our study through 1st and 2nd Timothy in a series that we have called Managing the Household of God. Today our topic is managing through trials. Managing through trials as we look at 2nd Timothy chapter 2 today. We're going to read verses 8 through 18. In fact we're going to begin by reading these verses and then we'll look at a couple thoughts here today concerning Paul's instruction to Timothy and to the church at Ephesus there concerning managing the house of God through trials. And so let's begin by reading the passage first and then we'll look at some thoughts here this morning. He says here in verse number 8, Remember that Jesus Christ, at the seat of David, was raised from the dead, according to my gospel, wherein, for this reason, is what that word there means, for this reason He says, I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not, yea, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. Of these things put them in remembrance. How many times does he say here to remember or to put into remembrance or back in verse number seven where he says consider. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Instead he goes on here to say verse number 15 study To show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth But shun profane and vain babblings for they will increase unto more ungodliness and their word will eat as doth a canker of whom hymenaeus and philetus Who concerning the truth have erred saying the rest that the resurrection is past already? and overthrow the faith in some. Here Paul reminds Timothy of the importance of managing and enduring through trials. Nobody likes trials in life, do we? We don't like discomfort. By nature, we as human beings try to avoid any discomfort. However, trials, good and bad, are as much a part of life as the job that we go to work at, or as the food that we eat, and can serve a variety of purposes, not just for the individual Christian, but for the body of Christ as a whole. Trials are not to be avoided. We're to work through trials. There are trials that can build up believers. There are trials that can strengthen our faith. There are trials that can even cause division and contention within the body of Christ. Paul deals with that a little bit in today's passage. Paul did not teach us that we should seek to avoid the trials, but rather to manage effectively the body of Christ through these trials. We face trials. As individuals, we're going to go through difficulties in life. As a body of believers, there are going to be things that we face as a body of believers, as a local body, Faith Baptist Church, that are going to be difficult to endure. There are going to be trials, but yet we are to manage the body through going through these trials. And so today we're going to look at a couple of thoughts that Paul gives to us concerning our responsibility as a body of Christ when it comes to trials. Four points this morning. The first point that we see is our responding to trials that produce hardship. responding to trials that produce hardship. Notice what Paul says in verses 8-9. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel where unto, the word where unto means for this purpose I suffer trouble. as an evildoer. Not that he was doing evil. He's not saying here that I was going out on Friday nights or Saturday nights and causing all sorts of ruckus and trouble in town and getting arrested and thrown in jail because of my own recklessness. I'm just persevering through. That's not what he's saying here. What he's saying here is this. He was treated the same as those who were wicked. He was treated and punished the same as those who were living an immoral life or ungodly or unlawful life. He was going through trials because of his righteousness and because of the way that he sought to live. He says, Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, as an evildoer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound. James 1 reminds us that trials are inevitable and serve a purpose. He also reminds us that although trials in life are inevitable and they serve a purpose and we go through them and they may be difficult, James does remind us that we can endure these trials joyfully. Listen to what James says in James chapter 1 verse number 2. My brethren, count it all joy when you go through diverse or various different temptations. The word there is trials. James says, brother, sister in Christ, consider it joyful when we go through trials. He goes on here in verses three through four to say this, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Trials produce hardship, and James uses here for an example, the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse number eight, he says, remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my gospel. Jesus Christ himself endured trials. Hebrews chapter 12, verses two through three say this, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross." What a terrible suffering the cross was. Jesus endured it. He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. how that endured such contradiction, the word contradiction means dispute or strife, of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. In other words, Paul is saying there, understand this or consider this so that it will be an encouragement to you and I when we go through trials. That's what Paul is saying in Hebrews chapter 12. Jesus Christ endured the cross. He went through trials for our benefit, not for his own. He endured all of this. So therefore, Christian, take comfort in knowing that we as well have the privilege to go through trials. He is our example. Christ suffered, first of all, to be our salvation. He suffered to be our Savior. If you are here today and you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior, understand there are two places that mankind will go when we die. There are only two options. Reincarnation is not one of them. And annihilation or just nothingness after death is not one of them either. There are two places that mankind goes after the grave. Either mankind goes to heaven to be with Jesus Christ forever and ever in a beautiful place where there is no more trial, there is no more sickness, there is no more despair, or we go to a place called hell, which is a real place. It is a place of torment. It is a place of complete separation from God, who is the embodiment of all goodness. So therefore, in hell, there is no goodness whatsoever. Those are our two options. Now here's the problem with mankind. We don't deserve the first one. We don't deserve that perfect place called heaven. And if we expect to get there through any work of our own, we are reminded in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, that for by grace are you saved, through faith, not of yourself it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. We have no hope of heaven. We deserve hell. Except that Jesus Christ endured the cross. When he said it is finished on the cross when he was crucified, what he was saying was all that is necessary for mankind to be saved and to be at rightness with God has been finished. Whether or not you get to spend that eternity with him and claim that finished joy is based upon a simple decision that you make. whether to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and to say, Lord, God, I don't deserve heaven. I deserve hell. I am a sinner. Would you please forgive me? And that is the only hope that you have of eternal life. Paul reminds us when we go through trouble and trial the knife, remember that Jesus endured the trials of the cross for your salvation. He also endured. Christ suffered to be our example. our perseverance. We sing several songs today that talk about troubles and trials in life. Jesus, Jesus is our example. It is our hope in eternal life that allows us to go through troubles in life. So when we, as Christians, or we as a body of believers here at Faith Baptist Church, when we have to go through some difficult times, we look to Jesus, who is our example. We look to Jesus Christ, and we are reminded that He gives us the strength for the Holy Spirit to endure trials. We see the example in verse number 8, is Christ Jesus. We also see the experience of His trials. And it is for others, look at verse number 9, the first part, wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds. Paul said, because he was willing to lay down his life for me, I am willing to go through trials as well. I am willing to suffer as well. In fact, if you want to hold your finger there and turn with me for just a second over to 2 Corinthians chapter 4, reading with me verses 8 through 12. Paul writes this, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Does it sound like Paul endured trials? Does it sound like Paul endured some difficult situations? Notice what he says as we go on. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, but that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. But notice what he says in verse 12. So then death worketh in us, but life in who? I might be persecuted and death might be at the doorstep, might be waiting for me, but the hope is that I get to go through this, that you can have eternal life. Paul wasn't saying he was going through trials and his trials would save them, but he was going through trials so he could give them the gospel. As a matter of fact, go on and look at verses 16 and 17. For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light affliction. our trials. The difficulty that you're going through right now, Paul says, is nothing but a light affliction, which is but for a moment in time worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Paul says, I am willing, as we go back to our text, 2 Timothy chapter 2, I'm willing to go through trials for others that they can hear the gospel. We see the example of his trial. We see the experience of his trials for others. We see the exaltation of his trials. Look at the second part of verse number nine. But the word of God is not bound. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not bound. It has no hindrance. Where was Paul when he writes this letter? He was bound in jail, getting ready to die. He was bound, but he reminds us that the gospel is not bound. The gospel is freeing. In fact, if you want to turn over with me for just a minute, look at Philippians 1, verses 12-14. I'm sorry, I'm in Ephesians here. Let me go over to Philippians. Philippians 1, verses 12. But I would, you should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. He's talking about the trials. These things that have happened to me were that the gospel could be proclaimed. Although I am bound in prison, the gospel is not bound. Going on to verse number 13. