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4/3.
The 12Th chapter of Romans with any extension of time that we would maybe go into the 13th chapter.
There were some thoughts expressed this morning in connection with the truth of of the one body which is touched, and things that are for edification, exhortation and comfort, things for our conscience, things for going on one with the other.
Romans, chapter 12.
Verse one.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
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And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.
But to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man, a measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office.
So we being many or one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy.
Let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith or ministry. Let us wait on our ministering for He that teaches on teaching.
For he that exhorteth on exhortation.
He that giveth let him do it with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence.
He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness.
Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil, pleased to that which is good.
Be kindly affectionate 1 to another, with brotherly love and honor, preferring one another.
Not slothful in business.
Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
Rejoicing in hope, patient and tribulation. Continuing instant in prayer.
Distributing to the necessity of Saints given to hospitality.
Bless them which persecute you. Bless and curse not.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind, one toward another.
Mind not hide things, but condescend to men of low estate.
Be not wise in your own conceit.
Recompense to no man, evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as life in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore, define enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink.
For in so doing, thou shalt keep coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Chapter 12. In Romans we have practical truth.
Romans is very beautifully divided.
In the first eight chapters.
We have foundation truth, we have basic truth, and it's so orderly.
And then the 9:10 and 11:00 is prophecy.
It's really Israel.
Past, present and future Now we have. What's very important for our time is truth as to our life here.
We have a life here, and Paul is occupied with that in this chapter.
In the 13th chapter, it's.
With Christ in view, it's it's that living as Saints, but with Christ in view, we can't forget that we have to remember to whom we belong and that he's coming. And so he has the thought there of of Christ.
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Verse 11 at the end in chapter 13. Now is our salvation nearer than when we believe?
How there is it today he may come before we're done today. That's how clear it is wonderful in it. And of course, the 14th chapter is practical truth as to your brethren.
It's very wonderful to see it and then I'm not getting into them when the 15, it's really Paul's special.
Special faithful ministry. It's it's something that's particularly appalled for the Saints.
The last chapter is really Paul's care and concern for individual brethren. It's personal, really. It's false. Who's who among the gathered Saints, really, all of them are important to Paul, but he has special notice. So it's nice to see these last chapters in Romans, and we're getting into the first of them here. It's just practical truth for believers.
In this world.
Is your intelligence service as a St.
First part of that verse. I defeat you therefore.
Brethren, does that come from the last verses of the 8th chapter?
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I beseech you, therefore, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Most of us here haven't been exposed to to the hazards of life that many dear Saints of God have in in in going out and evangelizing. We lead a a relatively protected life. We may be made fun of by a neighbor on occasion, but to think of I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body.
They living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your intelligence services.
What an appeal, isn't it, as you have said, Brother Baumann, to normal expected Christian living and to think of how we as we thread our way through this chapter, how intensely practical it is, isn't it as we come and it's anticipating quite a bit, but we we find the given to hospitality, to think of what it means to be given to something. Some people are given to drugs and it's a problem if they're given to drinking, but to think of being given.
To hospitality.
There's nothing like it in bringing Saints together, is it?
May be hard work for the wife, but it's sure lovely for the husband to be able to have fellowship.
One of the most important things is be ye not conformed to this world.
That is very important and you can't do it. It isn't up to you to do it is to realize who it is to whom you belong and Christ is our life and that's how you do it. We have to be occupied with him. Now this first verse really relates to the last verse, doesn't it, of the of the chapter before for of him and through him.
To him all things to whom be glory forever. Amen. Therefore, I beseech you, I beg you. That's the thought and and it goes back to a wonderful verse in 33. The depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments, His ways.
At finding out.
Doesn't that verse just thrill you?
Thrills me that's that's really Therefore I beg you. Therefore, if all this is true, one thought First Corinthians chapter 2 The last thought we have the mind of Christ.
Well now if you're not breathless yet.
With this in mind, I beg you, says Paul. This is your intelligence service down here now.
In the new translation, the the word translated mercies is translated compassions. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God. And there's a verse in Chapter 9.
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Verse 15.
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. The word that's used here in Romans 12 is that second word compassion. It's not the word mercy, but.
Sometimes we we think when we read mercies. I think mercies and compassions really are the same.
But whether you look at the end of Chapter 11 as Bob has, or the end of chapter 8 as Stan has, the compassions of God for us and for Israel will be to bring them back into blessing. And he's already brought us into blessing. So we don't have to limit it to either one of those endings. It both would apply, wouldn't it? I beseech you, by the compassions of God, God has shown such compassion to us.
Who were Gentiles without God and without hope IN this world? And he's shown compassion. He will show compassion to Israel too, and to bring them into blessing even as he is promised. So I think it embraces both companies, Jews and Gentiles.
But you said, Chuck, it's delightful to see in the book of Jeremiah that is so full of what the prophet was given to talk about their past, to talk about their immediate future in case with judgment. But then it's as if the heart of God and compassion just has to come out with millennial blessings. Marvelous, isn't it, to think of the compassions of God and again, the book of Jeremiah so full of judgment.
And and yet you find the compassions of God, he just longs for them to, as it were, to be carried away, captives to be brought back so that they can have the revelation of that coming day of of glory of the millennial scene. Marvelous in the ways of God, isn't it? We see it in Isaiah. We see it wherever God.
Is having to bring out the judgment that His people are going to undergo. He always gives them the encouragement, much like the verse in our chapter.
