Pasadena Conference: 1961
Table of Contents
Revelation 2-3
Address—P. Wilson
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Gracious love.
Our earthly path has ceaseless view. Ere knew our beating ark to move.
Thy tender mercy still pursuit.
Ever with us, may they abide and close us in on every side. 166 some brothers started. Please.
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To those three hours of darkness.
It is my thought.
Brethren.
To give a brief.
Outline.
Of Revelation 2:00 and 3:00 This afternoon the Lord helping.
I realized it's a tremendous subject to try to bring into an hour or an hour and a few minutes.
But I feel led to turn to it.
But first, a verse or two in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation.
Might read from the ninth verse of the first chapter.
I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.
Was in the aisle, which is that is called Patmos for the word of God.
And for the testimony of Jesus Christ, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.
And heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying I am Alpha and Omega, the 1St and the last.
And what thou seest write in a book and?
Under the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamus, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and under Laodicea.
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned I saw 7 golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like undefined brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice has the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp 2 edged sword. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. When I saw him I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me, Fear not, I am the 1St and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead.
Or the living one who became dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell of death.
Write the things which thou has seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be after these things.
Few words.
Are necessary as introductory to the two following chapters.
First of all, let's notice that 19th verse.
That nineteenth verse is an index to the whole Book of Revelation.
Write the things which thou hast seen. That's what John saw in this first chapter.
The seven golden candlesticks and the Lord Jesus himself in judicial roles, judging in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. That covers the first point, the things which thou hast seen.
And the things which are.
Now the things which are refers to the second and third chapters.
That is, it covers the entire period of the Church history.
The Church of God on earth, and the things which shall be after these things.
Begins with the 4th chapter and goes on through the rest of the book.
I might add this that in the first verse of the 4th chapter.
We read this statement.
After this I looked and behold, the door was opened in heaven.
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And let's read it differently here according to the better translation.
And the voice which I heard at the 1St.
Which was, as it were, a trumpet speaking with me.
Which said come up hit her.
That introduces the Church into the Father's house.
That is the moment for which we are waiting.
That is a moment that thou that is now so near at hand.
The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. The voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, And so shall we ever be with the Lord. This is what we were referring to yesterday in the Bible readings, where the Lord himself said, I will come again and receive you unto myself. He has gone away. He has left us a promise that he's coming back for us. And when he does, he's going to take us to be with himself.
That introduces the church into the heavenly scene. The church is seen on earth.
In these second and third chapters, but never after the third chapter.
Is the scene has changed to heaven, the church is seen in heaven.
As the 24 elders in the 4th chapter, you come down to the end of the book.
And you find the 24 elders divided into two classes, 2 groups.
The bride and the friends of the bridegroom, those that are invited to the marriage feast.
In the 19 chapter, the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And blessed are those that are invited to that scene, the marriage supper of the Lamb.
But the Church is still on earth.
The church period began.
On the day of Pentecost, according to the second chapter of Acts.
That was the birthday of the church. Now when I say the church, I'm not talking about a building.
I'm not talking about some man made organization. I speak of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
For every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost till the Rapture is indwelt by the Spirit of God.
In whom having believed, ye were sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise?
Every believer in the Lord Jesus has the Spirit of God abiding in him.
And that's what makes the church the Spirit of God, dwelling in a body of believers on earth, uniting them together and to the Lord, the head in heaven. It began on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. It will terminate with that shall come up, hit her. Now, of course, in this 4th chapter Book of Revelation, John is called to come up, hit her, and he's given visions in heaven from there on.
But it's figurative language.
In that word come up, hit her, we see the Lord's call to the church. For you never find the Church on earth after John receives that call in the 4th chapter.
Another thing.
Referring to the first chapter.
There we find the Lord Jesus.
And judicial robes in His Majesty. And John the beloved Apostle falls at his feet as death.
The one that leaned on Jesus breast at supper time.
Falls at his feet, is dead when he sees him so irate.
Let us not forget that the Blessed One who came down and went to Calvary's cross.
To become our Savior is the Holy One and true.
He is the Mighty God.
That language is used of him, you know.
There is a familiarity today in Christendom when speaking about the name of Jesus.
That I dislike. I think it's contrary to the thought in scripture. We forget the glory, the dignity, the majesty of of his person.
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Well, now, in this first chapter we find him standing where? In the midst of seven candlesticks.
What are candlesticks for? They are to hold candles that give light, light in darkness. We were reading yesterday afternoon. The night, as far as spent in the day, is at hand.
It was night when Judas went out to betray the Lord. It's been night ever since.
The Lord Jesus said, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. But they cast the light out. It's been more early night ever since.
Well.
He stands in the midst of those 7 golden candlesticks judging. A Candlestick is supposed to bear light, and if it doesn't give light, If it doesn't bear light, it's useless. And here is the Lord judging. Now a Candlestick, I believe, represents to us the thought that the Church of God on earth is supposed to be his witness. It's supposed to bear light in this Dark World.
During this long, dark night.
You know, in Old Testament times if a heathen wanted to find out about the true God.
He had to go to Jerusalem or to Judaism to get it.
But if he wants, if one wants to find out the truth of God today, he's to turn to Christianity.
Suppose a case, though, of a man who takes an airplane.
China and comes across the water and lands in San Francisco.
And he makes the trek in order to find out about the true God.
And he wanders up and down the streets in San Francisco thinking, now this is a God fearing nation. This is a place where they know God. I've come here to find out about the true God and about Jesus Christ.
What do you think he would find?
If you walked up and down the streets in San Francisco as I know them, he'd probably have the feeling like Paul had when he was in Athens. I saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
You'd find the city wholly given to pleasure and to the things of this world.
But suppose he turned in and asked people about God and about the Lord Jesus. Well, he is apartment to fall into the hands of any number of cults that deny the deity of Christ and his atoning blood.
What would he find?
Confusion rampant.
Of course, now I believe if he looked to God to direct him, God would direct him to someone that could tell him about the Lord Jesus.
But just humanly speaking, he'd have a hard time in San Francisco.
Our Los Angeles either.
I suppose we mad Detroit.
But.
Here is the church represented by 7 golden candlesticks.
Now the Lord is judging and He is judging all profession. Remember that the lamps are a symbol of profession.
Could be rendered lampstands. Lamps are a symbol of profession.
Now he addresses himself to these seven churches, the seven assemblies.
And may I add awareness to that, he says. The seven assemblies which are in Asia.
Now that does not mean the continent of Asia.
That's a province in the old Roman Empire called Asia. It was one part of Asia Minor, just a province.
And there were seven assemblies there. These seven mentioned, and I believe there were others in it.
The Lord Hears singles out seven because seven is a complete number.
Scripture all was used in seven as a complete number either in good or in evil.
Now there were seven.
You know, there's seven days to one week.
Is a complete cycle and God instituted that.
Man, in his infidelity in atheism for years, has talked about a 10 day week.
But here it's 77 assemblies.
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Under Ephesus and under Smyrna, and under Pergamus, and under Thyatira. And under Sardis. And under Philadelphia and under Laodicea.
Now the reason that these seven were chosen is that in these seven assemblies at the time.
There existed conditions that the Lord wanted to use as representatives.
And they are taken in a certain order. Remember that this book is given by God.
It's God breathed and everything in it is for a purpose and we need to vow in reverence before it and seek his mind about it. Seven churches, a complete number. Our complete cycle, I believe in this case is.
The history of the Church of God on earth from the days of the Apostles.
On to the end.
And the Lord in giving us these 7 letters.
And they're addressed to us. Blessed is he that readeth, and the Lord addresses us in each of these letters.
Therefore, our learning and there are three ways we can look at these churches.
We can look at them as the state of these seven local assemblies in the province of Asia and Asia Minor, or we can look at them and see them as representing the state of an individual or 7 individuals perhaps.
Or we can look at them as progressive states in the history of the Church of God on earth.
And I believe that's the primary importance of it.
God has told us at the beginning how it would end. He's told us it's history from the beginning now, when man starts out to sell you something.
He draws up a prospectus and he uses the most glowing words that the dictionary has to tell you what a wonderful investment this is going to be and how it's going to go on and grow and increase and abound. And he never allows for a failure in his prospectus.
But God from the beginning told us what the history of the Church would be.
And he told us that failure would come in, that is, into the professing church. We must distinguish that there are two things. There is that which is real and vital, those that are connected with the Lord Jesus Christ by ties that cannot be broken. And then there is that which is a mere profession of Christianity, that is the outward thing, and in which there is real and false.
Now let's go down to the second chapter.
We'll have to hurry along and I'm not going to read it all and then go back and go over it. We save time by not doing it that way.
Under the Angel in the Church of the Church of Ephesus right now, the Angel in each of these seven churches is the responsible witness or the responsible ones in the assembly.
Its representative. And so the Lord addresses it, the Angel as the representative of the assembly.
In the city of Ephesus. Now remember Ephesus has a great part in the New Testament.
Paul was there a long time in the city of Ephesus, and he's preached the word till all in the province of Asia heard about it.
And there is a bright conversion in the beginning. They brought out their books. They sold them.
I mean, they brought out their books, they counted the value of them, and they burned them. They were works of magic.
The things that they had occupied them as pagans. They got rid of the whole thing. They didn't put them in the corner hoping that they'd have them if they ever needed them. They got rid of the whole thing. There was a real change took place in those Ephesians when they took Christ as their savior.
And then we find Paul later writes the epistle to the Ephesians, and they had gone on and grown.
Till he was able to expound unto them the highest truths that he gives anywhere to the Ephesian Saints.
Why? They made their clean break with the world. When they got saved, they were marked by it and they made they made progress.
If you want to make progress, dear young Christian, you're going to have to make a break with the world.
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Remember, you belong to Christ and this world hates Christ. You make the break though, and you're in a position to go on and make progress.
Well, the Ephesians Saints were going on well at that time, but when Paul was in prison, he says. All in the province of Asia have turned away from me.
They didn't want the reproach of being connected with an apostle who was in prison.
Now.
Second verse, I know thy works. Here's that one in those judicial robes. It's addressing the church in the city of Ephesus and if we view it.
As a representative Church of a certain period, it's that that followed the days of the apostles.
John wrote later than any of the others. He probably wrote this about the year 1896.
Somewhere in there.
Now the Lord says, I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience.
Oh, you say. What a wonderful church that was. What a wonderful assembly. I wish I could find 1 S well going on today. They had works, and they had labor, and they had patience or endurance. But, as was remarked yesterday when the Thessalonians got saved, it was a work of faith, a labor of love and a patience of hope.
