every word of God is pure. He
is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou
not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found, what?
A liar. You go contrary to the word,
you're a liar. I go contrary to the word, I'm a liar. That is, the only role of faith
in practice. As a matter of fact, according
to the Apostle Paul, back to 2 Timothy 3 again, Scripture
points to Christ. Verse 15, where Paul was writing
to Timothy, just before what he said, all Scripture was given
by inspiration, look what verse 15 says, and that from a child,
thou hast known, what? The holy scriptures. Now there
are some unholy scriptures. We're talking about the holy
scriptures. What is it? Those that the Jews held to when Christ
came. That was the 39. I think they counted them a few
different, but they counted like 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, one book,
whatever it was. But it's the same exact scriptures.
And the house of God, generally, I mean as a whole, not just one
specific church building or specific locality, It's already been settled
what the New Testament is, the Holy Scripture. It's the 27 books
of the New Testament. We're not going to argue those
things anymore. And that from a child thou hast
known the Holy Scriptures, what's the benefit of that? which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. Ryan, if you've missed Christ,
your baptism today will mean nothing. I'm just telling you,
I'm warning you. With all the love and compassion,
Mason, I can muster. And yet, warning you, Ryan, and
anybody else here, and warning myself, if I've missed Christ,
my baptism meant nothing. Nothing. Scripture is our only rule of
faith and practice. Scripture tells you how to live,
how not to live. What to believe, what not to
believe. What to hold to, what not to hold to. What to call
truth and what to call untruth. No. Call it a lie. You're an untruth teller. No. You're a liar. That's what it
boils down to. God's house stands here. This
is our judgment. Not my judgment. This is the
house of God's judgment. The house of God stands here.
Second judgment. Second judgment. There is no
compromising the truth of Jesus Christ. Turn to 2 John. Just before the book of the revelation
before June and third John The second epistle of John This is
my second judgment that I present to you this morning. No compromise. There is no compromise in the
truth of God in Christ and Look at how John puts it verse 9 2nd
John whosoever transgresses And then he's going to qualify the
actual transgression he's talking about. We all transgress. We
all do sin here or there. Every believe, saved or unsaved. That's not the point. Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, What's
the result of that? Hath not God. If I'm wrong about Christ, I
don't have God. If you're wrong about Christ,
you don't have God. The only people who have God
are those who are right about Jesus Christ. And we do not debate
those things. We don't argue and try to settle
those things. Whosoever transgresses and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father and the son now
right there it is set down But he doesn't stop there If You
see that yeah All right. Well, okay, you either have it
or you don't then you just do whatever you want after that
Be with whoever you want to be after that Keep company with
whoever you want to keep company with after that. Is that what
he's teaching us, Ryan? What does he say? If there come
any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God's speed. Now he's not talking about
somebody just ignorant of the truth of God. He's talking here
about people who profess to know God, but they don't bring his
doctrine. Yeah, you don't beat him into
your house You don't beat him Godspeed for he that bid us him
Godspeed is a partaker of his evil deeds That's the judgment of the house
of God Is it not We do not associate with those
who preach a perverted gospel. No. You're playing with fire
if you do. You do not associate with, scripture
calls it to keep company with, you do not keep company with
those who have abandoned the truth of Jesus Christ. You're
playing with fire if you do. It will be to your spiritual
downfall. I know. I tried it. And God Almighty had to teach
me that lesson, Mason, the hard way. I don't want you to have
to be taught the hard way. Let them go. Let them go. Don't be a partaker of their
evil deeds. He says, just by bidding them
into your house and tell them to, well, may God be with you. You're partaking of their evil
deeds. There is no compromising the
truth of Christ. And let me warn you, you play
with them, you fellowship with them, You keep company with them,
you'll compromise with them eventually. You will compromise with them
eventually. Evil communications corrupts
bad manners. That's from the scripture. You're
not able to withstand it and neither am I. Let him that thinks he stands
take heed lest he fall. And I warn you Ryan, be careful
who you associate with. I warn you. We all have to associate
with people out of necessity in this world. But there's some
people that you best avoid just as much as you possibly can. We reject error. and its supporters. We don't just reject error, we
reject error and its supporters. Do you see that? That's what
he says here, does he not? This is the judgment of God.
This is the judgment of his house. another thing under this no compromising
the truth of Christ Christ is our head and he is preeminent
Colossians 1 verses 18 and 19 Christ God gave Christ to be
head to the church and he is preeminent in all things if anybody
seeks To have anything in your life, Ryan, or your life, church
at Sovereign Grace, or my life, if they seek to present to you
anything that would compete with Jesus Christ, you best avoid
it like a plague. I don't care how good it looks.
