If you would, turn with me in your Bibles this evening to the second Thessalonians. Second Thessalonians in chapter two. Before we read and open up the Holy Word of God, let us once again call on the Lord and ask for His divine assistance by His Spirit as we consider His Word. Father, we come again this evening to the Word which you have delivered to us for our good and our edification, for even our salvation. You've given us these things, Lord, that we might be instructed in the doctrine which accords with godliness. And we ask, God, that you'd help us to understand your word. Give us grace, the grace of illumination, to understand those things you revealed for our good. Give us, God, grace to apply them into our own lives, that we might be infected and affected by the word of God in all that we think and feel and do. Bless us, Lord, and keep us on that straight and narrow way. In Jesus' name, amen. Let's read together verses 9 through 12. Here the Apostle Paul is describing the great apostasy that will come at the last time, the very last, at the end, when the man of lawlessness is revealed after the restrainer has, well, been removed. And so let's just consider, let's just read verses 9 through 12 this evening. Paul says, And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Amen. When the Lord comes to the end of his sermon on the mount, he warns us, as we consider this morning, beware of false prophets. When he delivers his discourse, again, these two great sermons in the Gospels, when he delivers his discourse on the Mount of Olives, describing the characteristics of this entire church age, the entire inter-adventual period, he says, take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name saying, I am he, and will deceive many. And again, later in that sermon, he says, for false Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed. See, I have told you all things beforehand. In 2 Thessalonians 2, which is our text in verse 2, Paul says, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled either by spirit or by word or by letter. And then he describes the coming of the lawless one, the Antichrist. But John tells us that we know we are in the last hour because many Antichrists have already come. Those antichrists work in similar fashion to the antichrist. Right, you can think of the there's a type antitype relation there. They come to you according to the working of Satan with all unrighteous deception. While this while this is the sign here, Paul's describing the sign of the end of the antichrist. There have already been many antichrists who work unrighteous deception among those who perish. Satan has done it before, he will do it again, and he will do it at the end. He deceives many almost Christian, who are yet but almost Christian. And for this reason, because they did not love the truth, so as to live by the truth, God in his justice will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Again, a hard truth, a sad truth, but not so sad as true. God sends strong delusions among the unrighteous so that they will be blinded so that they will rush headlong to ruin without any consideration. There is a special spiritual punishment for those who have been spiritually enlightened. God's punishment meets the crime. He deludes those who delude themselves, those who sit under the word of God unprofitably in hypocrisy and ingratitude. so that they grow from worse to worse, giving them up to strong delusion, believing more lies. We take our main point from this text. Because many do not receive a love for the truth that they might be saved, God designed Satan to deceive them, sending them a strong delusion that they may be condemned, who do not believe the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness. This is a solemn warning, especially for us. Why? Because we're here. Because we're here sitting under the Word of God. The preaching of the Word of God is always a pleasing aroma to Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one, it is an aroma of death leading to death. And to the other, it is the aroma of life leading to life. Christ will be pleased this evening, either in enlightening to life of his elect, or to the deluding to death of his enemies. Take heed how you hear. We're considering again this evening Beware of Wolves, part two, I suppose, and I want to open up our meditation, our sermon this evening in three points. The devil's way of deceiving, the Lord's way of designing, and the church's way of defending. Consider, in the first place, the devil's way of deceiving. Pastor, why are you spending so much time on this? We must learn the devil's ways if we are to resist him. Paul says, we are not ignorant of his devices. Let us not be ignorant of his devices. We'll be less ignorant after this evening. So let us consider the devil's ways of deceiving under four sub-points here. And let me say, I'm relying heavily upon James Durham, that Scottish Puritan, his book entitled Concerning Scandal, a book, a masterful work, really, that he wrote on his deathbed. These are the words of a dying man to the church. But I'm learning from him, we're learning from him this evening. Consider the devil's way of deceiving under four sub-points. The devil's instruments, his methods, his means, and his manner. First, the devil's instruments. How does he come to deceive? What instruments does he use? Just as the Lord Jesus has apostles and ministers, so too does the devil. He calls and sets them apart for his special work of deception and division. Satan, indeed, he has many subjects, but he also has special ministers, superior officers in his kingdom, sent for the purpose of spreading error and division. The devil often employs those who have some eminent gifts or uses, or uses those who have a good name or a reputation for godliness. And why is that? Why would he use such people? Oh, the answer's simple. That person who