Here.
You'll find.
Works, labor and patience, but no works of faith. Faith lacking, no labor of love loves lacking, and no patience of hope hopes lacking.
They were going on by Rd. after the springs had dried up. It's possible for a Christian to get cold in his soul, get away from the Lord, get out of communion, and yet go on by rope, just doing the things that he used to do. But it's a sad state to be in if one is there, because he's in danger of slipping further.
Now he says, I know that thou canst not bear them which are evil, and has tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and has found a mire.
That was commendable. Sometimes people say we shouldn't judge anything. Well, there is judgment in the House of God. Do you not judge them that are within? There is judgment that needs to be exercised in the House of God. And here they're commended for judging those that claim to be apostles but were apostasy imposters.
Nevertheless, I have the fourth verse and you notice that word somewhat is an italics. Leave the somewhat out.
Was added by the translator thinking it helped it, but it detracts from it. I have against it. I think the word somewhat there softens it.
I have against thee.
That thou hast left thy first love.
We sometimes quote that as though it said we had lost the first love. No, he says, you have left it.
What the Lord is saying to these Saints in the city of Ephesus.
You do not love me like you used to.
And the Lord feels it. Now you see a young person get converted, or an older one. Either he finds Christ as his savior and his heart just go, is all aglow.
With love to Christ.
But after a while.
Other things dimmed that glow and it gets a little cold.
Little cold and there isn't the same ardor of affection that there used to be. Well, the Lord notices it, and that is the beginning of declension. We were saying yesterday that there's probably one thing that precedes it, and that's the lack of enjoying Christ's love to us. Then the result is that our love to Him wanes and He feels. Don't ever think that he doesn't.
How he spoke to Israel about their not remembering that he loved them.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fall.
It's the Lord speaks of it in this language. It's your fault if you do not love the Lord like you used to.
Now, I'm not saying that there's always the same exuberance that there is that.
There was at the beginning. One may go on more calmly, more quietly, after he saved.
Without any loss of affection.
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One of our hymns says, yet deeper, if a calmer joy.
There is such a thing as a deeper and a calmer joy.
But you know, and I know that it is easy for us to lose the order of affection.
Well, the Lord calls it fallen.
Now this is the beginning of the downfall of the whole Church of God on earth.
Giving up first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou had fallen. Suppose a case. Suppose a man has.
Happily married, he and his wife love each other very much.
And everything goes on well for a time.
And she continues to be a good housekeeper. Have everything.
***** and span and have everything done that's required but one day, he says to her.
Well, Mabel.
You know, I I think that you don't love me like you used to.
Do you suppose the tightness of the house or the good meals that are cooked would make up for it?
Oh, I don't mean that only the wife didn't.
Have our love, Wayne. Incidentally, it's the husband that stole to love his wife.
Brother went to Mr. Potter one time and he said, Mr. Potter, will you speak to my wife and tell her that she's to be subject to me?
Mr. Potter said that. Didn't say that to you.
It says to you to love your wife.
And he cut him off with it.
Wise man.
Six verse But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans.
Which I also hate now I believe.
That the only way we'll find a clue to who the Nicolaitans were is to understand a little of the meaning of the name, and it means conquer the laity.
It's what you found in John's epistle where he says diotrophies. Who loveth to be have the preeminence?
Diatrophy was the first of that class.
But lo and behold, their name is legion to death.
They ride herd over the sheep. They treat them as though they were their flock.
Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolait. It wasn't. It wasn't a doctrine, it wasn't a practice. It was certain deeds that they were coming in here and there. Well, they hated that.
And the Lord commends them.
Now the seventh verse, he that hath ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
In everyone of these 7 letters is a word of address to the overcomer.
What is an overcomer?
One who lives for God in spite of the difficulties of the day.
One who lives for God in spite of the special obstacles of his time.
He calls them overcomers, and he says I'll give him to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Well, we know from other scriptures that this is for all the heavenly Saints, but here it is held out as a special encouragement for those that go on in first love.
In the day when coldness was rampant. And What is the tree of life?
Oh, it speaks of Christ.
The tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God.
Man may dream of paradise restored.
No, no, no. What would that be compared with? The paradise of God?
Suppose Eden could be restored that couldn't compare with the portion that awaits us for children of God.
Paradise of God.
Now we go on.
Eighth verse under the Angel of the church in Smyrna write these things set the 1St and the last.
Which was dead and is alive is the Conqueror of death.
I know thy works in tribulation and poverty parenthesis.
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And I know the blasphemy of them would say they are Jews and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan.
None of those things which thou shalt suffer.
What did the Lord do after the days of the Apostles to recall the Church to her early love?
He let the church fall into tribulation.
After the days when Christianity first blossomed.
Pagan Rome got up in arms about this new religion that was displacing the idols.
They wanted to keep idolatry as the enforced religion of the Roman Empire.
And so they started him to persecute the Christians.
You know that the story of Nero fiddling while Rome burned?
And then he blamed it on the Christians and the Roman Empire that the city of Rome had been burned. Everything was blamed on the Christians. Everything that went wrong was blamed on them.
They were the **** of all the criticism and.
Persecution after persecution followed notice here.
Fear none of those things. The 10th verse which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison.
That ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation 10 days.
There were 10 distinct separate persecutions under the Roman emperors, persecutions of Christians.
So he says, thou shalt have tribulation 10 days.
But be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Oh, how that warm would warm the hearts of those dear Saints that were passing through tribulation through persecution. We were saying yesterday that many of them went singing to the stake or to be beheaded in those days, one of the worst persecution forms of persecution the world has ever known.
Was religious persecution.
Millions of Christians in those early days were martyred for their faith in Christ.
Maybe it was quickly over. Maybe they were challenged to deny Christ one day and.
Learned at the stake the next.
Ours is more of a living, constant opposition.
That which wears the spirit down. And finally, perhaps, we are.
Inclined to give way and say what's the use?
No, brethren.
We live in this day. They lived in that day. And their Lord had a word of encouragement for them, and he has a word of encouragement for us. They were to be faithful unto death. He'd give them a crown of life.
And who was taught who was speaking?
The one who was a conqueror over death, he could say, be faithful unto death.
The one who was dead and is alive again was speaking. He came forth a mighty victor over death. Could he not offer them something beyond death then?
I will give thee a crown of life.
Notice too, we passed up the ninth verse. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty.
He says that right along. I know thy work.
You know, the Lord knows all our works too. He knows what we're doing. He's conscious of our faithfulness or our lack of it. I know thy works.
Tribulation You suffer for Christ's sake. He knows all about it.
He's the one that knows and he's going to reward it to every bit of it.
And poverty? Oh, they were poor.
These were like those we read of in Hebrews 10. They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods.
But he says, thou art rich. The world saw them as poor. They lost everything through faithfulness to Christ. But he says, you're rich.
All they had riches that the world couldn't touch.
Now the 11 verse. He that hath here, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh shall not be heard of the second death.
Or he might he might suffer the first death for faithfulness to Christ. But that second death, that separation of man, body, soul, and spirit from God for all eternity, he'll never touch them.
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Now the third.
And to the Angel of the church in Pergamos write these things, saith he which hath a sharp sword with two edges.
The way the Lord addresses each church is indicative of what you find there.
He writes to encourage them.
Previous church here he writes because he's going to challenge them.
These things, says he, which hath the sharp sword with two edges. I know thy works.
Where thou dwellest, even where Satan seated.
All he knew all about them. And he knew the troubles they were having too, for they dwelt where Satan's throne was. Where was that?
World. What kind of a world? Pagan world. Now? Yes, a Pagan world. Christianized.
This period of the Church history begins with Constantine about 313.
Constantine thought it would be a wonderful stroke, a master stroke.
To gain the power of the Roman Empire, so he took the cross as his banner.
And he went forth and conquered under the name of the cross.
It was just a masterstroke of politics.
But what happened as soon as Constantine comes to the throne?
As soon as he gets the full power of the Roman Empire behind him, he puts down.
Idolatry and raises Christianity. Oh, he makes Christianity the official.
Religion of the world of the Roman Empire.
You say? Wasn't that a good thing? No, That was where Satan's seat was.
It was paganism. Christianized. He took the Pagan feasts.
And he gave them Christian names. He let them go on with all their Pagan ****** and put the name of Christ on it.
Incidentally.
One of the worst feasts in the calendar through Pagan feast on the calendar was what Christenham calls Christmas.
Oh, he just turned it around and made it a Christian festival.
That's what Constantine did with the whole thing. He just switched it around.
I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seed is. This was the day for the Christians to be wary.
This was the Christian day when Christians were honored in the previous church and the previous period of the Church's history.
The leaders of the church were indulgent. They were in hideouts, They were in forests, They were the scouring of all things. Constantine comes to the throne and makes Christianity the religion of the empire, and they're called in. Now they come out of their hiding.
Their their sought after.
And.
There brought him to the court.
Yes, they're giving a place of honor.
If there is anything that will pull the Christian down, it's to have the world patronizing, to have the world flattering. Well, that's what happened. And and Satan tried to crush Christianity in the days of in the days of Smyrna, he tried to crush it through Roman Empire opposition, but it didn't work. The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.
And what was there was real. It was sincere. A man didn't join the Christian group in those days if he wasn't sincere because he didn't want a court death.
But if he really didn't mind it, he came out boldly for Christ.
But as soon as it became popular to be a Christian, then they all got in on it. In fact, Constantine offered a certain sum of money in a white robe to everyone that would be baptized. He made Christians in a hurry. He paid them to be Christians.
Oh, that was the downfall of the church.
313 adapt is the date if memory serves me right.
And you know that all the time that Constantine reigned over the Roman Empire.
He assumed the authority over the church. When the officials, the great men in the Church of God on earth at that time, would come together to discuss something, they, Constantine, would appear and they'd all have to stand up and wait till he'd be seated before they could sit down. And all the time he was the high priest of the heathen too.
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Water mixture. And that's the very kind of thing that's being advocated in ecumenicalism today.
I read an article.
I read a book rather I reviewed a book.
A scurrilous attack on dispensationalism called the backgrounds to dispensationalism.
And this author says, let us forsake this idea that the Church is in the world, but not of it. Now what did the Lord himself say in the 17th of John?
I pray not for the world, but for them whom now has given me out of the world, he says. You're not of it.