I don't care how religious it looks. I don't care how biblical
it seems. Nothing competes with Christ.
He's the head. And he has preeminence over all
things So therefore when it comes to your salvation, what's the
top dog in that thing Jesus Christ? When it comes to your walk, who's
the top dog in that thing Jesus Christ so walkie in him Just
like you've received him Paul says now walkie in him Christ
is our head and he is preeminent Thirdly, that is, there is no
compromising the truth of Christ. You go back sometime, read Ephesians
chapter 1, but specifically verses 3 through 6. Our acceptance before
God is in Christ and in nothing and no one else. He chose us
in Him. He predestinated us by Him. He
redeemed us by Him. He forgave us by Him. It says
we are accepted all of those glorious blessings, and we are
accepted how in the beloved Ryan you look to anything or anyone
else other than Jesus Christ for acceptance before God You
will not be accepted of God, and I don't care what you profess
today. You abandon that tomorrow you abandon all true. Hope Just
the way it is Well, I thought you believed in once saved always
saved It's according to what you mean by that. The elect lay hold of Jesus Christ,
and they lay hold of Jesus Christ until the day they die. Because Hebrew says about all
of those people who had faith, a God-given faith, these all,
A-L-L, these all died in faith. You don't just begin in faith
and then end up however you want. You begin in faith, and Ryan,
you've got to end in faith. Now maybe there's a better way
for me to say that, Mason, maybe. But that's still just true. God's house stands here. That's
our judgment. That's our judgment number three
third judgment Those who obey the gospel Submit
to Christ's ordinance of baptism Matthew chapter 28 Now remember
there's I said there's a whole lot more than this But I'm just
giving you these seven this morning Matthew chapter 28 Verse 19, go ye therefore and
teach, that means to disciple, to train, to disciple. A disciple is an adherent to
another's teaching, a convert to that person. Go ye therefore
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. That's why we do what
we're going to do here today. Because Christ said to do that
right there. Ryan, you profess to be a follower
now of Jesus Christ, right? Then you're to be baptized. Those who obey, remember it's
obeying the gospel. If you're a disciple, that means
you really follow it. It's not just a mouth profession. It's
not just a head knowledge. This is something that God Almighty
has done in the soul. And if it's not, your baptism
means nothing. It means nothing. As I've told
you here before, I was dunked in water twice before I was ever
baptized. And we are of that group that
years ago they would have called us Anabaptists. You know why?
Because if you want to join this assembly and truly be a part
of it, and you've not been baptized confessing the truth of the Lord
Jesus Christ, we will expect you to be actually baptized.
You come out of Roman Catholicism, you go out to be baptized. You
come out of false religion, you come out of free will works religion,
you go out to be baptized for the first time. Because look,
disciples only are to be baptized, right? Disciples only are to
be baptized. Gospel obedience, that's first. And baptism is not the end game,
though. Look, go ye therefore and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost. I'm a disciple, I believe in
Him. He's done something for me, I'm baptized, now I'll do
my own thing. No. Teaching them. That's the exact
same people. Teaching them to observe most
of what I told you. No. Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with
you always. To only those. Do you see that? Lo, I am with you always, even
unto the ends of the world. That's the third judgment. God's
house stands here. That's our judgment. And you
know, you can trace this. I mean, I know history is not
the rule of faith and practice. This is. But you can trace history. And all of these three things
I've given you so far, these three things, there's always
been groups of people. They've been called by different
names down through time. But there's always been these
groups of people that stood with these judgments. That had these
judgments amongst themselves. They, and they only, were the
house of God. Here's the fourth judgment Those who obey the gospel remember
it's obey the gospel not just give not just give credence to
it Not just make a mouth profession to it those who obey the gospel
are turned Turned from their former conduct First Corinthians
chapter 6 Now this is just so This ain't
the way it ought to be this is the way it is yeah 1 Corinthians
6 verse 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be deceived, he
says. You see it? Be not deceived.
Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit
the kingdom of God. And as I say, I constantly want
to reaffirm, that's not an exhaustive list. There are other things
there too. He just, you know, if he mentioned
them all, it would probably took 15, 20 chapters. I don't know.