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. Because of my imprisonment, The people in the palace have heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ. People in every area of the known world have heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And many of the brethren of the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Paul says, I will endure. If by my suffering or by my trials, others will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Trials produce hardship. Trials produce hardship. Number two. Paul writes, responding to trials that produce endurance. Look at verses 10-13. Therefore I endure all things. I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying. For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. Trials produce endurance. We see, first of all, endurance that produces evangelism. One commentator states this, the vision of guilty sinners saved by the grace of God and glorified together with Christ Jesus was sufficient to inspire Paul to bear all things. As educated as Paul was, he could have enjoyed any comfortable job that he wanted. He could have picked with his education any employment in life, and yet he chose to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. He enjoyed to endure the trials so that he could share the gospel with others. That's why he says, therefore, I endure all things. I endure that I can share the gospel. It is an endurance to produce evangelism, but it was also an endurance to produce exaltation. We see here in verses 11-13 what many theologians and commentators suggest was probably an early hymn that the Christian Church sang. Notice it is a faithful saying here, he says, For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. Paul makes four statements concerning our exaltation from trials. First of all, he says, if we die with Him, we will live with Him. We see that in verse number 11. Our association with His death, His burial, and His resurrection provides for our eternal life. We have a hope in Jesus Christ someday. It says we will live with Him. But can I suggest also that when we endure trials in this life, we live with Him also right now. What did Jesus say? I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Is there any greater promise that we as Christians have in life to know that whatever the trial that we are going through, we are not alone. Jesus Christ is with us. If we die with him, we will live with him also. What's the second statement that he makes? If we suffer with him, we will reign with him. That we are joint heirs should encourage us to endure temporal suffering as an heir does. We are reminded we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ as His children. Yes, He endured and we will endure also. And someday when this life is over and we get the hope of eternal life, we get to reign with Jesus Christ. What a hope that we have. If we suffer with Him, we will reign with Him. The third statement that he makes, if we deny the Lord, he will deny us. Now here, this is not the temporal denial that we might think about when we think of Peter that night when the Lord was taken away to be crucified. And the Lord told Peter, you're going to deny me three times. And Peter did, didn't he? He denied the Lord three times. This is not this temporal denial that Paul is writing about here. This here rather is a permanent and a habitual denial of the Lord. This is the unbeliever. And Paul says here that if we deny Jesus Christ continually, that is our status in life is to deny that Jesus Christ created us and to deny that He died on the cross to be our Savior. And that if we deny Him, we read here in the second part, He will deny us also. If we reject Jesus Christ in this life, He will reject us. Understand this, if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can't say that someday when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, you can't say, I didn't know any better or how could a God who loves me, you know, allow this to happen to me. How can a loving God send anybody to hell? That's not what happens here. A person who spends eternity in hell does so because they have denied Jesus Christ as their Savior. They stand before Him, having rejected Him their whole life. And so the Lord will say, depart from Me, I never knew you. The fourth statement that He makes here is this. If we believe not, he remains faithful. I believe here Paul is simply reemphasizing his previous statement that the unbeliever must be rejected based upon God's faithfulness. And it is not because God does not love the sinner, but because a faithful God must judge sin. He must. And so because God is faithful to his word, because God is faithful to His character, that those who reject Jesus Christ as their Savior will be rejected when they stand before Him. We see clearly this morning a responding to trials that produce approval. responding to trials that produce approval. Look at what he says here in verses 14 and 15. Of these things put them in remembrance, them being the church, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Trials in life are a certainty for every individual. How we respond to trials reveals whose approval we seek. Think about that. How we respond to trials in life is going to reveal whose approval we seek. First of all, we see here in verse number 14, the desire for the approval of men, which creates disputations. The desire for the approval of men, which creates disputes. of these