has gifts or who has office, that person will have more influence upon others. It's a sad reality, however, that even amongst Christians, We are often more concerned with who holds a doctrine than what the doctrine is. We more easily judge a doctrine or a judgment, a conclusion somebody's made, by the person who holds it, rather than the thing itself. Well, if so-and-so said it, it must be true. And the devil exploits this to prevail against many by employing those persons who have influence. but he also has subtler, more meddling and underhanded agents who do not always appear openly but creep into houses secretly. Durham says this, and you can discern this throughout church history, again. He says, ordinarily, he has some women who are especially employed in this work. He says, they creep around in an underhanded way and are often vehement in what they do, and have opportunities to pervert and seduce people that others do not easily have. Satan has his superior officers in his kingdom strategically placed to deceive and divide and destroy. Wolves will work their way into eminent and influential positions. They may wait out a position for decades, but they'll get there. They work their way into eminent and influential positions, seeking, discerning, keeping tabs on whom they may devour. They begin by testing their victims to see if they can be trusted, to see if they can gain their ear and through their ear into their heart. And they will test these victims in smaller ways at first, with a little complaining. a little criticizing of others, a little gossip, to see if they can gain a subject to their own faction and divisive party, which brings us in the second place by way of subvoying to the devil's methods. Wolves may begin, just as I described, testing their victims, striking in with them, empathizing with them, trying to become someone to them and something for them. but soon it will lead to open criticism of others to create division, and where do they start? Durham says to start with, he sets himself by all means to make the ministers of the truth odious and contemptible. He does so either by dismissing the concept of the ministry altogether or by making out that everyone is a minister, which is, when you think about it, two ways of doing the same thing. It says much for many places where everybody's a minister and everybody's a missionary. They're already halfway to division. But the wolf will cry down the ministry itself. And this undermines the order of the church and the office of rule and government in the church which Christ has established for her edification. But if they cannot strike down the ministry itself, if perchance they're in a church which prizes the ministry and the public preaching of the Word of God, Satan will begin by crying down the minister, his person. And the wolf does this for two reasons. Satan does this for two reasons. First, because he knows that Christ has given pastors to guard churches from being tossed to and fro with every corrupt doctrine and division. And so he attacks the one specially designed and specially gifted to guard the sheep. The second reason he attacks the minister is because they know that the teachers of the truth and the teachers of error cannot both have place in the people's affections. If they're saying contrary things, you have to believe one and hate the other. In other words, if they can slyfully insert themselves into people's affections, then there will be no room for the pastor. Soon the shepherd will have no authority and power to protect the sheep, what, to persuade consciences. And once they make the pastor of no esteem in their hearts, they have full reign to devour and deceive. But how does the devil disparage pastors specifically? Again, we must study his ways in the concrete. The wolf will undermine the pastor's calling. They undermine their office in calling. Are we not all priests? We follow Luther. We believe in the priesthood of all the believers. Be a Berean. Be a Luther. The Holy Spirit through the word and conscience is all we need to judge between right and wrong. You see, you don't need pastors. We have the Holy Spirit in conscience. We are all teachers. And so they begin to undermine the pastor's divine calling in office. And if they can't undermine his calling, they undermine his gifts. You look back at Corinthians, man, you look and read the Corinthians, a letter to the Corinthians and a letter to the Galatians. These false apostles, how small they tried to make Paul look. He's a weak man, he's insignificant, he has no skills in his preaching. Apollos has the best gifts, Peter has the best gifts, but not Paul. Likewise, wolves will compare the pastor's gifts to more eminent preachers, to make him become insignificant and small in the minds and affections of the sheep. Or they'll then undermine the pastor, criticizing what he preaches about. Why is he preaching about this doctrine and why is he not preaching and telling us how husbands are to love their wives? He's not so pastoral. He would be preaching what I need to hear. He doesn't know our needs. He's not shepherding us. They'll criticize what the pastor preaches about. Or they'll undermine the pastor's qualifications and experiences. They'll criticize the pastor because he's not so knowledgeable, remember, in that wolf's secret knowledge. They might even suggest that the pastor needs to get a degree in therapy. Really? So that he can be a more effective minister of the gospel? So that he can be able to really heal people? And if he doesn't have that, well, we shouldn't really be following him. They will undermine the pastor's motives, insinuating into people's minds that he is only in the ministry for selfish gain. If he ever tells someone he's hurting or tired, he must be trying to manipulate us to just leave him alone. He thinks we're working him too hard as if we're not paying him enough. Changes he