I tried from her youth to teach
our daughter, as you did your sons and daughters, things that
are important lessons in life. I tried to teach her early that
compromise is always costly, usually very costly. It'll cost
you peace of mind, it'll cost you ease of heart, comfort of
life. no matter where the compromise
takes place. When you violate your conscience, you've sold
something you can't buy back. When it comes to the gospel of
God's grace, compromise is deadly. No matter the reason, compromise
is deadly. I have great concern. I've seen
in recent years, men I've known for a long time, For reasons
that are obvious, compromise that which they know to be true.
And I fear for them the cost of the compromise. Tonight, I
want you to turn with me once more to 2 John, and my subject
is no compromise. May God, the Holy Spirit, whose
word you hold in your hands, be our teacher as we conclude
this study in 2 John. The Apostle John wrote much about
the love of God for his elect, the love of saved sinners for
Christ our Savior, the love of the Lord Jesus for his people. And he wrote much about love
of brethren, one for another. But he was concerned for those
to whom he labored, for whose souls he labored. lest they might
be tempted to compromise the very truth of God in the name
of brotherly love, compassion, tenderness, and the warm embrace
of others. That they might be tempted to
compromise the very truth of God because some people to whom
they were very close had denied the gospel. Therefore, he wrote
this epistle to tenderly but firmly warn us not to compromise
the gospel, not even in the interest of spiritual unity and brotherly
love. John's purpose in this epistle
was to preserve those whom he loved, those for whom and to
whom he devoted his life in the labor of the gospel, to preserve
them in the purity of the faith of Christ. That's my purpose
in preaching this message to you. How quickly and easily men
and women are moved away from the gospel of Christ to another
gospel. How easily people are persuaded
to compromise the truth of God. How often I've seen local churches
abandon the gospel. Abandoned the gospel after being
taught and standing fast in the faith of the gospel for many
years At what great cost? preachers compromise God's truth
I'm personally very concerned about the dreadful lack of unity
among professed believers We want unity. We want unity among
God's people, but not unity at any cost. I Yes, there are some
areas about which we ought to be willing to bend and do so
gladly. Areas which really don't matter
much. There are some things which are
not essential to the faith of the gospel and the glory of our
Redeemer and the saving of men's souls. Men have different views
of prophetic theory. And this may be shocking to some.
But all of them had their inconsistencies and weaknesses. I've never read
one yet that was thoroughly consistent with the Word of God. So what
men say or teach about prophecy really is not really relevant. People have dogmatic opinions
about church government, how the church is to be governed.
I know back in the late 60s, folks started this thing of reformed
Baptist movement, and folks came into this country and had the
idea that if you had a church with two men in it, you ought
to have two elders, or you can't have a church. You've got to
have two preachers, or you can't have a church. It's just nonsense.
And they pressed the issue, and denominations have risen up and
divided and risen up and divided and risen up and divided over
just that issue. That's nonsense. There are many
matters of indifference in the lives of men. Paul addresses
some of them in Romans chapter 14. Many matters of indifference.
You and I have no business trying to control the lives of other
people. How they eat, what they do, how
they dress, all that stuff, that's not our business. Things that
are clearly set down in scripture. Things that are clearly set down
in scripture. that are identified by God in
his word as evil, we must plainly declare to be evil. Sodomy is
ungodliness. Adultery is ungodliness. Fornication
is ungodliness. Drunkenness is ungodliness. All
those things speak plainly and clearly concerning them. But
those things that you have personal likes and dislikes, personal,
you personally enjoy it or you don't enjoy it, about which the
scriptures are silent, You are to be silent about those things
with regard to other people. We should not form an opinion,
and that's hard not to do. But we certainly shouldn't express
the opinion. That's not our business. That's
not our business. But concerning those things that are essential
to the truth of God, those things that are fundamental to the gospel
regarding the doctrine of Christ, there can be no compromise. No,
not even for the sake of charity and Christian unity. Unity with
men can be purchased at a far, far too high a price. The basis of Christian love.
Now, listen carefully. I've worked on this a good bit
today and I've thought carefully about what I'm saying. The basis
of Christian love is truth. Merle, there can't be any without
truth. The basis of Christian love, the sentimental slot folks
call love, you can have any basis for that. But the basis of Christian
love is truth. The special bond of love is the
special bond of truth. The bond of peace is the bond
of truth. John stresses this fact by his
five references to truth in the first four verses of this epistle.
