If you need a handout sheet, just lift your hand right up and the others will see that you received one. We want to cover the remaining portion of Hebrews 6, verses 4-20. We spent several weeks on the first three verses of Scripture. And so I'd like to start off this evening by just reading the first couple of paragraphs and then getting right into the reading of Scripture. This passage has caused many to question their faith. and even some to change their Bible positions. There's usually, as you read commentaries, most people will list three or four different interpretations of these verses of Scripture, primarily from verses four to six. There is some debate among good Bible scholars as to the exact interpretation of this passage of Scripture. This is for some preachers, one of those passages that they'd like to just sort of gloss over and just keep on moving. But at the same time, I think it's interesting to just let the Bible speak. While we do not pretend to pass ourselves off as theologians or some scholars in the ancient languages, We do have a real love and desire to implement and adhere to sound, simple understanding of truth. In 2 Corinthians 11, verse 3, I mention in your notes about the simplicity in Christ. As I read this verse, it says, But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. So I believe that the Bible can be understood. How be it? I must admit that there are certain portions of scripture that seem to be very difficult to understand. And I think with the aspect of the illumination of the Holy Spirit of God, as we grow in grace, we begin to understand more and more Bible truth as God reveals it to us. And so there is a lifelong learning process in regards to truth. So some people have what we would say a greater handle of truth than others have. And sometimes it's not a matter of just being right or wrong with God. It's just a matter of your maturity in Jesus Christ. But I believe that we ought to take the Scriptures and work them from a simple point of view. And we ought to approach it simply. as a child would. and let the Bible speak for itself. Now, one interpretation of this passage of Scripture, of course, is that you can lose your salvation. This is the primary interpretation that people in an Arminian background, those who believe you can lose your salvation, will throw in your face as a Bible believer. They'll take you to Hebrews 3, 6, and 10 to try to get you to believe that you can lose your salvation. And so that's why we want to spend a little extra time there. And let me just say that's not what this chapter teaches. And so the other common views that we find amongst good conservative Bible scholars, there may be some give and take and you see some maybe some reasoning as to why they would take the position they take. However, there's no credence for losing your salvation, and we'll hopefully show you that in just a little bit. 2 Timothy 2, verse 15, the Scripture says, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So what I'd like to do tonight is, just so that we can stick with the context, And even though I might refer back to other portions of Scripture or verses in this particular chapter, I thought I would just begin reading the text. And I would start in Hebrews chapter 5 and begin to read verse 11 all the way through the 20 verses in chapter 6. The reason I'm doing that is because I want us to see the context. I want us to see the primary verses of Scripture, what I call the key verses of Scripture for Hebrews. All those taking for college credit, pay attention. Amen. You might see that in about an hour. At the same time, I want us to keep reading through these verses of Scripture because I want you to see how it flows. Many times when people build on a false doctrine, it's because they just jump right into the text without really paying attention to the verses before it and after it. We call it context. So I want to begin reading here, Hebrews 5, verse 11. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and it become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Chapter 6, verse 1. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. Of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself. saying, Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiply, and I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men barely swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for the refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope? We have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made in high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." As we look at chapter 6, I've outlined it in the following way. Roman numeral number one, we have the foundation that He has laid for us. And I've given you the passage of Scripture there from chapter 6, verses 1 and 3. But I continued because of the context, and I added chapter 5, verses 11 to 14. So that's the foundation here for chapter 6. Then we see the framework in verses 4 to 6, the fruit. verses 6 verses 7 and 8 and then we have the facts here as we wrap it up in chapter 6 verses 9 to 20. And so as we look at Roman numeral number 1 at the foundation, this is the one we spent a great deal of time on. I didn't initially as we were preaching through the book, intent on spending a lot of time, but I realized as