makes in the church or decisions he makes to the order of worship are sometimes cast in the worst light. They'll then undermine the pastor's integrity. They'll raise suspicions that the minister is being crafty and underhanded. They'll invent patterns of suspicious behavior out of thin air, taking offense where the minister is given none. They'll undermine the pastor's sincerity. Listen to Durham here, he says, he says, whatever the minister's behavior is like, Satan and false teachers lie in wait to traduce it, to undermine it, to pick at it. If he's less standoffish and more familiar in whom he interacts with, they say he's a worldly man, a friend and lover of sinners and the corrupt, just as was said of our blessed Lord. Remember, he's a drunkard, he's a winebibber. If he's more austere or if he's more strict in checking people's faults, or reserved and prone to avoid company, he's called intolerant and proud, as was imputed to John, John the Baptist. If he takes wages or gifts, he's accounted greedy and covetous. If he refuses or abstains from accepting gifts, it's expounded as lack of love and respect. See, no matter what he does, he cannot satisfy the wolf, for the wolf is interested in one thing, blood, division. Maybe if the pastor doesn't reach out to help for whatever reason to a person, he's called unapproachable. If he does reach out to someone in order to admonish error, he's called a bulldog. No matter what he does, he's at fault and he's not to be trusted. They'll also undermine the pastor's service. Durham again writes, Satan contrives to make people regard ministers as proud, as those who exalt themselves above everyone else, despise the people, and take too much for themselves against the interests of the flock. Corrupt teachers, he says, ordinarily claim to vindicate the interests of the flock against the ministers' tyrannous encroachments. The wolf is skilled at reproaching honest and faithful ministers, pointing out their failings, showing where he's fallen short of how they would have served them, how they would have better served the flock. The wolf knows how to win people's affections with flattery. And again, what's the end? To displace the pastor from their heart. Finally, they undermine the pastor's reputation. If there is some fault, and there are faults, if there is some fault, whether real or perceived, it is not passed over, but it's exaggerated, and it is remembered even decades later. The scripture says, an ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends. A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. Right again, just like our Lord, before Satan can murder a godly man in his body, he must first murder him in his name. And so at first, they'll begin by attacking the ministry and the minister. But the devilish dog does not stop at the minister's calling, or his gifts, or preaching, or qualifications, or integrity, or service, or reputation. He will proceed to weaken the people's commitment to the truth that is preached. Durham says, initially, Satan leads people to reject some of the less fundamental truths, such as those, he says, such as those pertaining to church government. In the lesser things, They will say they will impugn the pastor and even the church of acting contrary to their confession. We are not so congregational. We are not so reformed. And what are they doing? But sowing seeds of suspicion and division, beginning to let error enter in. But then what? How do they proceed? Durham says Satan then draws them to separate from the fellowship of the church. under the pretext of more purity and spirituality. They will suddenly and schismatically separate from the church, having declared it to be corrupt and impure for not giving in to their doctrines and divisions. Jude, actually the verse just before our call to worship, he says, these are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the spirit. Brothers and sisters, again, learn Satan's method. Know it so as to identify it and so as to hate it. And if there be something of his method in your own heart, mortify it before you fall into the snare of the devil and are taken captive to do his will. If these criticisms and the cunning to undermine the ministry or the ministers Be in your own heart. Repent of your devilish ways. It is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. This is why Paul writes, I beseech you, again, after three glorious chapters of the gospel, he says, I beseech you to walk in a manner worthy of your calling. I plead with you, I beg with you to walk like a Christian. How? With all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. A Christian keeps the unity. A devil destroys it. And he begins with the pastor. Third, observe the devil's means. We really spent most of our time this morning looking at the means, looking at the sheep's clothing this morning. Satan will use men and women with attractive and impressive outward behavior, with an aura of spirituality or secret knowledge, with cunning and craftiness, Satan will ensure that those who deceive others are greatly loved and esteemed so that others will feel more comfortable around them and be more ready to receive their leaven, their leaven of deception and hypocrisy. But there's one more means that Satan uses, which is really just maybe a conclusion, a consequence of what we just said. He sometimes makes his ministers of deception to be officers in the church. Durham writes, it is useful for Satan's plans to have on board some who have church power and bear the name of church officers so that they may act not under the name of ministers of Satan, but as ministers of Christ. It's more useful for Satan to use a deacon, or an elder, or the wife of a deacon, or the wife of an elder. They come in the name of Christ. And Satan knows this. And so he uses them to delude and divide. Fourthly here, by way of sub-point, observe the devil's manner. There's