Oh, he says not. I don't pray to take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil. The Church of God was to be in but not of the world. This man, a Christian minister, boldly says let's forsake the idea of in but not of, and join in the whole big movement to improve the world.
We have to be make a church that's relevant to the space age, or the church has no mission here.
Oh, this is nothing in the world but another attempt to go back to the days of Pergamus.
Now we go down.
14th verse I have a few things against thee, that thou hast them there, that hold the doctrine of Balaam.
Who taught Balak to cast the stumbling block before the children of Israel, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and took them at fornication?
That's in a spiritual sense here, but Balak did that.
He not only attacked them, he not only prophesied against them.
But when God wouldn't let his prophecies avail anything, he taught the Balaam, taught the king Balak how to pull them down. He says Go and mingle with them, intermarry with them, get them to your feet. That's the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast this narrow before the children of Israel. And so he pulled them down through his wild when God wouldn't let him attack them.
And that's the thing that's being proposed today in the end of Christianity on the earth.
Now go down 15 verse. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaus.
It's not now only a few deeds, isolated deeds, but it has become a doctrine.
1St it's the deeds and then a doctrine is formed to support this. Support the deeds.
Repent, or I will come unto thee quickly, and I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna. That's Christ in hidden away glory. I will give to eat of a hidden man, and I will give him a whitestone.
And in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.
In the days of Pergamus.
There was quiet, had to be quiet going on in communion.
It couldn't be. It couldn't be outward. Now everything is. A whole outward thing was mixed up with the world. As the poet said, I looked for the world and I found it in the church.
I look for the church and I found it in the world. You couldn't tell one from the other. They were so mixed up together.
But then if one went on faithful to Christ in seclusion, always says, I'll give him a white stone, and in that stone a new name written that no one will know but the one that receives it, it's going to be some special active favor of the Lord, and he's going to recompense the faithfulness.
Is going to recommend.
We going on down to the 18th verse, and under the Angel of the church in Thyatira, right these things saith the Son of God, who hath eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass. I know thy works in charity and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and the last, to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman. Jezebel.
Is already named Balaam. Now he mentions Jezebel, the most wicked woman in the Old Testament, as a sample of something woman, Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols.
Here is a system now he calls by the name of Jezebel.
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What could that be?
Does this mean anything?
Calleth herself a Providence, and she teaches.
There is one organization on Earth that claims the right to teach.
Now remember that according to Scripture, the Church is taught. It doesn't teach.
But here's an organization represented by a most wicked woman of the Old Testament, Jezebel, and she attempts to teach the church teaches. Oh, how well we hear those claims today, and they're growing. They're getting more bold all the time.
Jezebel here.
I say it with caution.
With reservations.
With Jezebel, here is that thing that dominated the church.
After.
A certain period of time, that is, after the Pergamus period, there came a period in which the Church of Rome became the dominating factor.
And that went on from about the 6th century to about the 16th century, almost 1000 years of church history in which Rome dominated everything.
I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented. Not now. That's a principle with God that he always warns and gives face to repent.
But she wouldn't repent.
All I will cast her into a bed. So on.
24th Verse on the you I say, leave out and unto unto you I say thee rest in Thyatira, As many as have not known this doctrine.
And which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden.
All there were some in those days that were in that.
That sphere, that we're still faithful.
That still were true to God, he says. I'll put upon you no other burden. Hold fast what you have.
25th verse But that would she have already hold fast till I come. Now a Thyatira, this church has this word from the Lord to it hold fast till I come, and that's the first time that he mentions his coming. In other words, this organization or this sphere in which Rome dominates.
This thing is to go on unto the end till the Lord comes.
Let's go down to the next chapter, and under the Angel of the church and Sardis right these things hath he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know thy works, that thou hast the name that thou livest and are dead. What followed the Thyatira period, the Reformation?
The Reformation, now the Reformers, Martin Luther and the others, did not intend to leave the Church of Rome. They set out, as the name implies, merely to reform it, to correct its abuses, to improve it. But Rome wouldn't have it, and they were forced out. They were excommunicated.
Now what happened? Oh, we all know the history if we don't know the history of the Reformation.
We better read it.
What terrible bloodshedding there was in order that the truth of God might be maintained.
And what came out of the Reformation? The Bible and the language of the people. The Bible had been kept out of the hands of the people. The word of God was held back. The great thing that came out of the Reformation was the open Bible.
Truth of justification by faith.
Now that came out of the Reformation.
But what has happened to come out of the Reformation since then? Has it all gone on brightly, as when Martin Luther stood firm and fast against obstacles almost insurmountable?
Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Now I think that in this Sardis, we have brought before us a period following the Reformation, that which came out of the Reformation represented by the state churches.
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There are still many countries that have state churches.
England has. Scandinavian countries have.
Various countries have state churches. They came out of the Reformation. And you know what the reference at the before the Reformation, the Church of Rome ruled over the governor, the Princess over the king.
But with the Reformation, the reformers nestled down under the wing of the government, it was reversed.
But he says, I know thy works, that thou hast the name, that thou art livest and are dead.
It's possible to have call, formality, and no heart for Christ.
And there is a growing desire today.
For ritualism.
I saw a letter written by one man who had young man in the States who had been in the army.
And he returned back home after a couple of years to his local church.
And he said I found it just filled with ritualism. When I left it, there was none of it.
Or they want ritualism. Well, why not?
If the reality of faith in Christ and the saved by the precious Blood of Christ is gone.
Let's have a church anyway, but then we'll have to introduce ritualism. We'll have to have form and ceremony pumped and all that goes with it to make up for the vitals that have been thrown out the window.
I don't think I'm extravagant, my friends.
Because I know where I speak.
Think of one of the leaders in Christendom today saying the precious name of Jesus, the precious blood of Christ coming under the blood, and things like that have no meaning today.
And he's not an obscure man either. He's one of the leaders, one of the leaders of ecumenicalism. Well, if the if the precious blood of Christ and salvation by blood and the name and precious name of Jesus have no meaning, all right, bring in ceremony and form.
The empty ceremonies will take the place for some people, but they won't satisfy God now, he says.
Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Thou hast the name that thou lives. Oh yes, the open Bible is still here, although that's being corrupted every day.
Every few months we get a new translation and everyone gets worse than the one before it. The new English Bible is just off the press. Recently is the worst yet.
And I know what I'm speaking about.
I reviewed it.
Fourth verse Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
Don't forget that God has these people here and there all over in Christmas.
And he knows everyone of them, and he knows them by name. And the Lord is going to reward each one for his faithfulness.
According to his life.
Let's not forget that the Lord's people are in all parts of the world and in all things except the apostate cults.
I don't say they should be there. Now, that isn't the point.
They are. They're there. The Lord knows them.
He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white. Raiment. Oh, that's different too, the mixture that's found there, And they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
Previous verse while we go down seventh verse under the Angel in the church in Philadelphia, write these things that he that is holy and he that is true.
Notice how this one, who judges in this midst of the Candlestick addresses the church in Philadelphia. He that is holy and he that is true.
The greater the light, the nearer to Christ.
The more the holiness of His person is insisted upon.
The Lord said to Israel, you know, or to the man with the destroying weapon in his hand when he saw the idolatries in the House of God in Jerusalem. He says go in and slay them and begin at my house. The Book of Revelation is a book of judgment, and judgment begins at the House of God. That's what we have in Revelation 2 and three. And here we find that there are some here. This is another period of time following the Reformation.
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He that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth.
And shutteth, and no man openeth I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee and opened.
Door, and no man can shut it, for thou hast leave out the a here thou hast little strength.
And has not denied my name.
Kept my word and not denied my name. Three things that go together. Liberal strength. Keeping his word, not denying his name. Now doesn't this take you back to Malachi 316?
Oh, remember how Malachi 316 begins with the word? Then then what? What then? Why then, when the proud were called Happy Day that attempt God were set up as models to be copied when everything was at its blackest in Israel's history. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, the Lord hearkened and heard it. Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and had thought upon his name.
The Lord, His name, His word. Oh, here it is at the closing of this day, at the close of the Church's history.
The Lord still has a path, and he still has a place.
Now lest anyone that say that I misrepresenting things, let me make this statement.
I am not claiming to be Philadelphia.
But the characteristics of Philadelphia are little strength.
Keeping his word and not denying his name. Not our name. Not denying his name, the name of Christ.
Do we answer to that, brethren?
All to be Philadelphian in spirit, to be Philadelphian in heart. But there is such a thing that the Lord has revived a certain amount of truth. We were speaking about it day before yesterday that the Lord did revive the truth of the Lord's coming that was lost for centuries, never mentioned. Over 1000 years, 1500 or more years in Church history, the Lord revived the truth of His coming, the heavenly calling of the Church.
Reminded us again that we were in, but not of the world, and now there's an attempt to overthrow all that was recovered.
But thank God, it will go on to the end. In each of these last four churches, it speaks of something of the Lord's coming, so they go down to the end.
I have set before thee an open door.
With the NCC, officials could stop it.
They would close such avenues.
I mean, the National Council of Churches let's anybody misunderstand me.
The whole I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Always, as you may be, despised and little thought of now.
But I'm going to publicly acknowledge you another day. I'm going to have them know that I loved you.
And then I was in accord with your stand, even though you were faithful, even though you were had little strength.
Thought little brother knew, we crave the Lord's approval.
Are we willing to go on in a little path, you say? Oh, we're so weak.
Only a few is where I come from.
Only a handbook.
Didn't the Lord say I know that you have little strength.
Doesn't he not?
Well, go on faithfully anyway. He's going to repay it. He's going to reward it.
But remember that the one to whom were gathered is represented here as holy and true.
Let's not forget it, brethren. There is a danger in these days of falling.
Rapidly falling morality that we're apartment to think lightly of moral sin. We're apartment to think well, it isn't so serious.
Things do not need to be judged and put away.
Condition in the world and the thoughts of man have nothing to do with the Church of God.
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He that is holy and he that is true, let us keep that in mind.
Now he says, because thou hast kept the word of my patience. Oh Christ is waiting.
He's waiting there. He seated in God's right hand until his enemies are made his foot. To thou God said to him, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. He's waiting, he says. You've kept the word of my patience. Are you waiting and patience for him? You say it's a long wait. Well, go on. A little more patience, a little more endurance.
Because I has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, or the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try them to dwell on the earth.
Now I want to call your attention to the language of this verse. I will keep thee from the hour of temptation.
Argue about Greek till they're blue in the face trying to prove that the church has to go through the coming great tribulation.