Verse 12 First rejoicing in hope, then patient and tribulation, then continuing instance in prayer.
The compassion is what this world lacks.
Has a lot of other things, but it doesn't have compassion, and the Lord brings that out very clearly with the one who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
You know the priest had no compassion.
And the Levites had no compassion.
But a certain man, is that the way this I am going to perform me? But a certain man was it no Samaritan? Well, now the Samaritan is a stranger, so that fits beautifully. The Lord was a stranger here in the place of His creation, but He was the man of compassion. And so he looked upon him and he had compassion. I think that's so beautiful, compassion. What is compassion? Well, I believe, Simply put, I think probably Chuck can give you a higher definition.
Simply to be is to be moved to pity at the suffering of another.
I think that's compassion. Maybe you have a better beautiful very.
Moved when he saw me in my distress. Thank God he was moved when he saw you too, Bob.
In your miserable situation you were in.
7 million people brother. I was in the city of New York and he had compassion on me. Praise the Lord and he saved me when I was a boy. 14 and I'm happy ever since.
The comment or two in respect to What is the matter with being conformed to this world?
Chapter 2. I was just thinking about it where the apostle John says in verse 15.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world, the love of the Father, if not in him, for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes.
And the pride of life is not of the Father, but it's of the world and what's going to happen to it? You know, this is where we need to get into the sanctuary. What's going to happen to the world? We'll hear the next verse that he gives the the end of it for all that is of the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes.
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And the pride of life is not of the Father, but it's of the world, and the world passeth away.
And it's going to be a judgement on those that are the most enlightened because here in John's epistle, I suppose it's addressing the character of the family, is it not? And you and I, beloved, are in the family of God, those of us that are saved. And if you're not saved yet to get saved, just cry to the Lord and say, Lord, here I am, I'm a Sinner, I'm not saved yet. And that, you know, I left to that verse and and the first chapter of John's Gospel. It says to as many as received him to them gave he the right or the power.
To be called the sons of God, even to those that believe in his name. Now what kind of a transaction is that to believe on his name?
You know, I was in Italy recently, leaned up, brother told me how Brother Peripatik came to Italy and he met him in a smoking room where they play cards and and gamble with the dominoes and that sort of thing. And this man came with one verse that went right to the soul of Brother Granite. He said to him, verily, verily, truly, truly, I say unto you, he that believes on me has everlasting life.
And that was the verse who went to the heart. I hope there's a person today, this morning in this meeting that would go to your heart too. He that believes on me has everlasting life. And the brother went home. That man went home to his house at night and he told his wife, a little man came into the place and he told us that about everlasting life by believing in the Lord Jesus. And the wife says, I want to hear more about it. He says me too. So the next day they walked around where's that little man that was telling about the about the gospel.
They call him evangelical. Where is that, the evangelical man? So they found out he was in the next town and they went up there and they knocked in the door of his cousin's house. Brother Pierre Potter was staying with his cousin. And he says we'd like to know more about everlasting life, how to get it. He says please come in. And he led them both to Christ. And that was the beginning of that wonderful work, that testimony in that dark place and over there. You know, that's a wonderful work that God can do in a heart of a person in this room this morning.
You don't have to wait. It's just believe. It's just it, says he that believes on the sun has everlasting life. He that believes not the sun.
Shall not see life, but what the wrath of God abides on him. Don't let the wrath of God abide on you another minute.
Now is the time, now is the accepted time. And so what's going to happen next? The world passes away and the luster of but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Well, I had to bring that in because this gets into the compassions of God. What's wrong with being conformed to this world? Everything for a believer, everything.
You know, evil communications corrupt good manners.
And you can tell us that's conformed to this world.
Very quickly by their fruits we norm. We don't judge souls, do we? That's God's province, but we're fruit inspectors. You lose your testimony. That's the first thing. You lose your testimony, then you lose truth, because this world crucified my Savior. And the carnal mind is at enmity against God or with God, which is that with or against one or the other, but means the same, the carnal mind. And that's the mind of this diabolical spirit in this world.
And we have nothing to do with it. We should be apart from it, done with it. But as Harry Hale used to say, I like to quote Saints, I shouldn't do that, but he said it. But I think probably Kelly said it first at any rate.
The thought was from someone else.
We should be the best friend this world has, but not friendly with them. That's a good way to put it. We shouldn't be friends with this world.
But we're the best friend this world has.
What's wrong with friendship with the world or conformity with the world? What's wrong with it? Is the world crucified our Lord?
That's what's wrong with it.
It put to death the Son of God. Look at first John 5 as a very powerful verse 2 verses.
Telling us how we can get power over conformity with the world.
First John 5 and verse four for whatsoever is born of God.
Overcometh the world, and this is the victory.
That overcometh the world, even our faith.
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Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth? Now this is our faith. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God. What did they do to Jesus, that man Jesus? They nailed them to a cross of ignominy and shame. They said we will not have this man to reign over us, whatever enables us to overcome this world as we believe that that Jesus that they crucified is the Son of God.
He is the Son of God. He is everything to us. How can we have fellowship with the world that is hated?
Him despised him. Let me recite a poem I learned when I was a young man. And yet outside the camp twas there my Savior died. It was the world that cast him forth and saw him crucified. Can I take part with those who nailed him to a tree? And where his name is never praised? Is there the place for me?
