I've entitled this message, Made
Manifest by the Light. Look in verse 11 once again. And have no fellowship with the
unfruitful, barren, non-life-giving, have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Now, what are
the unfruitful works of darkness he speaks of that we're called
upon to have no fellowship with and even to expose? If a brother is practicing some
secret sin, Are we to bring that to the light and expose them? Not a chance. That's never right. Love covers a transgression. Aren't you thankful the Lord
covers your transgression? That kind of attitude is so contrary
to the gospel. Let's bring this brother out
to light. Let's expose him. Somebody that really has that
kind of attitude really doesn't have any love for that brother. He's trying to destroy. He's
trying to hurt him. It's an act of maliciousness.
So he's not talking about trying to expose someone for what they
are doing. He's talking about the unfruitful, barren, non-life-giving works of human
religion masquerading itself as the truth. And that's what
he's talking about. Those are the unfruitful works
of darkness. Now I'm going to ask you to look
at Quite a bit of scriptures with me. Turn to second Corinthians. Chapter 11, it's very important
that we understand this. Verse 13, for such are false
apostles. Deceitful workers. transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, this
is nothing to be amazed by, for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.
whose end shall be according to their works. Now this is the
way Satan works as an angel of light and as a minister of righteousness. Now turn to Revelation chapter
17. This is such an important passage of scripture. Revelation
chapter 17. And there came one of the seven
angels which had the seven vials and talked with me saying unto
me, come hither. I'll show thee the judgment of the great whore
that sitteth upon many waters. With whom the kings of the earth
have committed fornication. And the inhabitants of the earth
have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he
carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness and I saw
a woman. sit upon a scarlet-collared beast,
full of names of blasphemy, and having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in
purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious
stones and pearls, and having a gold cup in her hand, full
of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And upon
her forehead was a name-written mystery, Babylon the Great, the
mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. Now, let me say
that these fornications and so on, he's not talking about physical
fornication. He's talking about spiritual
fornication. He's talking about spiritual adultery. Verse six,
and I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered
with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, wherefore
dost thou marvel? I'll tell thee the mystery of
the woman and of the beast that carries her, which hath seven
heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw sawest
was and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and
go into the perdition. And they that dwell on the earth
shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life
from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that
was and is not, and yet is. And here's the mind which hath
wisdom, the seven heads or seven mountains on which the woman
sitteth. And I have no doubt that those are the seven mountains
that Rome sits upon. I think Rome is the end of false
religion. And this is talking about the
seven hills of Rome. And there are seven kings, five
are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come. And when
he cometh, he must continue a short space and the beast that was
and is not, even he is the eighth and he is of the seven and goeth
into perdition. And the 10 horns which thou sawest
are 10 kings which have received no kingdom, but received power
as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind and they
shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make
war with the lamb and the lamb shall overcome them. For he is
Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him are
called and chosen. and faithful. And he sayeth unto
me, the waters which thou sawest, which where the whore sitteth
are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. He's talking
about Babylon religion. And the 10 horns which thou sawest
upon the beast, these shall hate the whore and shall make her
desolate, naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire
for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will. and to agree
and give their kingdom unto the beast and to the words of God
shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest
is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth."
Rome. And after these things, I saw another angel come down
from heaven, having great power. And the earth was lightened with
his glory. And he cried mildly with a strong voice saying, Babylon,
the grave is fallen. It's fallen. It's become the
habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and
the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations
have drunk of the wine of the wrath of fortification. The kings
of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth are wax rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, come out of her,
my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive
not of her plagues. I'm gonna look at several passages
in Proverbs. Turn to Proverbs chapter five. Proverbs chapter 5. And when you get there, hold
your finger there. I want to look at a passage of scripture
before that that will make this more clear. Turn to 2 Corinthians. No, no, just stay. Stay Proverbs
5. Verse. One. My son, attend unto my wisdom
and bow thine ear to my understanding, that thou mayest regard discretion,
that thy lips may keep knowledge, for the lips of a strange woman
drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil. That's
her preaching. But her end is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death. Her
steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldst ponder the
path of life, her ways are movable. You can't get her to stay in
any one place that thou canst not know them. Hear me now, therefore,
you children, to depart not from the words of my mouth, remove
thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.
