July 7, 2024
Psalm 83 Pt 7
We continue our work on Psalm 83
We continue our work on Psalm 83
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All right, Psalm eighty three.
Let's see how far we can get today,
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next two hours dedicated to Saw eighty
three. Let's see if we can
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accomplish anything. All right, So
let's do this Saw eighty three simply put,
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simply put, what is Saw eighty
three as a psalm of lament,
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as a sum of lament, and
they are lamenting what is happening at that
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time. Make sure you stress that
or put that in your notes. They
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are lamenting what is happening at that
time. The reason I have to stress
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that is because so many other sermons
turn this into a somehow a prophetic psalm
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prophesying something that has yet to happen
even for us, or that it was
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prophesying something that was going to happen
for them. Some try to connect it
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to second Chronicles twenty, which we
saw. That makes absolutely just falls completely
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apart. So we want to distress
it is a lament lamenting the situation at
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that time, and we have kind
of somewhat of an idea of what time,
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because it is a psalm of Ace
f Right, and we know that
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he was like the worship leader during
the time of David and a little into
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the time of Solomon. So it's
somewhere along that timeline, okay, that
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gives us at least some concept,
and we know, simply put, what
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are they lamenting? That there are
is a confederacy of nations that are coming
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to do what to Israel, wipe
them off the face of the earth.
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So he offers the lament. The
main part of the lament is found in
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which verse. It's found in one
right. That's really the essential part of
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the element, right, the essential
part of the lament. What is specific
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are they lamenting? Where's God?
Right? That's simply a way to put
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it. God, where are you? We need you to speak, we
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need you to act, We need
you to intervene, do something right.
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So there's the lament, because a
lament is expressing. Typically, when we
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think of a lament, I like
to refer to a lament as kind of
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a spiritual scream. It's a spiritual
cry, right, you're letting out the
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emotion. So the lament, the
part that captures the emotion, is really
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right there where they see where the
lament says, do not keep silent,
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Oh God, do not hold your
peace, and do not be still,
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Oh God. At least in the
New King James after oh God. Both
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cases there's an ex exclamation point because
they're trying to emphasize the emotion of it.
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Right, So there's the emotion they
clearly it's clearly articulated, and then
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why is there that emotion? The
rest of the psalm tries to articulate the
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reasons why. We won't go through
the outline and everything again, so we
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get the basic element. So in
that sense, it's pretty simple. It's
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pretty straightforward. All we have to
say is this is a song of lament.
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We can learn a little bit about
the lament, we can understand the
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historical part of it. Maybe we
could gain a couple of more lessons,
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and so technically we could already be
done. The only reason I'm spending so
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much time on it is for a
couple of reasons. Number one is because
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even the original sermon series that sparked
all of this is now like at part
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twenty six or something, I don't
even understand. I mean, that thing
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is lost. I mean, I
don't even know how to describe it.
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It's talked about everything King James,
only is I don't even know what it's
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going. I don't even know what's
happening. But their basic their basic point
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supposedly was that there's a coming Middle
East war, And while they never have
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ever even demonstrated that, I don't
get it. Others want to go to
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the past, want to go to
the future. I don't get I don't
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understand what it is about Saw eighty
three that's creating all of that problem,
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because to me, sal maighty three
is so straightforward. So because people are
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doing such weird things with it,
then I feel the necessity to, well,
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then let's really dig in. A
second thing I'm trying to accomplish here
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is because I have a tendency to
go to the text of scripture and go,
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wait a minute, that's not for
us. Wait a minute, that's
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not for us. Wait a minute, that's not for us. People then
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get very frustrated with the fact that
I do that. So I'm trying now
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to go through saw Maty three and
try to find some element that maybe for
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us, or at least we're gonna
we're trying, we're trying to at least
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go with that concept. I think
the concept's going to fall apart at some
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point, but we're doing our very
best, and the way we're doing this
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or the way I'm trying to do
this, and hopefully you remember this is
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I've really really focused on what happens
in verses two through basically five, right,
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what happens in verses two through five
that I have repeated so many times
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now that well, probably people are
tired of me repeating it. What happens
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in verses two through five that I
think is so critical to having something that's
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applicable to us. Okay, well, those are some of the main lessons
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I've given from the whole song.
Remember two through five. It gives the
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attributes of the enemies, right,
Okay, remember that was the whole thing
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we spent two hours on last week. Right. I told you that you
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have to have that down. I
said, I was going to repeat it
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over and over and over and over
and over and over until everyone had it
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down, right, Because the attributes
of the enemy. I am taking the
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attributes of those enemies and see if
those attributes have any connection or correlation with
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enemies that we would face as Christians. Does everybody remember this? Okay?
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All right? So what were those
attributes? We've covered them now probably three
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times, maybe even four times,
in the study so far of psaw Manty
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three I told everyone to write them
down, know them. What's the first
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one, the tumult, right,
it's right there, and verse two right,
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free, behold your enemy. Remember
we went through them and order.
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Okay, for behold your enemies.
Make a tumult, which means loud,
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confuse, noise, And we kind
of gave this idea that it suggests a
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sense of disorder, agitation, unrest. Right, they bring about a sense
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of chaos. Or they got that
one down. Okay, what was the
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second one? They hate God?
They hate God. Everybody see that they
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hate God. Next, lift up
their head, which gave the idea of
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pride, arrogance, and defiance.
Right next, they have taken crafty council.
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Right, they've taken crafty council.
So the first part we had to
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just want the idea that they took
counsel together. We see that in verse
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five they have consulted together with one
consent, they form a confederacy, meaning
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that they are working together. The
enemies form and work together. They have
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that they We could think of it
this way, and that particular in the
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historical setting, whether those nations had
disagreements or dislikes or a lack of trust,
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they all come together for one definitive
purpose, which is ultimately to wipe
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Israel off the face of the earth. Right, So then we can look
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and see how our enemies may come
together in some way, shape or form
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or have a common goal. Next, they take crafty counsel, which suggests
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cunning and deceitful strategies that they come
up with, deceitful strategies and plans to
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harm God's people in this particular case, the nation of Israel. All right,
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was there any more? Okay?
Right? And and so and because
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we definitely talked about that phrase verse
three, and consulted together against your hidden
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one. Remember there was like three
different ways of translating this sheltered ones,
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hidden ones, or treasured ones.
So we gave the idea the attribute that
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God's enemies hate and want to go
against anything that God would treasure or value
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or have chosen. All right,
So those are some of the basic attributes.
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We've covered them. So and I
stress that know those attributes, know
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those attributes. Now. Once we
got those attributes all down, well,
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then of course we know what happens
in Saw eighty three. After those attributes
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are given, the enemies are described. Then the enemies are listed starting in
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verse six. Right, we have
the tents of Etom and the Ishmaelites moab
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Hag writes keyboll ammon Amelek Felicitia with
the inhabits of tire Assyria also joined with
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them. They have helped the children
of Lot. We went through and identified
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all of those historical enemies, right, I'm not going to go back through
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all of that again. We identified
everyone, gave some basic information. There's
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not a lot you could I mean, from a historical perspective. We know
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exactly then who it is coming against
them, We know exactly why this would
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lead to a lament, and by
looking at their attributes, you could see
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why the people would be very,
very very emotional and concerned. We got
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all of that. So then what
I decided to do was like, okay,
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well, since everyone says I never
take these texts and apply them to
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us, how can we apply them
to us? Well, the only way
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to apply this to us is say, okay, let's take these attributes and
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let's see if these attributes have anything
in common with the enemies with whom we
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face as believers. All right,
so we started working on that. Who
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was the first one we looked at, We looked at Satan, right,
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the primary adversary of Christians, described
as the prince of this world and the
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Bible. He seeks to deceive,
tempt, accuse believers in order to lead
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them away from God. All right. Satan is portrayed in the Bible is
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powerful, prideful, crafty, being
one who harbors intense hatred towards God and
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seeks to undermine his plans. He
has described as were as warring against God's
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chosen people and desires to eliminate them. These characteristics are evident from various passages
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in the Bible. We went through
them. Now, I don't I'm not
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going to go through all of this
again. But we can we agree on
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this? Would we agree that Satan
hates God? Okay? Would we say
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that Satan is full of pride?
Yes? And I've got we can look
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at Isaiah fourteen and Ezekiel twenty eight
to prove both of those. I don't
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think I need to prove that.
Can we agree that Satan seems to be
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considered crafty, are subtle, and
has strategies? Right? Yes? Okay?
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And we could get that from Genesis
three? Can we not? All?
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Right? Right? He wars against
God's people. We can see that
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a little bit in Revelation chapter twelve, and he desires to eliminate God's people.
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And we can get into a whole
discussion about John ten ten whether it
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refers to Satan or not. But
the thief comes only to still kill and
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destroy. Some that may say that
refers to false teachers, but the false
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teachers would be then operating in accordance
with Satan in that particular case. So
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we can at least say in general, I'm not to get all into the
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hermoneutics of that passage, but we
can say that Satan meets all of those
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attributes to the almost to the letter, can we agree, all right?
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So that would put us as Christians
in the same position as these people were,
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but in somewhat of a different way. They're looking at a physical threat
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that they can see. We face
a threat in whom we cannot see,
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all right. And remember from all
of that, I have tried to emphasize
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and saw maybe three some very important
points. So before we continue on,
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looking at a lot of enemies,
and I have a long list of enemies,
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all right, and it's going to
become You may think, well,
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you're you know, you're kind of
going too far on this, but I'm
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trying to make a point here,
So but let me go back and at
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least remind you of some of the
basic points I've tried to take from this
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psalm, because I've tried to emphasize
these over and over and over. Saw
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maighty three describes the life of people
who believe in a God whom they cannot
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see, living in the midst of
circumstances that they can see, and those
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very circumstances call into question the existence
of that God whom they cannot see.
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Everybody got that Saw many three describes
the people who lives in the midst of
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circumstances that they can see. Can
they see these circumstances developing in Saw eighty
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three? Yes, And these very
circumstances call into question God whom they cannot
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see Saw eighty three. From just
a practical standpoint, we can all relate
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to Psaw eighty three because that describes
your life. In my life, do
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we not live in circumstances that we
can see? Yes, those circumstances do
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they at least even slightly call into
question the existence of the God whom you
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cannot see? Any reasonable person would
say yes. Now, I know in
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church you're supposed to say, well
no, absolutely not. Nothing would call
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into question the existence of God.
Okay, come on, just every day
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thinking about life calls into question the
existence of God, all right, Because
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if God is all powerful, all
knowing, and present everywhere at all times,
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what's he doing? I mean everyone
can acknowledge that, right, because
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if you listen to the way Christians
talk, just talk to your Christian friends
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or people who go to church.
They constantly God does this. They always
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constantly talk about God's involvement. God
led me to this, God did this,
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God did this, God did this, God did this like God is
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supposedly active twenty four to seven and
everyone's life. But then you can say,
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well, then if God was doing
this and then this and this and
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this and this one, why didn't
he step in here to I don't know,
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save the kid who died from cancer
yesterday? Why didn't he step in
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yesterday when the kid was being molested? Why didn't step in yesterday when the
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woman was being raped? Like,
but at the same time, God's doing
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this and this and this and this
and this and that, Like if you
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listen to Christians, God is basically
doing something twenty four to seven, and
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he's involved in the in the smallest
details of our life. Well, he
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did this, and he protected me
this, and he gave me this,
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and he did this, and he
did that, and he did this and
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he did that. And you're like, well, why is it that he
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only does good things for you?
Because there are a lot of people he
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didn't show up to yesterday. That's
gonna call in the question. We have
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to acknowledge that what I love about
the Bible is that the people in the
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Bible aren't afraid to express what I
just express. If I express it,
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everybody rolls their eyes and gets defensive. The people in the Bible had no
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problem expressing it, like you can
roll your eyes at me. I wish
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you would have went and rolled your
eyes at job because he would have been
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like, I don't know who you
are, but you can just get out
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of my face because I don't know
where God is, ok, because all
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my family just died. Correct,
all right? So I think that I
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love the fact that the Bible is
not afraid and are It's not the sawmeist
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here expressing Hey, God, where
are you at? And I think that's
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a very fair thing to say.
Okay, I think that's I think that's
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that's real. So that's the first
major point we've got. I cannot emphasize
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that enough, Like if you don't
get anything from Ps. Many three,
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everyone should be able to take away
from that. But we added to that,
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did we not? As Christians we
live a life surrounded by enemies we
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cannot see, and so many times
we forget or as Christians, we live
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a life surrounded by enemies we can
see. Let me state it that way.
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As Christians we live a life surrounded
by enemies we can see. So
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many times we forget the enemies which
we cannot see. But this is the
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most important thing. Whether it's circumstances
or whether it's enemies, our only hope
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is in an imputed righteousness which we
cannot see. Right, let me stress
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that again. As Christians, we
live a life surrounded by enemies we can
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see. Can everyone say amen to
that? You can see people who say
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things about you, do things to
you. You can see that, right,
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You can see horrible things happening around
you. So many times though we
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forget the enemies which we cannot see. So what we have to realize is
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whether it's circumstances or whether it's enemies. Our only hope is in imputed righteousness,
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which we I'm gonna state it again, which we cannot see now.
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The minute I say that, ninety
nine percent of Christianity will lose its ever
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living mind. You cannot see imputed
righteousness, all right? Does imputed righteousness
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manifest itself? No? If you
say yes, then it's not imputed.
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Does everybody understand that? Okay?
I know that goes against every church in
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Abeline, but I don't care.
You cannot see imputed righteous you say no,
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imputed righteousness will lead to a change. It's imputed. It doesn't do
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anything except me declares you to be
something that you are not, so therefore
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you can't see it. Right.
It declares you to be something you're not.
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If it makes you something that you're
not, then that's not imputed.
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That's what infused. That's Catholicism.
The American Church is Catholic. Okay,
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they've Luther lost. The Reformation was
a failure. It was a waste of
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absolute time, all right. All
Luther accomplished was giving everyone the right to
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be the pope. You think one
thing that he would have accomplished was giving
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a correct understanding of justification. But
all the churches who claim to have the
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right understanding of justification turn around and
act like that imputed righteousness is manifested in
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the lives of the people. It
is not. You cannot see it.
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I cannot stress that enough. Right, So saw maybe three gives us this
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great. We got enemies we can
see, but we often forget the enemies
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we cannot see. We have circumstances
which we can see, calling into the
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question of God whom we cannot see. And the whole Christian life is based
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off people who have been declared righteous. But nobody can see that righteousness,
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which is which why puts Christianity in
a perpetual state of It seems like hypocrisy
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and a contradiction, does it not? Because anybody can walk up and go,
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where's your God? Well, I
can't see him? Can you see
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him? No? All right,
but look at those circumstances. Well,
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I know the circumstances look really rough, but we still believe in a God
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and whom we cannot see. Well, how about those enemies and those well
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we see those enemies, but we're
worried about an enemy. We cannot see.
