convinced that we try to perhaps
give our hearers a little too much. So tonight I have just
one thought that I'd like to put across. I'd like for the
Spirit of God to give me ears with which to hear it and give
you ears with which to hear it. Just one thought. And the title
of the message is, and the subject with which I'm dealing is, Two
Vital Parts of True Religion. Two Vital Parts of True Religion. Now man, I'll read the text in
a moment, man has two parts. I know it's been argued for centuries
whether man is body and soul or whether he's body, soul, and
spirit. never settled that quarrel, they've never ended that battle,
and I don't choose to deal with it tonight. But I do know man
has two parts, mainly and in particular. First of all, his
outward body, that which you see standing before you, that
which you see sitting next to you. There's a human body. That's one part, the flesh. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh. Or at the second part,
which you do not see, and of which Paul wrote when he said,
What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man
which is in him? In other words, man's inward
invisible but true self. Man's inward invisible but true
self. Now, there are the two parts.
There are definitely two parts that I have, you have. We have
an outward body that everybody sees, and then we have an inward
invisible and true self. Call it the mind, call it the
heart, and when the scripture speaks of the heart, it's not
talking about this organ that pumps blood. It's talking about
the inward person, the invisible, true self, soul. Call it what
you will, but that's what we're talking about. Now, wise men
recognize the importance of both as far as I'm concerned, as far
as you're concerned. Wise men, men with wisdom and
intelligence recognize the importance of both the flesh and the spirit
of man. And I'm not speaking of flesh
and spirit as carnal and spiritual. I'm talking about everybody recognizes
the importance of this body and the importance of my invisible
inner self. And of course, the inward is
of greater importance. We'll agree right away on that,
that the My mind and heart is of far greater importance and
value than my body. If something tonight has got
to break down, I hope it's my body and not my mind. If something
has to give way. So the greater importance should
be attached to the inner self. In other words, what I'm saying
is my mind must be trained, educated. And I'm not speaking of formal
education, I'm talking about finding things out. how to live
with people, how to build a home, how to conduct myself in public,
how to do all these, how to add two and two. My mind needs to
be trained. My emotions need to be controlled.
I need to learn how to control my emotions. I need to learn
how to improve my personality. I need to learn how to get along
with people. I need to learn how to direct and proper channels
my attitude and my spirit toward others. So that's the inner invisible
self. It needs some attention. It needs
a lot of attention. It needs a lot of study and it
needs a lot of education and it needs a lot of direction.
It needs a lot of concern and care. My inner invisible self,
that self that nobody sees. that I only reveal to those to
whom I wish to reveal it, and as much as I wish to reveal.
That self needs to be cared for. But my body requires attention,
too. My body deserves and requires
care. Mr. Spurgeon says proper diet,
enough rest. The body's to be kept clean,
clothed, and cared for with wisdom. for the glory of God and for
my own good, for my own good. Now there's some people who give
all their attention to the inner being, to the mind and emotions
and personality and these things and just let the body go and
don't give any attention to it. As Spurgeon pointed out, this
body is still the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within
And we're to give it care and attention. There's some, though,
who give all their attention to the mind, and to the heart,
and to the affections, and these things, and neglect the body.
And then there are others who do the opposite. They give all
their care to the body. They jog, and run, and exercise,
and lift weights, and eat properly, and rest properly, and diet properly,
and let their spirit go to pot. Well, there's no excuse for either
one. There's no excuse for me to be
an extremist either way. And it's not wise for me to be
an extremist either way. The wise thing is for me to give
the proper attention to both my mind and my affections and
my emotions. I'm talking about a natural man.
Anybody here, whether you're saved or lost, it doesn't matter. I'm simply saying that every
human being is made up of two main parts. God gave you a body
and God gave you an inner invisible self. And they're both to be
attended to and cared for and in a proper way. Now, here's
my point. True religion. And I'll use that word for the
preachers here tonight. I use it for lack of a better
word. I don't know what else to use.
Christianity. The word Christianity has been fouled up and abused
and misused and applied to everything but true Christianity. So what
I'm saying is true religion, and this might be a better word,
true faith, true faith, may be compared to men in this respect,
that true faith, true religion, has two parts. True religion
has two parts, the outward and the inward. The outward and the
inward. Now that's my analogy. True religion, like men, has
two parts, the outward and the inward. But that's as far as
the analogy can go. That's as far as it can go. Now,
this is a lesson we learn about types and about parables and
about using earthly stories to illustrate heavenly meanings.
