Alright, Galatians chapter 5. Theron, would you open us in prayer tonight? show us that they aren't just something to get out of our life, but it's what we are in the inward, the natural inward. It's what we are, Gordon, that we need you to work in our lives and to get rid of these things. But it's only through you that we can do that, Gerald. I pray that you would be with Pastor Sue tonight, Lord. I pray that you would speak to him, Gordon, and speak to us through him. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. All right, so we're there in verse 20 still. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath. Last week, we went through strife. We showed quite a few things pertaining to strife there. And last night at prayer meeting, and for whatever reason, I forgot to hit record, so that wasn't recorded, what we looked at. But we compared and contrasted envy and strife and then looked at The cure for strife and what it really boils down to it's that bond of perfectness When you compare that with the oil used in the meat offerings back in Leviticus chapter 2 We see that that bond of perfectness that Paul speaks of in Colossians chapter 3 is the Holy Ghost Okay, and so in Romans 5 5 that the love of God is shed abroad upon our hearts in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which He has given unto us. So the Holy Ghost is that bond of perfectness and really the cure for all strife is love. That's what it is. But it's not a human love, it's the love that God gives you. It's that love by the Holy Ghost. And so we checked those things out last night and last week. Tonight we're going to be looking at seditions and heresies. I believe we'll get through both of these tonight. Lord willing, that's my plan. And so a sedition carries with it the context of a rebellion, but it does go further than that because there are places where it's used almost in conjunction with itself. What it really is is it's a concentrated effort to overthrow an established government. That's what a sedition is. There are those that would consider the march on the White House there on January 6 years ago a sedition. And I suppose by definition that probably was. I don't know enough about it to even really say so. But we have in our minds what sedition is then. It's also conduct or speech that pertains to that same type of thing, okay? So it's overthrowing authority. That's what a sedition is. And so when you consider that, we're going to look at, it's only used in six places, okay? And we're going to look at all these six places and then some other places that deal with it and really, We're gonna go ahead and we're gonna look forward in some things dealing with seditions and how the Lord deals with that, okay, towards the end of this thing. And so we'll turn now to Ezra chapter four. Ezra chapter four. And to find Ezra, I always have to sing the song, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job. And so I remember, oh, Job. And so then I go back. And it helps me. If it helps anybody else, wonderful. If not, I gave you something to chuckle at. But in Ezra chapter four, of course we understand Ezra is the priest that was charged with building the temple and leading all of that. Nehemiah and Ezra were in Jerusalem at the same time, give or take, there's a bit of a time gap there. But Nehemiah is that Tershatha, it's called, a governor. He was the one that was in charge of building the walls. Ezra was in charge of of having the temple built. Of course, there were those that did not like that, those that had been placed there and established in that land. You gotta figure, 70 years after it had been removed, the people had been removed, the people are there an entire generation, two generations, three generations, however long it would take to build a generation there. But there are people that are established in that land, and now here comes the Jews back, and they're coming back into their city, and they're building their temple again, the walls are being built again, And so what the people that are rising up against this work are trying to do is try to get the king in Persia to overthrow this thing, okay? And so to basically stamp it out. And let's start in Ezra chapter 4, let's go to verse... Let's see, look at verse 5 for just a second here. It says, verse 4, then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building. and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, king of Persia." A long while ago, my wife and I went through Second Kings, Second Chronicles, and we went through Ezra, Nehemiah, and we looked at the time period of all of this and worked all of that out in our minds, the length of time and the different kings. And we did find where most secular timelines are wrong. They don't have the kings lining up properly with the word of God. And so that's just an interesting side note. But continuing on here, let's go to verse nine, look at this. It says, then wrote... You know what, we're going to verse 10. I read through these names here in verse 9, and these people wrote, okay? And all of this was involved here, and just for the sake of time, I'm going to skip over that. Look at verse 10. And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapar brought over and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side of the river, and at such a time. This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even to Artaxerxes, the king. And then this is the letter that they wrote. Thy servants, the men on this side of the river, end at such a time. Be it known unto the king that the Jews, which came up from thee to us, are coming to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. Be it known now unto the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we sent and certified the king. That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and promises, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time, For which cause was this city destroyed? So we see this first place here where sedition is used, and what they are likening this to is the people in the city of the Jews rebelling against King Nargacxerxes. Rebelling against Cyrus, rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar, rebelling against Darius. Just a rebellious city, but rising up against the authority. Okay, so keep in mind that's what a sedition is. It's rising up against authority and with the purpose of really overthrowing it. But it says they've moved sedition within the same of old time. All right, pointing back to the time before. Look at verse 16. We certify the king that if this city be built again and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side of the river. Then sent the king in answer to raihan the chancellor and to shimishai the scribe and to the rest of their companions to dwell in samaria. See they did the lord didn't even pronounce their names twice I'm, just that was tongue in cheek. That was not disrespectful whatsoever And unto the rest beyond the river. And then this is what the king sent back. Peace, and at such a time. The letter which he sent unto us hath been plainly read before me, and I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. Okay, and so there we see rebellion and sedition used right in the same sentence, right next to each other. So that is one clear, context and one clear way to tell that they are different. Much similar, but they are very different, okay? Sedition, rebellion is against every authority, okay? An