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Well, that's ridiculous. You should
be focusing on the enemy you can
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see. Wait a minute, you
tell me you're righteous, Well, I'm
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righteous by an imputed righteousness. What
does that mean? You cannot see it?
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That? That makes Christian sound almost
what come on, let's just be
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honest. It makes us sound like
we're insane, all right. That sounds
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like a mental disorder. That doesn't
sound like logic and reason. All of
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that contradicts everything, right, because
everybody got that. So those are some
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major points that come from it.
So let's go through these enemies. And
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some of these enemies are enemies that
we cannot that we want cannot see.
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All right, And what's the first
enemy we've now looked at and I'm not
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gonna go back and repeat it.
Satan? Can we see him? No?
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We cannot. Is he an enemy? Yes? Does he meet all
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of that criteria of those attributes?
Yes? All right? Now the question
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is, well, then what do
we do? Well, we will get
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into that. That's gonna be the
big issue here, is right, how
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do we handle these enemies? We'll
have to Well I'm kind of given you
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a little clue, but all right, what's the next group of enemies demons.
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Do they meet the same criteria?
Yes, they, Satan are well,
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we can go here a little bit
here. Satan, also known as
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the Devil, is depicted in the
Bible as the leader of fallen angels who
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rebel to get who who rebelled against
God. These fallen angels are commonly referred
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to as demons. Satan works with
demons to carry out his evil schemes,
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influence humanity, and oppose God's plans. Demons are portrayed as levolent spiritual beings
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who actively participate in tempting people,
spreading lies and deception, and promoting chaos
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and destruction. Does not sound exactly
like the attributes right there in Saw eighty
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three, An't that crazy? I
just look up a kind of a definition
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of demons, and it almost sounds
like I'm reading SSAW eighty three. That
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to me should be that's that's part. Not only that, though, because
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Satan and the demons do what work
together, which is exactly what the enemies
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do in Saw eighty three. They
conspire together, they work together, all
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right. I could go through a
number of things here, just we could
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go through and I we could go
through a lot of scriptures. I'll just
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give a couple of things here.
One Peter five eight. We all know
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that one, right, be alert
and be sober your enemy. The devil
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prows around is a rowing line,
looking for looking for whom he made devour.
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Now, obviously that's referring to Satan. But the demons are right there
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working with him, Okay, Right, and then and then again Ephesian six
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twelve. We know this. Our
struggle is not against flesh and blood,
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but against the rulers, and against
the authorities, and against the powers of
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this dark world and the spiritual forces
and heavenly realms. Right, we know
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that he's he's there working, and
he's going against it and all of those
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things. So we covered all of
that, not going to go through all
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of it again. We got that. So we have two very specific enemies.
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And what is significant about these two
enemies They work together, same attributes,
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and we cannot see them. We
cannot see them. They're not tangible,
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right, and so what do we
tend to focus on tangible enemies?
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Tangible enemies. That's why the Bible
speaks of our air is being spiritual,
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not what cardinal, not fleshley That's
why the weapons we use are not to
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be Cardinal or Fleshley weapons. Can
Cardinal and Fleshley weapons defeat spiritual enemies?
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No, Cardinal and Fleshley weapons can
only attack what physical enemies. I almost
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did a podcast yesterday about it,
but I didn't get to it. There
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was a political leader invited to speak
at a church in North Carolina. The
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video is somewhat disturbing. He's standing
behind a pulpit that has a cross.
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There's a cross right here behind him, there's all the people in the church,
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and he begins to talk about that
we have enemies and those enemies need
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to be killed, that some people
just need to be killed. And I'm
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sitting there going what in the name
of bubblegum is happening? The clip has
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gone viral, there's all kinds of
articles about it. Well, what's more
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disturbing The people in the church do
want. Now He's talking about the enemies,
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which you can see, and his
solution is that they need to be
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killed. Now, I don't know
why in the world that's behind the pulpit,
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but so many times Christians want to
fight the enemy and ways that are
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what Cardinal Fleshley and we want to
focus on what enemies that we can see,
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politicians, woke ideology, the LGBTQ
movement. We want to go after
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all of these things, and we
want to fight enemies which we think we
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can We're not to fight enemies we
can see, because our enemies are the
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ones that we cannot see. And
I know that goes against everything. Look,
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how do look as much as we
say we believe in a God whom
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we cannot see, as much as
we say that we live our lives very
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much where and what we can see. Now we talk about God doing this,
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and God doing this, and God
doing this and God doing this.
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But as soon as we're put forth
some hard questions about God, whether we
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crumble because we don't have any definitive
answers. The point is this is we
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live in a world which we can
see, and we sometimes forget the world
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which we cannot see. And that
is all of our enemies are really in
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this case, are spiritual. What
is the third enemy we spent some time
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with last week? Sin itself?
Sin itself. The underlying cause of our
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separation between humans and God is sin, and it leads to spiritual bondage and
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entice his believers to get against to
go against God's will and can hinder spiritual
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growth and intimacy with God. Now
we look at some of the attributes of
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sin. Do sin bring about disorder
and chaos? Yes? It absolutely does?
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All right? Does sin hate God? Absolutely? Is sin subtle and
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deceitful and crafty? Yes? Does
sin hate what God would treasure and choose?
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Yes? I mean absolutely all right? Everything there? Okay, we
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talked. We talked about all of
that, right, we talk about if
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you look at look at here,
I think it's Hebrews three thirteen, y'all
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look it up really quick and just
tell me what you find. I believe
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it's he Brews three thirteen. If
I have this wrong, well, I
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think it's three thirteen. There we
go. Hey, unless you be hardened
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it unless something happens to me by
the deceitfulness of sin, Sin is deceitful,
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it is crafty. All right.
So I think everything that we would
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say about sin, I think we
can agree it meets all of those characteristics.
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Can we agree to that? Now
here's the problem with this. First
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of all, we can't see,
okay, when we think of sin,
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we think of sin in really two
ways. Right, Well, we should
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when we think of sin. What
are the two ways in which we should
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think of sin? Think about it? I know it's kind of maybe a
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kind of a vague question, but
I'll throw it out there. If you
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don't have an answer, that's okay. We have to think sin in regards
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to actions, and that's where most
people focus on it, right, Most
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people focus on sin as an action. Right, So then in that sense,
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sin manifests itself in actions, and
we have a tendency to focus on
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sin as an action. All right, but let's remember this is very,
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very important. This is like elementary
and Christianity. But I reviewed a sermon
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clip just the other day where,
once again demonstrating this is a very famous
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pastor. I don't think he meant
it this way, but he clearly is
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confused about sin. I think he
may have misspoke. I'm going to give
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him credit for just misspeaking, because
there's no way his theology would believe this.
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But he once again kind of described
sin more as action more of what
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we do. Let me make it
very clear. Sin is an action,
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but the action does not make you
a sinner. In fact, he literally
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said, we sin, which makes
us a sinner. Make it very clear,
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Sinning does not make you a sinner. Everyone got that down. Sinning
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does not make you a sinner.
Everyone have that down. Everyone should say
365
00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:53.759
amen. Okay, sin does not
make us a sinner. We sin because
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we are a sinner. When did
we become a sinner? Because at the
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moment of conception? Right, we
are conceived in sin. So we always
368
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think of sin as a sinful action. Why don't we always think of sin
369
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as a sinful action because we see
it? Oh? Wait, are we
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not following a theme here in Psaw
eighty three? Right? We see it.
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So we focus on the external action. But the external action is only
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the result of that which we The
sinful action is the result of that which
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we cannot see. It is your
nature. So when we think of sin,
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we have to think of sin as
an action, but we have to
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think of sin as a and nature. We have a sinful nature, meaning
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by nature, our nature. What
we'll go to saw mayty three. Those
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attributes, Okay, those attributes describe
your nature. Your nature is one of
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chaos. Right, doesn't your nature
go against maybe even sound reason logic?
379
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Your your nature goes to I mean, so many times, what do we
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constantly say? Why would people do
that. No, don't we constantly say
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that when you hear someone so and
so and so, why would they do
382
00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:29.240
that? Why would I just don't
understand people today, why why we do
383
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What are you talking about? The
sin nature has been there since Adam and
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00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:37.680
Eve fell. I don't know why. I just don't know what's wrong with
385
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the world today. What do you
mean you don't know what's wrong with the
386
00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:45.000
world today. It's the same thing
that's been there since then. People like
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the world today has just lost their
mile. Oh, I don't know.
388
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I guess when a man decides to
turn his daughters over to an entire city
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of men to use them sexually,
I guess that's what was back in the
390
00:31:53.839 --> 00:32:00.039
good old days, right, Oh, I don't know. When when the
391
00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:05.359
men of the city do that too, and the end of judges, you
392
00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:08.160
know, sexually assault a woman and
then they chop her body up and send
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her parts to the different the twelve
trucks. I guess as we're back in
394
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the good old days. I guess
it was back in the good old days
395
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when you used your slave to produce
a child, back in the good old
396
00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:27.000
days. Now that the problem has
always been present, right, why,
397
00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:29.839
yeah, I mean, I mean
on and on and on and on,
398
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and I mean like the Bible is
filled with it, is it not?
399
00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:37.599
History is filled with it. Genocide, murder, rape, slavery. You
400
00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:42.160
just go on and on and why, Well, I can understand why the
401
00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:46.119
world is confused, right, they
can't explain why. So they think,
402
00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:50.720
well, education will fix it.
If we can get people out of poverty,
403
00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:52.359
that will fix it. Well,
everything that we try to do fix
404
00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:57.920
it doesn't fixes it. Because as
Christians we know the reason why. The
405
00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:01.880
reason why is because of what we
cannot see, and what we cannot see
406
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is the thing that produces all of
that chaos and produces all of that,
407
00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:14.839
which is our sin nature. So
our sin nature that we cannot see,
408
00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:22.000
produces that which we can see,
which then causes us to focus on what
409
00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:29.799
we can see well, ignoring what
we cannot see. And so what do
410
00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:36.400
then Christians tend to do. We
create a theological system that becomes nothing more
411
00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:45.200
than moralism. Do this and do
that because we try to combat what what
412
00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:47.640
we can't know. That's the problem
with Christianity. We don't find our nature.
413
00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:55.519
We go after what we can see, we go after the what the
414
00:33:55.640 --> 00:34:00.759
actions, We go after our actions. Christianity is a is just simply moralism
415
00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:04.240
is all it's become. It's a
moral system. And so what do we
416
00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:07.759
tell people to do? Don't drink, don't do this, don't do this,
417
00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:09.880
don't listen to this, don't watch
this, don't read this, don't
418
00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:13.000
don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't,
419
00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:15.239
don't. And if we don't do
all of that, then somehow magically
420
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:25.039
we become good. Christianity teaches that
righteousness is achieved by what what is I
421
00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:30.239
mean? This is just a basic
philological lesson we have to I talked about
422
00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:35.320
this yesterday in the podcast we Christianity
teaches that we become righteous by doing what?
423
00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:42.320
By doing righteous things? Does everyone
understand the problem with that? Go
424
00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:46.119
to Galatians? I believe it.
I did this verse yesterday in a podcast.
425
00:34:46.159 --> 00:35:05.039
I believe it's Galatians too that I
covered Galatians two Glicious two twenty one
426
00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:12.480
to twenty one. I did an
entire forty five minutes discussion on this about
427
00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:15.880
frustrating the grace of God? How
do we frustrate the grace of God?
428
00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:20.079
Right? Look at the new King. James doesn't use the word frustrate the
429
00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:22.639
king James does. Look at Galatians
two twenty one, Paul says, I
430
00:35:22.679 --> 00:35:27.760
do not frustrate the grace of God. I do not set aside. I
431
00:35:27.800 --> 00:35:30.440
do not nullify the grace of God. And then he goes on to offer
432
00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:40.039
a very important statement. If righteousness
could be obtained by the law and Christ
433
00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:46.360
died in vain, what does that
imply? What does that verse seem to
434
00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:52.920
imply? Righteousness is not obtained by
the law. You do not become righteous
435
00:35:53.079 --> 00:35:58.000
by lawkeeping? Why can you not? Why do you not become righteous by
436
00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:04.679
lawkeeping? Well? Okay, well
let's start first with this. The law
437
00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:13.320
cannot produce righteousness because you were already
unrighteous. But in your nature you're already
438
00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:15.960
unrighteous in your nature. So guess
what all the law keeping does that change
439
00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:24.599
your nature? No, all the
lawkeeping does not change your nature. That
440
00:36:24.719 --> 00:36:30.039
was one of the first things I
learned as a Lutheran. Right. That
441
00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:34.440
was one of the in fact that
shocked me when I first learned it as
442
00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:37.039
a Lutheran. It's like if I
kept all the tank commandments, what would
443
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:42.519
I be? One of the questions
I asked when my Lutheran pastor was going
444
00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:45.119
through the Catechism with me. If
I was to keep all the law,
445
00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:49.960
what would that make me? Well? And what do you think? Most
446
00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:53.639
people would answer righteous? And he's
like, you would still be a sinner.
447
00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:55.920
I'm like, well, whoa,
whoa, whoa, dude, you
448
00:36:57.320 --> 00:37:00.960
haven't been to a Baptist church,
okay, right, But then like,
449
00:37:00.039 --> 00:37:06.000
no, you're still a sinner.
You would just be a moral center,
450
00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:12.519
But you would still be a sinner
because why because my nature is already corrupted,
451
00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:15.639
and only that I would still be
guilty because I'm guilty in atom,
452
00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:17.480
which everyone seems to forget. Even
if I was to keep all the law,
453
00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:21.360
It's still be guilty because I'm guilty
an atom. Everyone seems to completely
454
00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:25.639
just abandon that. So Christianity,
our problem is we have these enemies,
455
00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:31.320
and we think, okay, we're
so confused in all of this. Right,
456
00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:36.000
so what we have a tendency to
do. Sin is ultimately an enemy
457
00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:40.880
we cannot see. But because sin
manifests itself, we become preoccupied with what
458
00:37:40.920 --> 00:37:47.119
we can see, ignoring what we
cannot see. And what's the issue.
459
00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:54.199
The issue is what we cannot see, because what we cannot see is the
460
00:37:54.280 --> 00:38:00.639
problem, And how do we combat
the sinful nature. Oh, let's start
461
00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:02.920
with this. What are the ways
in which we cannot combat the sinful nature?
462
00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:14.119
We cannot combat the sinful nature with
simply moralism? And that's all Christianity
463
00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:17.239
wants. Right, what's the big
push right now? In the Republican Party?
464
00:38:20.280 --> 00:38:22.280
They want the Ten Commandments everywhere,
right, they want them in the
465
00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:25.760
public school. Oklahoma's gonna do it. I think I can't remember the other
466
00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:30.360
state. They gotta post the Ten
Commandments. Well, you can post the
467
00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:37.480
Ten Commandments all day? What is
that gonna fix? I doubt it.