Nay, world I turn away, Though thou seem fair and good, That friendly outstretched hand of thine is stained with Jesus blood. If in thy least device I stoop to take apart all unawares, thy influence steals God's presence from my heart. I don't know who wrote that poem, but it tells the truth, doesn't it? What thinking of Christ?
Is the vital question to us. He is the eternal Son of the living God, and the world hates that person. How can I have anything to do, any fellowship with?
Any conformity with that world that has crucified him.
In God's mind that he would not remove that old nature that we were born with, but He gave us a new nature by which we can follow after the things of God.
Now, as we live our daily lives.
As we read the various and sundry things and as we associate with people.
Which natures are repeating. If we're feeding on the things of this world, we are feeding the old nature.
And it is going to become stronger and we are going to be conformed to this world.
And we will be absolutely miserable.
We've got too much truth to be happy going on with the world.
We've got too much conformity to the world to be happy in a meeting like this.
We just seem miserable.
But one foot and one foot in the world, that's a sad situation, isn't it? We are in the world, but we're not of it. And that expression is very precious to me. It reminds me that we're here for purpose.
You know the best thing the Lord could have done when he saves the Sinner is take him home, and the worst thing is leave him here in this world.
What he didn't do either, He sent us, brethren, we're ambassadors for Christ, that we have a purpose here. That's what he's Speaking of in the next verse. I think you're reasonable or you're intelligent service. We have a reason for being here. We're not left. And even as he is sent, well, that would be John 17. Even so, well, the Lord, that would be John 15. He sent.
What was that? I I better not start that quoting, but I'll be wrong on that one. At any rate, we're not left. I don't like to hear that expression.
How long is he going to leave us here by? Every minute I'm here. I know I'm here for purpose. He sent me. That's my home. This isn't my home, but I have a reason for being here.
It's in that first verse, he says, that she presents your bodies a living sacrifice, not your soul, your spirit, your bodies. That was a teaching in the early church that the body doesn't count. It's and it's still, it's still rampant out there as long as you are.
In fellowship with Him in your soul and spirit, what you do with your body doesn't matter.
The Word of God doesn't teach that.
Word of God doesn't teach anything like that here. It says present your bodies.
A living sacrifice.
There are the Peter talks about having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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The body, if you look at the evils that brought down the various civilizations, the ****** Sodom and Gomorrah and so on, it was the corruption of the lust of the flesh, the lust in the body. It was using your body for your own gratification and self enjoyment. And that's not why He's given us that. And our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Our body is a member of Christ. 1 Corinthians 6 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Can I then take the members of Christ and join it to a harlot?
And he also says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which you have of God, and you're not your own. You talk about your body. That's my body.
A woman talks about this is her body, she can do what she wants with her offspring.
It's not her body.
God has given it to her and she's to use it for His glory. Man doesn't do that. He doesn't use what God has given us. Everyone where you're saved or unsaved.
God has given the body to us to be used for ourselves, for our own self gratification, or for His glory.
And especially so as Christians, so we're told, to present our bodies.
A living sacrifice.
Holy, acceptable to God, not to men, which is your reasonable service. What I'm saying right now is the direct opposite of everything that's being promoted today in the in this wicked world. Just the opposite.
If it feels good, do it. That's the motto of the world.
And it's a wicked principle. It's an evil principle. And so we have to, we have to, to speak of things for what they really are, call them what they are. It's sin. The very thoughts of men and women today are sin.
Every imagination, the thoughts of his heart, is only evil continually. It was back then, thousands of years ago. It's just as true today.
So how we need to have our thoughts formed by the Word of God. I beseech you, by the compassions of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Living sacrifice.
Every day present your body to him to be kept pure. Keep thyself pure.
2nd Corinthians chapter 4 along this line and verse.
62 Corinthians 4 and verse 6 for God.
Who command us the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us, and then in verse 10 always bearing about in the body.
The dying of the Lord Jesus.
Really means putting to death our own life, the thought that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
You know well, I better read one more For we which live are always delivered under death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
Thought about, you see, by God.
Why did Gideon and his 300 have to break the vessel?
So the light will shine, that's the only reason. So the light will shine. Why do we have to be broken vessels?
For the light of shine, That's the thought if we make much of ourselves in this body.
There is no light. It's us.
But we ought to be broken vessels. God loves to use broken material. He likes broken material, and he brings something beautiful out. And so we bear about in our bodies always the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have died with Christ. And if we can just get that in a little measure, there'll be light coming out to those in this world. But if you go along with those in this world.
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Like Dimas, there is no light.
Demas means popular, and anyone here who finds himself popular with those of this world.
Danger. You're in trouble already.
In John 17 that are appropriate and catching with the Lord is our object. And Kennedy with this world. I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not. And this was a comment that was made recently, just previously. I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should has keep them from the evil they are not.
Of the world.
Even as I am not of the world, sanctify them through Thy truth.
Thy word is true.
Just to think of it, what is the measure we may be able to define the world and, and there would be something that would touch my conscience and I'd say, well, that's not right. And something to touch your conscience. And you say, well, that can't be. But if we think of it in cashless, they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, then we're putting it on a plane That is God's plane, isn't it? And and we're we're going to set aside so many things.
You know, if I'm occupied with the Lord and you come to me and you mentioned something about and I'm not even going to mention it. I don't even want to contaminate our minds by by mentioning the things that we know all around us. You know, you go into a doctor's office. I was in a doctor's office recently in a side room, and there was a Bible. I thought, what is that Bible doing in this room? And there were some other magazines.