authority tells you to do something and you're just not gonna do it, okay? A sedition is in your mind, in your heart, in the action, in verbiage, in the way you speak of trying to overthrow that authority. Okay? And honestly, again, looking back at what we did before, emulations is that desire to be above and better. Okay? And so these things, even here, going into seditions, they tie together. There is that lust for power. Okay? And that's kind of the driving force behind this. Now they are, of course, these are wicked men trying to thwart and to frustrate the work that is being done there in Jerusalem. But what they're doing is they're looking at the past history of Jerusalem, fighting against the kings that were around them and not paying tribute to them and all of this and pointing to this thing that yes, they are known for sedition. Let's move on to the next thing though. Let's go over to Luke chapter 23. Luke 23, and this is the next place it's found. Speaking of Barabbas, It's interesting, the different descriptions that you get of Barabbas in Acts, and we're going to look at that one here shortly, but in the Gospels here, one place it's spoken of sedition and murder, one place it's spoken of being a robber, which is different than a thief, okay? When somebody is robbing someone, there's violence involved, okay? There's a physical harm that is threatened or acted out upon. There's an act of violence involved in that thing. A thievery is just the act of taking something, okay? So you see thieves and robbers, you know, again, together. So just a little something extra there. But Luke 23, and look at verse 19. You know what? No, we do need to back up just a bit. I apologize for that. I'm always doing that to you. You should be used to it by now. Let's start verse 13. It says, In Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people. And behold, I have examined him before you and found no fault in this man touching those things wherever you accuse him. Of course, this is Jesus he's speaking of. No, nor yet Herod, for I sent you unto him, and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him and release him." And then it's parenthetical statement there in verse 17, for of necessity, he must release one unto them at the feast. And they cried out all at once saying, away with this man and release unto us Barnabas. And then another parenthetical statement, who for a certain sedition made in the city and for murder was cast into prison. Okay, and so we hear, see here, this, did I say Barnabas? Yeah. All right. I saw my wife smiling and I knew I'd done something wrong. It used to be she'd scowl at me when I did something wrong. Yeah, now she smiles at me. Isn't it amazing what Jesus will do in a person? Barabbas, yes, Barabbas. Released unto us Barabbas. And so he was, for a sedition made in the city, and for murder, he was cast into prison. And so he was there, ready to be executed. There were three crosses slated, and one man on the cross was swapped out with Jesus. And again, this, you know, just makes me wonder, the other two that were hanging, the malefactors that were hanging beside Jesus on either side of him were known as thieves. Okay? And it just makes you wonder, okay, since Barabbas was a robber, if those two men were in league with him and they were all joined together and, you know, just a little speculation, but yeah. Yeah, that very well may be, yeah. Interesting thoughts, yep. Can't confirm it, you know, but it's just, let the Lord deal with you on those things. Just make sure those things that aren't certain, don't teach them as doctrine, okay? Until the Lord clearly shows you, oh, right there it is in the scripture, you know, just don't teach it as doctrine. But it's good to think about those things and chew on those things. So yeah, we'll continue on here though. Look at verse 20. Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again unto them, or to them, but they cried, saying, crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, why, what evil hath he done? I found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will." Okay, and so there in 25 is the next place where sedition is used, again, tying this thing with Barabbas and understanding that overthrowing of authority. Go now to Acts 24, and we're gonna see this same account spoken of, but from the lips of Paul. by the Holy Ghost. 24 and verse 1 is where we'll be at. Acts 24, 1. We're going to read all the way down to verse 9. Okay, it says, And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, We accepted always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. And so we see here, now this is the accusation that's being brought up against Paul. Of course, Paul, and we're gonna look at another couple places here shortly, but Paul was of that company, and then he lists out here that sect of the Nazarenes, and when we get into heresies, I want you to keep that verse in mind, okay? It's different than sects, okay, S-E-C-T-S, but it's similar, okay? But here we see Paul being pointed out as being the ringleader of those that have turned the world upside down. Now he's going throughout all of the known world, what would be called the civilized world. Those who were barbarians, it wasn't that they had bones through their noses and that they were living in caves. That's not Conan the Barbarian. That's not what a barbarian is in your Bible. It's just somebody that doesn't speak Greek. It's somebody outside of the Greek and Roman influence. And so when Paul was shipwrecked and those barbarous people came and helped him, that was a very rich island. Melita was a very rich island. It was right in the center of a lot of commerce. And I can't remember the exact details of that whole thing right now. I didn't look at this thing this afternoon. But with that, he heals the governor of the island, he heals his father, and he is abounding there. They take good care of him. They take them all in, they help them out. And so all of this goes on. But he's known throughout all the world here, it's said, as the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. And he's known for it to be a mover of sedition now a mover of sedition when somebody is moved by something It doesn't necessarily mean they're taking their stuff and moving it into another house. It's not what this is speaking of Jesus was moved with compassion when he looked upon the multitudes, okay, and That means on the inward parts they were moved. You see the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters in Genesis chapter 1. It's that same moving. It's an internal thing. And so that sedition is on the inward parts because it starts in the heart. And here being accused of this is Paul, that he is a mover of sedition, stirring up sedition, because they were saying that he was preaching that there was no other king, that there was Jesus and that Caesar wasn't king and all of this. And so, And continuing on, look at verse six, we're gonna again read down to verse nine. He continues on, he says, who also has gone about to profane the temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us and with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things wherever we accuse him. And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. Okay, and then he goes and he gives his defense and he speaks of all these things. And one thing I really love about this, look at verse 14 if you would, really quick. We'll be back in here, but look at verse 