Lest thou give thine honor unto others in thy years unto the
cruel, lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labors
be in the house of a stranger, and thou mourn at the last when
thy flesh and body are consumed, and say, how have I hated instruction? My heart despised reproof, and
have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine
ear to them that instructed me. I was almost in all evil in the
midst of the congregation, the assembly. Now, this woman is
spoken of more in chapter six, verse 23. For the commandment is a lamp
and a law is a light and reproofs of instruction are the way of
life to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the
tongue of a strange woman. Lest not after her beauty in
thine heart, neither let Her take thee with her eyelids for
by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of
bread and the adulterous will hunt for the precious life. Look in chapter seven, beginning in verse five. that
they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger with
flattereth with her words. For at the window of my house,
I looked through my ceasement and beheld among the simple ones,
I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding.
Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way
to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black
and dark night. And behold, there met him a woman with the attire
of Anne Harlot, subtle of heart. She's loud and stubborn. and her feet abide not in her
house. Now is she without, now in the
streets, and lieth and waiteth at every corner. So she caught
him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
I have peace offerings with me. This day have I paid my vows.
Everything's gonna be okay. Therefore came I forth to meet
thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I found thee. I've
decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works,
and with fine linen of Egypt, I perfume my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of
love into the morning. Let us solace ourselves with
loves. For the good man is not at home. He's gone on a long
journey. He hath taken a bag of money with him and will come
home in a day appointed with her much fair speech. She caused
him to yield with the flattering of her lips. She forced him.
He that goeth after her straightway as an ox goes to the slaughter
and is a fool to the correction of the stalks till a dark strike
through his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not
what is his life. Hearken unto me now, therefore,
O children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine
heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her past, for
she hath cast down many wounded. Yay, many strong men have slain
by her. Her house is the way to hell,
going down to the chambers of death. Now, these are all descriptions
of the harlot of Babylon. That's how false religion is
portrayed. And there's much appeal to the
flesh in this. And this is a warning against
her. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians
11. Second Corinthians chapter 11.
And look what Paul says. In verse one, would to God, you
could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with
me, for I'm jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I've
espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste
virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means,
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your mind should
be corrupted from the simplicity, the singleness, the onlyness,
the complete salvation that is in Christ. Now he says, when
he's talking about presenting as a chaste virgin, that's not
talking about a literal virgin, but spiritual adultery, spiritual
fornication, is being corrupted from the simplicity, the oneness
of Christ. And that's what this Babylon
harlot tries to seduce men and women. And I've got my peace
offerings. I've got, come to me. And we
see what takes place as a result. Turn to 2 John, right up to 2
John, beginning in verse 7. For many deceivers are entered
into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in
the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. I love the
simplicity of that statement. They confess not that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh. Now, when that is confessed,
we confess he was before he came. He's the eternal son of God.
He came in the flesh. He became flesh. And he did what
he came to do. Whatever it was he intended to
do, that's exactly what he did. And someone that doesn't confess
that? Spirit of Antichrist. Now it says in verse eight, look
to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought,
but that we receive a full reward Whosoever transgresseth and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine,
receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed. Don't
wish him well. For he that biddeth him Godspeed
is a partaker of his evil deeds. Now, all sin is wrong. I'm not
getting any argument from a believer about that. All sin is wrong.
But what is he talking about when he talks about bringing
the unfruitful works of darkness to be exposed into the light?
He is talking about the works of human religion. They bring
no life. I want to turn to 1 John chapter
one. Verse five, this then is the
message which we've heard of him and declaring to you that
God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we
have fellowship with him. Now, how many people make that
claim? Just about everybody. I pray to God. He hears me. I speak to him. He speaks to
me. I have fellowship with God. Many
people make that claim. If we say we have fellowship
with him and walk in darkness, we lie. There's no truth to it. And we do not the truth. Now,
when he's talking about walking in darkness, he's talking about
walking in the darkness of false religion. He's not talking about
walking in a dark way where you where you sin in the dark and
try to keep it hid so no one will see it, that's not good.