468
00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:39.840
If I was a teenager, I
would go find the Ten Commandments and say,
469
00:38:39.880 --> 00:38:42.960
oh, well, guess what I'm
gonna do every single thing on this
470
00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:45.519
list twice. Okay, you're gonna
post the Ten Commandments. Watch me,
471
00:38:45.639 --> 00:38:50.800
I'm gonna break them all right,
Any good, good, rebellious teenagers should
472
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:52.519
do that, right, Okay,
come on, right, you don't shouldn't
473
00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:55.719
follow them, break them all right, because that's everything in our nature.
474
00:38:55.920 --> 00:39:00.920
But we think that we can fix
the problem by attacking the external element.
475
00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:07.119
The issue is the internal issue.
We cannot see it. So we got
476
00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:13.760
three and guess what do these three
enemies work together? Yes, they do.
477
00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:19.480
Can we see Satan? No?
Can we see a demons? No?
478
00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:24.960
Can we see sin? We can
see the manifestation of sin. But
479
00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:30.239
the issue of the manifestation of sin
is that's not what makes someone a sinner,
480
00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:34.880
what make the sinful? Actions are
only manifesting the reality of what we
481
00:39:34.920 --> 00:39:38.719
cannot see, which is our nature. And so we become preoccupied in fighting
482
00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:45.800
what we can see when we have
to realize the problem is what we cannot
483
00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:53.920
see. So everybody got that,
yes, right, And I know that
484
00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:59.719
leads to a From a Christian perspective, it's very difficult, right. We'
485
00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:02.840
forget a Christian perspective because Christians don't
care about any of this. But from
486
00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:08.880
a logical perspective, I do understand
it leads to a very uncomfortable reality,
487
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:15.679
right, because the uncomfortable reality is
this, I can stop doing this action.
488
00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:19.119
I can stop doing this action.
I can stop doing this action.
489
00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:24.239
From a human perspective, that makes
all the humans happy. Right, And
490
00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:28.679
then they'll pat you on the back, saying, what a good man he
491
00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:31.760
is, what a good woman he
is. I've never met someone so godly
492
00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:35.719
in my entire life. Right.
You always get that kind of talk,
493
00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:44.840
right, But guess what the reality
is before God? What are they still
494
00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:52.519
a sinner? Because righteousness is not
obtained by the law. How are we
495
00:40:52.599 --> 00:41:06.000
made righteous then by imputed righteous which
we can't see. That's a weird dynamic.
496
00:41:06.280 --> 00:41:09.159
Once again, Christianity seems like a
contradiction. Right, Hey, do
497
00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:16.599
good, but hey, no matter
how good you do, you're never gonna
498
00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:22.920
be good. And that a weird
lesson. Hey, pull your kids in
499
00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:25.360
and go ahead. Kids. I
need you to keep these rules. I
500
00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:29.320
need you to do everything on this
list, but just know this, no
501
00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:32.159
matter how good you do, you're
never gonna be good. You're always gonna
502
00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:36.199
be a sinner. You're always gonna
be bad. Well, then what does
503
00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:39.159
that tend to motivate? Oh,
come on, we can be honest.
504
00:41:40.440 --> 00:41:45.320
That would motivate that. What's the
point? Right, that's a difficult answer.
505
00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:49.480
That's a difficult question. He said, Well, well we should try.
506
00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:52.800
Well, we can try, but
in it difficult to try knowing that
507
00:41:52.840 --> 00:42:01.000
no matter how hard you try,
you're still felt that from a pilological that's
508
00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:04.559
from a thiological prayer. Now I
know, from a human perspective, but
509
00:42:06.280 --> 00:42:08.840
you can be good. You can
be sometimes though even that good is what
510
00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:14.599
that good is about as fraudulent as
fraudulent can be, right, because the
511
00:42:14.719 --> 00:42:20.159
external action may please everyone, but
that doesn't have anything to do with what's
512
00:42:20.159 --> 00:42:27.440
going on where inside. That's a
that's a weird battle to find ourselves in.
513
00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:31.000
We have three enemies which we ultimately
cannot see that lead us to all
514
00:42:31.159 --> 00:42:35.519
and you can see why Christians get
so whacked out and confused and how to
515
00:42:35.559 --> 00:42:38.760
handle all of this do we not? You can see why our strategies are
516
00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:45.800
so like, it's just crazy.
Right, there's those Those are three enemies.
517
00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:50.760
Now let's go to the fourth.
What do you think a fourth enemy
518
00:42:50.800 --> 00:43:01.280
should be? Let's bring in false
teachers? False teacher. Now this one
519
00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:08.679
becomes a little interesting, right because
the first three, yeah, we can
520
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:14.800
see a false teacher, right.
The first three we really cannot see.
521
00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:20.239
We can see the manifestation of,
but we can't allow the manifestation to distract
522
00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:23.440
us from the real issue, which
is what we cannot see. Now the
523
00:43:23.480 --> 00:43:30.679
fourth one is much more tangible.
But the fourth one's gonna have its own
524
00:43:30.880 --> 00:43:37.519
issues. So let's just first ask
ourselves. Do false teachers meet the do
525
00:43:37.599 --> 00:43:40.480
they follow or are they? Can
they be described using the attributes and saw
526
00:43:40.519 --> 00:43:45.840
eighty three. Well, I have
this down. False teachers. False teachers
527
00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:49.719
bring chaos and confusion, leading people
away from God's truth. I can say
528
00:43:49.719 --> 00:43:52.199
that they bring chaos, right do
they not? They bring a tumult?
529
00:43:54.559 --> 00:43:59.280
Right? What when false teachers enter
into a situation, They're gonna bring tumult,
530
00:43:59.280 --> 00:44:02.800
They're gonna bring They're gonna bring confusion. Can we agree to that all?
531
00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:08.280
Right? Next, they harbor hatred
towards God and his truth, seeking
532
00:44:08.320 --> 00:44:14.280
to distort and undermine it. A
false teacher ultimately, now the hair is
533
00:44:14.559 --> 00:44:16.800
the most difficult thing about a false
teacher. A false teacher would never say
534
00:44:16.800 --> 00:44:24.400
that they do what hate God,
But ultimately they hate God because they are
535
00:44:24.440 --> 00:44:30.159
teaching that which is false and goes
against God. So in one sense we
536
00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:34.960
may not their hatred towards God is
hard. This is where it becomes very
537
00:44:35.039 --> 00:44:39.599
complicated. Every false teacher will claim
they love God. In fact, they
538
00:44:39.639 --> 00:44:47.159
will claim that they love God more
than other people, but at the same
539
00:44:47.199 --> 00:44:52.079
time they hate God. So there's
kind of that what you see and what
540
00:44:52.119 --> 00:44:57.960
you don't see. Third, are
they crafty and deceptive? Yeah? I
541
00:44:58.000 --> 00:45:00.920
mean the whole thing about false teachers
is they use cunning and deceitful tactics to
542
00:45:01.000 --> 00:45:07.599
mislead and manipulate others. Right do
they attack that which God has chosen,
543
00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:10.320
that has sheltered ones, has treasured
ones? While they target believers, seeking
544
00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:15.119
to disrupt their faith and leading them
astray? Right do they seek to destroy
545
00:45:15.239 --> 00:45:22.119
something? False teachers do what they
ultimately conspired to destroy the foundations of true
546
00:45:22.199 --> 00:45:30.880
faith and spread falsehood? Can we
agree there? I think they made these
547
00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:34.840
attributes and probably ways in which,
all right, let's just look at some
548
00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:37.599
script We'll look get more scriptures for
these, just because I think it's important
549
00:45:37.599 --> 00:45:45.039
to understand this. I think this
one man false teachers become a major philosophical
550
00:45:45.199 --> 00:45:52.599
dilemma. But okay, Second Corinthians, chapter eleven, Second Corinthians chapter eleven.
551
00:46:00.280 --> 00:46:04.119
All right, everybody there, First
Corinthians chapter eleven, or I'm sorry,
552
00:46:04.159 --> 00:46:07.119
Second Corinthians chapter eleven. I apologize. Second Corinthians chapter eleven. I
553
00:46:07.119 --> 00:46:09.480
should have known as soon as I
said. First Corinthians, that's about the
554
00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:15.320
Lord Supper. So Second Corinthias chapter
eleven. Everybody ready, starting verse thirteen,
555
00:46:15.880 --> 00:46:23.800
what do we read for? Such
are false apostles deceitful workers. There's
556
00:46:23.800 --> 00:46:32.920
the cunning craftiness, right, transforming
themselves into and to the apostles of Christ,
557
00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:37.559
the new King, James says,
and no wonder for seeing themselves transforms
558
00:46:37.599 --> 00:46:44.159
themselves into an angel of light.
All right, So this is very important.
559
00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:46.719
Now we have false teachers. What
do these false teachers do? They're
560
00:46:46.760 --> 00:46:52.639
cunning and crafty, and they're going
to be manipulative because they transform themselves into
561
00:46:52.639 --> 00:46:58.199
why they claim to be wide And
then this obviously has a historical correlation.
562
00:47:00.199 --> 00:47:02.599
Well, at that time they're claiming
to be what apostles? Now, why
563
00:47:02.679 --> 00:47:08.840
is that difficult at that time?
Because who had clear authority at that time?
564
00:47:09.480 --> 00:47:13.639
We call that apostolic authority? Right, which is always a big dispute
565
00:47:13.639 --> 00:47:16.000
in church history. Right, whenever
we talk about apostolic authority, what's the
566
00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:24.920
big question in church history? It's
called Apostolic succession? Does that authority move
567
00:47:25.000 --> 00:47:30.079
forward? Right? Catholic Church claims
that it moved forward and they now possess
568
00:47:30.159 --> 00:47:34.880
that Apostolic authority. That's why they
can define dogma and declare right and wrong.
569
00:47:35.039 --> 00:47:38.639
Right, as Protestants, we don't
believe in Apostolic succession. But do
570
00:47:38.760 --> 00:47:45.679
we or don't we? That's a
big question. Do Protestants believe in Apostolic
571
00:47:45.760 --> 00:47:52.880
succession. What do you think do
you think the Christians? You know,
572
00:47:52.920 --> 00:48:02.360
do you think they believe in apostolic
succession or reject it? Every Protestant who
573
00:48:02.360 --> 00:48:10.599
says they don't believe in Apostolic succession
is a liar because they all believe they
574
00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:20.599
they have it. They all believe
they have it, right do they not?
575
00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:23.960
Every Christian? What do they do? Do They tell you what is
576
00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:28.639
right and what is wrong? Yeah, they will tell you this is what
577
00:48:28.760 --> 00:48:30.159
the right answer is, this is
what they're wrong. As if they have
578
00:48:30.280 --> 00:48:36.519
the apostolic authority to declare dogma,
define what is right, define what is
579
00:48:36.519 --> 00:48:42.000
wrong, and they can judge what. Oh, come on, we know
580
00:48:42.039 --> 00:48:46.760
how it works in the church.
Who's in charge in the church, Okay,
581
00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:50.840
not the pastor? And the pastor
is a loser, okay, pastors
582
00:48:50.840 --> 00:48:54.159
are Loser's right. The people in
the pew make all the determination. Right,
583
00:48:55.159 --> 00:48:59.519
They sit there and they determine if
the pastor is preaching that which is
584
00:49:00.440 --> 00:49:05.440
right are wrong. They declare if
it's right or wrong, And then they
585
00:49:05.440 --> 00:49:08.159
would declare if the pastor is a
good teacher, bad teacher, true teacher,
586
00:49:08.360 --> 00:49:13.800
false teacher, And they can make
all that determination on the basis of
587
00:49:13.840 --> 00:49:21.159
what what they think. And in
fact, in many cases, does it
588
00:49:21.199 --> 00:49:24.960
even require does it require any formal
training? Do they have to go to
589
00:49:24.960 --> 00:49:29.639
Bible college, Do they have to
go to seminary? No? Do they
590
00:49:29.639 --> 00:49:37.000
even have to do any intensive study? No? Yet they can declare what
591
00:49:37.000 --> 00:49:40.480
what is true? What is false? Right, So, in a roundabout
592
00:49:40.519 --> 00:49:44.719
way, the same thing has been
going at that point, it would have
593
00:49:44.760 --> 00:49:47.039
been really dangerous, right, because
the apostles are kind of the kind of
594
00:49:47.039 --> 00:49:51.599
the they're they're very the building blocks
of the early church. Right, And
595
00:49:51.679 --> 00:49:57.159
so if the apostle said something,
what was the perceived concept is that you
596
00:49:57.239 --> 00:50:00.119
either were in agreement or you surrendered
to their authority. Are basically you were
597
00:50:00.119 --> 00:50:05.360
considered what outside of Christianity kind of
way to the Catholic Church, and the
598
00:50:05.800 --> 00:50:08.639
church followed that same concept. That's
why we have the seven Ecumenical councils.
599
00:50:08.719 --> 00:50:16.519
Right, we declare what is right, and if you disagree, you were
600
00:50:16.519 --> 00:50:22.000
what anathema? Okay, you were, you were outside of it. So
601
00:50:22.280 --> 00:50:25.079
the false teachers come along and claim
to be that. Now this is very
602
00:50:25.079 --> 00:50:30.960
difficult, right, This is where
things get really complicated for us as an
603
00:50:30.039 --> 00:50:37.599
enemy. We can see the enemy
can we not a false teacher? Can
604
00:50:37.639 --> 00:50:45.480
we see them? Yes? The
problem with seeing them is what they they
605
00:50:45.639 --> 00:50:52.079
all? They transform themselves into what
what does the text just say the apostles
606
00:50:52.079 --> 00:50:57.920
of Christ, just like Satan,
appears as an angel of light, meaning
607
00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:02.840
then we can see. But in
since we cannot see because we have to
608
00:51:02.920 --> 00:51:08.719
see what we cannot see, because
what we see outwardly is they say all
609
00:51:08.760 --> 00:51:13.280
the right things, do all the
right things, look the right way.
610
00:51:13.440 --> 00:51:22.199
What's the whole thing? Jesus warns
about false prophets doing what wolves coming in?
611
00:51:23.360 --> 00:51:27.360
Sheep's good and they're gonna come as
a sheep, but they're a wolf.
612
00:51:28.159 --> 00:51:30.000
You have to be able to go, oh, oh look look everyone,
613
00:51:30.159 --> 00:51:35.360
Hey, we've got a petting zoo
out back. Let's go pet the
614
00:51:35.440 --> 00:51:38.480
sheep. And you're right. You
get ready to pet the sheep and say,
615
00:51:38.519 --> 00:51:43.000
oh, we're gonna call this fluffy, and then the sheep does what
616
00:51:43.920 --> 00:51:49.480
rip off your arm? Because it's
actually a wolf. So this becomes complicated.
