Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nybert. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. I've entitled this morning's
message, That Which Is Perfect Has Come. My text is found in
1 Corinthians 13, verse 10. Paul says, but when that which
is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done
away. Well, when Paul made this statement,
that which is perfect had not yet come. Now, is he talking
about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? No, he's already
come. He's coming again, but he'd already
come. Is he talking about heaven? That's a perfect place. But he's
not talking about heaven, that's where we're going, if we're believers. That which is perfect is come,
when that which is perfect is come refers to the full canon
of holy scripture. When Paul wrote this to the Corinthians,
most of the New Testament had not yet been written. This is either the first or possibly
the third of Paul's epistles. The book of Romans had not been
written. The epistle of Ephesians had not been written. Some think
1 and 2 Thessalonians were the first epistles he wrote. Some
think the letters to Corinth are the first letters he wrote.
But we know that a lot of the New Testament had not yet been
written. The Gospel of John had not yet
been written. The book of Revelation had not
yet been written. The book of Hebrews had not yet
been written. And so Paul is talking about
the full canon of Holy Scriptures. Genesis through Revelation, the
66 books of the Bible, is that which is perfect. The Scriptures
have no error. The scriptures are that which
is perfect. The scripture is our only source
of accurate information, true information. It's the scripture
that tell us who God really is. It's the scripture who tell us
who we really are. It's the scripture who tells
us how God saves sinners by his grace. Now, in the context of
this passage of scripture, Paul was talking about the coming
cessation of gifts. He says in verse 8 of this chapter,
charity never fails, but whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail. Whether they be tongues, they
shall cease. Whether they be knowledge, it
shall vanish away. Now, he was talking about these
supernatural gifts that the members of the Church of Corinth actually
practiced, the gifts of God the Holy Spirit. Now, at that time,
the apostles, and only the apostles, You don't have a record of anyone
else laying their hands on somebody and then transferring these gifts. Only the apostles could do this.
Simon Magus saw that through the laying on of the apostle's
hand, the Holy Ghost was given. And that's talking about the
ability to do miracles, the ability to heal the sick, the ability
to speak in other languages. the ability to prophesy. He's saying the time is coming
when these things will be no more. And that time is when we
have the full canon of scripture. Those things are not needed.
For instance, when he says prophecies shall fail, before the full canon
of scriptures, there were men who said, thus saith the Lord. And it was really the Lord speaking.
The full canon of scriptures were not yet. But once we have
the full canon of scriptures, there's no more thus saith the
Lord. All he has to say is in this
book. It is a closed revelation. There
are no other new revelations. Everything is found in this book.
Prophecies are no longer needed. Tongue shall cease, the gift
of being able to speak in other languages. Now, I wouldn't be
unkind. But when people claim to speak
in tongues today, it's not real. Besides, tongues is not some
kind of heavenly prayer language, some kind of gibberish. It's
not real. Maybe they think it is, but it's not because tongues
have ceased. That gift has ceased. It died out in the early church
and it died out, was no longer needed because the full canon
scriptures, that which is perfect is come. Knowledge, this supernatural
knowledge he has spoken of shall vanish away because all knowledge
is found in the scripture. All the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge are hid in him. This book is complete. This book
is that which is perfect. when that which is perfect is
come, that which is in part shall be done away." Now, the Bible. I hope the Lord uses this to
give me and you a greater reverence for His Word. The Bible is the
inspired, infallible Word of God. That's what it claims. 2
Timothy 3.16 says all Scripture From Genesis 1-1 to Revelation
22-21, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The Bible is that which is perfect. Now, I realize we do not have
an original copy of the scriptures. We have copies of the copy, and
we have translations. The Bible was written in Hebrew,
Greek, Aramaic. There are no original copies. Somebody says, well, how can
we trust that it was copied down accurately? If God has the ability
to create the world from nothing, and He does, He's got the ability
to inspire men to write a book and to keep it preserved. Now, the copies we have are copies,
and they're different translations, different languages. I mean,
the Bible's in Spanish and Russian and Chinese and all these different
languages. I'm thankful for that. That's
another reason why we do not have to have the gift of tongues
in our day. The Bible's already translated
in all these different languages. I use the King James Version.