But that's not what he's talking about. He's talking about walking
in the darkness of human religion, masquerading itself as the truth. If we say that we have fellowship
with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
But if we walk in the light, the light of how God saves sinners
by Christ, That's what that's talking about. The light of how
salvation is by grace. The light of how everything God
requires of us, we have in Christ. That we're complete in Him. That
we're perfect in Him. If we walk in the light, that
He is in the light. We have fellowship one with another. And the blood of Jesus Christ,
God's Son, cleanseth us. And that's right now. Cleanseth
us from all sin. If we walk in the light, we have
fellowship. You know somebody who looks to
Christ as all they have? I have fellowship with that person.
I love that person. I mean, we're on the same page.
We both love the Redeemer and we love His way of salvation.
We have fellowship one with another if we walk in the light of how
God saves sinners by Christ. And the blood of Jesus Christ,
God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. I turn to another passage
of Scripture, 2 Corinthians. Chapter 6. Verse 14, be ye not unequally yoked together
with unbelievers. We desire the salvation of unbelievers,
don't we? We want them to come to know
the Lord Jesus Christ and bow beneath Him and find in Him there
in all and all we desire. the salvation of unbelievers,
and dare not present ourselves as holier than thou. You're an
unbeliever. I want to stay away from you.
I don't smoke, and I don't chew, and I don't run with those who
do. I want to stay away from that person. That person might
defile me. We don't want to ever present that kind of attitude,
that kind of holier than thou, judgmental attitude. Don't run
with them who do this and do that. That's not what this is
talking about. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. I do not want to be unequally
yoked with a kind of participation with them in anything that's
contrary to the gospel. Now that could be spoken of as
marriage and a lot of people use it that way and I wouldn't
deny it. You ought not be married to an unbeliever. Be not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers. You certainly don't want to,
but that's talking about any kind of participation in that
which is contrary to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't
want to be identified with human religion, do you? I don't want
to be identified in any way with that which goes under the name
of Christianity. I'm ashamed of it. You know, I'm ashamed
to go out and tell somebody I'm a preacher because I know what
they think. And I try to keep that under
wraps. Now, if they ask me and we start talking about the gospel,
that's one thing, but I'm ashamed to be identified with Christianity. You know, it's just not something
I have in here. Let's go on reading. Be not ye unequally yoked together
with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? None. What communion hath light with
darkness? None. What concord, what agreement
hath Christ with Belial or the devil? Absolutely none. What part hath he that believeth
with an infidel? None. What agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? None. For you are the temple
of God, of the living God. As God has said, I dwell in them
and walk in them and I'll be their God. And they shall be
my people. What a promise. Wherefore, come
out from among them. Don't stay and try to reform
them. Don't try to identify with them. Come out from among them
and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. Now, what is that unclean thing? We are all as an unclean thing
and our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Touch not the unclean
thing and I will receive you. I don't want to participate in
anything that is contrary to the simplicity that's in Christ
Jesus. I love the simplicity that's
in Christ. He's nothing to get confused about. He's all. He's
all in every aspect. And anything contrary to that,
I don't wanna participate in. You see, there are sheep and
there are goats, and the Lord will make that separation on
judgment day. And as long as someone is under
the hearing of the gospel, we're not to seek to make a separation. You know, I've had people want
me to deal with people, you know, they're doing this in the church,
and you need to confront them about it, maybe kick them out.
No, no. I don't have enough sense to
know who the sheep and who the goats are in the first place,
and neither do you. You think of that parable of the wheat
and tares. That is so important. The enemy
sowed the tares among the wheat, and then they said, well, what
can we do? You want us to go rip out the tares so there'll
be nothing but wheat? Let's have a pure church membership.
Let's get rid of all these bad people. What'd the Lord say?
No, let them grow up together. Because when you try to rip out
the tares, who you're going to rip out is the wheat. So let
them both grow together. And in the end, that separation
will take place. Now, be ye not unequally yoked
with men or women who clearly do not believe. Don't have an
association with them in that sense. They're not to be your
friends. And if you do, They will always
bring you down to their level. You will never bring them up.