I was getting into that that a lot of people had never really been even introduced to the basics of the Christian life, what we would call the foundational principles that obviously the Holy Spirit of God encouraged or inspired the writer to pen. And so this is not just the whims and fancies of a preacher somewhere. This is God giving the man what He wants him to know. And so He said, therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on into perfection. So in our prior study, letter A, we looked at the foundation and basics of the Christian life. Number one, we mentioned repentance. From those things, individuals philosophies and other belief systems that we were trusting in for salvation, to trusting in God's own Son, Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross, and subsequent death, burial, and resurrection as the only means of salvation and the receipt of eternal life. I know that's a bit wordy, but yet what essentially I was saying in that paragraph was the fact that someone needs to repent of whatever It is that they have been trusting in to that particular point in their life for eternal life and believe in the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And so I listed it that way because some people are trusting in their good works. Some people are trusting in another philosophical dogma. Some people are trusting in themselves. Some people are trusting in their family heritage, and so on. So there's a multiplicity of reasons that people might give for their eternal soul's condition and why they believe they'd go to heaven. And they need to repent of all of that and believe the Gospel, which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we brought out the fact that repentance means a change of mind that leads to a change, what, of direction and action. Then we looked at the other foundational principle, the doctrine of baptisms. We mentioned, of course, spirit baptism, salvation, where a person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. We talked about water baptism. We talked about Holy Spirit fullness. We talk about the baptism of suffering, and so on. Then we have the doctrine of laying on of hands, and that of course deals with the ordination we would call, we looked at Acts chapter 13, we looked at Acts chapter 6, and subsequent passages of Scripture about the significance of our identification with Christ. And so on. And then we look here about the doctrine of the resurrection, number four. And number five is the doctrine of eternal judgment. I'm not going to re-preach that outline, but that's what we laid as far as a foundation. Letter B is critical as I move on into chapter 6. And I call these some of the stakes in the Christian life. I think if you nail down some of these basic Bible principles and truths, Then as you come across passages of Scripture like the chapter 6, verses 4 and following, then it will help you to arrive what I believe would be the Bible position that God wants you to hold to. And so once you nail these things down, then it's helpful for the rest of your life. And one of those, number one, is comparing Scripture with Scripture. comparing Scripture with Scripture. Now, if you've taken the course on Bible study methods, you'll get hit with this a lot. You have to compare Scripture with Scripture. You've heard me say that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. And I'll be honest with you, when I went and studied this passage of Scripture, and I just took the Scripture and laid it out, and I got a sheet of paper and I began just to mark down some of the specific things that this chapter was saying, and writing out a synopsis statement next to those, to me it was very clear what the Scripture was saying. But then I started reading after this guy, and after that guy, and after this person, and after that person. And there's nothing wrong with that, except that's where my confusion came. And that's where I started scratching my head. So sometimes I love to consult my books, and other times they seem to be, you know, an albatross around my neck. And you might find the same thing. Sometimes you might run to a book to find clarity, and you actually walk around wondering what in the world you just read, or now you're more confused as ever. And so that's why I determined that I would try to set that stuff aside. But in studying the various aspects and the various interpretations, it even gets confusing for me. So I can imagine when people start throwing all kinds of suppositions and doubts someone's way, how confusing it can be. But anyway, we have to compare Scripture with Scripture. That's what I have to go back to. And all of a sudden it starts getting hazy and I get a bit confused. I have to say, OK, let me get back to scripture. And the reason I listed John 3 and John 10 about is because I'm trying to answer for you specifically in our context here at Pima Valley Baptist Church, because of the area that we live in that believes you can lose your salvation, that this is not what this passage of scripture is saying. And so I brought those two passages of Scripture out once again just to reiterate the new birth, being born again in John chapter 3, and then of course the assurance that we receive in John chapter 10 about no man will be able to pluck you out of my