things, he says, put them in remembrance, let them remember, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words, to no profit. The phrase here, that they strive, the word strive means to dispute or to argue. So, that they strive not or argue not about words. The phrase here, not about words, is the same exact word, dispute or argue, to no profit. In other words, that they don't argue about arguments that have no profit. that they don't dispute about disputations that have no profit. That's what Paul is saying here. Paul does not say specifically what these words are. He says here, put them into remembrance that they don't go about arguing about things that have no profit. Now, what are the arguments? Paul is not clear here in this passage, but Paul does speak about this in other places. For example, look at 1 Timothy chapter one, if you will, verse number four. He says, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith, so do. In other words, don't give heed to fables and endless genealogies, things that have no support from scripture. Don't get involved in arguments. Look at me, if you will, over at Titus chapter three, which was the letter that Paul writes to Titus, another young pastor. Titus chapter three in verse number nine. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law, pharisaism, for they are unprofitable and vain. In fact, we're going to talk about this a little bit later in our passage here tonight. What Paul is saying here is this. Put them in remembrance that the church should not sit around and argue and bicker and fight about things that have no value except to create schisms and disputations and to divide the church. Avoid them. Now, what do we do with clear scripture? Thou shalt and thou shalt not. We embrace them and we defend them. But can I suggest that most of what we argue about in our fundamental churches today have nothing to do with what God's word says, theology, God's word. So often we argue and we dispute and we fight about things that either are not clear in scripture or not in scripture at all. And Paul says these things divide the church. They create destruction. We argue about standards. We argue about programs. We argue about positions and preferences that have no clear biblical basis and offer no benefit except to form schisms and divisions. And so Paul says, but to the subverting of the hearers. Subverting means catastrophe. What word do we hear there? It literally means demolition or destruction. When we begin to take up sides about things that the Bible does not speak clearly about, the only result is the destruction of the body of Christ. We seek for man's approval. But notice what he says here instead. Look at verse number 15. Study to show thyself approved. We see here the word study. I often equate this with a high school or a college student as they get their notes out and as they pour over their notes to study for a test. I have one child, not to mention any names. I have one child, because you know I never give out my children's identity. One child, did you study for the test? Yes, I studied. How long did you study? Two minutes. Alright, I probably have more than one child that does that, actually. Well, that's not very long. I looked over all the notes. You know, that's not really what the word here, study, means. The word study has a much broader meaning here in the original language, in the Greek. The word study means to labor or to endeavor. To labor. It's not the student who just looks at the notes for just a brief moment. It's the laboring and the endeavoring. And notice what he says here. Labor to show thyself what? Approved to who though? Approved unto God. You know, I don't labor and I don't endeavor and I don't study for man's approval. That leads to arguments. That leads to schisms. That leads to destruction. Instead, I labor and I endeavor to please my Lord Jesus Christ. It is His approval that I seek. Study, labor, endeavor, that comes from God's word. He says here, rightly dividing, and the idea here of rightly dividing is to cut a straight line. And it is the example here of a farmer as he is seeking to furrow, to plow that furrow, and he looks straight ahead so that he makes sure that that is a straight line so that when he turns around, the lines aren't doing this, going every which way. It is to rightly divide. The faithful Christian is to cut such a straight line through his study of God's Word to faithfully and accurately apply God's Word so that I can be approved of Him, not of other people. Someday we will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. We will give an account of our understanding and our application of what we have studied through God's Word to Him, not based upon what somebody else has told us to believe or told us to do. Our purpose is to labor for God's approval and not man's. This is accomplished by correctly studying and applying God's word to every area of our lives. By the way, this will not only set us at odds with the world, but will oftentimes set us at odds with other Christians as well. Why? Because so often we get so caught up in disputes. We get so caught up in arguing about things rather than seeking to simply bring approval of the Lord Jesus Christ. And last that we see here today, responding to trials that produce division. Look at verses 16 through 19. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom it is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faiths of some. I find it interesting, four times in his pastoral epistles, 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus, four times Paul reinforces truth with this phrase, this is a faithful saying. Four times Paul uses it. Here he compares his teachings to the characteristics of false and divisive teachers. And in these next few verses Paul deals with division that results from our conversation. First we will look at the conversations from this text, but then we'll look at some others also. And in these verses we see a description of divisive conversations. He says, strive not about words to no profit. The idea here is that any word or conversation in which there is no benefit for the body, avoid it, Paul says, strive not. Verse number 14. Verse number 16, we see here, avoid the profane and vain babblings as we see in verse number 16, but shun. Profane is a word that means heathenish and wicked. We go down to verse number 18. Here were two men who took the resurrection of Jesus Christ and they had perverted it. Heathenish and wicked. Vain babbling simply means empty sounding and fruitless discussion. Does that not oftentimes represent how we talk so often? Vain babblings, empty sounding, and fruitless discussion. How long do we get involved in arguments that are fruitless? Simply put, sometimes they're just our own preferences. He says you're to shun or to keep away. Why? Well, because it is the destruction of divisive conversation. They will increase, he says here, to more ungodliness. Their words will destroy like a canker. The word here, canker, maybe you can hear an English word. Gain graina. What does that sound like? Gain green. Just eats away and eats away. It is destructive. It is stinky. It is repulsive. And Paul uses all of this to describe our conversations that do nothing more than divide the body of Jesus Christ. He uses here the demonstration of this divisive conversation, Hymenaeus and Philetus, two men who were influenced by human reasoning, Gnosticism, over God's word and as a result they led many astray. Paul talks about these divisive conversations in other writings as well. As we go on in this chapter looking at verse number 23, which we're not going to deal with a lot this week, we'll get there eventually. He says, But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. In 1 Timothy 1 verses 4-6 he refers to these contentious conversations as fables and endless genealogies. In 1st Timothy chapter 6 verses 20-21 he says, ìAvoid the profane and vain babblings.î Titus chapter 3 verse 9, ìAvoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law.î All of these things Paul says are contentious within the body. What are some forms of divisive conversation today in the church in the body of Christ? One of the things that is a benefit, I guess, of being a pastor and having other pastors and missionaries and evangelists come in, having family members who are involved in the ministry, having friends that are involved in the ministry, is the opportunity to hear sometimes, what are the things that the church right now, and when I say the church, I'm talking about fundamental Baptist churches, what are the things that the church is divided over or is struggling with right now? You know, as I have a chance to talk to different people in ministry, really it comes down to three things. There are more, but they really come down to three things. In the book of Galatians, Paul warns us about the spiritual cannibalism. In fact, turn over, if you will, Galatians chapter 5. Notice what he says in Galatians 5.15. Get the picture here. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. I call it spiritual cannibalism. We bite, we devour, we argue, we contend, and really all we do is consume one another. I think the three areas here, and I just want to share with them, if I can, as best as I can, with the heart of a loving pastor, that is concerned about churches that are destroying one another. The first, I think, would be this. In our church structure, in other words, how we do church. You know, I have a brother-in-law that probably today is a pastor of a fundamental Baptist church. Probably today is not wearing a tie when he preaches. I have a friend who today as he preaches won't be wearing a tie or a jacket. I have a friend who today will be preaching in just a tie, well in a shirt and pants, all the other things as well. Do you know the Bible says nothing about whether a tie or a coat is right or wrong? You know it's no indication at all of their love for the Lord, their desire to preach God's Word, to be faithful to God's Word. You know I have a My in-laws' church, they'll have a morning service and an afternoon service, no evening service. My brother-in-law, his church will have no evening service as we have it. They split up into homes throughout the body of Christ there and they'll sing and have devotions and share testimonies one with another. You know the Bible says nothing about to the rightness or to the wrongness of that. Some churches maybe will have a piano A friend of mine has a church, a piano and a guitar. You know the Bible says nothing is to the rightness or the wrongness of that. Some churches will have one person leading our singing. Some will have three or four leading their singing. You know, the Bible speaks nothing as to the rightness or to the