It's not going to happen. Be ye not unequally yoked together
with unbelievers. Now, he makes these contrasts
and the thing of it is a believer does differ. I think of what
the Lord said or what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4, 7, who makes
you to differ from another? You do differ. God elected you. Christ died for you. God the
Holy Spirit gave you a new nature, a holy nature that the unbeliever
doesn't have. There's a vast difference. But we know who made you to differ. We do not want in any way to
be identified with works religion. That's the point of this separation. I love that scripture in Numbers
23 verse nine, lo the people shall dwell alone, talking about
God's people. The people shall dwell alone
and not be numbered according to the nations. I don't wanna
be numbered with them. And somebody is going to say,
well, you're awful self-righteous. You think your way is the only
way. You think you're all the only ones that have the truth.
You think the only people who believe the gospel are the people
in your church. I'm not saying that, but I'm saying this. There's
only one gospel and somebody doesn't believe the gospel I
believe does not believe the gospel. And if that gospel is
not priests in a church, it's not a gospel church. I'm going
to say that and I'm not going to apologize for it. Somebody says,
well, that's self-righteous. Well, you can call it whatever
you want. It's just the truth. Come out from among them and be ye
separate. Now let's go back to our text
in Ephesians chapter five. Verse 11, have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness. Don't put your stamp
of approval on it, but rather expose them. Verse 12, for it's
a shame. even to speak of those things
which were done of them in secret. The secrecy, the deceitfulness
of human religion and its base and dishonorable motives. It's a shame to even
speak of those things. Concealed, seeking a way to escape
notice. Look what he says in chapter
four, verse 14, that we henceforth be no more children. tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the
slyness of men and cunning craftiness." Look at this next statement,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive. That's their purpose. That's
their motive. They lie in wait to deceive. Now, when the Lord
said, enter ye in at the straight gate, For wide is the gate, and
broad is the way that leads to destruction. Many there be that
go in there, but straight is the gate, and narrow is the way
that leads to life, and few there be that find it." What was the
next thing he said? Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep's clothing. They come masquerading as truth,
but they're nothing more than wolves. Look in Acts chapter
20. This is in every epistle. It's in all the gospels. But
look here in Acts chapter 20 when Paul is speaking to the
Ephesian elders of what he says. Verse 28. Take heed therefore
unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath
purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my
departing, after I die, Shall grievous wolves enter in among
you, not sparing the flock? Also of your own selves, some
of you guys that I'm talking to, shall men arise speaking
perverse things to draw away disciples after them. Therefore
watch and remember that by the space of three years, I cease
not to warn everyone night and day with tears. Look in Romans
chapter 16. I'm not gonna ask you to turn
to all these, but we're gonna look in every epistle of these warnings. Look in Romans chapter 16, verse
17. Now I beseech you, brethren,
mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the
doctrine which you have learned and avoid them. For they that
are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly."
They're not really servants of Christ. And by good words and
fair speeches, they deceive the hearts of the
simple. In 1 Corinthians 15.1, Paul said
of Christ be preached that he was raised from the dead. How
say some among you that there's no resurrection? They had people
saying that in that church. And I've already read that passage
in 2 Corinthians 11, Satan himself is transformed as an angel of
light. And his ministers as ministers
of righteousness. Galatians 3.1, O foolish Galatians,
who hath bewitched you. Somebody had bewitched them. These false prophets, Ephesians
4.14, they lie and wait to deceive. Philippians 3.18, Paul said,
many walk of whom I've told you often and tell you even now weeping,
they are enemies of the cross of Christ. In Colossians 2.8,
beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. Thessalonians, let no man deceive
you by any means. He said that in both epistles.
In 1 Timothy 4, he talked about those who bring the doctrines
of devils, speaking lies and hypocrisy. He said in 2 Timothy,
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil, he hath greatly
withstood our words. He said in Titus, many unruly
and vain talkers and deceivers have come out. Hebrews 10.29,
he speaks of those who, of how much more worthy shall you thought,
shall he be worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and
counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified and
unholy, a common thing. That which is general law, just
all it is is a denial of effectual redemption. Peter, there were false Prophets
among the people, even as there should be false teachers among
you, John, try the spirits, whether they be of God, many false prophets
are God added to the world. The whole book of Jude is a warning
against false prophets. And then you look at Revelation,
we were reading of the beast and the false prophets. So this
is prominent in the scripture, this warning. I go back to our
text in Ephesians chapter five. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them, expose them. For
it's a shame even to speak of those things which are done of
them in secret, but all things that are reproved are made manifest
by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest
is light. Now, the only way these unfruitful
works of darkness are exposed for what they are is the light. First of all, the light of God's
word. Listen to this scripture from
Isaiah chapter eight, verse 20. If they speak not according to
this word, it's because there's no light in them. Now that's the light. Look in
second Peter chapter one. I want you, I want to read this
to you. Second Peter chapter one. Verse 16, for we have not followed
cunningly the vice fables when we made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses
of his majesty. For he received from God the
Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from
the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom
I'm well pleased, speaking of the man of transfiguration. And
this voice which came from heaven we heard. When we were with him
in the Holy Mount, we also have a more sure word of prophecy. The scripture is better than
that. Scripture is better than that. What an experience that
must have been. Scripture is better. Where into 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 arise in your hearts, knowing
this first. that no prophecy of the scriptures
of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Now, this is a non-negotiable.