It's a translation. I love the King James Version.
I think it's the best translation, but it's a translation. That
which is inspired is that which God originally inspired in the
Hebrew, the Greek, and Aramaic. Now, the Bible, It took 1,500
years to write by over 40 different authors, and yet it all has the
same message, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Now, I'd like
to read a passage of Scripture to you from the book of 2 Peter,
where Peter is talking about an experience that he and some
of the other apostles had. But we read in verse 16 of 2
Peter 1, For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, You
know, that would represent what most preaching is, a cunningly
devised fable. It doesn't come from the Scripture.
Although use the Scriptures to try to prove things, but it's
not really preaching what God's Word actually says. For we have
not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses
of his majesty." And he's going to talk about what happened on
the Mount of Transfiguration. It's recorded in Matthew, Mark,
and Luke when he was translated before James and Peter and John. And the scripture said at that
time, his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white
as light. I don't know how to explain this,
but somehow at this time, his deity burst through his humanity. And what did they do? They hit
the dirt. That's what anybody will do who
sees who he is. They hit the dirt. And Peter
made this foolish statement at this time. You see, Moses and
Elijah were there talking with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. And I know what they were talking
about. Luke 9 tells us they speak of the decease which he should
accomplish. I love to think about this on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Moses and Elijah come down from heaven to speak to Jesus Christ
in his glorified state, and what are they talking about? The death
that he would accomplish. You see, he accomplished something
by his death. My death just shows how weak and sinful I am. His
death was an accomplishment. He accomplished by his death
the full and complete salvation of all of his people. Now, let's go on reading Peter's
testimony of this. For he received from God the
Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him
from that excellent glory, This is my beloved son in whom I'm
well pleased. Now this is when Peter said,
Lord, it's good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles.
One for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. And that's
when the voice came from heaven. This is my beloved son. Hear
him. Oh, this request Peter made was
so foolish. There's only one to worship his
beloved son. We're not to make three tabernacles.
This is the Son. Hear ye Him, in whom I am well
pleased. Now Peter said, in this voice
which came from heaven, we heard when we were with Him in the
Holy Mouth. We experienced this. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy. Now Peter is saying, The Bible
is more sure. than this experience I had. Now, I think of myself, anything
I remember, I either remember it to be better than it really
was or worse than it really was. My memory is seldom accurate
and it certainly cannot be trusted, the things that I've experienced.
I don't really trust anything I've experienced. All I trust
is the word of God. Martin Luther said, feelings
come, feelings go. Feelings are deceiving. My warrant
is the word of God, not else is worth believing. Now, Peter
calls the scriptures, we have a more sure word of prophecy,
more sure than the experience we had on the man of transfiguration,
wherein do you do well that you take heed as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place, into the day dawn and the day star
arising, your hearts knowing this first. Now, this is what
comes first. This is more important than anything
else. If we don't begin here, we're
going to end up in the wrong place. Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. Now, I've heard people say with
regard to the Word of God, here's what it means to me. Once again, I hope this doesn't
sound harsh. I don't mean it to be harsh.
But I don't care what it means to you. I want to know what it
means. That's what's important to me.
The scriptures have no private interpretation. Well, that's
your interpretation. No, the Bible means what it means.
And that's what I want to know, what God meant when he said it. Now look what he says next. For
the prophecy, he's talking about the scripture, came not in old
time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost." Every word is God-breathed. In Romans 9, verse 17, the scripture
saith to Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee
up. Now, wait a minute. Scripture hadn't been written
yet. God was the one that spoke to Pharaoh. Even for this same
purpose have I raised you up, that I might show my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the
earth. Yet the Bible says, the scripture saith to Pharaoh, Now,
whatever the scripture says is what God says. That's the importance of scripture.