Believers do not love each other because we are temperamentally
compatible. We may or may not be. We do not
love each other because we are mutually drawn to one another.
We may or may not be. We love one another because of
the truth we love. That truth, the truth of the
gospel, that truth, Jesus Christ himself, inspires and enables
each one to esteem his brother and his sister better than himself,
because we esteem our brother and our sister in Christ. Understand that? True brotherly
love has for its basis the truth of God revealed in the gospel.
So long as the truth remains in us and with us, our love for
one another will remain firm. When something else becomes more
important than Christ. Oh, when something else becomes
more important than the truth, when something else becomes more
important than the gospel, then all pretenses of love are a lie
and peace is gone. But understand this true brotherly
love. can never be increased by diminishing
or compromising the truth we hold in common. God the Holy
Ghost tells us, Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth
in truth. Love rejoiceth not in iniquity,
but rejoiceth in the truth. Bearing these things in mind,
let's look one more time at these 13 verses in 2 John. Now, this
is the thing I want you to see. We must steadfastly adhere to
the faith of the gospel for the glory of Christ, refusing for
any cause to compromise truth. God will never use a proud, divisive
religious sectarian, no matter what excuse he gives. A contentious
man of strife is no servant to the prince of peace. But any
man who is used of God in his generation is a man of boldness
who refuses to compromise truth. Any man used of God in his generation
is a man of boldness, a man of firm conviction who refuses to
compromise truth. Moses could not be persuaded
by Pharaoh to compromise. Read the book of Exodus count
up the number of times Pharaoh called Moses in tried to get
him to Compromise just a little just compromise a little you
can go out of these terms Moses finally said Pharaoh Not a hoof
shall be left behind. We're going out of here and Pharaoh
said you got you'll not see my face again and Moses said you're
right You're not gonna see my face again. Not gonna happen.
We're going out of here. I Joshua refused to compromise
with the children of Israel after he went into the land of Canaan.
Nathan refused to compromise with David, though David was
the king. Elijah refused to compromise with Ahab, though Ahab had held
him, as far as authority is concerned, in his hands. Jeremiah would
not compromise with the prophets of peace, though he was cast
into a pit. John the Baptist refused to compromise
with Herod. He said to Herod the king, it's
not lawful for you to have your brother's wife. Man alive. What kind of man is
that? It's a man who knows for whom
he speaks. Well, it cost him his head. He
knew full well it might. And he stood before Herod and
said to Herod, who is the king, he said, he was the ruler of
the land, it's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.
And he must do so because he's called before Herod to speak
in God's name. And Herod sets before all men
an example of ungodliness. Our Lord refused to compromise
with the Pharisees. He wouldn't bend an inch with
them. Peter, James, and John refused to compromise with the
chief priests, the elders, the Sanhedrin in Israel. Paul refused
to compromise with the Judaizers who put him under pressure everywhere
he went. Augustine refused to compromise with Pelagius. Luther
refused to compromise with the Pope. And on and on and on we
can go. Those men could not in good conscience
compromise, neither for earthly gain, nor for comfort, nor for
life itself. The fact is, too much is at stake. The truth of God, the glory of
Christ, the souls of men. God give us men today like those
of old. Men of no compromise. God make
me such a man. God make me such a man. Now let
me make three statements as I go through these 13 verses with
you and summarize John's doctrine in this passage. First, understand
in verses one through four that we can make no compromise at
all concerning the truth of God. That is exactly what John tells
us in these opening verses. These first four verses form
John's loving, tender greeting to this assembly. So in his greeting,
this apostle stressed the burden that was on his heart. His great
concern was for the truth of God. Paul told us that the church
of God is the pillar and ground of the truth. John wanted these
folks fixed firmly and permanently upon divine truth, the truth
that dwelt in her. Let me first explain the verses
as they stand. John here is a tenderhearted
gentleman. But gentleness and tenderness
aren't inconsistent with firmness and boldness. He was a man of
firm conviction with regard to the gospel, a boldness in declaring
it. And he's both gentle and firm.