Father's hand. And so that's why I list that, comparing Scripture with Scripture. And as you go back and you look at Ephesians chapters 1 and chapter 2, You look at 1 John 5 and other passages of Scripture, you see the security of the believer all throughout it. We looked at 1 Peter 2, and we looked at Noah. Noah was listed there, but it was locked, and we looked at his life. We saw David on Sunday night, and other Bible characters, Peter, and how even though they sinned, they didn't lose their salvation. And so that's why I say comparing Scripture with Scripture. And so what I like to do when I come to a passage like this that someone seems to indicate to me and even my own frailty of mind might look at and say, well, you know what? That really looks like and sounds like I could lose my salvation. But you know what I do is I've taken that stake and I've put it in the ground. I've nailed it down there. And I say, you know what? The Bible says clearly I can't lose it. So in other words, since that's a settled issue with me, and that's so clear in other portions of Scripture as I take the Bible as a whole, then I, in my mind, have to say, it may sound like that, it may look like that, that I can lose it, but the fact of the matter is, it's got to mean something else because I can't lose it. Follow what I'm saying? See, and so once you nail that stake down, that's why I'm calling it a stake. It's something that's set and sure. Amen? So then you look at the context, and that's why I say you look at the context of Hebrews. We know that this is part of the New Testament that makes up what we call the general epistles. The general epistles were written primarily to a Jewish audience. It was to the Jews of the dispersal. Acts chapter 8, you notice all the The church was given the great commission, but yet they decided they'd just stay right there in one place. So God allowed a persecution to come, and the believers went everywhere preaching the gospel. The apostles stayed there in Jerusalem, but the other people were scattered, running for their lives. But that didn't squelch the spread of the gospel. That increased the spread of the gospel. Amen? And so we find that the context here of Hebrews is these Christians These Jewish Christians were going through some intense persecution, but they had such an affinity and a knowledge with the Old Testament, and there was a group trying to lead them back into the bondage of the law after they had been set free from the law, because Galatians tells us that the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. And so in Acts chapter 15, you have the teaching there that the Judaizers came down and they said, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. They were adding works to it. And they were confusing the people. And so you have the writer of Hebrews actually laying a strong case for the person of Jesus Christ being a fulfillment to the Old Testament sacrificial system. And so that's why you have so much of the Old Testament. And we looked at earlier, in one of our earlier messages, over a hundred references in the book of Hebrews to Old Testament Scripture. So you have to look at the context of a passage of Scripture. You can't just go to verses 4, 5, and 6 and say, well, see right there, it tells you you can lose your salvation. But invariably, when I've talked to people, your experience may be different. But when I've talked to people and they try to point to this verse of Scripture, and I immediately try to take them to context, that's when I can find out whether someone's truly, really interested in knowing, or whether they're just trying to make an argument or cop an attitude. And so if they'll let me go through and just read what I just read to you a moment ago from verse 11 of chapter 5 down to the end, I can't help but when I just read that, I say, boy, that's not calling my salvation into doubt. That's settling the issue for me. This wasn't written to cause me to doubt or to be worried about my salvation. This was to act as the last part of the chapter says, what, an anchor. of the soul. Amen? Praise the Lord. And so you have to see context. And then another stake, so when you find context and you realize what the context is, as we'll look at a little bit closer here, you drive that stake down. So then even when you seem to think that it maybe means this, that, or the other, if it doesn't stay within the context, then you say it can't mean that. So there's another stake. And then you have the common teaching of Scripture. And, of course, what I mean by common teaching is that Jude 3, Galatians 1, Ephesians 2 talks about salvation as a sure and steadfast hope. Amen? And we'll talk about hope in a little bit. But I call these the stakes in the Christian life. Comparing Scripture with Scripture, context and common teaching. And, of course, there are other aspects. There's the Law of First Mention and so on and so forth. But we just give these three as some helps in interpreting for us chapter six. Now here's the framework of this passage. Number two. Roman numeral number two. The framework of this passage. We see letter A that it's addressing saints. Did you see that as we were reading through this passage of Scripture? He's not debating the fact of whether they're saved or not. He's addressing believers. He's