That's as far as you can go with this analogy. I say that every
human being has two parts, outward, that which is seen, that which
is observed, And inward, that which is not seen and not observed,
it's invisible, it's within, it's our true self, and it's
revealed as we're pleased to reveal it. And as far as you
can take the analogy, for example, because a natural man may have
a very healthy mind. He may be a wizard, a genius.
He may have a good attitude toward people. He may have a good attitude
toward people. He may have a kind, loving spirit. but he may have a weak and diseased
and ugly body. There are a lot of people who
think that the Apostle Paul fit that description. Turn to 2 Corinthians
10 and see maybe if you don't see this in a couple of these
verses. You see, the analogy cannot be carried any further
because a natural man can have a clean, trained, intelligent
mind and a good attitude and spirit and yet outwardly be repulsive. But that's not true in true religion.
If the inward is beautiful, the outward will be beautiful. And
if the inward is not beautiful, the outward will not be beautiful.
Now watch 2 Corinthians 10, verse 10. For his letters, say they,
talking about himself, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily
presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Look back at verse
1 of chapter 10. Now I, Paul, myself, beseech
you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am
base among you, but being absent and bold toward you." There's
something about Paul that he mentioned that often. He talked
about his eyesight being evidently so poor that the people would
have given him their eyes. They loved him so much. He talked
about his presence being weak and his speech contemptible and
among them being base and so forth. So you see, the analogy
won't work there. And then another thing, a man
may have a beautiful, healthy appearance outwardly. A man or
a woman may have a beautiful, healthy body and an ugly mind,
a repulsive attitude and a stupid personality. those two things. You see, the outward may be repulsive,
the inward may be strong and healthy, the mind. Or the mind
may be repulsive and the outward beautiful, vice versa. But this
is not true in true faith. The outward form of religion,
if it's not accompanied with inward faith, is hypocritical. And it finally winds up being
a most ugly and repulsive thing. In other words, there's nobody
you'd rather not hear sing, like Mike sang tonight. Mike's song
was beautiful, but Mike's spirit's beautiful. And over the years,
his attitude is beautiful. There's nothing I'd rather not
hear than a person sing who has a bad spirit and a bad attitude,
who has no true saving relationship. The same thing about preaching
or praying. or reading the scriptures, or
teaching a Bible class, or defending the Word of God, a person whose
life, whose attitude does not match that outward claim. So what I'm saying is the outward
form of religion, if it's not accompanied by inward faith,
is ugly and repulsive. And the claim to inward faith,
if it's not accompanied with outward love, In other words,
here's a man that claims to love God, rejoice in God, and yet
he does not have love toward others, does not rejoice in others,
then that's ugly and repulsive. So what I'm saying is this. Religion
is made, true religion is made up of two parts, outward and
inward. And where you have an inward
faith, you have an outward love. Where you have an inward love,
you have an outward grace. You can't have one without the
other. They always go together. It's impossible to have one without
the other. Let me show you some examples. Now here's what we're
saying. Inward grace produces outward grace. Inward love is
manifested in outward works. Faith worketh by love. Inward
faith is reflected in outward obedience. You can't separate
faith and obedience. You can't separate faith and
conduct. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. inward hope and confidence
in the sovereign purpose of God is always revealed by an outward
peace. It's always. And inward gratitude
to God leads to outward generosity with others. Now watch this scripture. I'm going to show you that in
God's Word. Turn to 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13. I hope you understand. This is
the one thing I'm trying to get across this evening. Men are
made up of two parts. There's the outward and there's
the inward. A natural man may be inwardly
beautiful and outwardly ugly. He may be outwardly beautiful
and inwardly ugly. True religion is made up of two
parts, outward and inward. But it ain't possible to be inwardly
beautiful and outwardly ugly. That's what I'm saying. It's
not possible to be inwardly ugly and outwardly beautiful. It'll
get out on you after a while. Now you may fool some folks for
a while, you may deceive them for a while, but over the long
spell, it'll get out. That's hypocrisy, and it's not
true. So always true faith is accompanied
by true works. It never fails. Now let's look
at some Scripture. Now, here in 1 Corinthians 12,
The Apostle Paul, back in chapter 12, and I'm not going over this,
you've been over it before, but in chapter 12, he's talking about
religious gifts. He's talking about gifts. Gift
of tongues, and the gift of healing, and the gift of health, and governments,
and apostles, and prophets, and teachers, and miracles, and so
forth. Gifts. In other words, an outward
religious demonstration. I stand before you tonight, and
I speak in tongues. I speak so that everybody understands
me in Greek, or Hebrew, or Latin, or Spanish, or they said Mr.