I mean, he spent half of Romans chapter 1, Joe, describing some
things. Now, let me ask you, how many
of you are guilty of at least one of those? I'm guilty of probably about
every one of them. And if that surprises you, something's
probably wrong with you, you think the preacher's better than
he really is. You ever been guilty of at least
one? If you're guilty of one, you're excluded from the kingdom
of God. Is that what that says or not? That's what it says,
doesn't it? Don't be deceived about it. But
I'm not as bad as that one. It don't make a hoot. Well, I
didn't do it as many times. It don't matter. If you've done
it one time, you are it. Because you did it because you
were it. You don't become it because you do it. You do it
because you are it. You steal because you're a blessed
thief. No, an unblessed thief, I should
say. You steal because you're a thief.
You don't become a thief because you steal. It's got to be in
here first. You'd never lay hold of it out
here if it wasn't in here. That's a little shaking. That
shakes the ground on which you stand, doesn't it? But here's
the glory. And such were some of you. But notice you were that. Now are you still capable of
it? Oh yeah. But God says you're not that
anymore. You see that? And such worse of you, but ye
are washed, but you're sanctified, but you're justified. And look
at how it says you're washed, sanctified and justified. Is
there anything here that you did to make you this way? or to change you from what you
were. No, but you're washed and you're washed, as such were some
of you, but you're washed, but you're sanctified, but you're
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit
of our God. God did something to you that made this difference.
That's what he's saying. Ryan, that's what you testified
to me of out there on that porch. God did something to me. God's
changed me. That's a sound testimony. but it has to actually have happened
that way. If you've changed yourself, you
won't last. You'll go right, eventually, you'll abandon disassembly,
you'll abandon the truth of Christ, you'll go right back out to where
you was before, and your second state may be worse than your
first state. You remember about the man, the house that our Lord
said had his bunch of demons in it? And the demons were gone,
and the demons come back, the demons were cast out, and the
demons come back, they found the house swept and garnished,
but what? Empty. And they, why, because
it's empty. And they enter back into it.
And the second state's worse than the first state. A false
profession can be damning. I said it can be damning. That's what our Lord taught.
He said it, not me. I didn't bring that up. I didn't
make that up. He said that. Those who obey the gospel are
turned from their former conduct. We abhor it. We abhor it. Paul says, I hate it. He said,
sometimes I do the very things that I hate, but nevertheless
I hate it. Therein is the rub. Look at Ephesians chapter 5.
I must move along. Ephesians 5 verse 1, Be ye therefore
followers of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also
hath loved us, and given himself for us, and offering and sacrifice
to God for a sweet-smelling savor. But fornication and all uncleanness
and covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh
saints. In other words, avoid these things.
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting." That's
telling dirty jokes. You know? "...which are not convenient,
but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger,
nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath
any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no
man deceive you with vain words." Well, don't worry about it. Just
ask God to forgive you. You made your profession, you
get baptized, right? Then basically you do whatever you want. And
when you do whatever you want, then if you realize it was wrong,
then just ask God to forgive you. They are twisting the truth
of God Almighty. That's right. You might as well
go to a Roman Catholic priest in that little booth and confess
to him. Now look, let no man deceive
you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath
of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers
with them. Four. Four. Ye were sometimes darkness. You
were. But now are you light in the
Lord. So walk that way. Know what it
says? Walk as children of light. God's house stands here. That's right. Ryan, you find
yourself falling flat on your face. Yes, you cry out for forgiveness
from God. Yeah. Yeah, do that. He says
if we confess our sins, and that's the only thing you can do is
just acknowledge it. If you confess our sins, He,
He does the rest. He's faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Don't try
to do anything to make it better, just confess it. But also abandon
it. You find yourself falling again
confess it and run away from it Turn you back on it acknowledge
it for what it really is a crime against God Flee to Christ again
a new a friend run to him run to him. That's the fourth judgment
God's house stands here That's our judgment fifth judgment those
who obey the gospel they take part with others who obey the
gospel That's right now I started what
I started listening scriptures There is one acts 2 it says in
the same day was added to the church or no no it says in God
added to the church As many as should be saved. Daily he did
so. What church? The church in Jerusalem. You're not added to the church
universal. Either God chose you as a part
of the church universal or you're not a part of it universally.