wrongness of that, but do you realize that churches will argue and tear each other apart as to who is right and who is wrong, who is more godly, who is less godly, and we spend all of our time arguing over the structure of how we do church. And yet, in so many of these things, the Bible says nothing. But we will cast down another person's testimony in another church's ministry. We will bring into question their love for the Lord and their love for souls. based upon absolutely no scripture whatsoever, other than that things be done decently and in order, and that we seek to bring honor and glory to God. Divisiveness in our church structure. Sometimes it's divisiveness in our church songs, the songs that we sing. I'm a traditionalist. I grew up on old hymns. I love hymns. You guys know that. But you know there are a lot of wonderful songs being written today. that are full of theology. And one song can bring praise and honor to the Lord. And we will argue and bicker and fight about whether we should sing these songs. And yet the Bible says very little about whether it's right or wrong. Some people here in our church, other churches, they love the old hymns and they don't want to sing the new songs. Some people love the new songs and they don't want to sing the old hymns. And yet in our church we have people who are blessed by both. And yet we are reminded in Colossians chapter 3 that we are to sing to the edifying and the building up of one another. What does the Bible say about our songs? Well, Colossians 3.16, our music should be doctrinal, based upon God's Word. We cannot change that. If a song is not doctrinally correct, we should not sing it. Music should be meaningful. In other words, it should have an application and purpose for people today. Colossians 3.15 in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 19. Colossians 3.16 reminds us that our music should be worshipful to the Lord. Eight times we see in scripture that our music should be new and fresh. Psalm 33.3, Psalm 96.1, Psalm 40.3, Psalm 98.1, Psalm 144.9, Psalm 149.9, Isaiah 42.10, Revelation 5.9, Revelation 14.3, a new song. The word there simply means fresh. A fresh song. Music should be joyful. Psalm 100 verses 1 and 2. Make a joyful noise. The word there means shout. All of these things are part of what should be part of our music. Our music should be biblical. In fact, if you want to turn with me, if you will, Colossians chapter 3. If you will, just very quickly here. I believe that our worship music ought to be that which blesses all types of people in our congregation. We can say, but pastor, our music should be to the Lord, and I agree with that 100%. But notice what it says in Colossians 3, 15 and 16. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. Okay, that is the theological basis for our music. Teaching and what? What does the word admonishing mean? Encouraging and lifting up. Teaching and admonishing in psalms, in hymns, and in spiritual songs. In other words, when we sing worship songs in our worship services to the Lord, it is to bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is also to teach doctrine one to another and to encourage one another. So if we have people in our congregation who enjoy the old hymns, we ought to sing the old hymns so that they can be blessed by it. If we have people in our congregation who enjoy new songs, we ought to sing new songs so that they can be blessed by it. All of this bringing praise and glory to God. None of it defying what God's word says about music. As long as it is worshipful and done in a way that brings glory to God, we divide over our church songs. Can I say we also divide in one other area? in our church scriptures, what versions we use. I use the King James when we preach and teach. But can I tell you, King James was not a godly man. Sometimes we kind of portray King James as being a godly man who wanted to put the Bible in everyone's hands so they could understand scripture. He was an Anglican who wanted to put the Bible into everyone's hands so he could rub it in the Roman Catholic Church's nose because he did not like the Roman Catholic Church. I would dare say I don't know what version you have in your hands today. But can I say God's Word was completed almost 2,000 years ago. None of us have a version in our hands today that is over 170 years old or so. 1881 was the last revision of the King James Version. Do you realize that the 1611 authorized version contained the Apocrypha? Would we say the Apocrypha was inspired? No, we wouldn't say that. It has some issues as well. It's not a perfect translation. We have the word baptism. Baptism's not an English word. It's what we call a transliteration. It's a made up word is what that means. The translators came through and they were reading about baptism, which means to immerse or submerge, and it was used to describe a ship that was sinking. So we can understand that sprinkling is not part of God's plan for baptism, since you don't sink a ship by sprinkling it. Can you imagine the gladiators out there in the Coliseum throwing water at the other ship trying to sink it? They don't want to defy the king who believed in sprinkling. And so to make sure they saved their heads in this translation, rather than translating the word baptizo into immersion, they simply said, well, let's just create a new word. We'll make it baptism. Well, it kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? They were more concerned about their head than they were about being accurate with scripture. All this to say, If you are here today and you don't have something other than King James, we should not throw stones at somebody else because of that. We ought not seek to destroy another man or another ministry or another person because they don't have the same conviction that you or I might have concerning God's Word. We can have opinions and personal standards in these areas, but we should never be in conversations that divide the body over these things. Are you saying, Pastor, that I shouldn't have any personal standards? No, I am not saying that at all. I think you should have personal standards in all of these areas. But I also think that you ought to be the one to open up God's word and study each of these out for yourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and to give you the Christian liberty that was paid for you through the blood of Jesus Christ to make these decisions for yourself. That is your responsibility. When you have that, we need to be careful and mature enough in our relationship with Jesus Christ to allow other people the freedom and the liberty to do the same thing. In fact, you may say, Pastor, what do we do then? I think it would be who was to understand four things, principles. To make sure that we don't gnaw at and eat each other and devour as Galatians 5.15 says. First of all is this, seek to be biblical. What does the Bible say? Pastor, I once read a tract though that said this. Pastor, this pastor over here though, he said this. It really doesn't matter. What does the Bible say? Number one. Number two, can I suggest, do not seek to be critical of others. If somebody else studies God's word in any of these areas, or other areas even beyond these, and they come to a different conclusion, can we not be critical? Can we not throw stones and seek to destroy testimonies and argue and destroy ministries? Number three, can we seek to be gracious in differences? Allow the grace of God to work in somebody else's heart the way the grace of God works in ours? And then number four, can we seek to assume the best of the other person? Assume that the other person loves the Lord Jesus Christ as much as you and I do. Can we assume that the other person has studied this as much as you and I have? And can we just simply assume that through the work of the Holy Spirit in their life and the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, although we may come to two different conclusions on any of these topics, we can still treat each other kindly, love each other deeply, encourage each other profoundly, rather than to be involved in what we call spiritual cannibalism and destroy the church. Because, can I say, these three areas are destroying fundamental Baptist churches today. As I talk to friends who are in ministry, missionaries that come through, evangelists that come through, can I say these are the three areas that come up more? It's easy for me to be in tunnel vision, looking at just Faith Baptist Church. These are the only things that affect Faith Baptist Church. And it's sad when we start to realize there are things that are destroying churches everywhere. Can we love one another? Can we take Paul's advice to Timothy and say, don't allow those conversations, shun them, avoid them? Is God's word clear? Then we stand strongly upon God's clear word. But in areas where there is disagreement, let's let Christian liberty lead the way. Let's encourage one another and love one another. Allow for Christian liberty. Allow for the Holy Spirit to work in somebody else's life and let the Holy Spirit do the work in their heart. We go through trials, whether it's enduring trials as Paul reminds us. Whether it's the example of Jesus Christ, whether it's going through a trial in life so that we can be a godly testimony to our unsafe friends or to our family members. And when they look at us and say, how can you have such joy going through these trials? How can you have such happiness on your face with such terrible news? We can say, because Jesus Christ is in control. He is the focus of my joy, not my situations in life. We can use the trials in life as a means to share the gospel. Paul said, I will endure for the sake of the gospel. I will go to prison. I will be in bonds if it allows somebody else the freedom to preach God's word and to share the gospel so that even those in the palace here, even those in prison here, it's worth it. It's worth enduring the hardship. It's worth going through these things so that we can share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is worth the trials because we will reign with him. Someday, these trials are just for a moment. But there are other trials that can be divisive if we allow them to. And faith, can I just say, can I just encourage us? Let's seek to be an encouragement one to another. When there are areas in scripture that are clearly right and wrong, we can make no apology. There are certainly hills that we must fight on. There are certainly causes that we must win. But there are so many things that we just bicker and argue and fight about. Some of them are nothing more than preferences, personal desires. How often is it, well, these were the good old days, and there's things that we've thought about in the past, and we can