And later, when the doctor came in, you know who had put those Bibles there? He and another.
Fellow Dr. had gotten permission in this large building to put a Bible in every waiting room. And he said many a time he said, I've come in to my patient and there they're reading the Bible. Beautiful. And there were other magazines. Maybe you know this or that and you know them. And unfortunately I know them too. But you know the temptation if we're in an office.
Or wherever to pick up a magazine or to pick up the word of God. I'm not going to deny it. It takes the grace of God to keep from picking up the magazine because we have a nature that just wants to assert itself. But we know that if the Lord were to come, what would be rather be seen and and he knows our hearts that we were occupied with. Well, the word of God. I I, I really I could tell you that the ecclesiastical connection that this that this doctor was with and.
And my fellowship could only go so far, but.
Believe me, when that doctor will put a Bible in every waiting room, I'm going to say Amen to that.
The world that we're Speaking of is a very intimidating world. The children feel it at school.
Perhaps where you work, you feel it, the world wants to do your thinking for you, tell you how to dress and what to do, how to spend your evenings, how to socialize.
And intimidating means that we just feel like we're on show and that we've got to.
Change things and change some of our thoughts and so on, and it preys on our minds.
But enjoyed there in Isaiah chapter 2 when it where it says cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils. It was recently brought out out in the coming day when the Antichrist is in full power and wants to rid every trace of Christ in this world.
The Jewish remnant and those that render A testimony, what a comfort that verse is going to be to them, but how good to appropriate it to us now as we go on in this world. Deceased from man whose breath is in his nostrils to look at a man who's threatening or a woman who wants to erase that glow that is coming from your face. Erase the language that you use, that savers of the word of God that we don't even realize.
Thief, the man whose breath is in his nostrils, For where is is he to be accounted of? We don't have to answer to that spirit in this world, but to go on quietly.
And so to feel this is an appropriate portion, that we might be fortified in these last moments to go on faithfully to that One who has called us by His grace.
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I'd like to read from First Thessalonians four few verses.
Connection with what we have before us.
In verse 2 Paul says First Thessalonians 4/2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
For this is the will of God.
Even your sanctification.
That he should abstain from fornication.
That everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel. That means his body.
In sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.
The Gentiles round about us that don't know God, that's the way they live.
And they present with the advantage that they have of the modern media, these things before the mind's eye constantly.
As though these things are now acceptable.
They're an abomination to God. They always have been and they always will be.
And we need to remind ourselves, especially the young, what is God's standard?
To keep our vessel.
In sanctification and honor.
Holy, that's what we have in Romans 12.
Present your body as a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God.
Does it mean more to you and to me what God thinks or what man thinks or what we do?
Well, the greatest snare that is spread for young people today is peer pressure. You get under the pressure of your peers, your fellows. You don't want to be different. You want to blend in. You want them to accept you. You want to be accepted.
Well, if that is your main priority, you're going to go along with the crowd.
There were clean and unclean animals. There were clean and unclean fish. And in the fish there are two things that were necessary to make it clean. The one was it had to have scales. It had to have a protection against the environment. Without that, it doesn't get in and destroy it. And we need that protection against the world that's without, that's ready to destroy us. And it had to have fins. It had to have the ability to go against the stream.
Have you ever seen salmon that go back to where they came from? When they leave their home, they go downstream, they go out into the ocean and when they come back, they are absolutely the most tenacious creatures on planet earth. They will jump right into waterfalls and they will with their tremendous tail muscles and that they will get back. They will, they will mount insurmountable odds, you might say, and they'll get back to where they came from and then they spawn and then they die.
But they go back, they go against the stream, the torrent, the the the downpour of water. You say they'll never make it. They make it. They go against the street. How do they do that? They have fins, they have that. To say no to 1000 things in this world, you have to have the moral courage to say no, I will not do that. I belong to Christ.
God is my Father, I seek to please Him.
And so the virtue, the moral courage to say no and to go against the stream.
Well, we had to do that. Young people, you have to stand out.
In not trying to be different, not not being quirky and looking weird, but dressing modestly and becomingly for God's glory, but with a moral courage to say no, I won't do that, young man asked a young lady to A to a party, to a dance.
And she said thank you. I appreciate the invitation. I appreciate the interest. But I can't go. Well, why can't you go? Well, my father wouldn't like it. Well, how do you know? You haven't asked him, have you? Oh, I don't have to ask him. I know my father, and I know what pleases him, and I know what displeases him. And I know that wouldn't please him. Thank you. I cannot go. That's moral courage to say no. You can say it in a nice way, but still a firm way.
00:45:10
And that's the important thing that we that we have those that we do. He's given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Through the knowledge of Him, we know someone now that has changed our lives forever. We know Jesus is the Son of God, and that makes all the difference.
In chapter 4 Thessalonians, our brother brought out that the will of God.
Your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication. Now there, that's practical sanctification. We're all sanctified.
Forever.
They were set apart from this world for glory and for himself. That's that's eternal sanctification. We have it. But there is practical sanctification and there is spiritual fornication.
And many times it really means that it's mixing with this world in the spiritual sense, not just the if you go to Romans one, you've got what the fornication of the natural body. But in Romans one, it's man's natural man's descent when he goes his way without God. That's Romans one at the end of the last half anyway. And God says in verse 20 at the end, they are without excuse.
Not one has an excuse for turning to his own way and ignoring God. Like judges, God is not in all their thoughts. And So what does it say in verse 24? At the beginning, God also gave them up.