Gill could speak seven or eight languages. Or I have gift of
healing, or I give large donations, or I'm a teacher, a preacher,
or something like that, some outward show of religion. Now
watch verse 1 of chapter 13. And verse 31 of chapter 12 says,
covet earnestly the best gifts. I ought to want to. to be used
of God in very exceptional ways, and unusual ways, and gifted
ways, and ways in which he'll be glorified, and the church
edified, and the people profited. Covet the best gift, but I'll
show you a better way, sir. Though I speak with the tongues
of men and of angels, though I have these gifts, I'm the greatest
orator since that one way back yonder. I can speak and people
can just feel soap bubbles drifting down out of the air, you know.
And they can almost, like Herod, they said, that's not the voice
of a man, that's the voice of God. And have not love, I'm a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. Paul says it can't be.
The outward, no matter how beautiful it is, no matter how eloquent
it is, no matter how enticing it is, no matter how impressive
it is, if it's not accompanied by a heart of genuine, sincere
love. Just clang on a gong or shake
a little cymbal or a tinkling cymbal and you'll get just about
as much out of it. See what he's saying? Verse 2, And though I
have the gift of prophecy, I understand the mysteries, the orthodoxy,
the theology. I can dig into the Shibboleth
and the Shekinah glory and the dates of the tabernacle and the
kings and all these things, you know. I understand the mysteries.
I can pinpoint the prophecies. I know all about the abomination
of desolation, the tribulation, and all of these things. I have
all knowledge. I even have faith. So when I
remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, I'm a benevolent person, generous. And though
I give my body to be burned, I'm willing to die for what I
believe. I'd be a martyr for what I believe. I'd die for my
doctrine. And have not loved it, profiteth
me nothing. Turn to Romans 8. This is the
very thing that I'm stressing. I'm saying that the outward is
useless. as useless as a sounding gong
and a tinkling cymbal, as useless as it can be without inward love
and faith. It's useless. Now here's what
we're saying in these verses, that that inward love and faith
will produce an outward obedience and godliness, an appearance
of godliness. In Romans chapter 5, or chapter
8, verse 5, they that are after the flesh, Natural men, unsaved
men, they do mind the things of the flesh. That is, they're
concerned about the things of the flesh. That's their lives.
That's what they give themselves to, the popularity, the fame,
the recognition, the materialism, the possessions, the honor, the
praise, the honor of men. They mind the things of the flesh.
They're more concerned about how they look outwardly than
how they are inwardly. They're more concerned about
their body than for their soul. They're more concerned about
the present than the future. They mind the things of the flesh.
They're concerned about them. That's their life. But they that
are after the Spirit, they that are born in the Spirit of God,
they are concerned about the things of the Spirit. They're
concerned about the Word of God and the Kingdom of God and the
glory of God and the fellowship of God. They're concerned about
a relationship with Christ. They say with the Apostle Paul,
I count all things but rubbish that I may win Christ and be
found in Him. But he says, verse 6, to be carnally
minded is death. It's death. It's death upon death. You're already dead and you've
got some death to come. But to be spiritually minded
is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God, it's not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can it be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please
God. But you're not in the flesh. You're in the Spirit. If so be
it, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he's none of His. Let's turn to another
one over in James chapter 2. James chapter 2. Inward grace
always produces outward grace. Always. To some degree. I'm not saying to a perfect degree
at all. Paul said, I'm not perfect. I
haven't arrived. I haven't laid hold upon that
for which I've been laid hold of by Christ. But where there's
grace operative in the heart, there'll be grace operative in
the life. It must be. It has to be. If any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature. He may not be as godly as he's
going to be, or as holy as he's going to be, or as mature as
he's going to be, but he's on that road. He may not be as loving as he
ought to be, or as loving as he's going to be, but he's on
that road. In James chapter 2, verse 14, what does it profit,
my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works?
Can that faith save him? Can that kind of faith save him?
That faith that has no obedience, no works, no love, no grace,
no outward signs of faith? I'll give you an example, he
said, if a brother or sister be naked and hungry, and one
of you say, see this is what words, will words do it? One
of you say, now you just go in peace and be warmed and filled.
