Carnal Christian: What 1 Cor. 3 Does Not Teach

Introduction to the Carnal Christian Theory and its Challenge to 1 John 3

0:00 This first message is the first in a two-message series on an expose of what I have called the carnal Christian theory. These two messages contained on this tape came in the process of preaching through the book of 1 John on the distinguishing marks of the true believer. Following the exposition of chapter 3, I felt it necessary to deal in a specific way with this teaching that is so prevalent in our day. In our studies in the first epistle of John, we have been considering those things that we are calling the birthmarks of the true child of God. Those things, evidences in the life of the true believer, which John says are the distinguishing marks of a real Christian. There are some things that sinners and saints have in common. Some sinners are kind. Saints are kind. Some sinners are happy. All saints should be happy.

1:12 And so happiness and kindness in themselves are not the distinguishing marks between the saved and the lost. But John says that there are certain things which distinguish the people of God as the people of God, and wherever there is a person born of God, these distinguishing marks, will be evidence. A walking in the light, a walking in obedience, a heart severance from the love of the world, and then this fourth birthmark that we have considered for five Sunday mornings, a heart severance from the love and practice of sin, and a heart committal to the love and practice of righteousness. We have gone through 1 John chapter 3, or I should say beginning with chapter 2 verse 22, and 1 John chapter 3, and 1 John chapter 3, and 1 John chapter 2, and 1 John chapter 3, and 1 Stephen. We have gone through 1 John chapter 3, or I should say beginning with chapter 2 verse 22, and then this second홝 down through the middle of verse 10 in chapter 3. Phrase by phrase, verse by verse, we have sought to lay before you what the Holy Spirit told us through John concerning this birthmark of the practice of righteousness.

2:25 Why is it that the true child of God cannot and will not be at home in the realm of sin? Why is it that the true child of God is committed to the practice of righteousness? And John gave us five reasons. These we have considered one by one, seeking to lay them before you as they are sustained and set forth here in the Word of God.

2:53 Now, there is in our day a teaching that has become very popular. And this teaching nullifies in the most...

3:03 It reminds of many the clear, unmistakable truth of 1 John chapter 3, which is nothing but a systematic statement of what we find from Genesis to Revelation, namely that a man saved by the grace of God will be a holy man. A man saved from the penalty of his sin will be a man who seeks day by day to walk from the defilement of sin. And yet there is a teaching in our day, which has negated the clear implications of 1 John chapter 3. I found again and again when in the itinerant ministry, when I would set forth the biblical doctrine of holiness, biblical holiness, not an experience, but a walk in conformity to the will and law of God, whenever I would set forth the biblical doctrine and lay out the truth that no man has a right to claim he's a Christian unless he's a holy man, immediately people would bring up this red flag and wave it in front of me. You know what that red flag had written on it? What about a carnal Christian? I've had that question asked me I don't know how many times.

4:18 The moment the Spirit of God began to stab the consciences of men who were professing to know Jesus Christ but who were not pressing on in the path of holiness, immediately they sought to hide behind this positive, popular doctrine that for sake of a better term and one which will identify it in our minds, I will call the carnal Christian doctrine. I would rather use a stronger word and call it the carnal Christian heresy for this is indeed what it is. Now it's going to be my purpose this morning and I don't know if I'll get through. This may carry over into next Lord's Day to seek to examine this doctrine in the light of the Word of God, because I feel in my own heart all that we have preached on 1 John chapter 3 concerning this fourth birthmark of a true Christian will come to naught in the minds and hearts of many of you because you likewise have been brought up in a generation when this doctrine has been popularized and made a very widespread doctrine in our fundamental circles. Now this is my purpose. I feel that for the sake of your soul, I must do this. And I'm asking you this morning, as we come to the Word of

5:42 God, to come with a teachable, childlike spirit, come like the Bereans who will search the Scriptures to see whether these things are so. Shall we bow together in prayer and ask God to help us as we embark upon this study, which is not pleasant, but which is absolutely necessary for our soul's well-being. Our Father, we thank Thee that Thy Word is truth. We praise Thee that by comparing Scripture with Scripture, and having an open heart and a teachable spirit, the Holy Spirit will lead us into truth. We pray as we seek to deal with this problem, this confusion, that has wrought havoc in Thy Church, that the Holy Spirit will lead us into truth. The Holy Spirit Himself shall be present to be our teacher, and to cause us to see Thy truth, and by Thy grace, to bow beneath its implications. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Defining the Carnal Christian Doctrine

6:56 Now, in order to think our way through, I want this morning to first of all answer the question, what is this doctrine called the carnal Christian doctrine? Some of you say, what's the pastor talking about? Well, you may not know it under that title, but when I describe it...