But here it's plain and unmistakable. I'm going to keep you out of the hour of it.
Jacob is going to be saved through it. The remnant of Israel will be saved through the great tribulation.
But here he says to the church, I will keep thee from the hour of it, the very time in which it will take place.
This is absolutely conclusive as well as many other scriptures.
Church of God will not go through the tribulation. We are not waiting for the tribulation, we are waiting for the Lord to come and that may happen today.
The big thing for us to remember is that we're gathered to him that is holy, and him that is true.
And to walk accordingly and faithfully until that moment.
Now then, the last.
14th verse.
Under the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, write these things set the all men, the faithful and true witness. Notice that the Lord represents himself as a faithful and true witness. Here, in contrast to what the Church of God has been in her responsibility. In her responsibility, she's been an unfaithful witness, he says. I'm the faithful and true witness.
The beginning of the creation of God. The creation of God is new creation.
The first one that rose from the dead.
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou Wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
What's the characteristic of the last stage of Christianism Lukewarm.
Indifference.
You can say anything you want in many places of Christians to say about the name of Christ, about the person of Christ, about the blood of Christ, and go on as a good fellow member indifference to Christ.
But don't say anything about ecumenicalism or out you go.
Some of the biggest places.
All lukewarm.
The Lord says, I Would thou Wert colder or hot? So then, because thou art Luke, warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Is that the end of Christendom? Yes, in its responsibility and its outward profession.
Is going to spew the whole profession out of his mouth. But first he's going to come and take the Christians home. But the whole great conglomerate is going to be spewed out of his mouth as something nauseous to him. That's coming. But there is not far off and iniquities rising to new heights every day. Lukewarmness is characteristic of the day rather than remember.
Philadelphia is not gone, but Laodicea is here, and we're all more or less influenced by the things that are around us. We're apartment to be influenced by the lukewarmness of the day.
We always seem to get the backwash from these things.
Rather than let us do what may we desire to go on.
In freshness of first love, faithfulness to Christ, falling fast His word and not denying His name, waiting for him to take us out. And how about these others?
Because thou sayest I am rich.
And increased with goods.
And in need of nothing. If you want to read, if you want to see something about that.
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Read the account that was given to the Assembly of the National Council of Churches just a year ago in San Francisco, or almost a year ago.
And they told about the increase in numbers, the increase in giving, the increase in church buildings.
Everything was up and up and up.
I am rich and increased with goods, and of need of nothing, and when they get the Grand Ecumenical Church going.
They will boast it better than ever, nothing to stop them.
What? The Lord is going to spew the whole thing out of his mouth?
That's the end of the professing church on earth, Christ's utter rejection of it. The thing is obnoxious to it. Think of indifference to Christ. Think of tolerating blasphemers in the pulpits. Think of tolerating men to deny the virgin birth, the inspiration of Scripture.
And yet everything go on together. All is well. Hail fellow well, men.
Build a bigger organization, get more collections, send out more missionaries to teach more heathen about the apostate church.
Tell the mall about modernism.
Oh, that's what's here.
I counseled. Notice this 18th verse. I counseled thee to buy of me gold. Try it in the fire. Gold is divine righteousness. They don't have it.
This is the thing at large in the main.
That thou may us be rich and white, raiment to righteousness.
The kind that the church, the bride will be arranged.
That thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear to be unclothed, is to be devoid of Christ.
And anoint Dinah and thine eyes have to anoint. Thine eyes with it should read. They don't have anything to see with. They need to get that from Christ in order to see.
As many as I loathe, I rebuke and chase, and be zealous therefore, and repent. Now notice in this 20th verse, Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
At the close of these addresses to the seven churches, the Lord takes the place on the outside of it all, he says. I'm on the outside and I'm knocking.
And he doesn't say I want to get into that cold, lifeless, lukewarm thing either. He says if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will Sup with him and he with me. He says that there's an individual in that that wants personal communion. I'll I'll give it to it. I'll come into him, not into Laodicea, not into the lukewarm mess today.
No, it's a call to individuals in it.
There are a few with whom he may have personal communion.
When all brethren who wants to be in a mass of lukewarmness.
How long can something red hot stay in the midst of something cool?
Won't it all be cool too before long?
Doesn't attend that way.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am sat down it with my father and his job. He's reached the end of the goal. He's seated at God's right hand. He says, Oh, if you best be faithful, I'll give you a place with me on my throat.
Brethren, there is warning in this chapter. In these two chapters. There is instruction in these two chapters, and there is encouragement too. Let us go on. Let us seek to maintain warmth of affection to our Blessed Lord, faithfulness to His name, true to His word, and going on in faithfulness to that blessed moment.
It looks like I went a long time overtime, but I see the card said we could go to 5:00, so.
I don't need to apologize.
Some brother of him.
22 in the appendix.
Thou holy one and true are hearts, and thee confide, and in the circle of thy love as brethren, we abide.
Teaches that name to own while waiting, Lord, for thee unholiness and sin to shun from all untruth to flee.
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22 in the abandoned.
Moral Content of the 10 Commandments
Address—C.H. Brown
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
2/19.
For I through the law, I am dead to the law, that I might live under God.
In the third chapter.
And the tenth verse.
As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.
For it is written Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Lord, and do them.
But that no man is justified by the law and the sight of God, it is evident.
Just shall live by faith, and the law is not of faith. 7th of Romans.
14-6 enrollments.
And the 14th verse.
For sin shall not have dominion over you.
Or you are not under law, but under grace.
14th verse of the next chapter, Chapter 7.
Remind read the 12Th verse, Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Was then that which is good made death unto me? Far be the thought, but sin it might appear sin working death in me, but that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. But we know that the law is spiritual, But I am carnal, sold under sin.
Now the reason I read these verses is.
Because in taking up the subject of the 10 commandments, there might be a tendency on the part of some.
To think that I was taking them up in a legal way.
As though I had in mind to put anyone on.
Law if there's anyone thing clear.
In the Word of God, it is that in Christianity we are not under law in any form whatsoever.
Where? Under grace, poor, pure, unadulterated race.
But if we turn over to the 20th chapter of Exodus, we'll find ourselves.
In the presence of the August law, the 10 words.
Solemn words that came from Sinai.
Our thought is to trace these 10 words.
As we find.
Their corollary?
In the New Testament.
Or in Christianity.
There are 10 commandments, 8 of them are negative.
Two of them are positive.
Nine of them are moral. One of them is ceremonial.
God's nature never changes.
So we can expect any of them.
That are moral in character to have their replica somewhere in Christianity and so they do as we'll see.
The first one we find in the third verse of the 20th chapter of Exodus.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
That stands at the head of the list.
That's fundamental.
You can't have Christianity. In fact, you can't have Judaism either on any other basis. They also have no other gods before me.
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Now let's turn to 1St Corinthians 8th chapter.
First Prince in Zeit.
The end of verse 4.
There is.
None other God but one.
This is Christianity now. Not the Law, Moses, but Christianity.
For those there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth.
As there be God's many and large many.
That is according to man's thoughts.
But to us there is but one God.
The Father.
Of whom are all things, and we for him and one Lord, comma, 1 Lord comma Jesus Christ.
By whom are all things? And we by him?
Now that is the standard of Christianity. There is one God.
When the Jehovah Witness comes around to your door and challenges you on that.
You can just give him that verse and say no.
We own but one God.
Or that one God may be pleased to present himself.
In one of three persons, but there is only one God.
So here he's presented as the Father, one God, the Father.
And then he's presented as one Lord Jesus Christ.
You remember Thomas was asking the Lord to show us the Father.
He said. Why have I been so long time with you?
And yet, saith thou, showest the father, Perhaps you better eat in the 14th of.
Of John.
Philip I was mistaken. It's Phillip eighth verse, John 14 Philip saith unto the Lord, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you yet hast thou not knowing me, Philip?
He that has seen me hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou? Then show us the Father.
Believe this thou not, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself. But the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Now John's first epistle.
In the last chapter.
On the 20th verse.
We know the Son of God has come and have given us an understanding that we may know him that is true.
And we're in him. That is true even in his Son, Jesus Christ.
This is the true garden.
Eternal life.
Oh, how clean cut clear are these pronouncements? Jesus is God.
Yes, in Christianity we know but one God.
Sometimes He's manifested as the Spirit, Sometimes He's manifested as the Father. Sometimes He's manifested as the Son.
But there is but one God.
So we find ourselves in Hardy accord in Christianity, with the first of the solemn 10 words that were given to Moses.
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We haven't taken anything away from them at all. There they stand, just as solid and majestic as there.
Well, going back to the 20th of Exodus.
We'll take the 2nd commandment now.
Fourth verse, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath.
Or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I, the Lord thy God, of a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, under the third and 4th generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy under thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
In First Corinthians, let's turn to it, the 10th chapter.
And the 14th verse.
Wherefore.
My dearly beloved.
Flee from idolatry.
Now that word idolatry means worshipping idols 7th works of that same chapter.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Flee from idolatry.
We're living.
It appeared that is readying itself for the man of sin.
The world is going to plunge into the most awful idolatry that it has ever known.
That will be true of the Jewish nation. There will be 7 times as deeply involved in idolatry as they've ever been.
And the rest of the word world will follow right along.
You can see signs about you that the world's getting ready for this.
One of us ever struck you as you go through a dime store?
Department store. Any kind of a store today.
The vast increase in the number of figurines, statuettes that are on sale.
In every home you find them.
Up in Sierra matter, where we're staying at present, I noticed that in one of the store windows.
They're not only selling statuettes and figurines, but I find they're actually selling.
Exact replicas of heathen idols.
You can buy one.
It's an exact copy.
All this is moving in the direction of having all the material ready.
When man gets to that place where he's cast off the knowledge of the true God.
You fall down and worship an image.
And we mustn't think that when he does that, that is just a harmless little piece of burnt clay that he's worshipping.
For behind every heathen idol is a demon. It's really demon worship is what it is.
So we find in the passages that we've read here in the 10th chapter First Corinthians, A solemn warning to flee idolatry. Run away from, Don't tamper with it. Run away from.
So Christianity has no quarrel with the second commandment.
In the 10th.
We find it repeated as one of the exhortations given to us.
We're now back to the 20th chapter of Exodus.
This time I read the seventh verse.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Are keeping this 20th chapter in hand, let's turn over to the book of James the 2nd, the 5th chapter.
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James 5.
And the 12Th words.
Games 512.
But above all things, my brethren swear not.
Neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath.
