Slaying of False Prophets

Driving home: I submit to you that that's an absolute travesty upon the meaning of Scripture. This is not put here like the other honest delineations of the sins of the saints.

Martin lists the incest of Lot, drunkenness of Noah, lies of Abraham, adultery of David, and denial of Peter to argue that Elijah's slaying of the prophets is not in the same category of personal sin, but rather an act of obedience.

There's the narrative. Now, a crucial question. Is this account put here like the incest of Lot, the drunkenness of Noah, the lies of Abraham, the adultery of David, and the denial of Peter? Is it placed here in the record, as these other things are, to show us that the best of men are but men of clay and that they can err in judgment?

6:35 - 7:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And that prophet or dreamer of dreams shall be put to death because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God... So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

A hypothetical story of a college-educated son enticing his father to abandon Jehovah for 'scientific discovery' or 'nature,' illustrating the severity of the command in Deuteronomy 13 for a father to initiate the execution of his own son for idolatry.

Here's a fellow taking a walk with his son. And his son says, Hey, Dad, I've been away to college. Oh, yeah, I know that. I've been putting the bills.

13:55 - 14:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section refutes the idea that Elijah's act was a personal error or sin, like David's adultery. Martin argues that Elijah acted as God's servant, in obedience to explicit…

A hypothetical scenario where a wife whispers to her husband about worshipping another god, demonstrating the husband's obligation under Deuteronomy 13 to initiate her execution.

if a wife whispered into the ear of her husband, well, dear, really Jehovah is such a strict. Look how our neighbors can live so easily and enjoy life when God's given us so many rules and regulations. Why can't we go worship another God? He was obligated to lay his hand upon that wife and be first to initiate her execution by stoning.

15:05 - 15:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section refutes the idea that Elijah's act was a personal error or sin, like David's adultery. Martin argues that Elijah acted as God's servant, in obedience to explicit…

Martin recounts Elijah's tender interaction with the widow of Zarephath and her dead son, using it to counter the idea that Elijah was a harsh man acting in a fit of anger, emphasizing his sensitivity and obedience to God's will.

Oh, no. This was a sensitive man of God, a man who when he saw a little boy dead, said to a widow, give me thy son, and took that little boy up into a chamber and spread himself upon his lifeless cold form and pleaded with God until life came back again. Any man who treats little children with that tenderness and the broken heart of a widow is not a harsh man. And no matter how distasteful this was to Elijah's flesh, he was a servant of the living God who was going to bring even his emotions subject to the revealed will of God.

16:36 - 17:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Never question the ways of God in judgment but rather marvel at his patience that he withholds his judgment as long as he does.

Used to illustrate the 'strange ways' of God's sovereignty in grace, showing that His mercy can be unexpected and selective.

I will repay, and I will repay when and how I choose. And here is one of those strange incidents that seems to, as it were, jar against the general drift of God's dealings that you and I might be reminded that we cannot box up the authority or sovereignty of God not only in the realm of grace but also in the realm of judgment. Certainly we are astounded when we see the Lord sovereignly putting forth his hand in grace. Who would ever think of God saving a harlot of all people, a harlot in a wicked city like Jericho, but as far as we know that's the only one he saved.

19:58 - 20:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Never question the ways of God in judgment but rather marvel at his patience that he withholds his judgment as long as he does.

An analogy of someone allowing an intruder to enter their home to ravage their wife, slay their children, and steal possessions, used to highlight the patience of God in allowing false prophets to pollute Israel for so long.

If you knew that someone coming to your front door was going to come in your house, ravage your wife, slay your children, steal your possessions, would you stand there with your hands folded? Would you? You'd put forth your hand to do something. You'd do nothing more than call the police and run.

21:45 - 22:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Since truth is something that comes from God as revelation and not from man as discovery, therefore it has fixed boundaries. If this is so, it is so because God is what he is and it will always be so.

A story about a sincere doctor prescribing a wrong medicine that kills the patient, and a hateful doctor prescribing the right medicine that cures, illustrating that sincerity does not neutralize the destructive effect of error, nor does lack of sincerity negate the power of truth.

Because the apostle knew that no matter how sincere a lie was, a lie would damn the souls of men. Let me illustrate. I may have used this some time ago, but I want to use it again. I go to a certain doctor and he happens to be a close personal friend of mine.

29:38 - 29:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Expose heresy wherever it raises its ugly head, being grounded in doctrine to convict gainsayers.

The historical anecdote of the controversy surrounding Bishop Pike and the church's failure to follow through with a heresy trial, used to illustrate the modern church's 'unholy, flabby toleration of heresy.'

In Revelation 2, Jesus commends the church because He said, You have tried those that say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. You know all the hullabaloo over Bishop Pike? They finally backed off from it. They were going to label him a heretic because he denied essential truths that when he took his ordination, he claimed to believe and preach and defend, and he's thrown them all over.

39:42 - 40:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Give no recognition to heretics themselves as brothers; do not bid them God's speed or receive them into your house as fellow workers.

An example of friends who remain in denominations with heretics, supporting missionaries who preach a 'social gospel' without eternal redemption, illustrating the compromise of 'unholy, flabby toleration.'

I have dear friends of mine who can stay on in denominations, linking arms, with heretics, who deny the essential truths of the gospel of Christ. They can encourage their people to give money that are supporting missionaries on the field who say that the only gospel we have is the gospel of making men a little bit better while they're here. No gospel of eternal redemption. No gospel of the blood of Christ.

41:30 - 41:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that national righteousness is restored by destroying error and inundating the land with God's truth. He connects societal lawlessness and immorality to the 'worship…

A personal anecdote about receiving a spanking from his father for cursing under his breath, used to illustrate the 'holy fear' children once had for parents and the decline of parental authority in modern homes.

He said if I do something, he'll leave home. I was brought up in the day when I had a holy fear of my parents. The last spanking I got was when my dad called me to clean the cellar and I cursed under my breath. And he spanked me until I told him what I said, and then he spanked me for saying that.

47:28 - 47:44 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If I don't tell them, hear what God is saying in the heavens, I haven't taught them astronomy. You may not say amen to that, but it's true. I've not taught them astronomy. I've taught them a weak, poor substitute.

A brief personal story about one of his children expressing wonder at God's creation of the human body, used to illustrate the proper way to teach anatomy and establish righteousness through a biblical worldview.

When I teach them the human body, it functions this way, this way, this way, this way, and that's the way it is. I haven't taught them anatomy until I've taught them. They are fearfully and wonderfully made by the hand of God. I tell you, I had the joy of that just this afternoon in a particular instance.

54:35 - 54:52 Read in full sermon