That's why I dislike confessions of faith, and so
on. We've got the Bible. We don't need men's comments
and thoughts. We have the Bible. The scripture
saith to Pharaoh, this is given to show the authority of scriptures. What scripture speaks, God speaks.
And if I have less reverence for the scriptures than I do
for God, in reality, I have reverence for neither. Here's a similar
scripture, Galatians chapter 3 verse 8. For the scripture
preached the gospel before unto Abraham. Now wait a minute. This
took place over 400 years before the scripture was written. Yet
we read the Scripture preached before the Gospel unto Abraham,
saying, In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
But that was God speaking. Yes, Scripture speaks. All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. He that created the world from
nothing can inspire men to write a book and to preserve it without
Error. I love what the psalmist said
in Psalm 138, verse 2. Thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name. Somebody says, is that talking
about the living word? He was called the word in John
1, 1? Yes, but how would we know that without the written word?
Oh, the authority of holy scriptures, the word of God is quick and
powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Now that's speaking
of the living word, isn't it? Yes, it's also speaking of the
written word, which reveals the living word. God gave us this
book, that which is perfect, to make us to know his character. Now we can know certain things
about God without the Bible. Scripture teaches that. Romans
1.20 says, For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even his eternal power in Godhead, so that they
are without excuse. Now what do you say? A man can
look at creation, and he must conclude somebody all-powerful
made this, and nobody made him. He had to be all powerful to
make this. And in order for him to be all powerful to make this,
he's got to be somebody that nobody made. He is eternal. His eternal power and Godhead,
so that they are without excuse, without written revelation. All we have is my opinion and
your opinion, and that's not worth anything. with regard to
who God really is. I think of that scripture in
Psalm 50 where God said to the wicked, thou thoughtest I was
altogether such a one as thyself. You think, well, here's how I
think this must be how God is. No, there are none like him. The Bible gives us his character.
Now let me say a few things about that. According to the Bible,
God is one God in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. That's what the scripture teaches.
Now, how would you know that without the Bible? You wouldn't. No man could just figure out,
ah, Eureka, God must be one God in three distinct persons. No
one could figure that out. That is a great mystery that
only the Bible reveals. And we could not know that about
His character without the Bible. We could not know Creation. We would have our guesses. Well,
somebody must be a big bang that happened 14 billion years ago
and all the different theories of how things got started. But
the Bible tells us how God created the heavens and the earth. We
have the true creation story there. Do you mean six literal
days? Well, according to the Bible,
six literal days. I can't understand that, but
I believe God's word. If the Bible said that Jonas
swallowed the whale, I'd believe it, because I believe the Bible. Somebody says that's unreasonable.
The Bible is the only source of truth. And with God, all things
are possible. And I believe the creation story.
How would we know that God will have mercy and grace without
the Bible? How would we know that Christ is the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world? That before there was ever creation,
Christ stood as the Lamb slain before the foundation of the
world. How would we know that without the Bible? How would
we know of the covenant God made with Christ before time began?
The scripture teaches it. According as He hath chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy and without blame before Him. How would we know that without
the Bible? How would we know that Christ
would be born of a virgin without the Bible? How would we know
that He would be the sinless, spotless, holy Lamb of God without
the Bible? How would we know of the precious
redeeming blood of Christ that actually blots out sin without
the Bible? How would we know that to him
that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. How would we know that without
the Bible? Now I want you to think of this glorious concept,
justification. Christ's great work of taking
someone who's guilty and making them not guilty. How would you
know, how would I know anything about that without the Holy Scriptures? Jesus Christ came to this planet
to make a way for God to be just and yet justify people who are
unjust. So that God takes me, who I know
in and of myself, I'm a sinner. I don't, I'm a sinner. And you
are too, whether you know it or not. God can take somebody
like me who is a sinful person and make me stand before him
as one who has never sinned. That is how Christ came. He took my sin. He put them away. He took his righteousness, gave
it to me, and I stand before God in the very righteousness
of Jesus Christ. How would you ever know any of
that without the Bible? Now, the Bible only has one message. It's a big book. Still only has
one message. You search the scriptures, the
Lord said. In them, you think you have eternal life. You think
this is some kind of rule book. If I can figure out how to do
what it says, I'll have eternal life. He says, they are they
which testify of me. Every single scripture. They are they which testify of
me. The Bible has one message. That's
why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2 too, I determined not to know
anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul, are you leaving out a lot?