617
00:51:49.719 --> 00:51:54.199
Can we see the false teacher?
Yes, but in a sense we
618
00:51:54.280 --> 00:52:00.800
cannot see, so we have to
be able to judge. We cannot see
619
00:52:00.079 --> 00:52:06.880
irregardless of what we can't. Oh, this sounds very similar to everything in
620
00:52:06.960 --> 00:52:10.800
saw many three? Does it not? I Can I judge the existence of
621
00:52:10.840 --> 00:52:15.599
God based off what I can see? No? I have to believe in
622
00:52:15.639 --> 00:52:20.159
God, irregardless of what I see
goes. So, when it comes to
623
00:52:20.199 --> 00:52:22.320
a false teacher, can I judge
a false teacher based on what I see?
624
00:52:24.519 --> 00:52:29.239
Not necessarily? So now I've got
to base it on what I necessarily
625
00:52:29.880 --> 00:52:34.039
cannot see. Well that becomes a
little confusing, right, And now what
626
00:52:34.159 --> 00:52:38.719
if I got I'm basing that judgment
on what? Oh, come on,
627
00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:43.559
give me the church answer. You're
gonna base that judgment on the false teacher
628
00:52:43.559 --> 00:52:46.880
on what? Okay, well let's
give me the church answer. Oh,
629
00:52:46.960 --> 00:52:51.880
come on, you're Protestants. Oh
you're gonna say on the Bible. I
630
00:52:51.960 --> 00:52:53.960
knew that. I knew that was
gonna be. And that makes absolutely no
631
00:52:54.079 --> 00:53:02.880
sense. Why because the false teachers
using the same Bible you are, and
632
00:53:02.880 --> 00:53:07.880
they're going to tell you that their
interpretation is more correct than your interpretation.
633
00:53:07.119 --> 00:53:12.880
So what makes your interpretation the standard
and which to judge the teacher and declare
634
00:53:12.880 --> 00:53:21.719
the teacher to be false? And
they got an answer? Yeah, I
635
00:53:21.840 --> 00:53:23.440
see. Now yeah, now we
got a problem. Right. So,
636
00:53:23.719 --> 00:53:29.000
now so when it comes to it. Satan is a scary enemy, but
637
00:53:29.079 --> 00:53:32.360
we can't really see him, right, Demons are a scary enemy, but
638
00:53:32.400 --> 00:53:37.000
we really cannot see them, and
so we kind of struggle on how to
639
00:53:37.079 --> 00:53:39.519
engage that. Right, So what
do we typically do in the church when
640
00:53:39.559 --> 00:53:44.639
it comes to Satan and demons?
What do we typically do? Now,
641
00:53:44.679 --> 00:53:46.639
if you're into, if you're into, like a major charismatic, you may
642
00:53:46.679 --> 00:53:52.079
actually be looking at demons behind every
rock. But mostly Christians take on take
643
00:53:52.199 --> 00:53:58.760
demons and Satan, and we kind
of focus on really external enemies, saying
644
00:53:58.800 --> 00:54:04.159
Satan is using rock music or Satan
is using we tend to connect Satan to
645
00:54:04.199 --> 00:54:07.199
something visible and then we go fight
the visible, claiming that we're actually engaged
646
00:54:07.239 --> 00:54:10.880
in spiritual warfare, when in reality, all we're doing is fighting something visible,
647
00:54:10.960 --> 00:54:15.800
but we attach Satan to it.
Right, Hey, parents, you
648
00:54:15.880 --> 00:54:20.159
gotta go into your kid's route.
You gotta look at the music because Satan
649
00:54:20.280 --> 00:54:23.440
is using that music to destroy your
kid. So go burn some records.
650
00:54:24.960 --> 00:54:29.280
Hey, I mean that was all
over the West Texas in the eighties,
651
00:54:29.360 --> 00:54:32.079
right, Okay, that was a
big thing. But so we attach Satan
652
00:54:32.119 --> 00:54:40.239
to what to what we can see, meaning in many cases we're actually missing
653
00:54:40.280 --> 00:54:46.440
what Satan right. So, in
other words, in many cases, we're
654
00:54:46.440 --> 00:54:50.679
not fighting a spiritual warfare. We
convince we're fighting a spiritual warfare, but
655
00:54:50.719 --> 00:54:52.800
we're really fighting things that we can
see. There's a problem. When it
656
00:54:52.840 --> 00:54:57.800
comes to demons, we do the
same thing. Yes, When it comes
657
00:54:57.800 --> 00:55:00.679
to sin, do we do the
same thing? Yes, yes, we
658
00:55:00.719 --> 00:55:05.280
focus on the external, not the
invisible. How do we fight invisible enemies
659
00:55:05.280 --> 00:55:08.760
in whom we cannot see? That's
the big question. But when it comes
660
00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:15.000
to false teachers, we have a
major dilemma on our hands because now,
661
00:55:15.039 --> 00:55:17.639
when it comes to false teachers,
we can see false teachers, but the
662
00:55:17.679 --> 00:55:22.639
false teachers pretend to be something they
are not, Meaning, are we sure
663
00:55:22.719 --> 00:55:28.559
that we can judge what they are
even though we can't see what they are
664
00:55:28.800 --> 00:55:32.719
because of what they pretend to be. That becomes convoluted. And I don't
665
00:55:32.760 --> 00:55:37.360
know what the answer is because I
just asked, how do we judge the
666
00:55:37.360 --> 00:55:45.400
false teacher? And the standard Christian
answer is we take the word of God
667
00:55:45.920 --> 00:55:50.840
and we compare what they say to
it. But the false teacher is using
668
00:55:50.880 --> 00:55:57.119
the word of God, and we'll
tell you what that what he says is
669
00:55:57.159 --> 00:56:00.280
the right and what you say is
wrong. Well, then how do we
670
00:56:00.360 --> 00:56:07.119
fight that in all cases and all
enemies? What are we developing here with
671
00:56:07.239 --> 00:56:10.320
these enemies? Okay, we'll just
end with this in Psalm eighty three,
672
00:56:10.760 --> 00:56:17.199
they're facing enemies that they can see. The facing of the enemies they can
673
00:56:17.400 --> 00:56:23.559
see is calling into question the existence
of God whom they cannot see. As
674
00:56:23.679 --> 00:56:32.079
Christians, we have enemies whom we
cannot see, but we tend to focus
675
00:56:32.280 --> 00:56:37.480
on the way those enemies manifest themselves
and the ways in which we can see,
676
00:56:37.760 --> 00:56:43.320
So we become distracted and fighting what
we can see. Well, in
677
00:56:44.039 --> 00:56:47.000
the meantime, the enemy whom we
cannot see is not even being bothered or
678
00:56:47.039 --> 00:56:52.239
touched, so we become completely distracted
and doing the wrong thing. When it
679
00:56:52.280 --> 00:56:57.639
comes to false teachers, what do
we have a tendency to do? We
680
00:56:57.679 --> 00:57:00.800
try to fight what we can see, but in many cases, I don't
681
00:57:00.840 --> 00:57:05.400
even know how we even handle the
false teacher situation. I don't even know.
682
00:57:05.400 --> 00:57:07.000
I don't even have a clue.
I don't even know what we do.
683
00:57:07.000 --> 00:57:09.519
I don't even know what I don't
even know if they're I don't even
684
00:57:09.599 --> 00:57:15.199
know. Because it becomes it becomes
just a subjective mess right, it really
685
00:57:15.239 --> 00:57:21.400
becomes this and and Christians, really
false teachers are if we really want a
686
00:57:21.440 --> 00:57:24.480
true definition of a false teacher?
And within Christianity, how would we define
687
00:57:24.480 --> 00:57:30.519
a false teacher if we're being like
brutally honest, How would we define false
688
00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:35.599
teachers if we're brutally honest, Like, if we're brutally honest, how would
689
00:57:35.679 --> 00:57:43.440
Christianity define false teachers if we're brutally
honest? A false teacher is anyone who
690
00:57:43.519 --> 00:57:54.920
disagrees with me. I mean,
that's that's really the definition of a false
691
00:57:54.960 --> 00:58:00.840
teacher with a Christianity. I don't
know what the two definition is. I
692
00:58:00.840 --> 00:58:04.840
don't know if there is a true
definition. We would like to say,
693
00:58:05.360 --> 00:58:07.679
in theory, how would we like
to define a false teacher? Like in
694
00:58:07.760 --> 00:58:15.599
theory, like if we were creating
the perfect definition, anyone who teaches against
695
00:58:15.639 --> 00:58:20.000
God's word, right, anyone who
teaches a doctrine against God's word that sounds
696
00:58:20.039 --> 00:58:23.320
so great, right and theory that
sounds good. Sitting in a seminary classroom,
697
00:58:23.400 --> 00:58:27.159
you're like, ay man, I'm
gonna go out there and I'm gonna
698
00:58:27.199 --> 00:58:31.639
battle all these false teachers who go
against the scriptures. But then you go
699
00:58:31.719 --> 00:58:34.840
battle them, and they're gonna be
like, well, what are you talking
700
00:58:34.880 --> 00:58:37.880
about. I went to seminary just
like you went to seminary, and I
701
00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:39.679
believe this is the truth. You're
like, but no, I believe this
702
00:58:39.760 --> 00:58:45.639
is the truth. Or this becomes
really complicated. In Protestantism, one could
703
00:58:45.800 --> 00:58:57.239
argue anyone that goes against and creedle
statement. In other words, you would
704
00:58:57.280 --> 00:59:02.440
need a creedle statement like the apostle. Nice scene, are the affinaceous creed
705
00:59:02.760 --> 00:59:07.840
right? And then anyone who went
against those creeds could be declared a false
706
00:59:07.840 --> 00:59:10.719
teacher because you would have something clearly
defined right. If you just say the
707
00:59:10.719 --> 00:59:25.320
Bible, what's the problem with that? I mean the preacher? Well yeah,
708
00:59:25.360 --> 00:59:29.119
that becomes a problem. Well I
gimma, who can say that every
709
00:59:29.159 --> 00:59:35.119
preachers taught something wrong according to which
standard? Okay, okay, well that's
710
00:59:35.280 --> 00:59:37.480
but I'm just saying it would be
you making the determination that what they said
711
00:59:37.559 --> 00:59:42.079
was wrong. Because every teacher,
who every preatruerth who taught something is wrong
712
00:59:42.159 --> 00:59:46.599
think that what they taught was right. So then when you say that they
713
00:59:46.639 --> 00:59:50.199
taught something was wrong, they would
be like, no, you believe something
714
00:59:50.320 --> 00:59:52.000
was wrong. Because if you listen
to me, you would believe something that
715
00:59:52.119 --> 00:59:59.800
was right that becomes really convoluted.
So I the false teachers are very complicated
716
00:59:59.800 --> 01:00:02.719
in it, are they not?
The other ones are much easier. We
717
01:00:02.840 --> 01:00:07.440
know Satan, right, Okay,
we know demons, and we know our
718
01:00:07.480 --> 01:00:13.039
sinful nature. False teachers, I
don't know what to do with these enemies.
719
01:00:13.119 --> 01:00:15.159
I don't even know. So we'll
talk more about the false teachers.
720
01:00:15.239 --> 01:00:20.920
Well, we're ultimately where we're headed
is when we finally get to where the
721
01:00:20.920 --> 01:00:28.280
Psalmists ask God to intervene. He's
going to ask God to intervene by doing
722
01:00:28.440 --> 01:00:30.400
in the present what he has done
in the past. We're going to try
723
01:00:30.400 --> 01:00:36.679
to look at the commonality of all
of the all the issues in the past.
724
01:00:36.880 --> 01:00:38.920
We're going to see how God intervened
there and see does that have any
725
01:00:39.000 --> 01:00:44.360
relevance for us today. And that's
where it's gonna get complicated, because the
726
01:00:44.400 --> 01:00:47.159
way God handled those enemies, I
don't know if we can apply that to
727
01:00:47.199 --> 01:00:54.039
our enemies. So then just the
whole analogy fall completely apart. Now I
728
01:00:54.159 --> 01:00:59.639
will stand firm on this. So
far, every enemy I've listed do they
729
01:00:59.639 --> 01:01:05.039
meet, they do they follow the
same attributes and characteristics as the enemies and
730
01:01:05.039 --> 01:01:08.679
Psalm eighty three, I think so
far I have proven that to the letter
731
01:01:08.800 --> 01:01:13.400
right. It's not even been difficult
to prove it. It's simple right,
732
01:01:14.000 --> 01:01:17.159
so that we can find something to
it, meaning that we can at least
733
01:01:17.159 --> 01:01:21.599
take away from Psalm eighty three that
just as they had physical enemies, we
734
01:01:21.639 --> 01:01:27.199
have spiritual enemies that have the same
characteristics and attributes, meaning that we have
735
01:01:27.239 --> 01:01:30.360
to figure out how to combat and
deal with our enemies. Because I don't
736
01:01:30.360 --> 01:01:34.400
think Psalm eighty three is going to
give us the answer, but I could
737
01:01:34.400 --> 01:01:36.280
be wrong. All right, let's
pray. Look, God, we come
738
01:01:36.320 --> 01:01:40.199
before you this morning. These are
complicated matters. Lord. The one thing
739
01:01:40.199 --> 01:01:45.039
we can all acknowledge is not only
do we have enemies, ultimately we have
740
01:01:45.079 --> 01:01:49.639
something in us that is the greatest
enemy, which is our own sinful nature.
741
01:01:50.480 --> 01:01:54.239
Lord, help us be more aware
of that truth and continue to struggle
742
01:01:54.280 --> 01:02:00.079
on how to handle and deal with
all the enemies which we face. We
743
01:02:00.119 --> 01:02:02.360
asked us in Jesus name, and
God's people said
1
00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:07.080
All right, Psalm eighty three.
Let's see how far we can get today,
2
00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.119
next two hours dedicated to Saw eighty
three. Let's see if we can
3
00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:16.440
accomplish anything. All right, So
let's do this Saw eighty three simply put,
4
00:00:17.239 --> 00:00:22.640
simply put, what is Saw eighty
three as a psalm of lament,
5
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:29.719
as a sum of lament, and
they are lamenting what is happening at that
6
00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:33.359
time. Make sure you stress that
or put that in your notes. They
7
00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:37.880
are lamenting what is happening at that
time. The reason I have to stress
8
00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:45.479
that is because so many other sermons
turn this into a somehow a prophetic psalm
9
00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:49.759
prophesying something that has yet to happen
even for us, or that it was
10
00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.880
prophesying something that was going to happen
for them. Some try to connect it
11
00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.200
to second Chronicles twenty, which we
saw. That makes absolutely just falls completely
12
00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:06.680
apart. So we want to distress
it is a lament lamenting the situation at
13
00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:10.159
that time, and we have kind
of somewhat of an idea of what time,
14
00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:15.439
because it is a psalm of Ace
f Right, and we know that
15
00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.920
he was like the worship leader during
the time of David and a little into
16
00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:23.000
the time of Solomon. So it's
somewhere along that timeline, okay, that
17
00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:26.120
gives us at least some concept,
and we know, simply put, what
18
00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:33.760
are they lamenting? That there are
is a confederacy of nations that are coming
19
00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:38.959
to do what to Israel, wipe
them off the face of the earth.