addressing those who name the name of Christ. Isn't he? You can nod to me or whatever. Hopefully not shake your head, but nod your head. Okay. Don't rattle your head. Okay. But he's addressing believers here. He's addressing saints. Letter B, there's no hint of the writer doubting the salvation for those he is addressing. Look here if you would in Hebrews chapter 6 he says in verse 9, but beloved we are persuaded better things of you So he's not doubting their salvation. He's not saying that they've lost it He's not saying that they can't lose it, but he's just saying look we believe that you are born again He said we're persuaded we're convinced that And so no hint of the writer doubting the salvation of those he is addressing. Letter C, the emphasis in this entire passage is in moving forward, not going back out of salvation. They were already dull of hearing. Remember what it says here in Hebrews chapter 11. He says in verse 11, "...of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing." So he's writing to these believers and he says, look, you're not where you should be spiritually. You're still in the elementary truths of the Word of God. Notice he said that everyone that use of milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." So as you apply the truth to your life, you get more sensitive, if I can say it that way, you become better at discerning what's right and wrong. So a lot of times deciding what's right and wrong has to do with our maturity. And that's a shame for some who always maintain their baby walk instead of their mature walk. But notice in chapter 6, verse 1, it says, therefore leaving. The therefore is a connection with chapter 5. So if you're going to get the context of chapter 6, verses 4 to 6, then you have to go into chapter 5. Then it says, therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, That's obviously the milk of the Word. He says, let us go on unto perfection. So he's talking about moving forward, not going backward. If you can lose your salvation, you're going backwards. You're getting out. But that's not what this passage of Scripture is all about. And when you stick with the context, he's not going to say, well, I'm going to address the saved, and now for three verses I'm going to address the unsaved, and then we're going to come back to the saved. No, he's talking to the same group. Amen? And so, it's on moving forward. They were already dull of hearing. Letter D, the writer is emphasizing meat, not only drinking milk. The writer is emphasizing eating meat and not only drinking milk. That's what we try to do somewhat on Wednesday nights. Getting a little bit more detailed than we do some of the other services. So that we can chew on a little bit of steak, a little bit of meat. You need a balanced diet. And that's what we try to do with our Sunday school classes. That's what we try to do with, you know, our Wednesday night, Sunday morning, Sunday night services, is we try to emphasize different aspects and go a little deeper at times. I've had some people say, you know, Pastor, I really love Sunday nights because we go a little deeper. So, the writer is emphasizing eating meat, not only drinking milk. Letter E, their confidence was eroded due to their poor living, not that they had lost or were in danger of losing salvation. So here the writer's trying to tell them, hey, for when the time, verse 12 of chapter 5, for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again. He didn't say you are in danger of losing your salvation because you're dull of hearing and you ought to be going forward, but because of your dullness, you're having people come back and teach you again. You better watch out. You're about ready to lose it. That's not what he's saying, is he? It goes on to say, "...Ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." He's not saying that, hey, they have to lay that salvation again. That's what verse 1 is. We want to cover the remaining portion of the deal. Once you're saved, you're saved. Once you're born, you're born. Amen? It's a done deal. Okay? And so, you see, it's a done deal. Okay? And so, you see, letter F, there are two testimonies that spoke to their salvation. Two testimonies that spoke to their salvation. And I want to begin reading here verse 13 once again of chapter 6. I know you say, well, Pastor, we haven't really dealt with chapter 6 verses 4 to 6. Yeah, we are. Because we're looking at the context. And if you get a clear understanding of what's going on around these verses, I think when we get to really chapter 6, verses 4 to 6, you'll go, oh yeah, I see that. Quite clear. All right. Verse 13 says, For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men barely swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife." You know, they don't say, you know, I promise, I swear on myself. They usually say, I swear on my mother's grave. They'll say that. They'll say, I swear on a Bible. They'll say that. I don't think you ought to swear on your mother's grave, OK? But I'm just saying what people say. What they're trying to do is they're trying to add more credence from someone who may be perceived as being more important or more knowledgeable than them. And that's what the writer here is trying to get us to see. He's saying, look, for men barely swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is of them and of all strife. Wherein God will He more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability, that means it can't change, of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath. But how does God swear by a greater than himself. Because He is God. He is supreme. Amen? So it says here that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie. It's against His character. He cannot lie. He says it's impossible for God to lie. We might have a strong consolation to have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. So, we see here there are two testimonies in letter F. that spoke to their salvation, the people's salvation. Number one is God's Word. And I entitled this scripture. He talked about the scripture. He swore by His Word. He gave His Word. Amen? He made an oath. And God cannot lie. Amen? Titus 1-2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. So God Swear by His Word. He gave us His Word, His promise. And He put it in writing for us. Isn't that good? And then we have, as we find the whole tenor of the 13 chapters of the book of Hebrews is really uplifting the great sacrifice that was made for us through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that was what was pictured through the whole Old Testament tabernacle and sacrificial system. So the two testimonies is God's Word, and number two is God's Son, and I put sacrifice there in the blank there. So we have the Scripture and the sacrifice as two testimonies that God, who could swear by no greater than Himself, He said, look, I've given you My Word, and I've given you My Son. That seals it. Amen? So we see here at letter G, we have the hope that is mentioned here in verse 18. I just want to pick up here that we might have in the middle of verse 18. We might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, though sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil. This is what I love about your King James Bible. The Word of God. This is what I love about it. It explains itself. He says hope, but not as we use hope today. He says these words, he says, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Well, most of the time when you use hope, you're wondering whether someone's really going to follow through or not. But that's not Bible hope. Hope according to the Bible is something you can bank on. You can count on. I put it this way, it's assured reality. Hope, letter G, means that which is grounded on substantial evidence and confidence in a future event. That's Webster's 1828. Isn't that good? So when you read hope, it's not talking about, well, I wonder if he'll come through. Now, you might have that kind of a hope towards me, But you can't have that kind of hope towards God. And he, in the context here, and in the subsequent verses that surround the word hope, he makes it very clear that he's not causing you to question. You see? Look at what he says. That by two immutable things. The immutability of God means that God does not change. That's what it means to be immutable. Not changing. And he says, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor. But not just dangling on the side of the ship. Sure and steadfast. So as it's in the port and as it's docked, The anchors are set, and why are they set that way? To keep the ship from being banged along the shoreline, or banged into the docks, or to be set free. No. Holds it in place. Sure and steadfast. Your salvation is sure and steadfast. And that ought to be an anchor to your soul. So, if you see the verses before here in chapter 6, verses 4 to 6, And the verses after it, and it's talking about the security you have. He mentions in verse 9 how that he's persuaded by other things of them. Then it can't mean in verses 4 to 6 that you can lose your salvation. Amen? Makes sense. To drive that stake down. Okay, this serves, letter H, as an anchor, not a rudderless ship. As you read in chapter 1 where it talks about An unstable man in all of his ways. And it gives the idea there of a ship that's just free on the waves and the waves are just carrying it along. You go to Acts chapter 27 and you find Paul in the storm and how they had to throw things overboard and they cut the sails and they just let the ship drive. There's no stability in that. That's not our salvation. That's a sorry way to live life. And those men in that ship in Acts chapter 27 were fearful the entire time. And they went some 14 days without even eating and drinking, wondering, you know, what's going to become of us? And sad to say, many people are living their Christian lives saying, oh, oh, I wonder if I'll make it or not. And when the end time comes, they're wringing their hands and saying, I don't know if I'm saved or not. I hope I am. I hope, I hope, I hope. And hear the writer saying, hey, insurance steadfast. So he's saying, look, I'm not trying to cause doubt. I'm persuaded in you. Praise God. We see number three. The writer states that a person either is saved or lost, and the fruit will eventually prove it so. Let me read verse 4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again and to repent us. Interesting thing here. I just throw this in as a sideline. I've never met someone who believes that you can lose your salvation that does not also believe