And you don't give him the things which he's needful, will it profit
him? Will that clothe him? Will that feed him? No. Even
so, faith, if it hath not works, is just as dead as those words
you spoke to that man. Here's a man who's naked, starving
to death, and you say in words, be filled, be clothed, be comfortable,
be happy. Will he be that way? No. And
neither are you saved because you say you're saved. And neither
are you a believer because you say you're a believer. And neither
are you redeemed because you say you're redeemed. Saying won't
do it. Isn't that right, Joe? Saying won't do it. Words won't
do it. Words won't clothe and words won't feed and words won't
say. Verse 18, a man may say, you have faith, I have works.
Well, you show me your faith without your works. Let's see
your faith. I'll show you my faith by my
work. You believe there's one God, you do well. The devil believes
there's one God. And he trembles. Wilt thou an
old vain man, old vain man? You've got a vain show and a
vain claim and a vain profession. It's your faith without your
works are dead. So it's so clear. Turn to 1 John
4, what we're saying. And this is the thing that I'm
distressed about for myself and all who hear me. Inward love,
if it's real, if it's there, if it's present, it's got to
burst out. It's got to show forth. It just
has to be manifested. It has to be revealed in outward
words. Inward faith is reflected by
obedience. And our words won't help us.
We say, well, I do love God. Well, you don't show it. But
I do love people. Well, you don't show it. Well,
I do care for the kingdom of God. Well, you don't show it.
If that care and concern and love, you suppose you could keep
it shackled, that you could keep it covered, that you could keep
it suppressed, that you could keep anybody from knowing it?
You can't keep life here. Life's got to burst out. It'll
burst out somewhere. And somebody's going to see it.
Barnard, you say it'll leak out on you. If I really, take for example,
I'm in a trial. a pretty severe trial. And I
do really believe that God's on the throne. I really do believe
that. I really do believe that everything
that works takes place in my life for my good and His glory.
I really do believe that. I really do believe there are
no accidents with God, that whatever He's brought my way, He's brought
my way for my good and His glory on purpose, and it'll work. If
I really believe that, I'll conduct myself accordingly. I'll have
peace. That peace will be seen, it'll
be recognized by others. They'll say, well, he's doing
quite well under that trial. He's doing quite well. Or, if
you really love somebody, they're going to know it. They're going
to know it. It's going to show inward gratitude
to God. God's been good to me. God's
blessed me. God's met my need. You really
believe that? Then I kind of feel like you'll
meet somebody else's needs. I kind of believe you will. I
kind of believe you will. To whom much is given, they what? They love much. Look, if you
will, at 1 John 4. And there's no ifs, ands, or
buts about it. It's just if it's there, it's
going to come out. And if it's not there, it won't
come out. 1 John chapter 4, beginning with
verse 14. I beg your pardon, 1 John 4,
begin with verse 6. Begin with verse 6. We are of
God. We are of God. He that knoweth
God, heareth us. He that is not of God will not
hear us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth and error. Beloved, let us love one another. Love is
of God. And everyone that loveth is born of God. He knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God. It's just not so. You can't hide God. If God dwells
in me, somebody's going to know God dwells in me, for God is
love. Look at verse 20. If a man say, here's those words
again, say, I love God and hates his brother, well, he's a liar.
He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he
love God whom he hath not seen? This commandment have we from
him that he that loveth God loves his brother also. It's spontaneous. It's so. It's true. It cannot
be questioned. He doesn't say he that loveth
God ought to love his brother or should love his brother or
is commanded to love his brother. He says he that loveth God loveth
his brother. And if he doesn't, then he doesn't
love God. See, those two things are inseparable. Impossible to
separate. Now, in conclusion, before our
Lord came into this world, circumcision was a thing of meaning, great
meaning. Circumcision was the outward
seal of the inward covenant. In other words, circumcision
was meant to be the outward token of an inward faith in God. When was Abraham circumcised?
Before he believed or after? After he believed. After he was
justified. In other words, when Abraham
was justified, he was justified by faith. Abraham knew God, loved
God, walked with God. He walked with God. And that
circumcision was a token of the fact that he had dwelling in
his heart faith, an outward token of inward faith. Now turn to
Galatians with me if you will, chapter 6. Now after Christ came,
after our Lord Jesus Christ came and died on the cross, circumcision
lost its force. And then it availed nothing.
It was not a sign of anything. Now, a lot of people try to keep
it a sign and make it mean something. It wasn't a sign of anything.