so much we could say here. We'll be very quick. He will delude and divide with subtlety. Many will fall into the snare of the devil and be none the wiser. They'll think they're doing God's will. He will do it with hypocrisy, with a form of godliness and the appearance of righteousness. He'll do it with vehemence and diligence and zeal. All right, again, devils will cross land and sea, towns and states, to spread their lies. They are zealous to devour souls. They'll do it with great boldness. They claim to avoid no amount of suffering to maintain their opinion. They will stick to their delusion in sickness and in death. They will go out of their way to find opportunities to debate others, to spread their slander. They will never miss an opportunity. This is their goal. This is what they live for. They will never miss an opportunity. They confidently trust their own judgments and reviles anyone who disagrees with them. Brothers and sisters, when you see this, do not be surprised. This is the devil's tried and true way of deceiving. Which brings us in the second place to the Lord's way of designing. The sovereign Lord overrules all the devil's schemes. And he even uses them in the preserving and the propagating of his true church. Would we have any hope otherwise? Would we have any comfort otherwise than to know that this is of the Lord's design for our good? God designs deception and division for two chief purposes. He designs division and deception for two purposes. First, to test his own people. We saw this in Deuteronomy 13. God uses delusions and divisions to test and approve his true church, to justify and strengthen the remnant who remain, and to condemn those who depart. Which is the second reason. He allows for delusions and divisions to punish ungrateful hypocrites who do not receive the love of the truth. Second Thessalonians 2.10. In both of these things, in the testing and approving, in the judging and removing, in both of these things, God is glorified. In the one, to the praise of his glorious grace, in the other, to the praise of his glorious justice. This is important. And if this be the Lord's design, the more absurd the delusion, and the more devious the division, the more obvious it is from the Lord's hand. He designs these things. And the more absurd the delusion, and the more devious the division, the more obvious it is from God. Let's consider the Lord's designing under two sub-points here. First, why the Lord sends delusions, and second, how we know the Lord has done it. First, why does the Lord send delusions? Well, it's in our text. Verses 11 and 12. He says, for this reason. He tells you the reason. For this reason, God will send them strong delusion. that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. What is the reason? Verse 10. They did not believe the truth and loved the truth that they might be saved. There are physical punishments and there are spiritual punishments. from God. Paul describes physical punishments in Romans 1, talking about how the whole pagan world is condemned under the law. For their gross practices of uncleanness, lewdness, God gives the pagan world up to more uncleanness, to the lust of the flesh, to dishonor their bodies. Because of their physical perversity, God gives them over to more physical perversity, to vile passions, exchanging even the natural use of their bodies for that which is against nature. They abuse the light of nature, and so God gives them up to what is unnatural. But there are also spiritual punishments. Reserve for those who have received the truth, but do not love it. He gives them up to strong delusions so that they believe a lie. And this ordinarily follows the abuse, not of the light of nature, but of the light of the gospel. The Lord does not, he doesn't just punish anybody with this plague. but only those who abuse the light of the gospel. He does not create evil in their hearts, but only strengthens what is already there by removing his restraint. He does not deceive anybody, but only makes their desire to give heed to fables stronger. The scripture says that they deceive others having deceived themselves. The plague of delusion is not due to ordinary sins of infirmity or ignorance, nor is it the punishment for gross sins of immorality, but it is the consequence of the abuse of spiritual light. It is the consequence of receiving so much light compared to other places and times. of receiving so many spiritual mercies and privileges, so much truth, the working of great spiritual gifts and graces, and yet abusing them, being unthankful for them, spurning them, undermining them, deriding them. Durham says, it is the result of spiritual pride, complacency, hypocrisy, and formality, keeping up the form without the power and having the truth but not the love of the truth. It is a special plague for a special sin. It's a special plague for a generation of almost Christian who for so long pretended to be Christian, but yet remained but almost Christian. He sends it upon those who have itching ears, who despise the simplicity of the truth, the simplicity of true religion, the simplicity of true worship. The Lord sends a strong delusion upon those who sit under the law and gospel, but remain self-conceited. who refuse to enter the kingdom like babes. And for their spiritual conceit, God sends a strong spiritual delusion. And he sends it especially upon those who have a lack of respect for faithful ministers who preach the truth. And because they will not endure sound doctrine, they will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, When confronted with the Scriptures, when they cannot answer the Scriptures, He sends them teachers to confirm that they need not answer the Scriptures. When their lies are so absurd, their ungodliness so unreasonable, they find teachers to confirm them in their delusion. And this is from God. He takes away godly teachers and