that through a chain of events and turning your life around that you could actually get saved. You could actually be saved again. You could actually turn the old boat around after you've lost it and get it back again. You can't use this passage of Scripture to say that you can lose it and somehow get it back again. Because if you could lose it, that means if you've ever lost it, there's no way you could ever get it back again. So it can't mean that. See, it's amazing how what we'll do is we'll try to build the false doctrine on one aspect. That's like somebody trying to point to me about baptism, and they went to Ezekiel. And because the passage of Scripture talks about sprinkling, that they said, I just wanted you to see that sprinkling was in the Bible. And I said, well, what does that have to do with baptism? He said nothing. And this is a preacher I'm talking to. He says nothing. I just wanted you to see that sprinkling was in the Bible. I said, well, sprinkling's all throughout the Bible. The priest would sprinkle the blood. But we're not talking about sprinkling blood. We're talking about baptism. And so when you come to a passage of Scripture like this, you can't just go halfway down the pike here on saying you can lose your salvation and then get it back again because that's not what this... you can't use this as your proof text. So I hope I'm making it real clear tonight. I hope you see it. That's really what I'm hoping. I'm not trying to just simply... you say, Pastor, you are trying to convince us. Yes, I am. That's what preaching is. I am trying to convince you. I believe this is the Bible position and I want you to believe it. And I make no bones about it. But I don't want you just simply to believe it because I'm dogmatic about it or that I feel strongly about it. I want you to see it. That's why Paul said, Search the Scriptures, chapter 17 of Acts, verse 11, whether these things are so. Amen? So, you see here, Amen. Let me just go on. The writer states that a person either is saved or lost, and the fruit will eventually prove it so. In this life, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain true salvation in a person's life, but in the judgment, all will be revealed. Okay, look what it says here in verse 7. For the earth was drinketh in the rain that cometh off upon it, and bringeth forth herbs of meat for them by whom it is dressed, receiving the blessing from God. For that which bear thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be Burned. Now, we know that in the Scriptures, as far as the judgment's concerned, there are times where we get fooled as far as fruit is concerned in other people's lives. And so what I did is I gave us some Scripture. Let's go to Matthew 7. This is the Sermon on the Mount. I want to pick up reading here in verse 15. Jesus, of course, is preaching this sermon. It's a pretty good sermon. Pretty good preacher. Amen. The best. He says, Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing. Uh-oh. So here is a false prophet that comes in the clothing that looks like something he's not. He says, But inwardly they are ravening wolves. So that lets me know that I have to be extremely careful. Because not everybody is as they portray themselves to be. Sometimes when I look at someone, I may get it right. Sometimes when I look at someone, I may get it wrong. But in the judgment, as it says in Hebrews 6, verses 7 and 8, there's going to come a time where we're going to see exactly what kind of a crop it was. Whether it was a good crop, or whether it was thorns and thistles just ready to be burned, Okay? He says here, Ye shall know them by their fruits. Two men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles. Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them." So there are some aspects of the Christian life, and life in general, that you can make those fruit judgment calls. You say, Pastor, how does that work? Well, if you look at Galatians 5, you have the works of the flesh. And so if people are involved in the works of the flesh, then you realize that those are the identifiers, if you please, of those who don't have the Spirit of God in them. Saved people can commit immorality. 1 Corinthians 6, he tells the church people, flee fornication. Right? So we see that saved people can sin. But we know as an indicator that that is a mark of an unbeliever, though. A mark of an unbeliever is that they commit those sins. Now the fruit of the Spirit, which we say, hey, we're saved, we have the Holy Spirit living within us, is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, kindness, and so on. Against such there is no law. And then you see some of the other aspects of what it means to to serve God. But that's why you have the discipline passages that you have. Because if someone who names the name of Christ is going to live like the unsaved, then they don't belong in the company of the saved. That's why saved people get together in church and lost people are not in the church. And that's why if someone who says, I'm saved, but yet they're bearing the fruit of an unsaved person, they do not belong in the membership of the church. So they either need to repent of that sin and get right with God, or they need to get saved, truly saved. Follow me? Okay. And so then notice he says in verse 