Bud, let your yay be yeah and your nay nay.
Lest you fall into condemnation.
Christianity has no quarrel.
With the Law of Moses on that point, does it?
Swear. Not at all.
It's an odd thing, that.
Some of the religions about us that profess to be Christian.
Have in their membership millions of people that readily take the name of God and Christ in vain. It seems to be part of their religion to do it. It's characteristic of them.
But I'm talking to those with more light, more knowledge.
I do not believe there is anyone in this room that takes the name of God or of Christ or the Holy Spirit in vain.
No, I do not believe it.
But notice that James in that exhortation.
He goes beyond that.
My brethren, swear not neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by any other oath, but let's your yeah be yeah, and your nay, nay, plus to fall into condemnay.
I wonder how many of us here complete innocent now.
As we face that exhortation of James.
If you were to look in Websters dictionary.
Under the word oath.
You'll find there, another word suggested.
It's called Minced Hose.
Look it up if you care to.
Webster's dictionary takes cognizance of the fact that there's a polite way to swear, a polite way to use profanity.
And it's a grievous thing when you find Christians.
Falling into that habit.
I went into a meeting.
A few years ago now, maybe 5-6 years ago.
And the brother was very, very kind to me. He had only been recently gathered.
He's very kind and taking him out in his car.
But I was distressed at this dear man's conversation.
It was interspersed over and over again with mint stoves.
So I took an opportunity to speak with him about it. I said, Brother, I've been in the meeting a long time and I've never in my life been in company.
With anyone that talked as loosely as you do in your everyday conversation.
He took what I said very nicely. He thanked me for it and I visited him not over a year ago in his home.
I didn't hear one syllable of that kind of thing from it.
I have a little pamphlet here with me. It's called Mint Stoves. It's put out by the good news publishers.
Wells St. in Chicago.
Thought perhaps you'd bear with me if I read one paragraph from it.
The commonly used interjection is G.
It is capitalized in Webster's New International Dictionary and given this definition.
A form of Jesus used in minced holes.
Two common words and their definition are these quote, golly, A euphemism for God used in mint stoves. Gosh, a substitute for God, used in mint stoves. Darn, darned are said to be colloquial euphemisms for dam and damned. Persons who allow their lips to utter gosh darn quite freely would be shocked if they realized.
00:20:10
The real meaning of the word.
To gain the victory in this matter of full obedience to our Lord Jesus, we need to make the prayer of David our daily petition. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
I think of you young people especially.
Form clean habits of speech while you're young.
When you're young is the time.
To form your habits of speech.
Never allow anything of this kind to creep in to your utterances.
Guard your heart.
There's no excuse for it.
We're warned in the word of God, a bottle all. Let us keep our speech in the home, in the factory, in the shop, on the street. Let us keep it chased and pure, such as may stand the examination at the judgment seat of Christ.
Back to the 20th of Exodus.
Now we're ready for the 4th commandment.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
Now I'll have to confess that I'm absolutely unable to produce you.
Anything that answers to that commandment in Christianity.
Here's where I have to say it just isn't there. It isn't to be found. Remember the Sabbath day? That's the 7th day to keep it holy.
If you'll search through your New Testament.
I think you'll find that after you get through the historical part of it.
The Gospels and the Acts.
That you'll only find the word Sabbath spoken of once, and there it's to condemn it.
That is for the Christian.
No, we're delivered from that sort of thing.
I believe it's Colossians.
Try that anyhow.
The license 2.
And 16.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of unholy day.
Or the new moon.
Or the Sabbath days. Now, as far as I know, at the present moment, that's the only place you can find that anywhere in the epistles, which are a shadow of things to come.
But the body is of Christ a shadow.
But the body is of Christ.
Well, who wants to play with the shadow when we have the reality?
No, there's no 7th day of rest in Christianity.
What's more, let's put it this way.
There's no Sabbath in Christianity.
We can't say well we changed the Sabbath.
If you want to play into the hands.
There was that many Adventists.
Who tries to talk to you?
Just tell him that the Sabbath was changed.
And you've just practically surrendered to it. You've just given yourself over to him. He has you now.
He can show you all through the word of God that the Sabbath was the 7th day.
And you try to tell him that it was changed. Well, you'll have to show him from scripture where it was ever changed.
And that's an impossible task.
Nor will have to wait for our Sabbath brethren. Now if you turn to the 4th chapter of Hebrews.
We find something about that.
Hebrews 4.
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Third verse.
For we which have believed to enter into rest as he said.
Ninth verse.
There remain is therefore a rest to the people of God.
11Th verse.
Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Now in all three of those scriptures.
The rest is presented as something that is still future, it still lies ahead and it's that to which we're moving on the rest at the end of the journey.
No promise of arrest here.
It's true that we do get rest of conscience. Come unto me all the labor and are heavy laden and I'll give you a rest. Rest of conscience, yes.
But as far as finding a Sabbath day when we cease to work?
Fold our hands. No, we don't find it in Christianity.
Some of you brothers that are so faithful in going out with the gospel on the Lord's day.
Maybe going down on the street or going out with tracks or visiting hospitals.
And institutions passing out the word and speaking to souls.
I'll dare say that many.
A Lord's Day Evening.
As came, time for you to go to rest.
He said. I'm so weary I can hardly wait to get into bed.
That was the hardest day of the seven that day.
He worked harder that day than he did any day of the whole week.
Well, that's all right. That's Christianity. There's no Sabbath in Christianity. Our Sabbath lies at the end of the journey.
To me, it's sad that we who have been taken out from under this ceremonial law, this is the one commandment that's ceremonial in the 10.
We that have been delivered from it completely.
That we take advantage of our liberty and so often use that day for self.
I believe it's a mistake.
You know what is called in Scripture? It's called the first day of the week.
And it's called the Lord's Day.
And where you get the name of it given in the first chapter of Revelation, the Lord's Day, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.
The word that's used there.
Is a Greek word that.
Perhaps we can translate it like this. I was in the spirit on the lordly day or the dominical day.
I was in the spirit on the lordly day or the dominical day. Now if we go back to the 11Th chapter of First Corinthians, we'll find this.
This is not to eat the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper. Now the word, the Greek word that used there to describe the supper, is exactly the same Greek word that's used there in the first chapter of Revelation to describe the day.
Not only is this significant, but these are the only two places.
In the whole of the Greek New Testament where that word is used.
So there must be a connection between the Day and the Supper, the Lord's Supper and the Lord's day, the Lordly Day, the Dominical Day, the lordly Supper of the Dominical Supper, that that connects itself with the Lordship of Christ.
When we come to the history of the first day of the week.
We find that our Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead on the first day of the week.
We find that He appeared among the disciples on the first day of the week.
We find that he appeared the second time among the disciples on the first day of the week.
We find that the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost and baptized all believers into one body to form the Church of God on the first day of the week.
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Then we find that the disciples.
Came together on the first day of the week to remember the Lord.
We find that the Apostle Paul told the Church of God on the first day of the week.
To lay by them in store so that there would be no.
Special gathering together money when he arrived, they were to take care of that on the first day of the week.
All these scriptures go to show us.
Christianity the first day of the week completely displaces the Jewish Sabbath.
It displaces it not that Christianity is going to present.
A substitute Sabbath. That isn't it.
How? How wrong it would be? How inconsistent it would be for us as Christians.
To observe the Sabbath when our blessed Lord was under the power of death in the grave.
All during the whole 24 hours of that Sabbath.
How inconsistent. Really absurd.
But oh, how glorious when we can come together on the first day of the week and think of our Blessed Lord coming forth from the tomb, see him victorious, and then witness the stone rolled away afterwards to let people look in and see the empty tomb.
Messengers from heaven witnessing he is not here.
Come see the place where the Lord lay, not where he lies.
Oh, wonderful testimony the first day of the week.
The Victory Day.
Oh, how sweet and precious brethren to have that day.
When we can give him his place.
And I believe the day belongs to him.
I want to say something to you young folks here today.
You know, I'm surprised as I go around among the Saints to find our young people.
Taking the Lord's day. Now get that expression. The Lord's day it belongs to him.
Taking that day for their ordinary tasks.
Oh, you say? I wouldn't think of getting out and cutting the lawn on Sunday. I wouldn't think of it.
Maybe someone else says, well, I wouldn't think of doing my washing on Sunday.
No, maybe not.
Well, listen, what about you young folks with your with your schoolwork?
What about the hours that some of you spend taking the Lord's day?
To ponder over your books and get your lessons.
Now that is absolutely not necessary.
If you'll pardon a personal reference.
In all the years that I spent in the school room, either as a student or a teacher, after I was saved.
By the grace of God, I don't remember one hour.
That I ever took of the Lord's Day in getting lessons or preparing lessons.
It just is not necessary if we're going to make the large things first.
It is not.
Well, you see, if I don't do it, I can't be valedictorian.
Maybe the Lord doesn't want you to be valedictorian or salutatorian.
No, I certainly wasn't either.
But I believe you'll be happier in your soul.
You wet. Think it over the Lord's day.
Well, let's go back to the 20th of.
Accidents again?
The 12Th verse, 5th Commandment Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
I will find if you want to turn to the 6th of Ephesians.
You'll find that commandment is quoted.
Word for word.
Ephesians 6, verse two I.
Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment, with promise that it may be well with thee. Thou mayest live long on the earth.
It's quoted here in this application to children, but the very fact that it occurs as the 5th commandment in the 10 Commandments shows that it has a much wider application than just to the little children or the children underage. It shows that it has an application to those in the respective position of children and parents, whether the children are old or young.
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Honor thy father and thy mother. So Christianity has no quarrel with that commandment.
It's taken over and given this as that exhortation.
Well then, in the 13th verse.
We have the 6th command, Thou shalt not kill.
Well now to go to first Peter the 4th chapter.
And the 14th verse.
If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you?
For the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evildoer, or a busy body in other man's matters.
Let none of you suffer as a murderer.
So we have no excuse to differ with the solemn 10 commandments on that point either. Murder has no place in Christianity. It's definitely stated right there.
And going back to our chapter.
We come to the 7th commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Now let's go to Hebrews 13.
Hebrews 13 verse 4.
We'll read this as it reads in Mr. Darby's translation.
It's the harder they've let marriage.
Be honorable in all and the bed undefiled, but ************ and adulterers God will judge.
Now let's also look at First Corinthians 6.
1St Corinthians 6.
And verse 9.
No, you're not That the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Be not deceived.
Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves of mankind.
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God, and such.