Christ fulfilled all these types and all these pictures. True
circumcision, the Scripture says, is of the heart. Now, so watch
Paul over here in Galatians 5, verse 6. First of all, Galatians
5, verse 6. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith worketh by love. Turn
one page, Galatians 6, verse 15. For in Jesus Christ neither
circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new
creature. Twice. In chapter 5 and chapter
6, Paul says almost the same thing. What's he saying? He's saying this. One man stands
and says, well, I've been circumcised. I have the outward form. I have
the outward token. I give attention to the form
of religion. I have the outward signs and
rules. I fast. I read my Bible. I pray. I tithe. I give alms. I obey the rules. I have all
the outward signs of Christianity. All the outward signs. And Paul
says, it availeth nothing. Nothing. I'll show you a scripture,
Matthew 23. Matthew 23. Does that sound familiar? There's a man who stood in the
temple one time and said, Lord, I thank you, but I'm not like
other men. I tithe, I fast twice a week,
I give alms of all I possess, I keep the law, I have all the
outward signs, all the outward evidences. And our Lord said
he just prayed with himself. Look at Matthew 23. Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, You're hypocrites, for you pay tithe
of mint, anise, and cumin, but you've omitted the weightier
matters of God's Word, judgment, mercy, and faith. You've omitted
the weightier matters. A man says, I've been circumcised. Wait a minute, you still haven't
dealt with the weightier matters. All right, let's go back to Galatians
5 again. Let's look at that verse again.
As I said, circumcision before our Lord came meant something,
it had a meaning. It was an outward token of inward
faith. God told Abraham, he said, you're a man of faith, you're
a friend of God, you be circumcised and have all your children, and
that'll be an outward token that you're my people, my people,
my faith. There's a relationship between
me and you in here, and that circumcision is outward. And
when our Lord came, it was all fulfilled. It meant nothing.
But people still held on to these rituals and these ceremonies.
The man says, I've been circumcised. I fast. I tithe. I give alms. I do all these things. We might
say today, I've been baptized, sprinkled. I've been confirmed.
I've made a profession of faith. I've joined the church. I read
my Bible. I pray. I keep the law. I do all these
things. But here's another man, now look at this verse again,
Galatians 5, 6. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth
anything, nor uncircumcision. Oh, here's the other side of
the coin. The other fellow says, well, I refuse to be circumcised.
I cast aside all the outward signs. I'm not really interested
in joining a church. I think the church is everywhere.
I'm not interested in being baptized. I think that was for the days
of John the Baptist. I don't think that's required
of us today. I don't see any use in tithing and doing these
other things, these outward things. You see, I worship God in the
Spirit. All of my relationship with God
is inward. My interest is inward. I'm a
member of everybody's church. I'm a member of God's kingdom.
I worship God in nature. And I don't go to any of these
outward forms, and I don't go to any of these outward ceremonies,
don't go for any days or assemblies or organizations or anything
like that. I'm just a free spirit walking in my heart with God.
He said, that won't do you any good either. That won't do you
any good either. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision. Well, what does avail? But faith
that works by love. And over here in Galatians 6
verse 15, a new creation. A new creation. A new creation. Now, this is the thing that I'm
concerned about for this fellow right here. I want to get doctrine
and spirit properly related, don't you? I want to get this
thing of faith. I know they that worship God
worship God in truth, and I love the truth. I know the Bible clearly
talks about these waters. The Bible clearly talks about
this table. The Bible clearly talks about
the assembly. The Bible clearly talks about
pastors and elders and deacons. The Bible clearly talks about
how we ought to behave ourselves in the church of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Bible talks a whole lot about suppressing disorderly
conduct. The Bible talks a whole lot about
giving, supporting missionaries, taking care of pastors. The Bible
talks a whole lot about our forsaking not the assembling of ourselves
together. All of these things. You men know that. The Bible
talks an awful lot about these right, the way to teach and preach. Talks about original sin. Talks
about election. It talks about depravity. It
talks about sovereign grace. It talks about the death of Christ,
the atonement, the tabernacle, getting the furniture in the
right place, precise services by a precise God. It talks about
the effectual call, and it talks about the perseverance of the
saints and the preservation of the saints. Don't come talking
to me about, I don't want any doctrine. Brother, I do. I want
some good, solid, strong doctrine. Paul said to Timothy, you take
heed of yourself and to your doctrine, for in so doing you'll
save yourself and folks that hear you. You better have some
doctrine. It's like a body without a skeleton.