Look at verses one and two. Here is this man's, this pastor's,
this faithful servant of God's gentle address to God's people. The elder unto the elect lady
and her children, whom I love in the truth. And not I only,
but also all they that have known the truth for the truth's sake,
which dwelleth in us and shall be with us forever. He addresses
himself here gently and humbly to this congregation for the
truth's sake, but he identifies himself as the elder. Now, John
was an apostle. But he chose not to use that
authoritative office, that authoritative position he held as a matter
of speaking to this congregation at this time. He chose rather
to appeal to them as their elder, as their spokesman from God in
their congregation. And then he assures this assembly
of his love for them and of the love for all the saints of God
at large toward them, whom I love in the truth. And not just me,
but also all they that have known the truth. He says, I love you
in the truth and all who have known the truth love you as well.
God's people genuinely do love one another. In this opening
statement, John shows us the basis of his love toward God's
saints was the truth they believe, which he and the church held
in common. And then the apostle identifies that which was the
subject of his letter. His concern for the truth. He
says, for the truth's sake, verse two, which dwelleth in us and
shall be with us forever. Christ, who is the truth, dwells
in his people. He reveals the truth to us and
in us. Christ Jesus, by the power of
his grace, causes all who are born of God to be taught of God
and to know the truth. There's no such thing as a person
being born of God and taught of God not knowing the truth
of the gospel. Faith in Christ, contrary to
the opinions of most people, is not a leap in the dark. Faith
in Christ is walking in the light of divine revelation. Faith in
Christ is walking in the truth. It's the knowledge of God in
the gospel, the truth that sets us free. It is the knowledge
of Jesus Christ, our Lord, that gives us liberty and causes us
to have faith in Him. We are chosen of God to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. There's no salvation apart from
belief of the truth. I just read again that story
with which you're all familiar of six blind men from Hindustan. They all were first time introduced
to an elephant. And one of them touched the elephant's
side, and he said, the elephant is like a wall. And one of them
touched the elephant's tusk and said, no, no, no, the elephant's
like a spear. And another one grabbed hold of his trunk and
rubbed, and he said, no, the elephant's like a snake. And
then one touched the elephant's leg, and he said, no, the elephant's
like a tree. Another one touched his ear and
said, the elephant is, he's like a big fan. And one got his tail
and said, the elephant's like a rope. The story has its roots
in Eastern mystic religion, but the story was given a predictable
conclusion by an American poet in the 19th century, John Godfrey
Sachs. This was his conclusion to that
story. So oft in theologic wars the despotence I wing, rail on
in utter ignorance, of what each other mean, and prate about an
elephant, not one of them has seen." Now, that profession of
ignorance, or that profession, or that comment, that little
piece of poetry, suggests that any sense of dogmatism about
religious things is wrong, and arises from just blindness, and
that humility is really not pretending to know the truth. But there
are just two problems with the poem and his conclusion. First,
God is not an elephant. And second, God's people aren't
blind. Faith is not blind. Faith sees. And that which faith
sees is truth. In verse 3, we see the Apostle
John, this pastor, expressing his great desire and concern
for God's elect. Grace be with you. mercy and
peace from God, the father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the
son of the father in truth and love. Now here, John assures
this assembly that he desired nothing but good for them. He
had no hidden motives, no secret agenda. He was seeking nothing
from them. God's servants don't. But he
did want to secure for them every blessing of grace. He wanted
these saints to enjoy a sense of God's favor, a sense of God's
grace. He wanted them to constantly
be aware of God's mercy to them, of a free pardon and complete
forgiveness of their sins. He wanted his brethren to enjoy
peace. the sweet tranquility of spirit
and serenity of conscience that flows to sinners through the
knowledge of Christ. Yes, there is a sweet tranquility
of spirit, a sweet serenity of conscience that flows to sinners
through the knowledge of Christ. These rich blessings abide wherever
truth and love are found. You'll notice John seems to seize
every opportunity throughout his writings to speak of the
eternal deity and Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look here
in verse four. Here's this faithful pastor's
joy. I rejoiced greatly that I found
of thy children walking in truth. Isn't that wonderful? As we have
received a commandment from the father. Nothing causes a parent's heart,
a believing parent's heart to rejoice like seeing his children
walking in truth. I was looking at pictures Regina
made during the conference and she got a great picture of Larry
baptizing Roger back here and you could see the beaming joy
on his face. Oh, what a delight, what a delight.