7:11 you'll recognize it. Then I want us to consider, secondly, an exposure of this doctrine in the light of the Scriptures. Now, as we do this, I don't want us to do it academically. I don't want us to do this from the standpoint of just gaining more information. I want you to do it from this standpoint. Suppose it were suddenly announced over all the radios in this area, and printed up on the front page of the Caldwell Progress on Thursday, that a number of people in the Essex County area...

7:41 were afflicted with a dread disease, which was of such a nature that it would kill people within a month after they had contracted it. But the symptoms were so undiscernible to the average person that many people could be walking about afflicted with this dread disease and not know it. What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here at the school, and in every public building, there would be lectures by competent people, who would not know it? What would your attitude be if suddenly they announced that down here went to such a meeting, how would you listen? You would not listen merely academically to learn something more about this disease. You would listen as a matter of life and death.

8:35 You would listen with this attitude, I must see if these symptoms that the doctor talks about are any way in any shape or form present in my life, I must not give the disease the benefit of the doubt. I must not do it. I must at any cost discover if I am afflicted with this disease and seek the proper remedy. You would not listen to that lecture as a mere lecture on medical terms. You would listen to it as a matter of life and death. This is the kind of hearing I beg of you in these next, I believe it's going to have to be two seconds. As we seek to expose this doctrine, I am not doing it from an academic standpoint. I do not want you to listen from the mere standpoint of gaining information. I am convinced that here in the North Caldwell Church there are men and women, fellows and girls, whose souls are in jeopardy because they have believed this heresy. And unless you allow the Holy Ghost to open your eyes, some of you may perish

9:49 and wake up in heaven who thought you were going to wake up in heaven when you die. I am convinced of this. It is the only reason I am seeking by the enablement of God to deal with this subject. Because your soul has been committed to my trust. And it is not enough for me to pray for you and to cry out to God that the Holy Spirit would open the eyes of any who may be deceived about their soul's salvation. It is then my responsibility to preach the truth that will aid you to see your sin and to expose the error that would keep you from seeing your sin. Our Lord Jesus, who preached positive truth and said, I am the way, also said, Beware of the doctrine of the scribes and the Pharisees. He called it leaven. He warned people and he named it and he sought to keep his disciples from falling

10:48 prey to it. So this is the motive with which I speak this morning. And I trust that that will be kept before you constantly. Now what is the doctrine? The doctrine is basically this. That there are three kinds of people in the world. And they generally take it from 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and chapter 3 where you find these three words occurring. Natural man, carnal man, and spiritual man. And this is the way the doctrine is usually presented. People who have never received Jesus Christ are natural men. They are sinners by nature and by nature they are sinners by nature and by practice. They are dead in their sins. They have no knowledge of God.

11:28 This is true. This is the Bible doctrine of human depravity. Then they say the next class of people is the carnal man. This is the man or woman who has received Jesus as his Savior. He believes that Christ died on the cross for him and believing that he has been made a child of God. But, now listen carefully, you would never know he was a child of God because although he is saved by the blood of Jesus. He lives just like natural man. He lives addicted to the flesh and to the world and to self. You cannot discern the fruit of the Spirit, any pursuit of holiness, but you must not ever call him an unregenerate, unsaved man because he's accepted Jesus.

12:13 He's a man who's saved from hell, but who's not yet saved from himself. And so this is the carnal man, the man who is saved, but still living like he was not saved. Now this is preached. I've seen it on preacher's notes. I've heard it over nationwide broadcast. I've read it in books. I'm not presenting that this would be unfair, spiritually and intellectually unfair. I think I'm honestly presenting the view.

12:43 Then, there is the third man. He's the spiritual man. The one who's not only been saved, but the one who's received Christ as his Lord after he's received him as his Savior. He's learned how to walk in the Spirit, and you can see real evidence of Jesus Christ living out his life in him.

13:00 This is the spiritual man. Well, when you ask them, what about this carnal man? Suppose he should die. Oh well, he'll be saved so as by fire. He'll lose some rewards, but because he's accepted Jesus, he'll go.

13:14 And then when they try to deal with this carnal man, here's the way they deal with him. They say, now listen, it's not right for you to be carnal. Don't you know that you'll be ashamed when Jesus comes? You ought to be a spiritual man. And they present holiness as a very nice thing, and as necessary if he's going to be a good testimony, and if he's going to have rewards, but holiness is not essential to his salvation.

13:41 Holiness is not an essential proof that he's really saved. So this man called the carnal man is told that he ought to be holy, but he really need not be holy. If he's not holy, he may lose some rewards and lose some blessing here and now, but he'll still sneak in the gates and he'll make it to glory. Now this is basically the carnal Christian doctrine.