And then if you get down to verse 26, God gave them up and when you get down to.
To 32 Who knoweth the judgment? Who knowing the judgment of God?
You see there without excuse, but they which commit such things and I wouldn't even mention them. But if we read them, that's all right. But just to mention them is not right.
Are worthy of death, not only do the same, they not only do it, but have pleasure in them that do them. That's what you were bringing out.
With this terrible Satan being, or the devil, Satan being the Prince of the power of the air, he's got it controlled and they enjoy others who do these terrible things. But that's natural. This is the natural man. Now there is the spiritual too, and that's just as bad in God's sight as to worse the spiritual fornication in this world. And that's an awful thing. So you mentioned camp before. You mentioned world when you were reading before.
And that's the spiritual fornication.
And that's a terrible thing, isn't it? I have my Bible open to Revelation 17. I'd like to read a few verses in verse 5.
Upon her that's this woman that's riding the beast. Upon her forehead was a name written Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.
In verse nine of chapter 18 says.
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, Babylon, that mighty city, For in one hour is thy judgment. Come now this. This is spiritual fornication. This is illicit commerce with the world by this religious system.
Babylon the Great headed up at Rome, do you know?
Evangelicals today.
Are reaching out the right hands of fellowship with Rome?
You say that can't be. It is has happened. It has happened and that's where everything is headed. It's headed back to this religious system. There is no evil on the face of the earth that is worse than religious evil. It's the worst. That's worse than moral sin. We're not making light of moral sin and saying that, but moral, moral fornication is just a picture of religious fornication.
To have fellowship, to extend fellowship to those that are.
Diametrically opposed to the teachings of the Bible and the Word of God and the person and work of Christ.
That's spiritual fornication. It's the worst sin and evil there is. God, he's the God of this world. Satan is, as well as the Prince of this world. So he's both, isn't he? And he's got religion. He's got a religion for everyone. He, he doesn't mind if you're religious, not a bit. He's got control of that.
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But he does. He hates Christ, and if we're true to Christ, he'll hate us too.
Best system, brother. And one thing that is evident that's denied is the compassions of God. And you'll pardon my reference to being it in Italy recently, but as I traveled through that country, every little village, every little town had this, this edifice in the middle of it. And what was it about?
Persecution against the truth of God.
And the setting forth, like you say, of this woman, this woman taking over. And the thought came to me as I went through that land. Jezebel, Jezebel. She covered the vineyard of Naboth.
Ahab covered the vineyard of Naboth and Jezebel says I'll get it for you.
And that's a character what's all around us, brother, that there is this false woman, this woman that was typified in the assembly.
At Tharatara, and what does it say there? I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not and what is it she teaches like you have brought out so clearly it's against the person and compassions of the Son of God that this terrible system has risen up and what is it doing is sweeping all into it in a day that is going to sum up and Babble in the great is that that right? That's right. And then what's going to come judgment.
In a single way, that that 17th of revelation brings us the end of it.
To be connected with something like this.
We have to remember the Old Testament is for our learning. It's not just stories, it's for our good. And I think we get those wonderful application of what's happening today. Now the remnant, there's always a remnant because God's faithful. We're remnant brethren, only because God's faithful. Just don't forget that. But there is remnant testimony always. There will be when the Lord comes. But the remnant? Asked Jeremiah.
What where we should be and what we should do? 2 questions. And Jeremiah asked the Lord, and the Lord told them.
Remain here at this place where I've chosen to place my name at. That's what we're very clear Zion.
And what? Well, of course, what is obey my word according to my word, they said.
To Jeremiah, Jehovah didn't tell you to say we should stay here and not go to Egypt. They went to Egypt.
Sad, isn't it, when you think about it now, Just one thought. Psalm 137.
Verse one here they are.
They went to Egypt for where they end up Babylon.
Religious.
Corruption out by the rivers of Babylon. There they are. There we sat down and wept.
When we remembered what Zion, the place of God's choosing. Think about that. Now what does rivers of Babylon mean? The rivers speak of water, which is the word of God, and Babylon confusion. And when you leave the truth, the place where it can be, I don't care what you go to, maybe the nice, nicest looking building in so-called church, you are in religious confusion.
That's it. That's Babylon, the rivers of Babylon. And so that's terrible to God. It's worse than, as Chuck said, it's worse than moral. Moral can be corrected, but doctrinal cannot be corrected. Let's don't forget that. The worst.
The epistle where there's no.
Commendation at all is the Epistle to the Galatians. Why doctrinal air.
I am afraid of you, said Paul. That's the best he could say for them. I am afraid of you. So when he speaks of fornication, I believe the application should be spiritual for an occasion. That's the worst.
Let me ask a question. Could you take the 7th of Proverbs as a picture of that principle?
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I haven't memorized it. I'll look, but you know what, what does what part of it, the woman there that's enticing the young man and he says I went by the way of her St. and she says I prepared spices from Egypt. She was bringing in all of that sort of corruption. But I've thought of often that in view of our brother Chuck's remarks, that's a picture there not only of the of the physical but of the of the spiritual.
And how the young man needs to be warned.
And the young woman from ever getting finding herself in such a compromising position that she would be in that devastated place. But like you say, brother, the principles and the pictures of the Word of God are their faithful witnesses to our spirits, are they not?
Proverbs 6 and seven are together, and Proverbs 6 warns she's after his precious life. Let's don't forget that. Don't trust precious life.