Nothing causes a pastor such joy of heart as seeing the children
of Zion walking in truth. This is every pastor's joy. I
rejoice to see you, my brothers and sisters, walking in truth.
Walking in the knowledge of Christ who is truth. Walking in submission
to the word of truth. Walking in obedience to the gospel
truth. Walking in the truth implies
a settled peace. It implies a display that we
are comfortable with the truth. Now, this is the lesson we're
to draw from these verses. We cannot compromise the truth
of God. To compromise that which we know
to be the truth is the same as denying it. And to deny the truth
is ruin to my own soul and to the souls of all who are influenced
by me. To deny the truth is the ruin
of my own soul and the souls of all who are influenced by
me. Oh, what a responsibility. Surely
it cannot be called Christian love to deny the truth. Look at two texts with me. First
Corinthians chapter 15. First Corinthians 15. Moreover, brethren, I declare
unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have
received and wherein you stand. By which ye are saved. Now watch
this next line. If ye keep in memory. The word
much stronger than appears in our English language. He's saying
if you hold fast. If you hold fast. What I preached
unto you. Unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first
of all. That which I also received how
that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures now
turn over to Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews chapter 10 Begin at verse 35 Cast not away therefore your
confidence Cast not away your confidence. What confidence is
talking about the confidence of faith. I the confidence of
acceptance with God through the blood and righteousness of his
son, which hath great recompensive reward. For you have need of
patience that after you've done the will of God, you might receive
the promise for yet a little while. And he that shall come
will come and will not tarry. Now, the just shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. Oh, thank God for that next
line. But we are not of them who draw
back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of
the soul. God's people do not turn away
from truth. There are some things we know
to be true. These are not trivial matters.
They're vital. For me to compromise or deny
them would be damnable. For me to compromise or deny
them would be damnable to my soul. For my soul's sake, for
your sake, for the truth's sake, for Christ's sake, for his glory,
I stand by these things and we must. Jesus Christ is God in
the flesh. This book is God's inspired word
in its entirety. The God we worship and serve
is absolutely sovereign. Absolutely sovereign in creation,
in election, in predestination, in providence, in grace, in salvation. God always has his way. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanses from all sin. Doesn't make cleansing possible,
it cleanses. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanses from all sin. And the only hope for perishing
sinners is Jesus Christ crucified. For you who yet know not my God,
hear me now, you must sue for mercy. You must sue for mercy
at the throne of grace, trusting Christ the Lord, the sovereign
king, who alone has power in his hands to save you or to damn
you. All right. Secondly, look at
verses five and six. Here, we see that we cannot compromise
the gospel even for the sake of unity and brotherly love. And now I beseech thee, lady,
not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we
had from the beginning, that we love one another. Now, what's
the next line? And this is love, that we walk
after his commandments, that we walk after God's revelation
given in God's word. This is the commandment that
as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. Yes, we
must love one another. All believers do love one another. Let me repeat myself. We must
love one another. And all believers do love one
another. No exceptions. No exception.
Love like we ought to? Not hardly. Love like we want
to? No. But love one another. God's
people do. We must strive to maintain peace,
unity and joy in God's church. But that is not true love, which
compromises the truth. This is love that we walk after
his commandments. I haven't had to do so in a long,
long time, but as a young man, Shelby and I were first married.
I had on more than one occasion to get up and open the door and
invite folks who had been friends to leave. They opened the door
and said, you're no longer welcome here. I want you to leave my
house. Why would you do that? Because
they were standing in my house denying the truth of God. And
I won't tolerate it. Not for family and not for friend. Not going to happen. Not going
to happen. This is love, that we walk after his commandments.