Were some of you? But you're washed, but you're sanctified, but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
All those are wonderful verses, brethren.
Some of those Corinthian Saints to whom Paul was writing.
Had been in that class of evil doers. Not all of them, but some of them had.
But they were washed in that wonderful that there is that precious, blessed cleansing in Christianity.
That makes us clean, in spite of all the wretchedness that may have characterized us in days gone by.
You're sanctified, set apart for God.
You're justified.
Count it as if we'd never been guilty.
Oh, pardon my repeating it again, but I've enjoyed it so much.
No little girl, you know that.
Was to define justification. What does justified mean? She said. Just as if I'd never done it. And that sweep. Just as if I'd never done it. That's what justification is. God looks at you as though you'd never been guilty. Justify in the name of the Lord Jesus. Now notice the whole Trinity are occupied here in this matter.
00:40:23
In the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit.
Of our God. The whole Trinity is occupied in taking a character like that and making them fit for heaven.
But let us never minimize what God's word says about moral impurity.
************ and adulterers, God will judge.
We're living in the last days.
We're just at the end.
And there's a general breakdown all along the line.
All some of us that are older.
How we have seen it in our lifetime.
The standards today.
Are vastly lower than they were when some of us were growing up in our young days.
But you, who are of the present young generation?
You think that the viledness and corruption that abounds all around us today?
Has perhaps always been the accepted pattern of things.
I can't blame you for thinking it.
Because you didn't live in the older days, but it was not true.
I'm not saying that these things did not occur. Don't misunderstand me.
But further did occur. There was a measure of public opinion that condemned them. They were looked at as disgraceful.
But now they're paraded almost as badges of honor in the day in which we live.
The outlook has changed on these things.
So that a man can go on and live this kind of a life and still have a measure of acceptability among so-called respectable people.
But God's standards have not changed in the slightest. ************ and adulterers, God will judge.
Brethren, let's not let down the bars, not for a moment. It's going to be more and more difficult to adhere to the standards of Scripture.
What we must do We cannot afford to sacrifice 1 little bit of God's standard of holiness. God has spoken and He speaks in the dignity and authority of a God that knows the end from the beginning.
And he wants that you and I shall flee from these things.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Now the 8th commandment back to Exodus 20.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not steal.
Well, let's turn to Ephesians, the 4th chapter.
Ephesians 4, verse 28.
Let him that stole steal no more.
But rather let him labor working with his hands, the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that need it.
Stealing.
Is contrary to the mind of God, whether it's in Judaism or whether it's in Christianity.
The Ephesians.
Received the highest truth that God gave to any assembly.
It must have been that there was a condition there that qualified them to receive that high revelation.
And yet after having taken them into the.
Heaven of heavens and seated them in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
00:45:00
God has to come down and to the carnal level.
Of the everyday life and say let him that stole steal no more.
Thievery.
Is outlawed in Christianity. It's condemned.
The law stopped there. It said, Thou shalt not steal. But Christianity doesn't stop there.
Rather let him labor working with his hands, the thing which is good. Now let's get that the thing that is good.
Just because you're working and making an honest living.
Doesn't itself clear you?
Are we working at something that has God's approval?
We had a dear brother and the meeting is going to be with the Lord now.
Back in the part of the country where I live.
Money was converted. He was a bartender.
He was not a drinking man, but he made his living tending bar.
I don't know that he had any trade.
What's he to do? Is he to go on handing bar?
No, nor did he.
Because he's not working the thing that's good.
He's working at something that would not stand the test of the judgment seat of Christ.
So he gave it up, and God found him some employment in a certain factory where he was able to provide for his wife as long as he lived.
Working the thing, that's good.
But it doesn't stop there that he may have to give to him that needed.
We don't steal. That's negative. We work with our hands. The thing that's good. What for? So that we can settle down and have everything nice? No. So we can have to give to him that needed.
You know, the word of God speaks about poor Saints.
And there's no inconsistency in the 2 words. Poor Saints, no inconsistency at all.
Well, we're to keep them in mind now, back to the 20th of Exodus.
We get the 9th commandment. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Now return to Ephesians 4 again.
And verse 25. Ephesians 4, verse 25.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Oh no.
No more false witness.
No more lying testimony.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Just the opposite, We speak truth with our neighbor.
So Christianity doesn't weaken that. Not for a moment.
Now the last of the 10 commandments we have in the.
17th verse.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shalt not.
Covet thy neighbor's wife.
Nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his *** nor anything that is thy neighbors.
Now let us look at the 13th of Hebrews again.
Hebrews 13.
And the fifth verse.
Let your conversation or your manner of life be without covetousness.
And be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
That is the commandment that slew the Apostle Paul. He did pretty well with the other nine, but that one really got it.
He couldn't stand up before that Thou shalt not come.
And it's as natural to covet as it is to breathe.
But Christianity condemns it just as much as the Law Moses did.
Let your manner of life be without covetousness and be content.
00:50:04
With such things as you have, or with your present circumstances.
Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it's certain we can carry nothing out. Having food and raiment, let us be there with contempt.
Or the sad tragedies we've seen.
Dear Saints of God, sacrificing everything to get on in the world.
Get away from the Lord, get mixed up in the world, get into positions in Congress, and inconsistent with the path of separation.
Bring all manner of sorrow upon themselves, upon their family, their children, upon the Assembly of God. Because of this insatiate covetousness.
Be content with such things as you have.
Now, that doesn't mean.
Then, if you're living in a hovel, you always will have to live in a hovel. That's not what that verse means, but it means that while you do have to live in a hobble.
Be content. Don't be groaning and complaining and unhappy while you have to live there. Be content. If God is pleased to give you something more comfortable, thank him for it. But all covetousness is such a snare.
The Word of God condemns it root and branch. Let your manner of life be without covetousness.
Sometimes our young people think they've got to keep up with the other person.
If he has that, I must have it. If she has this, I must have it. And so it it. It just becomes one thing after another, one more thing to want.
Well, brethren, the fact that we live in the most prosperous age that the human race has ever known, and we've lived in the most prosperous nation that ever lived that ever was in the history of nations on the earth.
Hasn't helped us any to keep straight on this matter of covetousness.
Because it's natural to the human heart, the more we have, the more we want.
One farmer back in our part of the country, they asked him why he was always buying more land.
Well, his answer was, I just can't bear it if there's an 80 acres that borders on my land, if I don't own that 80 acres.
Well, that's just the logical, that's the thing and it's logical sequence. There's no stopping place.
But oh, how different is the Spirit of Christ?
The Spirit of Christ isn't seeing how much we can get.
We are to be by nature and character distributors, not accumulators.
Now, I'm not saying that we're all to give away everything we have. There's only one man in the Bible that the Lord ever told to do that, That I know of.
And he certainly didn't do it. He certainly didn't. And the Lord knew he wouldn't do it when he told him to do it.
But I do say that we need to be alerted along the line of justice what we have here.
We're living in treacherous days. Subtle.
Satan just presents one thing after another and there's no stopping place. We always want something else that we don't have. Well, brethren, that's not the secret that happens. You can't buy happiness. Indeed you can. Happiness isn't a matter what you own or what you don't own. Happiness is a state of soul. It's enjoying Christ, and I've seen people that have absolutely not a dollar in the world, Not $1.00.
And they were supremely happy.
Their faces show that they were radiantly happy.
And they had nothing. This world's good.
In Christianity we have.
The equivalent of all the 10 commandments except one.
That we don't need that ceremonial. It's omitted. It doesn't belong to us.
But we have the other nine not as a matter of Thou shalt and thou shalt not.
But we have it as the expression of that new nature that we have as born of God.
00:55:04
And you and I are to live in the power of that new nature, and be expressive of the heart of God.
In that way.
If we do so, brethren, we'll never regret it. But let us not forget we're not under law.
Someone have a hymn?
33 in the appendix.
My soul the.
Word.
He gave me.
The Law and Liberty
Address—C.H. Brown
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's read in Galatians Galatians 2 Chapter and the 16th verse. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus. Law 219 cry through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live under God in the third chapter.
And the tenth verse as many as are of the works of the law.
Are under the curse, for it is written. Cursed is everyone that continueth, not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them, but that no man is justified by the law and the sight of God. It is evident, for the just shall live by faith, and the law is not of faith.
7th of Romans 14, Sixth of Romans and the 14th verse.
For sin shall not have dominion over you, or you are not under law, but under grace.
14th verse of the next chapter, Chapter 7. Reminder of the 12Th. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good was then that which is good made death unto me. Far be the thought, but since.
And it might appear sin working death in me, but that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
But we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal, sold under sin. Now the reason I read these verses is because in taking up the subject of the 10 commandments, there might be a tendency on the part of some to think that I was taking them up in a legal way, as though I had in mind to put anyone.
Under law does anyone thing clear?
In the Word of God it is that in Christianity we are not under law in any form whatsoever.
Were under grace.
Poor pure, unadulterated grace.
But if we turn over to the 20th chapter of Exodus, we will find ourselves.
In the presence of the August law, the 10 words.
Solemn words that came from Sinai. Our thought is to trace these 10 words.
As we find.
Their corollary.
In the New Testament.
Or in Christianity.
There are 10 commandments, 8 of them are negative.
Two of them are positive.
Nine of them are moral. One of them is ceremonial.
God's nature never changes.
So we can expect any of them that are moral in character to have their replica.
Somewhere in Christianity. And so they do, as we'll see. The first one we find in the third verse of the 20th chapter of Exodus.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me that stands at the head of the list.
That's fundamental. You can't have Christianity. In fact, you can't have Judaism either on any other basis.
They also have no other gods before me.
Now let's turn to 1St Corinthians 8 chapter First Corinthians 8.
The end of verse 4.
There is.
None other God but one. This is Christianity now, not the law of Moses, but Christianity.
For those there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth.
As there be gods many and Lords many.
That is according to manner of thoughts.
But to us there is but one God.
The father of whom are all things, and we for him.
00:05:03
And one Lord comma 1 Lord comma Jesus Christ.
By whom are all things, and we by him. Now that is the.
Standard of Christianity there is one.
God.
When the Jehovah Witness comes around to your door and challenges you on that, you can just give him that verse and say no.
We own but one God.
Or that one God may be pleased present himself.
In one of three persons, but there is only one God.
So here he is presented as the Father, one God the Father.
And then he is presented as one Lord Jesus Christ. You remember Thomas was asking the Lord to show us the Father.
He said why have I been so long time with you?
And yet, saith thou showest the Father, perhaps you better read the 14th of John.
