I want you to turn in your Bible
back to the passage we read earlier in Mark chapter 9. Mark chapter
9. Mark chapter 9. The title of
this message this morning, I thought about this quite a while, and
sometimes it's not easy to put a title to a message, but the
title I've settled on is this, The Salt of Condemnation and
the Salt of Grace. The salt of condemnation and
the salt of grace. Taken from verse 49 and verse
50. For everyone shall be salted
with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt
is good, but if salt has lost its saltness, wherewith shall
ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and
have peace. Have salt. grace in your heart
and have peace with one another. The salt of fire were the salt
of condemnation and the salt of preserving, saving, redeeming
grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want to begin with this
introduction, verse 37 of Mark 9, and we'll work down through
verse 15. In response to the Lord's statement
about humility, in serving the Lord in true greatness by serving
one another, the beloved John had this response. Now let's
read verse 37 first. Whosoever shall receive one of
such children in my name, a little child, receiveth me, receiveth
me as totally dependent upon Christ as a little child upon
his parents. Receiveth me, receiveth the Lord,
and everything in salvation. And whosoever receiveth, whosoever
shall receive me, receiveth not me, that is, not me only, but
my Father which hath sent me." God Almighty sent the Lord Jesus
Christ to be our Savior, our righteousness, our redemption
for sin. John said this, John answered
him saying, Master, Lord, we saw one casting out devils in
thy name, and you know, he didn't follow us. And we told him to
stop, because he wasn't following in line with us. He wouldn't
come along with us. While the disciples were striving
among themselves for preeminence, as we talked about last week,
in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. And while they would not allow
any who were not in league with them or not in communion with
them and not in the college of the apostles, they would not
allow anyone else to do anything or be anything in this kingdom
of God. And the Lord said in verse 39,
Forbid him not. For there is no man which shall
do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us,
he's on our part. He's with us. Now here's the
first thing. I've got five or six points in
this message today. The first thing is this. The
right place of tolerance in the kingdom of God. The right place
of tolerance in the kingdom of God. John and Peter and the other
apostles had an attitude of intolerance, fear, prejudice, small mindedness
about any who they did not think that followed them and would
line up with them. This man that John rebuked and
the apostles rebuked for casting out demons in the name of the
Lord was doing the right thing, was doing a good thing, He was
fighting the same war. He was fighting the same battle
as the disciples. He was warring on the same side
as the apostles. But this man who they rebuked
did not work in the same little group, the same little band.
So John said, and the other apostles, I'm sure Peter agreed, stop. Stop. Now the Lord's wise instruction
in verse 39. Now we must admit it's a strange
thing for one to truly cast out demons and be not identified
with the apostles. Now it's a strange thing, I admit.
Perhaps this man was one of the disciples of John the Baptist
who did not at that time particularly follow the Lord Jesus and the
disciples. However, we are told that the
Lord rebuked John for rebuking him. Perhaps this man was unknown
to the apostles, and certainly he was. Perhaps this man was
a true servant of the Lord who was called and sent by the Lord
that the apostles were not aware of, that the apostles were not
told about. Doesn't the Lord reserve the
right to call whom he will and to send whom he will? They didn't
understand that. Our Lord said this in John chapter
10, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them I
also must bring. And they shall hear my voice,
and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. The Lord was pleased
to use a man outside of the apostles to cast out demons. He's a sovereign
Lord. Can he do with his own what he
will? Will we allow that? Now listen
to me. Toleration in the Kingdom of
God. Preacher, where are you going with this? Hold on. I'm
not going to compromise. We must never tolerate those
who oppose the Gospel of God's free grace and sovereign grace
in Christ Jesus. We must never tolerate that. We must be narrow-minded here
and take an uncompromising stand for the Gospel of God's grace.