14. He says, this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, Paul is speaking here now, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. We're going to touch on that when we get into that part. So again, seditions. We're building the case of this, just looking at what the Bible says about it as being a work of the flesh. It's something on the inward parts, it's in your heart, and it's being made manifest. And again, why? It's to show you what is in your heart. That rebellion against authority, that wanting to overthrow and to be in that power and to turn over things and to continue on in your own way and not follow the way of the authority God has set over you, that is a work of the flesh. That's a carnal thing. That does not come from God, and it is against the law of God, which we're going to look at here briefly in just a second. So go to 2 Peter now, and we're going to continue on from here. 2 Peter 2. We're gonna look at these same type of things, okay? This is speaking of sedition, this is speaking of that overthrowing of authority, but not using the exact word, okay? So you look here in 2 Peter 2, and start right at verse 9. He says this, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. All right, so now what we have is a comparison and a contrast. We have a comparison between the godly and the unjust. And we have a contrast between the godly and the unjust. How God deals with each one. And honestly, in this day, with everything that is going on in our country right now, this verse right here ought to bring you some comfort. And these following verses that we're going to look at ought to bring you some comfort in the days ahead, no matter what happens in November. Understanding that, All right, we'll expound on that as we go. Look at verse 10. It says, speaking of those unjust who are reserved under the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them. All right, so chiefly, that means most of all, them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. Walking in the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despising government. That walking in the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, that is going to lead you to an awful lot. When you look at, honestly, you look at covetousness, covetousness really is a root sin. It's something that springs out and there's an awful lot that comes out of that. We've used the example of the man that lusted after the car and was covetous after the car and decided that one day to steal the car and in stealing the car somebody died and then he was evading police and ended up crashing a vehicle and they take him to jail and here he's put before the judgment stand and, and, you know, you ask, you know, what's the, what's the worst crime that he committed? Was it, you know, grand theft auto? Was it murder? Was it evading police? You know, what was it? And you, you take away each of those things. You say, okay, well, if had he not been evading the police, he wouldn't have committed murder. Had he not stolen the car, he wouldn't have committed murder and he wouldn't have had to evade the police. Had he not though coveted that car, he never would have stolen it, never would have murdered, never would have evaded the police. So you see the root and then all those things that kind of grow out of that. And when you look at this thing, lust and uncleanness is one of those root sins. You're going to find an awful lot of wickedness that comes out of your life when you've got that root of lust and uncleanness in you. One of those things is despising government. An unclean man or woman is going to despise government. Now that doesn't necessarily only mean our presidency and the police and all of that. But anything that represents an authority or a governing body over you, you are your final authority. And you find this in many, many times, many, many places, and we're going to respond on this a little bit more as we continue on. But you're gonna find this, there's an awful lot of what, you know, the term, those good old boys, you know, the country boys, and you know, a country boy will survive, and you know, I've got my guns, and I've got my stockpile of ammunition, and I know how to hunt, I know how to fish, I know how to trap, I don't need anybody. I certainly don't need God, and I don't need any president or any authority, you know, cops telling me what to do. In fact, I'm very proud that the authorities are afraid of me. They're afraid to come around here because they'll know what will be done to them if they come on my property, that type of thing. Really, it's a real big problem against the Fish and Game Commission around our area. Lot of poaching that goes on around this area with no regard to the law whatsoever. And they think, because it's their land, and it is their land, that they ought to be able to hunt and shoot and fish and do whatever they want without the government telling them what to do. And in a perfect utopia, that absolutely would work. But guess what? It's the United States of America, and there's laws. Okay? And when you rise up against government, that's sedition in your heart. That's a work of the flesh being made manifest. And it really ties into, it ties into iniquity because iniquity is... not really caring what the law says. Whether it's the law of God, the law of man, you're going to do it your way, and you really just don't care what the Word of God says, you don't care what man says. And that is an absolute perfect recipe for disaster. You're going to destroy your life, and you're going to destroy the lives of those around you. You look at those people. You look at those people who I just described. Are they happy? Are they ever happy? Or maybe when they're drunk. That's about it. And when we get into drunkenness, we're going to talk about that again. Okay? Jeremiah 13, 13 shows very, very clearly that drunkenness is a punishment from God. And we're going to look at that when we get to it. But let's continue on here. They despise government. Presumptuous are they. Self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not a railing accusation against them before the Lord." How about that? You're not afraid to speak evil of those who are in authority over you, but the angels of God don't even bring up an accusation against them before the Lord. They don't even say anything ill against them. And they're greater in power and might than you are. Man is made a little lower than the angels. And Jesus was made a man so that he could be made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death All right had to tie that in there but continuing on here but these as natural brute beasts are Made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption now there is a corruption and through lust in the world, okay? Paul speaks of that elsewhere, as having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust, I think is how it's put. And so that corruption, it all ties into this lust, and this uncleanness, and this seditions, and the rebellions, and the hatred, and the murders, and it all ties in together in this thing, okay? But this is very clearly speaking about a specific type of person that hates any government at all, hates it. And this goes even farther than those that would cry for anarchy and would just, you know, want there to be absolutely no government. Because we know that God has placed that there. God has instituted government. Did he not give Israel a king? Was