Philip, I was mistaken. Philip eighth verse John 14. Phillip saith unto the Lord.
Lord, show us the Father, and it suffice with us.
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you yet? Hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hast seen me hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou then showest the Father? Believeth thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me.
He doeth the work.
Now John's first epistle in the last chapter on the 20th verse.
We know the Son of God has come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true.
And we are in him. That is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God.
Eternal life.
Oh how death clean cut clear are these pronouncements. Jesus is God.
Yes, in Christianity we know but one God.
Sometimes he's manifested as the Spirit, sometimes he's manifested as the Father, sometimes he's manifested as the Son.
But there is but one God.
So we find ourselves in Hardy accord in Christianity with the first of the solemn 10 words that were given to Moses.
We haven't taken anything away from them at all. There they stand, just as solid and majestic as ever.
Well, going back to the 20th of Exodus, you'll take the 2nd commandment. Now fourth verse, thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath.
Or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I, the Lord thy God, have been jealous. God.
Visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children under the third and 4th generation of them that hate me and showing mercy under thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
Now in First Corinthians, let's turn to it the 10th chapter and the 14th verse.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved?
Lee from Idolatry.
Well, that word idolatry.
Means worshipping idols. Seventh verse of that same chapter.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them.
As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Flee from idolatry. We're living.
That period that is readying itself for the man of sin, the world is going to plunge into the most awful idolatry that it is ever known.
00:10:12
That will be true of the Jewish nation. There will be 7 times as deeply involved in idolatry as they've ever been.
And the rest of the world will follow right along.
You can see signs about you that the world is getting ready for this.
One of us ever struck you as you go through a dime store.
Department store, any kind of a store today.
The vast increase in the number of figurines.
Statuettes that are on sale in every home you find them up in deer matter where we're staying at present. I noticed that in one of the store windows.
Not only selling statuettes and figurines, but I find they're actually selling.
Exact replicas of heathen idols. You can buy one, it's an exact copy.
All this is moving in the direction of having all the material ready.
When man gets to that place where he's cast off the knowledge of the true God.
You fall down and worship an image.
We mustn't think that when he does that it is just a harmless little piece of burnt clay that he's worshipping.
For behind every heathen idol is a demon.
It's really demon worship is what it is.
So we find in the passages that we've read here in the 10th chapter, First Corinthians a solemn warning to flee idolatry. Run away from, don't tamper with it, run away from. So Christianity has no quarrel with the 2nd Commandment.
And the 10th?
We find it repeated as one of the exhortations given to us.
So now back to the 20th chapter of Exodus. This time we read the seventh verse.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Well, the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
While keeping this 20th chapter in hand, let's turn over to the book of James the second day, 5th chapter James five, and the 12Th verse James 512.
But above all things, my brethren, swear not neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath.
But let your yeah be yeah, and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into condemnation. Christianity has no quarrel.
With the law of Moses on that point, does it?
Where not at all.
An odd thing, that.
Some of the religions about us that profess to be Christian.
Have in their membership millions of people that readily take the name of God and Christ in vain. It seems to be part of their religion to do it. It's characteristic of them.
But I'm talking to those with more light, more knowledge.
I do not believe there is anyone in this room.
That takes the name of God, or of Christ or the Holy Spirit in vain.
No, I do not believe it.
But notice that.
James and that exhortation.
He goes beyond that.
My brethren, swear not neither by heaven nor by earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yay be yay, and your nay name, lest you fall into continue.
I wonder how many of us here can plead innocent now as we face.
That exhortation of James.
If you were to look in Webster's dictionary under the word oath.
You'll find there another word suggested.
00:15:02
It's called minced oath.
Look it up if you care to.
Webster's Dictionary takes cognizance of the fact that there's a polite way to swear.
A polite way to use profanity.
And it's a grievous thing when you find Christians.
Falling into that hat.
I went into a meeting.
A few years ago, now maybe 5-6 years ago.
And the brother was very, very kind to me. He had only been recently gathered.
He was very kind and thinking about in his car.
But I was distressed at this dear man's conversation.
It was interspersed over and over again with mint stoves.
So I took an opportunity to speak with him about it. I said, brother, I had been in the meeting a long time.
And I've never in my life been in company with anyone that talked as loosely as you do in your everyday conversation.
He took what I said very nicely. He thanked me for it.
And I visited him not over a year ago in his home.
I didn't hear one syllable of that kind of thing from.
I have a little pamphlet here with me. It's called Mint Stoves. It's put out by the good news publishers.
Wells St. in Chicago. Thought perhaps you'd bear with me if I read one paragraph from it. The commonly used interjection is G. It is capitalized and Webster's New International Dictionary and given this definition.
A form of Jesus used in minced hodes. 2 Common words and their definition.
Are these cool? Golly, a euphemism for God used in mint stoves?
Gosh, a substitute for God used in mint stoves, Darn darn are said to be colloquial euphemisms for dam and damned. Persons who allow their lips to utter gosh darn quite freely would be shocked if they realize the real meaning of the word.
To gain the victory in this matter of full obedience to our Lord Jesus.
We need to make the prayer of David our daily petition. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in my sight. Oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
I think of you young people especially.
Form clean habits of speech while you're ill.
When you're young is the time.
To form your habits of speech.
Never allow anything of this kind to creep in to your utterances. Guard your heart, there's no excuse for it.
Warned in the Word of God. Above all, let us keep our speech in the home, in the factory, in the shop, on the street. Let us keep it chase and pure, such as may stand the examination at the judgment seat of Christ. Back to the 20th of Exodus. Now we are ready for the 4th commandment.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
Now I'll have to confess that I'm absolutely unable to produce you.
Anything that answers to that commandment in Christianity? Here's where I have to say.
It just isn't there.
It isn't to be found. Remember the Sabbath day? That's the 7th day to keep it holy.
If you'll search through your New Testament.
I think you'll find that after you get through the historical part of it.
The Gospels and the Acts.
That you'll only find the word Sabbath spoken of once and there it's to condemn it. That is for the Christian nor were delivered from that sort of thing. I believe it's Colossians. Try that anyhow, you're licensed too and 16.
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That no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day.
Or of the new moon.
Or the Sabbath days. Now, as far as I know, at the present moment, that's the only place you can find that anywhere in the Epistles.
Which are a shadow of things to come.
But the body is of Christ, a shadow.
But the body is of Christ.
Well, who wants to play with the shadow when we have the reality?
No, there is no 7th day of rest in Christianity. What's more, let's put it this way, there's no Sabbath in Christianity. We can't say, well, we change the Sabbath if you want to play into the hands.
I was 70, Adventist.
Who tries to talk to you? Just tell him that the Sabbath was changed.
And you've just practically surrendered to him. You've just given yourself over to him.
He has you now.
He can show you all through the word of God that the Sabbath was the 7th day.
And you try to tell him that it was changed. Well you will have to show him from scripture where it was ever changed.
And that's an impossible task, nor we'll have to wait for our Sabbath brethren. Now if you'll turn to the 4th chapter of Hebrews.
We find something about that Hebrews 4.
Third verse.
For we which have believed to enter into rest as he said.
Ninth Verse. There remaineth, therefore a rest to the people of God.
11Th verse.
Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief now in all three of those scriptures.
The rest is presented as something that is still future. It still lies ahead.
And it is that to which we are moving on the rest.
At the end of the journey.
No promise of arrest here.
It's true that we do get rest of conscience. Come unto me all labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you a rest.
Rest of conscience, yes.
But as far as finding a Sabbath day when we cease to work?
Hold our hands. No, we don't find it in Christianity. Some of you brothers that are so faithful in going out with the gospel on the Lord's Day, maybe going down on the street or going out with tracks or visiting hospitals and institutions, passing out the Word and speaking to souls.
I'll dare say that many the Lord's Day evening.
It came time for you to go to rest.
He said. I'm so weary I can hardly wait to get into bed.
That was the hardest day of the seven that day.
You work harder that day, and you did any day of the whole week. Well, that's all right. That's Christianity.
There's no Sabbath in Christianity. Our Sabbath.
Lies at the end of the journey.
To me, it's sad that we who have been taken out from under this ceremonial law.
This is the one commandment that's ceremonial in the tent.
We that have been delivered from it completely, that we take advantage of our liberty and.
So often use that day for sale. I believe it's a mistake. You know what it's called in Scripture? It's called the first day of the week.
And it's called the Lords Day.
And where you get the name of it given in the first chapter of Revelation, the Lord's Day. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day.
The word that's used there.
Is a Greek word that.
Perhaps we could translate it like this. I was in the spirit on the.
Lordly, they are the dominical day.
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I was in the Spirit on the lordly there of the dominical day. Now if we go back to the 11Th chapter of First Corinthians, we'll find this.
This is not to eat the Lords Supper, the Lord Supper. Now the word, the Greek word that's used there to describe the supper, it's exactly the same Greek word that's used there in the first chapter of Revelation to describe the day. Not only is this significant, but these are the only two places.
In the whole of the Greek New Testament where that word is used.
So there must be a connection between the day and the supper, the Lord supper and the Lord's day, the lordly day, the dominical day, the lordly supper of the dominical supper, that that connects itself with a large ship of Christ when we come to the history of the first day of the week.
We find that our Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead on the first day of the week.
We find that he appeared among the disciples on the first day of the week.
We find that he appeared the second time among the disciples on the first day of the week.
We find that the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost and baptized all believers into one body to form the Church of God on the first day of the week.
Then we find that the disciples.
Came together on the first day of the week to remember the Lord.
We find that the Apostle Paul told the Church of God on the first day of the week.
To lay by them in store.
So that there would be no.
Special gathering together money when he arrived, they were to take care of that on the first day of the week.
All these scriptures go to show us not in Christianity.
The first day of the week completely displaces the Jewish Sabbath.
It displaces it. Not that Christianity is going to present a substitute Sabbath. That isn't it.
How? How wrong it would be, How inconsistent it would be for us as Christians?
To observe the Sabbath.
Our blessed Lord was under the power of death and the grave all during the whole 24 hours of that Sabbath.
Of inconsistent, really absurd.
But all how glorious when we can come together on the first day of the week.
And think of our blessed Lord coming forth from the tomb. See him victorious.
And then witnessed the stone rolled away afterwards to let people look in and see the empty tomb.
Messengers from heaven witnessing, He is not here. Come see the place where the Lord lay, not where He lies.
All wonderful testimony. The first day of the week, the Victory Day.