No toleration there between truth and error, because the Word of
God teaches us to do so. Clearly, hold your place here
and find Galatians chapter 1. Clearly, throughout the New Testament,
false preachers and those who would promote a false gospel
are strongly condemned. Galatians chapter 1. He said in verse 6 of Galatians
1, He said, I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that
called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which
is not another, but there be some that would trouble you and
would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from
heaven preach another gospel unto you, when any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached, let him be accursed. That's a strong word. Let him
be damned is what he's saying. That's not tolerant, is it? So
in the area of taking a stand for the gospel of God's grace,
we cannot compromise. Look what he says. As we said
before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that which you have received, let him be accursed. Let him be cut off. Let him be
damned. Now we must never tolerate those
who oppose the gospel of God's free grace. There is absolutely
no place for compromise in regards to the truth of salvation. That's
all of grace alone, Christ alone, accomplished by Christ, grace
alone, His blood sacrifice alone, it's the blood of Christ that
puts away all our sins, and the way of faith alone, the justified
live by faith. We cannot compromise there. We
will not. God is our helper. Those who do not preach the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ are not with us, they're against
us. Because they oppose what the Scriptures declare. They're
not servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, they're certain to be
servants of Satan. Demons. Masquerading as servants of righteousness,
as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11. These false gospels and these
false preachers, they do not do any good to the souls of men.
They rather add to their condemnation. Our Lord said this in Matthew
12 verse 30, He that is not with me is against me. He that gathereth
not with me scattereth abroad. So we cannot compromise the gospel. But here's the second thing I've
had you to know. However, I'm sure that there are many of God's
true servants, true servants now, true preachers of God's
gospel scattered around this world who are true preachers
of the gospel who we know nothing about. The Lord does. The Lord does. 2 Timothy 2, 19. Nevertheless, the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them
that are His. through the internet ministry
and sermon audio that we have that goes all over this world.
Over half a million sermons now have been distributed all over
this world through sermon audio. I hear back from preachers all
over this world. Some of them may be God's true
servants. I don't know. He does. Is it my place to say, stop preaching?
Not at all. God will take care of that. As
was the case in Elijah's day, so it is in our day. God still
has his thousands that have not bowed the knee unto Baal. Remember, Elijah thought, Lord,
I'm the only one left. No, the Lord has his servants
where they are. Let us always be ready, willing to receive
them as brothers in Christ, and think the best of them, and try
not to determine who the sheep and the goats are. The Lord doesn't
know. I'm very willing to leave it
in the hands of the Lord. Aren't you? I'll give you two
scriptural examples of that. In Numbers 11, don't turn, let
me just read this to you. You can go back and read it later.
Numbers 11, 27 through 29, we read these words. There ran a
young man and told Moses. Moses and the elders had gone
away up into the mountain. And a young man out of the camp
came to the mountain and told Moses, said, Edad, Eldad, and
Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joseph, the son of Nun, the
servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said,
Lord Moses, my Lord, forbid them. Same thing John said. Moses said unto him, Envious
thou from my sake? Would God that all the Lord's
people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit
upon all of those people that they would go preach the gospel.
Here's another example of Philippians chapter 1 when Paul was incarcerated
in jail. He wrote back and said this,
some indeed preach Christ of envy and strife, but some of
a good will. The one preached Christ of contention,
not sincerely supposing to add to my affliction my bond, but
the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the
gospel. What then? Notwithstanding, in every way,
whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I do
rejoice. And I will rejoice. It doesn't
matter who the servant is. It's the message. God has his
people where they're at and where they live. And he will use them
according to his own good pleasure and purpose. Our Lord says in
verse 40, for he that's not against us is on our part. On our part. Let us Be careful
not to oppose any true servant of Christ, but rather let us
think the best of them until we're proven wrong. I'm willing
to be tolerant in that area as the Lord was here. Lesson number
two, verse 41. Servants, service to the Lord
commended, verse 41. Whosoever shall give you a cup
of water to drink in my name, in my name, that name that's
above every name, because you belong to me, because you're
my property, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. Those who truly serve Christ
in the smallest way, no matter how insignificant it may seem
to men, shall be honored and recognized by the Lord Jesus
Christ, because they are His children. These deeds may be
forgotten of men, but never, never by the Lord who knows all
things. 1 Samuel 2 says this, verse 30,
For them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise
me shall be lightly esteemed. He gives two reasons here, because
you belong to Christ. On the account that you belong
to Him as members of His body, called by His name, partakers
of His grace, loved by His sovereign mercy, redeemed by His precious
blood, and shall be earnly with Him in glory, because you belong
to Me. And because you belong to Him,
you serve Him. And then He says, you shall not
lose your reward. It's singular reward. Whenever you see this word in
scripture in reference to believers, it's never rewards. Christ is
our exceeding great and eternal reward. He is the gift of God. He is our inheritance, and it's
the inheritance of grace. We serve the Lord Jesus Christ
because we love Him out of gratitude and love to Him. Remember what
we read in Colossians 3? Whatsoever you do, do it heartily
to the Lord, not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord you
shall receive the reward of the inheritance, you serve the Lord's
Christ. You serve the Lord Christ. Now
here's the next thing, verse 42. A strong warning not to offend these little ones. And he's not talking about little
children in age. He's talking about the children
of God. The children of God. A strong
warning not to offend the little ones that believe in Christ.