tear down and destroy. And Paul says, shun them, avoid them, so that the body of Christ is not destroyed. but rather encouraged and built up. Dear Lord, we thank you so much for your word. Lord, we know that trials are a part of life. We can't avoid them. Lord, we must go through them. We must manage the body of Christ. Through these trials, the world is watching and to see how we handle trials. And Lord, what a great opportunity for us to be an example of Jesus Christ who endured for us. Lord, maybe there is someone here today that does not know Jesus Christ as their savior. Lord, help them to see today that you died on the cross that they could be saved. You endured such trial that we can never imagine that we could know you as our Savior. Lord, if there's someone here today that does not know you, I pray, I pray, Lord, that you would get a hold of their heart. Lord, help them to realize that they have the freedom to come to me today. Lord, either I or someone else in our church can take God's word and show them how they can know before they leave this church today that they are on their way to heaven. Lord, we have been called to endure trials, to be a picture of Jesus Christ, to have the opportunity to share the gospel. But Lord, if we're not careful, we can also allow the trials that would destroy our church. Lord, help us to love one another, to edify one another, to seek to prefer one another as we are reminded in scripture rather than to devour, and to gnarle at, and snarl, and bite, and destroy. Help our conversation, Lord, to be that which is encouraging, and lifting up, and not destructive. Maybe there's someone here today that would say, Pastor, I don't know Jesus Christ as my Savior. Pastor, I'm lifting up my hand. I would like to know today that I am on my way to heaven. I am not going to embarrass you. No one else is looking. Everyone else's eyes are closed. If you would just look up at me and maybe just give me a quick little wave or a quick little hand raised up. Pastor, I don't know Jesus Christ as my Savior, but I would like to know. I would love to talk to you later on. Just lift up your hand very quickly and then put it back down. Okay, Christian. Are you going through a trial right now, difficulty? Does Jesus care when my heart is pained? Oh, yes, He cares. I know He cares. Because He endured far greater for you. And He loves you. I can't guarantee that that trial is going to end soon. I can't guarantee that that trial is going to be an easy path. But there are two things I do know. I know, first of all, He is going through the trial with you. He will never leave you or forsake you. You can take comfort in knowing He is with you in the trial. You can also know that there is a greater purpose for that trial than you know right now. Maybe it's so that you can share the gospel with somebody who does not know Jesus Christ. Maybe it's so that you can be a testimony for Jesus Christ and for His power. If you're sitting here and say, Pastor, would you pray for me? I'm going through a trial right now. I just need prayer. I just need encouragement. I'm going to lift up my hand. Would you pray for me, Pastor? You can put those hands down. You know, in a minute we're going to have an invitation. It would not be embarrassing for you or wrong for you to come forward and just kneel at the altar and ask the Lord to give you strength in that trial. There would be nothing wrong with that. There would be nothing wrong with you kneeling in your seat and asking the Lord to give you strength in that trial. Maybe there's a Christian here today that would say, Pastor, I'm adding to the burden of our church. I get so focused on my preferences or on things that really are not clear in scripture and so focused on what I want, it causes me to gossip. It causes me to backbite, to complain, to gnaw at others. And pastor, that's not right. And I need to make that right today. Pastor, I'm lifting my hand. Would you pray for me? I'm not going to embarrass you at all, but I would pray for you. Dear Lord, we thank you for the trials in life. They're not easy, Lord. But we are reminded in James that there is joy when we go through trials. So Lord, help us to be joyful. Help us to look at our trials as a means, an opportunity, Lord, to manage the body of Christ. Lord, I pray for those that have raised their hand today because they're going through a difficult situation. Lord, maybe the only hope that we can give them right now is to continue to pray for them and to encourage them. Lord, help them to be steadfast. Lord, bring encouragement into their life daily through their study of your word and their time with you. Lord, help them to see that there is a greater purpose than just this momentary trial that they are enduring. Lord, I pray that you would lift up our church. I pray that you would make our church strong. Lord, I pray that our church would grow and be healthy because, Lord, we desire us to lift each other up and to encourage one another rather than tear down with our with our tongues. As the Lord is speaking to you, we're going to stand first, stand with me if you will, and we're going to sing a song of invitation. If the Lord is working in your heart, take the time to come before the Lord. Maybe it's just to kneel there and ask the Lord to give you strength through your trial. Kelly, come and lead us, if you will, in a song of invitation.