he not their king before he gave them a male king, a human king, okay? And so understanding that, that governing, that authority is there for a reason. And when your heart rises up against authority, what that is is God proving your heart that it doesn't agree with the Word of God. Again, showing you time and time again where your heart disagrees with God. You say, no, but I believe my Bible. Yes, but you don't like authority. You don't like anybody telling you what to do. You don't like your mom and dad telling you what to do. You don't like your bosses telling you what to do. You don't like your shift supervisors telling you what to do. You don't like the police telling you what to do. You don't like the game commission telling you what to do. Oh, but you agree with the word of God. No, you're deceiving yourself. You are deceiving yourself. And these laws are here. The law of God is here to show you what is in your heart. so that you know you are not right with God and you need to get right with God, okay? Go over to Jude chapter one. We're gonna see, and if you remember, when we went through 1 Peter, we found, or sorry, 2 Peter, we found that chapter two of 2 Peter and most of Jude go hand in hand together. I mean, they say almost the exact same things. It's almost like they're in the same room writing the thing together at the same time. But Jude, of course, there's only one chapter, and as I've said before, this is how I figured to delineate it. Rather than just saying Jude, verse 6, I'm saying Jude, chapter 1, verse 6. There we have it. So, Jude, chapter 1, verse 6. It says here, Jude is right before Revelation. I know it's probably not one you're in a whole lot, so your pages might be sticking together just a little bit. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, from which we get the term Sodomite, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Now this is where we understand that every bit of fire that originates in heaven and comes to earth is eternal fire. Everlasting fire is fire that was kindled and then is everlasting, never goes out. Hell is everlasting fire. The lake of fire that's going to burn with fire and brimstone, that is an everlasting fire that is going to be kindled. But it's kindled by eternal fire. No beginning, no end. And we see here very clearly Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by eternal fire. And when you go back into Genesis there, and you look at those things, I can't remember exactly where that's at right offhand. But at any rate, you look at those things, and you see that it was fire that came forth from the Lord. The Lord called down fire from the Lord in heaven. And so that eternal fire is there before the Lord in heaven, and it burns with His judgment. It burns with His vengeance. And we've gone into those things before in the past. So, verse 8 though. Likewise, also, these filthy dreamers defile the flesh. All right, and so there we have, again, the lust of uncleanness. Defile the flesh. And again, your flesh is the squishy part of you, okay? It's your muscles, it's your hearts, it's your organs. That is your flesh. That's what your Bible describes as your flesh. Your body is your entire being, okay? It's all the skeleton, your hair, your eye, whatever it is. But the entirety, when there's a dead body lying on the ground, it's a dead body. It's the entire body, okay? Now that body is composed of bones and flesh, and Jesus makes that distinction between flesh and bone when he says, here, handle my body, my hands, my side. You know, flesh and bone. You know, a spirit doesn't have flesh and bone or something to that effect. How does that go? Would somebody please tell me? There, look that up. You're here tonight, look that up for me. Flesh and bone together. All right, but we'll continue here. But he says, defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignity. Same thing Peter speaks of, only Peter, yeah, Peter says that they despise government, okay? And so government and dominion, hand in hand here, understand that they mean very similar things, okay? They will be slightly different, only in that it is a different word, and had God wanted that to say government, he would have put government there, but it isn't, it's dominion. Don't ever replace a word in your King James Bible because God put every single word there exactly as he intended it to be. And from that, you can dig into that. Okay, well, why did he say dominion there and not government? That's a very good study. Study that out. Look everywhere, dominion, dominions, okay, it's used in the Bible. Look everywhere, government, or govern, or governor, or whatever. Look through those things out. Study all of that out. Look at what the Bible says around those things. And then figure out, okay, what is the difference? Why is it different? And so, and they speak evil of dignities. It says this, Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses. Durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not. But what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them. All right. So verse 10 there you see that corruption that comes but that comparison to a brute beast And again brute beast is connected here here and elsewhere that they have no understanding They speak evil things. They know not in second peter It was they were without understanding and you study brute beasts throughout your bible and you'll find that time and time again They are without understanding. They just don't understand And when Satan, when the seed of the Word of God is planted, and I believe it's in Matthew 13, in that account of the parable of the sower, it's recorded there that Satan comes along, and when that one that received the seed has no understanding, Satan is able to snatch that seed away. Okay? So it just goes to show you how very important it is to have understanding. Do you find it? What does it say? That it is I myself. Handle me and see. for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have." Okay, there you have it. And so, the flesh and bones, speaking of his entire body, okay? And he wasn't just a spirit, okay? So that throws right in the face of Jehovah's Witness that it was just a spiritual resurrection. He did have a spiritual resurrection from hell into Abraham's bosom, but then he had a physical resurrection three days later. And that third day, he rose from the dead. And he came out and walked and all of this. And so, but we'll continue on here. Look at verse 11. Woe unto them, for they have gone the way of Cain and ran greedily after the heir of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. Now, if you want to, it's a very interesting study to look at Cain. What is the way of Cain? What was the heir of Balaam? And what was the gainsaying of Korah? It's a very interesting study, and if I was one for a three-point message and all that type of thing, that would really work well. What you're going to find is Cain had envy and murder in his heart. You're going to find Balaam, he taught the people how to fornicate, and he taught them idolatry. So there's fornication and idolatry. In Korah, there was sedition and rebellion. So tie all those things together. Look at each of those cases and study that out there to give you a better understanding of that. Okay, let's go on now. Let's go to Romans chapter 13. We'll see what God says about those. And especially the idea and the mindset of sedition and overcoming authority and fighting back