And that's that's what we got to remember. And then in the 7th, her house is the place of death.
And so that's a solemn, it's a solemn portion, but I think it's it's it's moral, but spiritual, as you may say. But I believe these are ones that are simple, not like the Lord Christ for the simple, but who just are so easily.
LED astray by lust and temptation. You know she so, but her her goal is his precious life the most.
Seeketh the precious life. That's it. The most wicked woman mentioned in Scripture is Jezebel and I. She pictures to the to Thyatira. The Lord says, I have against thee. Thou sufferest that woman, Jezebel.
To teach and seduce My servants, to commit fornication, to eat things sacrificed to idols. That was the sin of Jezebel. She was the life of Ahab, the most wicked king in Israel, and she led him on to great evil. I want to read the end of Jezebel. It's in Second Kings nine. It struck me as I read it recently, and I'll read from verse 30. And when Jihu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it.
And she painted her face and tired her head, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master. And he lifted up his face to the window and said, Who is on my side? Who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trod her under foot. And when he was come in he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman.
And bury her, for she is the King's daughter.
And they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.
Wherefore they came again and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel, and the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field, and the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say.
This is Jezebel.
Now, if you read Revelation 18 and you read about this Jezebel as a religious system.
Babylon the Great, when it is destroyed, the destruction of Babylon is so complete, just like that of Jezebel, that no one can say this is Babylon. It will be totally annihilated and destroyed and removed, and the only thing that will remain is the true church, not the false, but the true church.
The bride of Christ, the Lamb's wife, and that's what we're a part of. And when we see the end of all this false religion that's out there, it makes us to want to stay as far from it and as clear of it as possible. I don't want to have anything to do with that system and with anything that smacks of that evil, that religious evil that will end in all consuming judgment.
So that they could not say, this is Jessica totally gone. We're not forcibly against them in the Old Testament. They tore down the idols and the Groves. We're not to do that. And we should pray for those that are in that system, especially those that are his. That isn't the thought that we are their enemy. That isn't it at all. But we have nothing to do with them. You know, they like to say, aren't we all Christians?
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They say to our young people, we're going to give you a broader base, an outreach that you don't have.
But and they, they take a lot that way, you know, in, in college, they got these crusaders for Christ. They're doing great things. All right. What they do, if it's of the Lord, I'm happy. But when you get with them, you're yoked with unbelievers too. You're yoked with things that are defiling. And a yoke is an awful thing, you know, But I think we got to be careful that we don't set ourselves against them. That isn't the thought. It's awful, but we're not against them.
We don't go around and tear down all the churches or burning them fast enough, but it's not our job to do that isn't the thought, is it? We should be for them, but we don't go with them. And our young people have to get that in their heart because they'll they'll see you're not doing anything, even if they're especially if they visit us, you're not doing anything but in God's sight.
We're doing good work when we worship. There isn't anything higher.
And there's no broader base. I tell the young people then where the truth is and where the Lord is in the midst and where the Spirit of God has liberty. That's broad based. You can't get any broader for the gospel or anything. And so I think it's very important for the young people to realize that Jehoshaphat, I think it was Jehoshaphat, got mixed up with Jeroboam. And he says this is our enemy. Help me fight the enemy of God.
No problem.
We're all, we're all Christians, we're all God's people. And so he got mixed up. He said my horses are your horses, my people is your people. So he's mixed up with a wicked, with a wicked king who's king of Israel. Oh, is that all? No, that isn't all. He ends up with an unequal yoke, with a heathen king now.
That's terrible. And so we have an unholy alliance for an unholy purpose. It wasn't God's will, and I don't think Joseph I could have done better and getting messed up. And that's the way it is with young people. And you'll end up out there.
That's the problem. And after he had done that and had allied himself with Ahab and with Ahab's son, the prophet came to him and said, shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them? That hate the Lord, therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Now that was said to Jehoshaphat, who was a godly king, but he totally broke down in separation from ungodly religiousness, and that's what I was talking about. We don't hate.
That persons that are in it.
We love them and would seek to deliver them from that evil. The word of God says come out of her my people, that she be not partakers of her sins and that she received not of her plagues. That's found in Revelation 18. God calls his people who are in that system to come out of it, not to stay there. We're never to stay in complicity with evil. We're to separate from it so that we might be vessels to honor.
Sanctified meat for the masters. Use verse three brings it right in. Now we don't look down on them. That would be an awful thought.
But we all looked down on ourselves sometimes. It says, I say, through the great given unto me to every man that's among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. We've got to remember we're nothing.
We can't gloat when we and we can't look down on them. We can pray for them, but we can't. We can't boast.
That'd be awful, wouldn't it? You don't. Pride's an awful thing with God, and there's three prides, which we have to be careful of. There's pride of faith, that's what we have here, and pride of race. That's bad.
And there's pride of grace, too. That's bad.
We can't be proud that the Lord, by His grace, has gathered us to the name of His son. We can't be proud of that. We can be appreciative.
And thankful, I know many mix that up for pride, but don't stop thanking him and ask him to keep you. But pride, the terrible thing. That's verse 3.
Consider for a moment what is a remnant. You take a bolt of cloth and perhaps through leakage of a roof or something it is damaged. But on the end there's a little bit that is good. It's a remnant.
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You're never going to be able to redeem that bad piece of cloth. It's gone, but there is a remnant. We're glad where I are today and see so many.
But we are going home.
To the tombs and the three.