supplies them with corrupt ones. They will go to great lengths to seek out such teachers for themselves, to give them corrupt and confirming judgments. They may go to different churches, to different cities, even to different states, to find anyone to validate their delusion. And they will find them. They will find them. For God has sent it. There's a special plague for a special sin. Delusion is fit for those who despise the light of the gospel for so long, and who are so strong in the form, but only the form, of religion. The second question here, how might we know this is from the Lord? Well, if you're listening carefully, everything I just described is from the scriptures. We discern these things from them. But how might we know this is from the Lord? How can we be sure that this delusion is a judicial sentence from the Lord upon those who are self-deceived? Again, Durham is very helpful. You may know it's from the Lord in five considerations. You may know it is the Lord's design when the error and the division is very absurd and unreasonable. He says the judgment of God is especially apparent in such delusions when they cannot be thought to be the consequences of any reasonable line of argument. When they complain of nothing but vagaries, You know it is nothing but delusions. When the lies are so clearly lies, when the reasons are so clearly unreasonable, the more they are deluded, the more you should know this is God's design. He's given them over. When they are so skilled in emoting and so childish in thinking, You know God has given them over to delusions. When those who have professed the deep things of God for decades, when they've sat under reformed teaching for years, when they can discard so much truth so quickly, you know God has flipped the switch and he sent it. Second, you may know it is the Lord's design when the persons who spread the air in division are in some way eminent. That is when they are officers or persons eminent in lifestyle and conviction and profession. Durham says these features make it seem as if the temptation is armed by God, which he does not usually do for no reason. Third, you may know it is the Lord's design when the delusion and division carries away some people whom nobody would have suspected. Oh, how could that be? When those whom you thought were strong in the faith depart, then you know it is God's design to have Satan sift his church. Fourth, you may know it is the Lord's design when it comes on the back of people having the truth and for so long being unfruitful under it. Jerome says, this declares the very reason why it has appeared. Why? Because they sat for so long under the light of the gospel and would not bear the fruit of it. When for so long the people have heard the truth but have not loved it, When for so long they have borne no fruit, then you know it's the Lord's design. It's just like when the Lord came and cursed that fig tree and came into the temple. The Lord Jesus expects to find produce in those who profess his name and religion. But when it is entirely lacking, he exposes them to the withering judgment of God. Fifthly, last one. You may know it is the Lord's design when it hurts the church by disrupting unity or creating division. Go back and read Malachi 3. The Lord will suddenly come to his temple, and he will come like a refiner's fire. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver. When it is time for judgment to begin in the house of the Lord, when it's time, he will send a strong delusion upon those who do not love the truth. He will take the kingdom from those who merely profess the truth, and he'll give it to a people bearing the fruit of it. They will go out from us that it might be made manifest that none of them were of us. In these ways, you may know that it is the Lord's design to send a strong delusion in order to punish hypocrites and to purify the church. That brings us in the last place now, to the church's way of defending. How might we defend ourselves from such satanic delusion and division? Five ways. You're really getting some Puritan sermons here with three sub-points and ten sub-points and sub-sub-points. But you know what? I'm learning from a Puritan. We're learning from a Puritan. Five ways here. First, let us be settled in the doctrine which accords with godliness. Again, as Pastor Paul said, the best defense is to know the truth, the good. Let us be settled in the doctrine which accords with godliness. When we so know the truth, so as to practice the truth, when we love the truth, which accords with godliness, we will not easily be deceived. Then you will be able to resist the devil, and he will flee from us. Then you will be able to watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, and be strong. 1 Corinthians 16, 13. We will no longer be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in their cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. The Apostle to the Hebrews says, do not be carried away about the various and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by grace. How do you not be carried away? Be established in grace. The more we are established in grace, the more we will be equipped to defend and resist Satan's apostles. Brothers and sisters, are you beginning to see now how your own personal holiness is not a private matter? The Lord has knit us together as a body. We are called to build one another up in love as the church of God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Your holiness, or lack thereof, is not a private matter, but it has an effect on the whole body. Wolves know how to exploit the weak sheep. With smooth words and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the simple. Don't be simple, but be settled in the doctrine which accords with godliness. As our Lord says, be harmless as doves, but be wise as serpents. For your life depends upon it, and the life of your brethren depend upon it. So first, be settled in the doctrine which accords with godliness, but second, let us mortify our itching ears and test the spirits. 