Our Lord said this in Luke 17. It is impossible that offenses
will come, but woe unto him to whom they come. Look at verse
42. Whosoever shall offend one of
these little ones that believe in me, it be better for that
man, it be better for him, if he's never born, but it is better
for him that a millstone hanged about his neck drowned, drowned
in the sea." Now again, he's not talking about little children
in age, but rather those that belonged to Christ. Those children
who belonged to Him and a part of that covenant of grace, those
for whom He lived as representatives. for those for whom He died as
substitute, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us
unto God. Better for that person never
to be born than to persecute, harass, oppose God's people,
and oppose God's gospel. Certain judgment will fall. I can make good on that. Turn
to Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter
12. Look at verse 17 of Romans 12.
Recompense to no man, evil for evil. Don't try to get even. Provide things on us in the sight
of all men. If it be possible, as much as
lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved,
don't avenge yourself. I know that's our tendency and
that's our nature. I'm going to get even with that
guy. Oh no. Let it go. but rather give place
on the wrath. For it is written, Vengeance
is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Leave it in the hands
of God, he knows best. Therefore, if an enemy hunger,
feed him. If he thirsty, give him a drink
of water. Give him the bread of life. Give
him the water of life. Give him the gospel. For in so
doing thou shalt heap coals of fire, on his head. What's he saying there? Kindness
and warmth out of your hand on his head. Give your enemy kindness. That's the salt of grace in your
heart. You see what he's saying there?
Don't offend one of these little ones. God is on the throne and
he will take care of his people. He will take care of his people.
Now, here's the fourth thing. Verse 43 down through verse 48. Here's the lesson.
The absolute need and necessity of self-denial. Giving up anything
and everything that stands between us and the Savior. Everything
that stands between us and salvation, he uses this word here, cut it
off. Cut it off. Be done with it.
Be done with it. Now he mentions the foot, the
hand, the eye. Those are precious things in
this body. Let's read what it says here in verse 43. For if
thy hand offend thee, or cause thee to sin, stance against God,
cut it off. Now, he's not talking about literally
doing this, but anything that causes you and would hinder you
from coming to Christ and trusting Him as Savior, be done with it. That's what the lesson is. If
your hand offends, cut it off. It's better for thee to enter
into live man than having two hands that go into eternal condemnation,
hell, into the fire that's never quenched, where the worm dies
not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee,
cut it off. Verse 47, If thy eye offend thee,
pluck it out. It is better to enter into the
kingdom of God with one eye than to be thrown into eternal condemnation. The absolute need of self-denial
and giving up everything that stands between you and Christ. Give it up. As I said, the hand,
the foot, and the eye are precious to this body, are they not? I
hate to do without my right hand, or my left hand, or my foot,
or my eye. The hand, the foot, and the eye
are symbolic of things that are precious and dear to us. If they
cause us to sin against God, to offend, God, to sin against
God. If there are idols that keep
us from Christ, that cause us to neglect so great salvation,
cut them off and be done with them. What would hinder you from
coming to Christ? Be done with it. Throw it away.
Anything that would keep us from trusting Christ, bowing to Him,
receiving Him, no matter how costly, no matter how painful,
throw it away immediately. and come to Christ now in your
heart and bow to Him right now. Our Lord said, Come unto Me,
all ye that labor and have heavy laden. I'll give you rest. Throw
away your righteousness. Come to Christ. Throw away your
religious experience and come to Christ. Throw away your tradition
and come to Christ. See what I'm saying? Cut it off.
Cut it off. Now this lesson we've You know
what great lessons are worth repeating? We've had this already
back in Mark chapter 8. Turn back over there. Mark chapter
8 verse 34. When He had called the people
unto Him, and with His disciples also, He said unto them, verse
34, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his
life will lose it, But who said we'll lose his life for my sake
and the Gospels? That man will save it. A great
lesson. Isn't this exactly what the Apostle
Paul says over in Philippians chapter 3? Can you turn over
there with me? Philippians chapter 3. This is
a painful lesson. But this is a necessary lesson. In Philippians chapter 3. God bring us to this in our heart
right now before God. Look what he says in Philippians
3 verse 7. What things were gained to me?
