Welcome to this week's presentation of Truth Matters, the weekly radio teaching ministry of Free Grace Baptist Church of San Antonio, Texas. Please join us for the next half hour for what we pray will be an edifying time of thoughtful discussion and helpful dialogue on contemporary issues involving the precious truth of God's Word. Your hosts today are Pastors Ken Billings and Tim Goade. Welcome back. Good morning. Hello, Pastor Tim. You know, I have a little bit of trivia here for you. Trivia time. What number would this broadcast be in your best estimation? 75. I would say 86. 88. Wow. This is our 88th broadcast. When we get to our 100th, are we going to do something special? We'll have an extravaganza, that's for sure. Yes, we'll have a smorgasbord of theological truth for our 100th. We'll pop the champagne bottle cork. We don't do that. We're Baptists. We don't imbibe. We don't smoke. Oh, we don't cuss and we don't chew and we don't run with girls who do. That's right. Yeah. Or I think it's we don't run with those who do. Maybe. I don't know. Either way. But anyway, we're talking about J.C. Ryle's classic work, Holiness, and I know that was probably a very irreverent segue. We apologize. We should start over right now. We apologize to J.C. and hope that he'll forgive us. J.C. Ryle. J.C. Ryle, that is. Ah, your mind's always going the other direction. But we started with some brief examples. He gave some little examples of what it means to count the cost of discipleship, something that we've talked about in the last few episodes now, something that we are all in agreement many Christians in the world today do not count the cost. And it's because largely they're not being taught that there is a cost. And so we want to bring this into sharper focus. And we actually left off, I think, with the one about DEMAS. Ken, you want to read that one and let's discuss that? And these, of course, are negatives. They're not positives. They're negatives. But he says, for want of counting the cost, Demas forsook the company of Paul, forsook the gospel, forsook Christ, forsook heaven. For a long time he journeyed with the great apostle of the Gentiles and was actually a, quote, fellow laborer. But when he found he could not have the friendship of this world as well as the friendship of God, he gave up his Christianity and cleaved to the world. Quote, Demas has forsaken me, says Paul. Having loved this present world, 2 Timothy 4.10, he had not counted the cost. That's a very sobering statement. I remember one of the very first sermons I ever preached. Not the first, but one of the very early ones when I was a really young man. Back when I was just a kid. But I remember preaching about this. It's a heavy passage because Demas is not Just some some guy that Paul met I mean he actually is enlisted if you look right I believe in I don't know Colossians and Philippians that he's listed at the end of you know say hello or Demas salutes you Luke's and he's mentioned with Demas and Luke wrote quite a few times Yeah, and then we just get this you can almost imagine heartbreaking for Paul to write of course Demas has forsaken me having loved. I think it's this present world I think the word in Greek is not cosmos, but a age right loved either his life or the time or the age at the time, whatever it was, but he loved it more than he loved Christ and Paul. Is that a danger today? I mean, do you sense that maybe in the church there are those who are too attached to the world to be any good for the kingdom of Christ? I think that's a danger at any time. It's been a reoccurring story all throughout Christianity. I think in Pilgrim's Progress there's a story somewhere along the line where I think it's Christian and hopeful are walking along and then there's a guy named Demas who's told about a diamond mine or a mine of great jewels and if he goes down there he can get in and come back at any time. And he goes down into the mine It never returns. It never comes back. And he left the road just for pleasure or for money or for whatever and never came back. Very sobering. And then there's Obstinate who of course fell into the sluice. Pliable. Pliable, exactly. Obstinate was the devil actually. Pliable and and and you know he makes a statement Well if this is going to if this is what it is at the beginning of our journey What's the end of our journey right yeah? And he said I'm going I'm getting out of here, and he went back to the city of destruction Yeah to his own destruction. He didn't count the cost either Well, you can almost imagine what's going through Demas' mind from a human standpoint. I mean, here he is with the great apostle. He's seen miracles. He's seen great revivals. And now Paul's in prison. And he must be wondering, this is it? This is what we've done here, Paul? In other words, Demas did not count the cost. He did not realize that it was possible that he might lose favor with men, as we've talked about, or lose the pleasure of the world. And here the great apostle's in jail. And you can almost imagine demons saying, if this is where your God has brought you, if this is the way it is at the beginning, what's it going to be like later on? I'm going to get out of here. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's really important that we remember, too, that, you know, we're all capable of this to one degree or another. I keep thinking of Peter, you know, when Jesus told him before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. And he, you know, was incredulous that that would even be a suggestion. And yet it happened. That night, Peter did not count the cost. I'm sure that, you know, there's been many a sermon preached about what might have transpired between Peter and Jesus as they exchanged looks when here comes Jesus beaten and bedraggled, you know, and he makes eye contact with Peter who has just denied him three times. The important thing is Peter came back from that. He had that threefold restoration with the Lord and that ended up being a very glorious thing. But there are a lot of people who leave and they never come back. I recommend reading Hebrews chapter 6 to find out the dangers associated with that. We all know people that are walking no more with the Lord. It's a sad thing, but it happens all the time. Yep. Well, as Paul also said, you know, they left us because they were not of us. I mean, there is an element of truth in the fact that these are people who probably never enjoyed salvation to begin with. And you spoke about that the last broadcast. Let's read this next one. For want of counting the cost, the hearers of powerful evangelical preachers often come to miserable ends. They are stirred and excited into professing what they have not really experienced. They receive the word with a quote-unquote joy so extravagant that it almost startles old Christians. They run for a time with such zeal and fervor that they seem likely to outstrip all others. They talk and work for spiritual objects with such enthusiasm that they make older believers feel ashamed. But when the novelty and freshness of their feelings is gone, a change comes over them. They prove to have been nothing more than stony-ground hearers. The description the great Master gives in the parable of the sower is exactly exemplified. Temptation or persecution arises because of the word, and they are offended. Matthew 13, 21 Little by little their zeal melts away, and their love becomes cold. By and by their seats are empty in the assembly of God's people, and they are heard of no more among Christians. And why? They had never counted the cost. I don't like being cynical, but I am cynical when there are people who are overly enthusiastic sometimes. And I hate to be so mean, but obviously we need to be enthusiastic as believers. But there are times when some people just are so enthusiastic that you wonder, is that real? Is that genuine? I remember watching some football games, and you see beforehand they're just screaming and yelling and hollering at each other. But then once they get hit in the football game, all of a sudden they're not as passionate anymore. And you wonder sometimes about, Enthusiasm a show that is being put on no brother. Oh sister and and Then when the chips are down. Yeah, it's something entirely different historically this actually happened during the times of the quote great Revivals under Charles Finney, right? You know they ultimately called the area the burnt-out district right and and Finney has been quoted as saying that if if he Had it to do over again he said he would preach nothing but holiness. Why? Because he said, my converts are a disgrace to Christianity. Exactly. They were his converts. That's the buzzword, if you will. Yeah, we don't seek converts to us, we seek converts to Christ. Yeah, that's a very good point. Who wants to read the next one? I'll go ahead and read it. For lack of counting the cost, hundreds of professed converts, under religious revivals, go back to the world after a time and bring disgrace on religion. They begin with a sadly mistaken notion of what is true Christianity. They fancy it consists in nothing more than a so-called coming to Christ and having strong inward feelings of joy and peace. And so when they find after a time that there is a cross to be carried, that our hearts are deceitful, and that there is a busy devil always near us, they cool down in disgust and return to their old sins. And why? Because they had never really known what Bible Christianity is. They had never learned that we must count the cost. That's true, and you just covered that, so you want to move on to the next one? I don't know what else to say. Thanks for your commentary on that one. It was a prequel to what was said there. Ken, you want to read that last one? Sure. For want of counting the cost, the children of religious parents often turn out ill and bring disgrace on Christianity. from their earliest years with the form and theory of the gospel, taught even from infancy to repeat great leading texts, accustomed every week to be instructed in the gospel or to instruct others in Sunday schools, They often grow up professing a religion without knowing why or without ever having thought seriously about it. And then when the realities of grown-up life begin to press upon them, they often astound everyone by dropping all their religion and plunging right into the world. And why? They had never thoroughly understood the sacrifices which Christianity entails. They had never been taught to count the cost. That's good. I think there are two big errors, one by Presbyterians and one by Baptists, that we make. One, Presbyterians baptizing infants, and so they think that they are part of the kingdom, but also Baptists with the walking of the aisle and the getting, you know, four and five year olds just walking them down the aisle. Of course, I believe, by the way, that the Lord can save four and five year olds. Sure, sure, sure. But this easy believism, which both lead to the same thing. We have these young kids who think that since they were either baptized or walked the aisle as a youth, as a four or five or as an infant, Right. And they're OK. And as it says here, but eventually the realities of adulthood set in. Oh, yeah. And so many of them. I mean, they don't just go away from Christianity. They go into, or as he says here, he plunged straight into the world and astound everybody. Right. And I mean, there are examples of this. People are listening right now can probably think of examples of this right now. I mean, it's amazing. Well, many parents are probably struggling with the fact that their children were just named. I mean that, you know, they raise their children to the best of their abilities. They raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. And I would, I would, you know, tend to disagree a little bit with what Ryle says here, because many of them have been taught to count the cost. But this is just proof that even though you teach your children the truth and try to inculcate as much of this wisdom into them as possible, it's no guarantee that they're going to adhere to that. He's speaking from the point of view of paedo-baptism. We've raised these kids in the covenant, in the kingdom, and again, that's just another problem. But I think Baptists have the same problem, though, with walking the aisle invitation system for a four- and five-year-old. So it all comes to the same place. False assurance for kids who aren't believers. Yeah, and you know, parents who grow up with their children believing that God is somehow duty-bound to save them and that He would not disappoint them in that area. Those of us who believe in and acknowledge a sovereign God have far less difficulty with that, I think. They are His to do with however He pleases. You can imagine the sorrow of a father in having to deal with this in regards to a child. In fact, you can go back into even Old Testament illustrations, for example, David and Absalom. How sorrowful David was to see his son, who grew up in the covenant, but yet turned out to be a pretty bad kid after all. Exactly, exactly. Well, let's move on to some hints. J.C. Ryle gives us some hints here. Let me read this introductory statement. He says, Sorry indeed should I be if I did not say something on this branch of my subject. I have no wish to discourage anyone or to keep anyone back from Christ's service. It is my heart's desire to encourage everyone to go forward and take up the cross. Let us count the cost by all means and count it carefully, but let us remember that if we count rightly and look on all sides, there is nothing that need make us afraid. He says, let me mention some things which should always enter into our calculations in counting the cost of true Christianity. Set down honestly and fairly what you will have to give up and go through if you become Christ's disciple. Leave nothing out. Put it all down. But then set down side by side the following sums which I am going to give you. Do this fairly and correctly, and I am not afraid for the result. And the first thing he says, you want to share that first thing he says, Ken? Big Ken? Big Ken? Old Ken. Old Ken. Can you share small letter A? Before he reads it, though, he's given us what we normally do if you're going to, like a budget, basically. If you're going to build something, you sit down and find, okay, this is how much it's going to cost, but this is what we will gain out of it. Is the cost worth the gain? In the business world, it's like an item analysis or whatever. But that's what he's saying here. Let's see if the reward is worth all these costs we've been talking about. It is. He says in the first place, count up and compare the profit and the loss. If you are a true hearted and holy Christian, you may possibly lose something in this world, but you will gain the salvation of your immortal soul. It is written, what shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his own soul? Mark 8 36. Indeed, yeah. There it is. Profit and loss. Profit and loss. Profit and loss. Profit and loss. I really don't like it when, especially new believers come and they ask me, what is it I'm going to have to give up versus what is it that I'm going to get? That's such a wrong-headed way of looking at it. My take has always been that if If you have indeed been saved by God's grace, you'll not want the things that you previously wanted. Your whole disposition changes, and God gives you new goals and new aspirations, and so on and so forth. You want to read the next one there? Sure. B, or number two, count up and compare the praise and the blame. If you are a true-hearted and holy Christian, You may possibly be blamed by man, but you will have the praise of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Your blame will come from the lips of a few erring, blind, fallible men and women. Your praise will come from the King of kings and judge of all the earth. It is only those whom he blesses who are really blessed. It is written, Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Yeah, that's a great perspective. There was a song by the Imperials, I think, long ago that talked about the fact that the world views us as paupers, but we need to remember that we're children of the King. I don't remember what that song was, but I think it was Praise the Lord. Another is Dallas Home. I know the song, it's right on the tip of my tongue. I'll sing it as soon as I remember. It is called Praise the Lord. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, but it's really good in illustrating the principle that we're not paupers. We're children of the King and we need to learn to live like it. You know we have every blessing in the heavenly places is ours in Christ Jesus And we need to keep that in focus rather than this It depends on what we want here. Do we want the praise of God or the praise of men? That was one of the criticisms of the Pharisees that they loved the praise of men right and if you want men to hate you, but God to love you in Christianity, that's the thing. For great is your reward in heaven. There's a comparison. There's no comparison to that. Yeah, keep talking. I'm going to look up this song real quick. Keep talking? Uh-huh. Just talk quietly among yourselves. Can we just go ahead and read the next one? Yeah. I'll read it. He threw us for a loop there. Count up and compare the friends and the enemies. If you are a true-hearted and holy Christian, on the one side, if you On the one side of you is the enmity of the devil and the wicked. On the other, you have the favor and