20
00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:44.640
So he offers the lament. The
main part of the lament is found in
21
00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:55.560
which verse. It's found in one
right. That's really the essential part of
22
00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:59.920
the element, right, the essential
part of the lament. What is specific
23
00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:06.359
are they lamenting? Where's God?
Right? That's simply a way to put
24
00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:08.280
it. God, where are you? We need you to speak, we
25
00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:13.800
need you to act, We need
you to intervene, do something right.
26
00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.080
So there's the lament, because a
lament is expressing. Typically, when we
27
00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:20.800
think of a lament, I like
to refer to a lament as kind of
28
00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:25.840
a spiritual scream. It's a spiritual
cry, right, you're letting out the
29
00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:30.560
emotion. So the lament, the
part that captures the emotion, is really
30
00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:34.879
right there where they see where the
lament says, do not keep silent,
31
00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.680
Oh God, do not hold your
peace, and do not be still,
32
00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:43.719
Oh God. At least in the
New King James after oh God. Both
33
00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:47.960
cases there's an ex exclamation point because
they're trying to emphasize the emotion of it.
34
00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:54.120
Right, So there's the emotion they
clearly it's clearly articulated, and then
35
00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:00.879
why is there that emotion? The
rest of the psalm tries to articulate the
36
00:03:00.919 --> 00:03:04.400
reasons why. We won't go through
the outline and everything again, so we
37
00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:07.560
get the basic element. So in
that sense, it's pretty simple. It's
38
00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:12.080
pretty straightforward. All we have to
say is this is a song of lament.
39
00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:15.120
We can learn a little bit about
the lament, we can understand the
40
00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:19.719
historical part of it. Maybe we
could gain a couple of more lessons,
41
00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:23.599
and so technically we could already be
done. The only reason I'm spending so
42
00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:29.000
much time on it is for a
couple of reasons. Number one is because
43
00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:32.319
even the original sermon series that sparked
all of this is now like at part
44
00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:37.319
twenty six or something, I don't
even understand. I mean, that thing
45
00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:42.120
is lost. I mean, I
don't even know how to describe it.
46
00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:45.919
It's talked about everything King James,
only is I don't even know what it's
47
00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:50.439
going. I don't even know what's
happening. But their basic their basic point
48
00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:54.680
supposedly was that there's a coming Middle
East war, And while they never have
49
00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:59.919
ever even demonstrated that, I don't
get it. Others want to go to
50
00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:02.280
the past, want to go to
the future. I don't get I don't
51
00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:06.599
understand what it is about Saw eighty
three that's creating all of that problem,
52
00:04:06.680 --> 00:04:12.680
because to me, sal maighty three
is so straightforward. So because people are
53
00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:15.279
doing such weird things with it,
then I feel the necessity to, well,
54
00:04:15.399 --> 00:04:18.920
then let's really dig in. A
second thing I'm trying to accomplish here
55
00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:24.839
is because I have a tendency to
go to the text of scripture and go,
56
00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:28.519
wait a minute, that's not for
us. Wait a minute, that's
57
00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:30.720
not for us. Wait a minute, that's not for us. People then
58
00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:34.879
get very frustrated with the fact that
I do that. So I'm trying now
59
00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:41.040
to go through saw Maty three and
try to find some element that maybe for
60
00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:45.240
us, or at least we're gonna
we're trying, we're trying to at least
61
00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:48.560
go with that concept. I think
the concept's going to fall apart at some
62
00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:53.480
point, but we're doing our very
best, and the way we're doing this
63
00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:57.800
or the way I'm trying to do
this, and hopefully you remember this is
64
00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:04.240
I've really really focused on what happens
in verses two through basically five, right,
65
00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:11.240
what happens in verses two through five
that I have repeated so many times
66
00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:15.560
now that well, probably people are
tired of me repeating it. What happens
67
00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:19.240
in verses two through five that I
think is so critical to having something that's
68
00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:32.240
applicable to us. Okay, well, those are some of the main lessons
69
00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:39.480
I've given from the whole song.
Remember two through five. It gives the
70
00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.720
attributes of the enemies, right,
Okay, remember that was the whole thing
71
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we spent two hours on last week. Right. I told you that you
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have to have that down. I
said, I was going to repeat it
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over and over and over and over
and over and over until everyone had it
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down, right, Because the attributes
of the enemy. I am taking the
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attributes of those enemies and see if
those attributes have any connection or correlation with
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enemies that we would face as Christians. Does everybody remember this? Okay?
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All right? So what were those
attributes? We've covered them now probably three
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times, maybe even four times,
in the study so far of psaw Manty
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three I told everyone to write them
down, know them. What's the first
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one, the tumult, right,
it's right there, and verse two right,
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free, behold your enemy. Remember
we went through them and order.
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Okay, for behold your enemies.
Make a tumult, which means loud,
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confuse, noise, And we kind
of gave this idea that it suggests a
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sense of disorder, agitation, unrest. Right, they bring about a sense
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of chaos. Or they got that
one down. Okay, what was the
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second one? They hate God?
They hate God. Everybody see that they
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hate God. Next, lift up
their head, which gave the idea of
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pride, arrogance, and defiance.
Right next, they have taken crafty council.
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Right, they've taken crafty council.
So the first part we had to
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just want the idea that they took
counsel together. We see that in verse
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five they have consulted together with one
consent, they form a confederacy, meaning
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that they are working together. The
enemies form and work together. They have
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that they We could think of it
this way, and that particular in the
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historical setting, whether those nations had
disagreements or dislikes or a lack of trust,
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they all come together for one definitive
purpose, which is ultimately to wipe
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Israel off the face of the earth. Right, So then we can look
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and see how our enemies may come
together in some way, shape or form
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or have a common goal. Next, they take crafty counsel, which suggests
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cunning and deceitful strategies that they come
up with, deceitful strategies and plans to
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harm God's people in this particular case, the nation of Israel. All right,
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was there any more? Okay?
Right? And and so and because
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we definitely talked about that phrase verse
three, and consulted together against your hidden
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one. Remember there was like three
different ways of translating this sheltered ones,
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hidden ones, or treasured ones.
So we gave the idea the attribute that
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God's enemies hate and want to go
against anything that God would treasure or value
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or have chosen. All right,
So those are some of the basic attributes.
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We've covered them. So and I
stress that know those attributes, know
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those attributes. Now. Once we
got those attributes all down, well,
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then of course we know what happens
in Saw eighty three. After those attributes
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are given, the enemies are described. Then the enemies are listed starting in
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verse six. Right, we have
the tents of Etom and the Ishmaelites moab
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Hag writes keyboll ammon Amelek Felicitia with
the inhabits of tire Assyria also joined with
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them. They have helped the children
of Lot. We went through and identified
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all of those historical enemies, right, I'm not going to go back through
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all of that again. We identified
everyone, gave some basic information. There's
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not a lot you could I mean, from a historical perspective. We know
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exactly then who it is coming against
them, We know exactly why this would
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lead to a lament, and by
looking at their attributes, you could see
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why the people would be very,
very very emotional and concerned. We got
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all of that. So then what
I decided to do was like, okay,
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well, since everyone says I never
take these texts and apply them to
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us, how can we apply them
to us? Well, the only way
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to apply this to us is say, okay, let's take these attributes and
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let's see if these attributes have anything
in common with the enemies with whom we
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face as believers. All right,
so we started working on that. Who
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was the first one we looked at, We looked at Satan, right,
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the primary adversary of Christians, described
as the prince of this world and the
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Bible. He seeks to deceive,
tempt, accuse believers in order to lead
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them away from God. All right. Satan is portrayed in the Bible is
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powerful, prideful, crafty, being
one who harbors intense hatred towards God and
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seeks to undermine his plans. He
has described as were as warring against God's
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chosen people and desires to eliminate them. These characteristics are evident from various passages
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in the Bible. We went through
them. Now, I don't I'm not
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going to go through all of this
again. But we can we agree on
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this? Would we agree that Satan
hates God? Okay? Would we say
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that Satan is full of pride?
Yes? And I've got we can look
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at Isaiah fourteen and Ezekiel twenty eight
to prove both of those. I don't
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think I need to prove that.
Can we agree that Satan seems to be
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considered crafty, are subtle, and
has strategies? Right? Yes? Okay?
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And we could get that from Genesis
three? Can we not? All?
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Right? Right? He wars against
God's people. We can see that
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a little bit in Revelation chapter twelve, and he desires to eliminate God's people.
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And we can get into a whole
discussion about John ten ten whether it
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refers to Satan or not. But
the thief comes only to still kill and
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destroy. Some that may say that
refers to false teachers, but the false
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teachers would be then operating in accordance
with Satan in that particular case. So
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we can at least say in general, I'm not to get all into the
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hermoneutics of that passage, but we
can say that Satan meets all of those
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attributes to the almost to the letter, can we agree, all right?
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So that would put us as Christians
in the same position as these people were,
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but in somewhat of a different way. They're looking at a physical threat
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that they can see. We face
a threat in whom we cannot see,
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all right. And remember from all
of that, I have tried to emphasize
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and saw maybe three some very important
points. So before we continue on,
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looking at a lot of enemies,
and I have a long list of enemies,
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all right, and it's going to
become You may think, well,
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you're you know, you're kind of
going too far on this, but I'm
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trying to make a point here,
So but let me go back and at
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least remind you of some of the
basic points I've tried to take from this
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psalm, because I've tried to emphasize
these over and over and over. Saw
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maighty three describes the life of people
who believe in a God whom they cannot
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see, living in the midst of
circumstances that they can see, and those
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very circumstances call into question the existence
of that God whom they cannot see.
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Everybody got that Saw many three describes
the people who lives in the midst of
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circumstances that they can see. Can
they see these circumstances developing in Saw eighty
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three? Yes, And these very
circumstances call into question God whom they cannot
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see Saw eighty three. From just
a practical standpoint, we can all relate
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to Psaw eighty three because that describes
your life. In my life, do
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we not live in circumstances that we
can see? Yes, those circumstances do
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they at least even slightly call into
question the existence of the God whom you
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cannot see? Any reasonable person would
say yes. Now, I know in
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church you're supposed to say, well
no, absolutely not. Nothing would call
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into question the existence of God.
Okay, come on, just every day
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thinking about life calls into question the
existence of God, all right, Because
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if God is all powerful, all
knowing, and present everywhere at all times,
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what's he doing? I mean everyone
can acknowledge that, right, because
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if you listen to the way Christians
talk, just talk to your Christian friends
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or people who go to church.
They constantly God does this. They always
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constantly talk about God's involvement. God
led me to this, God did this,
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God did this, God did this, God did this like God is
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supposedly active twenty four to seven and
everyone's life. But then you can say,
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well, then if God was doing
this and then this and this and
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this and this one, why didn't
he step in here to I don't know,
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save the kid who died from cancer
yesterday? Why didn't he step in
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yesterday when the kid was being molested? Why didn't step in yesterday when the
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woman was being raped? Like,
but at the same time, God's doing
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this and this and this and this
and this and that, Like if you
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listen to Christians, God is basically
doing something twenty four to seven, and
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he's involved in the in the smallest
details of our life. Well, he
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did this, and he protected me
this, and he gave me this,
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and he did this, and he
did that, and he did this and
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he did that. And you're like, well, why is it that he
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only does good things for you?
Because there are a lot of people he
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didn't show up to yesterday. That's
gonna call in the question. We have
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to acknowledge that what I love about
the Bible is that the people in the
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Bible aren't afraid to express what I
just express. If I express it,
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everybody rolls their eyes and gets defensive. The people in the Bible had no
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problem expressing it, like you can
roll your eyes at me. I wish
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you would have went and rolled your
eyes at job because he would have been
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like, I don't know who you
are, but you can just get out
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of my face because I don't know
where God is, ok, because all
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my family just died. Correct,
all right? So I think that I
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love the fact that the Bible is
not afraid and are It's not the sawmeist
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here expressing Hey, God, where
are you at? And I think that's
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a very fair thing to say.
Okay, I think that's I think that's
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that's real. So that's the first
major point we've got. I cannot emphasize
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that enough, Like if you don't
get anything from Ps. Many three,
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everyone should be able to take away
from that. But we added to that,
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did we not? As Christians we
live a life surrounded by enemies we
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cannot see, and so many times
we forget or as Christians, we live
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a life surrounded by enemies we can
see. Let me state it that way.
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As Christians we live a life surrounded
by enemies we can see. So
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many times we forget the enemies which
we cannot see. But this is the
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most important thing. Whether it's circumstances
or whether it's enemies, our only hope
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is in an imputed righteousness which we
cannot see. Right, let me stress
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that again. As Christians, we
live a life surrounded by enemies we can
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see. Can everyone say amen to
that? You can see people who say
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things about you, do things to
you. You can see that, right,
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You can see horrible things happening around
you. So many times though we
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forget the enemies which we cannot see. So what we have to realize is
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whether it's circumstances or whether it's enemies. Our only hope is in imputed righteousness,
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which we I'm gonna state it again, which we cannot see now.
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The minute I say that, ninety
nine percent of Christianity will lose its ever
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living mind. You cannot see imputed
righteousness, all right? Does imputed righteousness
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manifest itself? No? If you
say yes, then it's not imputed.
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Does everybody understand that? Okay?
I know that goes against every church in
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Abeline, but I don't care.
You cannot see imputed righteous you say no,
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imputed righteousness will lead to a change. It's imputed. It doesn't do
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anything except me declares you to be
something that you are not, so therefore
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you can't see it. Right.
It declares you to be something you're not.
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If it makes you something that you're
not, then that's not imputed.
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That's what infused. That's Catholicism.
The American Church is Catholic. Okay,
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they've Luther lost. The Reformation was
a failure. It was a waste of
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absolute time, all right. All
Luther accomplished was giving everyone the right to
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be the pope. You think one
thing that he would have accomplished was giving
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a correct understanding of justification. But
all the churches who claim to have the
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right understanding of justification turn around and
act like that imputed righteousness is manifested in
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the lives of the people. It
is not. You cannot see it.