1 John 4, 1. Beloved, Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Do not believe everything you hear, but test the spirits. Do not seek out new teachers who have not been sent by God, who have not been tested by the church, Again, what does this mean? This means beware of what you listen to and what you read. Anybody can create a podcast. You can do it tomorrow. Anybody can create a podcast. Anybody can write a book and self-publish it on Amazon and get it into your hands. Anybody can blabber on a blog. Test the spirits. and seek counsel before you let someone enter your ear and your heart. Oh, how it grieves me to hear of things done and think to myself, did that person get counsel? Did they seek their help from their wiser, older brother and sister? Did they come to their pastors who could help them? Test the spirits, seek counsel. That also means here, to mortify our itching ears and to test the spirit, it also means this, that when you hear gossip or slander, endless disputes, when you hear gossip or slander, close your ears. Rebuke the messenger. And if that person has a grievance or an accusation, exhort them to submit to Christ's rule in the gospel. Go to your brother and leave me alone. Moreover, when you hear people question truths already agreed upon and confessed, or when you hear prejudice against your shepherds, put a stop to it straight away. Be careful not to raise new doubts among the sheepfold, but endeavor wisely to remove them. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14, 26, this is a good rule. It's a rule for everything. Let all things be done for edification. Oh, memorize that and keep that in your head. Let all things be done for edification. If it's not for edification, Close your ears, shut your mouth, put a stop to it. Rather, whatever, he says in Philippians 4.8, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there's any virtue, and if there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these. How divisions and delusions would be stopped if we just did that? Let all things be done for edification. Third, let us not converse with wolves. We've had our share of bites and bruises from wolves. And as a church, we've marked them. and now it is our duty to avoid them. Keep up your duty, and do not grow weary in doing good. May the Lord commend us as he did the church in Ephesus, where he says, I know your works, your labor, your patience, your perseverance in a difficult good, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. Let us not bear those who are evil. Let us not converse with wolves. Fourth, let us be affected. It's what Jew was talking about in the call to worship. Let us be affected when we hear of another's downfall or danger of falling into error. When we see another of the sheepfold tented to error or to danger, let us be consumed with the zeal for God's glory and for God's truth. And let us be moved with compassion for the one who's tempted. And let us quickly humble ourselves and pray that the Lord would remove the disease from amongst us. Well, fifthly, and by way of conclusion, to close, let us have a good esteem for godly ministers who preach the truth. If we do this, you've cut off the way Satan starts, the way he always begins. In our new church covenant, we will take this vow. August 11th, Lord willing, we will take this vow together, that we will recognize and submit to the ministerial authority of our elders as unto the Lord. We will regard and esteem them highly for their work's sake, steadfastly attend on their ministry, freely consult them concerning our souls, encouraging their hearts and strengthening their hands, avoiding all that may weaken their hands or discourage their minds, treating them affectionately when present, and speaking respectfully of them when absent. This is why we have that in there. Besides, it's from the Lord. It's from the Lord. It's a command from the Lord. But doing this is one of our chief ways to defend divisions and delusions. This is why, brothers and sisters, we have this in the covenant, because we are not ignorant of Satan's devices. The more Satan pushes prejudices against the pastors and blasts their reputation and doctrines, the more we should fight back. knowing that it is only the beginning of the devil's divisions. It is for good reason that the apostle exhorts us in Hebrews 13, 7, obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Have a good esteem for your pastors and defend them, for they are given by God as ministers for your joy. Amen. Let us pray. Father, we thank you again for, well, your divine revelation. God, you've given us so much to think, to think about, so much to know about, so much to take heed and to cherish in our hearts, so much to remember. You've given us all these things for our good, for the glory of Christ and His church. Lord, help us ever to beware of wolves. God, if there be any wolfish behavior, thoughts, affections in our own hearts, help us to mortify them, to put to death the deeds of the flesh, to put to death self-seeking and envy. Rather, God, give us wisdom which is from above, which is peaceable and pure, Give us that wisdom that our Lord's brother tells us about. That we might endeavor to maintain unity in the church, to snuff out and to strike away all division, but to come together in the unity of the truth, in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Grow us up in the truth. Grow us up in our love for Christ our Savior, for God our Father, and love for one another. For love is indeed that bond of perfection. Give us a bond of truth, give us a bond of love that we would not be torn asunder. We ask God that you forgive us of our sins for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ here in this place. Amen.