The only light there is and the only light that exposes the unfruitful
works of darkness is not my opinion. It's the word of God, the scriptures. Now it's only through the scripture. I love what David said, thy word
is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my eyes. Only through the
scriptures we have the true character of God. Here's an example. If
you didn't have the Bible and never heard this, would you ever
think, do you think about God? You know, I think God is one
God in three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit. That's what I think. You'd never
think anything like that. The only way you know that is
because it's what God's word says concerning him. His true
character is known from the scriptures. Now, there are some things that
we can know with regard to God without the scriptures. I can
look at God's creation. And I can know he's very powerful.
Very wise. And I can know that he made this.
It just, we know this intuitively. It's not something, somebody
says, well, I don't believe there was ever a creation. You're lying,
because at one time, you did believe that. Now, maybe you've
turned the lights out to where you've convinced yourself that
there's no such thing as God, no afterlife, and all that kind
of stuff. But at one time, people know
intuitively, somebody made this. You look at the creation, somebody
made this and nobody made him. He is eternal. He's without beginning. You can figure that out without
the Bible. But can you know that God forgives
sins without the Bible? Can you know anything of his
attributes, his sovereignty, the fact that he controls everybody
and everything, even the thoughts going through people's minds,
he's in control of? His immutability, how he can
never change. I'm the Lord, I change not, therefore
you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Can you know that he's absolutely
just and will never let sin go unpunished? Can you know that
he has made a way for him to be just and justify the ungodly
without the scriptures? You see, the scripture gives
us the true character of God. And anything we hear that is
contrary to the character of God is against the light. Here's
the most simple example I can think of, is if you hear that
God gave Christ to die for the sins of all men, without exception,
and make salvation available for all men, but you need to
do your part to make it work, that is a denial of almost every
attribute of God. His justice, He can punish for
the same sin twice. His purpose, well, He purposed
to save you, but that got frustrated, so He ended up having to send
you to hell. I could go on and on with how
that's a denial of all of His attributes. And you can listen
to what you're hearing, and if it's contrary to the attributes
that this Word lets us know concerning the living God, it's wrong. We have the light of God's word,
the light of the character of God, and I love this, the light
of John 8, 12. I'm the light of the world. I'm
the light of how the Holy Son of God could look at that woman
who was taken in adultery in the very act and say, I do not
condemn you. because there's nothing to condemn
them for. Listen to this scripture, Revelation
21, three, and the city, the new Jerusalem had no need of
the sun, neither the moon for the glory of God, delightment
and the lamb is the light. There are no sun needed. The
lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ in his sacrificial character is
the light of everything. Light of who God is. Everything
God is is seen in the light of the Lamb. The light of who we
are is seen only in the light of the Lamb. The light of how
God saves is seen only in the light of the Lamb. We don't need
any moon or stars or sun. The Lamb is the light thereof. Oh, how precious to think of
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And what is the
praise of heaven going to be? Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. He is the light. And this is the light that exposes
the unfruitful. Unfruitful means barren. There's
no life in them. There's no salvation in them.
No one's born again. No one's given life through these
unbarren, unfruitful works of darkness. Now, I don't want to
be identified in any way with man's religion. I want to be
identified with him and those who believe him. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the
lamb, the lamb of God, the lamb of your providing, the
lamb who is God. Lord, deliver us from having
any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
let us expose them in the light of thy lamb and thy word. Lord, bless this message, these
words for your glory and for our good. In Christ's name we
pray. Amen. Dwayne, come here, son.