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I cannot stress that enough. Right, So saw maybe three gives us this
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great. We got enemies we can
see, but we often forget the enemies
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we cannot see. We have circumstances
which we can see, calling into the
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question of God whom we cannot see. And the whole Christian life is based
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off people who have been declared righteous. But nobody can see that righteousness,
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which is which why puts Christianity in
a perpetual state of It seems like hypocrisy
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and a contradiction, does it not? Because anybody can walk up and go,
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where's your God? Well, I
can't see him? Can you see
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him? No? All right,
but look at those circumstances. Well,
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I know the circumstances look really rough, but we still believe in a God
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and whom we cannot see. Well, how about those enemies and those well
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we see those enemies, but we're
worried about an enemy. We cannot see.
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Well, that's ridiculous. You should
be focusing on the enemy you can
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see. Wait a minute, you
tell me you're righteous, Well, I'm
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righteous by an imputed righteousness. What
does that mean? You cannot see it?
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That? That makes Christian sound almost
what come on, let's just be
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honest. It makes us sound like
we're insane, all right. That sounds
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like a mental disorder. That doesn't
sound like logic and reason. All of
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that contradicts everything, right, because
everybody got that. So those are some
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major points that come from it.
So let's go through these enemies. And
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some of these enemies are enemies that
we cannot that we want cannot see.
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All right, And what's the first
enemy we've now looked at and I'm not
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gonna go back and repeat it.
Satan? Can we see him? No?
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We cannot. Is he an enemy? Yes? Does he meet all
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of that criteria of those attributes?
Yes? All right? Now the question
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is, well, then what do
we do? Well, we will get
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into that. That's gonna be the
big issue here, is right, how
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do we handle these enemies? We'll
have to Well I'm kind of given you
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a little clue, but all right, what's the next group of enemies demons.
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Do they meet the same criteria?
Yes, they, Satan are well,
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we can go here a little bit
here. Satan, also known as
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the Devil, is depicted in the
Bible as the leader of fallen angels who
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rebel to get who who rebelled against
God. These fallen angels are commonly referred
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to as demons. Satan works with
demons to carry out his evil schemes,
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influence humanity, and oppose God's plans. Demons are portrayed as levolent spiritual beings
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who actively participate in tempting people,
spreading lies and deception, and promoting chaos
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and destruction. Does not sound exactly
like the attributes right there in Saw eighty
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three, An't that crazy? I
just look up a kind of a definition
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of demons, and it almost sounds
like I'm reading SSAW eighty three. That
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to me should be that's that's part. Not only that, though, because
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Satan and the demons do what work
together, which is exactly what the enemies
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do in Saw eighty three. They
conspire together, they work together, all
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right. I could go through a
number of things here, just we could
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go through and I we could go
through a lot of scriptures. I'll just
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give a couple of things here.
One Peter five eight. We all know
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that one, right, be alert
and be sober your enemy. The devil
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prows around is a rowing line,
looking for looking for whom he made devour.
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Now, obviously that's referring to Satan. But the demons are right there
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working with him, Okay, Right, and then and then again Ephesian six
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twelve. We know this. Our
struggle is not against flesh and blood,
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but against the rulers, and against
the authorities, and against the powers of
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this dark world and the spiritual forces
and heavenly realms. Right, we know
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that he's he's there working, and
he's going against it and all of those
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things. So we covered all of
that, not going to go through all
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of it again. We got that. So we have two very specific enemies.
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And what is significant about these two
enemies They work together, same attributes,
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and we cannot see them. We
cannot see them. They're not tangible,
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right, and so what do we
tend to focus on tangible enemies?
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Tangible enemies. That's why the Bible
speaks of our air is being spiritual,
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not what cardinal, not fleshley That's
why the weapons we use are not to
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be Cardinal or Fleshley weapons. Can
Cardinal and Fleshley weapons defeat spiritual enemies?
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No, Cardinal and Fleshley weapons can
only attack what physical enemies. I almost
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did a podcast yesterday about it,
but I didn't get to it. There
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was a political leader invited to speak
at a church in North Carolina. The
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video is somewhat disturbing. He's standing
behind a pulpit that has a cross.
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There's a cross right here behind him, there's all the people in the church,
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and he begins to talk about that
we have enemies and those enemies need
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to be killed, that some people
just need to be killed. And I'm
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sitting there going what in the name
of bubblegum is happening? The clip has
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gone viral, there's all kinds of
articles about it. Well, what's more
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disturbing The people in the church do
want. Now He's talking about the enemies,
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which you can see, and his
solution is that they need to be
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killed. Now, I don't know
why in the world that's behind the pulpit,
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but so many times Christians want to
fight the enemy and ways that are
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what Cardinal Fleshley and we want to
focus on what enemies that we can see,
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politicians, woke ideology, the LGBTQ
movement. We want to go after
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all of these things, and we
want to fight enemies which we think we
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can We're not to fight enemies we
can see, because our enemies are the
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ones that we cannot see. And
I know that goes against everything. Look,
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how do look as much as we
say we believe in a God whom
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we cannot see, as much as
we say that we live our lives very
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much where and what we can see. Now we talk about God doing this,
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and God doing this, and God
doing this and God doing this.
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But as soon as we're put forth
some hard questions about God, whether we
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crumble because we don't have any definitive
answers. The point is this is we
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live in a world which we can
see, and we sometimes forget the world
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which we cannot see. And that
is all of our enemies are really in
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this case, are spiritual. What
is the third enemy we spent some time
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with last week? Sin itself?
Sin itself. The underlying cause of our
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separation between humans and God is sin, and it leads to spiritual bondage and
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entice his believers to get against to
go against God's will and can hinder spiritual
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growth and intimacy with God. Now
we look at some of the attributes of
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sin. Do sin bring about disorder
and chaos? Yes? It absolutely does?
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All right? Does sin hate God? Absolutely? Is sin subtle and
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deceitful and crafty? Yes? Does
sin hate what God would treasure and choose?
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Yes? I mean absolutely all right? Everything there? Okay, we
335
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talked. We talked about all of
that, right, we talk about if
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you look at look at here,
I think it's Hebrews three thirteen, y'all
337
00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:32.799
look it up really quick and just
tell me what you find. I believe
338
00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:37.880
it's he Brews three thirteen. If
I have this wrong, well, I
339
00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:49.519
think it's three thirteen. There we
go. Hey, unless you be hardened
340
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it unless something happens to me by
the deceitfulness of sin, Sin is deceitful,
341
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it is crafty. All right.
So I think everything that we would
342
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say about sin, I think we
can agree it meets all of those characteristics.
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Can we agree to that? Now
here's the problem with this. First
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of all, we can't see,
okay, when we think of sin,
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we think of sin in really two
ways. Right, Well, we should
346
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when we think of sin. What
are the two ways in which we should
347
00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:29.240
think of sin? Think about it? I know it's kind of maybe a
348
00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:30.759
kind of a vague question, but
I'll throw it out there. If you
349
00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:36.559
don't have an answer, that's okay. We have to think sin in regards
350
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to actions, and that's where most
people focus on it, right, Most
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00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:47.920
people focus on sin as an action. Right, So then in that sense,
352
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sin manifests itself in actions, and
we have a tendency to focus on
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sin as an action. All right, but let's remember this is very,
354
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very important. This is like elementary
and Christianity. But I reviewed a sermon
355
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clip just the other day where,
once again demonstrating this is a very famous
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00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:12.519
pastor. I don't think he meant
it this way, but he clearly is
357
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confused about sin. I think he
may have misspoke. I'm going to give
358
00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:21.079
him credit for just misspeaking, because
there's no way his theology would believe this.
359
00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:25.799
But he once again kind of described
sin more as action more of what
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00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:29.640
we do. Let me make it
very clear. Sin is an action,
361
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but the action does not make you
a sinner. In fact, he literally
362
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said, we sin, which makes
us a sinner. Make it very clear,
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Sinning does not make you a sinner. Everyone got that down. Sinning
364
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does not make you a sinner.
Everyone have that down. Everyone should say
365
00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:53.759
amen. Okay, sin does not
make us a sinner. We sin because
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we are a sinner. When did
we become a sinner? Because at the
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00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:07.400
moment of conception? Right, we
are conceived in sin. So we always
368
00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:10.319
think of sin as a sinful action. Why don't we always think of sin
369
00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:15.119
as a sinful action because we see
it? Oh? Wait, are we
370
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:18.759
not following a theme here in Psaw
eighty three? Right? We see it.
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00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:26.279
So we focus on the external action. But the external action is only
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the result of that which we The
sinful action is the result of that which
373
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we cannot see. It is your
nature. So when we think of sin,
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we have to think of sin as
an action, but we have to
375
00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:49.480
think of sin as a and nature. We have a sinful nature, meaning
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by nature, our nature. What
we'll go to saw mayty three. Those
377
00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:04.680
attributes, Okay, those attributes describe
your nature. Your nature is one of
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00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:12.400
chaos. Right, doesn't your nature
go against maybe even sound reason logic?
379
00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:17.440
Your your nature goes to I mean, so many times, what do we
380
00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:22.640
constantly say? Why would people do
that. No, don't we constantly say
381
00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:25.640
that when you hear someone so and
so and so, why would they do
382
00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:29.240
that? Why would I just don't
understand people today, why why we do
383
00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:33.680
What are you talking about? The
sin nature has been there since Adam and
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00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:37.680
Eve fell. I don't know why. I just don't know what's wrong with
385
00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:38.559
the world today. What do you
mean you don't know what's wrong with the
386
00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:45.000
world today. It's the same thing
that's been there since then. People like
387
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:48.039
the world today has just lost their
mile. Oh, I don't know.
388
00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:51.240
I guess when a man decides to
turn his daughters over to an entire city
389
00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:53.839
of men to use them sexually,
I guess that's what was back in the
390
00:31:53.839 --> 00:32:00.039
good old days, right, Oh, I don't know. When when the
391
00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:05.359
men of the city do that too, and the end of judges, you
392
00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:08.160
know, sexually assault a woman and
then they chop her body up and send
393
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:12.599
her parts to the different the twelve
trucks. I guess as we're back in
394
00:32:12.640 --> 00:32:15.200
the good old days. I guess
it was back in the good old days
395
00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:20.359
when you used your slave to produce
a child, back in the good old
396
00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:27.000
days. Now that the problem has
always been present, right, why,
397
00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:29.839
yeah, I mean, I mean
on and on and on and on,
398
00:32:29.880 --> 00:32:31.039
and I mean like the Bible is
filled with it, is it not?
399
00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:37.599
History is filled with it. Genocide, murder, rape, slavery. You
400
00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:42.160
just go on and on and why, Well, I can understand why the
401
00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:46.119
world is confused, right, they
can't explain why. So they think,
402
00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:50.720
well, education will fix it.
If we can get people out of poverty,
403
00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:52.359
that will fix it. Well,
everything that we try to do fix
404
00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:57.920
it doesn't fixes it. Because as
Christians we know the reason why. The
405
00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:01.880
reason why is because of what we
cannot see, and what we cannot see
406
00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:07.680
is the thing that produces all of
that chaos and produces all of that,
407
00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:14.839
which is our sin nature. So
our sin nature that we cannot see,
408
00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:22.000
produces that which we can see,
which then causes us to focus on what
409
00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:29.799
we can see well, ignoring what
we cannot see. And so what do
410
00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:36.400
then Christians tend to do. We
create a theological system that becomes nothing more
411
00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:45.200
than moralism. Do this and do
that because we try to combat what what
412
00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:47.640
we can't know. That's the problem
with Christianity. We don't find our nature.
413
00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:55.519
We go after what we can see, we go after the what the
414
00:33:55.640 --> 00:34:00.759
actions, We go after our actions. Christianity is a is just simply moralism
415
00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:04.240
is all it's become. It's a
moral system. And so what do we
416
00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:07.759
tell people to do? Don't drink, don't do this, don't do this,
417
00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:09.880
don't listen to this, don't watch
this, don't read this, don't
418
00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:13.000
don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't,
419
00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:15.239
don't. And if we don't do
all of that, then somehow magically
420
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:25.039
we become good. Christianity teaches that
righteousness is achieved by what what is I
421
00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:30.239
mean? This is just a basic
philological lesson we have to I talked about
422
00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:35.320
this yesterday in the podcast we Christianity
teaches that we become righteous by doing what?
423
00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:42.320
By doing righteous things? Does everyone
understand the problem with that? Go
424
00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:46.119
to Galatians? I believe it.
I did this verse yesterday in a podcast.
425
00:34:46.159 --> 00:35:05.039
I believe it's Galatians too that I
covered Galatians two Glicious two twenty one
426
00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:12.480
to twenty one. I did an
entire forty five minutes discussion on this about
427
00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:15.880
frustrating the grace of God? How
do we frustrate the grace of God?
428
00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:20.079
Right? Look at the new King. James doesn't use the word frustrate the
429
00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:22.639
king James does. Look at Galatians
two twenty one, Paul says, I
430
00:35:22.679 --> 00:35:27.760
do not frustrate the grace of God. I do not set aside. I
431
00:35:27.800 --> 00:35:30.440
do not nullify the grace of God. And then he goes on to offer
432
00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:40.039
a very important statement. If righteousness
could be obtained by the law and Christ
433
00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:46.360
died in vain, what does that
imply? What does that verse seem to
434
00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:52.920
imply? Righteousness is not obtained by
the law. You do not become righteous
435
00:35:53.079 --> 00:35:58.000
by lawkeeping? Why can you not? Why do you not become righteous by
436
00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:04.679
lawkeeping? Well? Okay, well
let's start first with this. The law
437
00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:13.320
cannot produce righteousness because you were already
unrighteous. But in your nature you're already
438
00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:15.960
unrighteous in your nature. So guess
what all the law keeping does that change
439
00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:24.599
your nature? No, all the
lawkeeping does not change your nature. That
440
00:36:24.719 --> 00:36:30.039
was one of the first things I
learned as a Lutheran. Right. That
441
00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:34.440
was one of the in fact that
shocked me when I first learned it as
442
00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:37.039
a Lutheran. It's like if I
kept all the tank commandments, what would
443
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:42.519
I be? One of the questions
I asked when my Lutheran pastor was going
444
00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:45.119
through the Catechism with me. If
I was to keep all the law,
445
00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:49.960
what would that make me? Well? And what do you think? Most
446
00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:53.639
people would answer righteous? And he's
like, you would still be a sinner.
447
00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:55.920
I'm like, well, whoa,
whoa, whoa, dude, you
448
00:36:57.320 --> 00:37:00.960
haven't been to a Baptist church,
okay, right, But then like,
449
00:37:00.039 --> 00:37:06.000
no, you're still a sinner.
You would just be a moral center,
450
00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:12.519
But you would still be a sinner
because why because my nature is already corrupted,
451
00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:15.639
and only that I would still be
guilty because I'm guilty in atom,
452
00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:17.480
which everyone seems to forget. Even
if I was to keep all the law,
453
00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:21.360
It's still be guilty because I'm guilty
an atom. Everyone seems to completely
454
00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:25.639
just abandon that. So Christianity,
our problem is we have these enemies,
455
00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:31.320
and we think, okay, we're
so confused in all of this. Right,
456
00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:36.000
so what we have a tendency to
do. Sin is ultimately an enemy
457
00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:40.880
we cannot see. But because sin
manifests itself, we become preoccupied with what
458
00:37:40.920 --> 00:37:47.119
we can see, ignoring what we
cannot see. And what's the issue.