against that authority, and especially coming up in this time. You know, I very rarely do speak to current event issues. You know, even like the big holidays. The Lord doesn't give me a Christmas message to preach. I'm not gonna preach a Christmas message. All right, that would be foolish for me to, just because it's Christmas time, if God gave me a completely different message, I would be a fool not to preach the message that God gave me, just so that I could preach Christmas message on Christmas morning. All right, now it has happened that there are times where I will preach and it comes out, and there's a little bit of the Christmas in there, but at any rate. But dealing with, in our country where we're at right now, with the election coming up very shortly, a lot of people are worried, a lot of people are upset, a lot of people are very angry, they're filled with rage, and they're filled with sedition in their heart. And right now, sedition is being manifest in the heart of the people of America. That's what's happening right now. What we need to understand is that God is the one that decides who's in Washington, not your vote. God is the one that decides who's in Washington, not the ones who supposedly, and I put it that way because I'm not gonna take sides on either side of that, who supposedly are swaying the election and putting more votes in for these people and digging this up and whatever else it is. If God didn't want Joe Biden in office, it didn't matter how much the other side put extra votes in, if they did, he wouldn't be in office. Or is there not a God? All right, now let's look at some verses that back that statement up. Romans 13, look at verse one. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whoso therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Now, does that sound like God just flippantly and haphazardly lets people in authority? No. There is no power but of God. No one has authority in your life except that God put them there. There is a purpose to them. Good king, good president, praise the Lord for it. Bad king, bad president, we deserve punishment. How many times did you see where God would give a wicked king over a people to destroy that people? Because of their wickedness, because of their rebellion against God. Okay? You really, you just take a good look at what we have done to the Word of God. All right, I'm not even saying the fruit of taking and changing the Word of God, but you go to Romans chapter, yeah, let's go there. Let's go to Romans 1. Let's look at some more scripture. Amen. You go to Romans 1. Look at verse 25. Romans 125, this is why, and I fully believe this, this is why God is punishing America. There's a lot of fruit that has come from this that is now coming out. But this started back in 1901 in our country, okay? Verse 24, wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Now, what did we just see in 2 Peter and in Jude? who changed the truth of God into a lie. Question, is Jesus a liar? No, he's not. Is Joseph the father of Jesus? No, he is not. Is he accursed from birth? No, he is not. He was accursed when he was hung on the tree. The American Standard Version of 1901 states in its wording, the way it is worded, and the doctrine that you take from that, that Joseph is the father of Jesus, that Jesus is a liar, because he said, go up to the feast, I'm not going up, and then he goes. And then you see in Hebrews 2.14, where he took part of both of those things, the flesh and the blood, which means he was a partaker of the blood of Adam, which is cursed from birth. And so he had sin-stained blood. Is that not a lie? Did they not change the truth of God into a lie? Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed forever, amen. For this cause, for changing the truth of God into a lie, God gave them up unto vile affections. And then we see what we're dealing with today, for even their women to change the natural use into that which is against nature. Likewise, also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another. What we're dealing with in America today, because of those in authority over us, is because we changed the truth of God into a lie 100 years ago, 120 years ago. All right? And you go ahead and you look at our country. And if you wanna argue with me, that's fine, but bring some Bible with you. Bring some Bible with you. Now, let's go further on. Let's go to Proverbs 21. Go to Proverbs 21. Again, this mindset and the idea that the powers that be are ordained of God and there's no power but of God. God put that person in power. Proverbs 21, and look at verse one. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. As the rivers of water, he turneth it, whithersoever he will. Now out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. So you see a person in authority and they speak something. That's because the hand of the Lord has turned their heart to that. Or is there not a God? We're not deists. We don't believe that God started everything and took his hands off and just said, okay, we'll see how it goes. No, the word of God tells us time and time and time again that God is intermingled and is entwined and has his part in the ways of man. And when you get into a position of authority, your heart is in the hand of the Lord. If you're a supervisor, If you have people under you, your heart is in the hand of the Lord. If you are a king, your heart is in the hand of the Lord, all right? That position of dominion. Let's look at, well, Ecclesiastes 8.4 says where the word of the king is there is power, okay? And again, that king has that power, but who gave him that power? God did. God has his heart, and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. So in the word of a king, out of his mouth, there is power. Why? Because it came from the hand of God. Now let's look at John 19. John chapter 19. I believe just one verse here, verse 11, I think it is. Yes. He's standing before Pilate. Pilate says, speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have the power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And we've delved into that before. But even Pilate could have no power against Jesus Christ, except that God gave it to him from above. Again, the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord. He has the rivers of water, he turneth it wherever so ever he will. Now, let's continue on in this same mindset, dealing with where the word of a king is, there is power. And look at this, verse 19 in the same chapter. Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross, and the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city, and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin, which right there, that verse really throws against the idea of needing the Septuagint to have understanding, because the main argument is that no Jews understood Hebrew anymore and that they needed it in Greek, so that was why it was translated and the apostles used the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. They were right there, they read it in Hebrew. All right. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, write not the king of the Jews, but that he said, I am the king of the Jews. Now remembering, in the word of a king, there is power. Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written. You think maybe those scribes and chief priests would have had that scripture in mind? Do you think maybe the Holy Ghost might have brought that to mind where they saw that? In the word of a king, there is power, and oh, here's a king over us, writing, this is the king of the Jews. Just a thought. All right, go to Psalm 75. I'm just about wrapping this part up here. Psalm 75, let's look at verse five. Lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck. Now we've studied that stiff neck just this last Sunday morning. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge. He putteth down one and setteth up another. Promotion doesn't come from anywhere in the world but from God. And he'll put one down and he'll set up another. The kings of this earth, the rulers of this earth are nothing to God. Nothing whatsoever. And God's gonna take care of it. Is there a God? Then why do you have sedition in your heart? Why do you have rebellion in your heart? Understand what the word of God says. Get a little understanding under your belt. And let God settle this in your heart that He is God. He is in control over all of this. So why do you worry? Why do you worry? Because you're in your flesh. You're following after the flesh, at least. At best, you're following after the flesh. At worst, you're lost and you don't have the Spirit of God in you. And that sedition and rebellion in your heart is just boiling out, being made manifest. Now, go to Habakkuk. Now, Habakkuk, You start at the New Testament and you turn back until you hit Habakkuk. That's the best place, way I've found to find it. Habakkuk and chapter one. Look at verse six. He says, for lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs. I know I still hear some pages turning, that's okay, you just keep turning, that's fine. They are terrible and dreadful. Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and they are more fierce than the evening wolves. And their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far, and they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for violence. Their faces shall sup as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall scorn unto them. They shall deride every stronghold, for they shall heap dust and take it. Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over and offend, imputing this his power unto his God." But do you remember what verse six says? I raise up the Chaldeans. God is the one that rose up the Chaldeans to march against the Jews. God is the one that rose them up to march against Jerusalem. God is the one that did this. But his mind changed after the battle, which implies that at the time, he understood that God rose him up to do this thing. But he says his mind shall change. He'll pass over and defend, imputing this, his power unto his God. Verse 12 says this. Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die, O Lord. Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. When destruction comes from those in authority, it's for judgment and correction, because God is in control. God is in control. And when there's a people that claim to be the people of God, but yet they do not live according to the law of God, he's gonna rise up and he is going to send against them for judgment and for correction. And what's great in correction is that there's hope afterwards. What would be the point in correcting somebody if that was gonna be it and there was never gonna be a chance for them to correct themselves? So in that correction, there's mercy there. There's mercy. Now, let's go... You know, that wraps that all up. We've got eight minutes left. Yeah, let's go through these heresies. Heresies. Heresies, and we may pick up on this again and continue on next week, I'm not sure, but we'll see. But heresies. Now, when we think of heresies, we immediately think false doctrine. You know, he's teaching heresies, he's teaching false doctrine, doctrine that's against the Bible. But that's not necessarily what it's speaking of, all right? Go to 1 Corinthians 11, 19. 1 Corinthians 11 and 19. What a heresy is, and you can find this context in the Word of God, what a heresy is, is it's opinion or doctrine characterizing particular individuals or parties, a school of thought, or a sect. So what a heresy is, is it's a group of beliefs that somebody holds that identifies them as a certain somebody. Which is interesting because that's how we divide our churches today, is it not? Well, I'm Baptist. Why? Because I follow the Baptist doctrine. Well, I'm Methodist. Why? Because I follow the Methodist doctrine. Well, I'm Presbyterian. Why? Because I follow Presbyterian doctrine. Well, I'm Catholic because I follow the Catholic doctrine. It's a work of the flesh. It's a work of the flesh. Our denominational differences are a work of the flesh. And what it is is it's the works of the flesh being made manifest. I'm not a Baptist. I'm not even non-denominational. You know why I'm not non-denominational? Because there is a group of people that call themselves non-denominational and they themselves have a set of beliefs that identify themselves as non-denominational. And now non-denominational is a denomination. Come, let us reason together, saith the Lord. All right, think about these things. God gives it to us in his word to understand this, okay? Now, how does this work, though? This is denominations that follow doctrine, the specific doctrine of that denomination, rather than following the word of God, okay? That's why I identify myself as a biblicist. That's why I love that it is Grace Bible Church. Why? Because we follow the Bible. Now, you've got to be careful because there's Bible churches and they group themselves together. But the King James Bible, the Word of God, if you follow the doctrine of the Word of God, that's not going to produce a heresy. That's not gonna produce a work of the flesh. There is absolutely no way possible that you can follow the word of God in context according to the doctrine that's in it, that it will produce. Now it'll shed light on it, but it will not produce a work of the flesh in you. All right, think about the fruit of the spirit. All those things listed out, it says, against such there is no law. What the Spirit of God produces in you, there is not a single law of God that goes against it. Why? Because it makes you perfectly right with the law of God. And so, let's look at this. 1 Corinthians 11, verse 19. Paul's saying this, for there must also be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be manifest among you. What this is basically saying is the truth is gonna rise to the surface. When you are allying yourself with a certain group of thought, all right, and I would even, you can look at this this way too, there is a certain group of King James only that has a completely vile mindset to it. There really is. It's a vile mindset. It's hateful. It's spiteful. It's proud. They're boasters, nigh into blasphemers, as they speak about how good their Bible is. Rather than preaching the Word of God, they spend all their time criticizing everyone else for what they don't have. That's King James ugly. I refuse to allow that to be the ministry here at this church. As long as God has me as the pastor here, that is not going to be the case. You will hear me call out certain things of other versions and such, only so that you are aware of them, so that you can see side by side what doctrine has been changed, and that is the biggest issue, is that doctrine is changed. Even if formal equivalency is used, that's just recently come up. That's an issue right now. Formal equivalency is taking that word and translating it