And I say this very carefully with the lack of ministry that we think is so wonderful. And I doubt not like we get here, but I'm just thinking it's just a little remnant. We're not going to bring in a great number of people when we bring them in. We're no longer a remnant. And what is the path for the individual that believes that there is a remnant and he would like to be associated with it? I believe it's brought out in Second Timothy.
Let everyone that names the name of Christ.
Depart from iniquity. Well, that slaves me all alone.
But further around we read these. But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them to call on the Lord out of a pure heart. You take the step.
You'll find company. It's the way of God's preserving the remnant.
The Lord preserves a remnant.
For testimony sake, you know he sees the whole body of Christ. Our Father sees it as one. But when? When Judah and Benjamin.
Were in Jerusalem and Judea, they didn't just have two loaves of showbread, they had 12 loaves of showbread. And that's the same with us. We have one loaf. But brethren, by the grace of God.
We announce the truth every time we break bread. Every blood bought St. in this whole world.
Is represented in that loaf, just like with two tribes, all 12.
Were represented even though they weren't there. And I think it's so beautiful. We have that privilege. There isn't any greater privilege. That's the highest privilege anyone can ever have in this world. Lords Day morning with that loaf. I think it's so precious. That's the remnant testimony.
You know that would be I like that illustration Brother Jim gave us. It would be folly for that little part of the unspoiled bolt of cloth to say we're the whole bolt.
We're the whole thing, if we get that idea, we're we're, we're very sadly wrong, but we represent we can say well, we're unspoiled. I don't mean I don't like to say we I'm talking about the I'm, I'm part of that remnant now that that bolt that that remnant boulder cloth can say well.
The whole boat was just like I am before it got spoiled.
So in the state I'm in, because I I escaped that pollution that came upon the rest of the boat, I represent, I'm talking about being part of the boat talking now. I represent what the bolt once was before it was spoiled. And that's the thought of God, isn't it? How did you escape it?
By the grace of God, that's right.
And brethren, you better pray that the Lord keeps you till he comes, because you can't keep yourself. And I think that's the most important prayer today. Just keep us where thou would have us going on till the Lord comes. He may come any moment, but we can't keep ourselves. And if our young people get the idea they can, they're gone.
Brother Walden Hill has an expression that he often gives, and I like it very much.
Lord, keep us in the past.
Until the end of the past, what you were saying?
One of the marks of the remnant. There's a little expression in Romans 2 That speaks of patient continuance in well doing.
This isn't a world that loves excitement and gets to the emotions and so on, but the characteristic of the remnant is patient continuance in well doing and the evils that we're speaking about is a tremendous tide. And we need a, should I say, a spiritual buffer against it. And what is it? It's to daily read the Word of God, young and old. We all need it to meditate.
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And to be given to prayer.
I enjoyed a count of some young people in a certain school.
That the teachers noticed that their academics was quite remarkable, the way they expressed the English language, that was quite noticeable. And they got together to try to figure out what it was with these young people. And kind of the key question was they couldn't figure out how come they were so intelligent, but they didn't know who the movie stars were and what the the great hits were in the music world and the sports world and so on.
Well, you know, that's a buffer that we want to covet as we go on to be knowledgeable of this world and the great names goes, it's a hindrance to us. But to think that the world is observing very keenly, mind you, very keenly, and they pick up the differences very quickly. And whether they want to acknowledge it or not, there is a respect for the child of God who is walking.
In daily communion with the Lord.
And it may be that by a manner of life, salvation could be brought to those that look on. But often we get kind of fearful and and think that we're an oddity. And so we've got to give in a little bit.
But let us not be deceived by that kind of thinking. That would be Satan's suggestion, but just that patient, day by day, going on in quietness.
Is going to bear more weight, I believe, than anything else.
Encouragement and I don't want to focus attention on myself, though it is a personal story about eight years ago at my work that the boss had recently moved into a new home and he had one of these big, wide and high viewing televisions. And so he came to each person and he came to me with the secretary somehow standing beside him and he said, I want you to all come to my home, Lord Sunday. I didn't say Lord's Day, he said Sunday afternoon and going to watch.
The Super Bowl.
I still remember the sensation that came over me and I kind of gulped and this is what came out. I don't drink, smoke or chew or socialize with those that do.
He turned to the secretary and he said, well, he said if Stan were to come, he could be in the garage with the dogs.
Well, I knew that my number, as far as he was concerned, was was up.
So the next time I had an evaluation, I knew something was going to come up, and it did. And I was able to present the gospel to him. And from then on, if there was any advantage that came my way, it came providentially.
Recently I was told that.
They called him into the big boss's office and they said you are fired on the spot.
A few months before that, they allowed me without any surveillance, without any checking of how many hours I worked, to be able to finish my time of duty for them in my own home, 1100 miles from anybody else. So God in His Providence took care of me and the fear of this man.
Would have brought a snare, but God worked it and young people and whoever else.
Is still working. Remember God will honor faith Now remember this there are two sides of faith in the 11Th of Hebrews You may get fired you may you may but if if it's worth it to you to be fired or to have a sense of the approval of God.
Remember, we don't spend Lord's Day afternoon looking at the Super Bowl. Or if it's on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday or Friday or Saturday.
That is not our occupation, because here's what it does.
It spoils communion. It spoils communion. I would rather there's a verse in Psalms that says thy favor is better than life. And you and I in some small measure, when we are indeed in communion with the Lord. Let me give an example.