friendship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your enemies, at most, can only bruise your heel. They may rage loudly and compass sea and land to work your ruin, but they cannot destroy you. Your friend, with a capital F, is able to save you to the uttermost in all that come unto God by him. None shall ever pluck his sheep out of his hand. It is written, Be not afraid of those who kill the body. And after that, they have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear. Fear him. which, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say unto you, fear him." Yeah, that's good. So, there's another cost. Friends and enemies. You have friend in God and enemy in the world. That's worth the cost. I found the song. Is it Praise the Lord? Yeah, it's Praise the Lord by Russ Taff, who is a member of the Imperials. Right. And the lyric I was talking about is, Satan is a liar and he wants to make us think that we are paupers when we know ourselves we're children of the King. So lift up the mighty shield of faith for the battle must be won. Remember, Jesus Christ has risen, so the work's already done. I also want to sing the chorus right now but I will spare San Antonio. Please refrain. How did you just find that so quickly? I have internet access on my laptop here. The miracle of the internet. I know. It's so great. Anyway, what we're talking about here are those hints or helps. Things to think about when the cost seems too much. Cost and effect or cost and reward. Profit and loss. Profit and loss. What are we on? Item D? D. Count up and compare the life that now is and the life to come, if you are a true-hearted and holy Christian. The time present, no doubt, is not a time of ease. It is a time of watching and praying, fighting and struggling, believing and working. But it is only for a few years. The time future is the season of rest and refreshing. Sin shall be cast out, Satan shall be bound, and, best of all, it shall be a rest forever. It is written our light affliction which is but for a moment works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen or temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal second Corinthians Yeah, you have two things the light affliction or the weight of glory exactly those are the things we should consider Exactly. That's awesome. Quickly, we've got about three minutes left. Do you want to pick one of these? I'll just go with E? Yeah, go with E. I'll go with E. I'll go with F. I don't think we'll have time for F. We'll finish next time. Yeah, that's cool. We'll just go on. E, this will be the last one then, the last thing. Okay. Count up and compare the pleasures of sin and the happiness of God's service if you are a true-hearted and holy Christian. The pleasures that the worldly man gets by his ways are hollow, unreal, and unsatisfying. They are like the fire of thorns, flashing and crackling. fire of thorns, flashing and crackling for a few minutes, and then quenched forever. The happiness that Christ gives to his people is something solid, lasting, and substantial. It is not dependent on health or circumstances. It never leaves a man even in death. It ends in a crown of glory that fades not away. It is written, the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment. As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. But it is also written, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Yeah, that's very good. I just remember in Samuel, we were preaching about this when Samuel is warning Saul about leaving and the people about leaving God. He says, leaving the true religion, God, for vain idols and the empty idols. It's meaningless, ultimately. And here as he's talking about that, ultimately sin and the pleasures that we get from it, it's empty, it's hollow, it's vanity compared to the weight and the truth of glory. He actually says the happiness of God's service. There's nothing that brings greater joy than to be a servant of the King. That's right. That's right. I mean, it's one of those things that we need to really focus on every day of our lives because, you know, sin has its pleasure associated with it, but it's only for the moment. We're talking about true, eternal happiness here. Do you hear what he says at the end of each one of those first sentences? You know, count up and compare this if you are a true-hearted and holy Christian. And that's what we're trying to find out. If we are, are we true-hearted and holy christians if we are then we'll count the cost yeah these will be characteristic of our being ones who desire to count the cost that's true so we'll finish next week yeah i think we'll finish next week let's remind people who we are we are uh truth matters we are from free grace baptist church in san antonio texas address is 1801 thorain boulevard that's t-h-o-r-a-i-n boulevard here in san antonio 78201 If you'd like to visit us, if you'd like to hear more of these broadcasts as well as the sermons that come from the pulpit at Free Grace, you can go to www.SermonAudio.com forward slash Free Grace Baptist. You can also go to our website at www.FreeGraceBaptist.org and learn more about our church there. That is correct. So that's about all the time we've got. So we will talk to you gentlemen next week. And we have a Facebook page, too. We do. Yep. So anyway, look us up. Talk later. Bye. Thank you for listening to Truth Matters, the weekly radio teaching ministry of Free Grace Baptist Church of San Antonio, Texas. Free Grace Baptist Church is located at 1801 Thorain Boulevard. Meeting times each Lord's Day are 945 a.m., 11 a.m. and 130 p.m. Our weekly prayer meetings are held each Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. If you would like to visit on the web, you can find us at freegracebaptist.org. Thank you again for listening and may God continue to richly bless you through the faithful study of His Word.