Paul had all that religious baggage. He was a Pharisee, steeped in
the traditions of his fathers. What things were gained to me?
Now I count all loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless I count all things
but loss. For the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I've suffered, oh, I've
suffered the loss of all things, but I count them but rubbish."
See what he's doing? Cut them off. He's divorcing
Himself from all religious tradition and righteousness of the flesh.
Count them all but done that I may win Christ and be found
in Him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith. Come to Christ now. Don't let
anything stand in your way. Cut it off and come to Christ. come to Christ. At first this
lesson seems extreme, excessive, hard, and rigid, but there is
a valid reason for it. Better to tear the idol from
the heart now and trust Christ now for all salvation than to
face God in judgment with no Savior, no righteousness in Christ,
and suffer the eternal judgment of God. against your sin. The apostle wrote this in Hebrews
2. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? How are you going to escape?
Well, I've done the best I know. Your best is not good enough.
Well, I've been in church all my life. That doesn't count for
one thing. Well, I was a preacher. Big deal.
Woods are full of them. Are you found in Christ? That's what I'm asking. God give us grace to do so. One
old writer said this, we must put ourselves to pain that we
may not bring ourselves to ruin. Self must be denied that it may
not be destroyed. Deny yourself and trust Christ
now. Now, I like what David said in
Psalm 119, I thought on my ways and I turned my feet to thy testimonies,
to thy word. Cut it off. That's a vital lesson. And that's what God does when
he does that work of grace in the heart. He reveals Christ to our soul.
Now here's the fifth thing. The reality of everlasting condemnation. In verse 44, down to verse 48. In verse 44, it's taken from
the last chapter of Isaiah, Isaiah 66, 24. The reality of everlasting
condemnation. It says, where their worm, those
who will not be done with self, Our Lord said they'll be cast
into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm
does not die and the fire is not quenched. In verse 48 he
repeats it. Where their worm dies not and
the fire is not quenched. Verse 46 he repeats it again.
Now I know this is not a popular message talking about eternal
condemnation. Does that mean we just skip over
that part? Oh no. No. Three times the Lord
repeats these words where their conscience does not die and the
wrath of God goes on and on and on. Now here's the scripture. John 3, 36. He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Abides on him. Oh my friend,
to trust Christ. Look at this scripture over here
in Mark chapter 16. Paul said, Knowing the terror
of the Lord, Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. I do all I could to persuade
you to trust Christ, but I know I can't do that effectually. God will have to persuade you.
Notice, if you will, Mark 16, verse 15. He said unto them,
Go ye to all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth
not shall be okay." That's not what it says there. I know that's
what this world thinks. I'm okay, you're okay, everything's
okay. No, it ain't. If you're not in
Christ, you're under the wrath of God. He that believeth not
shall be damned. I don't delight. I don't delight
in that. My heart breaks. I want you to
love Christ. I want you to come to the Lord
Jesus Christ. I don't delight in the condemnation
of any sinner. But I'm going to tell you the
truth. Not only does the Word of God teach us about salvation,
everlasting salvation in Christ, it does. But the word of God
also teaches us about everlasting punishment for the rebel against
God and against God's gospel. That is also true. We cannot
neglect to declare that. Let me show you some scripture
here. You take your Bible and turn
with me. Find Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10 verse 28. Fear not them which kill the
body, or are not able to kill the soul,
but rather fear him that is able to destroy both soul and body
in hell. Now, whatever your concept of
hell might be, I don't know, but here's the truth. Hell is more than fire. It's everlasting wrath of God. The everlasting wrath of God.
Turn to Matthew 13. Matthew 13. Turn over there.
Matthew 13. The Lord had given the parable about the sower.
And in Matthew 13, verse 37, He answered and said unto them,
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man. Matthew 13,
verse 37. Now verse 38, The field is the
world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom, The
tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sows
them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the
world. The reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered
and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.