459
00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:54.199
The issue is what we cannot see, because what we cannot see is the
460
00:37:54.280 --> 00:38:00.639
problem, And how do we combat
the sinful nature. Oh, let's start
461
00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:02.920
with this. What are the ways
in which we cannot combat the sinful nature?
462
00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:14.119
We cannot combat the sinful nature with
simply moralism? And that's all Christianity
463
00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:17.239
wants. Right, what's the big
push right now? In the Republican Party?
464
00:38:20.280 --> 00:38:22.280
They want the Ten Commandments everywhere,
right, they want them in the
465
00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:25.760
public school. Oklahoma's gonna do it. I think I can't remember the other
466
00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:30.360
state. They gotta post the Ten
Commandments. Well, you can post the
467
00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:37.480
Ten Commandments all day? What is
that gonna fix? I doubt it.
468
00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:39.840
If I was a teenager, I
would go find the Ten Commandments and say,
469
00:38:39.880 --> 00:38:42.960
oh, well, guess what I'm
gonna do every single thing on this
470
00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:45.519
list twice. Okay, you're gonna
post the Ten Commandments. Watch me,
471
00:38:45.639 --> 00:38:50.800
I'm gonna break them all right,
Any good, good, rebellious teenagers should
472
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:52.519
do that, right, Okay,
come on, right, you don't shouldn't
473
00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:55.719
follow them, break them all right, because that's everything in our nature.
474
00:38:55.920 --> 00:39:00.920
But we think that we can fix
the problem by attacking the external element.
475
00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:07.119
The issue is the internal issue.
We cannot see it. So we got
476
00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:13.760
three and guess what do these three
enemies work together? Yes, they do.
477
00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:19.480
Can we see Satan? No?
Can we see a demons? No?
478
00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:24.960
Can we see sin? We can
see the manifestation of sin. But
479
00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:30.239
the issue of the manifestation of sin
is that's not what makes someone a sinner,
480
00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:34.880
what make the sinful? Actions are
only manifesting the reality of what we
481
00:39:34.920 --> 00:39:38.719
cannot see, which is our nature. And so we become preoccupied in fighting
482
00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:45.800
what we can see when we have
to realize the problem is what we cannot
483
00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:53.920
see. So everybody got that,
yes, right, And I know that
484
00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:59.719
leads to a From a Christian perspective, it's very difficult, right. We'
485
00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:02.840
forget a Christian perspective because Christians don't
care about any of this. But from
486
00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:08.880
a logical perspective, I do understand
it leads to a very uncomfortable reality,
487
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:15.679
right, because the uncomfortable reality is
this, I can stop doing this action.
488
00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:19.119
I can stop doing this action.
I can stop doing this action.
489
00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:24.239
From a human perspective, that makes
all the humans happy. Right, And
490
00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:28.679
then they'll pat you on the back, saying, what a good man he
491
00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:31.760
is, what a good woman he
is. I've never met someone so godly
492
00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:35.719
in my entire life. Right.
You always get that kind of talk,
493
00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:44.840
right, But guess what the reality
is before God? What are they still
494
00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:52.519
a sinner? Because righteousness is not
obtained by the law. How are we
495
00:40:52.599 --> 00:41:06.000
made righteous then by imputed righteous which
we can't see. That's a weird dynamic.
496
00:41:06.280 --> 00:41:09.159
Once again, Christianity seems like a
contradiction. Right, Hey, do
497
00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:16.599
good, but hey, no matter
how good you do, you're never gonna
498
00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:22.920
be good. And that a weird
lesson. Hey, pull your kids in
499
00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:25.360
and go ahead. Kids. I
need you to keep these rules. I
500
00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:29.320
need you to do everything on this
list, but just know this, no
501
00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:32.159
matter how good you do, you're
never gonna be good. You're always gonna
502
00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:36.199
be a sinner. You're always gonna
be bad. Well, then what does
503
00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:39.159
that tend to motivate? Oh,
come on, we can be honest.
504
00:41:40.440 --> 00:41:45.320
That would motivate that. What's the
point? Right, that's a difficult answer.
505
00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:49.480
That's a difficult question. He said, Well, well we should try.
506
00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:52.800
Well, we can try, but
in it difficult to try knowing that
507
00:41:52.840 --> 00:42:01.000
no matter how hard you try,
you're still felt that from a pilological that's
508
00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:04.559
from a thiological prayer. Now I
know, from a human perspective, but
509
00:42:06.280 --> 00:42:08.840
you can be good. You can
be sometimes though even that good is what
510
00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:14.599
that good is about as fraudulent as
fraudulent can be, right, because the
511
00:42:14.719 --> 00:42:20.159
external action may please everyone, but
that doesn't have anything to do with what's
512
00:42:20.159 --> 00:42:27.440
going on where inside. That's a
that's a weird battle to find ourselves in.
513
00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:31.000
We have three enemies which we ultimately
cannot see that lead us to all
514
00:42:31.159 --> 00:42:35.519
and you can see why Christians get
so whacked out and confused and how to
515
00:42:35.559 --> 00:42:38.760
handle all of this do we not? You can see why our strategies are
516
00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:45.800
so like, it's just crazy.
Right, there's those Those are three enemies.
517
00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:50.760
Now let's go to the fourth.
What do you think a fourth enemy
518
00:42:50.800 --> 00:43:01.280
should be? Let's bring in false
teachers? False teacher. Now this one
519
00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:08.679
becomes a little interesting, right because
the first three, yeah, we can
520
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:14.800
see a false teacher, right.
The first three we really cannot see.
521
00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:20.239
We can see the manifestation of,
but we can't allow the manifestation to distract
522
00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:23.440
us from the real issue, which
is what we cannot see. Now the
523
00:43:23.480 --> 00:43:30.679
fourth one is much more tangible.
But the fourth one's gonna have its own
524
00:43:30.880 --> 00:43:37.519
issues. So let's just first ask
ourselves. Do false teachers meet the do
525
00:43:37.599 --> 00:43:40.480
they follow or are they? Can
they be described using the attributes and saw
526
00:43:40.519 --> 00:43:45.840
eighty three. Well, I have
this down. False teachers. False teachers
527
00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:49.719
bring chaos and confusion, leading people
away from God's truth. I can say
528
00:43:49.719 --> 00:43:52.199
that they bring chaos, right do
they not? They bring a tumult?
529
00:43:54.559 --> 00:43:59.280
Right? What when false teachers enter
into a situation, They're gonna bring tumult,
530
00:43:59.280 --> 00:44:02.800
They're gonna bring They're gonna bring confusion. Can we agree to that all?
531
00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:08.280
Right? Next, they harbor hatred
towards God and his truth, seeking
532
00:44:08.320 --> 00:44:14.280
to distort and undermine it. A
false teacher ultimately, now the hair is
533
00:44:14.559 --> 00:44:16.800
the most difficult thing about a false
teacher. A false teacher would never say
534
00:44:16.800 --> 00:44:24.400
that they do what hate God,
But ultimately they hate God because they are
535
00:44:24.440 --> 00:44:30.159
teaching that which is false and goes
against God. So in one sense we
536
00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:34.960
may not their hatred towards God is
hard. This is where it becomes very
537
00:44:35.039 --> 00:44:39.599
complicated. Every false teacher will claim
they love God. In fact, they
538
00:44:39.639 --> 00:44:47.159
will claim that they love God more
than other people, but at the same
539
00:44:47.199 --> 00:44:52.079
time they hate God. So there's
kind of that what you see and what
540
00:44:52.119 --> 00:44:57.960
you don't see. Third, are
they crafty and deceptive? Yeah? I
541
00:44:58.000 --> 00:45:00.920
mean the whole thing about false teachers
is they use cunning and deceitful tactics to
542
00:45:01.000 --> 00:45:07.599
mislead and manipulate others. Right do
they attack that which God has chosen,
543
00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:10.320
that has sheltered ones, has treasured
ones? While they target believers, seeking
544
00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:15.119
to disrupt their faith and leading them
astray? Right do they seek to destroy
545
00:45:15.239 --> 00:45:22.119
something? False teachers do what they
ultimately conspired to destroy the foundations of true
546
00:45:22.199 --> 00:45:30.880
faith and spread falsehood? Can we
agree there? I think they made these
547
00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:34.840
attributes and probably ways in which,
all right, let's just look at some
548
00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:37.599
script We'll look get more scriptures for
these, just because I think it's important
549
00:45:37.599 --> 00:45:45.039
to understand this. I think this
one man false teachers become a major philosophical
550
00:45:45.199 --> 00:45:52.599
dilemma. But okay, Second Corinthians, chapter eleven, Second Corinthians chapter eleven.
551
00:46:00.280 --> 00:46:04.119
All right, everybody there, First
Corinthians chapter eleven, or I'm sorry,
552
00:46:04.159 --> 00:46:07.119
Second Corinthians chapter eleven. I apologize. Second Corinthians chapter eleven. I
553
00:46:07.119 --> 00:46:09.480
should have known as soon as I
said. First Corinthians, that's about the
554
00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:15.320
Lord Supper. So Second Corinthias chapter
eleven. Everybody ready, starting verse thirteen,
555
00:46:15.880 --> 00:46:23.800
what do we read for? Such
are false apostles deceitful workers. There's
556
00:46:23.800 --> 00:46:32.920
the cunning craftiness, right, transforming
themselves into and to the apostles of Christ,
557
00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:37.559
the new King, James says,
and no wonder for seeing themselves transforms
558
00:46:37.599 --> 00:46:44.159
themselves into an angel of light.
All right, So this is very important.
559
00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:46.719
Now we have false teachers. What
do these false teachers do? They're
560
00:46:46.760 --> 00:46:52.639
cunning and crafty, and they're going
to be manipulative because they transform themselves into
561
00:46:52.639 --> 00:46:58.199
why they claim to be wide And
then this obviously has a historical correlation.
562
00:47:00.199 --> 00:47:02.599
Well, at that time they're claiming
to be what apostles? Now, why
563
00:47:02.679 --> 00:47:08.840
is that difficult at that time?
Because who had clear authority at that time?
564
00:47:09.480 --> 00:47:13.639
We call that apostolic authority? Right, which is always a big dispute
565
00:47:13.639 --> 00:47:16.000
in church history. Right, whenever
we talk about apostolic authority, what's the
566
00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:24.920
big question in church history? It's
called Apostolic succession? Does that authority move
567
00:47:25.000 --> 00:47:30.079
forward? Right? Catholic Church claims
that it moved forward and they now possess
568
00:47:30.159 --> 00:47:34.880
that Apostolic authority. That's why they
can define dogma and declare right and wrong.
569
00:47:35.039 --> 00:47:38.639
Right, as Protestants, we don't
believe in Apostolic succession. But do
570
00:47:38.760 --> 00:47:45.679
we or don't we? That's a
big question. Do Protestants believe in Apostolic
571
00:47:45.760 --> 00:47:52.880
succession. What do you think do
you think the Christians? You know,
572
00:47:52.920 --> 00:48:02.360
do you think they believe in apostolic
succession or reject it? Every Protestant who
573
00:48:02.360 --> 00:48:10.599
says they don't believe in Apostolic succession
is a liar because they all believe they
574
00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:20.599
they have it. They all believe
they have it, right do they not?
575
00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:23.960
Every Christian? What do they do? Do They tell you what is
576
00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:28.639
right and what is wrong? Yeah, they will tell you this is what
577
00:48:28.760 --> 00:48:30.159
the right answer is, this is
what they're wrong. As if they have
578
00:48:30.280 --> 00:48:36.519
the apostolic authority to declare dogma,
define what is right, define what is
579
00:48:36.519 --> 00:48:42.000
wrong, and they can judge what. Oh, come on, we know
580
00:48:42.039 --> 00:48:46.760
how it works in the church.
Who's in charge in the church, Okay,
581
00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:50.840
not the pastor? And the pastor
is a loser, okay, pastors
582
00:48:50.840 --> 00:48:54.159
are Loser's right. The people in
the pew make all the determination. Right,
583
00:48:55.159 --> 00:48:59.519
They sit there and they determine if
the pastor is preaching that which is
584
00:49:00.440 --> 00:49:05.440
right are wrong. They declare if
it's right or wrong, And then they
585
00:49:05.440 --> 00:49:08.159
would declare if the pastor is a
good teacher, bad teacher, true teacher,
586
00:49:08.360 --> 00:49:13.800
false teacher, And they can make
all that determination on the basis of
587
00:49:13.840 --> 00:49:21.159
what what they think. And in
fact, in many cases, does it
588
00:49:21.199 --> 00:49:24.960
even require does it require any formal
training? Do they have to go to
589
00:49:24.960 --> 00:49:29.639
Bible college, Do they have to
go to seminary? No? Do they
590
00:49:29.639 --> 00:49:37.000
even have to do any intensive study? No? Yet they can declare what
591
00:49:37.000 --> 00:49:40.480
what is true? What is false? Right, So, in a roundabout
592
00:49:40.519 --> 00:49:44.719
way, the same thing has been
going at that point, it would have
593
00:49:44.760 --> 00:49:47.039
been really dangerous, right, because
the apostles are kind of the kind of
594
00:49:47.039 --> 00:49:51.599
the they're they're very the building blocks
of the early church. Right, And
595
00:49:51.679 --> 00:49:57.159
so if the apostle said something,
what was the perceived concept is that you
596
00:49:57.239 --> 00:50:00.119
either were in agreement or you surrendered
to their authority. Are basically you were
597
00:50:00.119 --> 00:50:05.360
considered what outside of Christianity kind of
way to the Catholic Church, and the
598
00:50:05.800 --> 00:50:08.639
church followed that same concept. That's
why we have the seven Ecumenical councils.
599
00:50:08.719 --> 00:50:16.519
Right, we declare what is right, and if you disagree, you were
600
00:50:16.519 --> 00:50:22.000
what anathema? Okay, you were, you were outside of it. So
601
00:50:22.280 --> 00:50:25.079
the false teachers come along and claim
to be that. Now this is very
602
00:50:25.079 --> 00:50:30.960
difficult, right, This is where
things get really complicated for us as an
603
00:50:30.039 --> 00:50:37.599
enemy. We can see the enemy
can we not a false teacher? Can
604
00:50:37.639 --> 00:50:45.480
we see them? Yes? The
problem with seeing them is what they they
605
00:50:45.639 --> 00:50:52.079
all? They transform themselves into what
what does the text just say the apostles
606
00:50:52.079 --> 00:50:57.920
of Christ, just like Satan,
appears as an angel of light, meaning
607
00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:02.840
then we can see. But in
since we cannot see because we have to
608
00:51:02.920 --> 00:51:08.719
see what we cannot see, because
what we see outwardly is they say all
609
00:51:08.760 --> 00:51:13.280
the right things, do all the
right things, look the right way.