But people are added to the local assembly. But let me give you
this as proof. As an example, there are 27 books
in the New Testament. And I broke it all down and I
thought, no, I'm not going to take time to do all that. But
let me put it to you this way. There are 27 books in the New
Testament that directly reference the assembly and assembling therein. 23 of them have direct reference
to it. 23 out of 27. Sounds to me like it's quite
important. Does it not? Some of them even
warn you, don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together, because
if you do, you're sinning willfully and you may be well abandoning
all hope. Look at it, Hebrews chapter 10. Forsaking the assembly may well
be, I said it may well be, abandoning Christ. Twenty-three out of twenty-seven
books directly reference the assembly. Christ said, I will
build my church. And you know the only way the
church is manifest on the earth? Does anybody know the only way
it's manifest on the earth? In local assemblies. That's the
only way it's manifest on the earth. It's not manifest any
other way. I challenge you to find it in
the books. When God saves a person, their
desire, their pining, their longing desires, I want to be with God's
people. Now maybe all of them can't because
of hindering circumstances, but that's what they desire. God's health stands here. That's
our judgment. Christ said, by this shall all
men know you're my disciples. Now, they won't know it now,
but one day it'll be an evidence to all of them. By this shall
all men know you're my disciples, if you love one another. Now,
according to Scripture, you don't just love one or two of the saints.
I've had some of you tell me here about a certain individual
who's left this assembly in no uncertain terms. Well, they still
talk to me about Christ. Really? So they love you, but
they don't love the rest of us? It don't work that way. You either
love all the saints or you don't love one of them. That's just
the way it is. You don't pick and choose what
saints you want to love. That's why we're told to be long-suffering.
But to who? One another. One another. You abandon the assembly. You're
outside the auspices. Here's my sixth one. Turn to
Matthew chapter 18. Here's my sixth judgment. This
is what Christ said. These are not my words. Walter,
the pastor, one of the pastors at Sovereign Grace Chapel didn't
come up with this. These are Christ's words. Here's my sixth
judgment that I present to you this morning. Specifically to
you, Ryan, but to all of us. There is order and discipline
in the house of God. Matthew 18, verse 15. Moreover,
I got something, these are Christ's words. Moreover, if thy brother
shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between
thee and him alone. Deal with it personally first.
If he hear thee, you've gained your brother. If he hears you,
you've gained your brother. Look! But if he hear thee not,
then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two
or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he
neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. It don't say bring
him before the church. If he's not listening to you
when you've tried to talk to him or her, either one, about
this matter, and they won't listen to you, it says take at least
one more with you, possibly even two with you, and establish every
word. And then if he don't hear you,
let him alone. Take it to the church, and if
he neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. And then you
are to present to them in some manner, in some way, the church's
decision on this. Is that not what this says? And
if he neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglect
to hear the church, then just pat him on the back and tell
him you love him anyway. Just be as kind as you can to
them because maybe they'll come around. How long do you deal
with people in their obstinacy? Three times. three times. These are Christ's words, three
times. And on the third one, if they
don't hear the church, what does it say? Let him be unto thee
as a heathen man and a publican. Is that what Christ said? He's
talking about the church. I looked it up to make sure, Mason. It's
the exact same word used throughout all the New Testament of the
house of God, the church, God's people, his local assemblies.
Now the reason most people, well, I shouldn't say most. The reason
there are some people who profess to be the people of God, but
they don't want to be a part of a local assembly, they don't
want that right there. They want no responsibility before
anyone. I want to be my own man. I want
to be my own woman. If you're in Christ, if you're
a part of the house of God, you're a part of a body. Yeah, his body, Joe. You're right.
I should say his body. You're a part of his body. You
are not your own man. You are not your own woman. You
are not. And if you don't like that constraint
and restraint, then you really have not bowed to Jesus Christ.
Because he said, you take my yoke upon you and you learn of
me. I'll become his ox and he can put the shackles on me and
do with me, Joe, as he will. And he said, you will be subject
to the judgments of the house of God. Is that what he says? There it is. Seventh judgment. Turn to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John
chapter 2. Before I read the verses, it's
three or four. Here's the seventh judgment. So far we've had six,
and I tell you, God's house stands here. That's our judgment. Here's the seventh. To abandon
the assembly is anti-Christ. That's right. I said to abandon
the assembly. To abandon it. I'm not talking
about you have to get a job somewhere else and God moves you away.
But I will give you fair counsel. If God does that to you, you
better be looking to see if there's an assembly in that area where
you can go to. And if there's not one, you better do all within
your power, if you can, to make sure you don't have to go there.
I'm serious. Because it will not be the most
pleasant of experiences. But be that as it may. Look at
it. 1 John chapter 2. I said this. Here's my seventh judgment
that I'm presenting to you. Not that I come up with. I didn't
come up with these. I didn't give you. Here's your
seven things. And I've got a lot of experience. And here they
are. Here's what you ought to do, Ryan. Everything I've given
you. Whether you grasp the depth of
all of it or not. I've given you what this book
says. I presented to everyone here this morning what this book
says. Here's the seventh judgment I said. To abandon the assembly
is anti-Christ. Now look at it. 1 John, I'm sorry, chapter 2,
verse 15. I gotta move along. Love not
the world. That's a judgment. Is it not?