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If you have some that are younger, don't have trouble sleeping, that their mother has to come and get them. And it's proverbial that young people don't have trouble sleeping, but some of us may wake up.
And what I have tried to do is to start going in my mind through some book of the Bible that say John or Ephesians and, and I get stuck on about the 5th chapter and I say, Oh yes, what is that? And then you get up and you started the day by meditating on the word of God. And then you get up and you say, Oh yes, that's the 5th chapter. And then the next time you start meditating, you may get through to the 6th chapter and that's the middle of the second verse by the renewing.
Of your mind.
I remember Walter Gill was mentioned. I remember his father. His last days were spent in Portland, OR. And I remember dear brother Frank Gill saying that every time he read some scripture, it seemed a fresh renewal, as if he had never read it. And brethren, that's what we need, isn't it? That's what we need is the renewing of our minds and to have the mind so renewed that it's the word of God. Now don't take me wrongly.
I respect and believe that the truth of God is conveyed at a conference and in our meetings. But I'm not gathered and you're not gathered because of what brethren preach. We're here because of the Word of God, and the Word of God is the guide. And may we be kept and be like the brains that search the Scriptures to see whether those things were sold. And I believe that whatever dispersion has been in the past and by the grace of God.
I hope no dispersion comes. But if we understood in the simplicity of Scripture the elements of Paul's doctrine that leads us from Paul's gospel in Galatians 1 to the to the resurrection in First Corinthians 15, and understood its relation to the present day, we would have an anchor for the soul and have an anchor. And brethren, we need it individually and if we have it individually.
And we we understand it not with the mind, but with the heart.
Then we see that all that God has done in the present dispensation is centered in an arisen and glorified Christ. It so separates us from this world. And so a Christian to be an activist and and so many I could mention a work of God that is sovereignty has opened up 60 miles from from Denver in the South. And as you go along, you see a big sign that says focus on the family and you can turn and you can go into their $1,000,000 facility.
But they're spending their time, if not spending their wheels.
In trying to stop the forward motion of abortion, do we believe in abortion with all our hearts? Scripture speaks against it. But I'm not going to join a society that's going to lend their support to that because Pauls doctrine separates me from this world and and even the righteous side of the world. Let's take, let's take.
Promise Keepers.
The The football head football coach of CU and Boulder, Co, recently retired.
And for those that care, which hopefully we don't, it was quite a disappointment.
So they started what is well known throughout the United States and maybe Canada. But as has been spoken recently in this meeting about Jezebel, they're now embracing Jezebel can come in. There's a man by the name of Chuck Coulson that thank God he was saved. We're thankful for every soul that saved. But with a, with without a good conscience, would I connect myself? Because now he's embraced exactly what we have. Brethren, there is no safer ground, no happier ground.
For us to understand individually Paul's doctrine and to see that however weak an individual assembly may be, that is where Christ is in the midst and we're safe. We're safe.
Example of Old Testament for promise keepers takes care of it, doesn't it? All that Jehovah says we shall do.
They broke the first commandment before they got it.
The first What first gave more than one?
Can't keep a promise so we'd let them rule play around with that and God laughs at their calamity. But these verses first three are leading us out of ourselves into the truth of the one body of Christ and I think it's so beautiful to get into the practical that really Paul wants he wants to eliminate ourselves 1St and that's so important and I think the one thought here.
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I would just mention that not to think of yourself more highly than you ought. Well, Paul said. I'm the least of All Saints.
Chief of all sinners, so he could tell us this, you know, but we often do that and Paul in the Philippians, I want to just turn to Philippians Chapter 2.
Verse two, he says as he's in prison.
Fulfill ye my joy.
How do you do that? Well, I'm not going to go into all of it, but notice what verse three says in the middle. But lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Now I believe it should read more excellent than themselves. And look, not every man on his own qualities, but every man also on the qualities of others. That would be false joy in prison.
And then he tells them how to do it.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And so that's all he's doing in the 1St 3 verses. He's trying to get self out of us like Ecclesiastes does so he can fill us with Christ like Song of Songs does. But any rate notice for as we have many members for this is the purpose of this chapter in one body and all members have not the same office, so we being many.
Our one body in Christ and everyone members of another one of the I was going to say in particular.
But I like that, don't you? In the 12Th chapter of First Corinthians, he says.
God has set the members in the body as it's pleased Him.
Accept means purposely done and permanently. God has set the members in the body as it pleased him. I believe it says the Lord and then in 27 verse 27 it says and we are members in particular.
And they're beautiful. And this is what Paul's bringing out. You know, this is what's going to happen to the rest of this. And we, we should always remember this. We're in the body of Christ. That's the most important thing to remember. And, and each member is a member in particular. And not only that, you're not only a member in particular now.
You were in God's thoughts and purposes before anything was, that is.
When Paul wants us to get the grasp of this.
He wants us to get the bigness of what's happening here even today. This is marvelous today that we're even here. You know, that's all God's purposes and goodness. So we, being many, are one body in Christ. Everyone members one of another. We can't do without each other.
A city we can't do without each other, brother, and we don't lean on each other connection with the renewing of our minds. You notice that it says that you may prove what is that good?
An acceptable and perfect will of God.
How important is only through the Word of God that we can prove what is good and acceptable and perfect as to the will of God.
We're not of the world which fadeth away, We're not of the night, But children of days, the change that once found us by Jesus are riven Were strangers on earth. Our home is in heaven.
Far away.