The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather
out his kingdom of all things that offend and which do iniquity,
and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, and there shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Their worm dieth not. Then shall
the righteous shine forth as a sun in the kingdom of their
father, who hath ears to hear, let him hear." Another scripture,
please turn to this, Matthew 25. Matthew 25. when the Lord at the end time
shall gather all nations together. In Matthew 25 you see verse 32,
And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats,
and he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats
on the left. Now who does the separation? He does. He knows. Then shall the king
say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world. What does he say to the goats
on the left hand? Look at verse 41. Then shall
he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed. into everlasting fire, and that's
wrath, prepared for the devil and his angels. Now notice verse
46, same chapter. These shall go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. You say, well that's just what we read in the Gospels.
Okay, find 2 Thessalonians, turn over there. What did the Apostle
Paul say? Writing under inspiration of
God, the Holy Spirit. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians,
Oh the wrath to come. Oh the wrath to come. 2 Thessalonians
chapter 1, verse 7. To you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them
that know not God, that obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.
when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired
in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed
in that day." One other reference, I want you to find 2 Peter. 2
Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3, look just at
one verse, verse 7. 2 Peter 3, 7. But the heavens and the earth,
which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto
fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
Those outside of Christ. Now thank God for the truth of
the gospel. That in the Lord Jesus Christ
there is no condemnation. What about those outside of Christ? Everlasting condemnation. Now, back to the text. Look back at this text. Two things about this eternal
condemnation. This place of eternal condemnation
It says here three times where their worm does not die and the
fire is not quenched. In this place of eternal condemnation
the gnawing of the worm of the guilty conscience of the wicked
never dies. Damned sinners will be to all
eternity condemning themselves for their willful sin against
God. Their memory is intact. They will remember They will
remember. Secondly, the soul of the damned
is not annihilated. It's preserved by the salt of
the wrath of God. As it says in verse 49, everyone
shall be salted with fire. That is, they'll be preserved
by the fire of God's wrath. In other words, the fire won't
consume them, it will preserve them. to endure eternal judgment. The wrath of God's fasting upon
that guilty conscience is that judgment of the eternal living
God into whose hand is a fearful thing to fall. Fire not quenched,
judgment never satisfied, eternal condemnation. As the salt of
the flesh, as the salt preserves the flesh, so the wrath of God
preserves the sinner to an eternal condemnation, to eternal torment. Now if you die in your sin, our
Lord said, if you die in your sin, you cannot come to where
I am. If you die in your sin, you'll
perish without Christ. You'll be cast into everlasting
condemnation to suffer the indescribable horror of the wrath of God. Our Lord Jesus tells us that
the fire of God's wrath and judgment will do the same thing that the
salt does to the flesh. As salt preserves the flesh from
putrefaction and corruption, so the fire of God's wrath, while
burning and torturing and tormenting, will preserve your body and soul
in its being. In other words, the fire that
burns you will keep you from being consumed. Your soul will
never die. Your body will never be consumed.
You'll lose none of the powers of your faculties. That rich
man in hell, our Lord said, he saw, he looked, he felt. The powers of your faculties
or senses will never diminish, rather be intensified. This is
what the Lord means by you being salted with fire, being preserved
in hell. For every one shall be salted
with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Now
here's a last lesson. The salt of grace. Salt is good. Oh, it is good. But the salt hath lost its saltness,
wherewith will ye season it. Have salt in yourselves, and
have peace one with another. The salt of the covenant of grace.
Let's make sure we have the salt of God's grace in us to preserve
us, to save us, to cleanse us from all sin. Make sure you believe
on Christ. Don't be satisfied with some
religious experience of the past. Forget it. Come to Christ right
now. Make your calling and election
sure. Examine yourself whether you
be in the same faith in Christ. Prove your own self. How that
Christ be in you. Examine your heart. Am I resting
in Christ alone or am I resting on Christ and something else? No, my friend, it's Christ alone.
Christ alone. As salt makes the meat savory,
let us always use the salt of grace to make our lives savory
as a testimony of the grace of God. He says, have salt in yourself
and have peace with one another. Remember we read in Colossians
chapter 4, let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with
salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man. I
want the salt of the covenant of God's grace in my heart to
preserve me. In Christ Jesus there is therefore
now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. I don't
fear the judgment and wrath of God resting in Christ. The wrath due my sin has already
been extinguished by the Lord Jesus Christ taking my sin and
my judgment, bearing my wrath, that just for the unjust that
He might bring us unto God. Our Lord said in Matthew 5, You
are the salt. You are the salt of the earth,
preserved by His grace, called by His grace.