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man loved the world, The love of the Father is not in
him. That's the judgment of the house of God. For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
the pride of life, is not of the Father, it's of the world.
And the world passeth away in the lust thereof, but he that
doeth the will of God abideth forever. Amen. Little children,
it is the last time. And as you have heard that Antichrist
shall come, even now are there many Antichrists. Everybody's
concerned about who is the Antichrist. John said almost 2,000 years
ago there's many of them already here. That's right. Did he not?
Yeah. I don't care what kind of millennialism
you are, you deny that, you deny the truth of Scripture. That's
right. Even now are there many Antichrists whereby you know
it is the last time. They. They who? The Antichrists. Right? I'm not real great on
Greek. I'm not even real great on English.
But I think I get that. They went out from us. This is not just about they doctrinally
are different. They went out from us. They were
a part of us at one time. They assembled with us at one
time. And they left us. Do you see
that? They went out from us, but they
were not of us. For if they had been of us, they
would have continued. The no doubt is still okay, it's
valid. He said they would have continued
with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest.
They were not all of us. Do you see what that says? You
abandoned the assembly. You abandon the assembly. You
abandon the assembly, you are anti-Christ. This is the judgment
of the house of God. Yes or no? Yes. God's house stands here. That's
our judgment. Now there's all seven of them. My desire, my hope, and my prayer
for you is that not just these seven things, but all of God's
Word is real to you. That God by His Word through
His Spirit has changed you inwardly, brought you to Christ, and has
bowed you in submission to Jesus Christ so that you will worship
and follow Him. That's my desire. That's what
I hope for. That's what I pray. I pray it's
real. But sadly, in some folks, it hasn't been. Ryan, you're
kind of the unfortunate person that you made the profession,
and I've just baptized four or five, and you can't find them
now. So you're kind of getting the brunt. of what they did,
but I want to warn each and every one of us. Don't play games with
God. Don't suppose on God. Don't think God owes you anything. Don't be presumptuous. Don't
talk this stuff like you hear some of these people out here.
I'm for sure as heaven as if I was already there. My surety
is Christ. If I'm in Him, I am for sure
as heaven as if I'm already there. But if I'm deceived and I ain't
in Him, I will go to hell. And the same applies to you too.
But there are some judgments specifically sounded forth from
the house of God, is it not? Is it not? Now, I'll end with
this. And then Lord willing, we'll get out here and baptize.
As the house of God, as the house of God. If you or I, speaking
to each individual here now, everybody here, as the house
of God, if you are a part of the house of God as an individual, you are not independent. You're not your own man. You're
not your own woman. You're not your own brother.
You're not your own sister. You're not your own pastor. You're
not your own apostle. You're not your own prophet.
You're not your own evangelist. You're not your own leader. You're
not your own guide, and so forth, and so forth, and so forth, and
so forth. As the house of God, no individual
is independent, publicly or privately, either one. What I do affects
you. What you do affects us. And sometimes that's a matter
of shame because you look back and you say, oh, how I've hurt
God's house. Not this building, us, the people.
And if you're not shamed by that, you've missed Christ. Yeah. As the house of God, no individuals,
independent, that's public or private, we are all, all subject
to the gospel of Christ, come hell or high water. Whether supposed
family, so-called family, blood relations, or so-called friends,
abandon us or not. The house of God we will serve
the Lord and nothing and no one else. Pray God if that means
even if I have to go to the gallows for it. Even if I have to be sawn asunder
Mason because of it. We live such lives of ease. And
I've been reading a history of the church, two or three of them
actually, but one in particular. It's amazing how that when times
of ease come, thousands, I mean this is history, thousands would
flock to the church and make professions. And then when the
sword began to come out of hatred toward God's people, guess what?
The false professions began to die down a little, don't you
know? Yeah, people abandoned their profession and far fewer
made, right now, even in our little group, I've said it to
you before, I say it with sadness, I've baptized more than are even
sitting here today. That sends my heart to no end. That words cannot describe it. I have, I, not even counting
Earl, I've baptized more than are sitting right here in this
assembly today. That's sad. Listen, you say you
profess something to be true, why don't you stick with it? I don't, whatever it is you profess
to believe, why ain't you sticking with it? The only answer to anybody
is you don't really believe it. Right? You don't really believe
it. And that's just where it is. Father, bless Ryan as we go forth here. May he comprehend the gravity
of this situation, but may it all be under the auspices of
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. I ask in Christ's name. Amen.