21, it's interesting. And this is one thing I think we forget because Jesus didn't just stop the sermon right here, by their fruit ye shall know them and then make us all fruit inspectors where we think we can get it right every time. Because right away he comes right on the heels of that account and he says, not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Look what he says. Verse 22, many will say to me in that day, not just a few, not just some, but many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, now what day is that? The day of judgment. You see, many times we want all this stuff to reveal itself right now. But yet when God starts talking about all the fruition of the events and activities of man, He always puts it in light of the judgment. That's when man's works are going to be truly revealed. You've heard me say that you don't know why I'm doing what I'm doing. I might be up here due to a selfish motive. But one day, we'll all know why I'm doing what I'm doing. That's a sobering thought. that will help each and everyone. Why did you come to church tonight? Why are you here? Is it just simply so your child can be in a nice place over there playing games and learning memory verses and Bible stories? Or are you here because you hunger and thirst after righteousness? That's very sobering. One day we might be able to, now we might be able to sort of breeze on through, slide in and out, and cop this and that and the other, but by the same token, in the judgment, it's going to be revealed. I'll show that. But notice he says, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? Some preachers are going to go to hell even though they lived a good life and preached the Word of God. That's what it says. He says, and in Thy name have cast out devils. Talk about working miracles. and in thy name done many wonderful works." And it's amazing how lack of discernment we have today in Christianity. Somebody just says a few nice things and has some nice Christian catchphrases, and we think they're the most spiritual things that ever walked the face of the earth. That's not the telltale sign. He says, then, Jesus is preaching, He says, then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Wow! Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. Notice, those houses probably looked pretty much the same until the judgment came, until the test came, amen, until the storm came, and then everybody found out who the wise man was and who the foolish man was. There's going to come a time where we're all going to find out who's wise and who's foolish. What category are we in? It's not going to be both. You're one or the other. Amen? Let's go to chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. And I move this through just showing you in a chronological fashion how this has worked. I take it you turned my wireless off. Okay. Alright. In Matthew chapter 13 verse 3, And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. And when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them. But others fell into good ground and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." Drop down to verse 18. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. So here the Lord tells the account, and then He gives the interpretation of it. When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which receiveth seed by the wayside. But he that receiveth seed into stony places, the same as he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it, yet hath he no root in himself, but doeth for a while. For when tribulation," that's trouble, or persecution, arises because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that receives seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that receiveth seed into the good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth some a hundredfold, and some thirty." And then it goes on in verse, let's see here, let's read verse 24 to 30. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." Think about it, tares, when they start out, they look the same. He says here, "'But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?' He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servant said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. So there is going to be a separation that takes place, but we can't always, at the time, tell. Amen? Are you with me? 1 Corinthians 3. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 10. According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." That sounds like, let us go on, doesn't it? For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it. Doesn't mean you might know right away. He says, "...but the day will declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try or test every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." 