Or how sweet and precious brethren to have that day.
When we can give him his plate.
And I believe the day belongs to him.
I want to say something to you young folks here today.
You know, I'm surprised as I go around among the Saints.
To find our young people.
Taking the large day, now get that expression, the large day. It belongs to him.
Taking that day for their ordinary task.
Or you say, I wouldn't think of getting out and cutting the lawn on Sunday. I wouldn't think of it.
Maybe someone else says, well I wouldn't think of doing my washing on Sunday.
No, maybe not.
Well, listen, what about you young folks through the earth with your schoolwork?
What about the hours that some of you spend taking the Lord's Day?
To ponder over your books and get your left.
Now that is absolutely not necessary.
If you pardon the personal reference in all the years.
That I spent in the school room, either as a student or a teacher after I was saved.
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By the grace of God, I don't remember one out.
That I ever took of the Lords day in getting lessons or preparing lessons.
It just is not necessary if we're going to make the Lord things first. It is not.
Well, you see, if I don't do it, I can't be valedictorian.
Maybe the Lord doesn't want you to be valedictory or salutatorian.
No, I certainly wasn't either.
But I believe you will be happier in your soul.
You wear it, sing it over the Lord's Day.
Well, let's go back to the 20th of accidents again, the 12Th verse 5th Commandment. Honor thy father, thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
I will find if you want to turn to the 6th of Ephesians.
You'll find that commandment is quoted word for word.
Ephesians 6.
Verse 2.
Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment, with promise that it may be well with thee. Domest lived long on the earth.
It's quoted here in this application to children, but the very fact that it occurs as the 5th commandment in the 10 commandments shows that it has a much wider application than just to the little children or the children underage. It shows that it has an application to those in the respective position of children and parents.
Whether the children are.
Old or young, honor thy father and thy mother. So Christianity has no quarrel with that command.
It's taken over and given this as that expectation.
Well then, in the 13th verse.
We have the 6th commandment. Thou shalt not kill.
Well, now we go over to First Peter, the 4th chapter.
And the 14th verse.
If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you.
For the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evildoer, or a busy body in other men's matters.
Let none of you suffer as a murderer.
So we have no excuse to differ with the solemn 10 commandments on that point either.
Murder has no place in Christianity is definitely stated right there.
Then going back to our chapter.
We come to the 7th commandment.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Now let's go to Hebrews 13, Hebrews 13, verse 4.
We'll read this as it reads in Mr. Darby's translation.
It's the hardest let marriage.
Be honorable in all, and the bed undefiled. But ************.
And adulterers. God will judge.
Now let's also look at First Corinthians 6.
1St Corinthians 6.
And verse 9.
No, you're not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Be not deceived.
Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves of mankind.
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God and.
Such were some of you, but you're washed, but you're sanctified.
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But you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
All those are wonderful verses, brethren.
Some of those Corinthian Saints to whom Paul was writing.
Had been in that class of evil doers. Not all of them, but some of them had.
But there were war in the wonderful that there is that precious blessed cleansing and Christianity that makes us clean in spite of all the wretchedness that may have characterized us in days gone by.
Hearing sanctified set apart for God.
You are justified.
Count it as if we'd never been guilty.
Oh pardon my repeating it again, but I've enjoyed it so much.
No, little girl, you know that.
Was to define justification. What does justified means? He said. Just as if I'd never done it in that sweep. Just as if I'd never done. That's what justification is. God looks at you as though you'd never been guilty. Justify in the name of the Lord Jesus. Now notice the whole Trinity.
Are occupied here in this matter.
In the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit.
Of our God. The whole Trinity is occupied in taking a character like that and making them fit for heaven.
But let us never minimize what God's Word says about moral impurity.
************ and adulterers, God will judge. We're living in the last day.
We're just at the end.
And as a general breakdown all along the line, all some of us that are older.
How we've seen it in our lifetime, The standards today.
Are vastly lower than they were when some of us were growing up in our young days, but you who are of the present young generation.
You think that the vileness and corruption that abounds all around us today?
Has perhaps always been the accepted pattern of things.
I can't blame you for thinking it.
Because you didn't live in the older days. But it was not true.
I'm not saying that these things did not occur. Don't misunderstand me.
Where they did occur, there was a measure of public opinion that condemned them.
They were looked at as disgraceful.
But now they are paraded almost as badges of honor in the day in which we live.
The outlook has changed on these things.
So that.
A man can go on and live this kind of a life and still have a measure of acceptability among so-called respectable people.
Ah, but God's standards have not changed in the slightest.
************ and adulterers, God will judge.
Brethren, let's not let down the bars, not for a moment. It's going to be more and more difficult to adhere to the standards of Scripture.
What we must do?
We cannot afford to sacrifice 1 little bit of God's standard of holiness.
God has spoken, and He speaks in the dignity and authority of a God that knows the end from the beginning.
And he wants that you and I shall flee from these things.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Now the 8th.
Commandment back to Exodus 20.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not steal.
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Well, let's turn to Ephesians the 4th chapter, Ephesians 4, verse 28.
Let him that stole steal no more.
But rather let him labor working with his hands, a thing that is good that any have to give to him that needeth.
Stealing is contrary to the mind of God, whether it's in Judaism or whether it's in Christianity.
The Ephesians.
Received the highest truth that God gave to any assembly. It must have been that there was a condition there.
That qualified them to receive that high revelation.
And yet, after having taken them into the.
Heaven of heavens, and seated them in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
God has to come down and to the carnal level of the everyday life and say, let him that stole steal no more.
Thievery.
Is outlawed in Christianity. Is condemned.
The law stopped there, it said, Thou shalt not steal. The Christianity doesn't stop there.
Rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good.
Now let's get that the thing that is good.
Just because you're working and making an honest living.
Doesn't itself clear you? Are we working at something that has God's approval?
We had a dear brother and the meeting is going to be with the Lord now.
Back in the part of the country where I live.
Now money was converted. It was a bartender.
He was not a drinking man, but he made his living tending bar.
I don't know that he had any trade. What's he to do? Is he go on tending bar?
No, nor did he.
Because he's not working the thing that's good.
He's working at something that would not stand the test of the judgment seat of Christ. So he gave it up and God found him some employment in a certain factory where he was able to provide for his wife as long as he lived.
Working the thing. That's good.
But it doesn't stop there that he may have to give to him that needed We don't steal.
That's negative. We work with our hands. The thing that's good what for? So that we can settle down and have everything nice. No, So we can have to give to him that needed.
You know the word of God speaks about poor Saints.
And there's no inconsistency in the two words. Poor Saints, no inconsistency at all.
Well, we're to keep them in mind.
Now back to the 20th of Exodus. We get the 9th Commandment. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Now we turn to Ephesians 4 again.
And verse 25. Ephesians 4. Verse 25.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor.
For we are members one of another.
Oh no.
No more false witness.
No more lying testimony.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy need. Just the opposite. We speak truth.
With our neighbor.
No, Christianity doesn't weaken that. Not for a moment.
Now the last of the 10 commandments we have in the.
17th verse.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shalt not.
Covet thy neighbor's wife.
Nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his *** nor anything that is thy neighbors.
Now let us look at the 13th of Hebrews again, Hebrews 13 and the fifth verse.
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Let your conversation or your manner of life be without covetousness.
And be content with such things as you have, for he has said. I will never leave the nor for safety.
That is the commandment that flew the Apostle Paul.
He did pretty well with the other nine, but that one really got it.
He couldn't stand up before that. Thou shalt not come.
And this is natural to covet as it is to breathe.
But Christianity condemns it just as much as the Law of Moses did.
Let your manner of life be without covetousness and be content.
With such things as you have or with your present circumstances.
Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it certainly can carry nothing.
Out having food and raiment, let us be there with contempt.
Or the sad tragedies we've seen.
There is Saints of God sacrificing everything to get on the world.
Get away from the Lord, get mixed up in the world, get into positions.
In Congress and inconsistent with the path of separation.
Bring all manner of sorrow upon themselves, upon their family, their children, upon the Assembly of God, because of this insatiate covetousness.
Be contempt for such things as you have.
Now, that doesn't mean.
That if you're living in a hovel, you always will have to live in a hovel. That's not what that verse means.
But it means that while you do have to live in a harbor.
Be content. Don't be groaning and complaining and unhappy while you have to live there. Be content. If God is pleased to give you something more comfortable, thank Him for it. But all covetousness is such a snare.
The Word of God condemns it root and branch.
Let your manner of life be without covetousness.
Sometimes our young people.
Think they've got to keep up with the other person?
If he has that, I must have it. If she has this, I must have it. And so it it. It just becomes one thing after another, one more thing to want.
Well, brethren, the fact that we live in the most prosperous age that the human race has ever known, and we've lived in the most prosperous nation that ever lived, that ever was in the history of nations on the earth.
Hasn't helped us any to keep straight on this matter of covetousness.
Because it's natural to the human heart. The more we have, the more we want.
One farmer backed in our part of the country. They asked him why he was always buying more land.
Well, his answer was I just can't bear it if there's an 80 acres.
That borders on my land if I don't own that 80 acres.
Well, accessed the logical. That's the thing. In its logical sequence, there's no stopping place.
But oh, how different is the Spirit of Christ.
The Spirit of Christ isn't seeing how much we can get.
We are to be by nature and character distributors, not accumulated.
No, I'm not saying that we're all to give away everything we have. There's only one man in the Bible that the Lord ever told to do that, that I know of.
And he certainly didn't do it. He certainly didn't. And the Lord knew he wouldn't do it when he told him to do it.
But I do say that we need to be alerted along the line of justice what we have here.
We are living in treacherous days. Subtle.
And Satan just presents one thing after another and there's no stopping place. We always want something else that we don't have. Well, brethren, that's not the secret that happens. You can't buy happens. Did you count? Happiness isn't no matter what you own or what you don't own. Happiness is a state of soul. It's enjoying Christ.
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And I've seen people that have absolutely not a dollar in the world.
Not $1.00.
And they were supremely happy. Their faces showed that they were radiantly happy.
And they had nothing. This world's good.
In Christianity we have.
The equivalent of all the 10 commandments except one.
That we don't need that ceremonial is omitted, it doesn't belong to it.
But we have the other nine not, as a matter of Thou shalt and thou shalt not.
But we have it as the expression of that new nature that we have as born of God.
And you and I are to live in the power of that new nature and the expressive of the heart of God in that way.
If we do so, brethren, we'll never regret it. But let us not forget we are not under law.