Our hearts are tied together with cords of love. And those
cords of love are wrapped around the doctrine of the cross, the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blood redemption, particular
redemption, effectual redemption, accomplished redemption, free
eternal redemption. We love one another. But the
center of that love is Christ. We love one another, but the
strength of that love is the gospel. My dear brother, Harry Graham,
he was 35, 36, 37 years my senior. I recall he and I had a meeting
together when I was just a young man. I was 19 years old. We were
in Roanoke, Virginia, and folks were talking about the The charismatic
nonsense we have so prevalent today was just getting a foothold
in this country amongst folks who had previously denounced
it as it ought to have been denounced. And these fellows at this meeting
were, it was a preacher's group, preacher's conference, and they
were talking about, now we love our charismatic brethren, we
love this and we love that. And Brother Harry got up and
he said, if you stand up, if you're not real careful, you're
going to love yourself right out of the kingdom of God. And
he was exactly right. We love one another, but the
strength of love is truth. The gospel of Christ. Let me
illustrate what I'm saying. I love this church, this body
of believers, not because I'm your pastor, but because Christ
is your head. I love you not because you love
me, but because you belong to Christ. I care for your souls,
not because you take care of me, but because you belong to
Christ. I desire your fellowship. Not
because we're so much alike. We're as different as people
can be. All of us here come from different
places, different backgrounds, different circumstances, have different
likes, different dislikes, different tastes, and all that stuff. We're
as different as we can be. I don't love you because we're
so much alike, but because we want to be like Christ. That's reason enough to love
you. That's reason enough to love you. The unity of our assembly
has nothing to do with physical things, social, financial, political
things. Nothing to do with that. Nothing
to do with that. But it's just this. We're one in Christ. That's it. One in Christ. I pray
for you, not because you pray for me, but because I desire
God's grace on you. Precious as outward unity is,
inward unity is more important. How can two walk together except
they be agreed? If there's no agreement of heart
and faith, there's no real unity. Dearly as I love you, I can't
compromise the truth of the gospel even for you. In fact, it's love
for your soul that forbids such compromise. for the truth's sake, for the
glory of Christ. If you or I depart from the gospel,
we must part company. That's just the way it has to
be. Before anyone takes up the gospel banner, I urge you to
count the cost. Because sooner or later, the
cost will be dear. I promise you. Sooner or later,
the cost will be dear. Now, here's the third thing. We dare not compromise, not even
in hair's breadth, the doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ
is the essence of divine revelation. It's the essence of the gospel.
John was concerned that some of those who had professed faith
in Christ Might become entangled in the doctrines of Antichrist
He had the same concern Paul expressed toward the Galatians,
the same concern Paul expressed toward the Colossians, the same
concern Jude expressed to those to whom he wrote. It was a common
concern among faithful men in John's day and is a common concern
among faithful men throughout the ages. Concern that folks
who have professed faith in Christ might be persuaded by the influence
of the multitudes in the name of peace and unity and love to
compromise the gospel. John was concerned that some,
out of a desire to be loving and hospitable and gracious,
might be tempted to compromise the gospel. And so he gives a
solemn warning that many deceivers have gone out into the world.
Satan has his missionaries all over the world in great abundance.
They go about preying upon the unsuspecting generosity and kindness
of God's people. Give you an example. And if he
should hear this message he will know I'm talking about him. So
I don't need to give you his name. I hope he hears the message.
I know a missionary in Ireland. All I would have to do to get
the folks up in Ulster to call him a pastor and get a church
established is just recommend him. They'd do it in a heartbeat.
And the fellow gives lip service to the gospel of God's grace.
But I know the folks he courts because they've got a lot of
money. One of them was one of my professors when I was in school.
And she and her husband own a whole string of radio stations and
hate God's grace, hate God with a passion. I mean hate free grace. But they're good friends with
this fella. And the reason being is because he courts them for
what he can get from them. That's called compromising truth. It's called courting folks for
what you can get from them. And if I would invite him here,
he'd come here. If he thought I wanted to preach
on reprobation and election, he'd just go at it. He'd go at
it. And there's no conviction, no principle involved in it.
None at all. We can't compromise the doctrine
of Christ. Let me make five plain observations,
and I'll wrap this up. Number one, John gives us an
alarming fact. For many deceivers, are entered
into the world. Many deceivers are entered into
the world. Alan, he's talking about preachers.
Deceivers. Preachers are such good, he's
such a nice fella. Everybody likes him, he's such
a nice fella. Why, everybody gets along, he's so nice. He
talks so smooth, he visits folks, and he goes around and goes to
all the community functions, and why, everybody likes him,
he's so nice. If he doesn't preach the gospel
of God's grace, he's a deceiver. He's a deceiver. Now, I'm asked
all the time, Mother Dawn, do you think it's caused these folks,
they just don't know any better? Well, let's look at what God
says, Merle. This is what it says about everybody who denies
the gospel of God's grace and stands in a pulpit like I am
tonight. Whether he stands in a pulpit preaching to 5,000 people
or five people. If he denies the gospel, he's
a deceiver. His intent, his purpose is to deceive the souls of men.