1 Timothy 5 It's talking in the context of preachers. He says in verse 24, some men's sins are opened beforehand, going before to judgment, and some men they follow after. In other words, sometimes you can tell, and other times you can't. Right? He says, but likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand, and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. Judgment will come. 2 Corinthians 5, verses 9-11. Wherefore we labor. He's talking about death here in chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians. He talks about our faith walk, verse 7. And he says, Wherefore, we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. And he's very specific here. He's not talking about the great white throne of Revelation, chapter 20 and 21. He's talking here about the judgment seat of Christ, which is the judgment of believers. He says, for we must and he's addressing a church here. That's why he mentions the judgment seat and doesn't mention the great white throne. He says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. But we are made manifest of God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences." In other words, he says, we can't hide anything from God, and I trust you see that we're not hiding anything from you. So we see that the writer States under fruit number three letter A. That a person is either saved or lost in the fruit will eventually prove it. So in this life, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain true salvation in a person's life. But in the judgment, all will be revealed. You know, if sometimes you you lead somebody to the Lord and you just say, boy, they got it. And after a while, it just doesn't seem like they got it. And other times you lead somebody to the Lord and you say, yeah, I wonder if they got it or not. And then they just take off, you know, and grow into the Lord and just really become a dynamo for God, so to speak. Right? Okay? Let's look here. In this life, if I can read it, it would be great. It is sometimes difficult to ascertain true salvation in a person's life, but in the judgment, all will be revealed. Letter B. I believe that the writer of Hebrews in this particular situation, since he's writing to Christians, he is writing in a hypothetical sense. He did not say that they did fall away. He didn't say that they could fall away. But if they shall fall away, there is nowhere else to go for salvation if they fall away. In other words, Jesus is the only way. And for these Jews to take these elementary steps, And then because of pressure and persecution think, you know, I may have just embraced something here that I didn't realize I'd catch so much heat with. I didn't realize I'd go through this persecution. Because there was intense pressure from family and from other Jews and so on to go back into that sacrificial system where Christ had set them free. Galatians 1-2 The entire book of Hebrews. Okay? So, here's some facts. Number four. I'm drawing to a close. I'm bringing it all together here. These Jewish believers were going through fiery trials and were tempted to go back into the Jewish system. This would stop the persecution. Haven't you? Many of you have. And so, this is rhetorical, I know. Some of you have gone to certain parts of the Christian life. You've reached certain milestones, decisions you had to make. And you are under a lot of pressure to not go forward. And you chose to go forward and you caught heat for it. By the same token, there are some who are faced with the same dilemma. And they don't want the heat. So they don't go forward. If you'll write down Acts 15 and Galatians 2, you can read that. I didn't put that in your notes. Acts 15, Galatians 2. Letter B. Once again, in these verses of Scripture, they were needing to go forward, not backward in their growth in grace, milk and meat. So they were needing to go forward. Letter C. Paul was encouraging these believers not trying to cast doubt on their salvation. Letter D, he pointed them back to the truth of Scripture and the supreme sacrifice of the Savior for their salvation. Remember the two immutable testimonies and witnesses, the Word of God and the Savior, the Scriptures and the Savior. The Bible and God's Son. Amen. And then, as we had Brother Friesen preach from the account here of chapter 5, the early verses, as well as Hebrews 7 on Melchizedek, he then ties in the truth of Melchizedek here with this entire passage of Scripture, with the truth of Jesus Christ to which every Jew could relate, and that leads us into chapter 7 with the teaching of Melchizedek. Amen? Let's all stand with our heads bowed and our eyes closed, please. I know this has been teaching, but I tell you what, it's inspirational too. And I want you to be secure in regards to your salvation. I want you to be settled with your salvation. If this passage means anything at all, it means that if you're saved, you are secure. Whatever interpretation you hold, it can't be that this passage teaches you can lose it. I trust that's clear. And it could be that you need to drive some stakes in your mind and heart tonight and say, you know what? I see from the Word of God, you've heard the sermons in the last week or so about the security of the believer, about the chastisement in a believer's life for continued sin. And now with a passage of Scripture like this, I think you're getting here in a short order a very strong biblical view of the confidence you can have and maintain in regards to your salvation. Not to cast doubt, but as an anchor to the soul. Some of you just need to tie that anchor fast tonight and just say, I'm done with doubting. I'm going to believe in the two witnesses that God has given. The Scriptures and His Son. I'm just going to believe it. I don't have to feel it. I don't have to understand it. I just have to believe it.