610
00:51:13.440 --> 00:51:22.199
What's the whole thing? Jesus warns
about false prophets doing what wolves coming in?
611
00:51:23.360 --> 00:51:27.360
Sheep's good and they're gonna come as
a sheep, but they're a wolf.
612
00:51:28.159 --> 00:51:30.000
You have to be able to go, oh, oh look look everyone,
613
00:51:30.159 --> 00:51:35.360
Hey, we've got a petting zoo
out back. Let's go pet the
614
00:51:35.440 --> 00:51:38.480
sheep. And you're right. You
get ready to pet the sheep and say,
615
00:51:38.519 --> 00:51:43.000
oh, we're gonna call this fluffy, and then the sheep does what
616
00:51:43.920 --> 00:51:49.480
rip off your arm? Because it's
actually a wolf. So this becomes complicated.
617
00:51:49.719 --> 00:51:54.199
Can we see the false teacher?
Yes, but in a sense we
618
00:51:54.280 --> 00:52:00.800
cannot see, so we have to
be able to judge. We cannot see
619
00:52:00.079 --> 00:52:06.880
irregardless of what we can't. Oh, this sounds very similar to everything in
620
00:52:06.960 --> 00:52:10.800
saw many three? Does it not? I Can I judge the existence of
621
00:52:10.840 --> 00:52:15.599
God based off what I can see? No? I have to believe in
622
00:52:15.639 --> 00:52:20.159
God, irregardless of what I see
goes. So, when it comes to
623
00:52:20.199 --> 00:52:22.320
a false teacher, can I judge
a false teacher based on what I see?
624
00:52:24.519 --> 00:52:29.239
Not necessarily? So now I've got
to base it on what I necessarily
625
00:52:29.880 --> 00:52:34.039
cannot see. Well that becomes a
little confusing, right, And now what
626
00:52:34.159 --> 00:52:38.719
if I got I'm basing that judgment
on what? Oh, come on,
627
00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:43.559
give me the church answer. You're
gonna base that judgment on the false teacher
628
00:52:43.559 --> 00:52:46.880
on what? Okay, well let's
give me the church answer. Oh,
629
00:52:46.960 --> 00:52:51.880
come on, you're Protestants. Oh
you're gonna say on the Bible. I
630
00:52:51.960 --> 00:52:53.960
knew that. I knew that was
gonna be. And that makes absolutely no
631
00:52:54.079 --> 00:53:02.880
sense. Why because the false teachers
using the same Bible you are, and
632
00:53:02.880 --> 00:53:07.880
they're going to tell you that their
interpretation is more correct than your interpretation.
633
00:53:07.119 --> 00:53:12.880
So what makes your interpretation the standard
and which to judge the teacher and declare
634
00:53:12.880 --> 00:53:21.719
the teacher to be false? And
they got an answer? Yeah, I
635
00:53:21.840 --> 00:53:23.440
see. Now yeah, now we
got a problem. Right. So,
636
00:53:23.719 --> 00:53:29.000
now so when it comes to it. Satan is a scary enemy, but
637
00:53:29.079 --> 00:53:32.360
we can't really see him, right, Demons are a scary enemy, but
638
00:53:32.400 --> 00:53:37.000
we really cannot see them, and
so we kind of struggle on how to
639
00:53:37.079 --> 00:53:39.519
engage that. Right, So what
do we typically do in the church when
640
00:53:39.559 --> 00:53:44.639
it comes to Satan and demons?
What do we typically do? Now,
641
00:53:44.679 --> 00:53:46.639
if you're into, if you're into, like a major charismatic, you may
642
00:53:46.679 --> 00:53:52.079
actually be looking at demons behind every
rock. But mostly Christians take on take
643
00:53:52.199 --> 00:53:58.760
demons and Satan, and we kind
of focus on really external enemies, saying
644
00:53:58.800 --> 00:54:04.159
Satan is using rock music or Satan
is using we tend to connect Satan to
645
00:54:04.199 --> 00:54:07.199
something visible and then we go fight
the visible, claiming that we're actually engaged
646
00:54:07.239 --> 00:54:10.880
in spiritual warfare, when in reality, all we're doing is fighting something visible,
647
00:54:10.960 --> 00:54:15.800
but we attach Satan to it.
Right, Hey, parents, you
648
00:54:15.880 --> 00:54:20.159
gotta go into your kid's route.
You gotta look at the music because Satan
649
00:54:20.280 --> 00:54:23.440
is using that music to destroy your
kid. So go burn some records.
650
00:54:24.960 --> 00:54:29.280
Hey, I mean that was all
over the West Texas in the eighties,
651
00:54:29.360 --> 00:54:32.079
right, Okay, that was a
big thing. But so we attach Satan
652
00:54:32.119 --> 00:54:40.239
to what to what we can see, meaning in many cases we're actually missing
653
00:54:40.280 --> 00:54:46.440
what Satan right. So, in
other words, in many cases, we're
654
00:54:46.440 --> 00:54:50.679
not fighting a spiritual warfare. We
convince we're fighting a spiritual warfare, but
655
00:54:50.719 --> 00:54:52.800
we're really fighting things that we can
see. There's a problem. When it
656
00:54:52.840 --> 00:54:57.800
comes to demons, we do the
same thing. Yes, When it comes
657
00:54:57.800 --> 00:55:00.679
to sin, do we do the
same thing? Yes, yes, we
658
00:55:00.719 --> 00:55:05.280
focus on the external, not the
invisible. How do we fight invisible enemies
659
00:55:05.280 --> 00:55:08.760
in whom we cannot see? That's
the big question. But when it comes
660
00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:15.000
to false teachers, we have a
major dilemma on our hands because now,
661
00:55:15.039 --> 00:55:17.639
when it comes to false teachers,
we can see false teachers, but the
662
00:55:17.679 --> 00:55:22.639
false teachers pretend to be something they
are not, Meaning, are we sure
663
00:55:22.719 --> 00:55:28.559
that we can judge what they are
even though we can't see what they are
664
00:55:28.800 --> 00:55:32.719
because of what they pretend to be. That becomes convoluted. And I don't
665
00:55:32.760 --> 00:55:37.360
know what the answer is because I
just asked, how do we judge the
666
00:55:37.360 --> 00:55:45.400
false teacher? And the standard Christian
answer is we take the word of God
667
00:55:45.920 --> 00:55:50.840
and we compare what they say to
it. But the false teacher is using
668
00:55:50.880 --> 00:55:57.119
the word of God, and we'll
tell you what that what he says is
669
00:55:57.159 --> 00:56:00.280
the right and what you say is
wrong. Well, then how do we
670
00:56:00.360 --> 00:56:07.119
fight that in all cases and all
enemies? What are we developing here with
671
00:56:07.239 --> 00:56:10.320
these enemies? Okay, we'll just
end with this in Psalm eighty three,
672
00:56:10.760 --> 00:56:17.199
they're facing enemies that they can see. The facing of the enemies they can
673
00:56:17.400 --> 00:56:23.559
see is calling into question the existence
of God whom they cannot see. As
674
00:56:23.679 --> 00:56:32.079
Christians, we have enemies whom we
cannot see, but we tend to focus
675
00:56:32.280 --> 00:56:37.480
on the way those enemies manifest themselves
and the ways in which we can see,
676
00:56:37.760 --> 00:56:43.320
So we become distracted and fighting what
we can see. Well, in
677
00:56:44.039 --> 00:56:47.000
the meantime, the enemy whom we
cannot see is not even being bothered or
678
00:56:47.039 --> 00:56:52.239
touched, so we become completely distracted
and doing the wrong thing. When it
679
00:56:52.280 --> 00:56:57.639
comes to false teachers, what do
we have a tendency to do? We
680
00:56:57.679 --> 00:57:00.800
try to fight what we can see, but in many cases, I don't
681
00:57:00.840 --> 00:57:05.400
even know how we even handle the
false teacher situation. I don't even know.
682
00:57:05.400 --> 00:57:07.000
I don't even have a clue.
I don't even know what we do.
683
00:57:07.000 --> 00:57:09.519
I don't even know what I don't
even know if they're I don't even
684
00:57:09.599 --> 00:57:15.199
know. Because it becomes it becomes
just a subjective mess right, it really
685
00:57:15.239 --> 00:57:21.400
becomes this and and Christians, really
false teachers are if we really want a
686
00:57:21.440 --> 00:57:24.480
true definition of a false teacher?
And within Christianity, how would we define
687
00:57:24.480 --> 00:57:30.519
a false teacher if we're being like
brutally honest, How would we define false
688
00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:35.599
teachers if we're brutally honest, Like, if we're brutally honest, how would
689
00:57:35.679 --> 00:57:43.440
Christianity define false teachers if we're brutally
honest? A false teacher is anyone who
690
00:57:43.519 --> 00:57:54.920
disagrees with me. I mean,
that's that's really the definition of a false
691
00:57:54.960 --> 00:58:00.840
teacher with a Christianity. I don't
know what the two definition is. I
692
00:58:00.840 --> 00:58:04.840
don't know if there is a true
definition. We would like to say,
693
00:58:05.360 --> 00:58:07.679
in theory, how would we like
to define a false teacher? Like in
694
00:58:07.760 --> 00:58:15.599
theory, like if we were creating
the perfect definition, anyone who teaches against
695
00:58:15.639 --> 00:58:20.000
God's word, right, anyone who
teaches a doctrine against God's word that sounds
696
00:58:20.039 --> 00:58:23.320
so great, right and theory that
sounds good. Sitting in a seminary classroom,
697
00:58:23.400 --> 00:58:27.159
you're like, ay man, I'm
gonna go out there and I'm gonna
698
00:58:27.199 --> 00:58:31.639
battle all these false teachers who go
against the scriptures. But then you go
699
00:58:31.719 --> 00:58:34.840
battle them, and they're gonna be
like, well, what are you talking
700
00:58:34.880 --> 00:58:37.880
about. I went to seminary just
like you went to seminary, and I
701
00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:39.679
believe this is the truth. You're
like, but no, I believe this
702
00:58:39.760 --> 00:58:45.639
is the truth. Or this becomes
really complicated. In Protestantism, one could
703
00:58:45.800 --> 00:58:57.239
argue anyone that goes against and creedle
statement. In other words, you would
704
00:58:57.280 --> 00:59:02.440
need a creedle statement like the apostle. Nice scene, are the affinaceous creed
705
00:59:02.760 --> 00:59:07.840
right? And then anyone who went
against those creeds could be declared a false
706
00:59:07.840 --> 00:59:10.719
teacher because you would have something clearly
defined right. If you just say the
707
00:59:10.719 --> 00:59:25.320
Bible, what's the problem with that? I mean the preacher? Well yeah,
708
00:59:25.360 --> 00:59:29.119
that becomes a problem. Well I
gimma, who can say that every
709
00:59:29.159 --> 00:59:35.119
preachers taught something wrong according to which
standard? Okay, okay, well that's
710
00:59:35.280 --> 00:59:37.480
but I'm just saying it would be
you making the determination that what they said
711
00:59:37.559 --> 00:59:42.079
was wrong. Because every teacher,
who every preatruerth who taught something is wrong
712
00:59:42.159 --> 00:59:46.599
think that what they taught was right. So then when you say that they
713
00:59:46.639 --> 00:59:50.199
taught something was wrong, they would
be like, no, you believe something
714
00:59:50.320 --> 00:59:52.000
was wrong. Because if you listen
to me, you would believe something that
715
00:59:52.119 --> 00:59:59.800
was right that becomes really convoluted.
So I the false teachers are very complicated
716
00:59:59.800 --> 01:00:02.719
in it, are they not?
The other ones are much easier. We
717
01:00:02.840 --> 01:00:07.440
know Satan, right, Okay,
we know demons, and we know our
718
01:00:07.480 --> 01:00:13.039
sinful nature. False teachers, I
don't know what to do with these enemies.
719
01:00:13.119 --> 01:00:15.159
I don't even know. So we'll
talk more about the false teachers.
720
01:00:15.239 --> 01:00:20.920
Well, we're ultimately where we're headed
is when we finally get to where the
721
01:00:20.920 --> 01:00:28.280
Psalmists ask God to intervene. He's
going to ask God to intervene by doing
722
01:00:28.440 --> 01:00:30.400
in the present what he has done
in the past. We're going to try
723
01:00:30.400 --> 01:00:36.679
to look at the commonality of all
of the all the issues in the past.
724
01:00:36.880 --> 01:00:38.920
We're going to see how God intervened
there and see does that have any
725
01:00:39.000 --> 01:00:44.360
relevance for us today. And that's
where it's gonna get complicated, because the
726
01:00:44.400 --> 01:00:47.159
way God handled those enemies, I
don't know if we can apply that to
727
01:00:47.199 --> 01:00:54.039
our enemies. So then just the
whole analogy fall completely apart. Now I
728
01:00:54.159 --> 01:00:59.639
will stand firm on this. So
far, every enemy I've listed do they
729
01:00:59.639 --> 01:01:05.039
meet, they do they follow the
same attributes and characteristics as the enemies and
730
01:01:05.039 --> 01:01:08.679
Psalm eighty three, I think so
far I have proven that to the letter
731
01:01:08.800 --> 01:01:13.400
right. It's not even been difficult
to prove it. It's simple right,
732
01:01:14.000 --> 01:01:17.159
so that we can find something to
it, meaning that we can at least
733
01:01:17.159 --> 01:01:21.599
take away from Psalm eighty three that
just as they had physical enemies, we
734
01:01:21.639 --> 01:01:27.199
have spiritual enemies that have the same
characteristics and attributes, meaning that we have
735
01:01:27.239 --> 01:01:30.360
to figure out how to combat and
deal with our enemies. Because I don't
736
01:01:30.360 --> 01:01:34.400
think Psalm eighty three is going to
give us the answer, but I could
737
01:01:34.400 --> 01:01:36.280
be wrong. All right, let's
pray. Look, God, we come
738
01:01:36.320 --> 01:01:40.199
before you this morning. These are
complicated matters. Lord. The one thing
739
01:01:40.199 --> 01:01:45.039
we can all acknowledge is not only
do we have enemies, ultimately we have
740
01:01:45.079 --> 01:01:49.639
something in us that is the greatest
enemy, which is our own sinful nature.
741
01:01:50.480 --> 01:01:54.239
Lord, help us be more aware
of that truth and continue to struggle
742
01:01:54.280 --> 01:02:00.079
on how to handle and deal with
all the enemies which we face. We
743
01:02:00.119 --> 01:02:02.360
asked us in Jesus name, and
God's people said
Spreaker
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