directly, and it is the formal way that you would translate that from the original language into another language. That's formal equivalency. The King James Bible is translated in that method of translation, okay? It's not a paraphrase, it's not taking the general thought and rearranging it, so it's as much as it can be a word-for-word perfect translation, okay? What it is is it's the Holy Ghost's interpretation of those things into English, okay? But the NASB is also translated with formal equivalency. The problem is the NASB comes from corrupt manuscripts. So you're going to get a corrupt formal equivalency in English which is going to produce false doctrine. The false doctrine of Jesus being a liar and those things that we talked about before. Another one, the ESV, is formal equivalency. The New King James is formal equivalency. But all of those are pulled from corrupt manuscripts. New King James uses the Septuagint. It references in the footnotes throughout the thing the Nestle something or other, I can never remember the name of the manuscript because it really doesn't matter to me. But the Alexandrian texts, okay, that word, that phrase might spark some interest or a memory in you. But the critical text, right? Everything that the new Bibles are taken from, okay? And so that's an issue. And so, coming back around full circle into what we're talking about here, this idea that there must also be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. You're going to be able to find the truth that's going to rise to the surface, because God is going to sift that thing. And what you're going to find is there's going to be groups that are going to shift and sift and they're going to grab hold of this idea and they're going to run with it. And pretty soon they're going to be running so hard and so fast that all of a sudden they're running away from the Word of God. Because then they grab hold of all these other things. That's why you must be rooted and grounded in the Word of God. This is your final authority. You are not the final authority. You don't get to pick and choose what translation you like better. You look at what God wrote, that is your final authority. And this book matches up perfectly with those original manuscripts in those original languages. You don't need anything else. The Holy Ghost is going to teach you. He tells you that in 1 John 2, 20 and 27. He tells you that. That that anointing that abideth in you teacheth you all things. You need not that any man should teach you. You don't need me to do this Bible study. but God has given me to you as a gift. Isn't that amazing? Weird. But at any rate, go to 2 Peter 2. Look at that real quick. You may, yeah, as we're turning. Oh, sure. And it's those things that sift out and cause division that aren't the Word of God. The Word of God is a sword. It parts. It divides us under. You put Jesus Christ in the equation, it's going to cause division. Okay? But when you yourself are aligning yourself with a train of thought, a framework of thought, and you refuse to think anything else, you are a heretic. Independent Baptists are some of the biggest heretics out there because they will not look at anything that goes beyond their independent fundamental Baptist teachings of their fathers. And they're dying out. The churches are literally dying. They're not reproducing. They are backsliding heifers. It's generational. A heifer is a cow that can't reproduce. God called Israel a backsliding heifer. Every time you look at backsliding, we talked about this last night, you look at backsliding, it's generational. And a backsliding heifer cannot reproduce. And what's happening in most independent fundamental Baptist churches today is they have lost the ability to reproduce. They cannot produce what was produced in them because they are only looking at the form and pattern that was presented to them rather than learning the word of God themselves. And if this church is ever gonna survive past this generation right here, you had better teach your children and grandchildren this book. You had better get them in it and teach them how to use it and let God teach them. I better rephrase that, let God teach them, okay? Now, 2 Peter 2, look at verse nine. Wait, nope, sorry. Verse 1. I was looking at my earlier note. Here we are, looking at verse 1. Look at this. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. So even Peter is warning about this, that there's coming those that are bringing damnable heresies. What are these damnable heresies? You've got this pet doctrine that you're hanging on to and it has nothing to do with the Word of God. And you're bringing other people unto yourself and you are damning the people. And so if your doctrine doesn't come from the Word of God, you are a heretic. If your doctrine comes from commentaries, you are very close to being a heretic. You're well on your way. If you refuse to look at what the Bible actually says, rather than looking at what the commentaries say about it, you're a heretic. Because you're aligning yourself with that man that wrote that commentary. And you think that man had any more of the Holy Ghost than what you do? Really, Matthew Henry, he had more of the Holy Ghost than what you do, so he was able to write and understand all of those things and write all that detail and those sub-things and the sub-things and the sub-things and the really fine print and everything. I mean, Matthew Henry's, it's very, very deep. It's great. But not all of it. Why? Because it's not the Word of God. It's just what the man said about it. And if I get to the point where I'm saying more about the Word of God than I am saying the Word of God, I'm in trouble. Let the Word of God speak for itself. Let your words be few. Don't be a heretic. Don't follow after a denomination or a mindset or a frame of thought or opinion rather than following after the Word of God. It doesn't matter what denominational church you are part of or non-denominational church or whatever your organization is that you gather together every Sunday for. Follow the Word of God or you're a heretic. Okay? So, go now to Titus chapter 1. We're just about wrapped up here. Titus chapter 1. It's right after 1st and 2nd Timothy. Right before Philemon in Hebrews. Titus chapter 1, look at verse 5. He says, For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I have appointed thee. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly, for a bishop must be blameless, verse 7, excuse me, as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped." Why? Because they're creating heresies. And you can, by sound doctrine, both convince and exhort the gainsayers. A gainsayer, what is a gainsayer? Somebody that speaks for their own personal gain. They've got this pet and they're going to make this thing come together. A heresy. Okay, and so it ties together here. They subvert whole houses, verse 11 still, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own said, the Cretans are all way liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true, wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith. Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth, Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled." Now, let me ask you this. If their mind and conscience is defiled, how can they come up with sound doctrine? They can't. You cannot produce sound doctrine with a mind and a conscience that is defiled. And when you are following after your own lust for filthy lucre's sake, you're going after all of these things, you're making, like, here he's using this example of the Jews, all right, making these Jewish fables into something, and they don't have the Spirit of God in them. Their minds are corrupt. They're unclean. Their mind and conscience is defiled. You know why I say they don't have the Spirit of God in them? It's because the blood of Jesus Christ is able to purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. That's the only way you're going to find sound doctrine, is after Jesus Christ has purged your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. It's the only way. Your mind is renewed. Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind. Paul talks about it in Ephesians 5, speaking of that washing of water by the Word. Okay? That renewing of your mind. That Word of God being put in you by God Himself, and He teaching you, and revealing Himself to you through it. It says, even their mind and conscience is defiled. Look at verse 16. They profess that they know God, so they do profess to be godly, to be, in our term today, we would use Christian, but in works they deny Him being abominable, which means it goes against God's natural plan, His natural order of things, it's abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work, reprobate. They're reprobate to every good work. I mean, the way they look at themselves, God is rejecting it. The things that they would consider a good work, God rejects that. He doesn't want anything to do with that. There's coming a day where they'll stand before Him, and they'll say, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name? It's preachers that are gonna speak up first. They're gonna be the first ones at the judgment bar, the white throne judgment. Preachers. Who was it? Billy Sunday said that hell's gonna be so full of preachers, their feet are gonna be sticking out the windows. Why? Because of heresies. They've allied themselves to a train of thought because of a denominational allegiance, and they've denied the truth of God. They will take a denominational teaching on a subject over what the Word of God actually says about that subject. It's a heresy. It's a heresy. It's deadly. It's damnable. It's dangerous. And so, There's that one. Let's go real quick, Acts 24, and we're gonna be done here. Acts 24. Back in here. Look at verse 10. We're gonna go all the way down to 14. This is where we find the answer to heresy. Okay? Now, this isn't what you do to get rid of heresy in your life. This is what gets rid of heresy in your life. Okay? Follow my reasoning on this. Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, for as much as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, because that thou mayest understand that there are yet but 12 days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship, and they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogue nor in the city, Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I." Now, he's, over here they called it a sect. Remember, he was a sect of the Nazarenes. They called that a heresy. Paul calls that a heresy, okay? So it's very similar. Again, same context, same connotation, slightly different denotation. Okay? Connotation meaning the way you feel about it. Denotation being the actual definition of it. Okay? There's words that have a bad connotation and there's words that have a good connotation. Okay? Bunnies, that's a good connotation. All right? Death, that's a bad connotation. Just to give you a little... my level of understanding on it at least. Okay. He says, but after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. So the answer to heresy is believing every word of God. That's the answer to heresy. If the Lord manifests heresy in you as a work of the flesh, The only way that that can be eradicated from you is to believe the Word of God. That's the only way. The only way. Because when you believe the Word of God, you're gonna believe the promises of God, which means that you're gonna believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and you'll be born again. And he'll take the works of the flesh right out. Replace it with the fruit of the Spirit. Okay? Isn't it amazing the power of the Word of God? If you just believe it? And it's so much simpler that way. Rather than trying to think, okay, how do the Baptists teach this? Let me dig into my commentaries. Let's look at Charles Spurgeon. What was his thoughts on this subject? Or J. Vernon McGee, I really love him. He's really down to earth. Let's see what he says about this. And oh, John Phillips, yeah, he had some good things to say about that. Let's look at what John Phillips had to say about that. Or maybe John Calvin. There are those that would consider John Calvin a good commentator, okay? Every denominational group, every biblical, using it the right way, every heresy out there, every denomination. It's interesting. Denominations are in the Bible. God calls them heresy. Okay. Every denomination has what they call good commentaries. The Presbyterians have good commentaries, and they're going to align more with Calvinism, because they're more Calvinistic in doctrine. The Methodists are going to have their commentaries that they're going to lean towards and say, these are good commentaries. These are trustworthy. They teach good doctrine. The Baptists have all sorts of good commentaries that they will say, this is a good commentary. What you need, and I was told this, all you really need is your King James Bible and a good set of commentaries. There's not a bit of the Bible you can't understand. That's what I was told. I don't believe that, just not even for the slightest bit. All you need is your King James Bible and the Holy Ghost. That's what you need. And he'll teach you. He'll teach you these things. And so, you know, I mean, the Charismatics have their good commentaries, the Catholics have their good commentaries. So what's the best course of action? Just believe the word of God. Just believe the word of God. and just forget all the rest of that junk. Okay, we're done here. Yes, ma'am. Until he says it's done. I can tell you exactly how long it'll go on, because in 2 Thessalonians, I think it's 2 Thessalonians, he says, he that letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. When the Holy Ghost is taken out of the way, when the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, that's when it's gonna end. That's gonna be it. And we're seeing it No, it's not getting better But I want you to remember what we looked at that God is able to preserve the just and to reserve the unjust For punishment against the Day of Judgment. Okay, so that is That is the key, is that God is able to sift that out, all right? So fear God, keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. That's where we're at, okay? Ultimately, that's what it is, okay? And until then, we're just gonna keep trusting the Lord and his promises. Amen. Any other comments before we close out? No, all right. Dad, would you wanna close us in prayer? Thank you for being with us tonight, guiding our thoughts, guiding our hearts with your Holy Spirit, opening our minds to the word of truth that had been brought to us. Reach into our hearts, reach into our minds, create a new strength that we can stand against the wrong and the naysayers. The Holy Bible, your word, is the word, is your word. And we just thank you for it. In your holy name we pray.