No, that's the only message of this book. It took God from Genesis
1-1 to Revelation 22-21 to state it, just as He would state it,
but this message has one, this book has one message, Jesus Christ
and Him Crucified. That is the message of the gospel. It's not about right-wing politics.
It's not about left-wing politics. It's not about whether this is
right or whether this is wrong. The Bible has one message, Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Now, I want to close by looking
at a passage of scripture in 1 Peter 1 with regard to the
Word of God. The Word of God is that which
is perfect. is come. We have it right now. And we
won't understand it unless God makes it known to us. I mean,
we might have the perfect revelation of God, but we can't understand
it unless God gives us hearing ears and an understanding heart,
a heart to receive it. But in 1 Peter 1, we read, verse
22, seeing that you have purified
your souls in obeying the truth. Now that's what believing the
gospel is. It's obeying the truth. If you do not, if I do not believe
the gospel, I'm being disobedient to the truth. And Peter says,
seeing that you've purified your souls and obeying the truth through
the spirit, You see, the only way you and I will obey the truth
is if God the Holy Spirit enables us to and gives us a heart, a
new heart that was not there before, that's obedient to the
truth, that can hear the truth, if He gives us hearing ears.
seeing you purified your souls and obeying the truth through
the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren." Now, this is
what happens when God saves somebody. They now have unfeigned. Unfaked
is what it is. Love of the brethren, love of
everyone who believes the gospel, who looks to Christ. He says,
see that you love one another fervently, being born again. Now, I will not be saved unless
I am born again, birthed from above, given a life, the life,
spiritual life that I didn't have before. Being born again
not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word
of God, which liveth and abideth forever. Now think of what he
says, being born again, not of corruptible seed. What that means
is if you have the new birth, it didn't have anything to do
with you. It's not from your flesh. It's not because of a
decision you made. It's not because of an act of
your will. John said in John 1, 12 and 13, but as many as
received him to them gave you the power to become the sons
of God, even to them, which believe on his name, which were born
not of blood, not of the will of man, not of the will of the
flesh, but of God. How much did you have to do with
your first birth? Nothing. How much did you have
to do with your second birth? Nothing. Born of God. Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God. Now this is that which is perfect
has come. Is he talking about the written Word? Yes. Is he
talking about the living Word? Yes. Is he talking about the
gospel message? Yes. The Word from the Word that
reveals the Word. You know when you've been born
again, when you see Jesus Christ is the message of the scripture,
and He is the only Savior, and He is a sufficient Savior, and
He is all that God requires. Jesus Christ, born of God, being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by
the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever for, and
now he quotes Isaiah 40, for all flesh is his grass. It's
my flesh and your flesh. This is a quotation when the
voice said, cry, I said, what shall I cry? All flesh is grass. What do we do with our mown grass?
We put it in the Herbie Kirby, throw it away. That's all flesh
by nature, the sinfulness of man. All flesh is grass. All
the glory of man is the flower of grass. The grass withers and
the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endures
forever. What's going to stand on judgment?
The word. This is that which is perfect
is come. The written word reveals the living word. What is going
to stand on judgment day? There's a phrase that said, life
is a vapor, it will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will
last. No, life is a vapor, it will soon be past, only what's
done by Christ shall last. My salvation is what He has done
for me. When that which is perfect is
come, that which is in part shall be done away. To receive a copy
of the sermon you have just heard, send your request to todd.neibert
at gmail.com or you may write or call the church at the information
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