Who is it who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the
flesh? Any preacher who does not declare plainly that Jesus
Christ has accomplished what God in his word said the Christ
would accomplish, he's a deceiver. This is a deceiver and antichrist. This is a deceiver and antichrist. Antichrist is not some fellow
in a devil's costume a red devil's costume with a long tail and
a pitchfork and horns Antichrist may stand in the pulpit in blue
jeans or he may stand in the pulpit in a in a hard shaft and
mark suit Antichrist may be dressed any way may wear a collar may
not wear a collar but if he denies that Jesus Christ has fully accomplished
all that God said in his word the Christ would accomplish then
he's an antichrist number two look at verse 9 Here he identifies,
as he did in verse 7, Antichrist. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ. He's Antichrist. They abide not
in the doctrine of Christ. I wish it weren't so. I really
do. My heart's broken that it's so.
It really is. I know a good many men, I know
a good many men I've known over the years who once professed
to believe and preached as clearly as I ever dreamed of preaching
the gospel of God's free grace, who started counting the shekels
and decided to quit, decided to move in another direction. and my heart breaks for them. He that abideth in the doctrine
of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. The real essential
test of a preacher is his doctrine. And this is the point where his
doctrine must be tested. What does he think and teach
concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ? God's servants
extol and magnify the glorious person of Jesus Christ and deny
and point to any doctrine that deviates and takes away from
the glory of Christ's person. And God's servants extol and
magnify and honor the accomplished work of the Son of God. and point
to and show clearly the error of everything that takes away
from the accomplished work of the Lord Jesus. Every preacher,
no matter how popular, no matter how sweet and sincere, no matter
how smooth sounding, every preacher who denies the doctrine of Christ
is Antichrist. Now, look at verse 8. Here's
a real danger. Look to yourselves that we lose
not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive
a full reward. We must deliberately shun those
who preach any other gospel, lest our own souls be ruined
by receiving their damnable heresies. Number four, verse 10, if there
come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not
into your house, neither bid him God's speed. For he that
biddeth him God's speed is partaker of his evil deeds. As God gives me grace, as long
as I have any control over this pulpit in this house, there will
be no one invited into the house. to preach anything that in any
way deviates from particular redemption, effectual redemption,
God's sovereignty, man's depravity, God's election, sure perseverance.
Not in any way. Not going to happen. Not going
to happen. And as long as I have control over who sleeps in that
house back there, then not anybody going to be welcome who denies
the gospel of God's grace and preaches a false gospel. It's
not going to happen. Not going to happen. John says
don't invite him into your house and don't bid him Godspeed. What's
that mean? That means, Bob, you don't pray
for him, you don't wish him well, and you don't give him a nickel.
That's exactly what it means. You don't pray for him, you don't
wish him well, and you don't give him a nickel. If he preaches
a false gospel, for he that prays for him wishes him well and gives
him a nickel for gas money. is partaker with his evil deeds.
He's just as guilty as the man himself. Now, look at verses
12 and 13. Here is an earnest desire. John expresses, having many things
to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink, but
I trust to come unto you and speak face to face, that our
joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister
greet thee. Amen. John closes this brief
instructive epistle expressing an earnest desire to see his
brethren in this church face to face, to speak with them more
intimately concerning the things of Christ. Now, this is the thing
we must see in this passage. John demands that we give no
validity to any false gospel or any anti-Christ ministry. He demands by the Spirit of God
that we never compromise the gospel of Christ, the truth of
God. Never deviate from it. Let men
think what they may about the sincerity of our love. I've gotten
used to folks talk about me being hard and mean and bigoted and
divisive and Whatever else I want to say that's Let folks think
what they will and say what they will things are going to change
they're not going to change Let them charge us as they will with
whatever they wish to charge us We cannot bend an inch This
is the issue What think ye of Christ? That's the issue Here
we stand. Jesus Christ is God, our Savior. Jesus Christ is our wisdom, our
righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. Jesus Christ
is our salvation. Jesus Christ is our hope. And that's all. Oh, God give
you grace to believe Him. And God give you grace to abide
in the truth. Amen. All right, Lindsey, leave
us in the hem, if you will, please.