It'd be just a jelly mass to ooze out on the floor and cause
everybody to slip down and fall into hell. But I don't want all
doctrine. The Bible talks about love. and
joy, and peace, and kindness, and gentleness, and goodness,
and meekness, and temperance, and long-suffering. Yes, it does. Oh, yes, it does. Let's go back
to 1 John chapter 3 again. And this is the thing I'm concerned
for myself and those who hear me preach. I'm not interested
in a cold, dead letter, factual, orthodox, theologically correct
form of faith which is neither glorifying to God or according
to the scriptures or saving to the soul. But I'm interested
in worshiping God in truth and spirit. In walking in truth and
spirit. Are you? Because the outward
and the inward have to be together. They're not separated. 1 John
3, verse 16. 1 John 3, verse 16. Look at this. Hereby perceive
we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and
we all lay down our lives for the brethren. Whoso hath this
world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shuts
up his bowels of compassion from him, how does a love of God dwell
in a man like that? Now, no matter how orthodox he
is, no matter how theologically correct he is, he may know who
started the church and when it was started and where it was
started and where it's going to wind up. But if he doesn't love a
man enough to lift his burden and pray for him and forgive
him and show mercy to him, how does the love of God dwell in
a fellow like that? My little children, let's know love in
word, in tongue, but indeed in prayer. That's where it is. I want you to turn back to the
book of Luke. Let's read something here, the
book of Luke. I think sometimes when I go to cut messages short,
I think, well, here, people have driven for over an hour to hear
me preach, and they don't want to hear a sermonette, I know.
Of course, neither do they want to be worn out. But let me go
on with this thought right here. In Luke chapter 6. Verse 27,
I say unto you which hear, because everybody doesn't hear, but there's
folks that do. Love your enemies. Do good to them that hate you.
Isn't it awful when Christians hold grudges? Should I use the
word Christian? Should I even use it there? Isn't
it awful when people who claim to be Christians hold grudges and hate folks and have prejudice
Our Lord says, bless them that curse you. Verse 28, pray for
them which despitefully use you. Quit pouting and moping and holding
grudges and seeking vengeance and getting even. If a fellow
smites you on one cheek, offer the other one to him. If a fellow
takes away your cloak, give him your coat too. Give to everybody
that asketh of you. And of him that taketh away your
goods, don't ask him to return them. Let him keep them. And
as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them
likewise. If you love them which love you, What thank have you? Sinners also love those that
love them. Rebels do. Traitors do. People
that hate God love people that love them. If you do good to
people that do good to you, what thank have you? Any old reprobate
will do that. If you lend to people from whom
you hope to receive something in return, what thank have you?
Anybody will lend to get a little interest. But I say unto you,
love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing
again. And your reward will be great, and you'll be called the
children of the highest, because he's kind to the unthankful."
That's me and you. And he's kind to the evil. So
you be merciful as your Father also is merciful. Now that's
spirit. That's what we're talking about. And let me read another
in John 13, John chapter 13. And this attitude and spirit
is so vital in this claim of ours to know God. I know that
we instruct in how to pray and we instruct in the doctrines
of grace. And let's keep on. Don't ever set one against the
other. Don't ever say doctrine's important, but just say doctrine's
important. Ain't no use putting a but on
it. Yes, that's important. Don't say, I believe in the sovereignty
of God, but, no, I believe in the sovereignty of God and I
believe in truth, orthodoxy, theology, doctrine, foundation,
solid, what we believe, and I believe in walking in the light and loving
one another. That's right. John 13, verse
13. You call me master and Lord,
you say, well, so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master,
have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
I've given you an example that you should do as I've done to
you. For verily, verily, I say unto you, you're not greater
than your Lord, and he that is sent is not greater than he that
sent him." Now, if you know these things, if you know them, happy
are you. if you do. That's my thought
tonight, and that's the thing I've been thinking about for
a good while. And the thing I pray for, and
the thing I pray concerning all of us, is that our conduct shall
be in keeping with our creed, and our creed in keeping with
our conduct. Our faith working by love. Our
inward claim expressing itself in an outward conversation that's
honoring to God and glorifying to His Son. and for the good
of the church. It's all summed up in a four-letter
word. Our Lord said the whole law is fulfilled in one word,
L-O-V-E. You just can't hate somebody
you love. You just can't wish evil. You just can't hold a grudge. You just can't refuse to forgive.
You just can't close your heart against them. You just can't
close your bank account. You just can't close your doors
against anybody you love. If you love them, they're welcome.