14:08 I've heard it preached, as I said, over nationwide hookups by Bible teachers. I've read it in books. I've seen it in sermon notes. I've heard it preached.

The Damaging Results of the Carnal Christian Doctrine

14:18 This, I believe, is an accurate portrayal of this doctrine. A man who's saved, but still walks in the flesh. Now what are the results from the widespread teaching of this doctrine? Now will you listen to me carefully?

14:34 What have been the results of the preaching of this doctrine for a period of probably at least three decades? One generation of Christians in our fundamental circles. What have been the results? Number one, at this point in the tape, there was some distortion due to a loose connection or some other electrical difficulty.

14:54 And I'm seeking now to edit in these few feet to continue the continuity of the message. I had just stated that I was going to mention what some of the results have been of the widespread teaching and acceptance of this theory of the carnal Christian. And the first result, and perhaps the most drastic, is that there are many who name the name of Christ in our fundamental churches who are convinced in their own thinking that they are the children of God, but they are people who seem to be at home in the realm of sin. They will confess to the fact that there is sin and failure in their lives, but they do this without any grief.

15:34 They glibly claim 1 John 1.9 and the promise of forgiveness to those who confess. But all of this is a cut and dried, heartless, meaningless, a sort of ritual that has very little meaning, perhaps not even as much as the sincere Romanist who confesses his sins to the priest. Now this first result is that of producing a people who make no bones and make no reservation or have no reservation in naming the name of Christ, but who seem to be perfectly at home in the realm of sin, who claim to be saved from hell, but who give no evidence of being saved, save from the love and the practice of their sins.

16:17 And then the second result in the thinking of people that has been a terrible thing is that it has raised a generation of people who are convinced that holiness of character, of life, of thought, of motive, though it is good and commendable, it's something that's optional. They do not view holiness as an absolute essential to genuine Christian profession, but as something which, can or cannot be present according to the spiritual progress or the spiritual desire of the individual. Now I firmly hold the Bible truth, which was brought into clear focus again in the Reformation, having been lied buried for a number of years through the teaching of Rome, that a man is not saved by his works, that if we could somehow live a perfect life for a billion years, this would not add one ounce of merit to the infinite merit, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the absolute sufficiency of his death on our behalf. We are absolutely saved by grace. But the same Bible that teaches that we are saved by grace also teaches that when a man receives the gift of grace, he is transformed by the Holy Spirit from a lover of sin to a lover of righteousness. So that the same scripture that says, by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast,

17:48 also states that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Now we must never hold the doctrine that we are justified by grace through faith at the expense or hold it in such a way that we will not face the clear implication of the biblical doctrine of holiness. For the Bible that says, except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, also states very clearly that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Now at this point we will pick up the strain of the message again as we have passed over that affected by the distortion.

18:25 Now what have been the results? First of all, there have been drastic results in the pew. There are many in the pews convinced that they are saved,

18:37 but they have never been transformed.

18:41 They have managed to somehow deceive themselves into believing that you can receive Jesus without undergoing a moral reformation. That it is possible to have the eternal Son of God dwell in your bosom by faith and still not experience what the Bible calls a new creation. Multitudes who in their thinking have come to believe this. And then it has had drastic results in the pulpit.

19:08 I know of men, and I am not talking out of my hat, dear ones. I know of men who preach on Bible conference platforms across our nation who are afraid to preach on the Bible. On 1 John chapter 3.

19:24 Afraid to preach on it. The results of this doctrine being believed has shut the mouths of preachers so that they are afraid to set out the fruits and the marks of a true Christian and to tell men if they do not produce the fruits of repentance they have never been born again. They are afraid to do it. Afraid to do it.

19:47 Afraid to do it. This doctrine preached and believed and embraced and it is an easy one because the natural heart loves it has produced these results in our fundamental churches. Dear ones, I would rather die crying out against this thing and be called a fool and die a fool you are in the eyes of than to ever preach a man can enter heaven who loves his sin.

20:28 I don't care if I never see a convert.

20:38 It is truth. Oh dear ones, my heart yearns for some of you here because you heard this doctrine and you believed it. And you are clinging to it. And you are never going to get saved until you are ready to relinquish it.

Principles for Scriptural Interpretation

20:54 And then God will meet you. Now, secondly, we want to examine this doctrine in the light of the scriptures. We have presented what the doctrine is. There are three classes of people.

21:12 The natural man, the carnal man, and the spiritual man. We have seen some of the results of this doctrine in the thinking of people and in the actual experience in the pew and in the pulpit. We have seen some of the results of this doctrine in the light of the scriptures. Now, we want to seek to expose this doctrine in the light of the scriptures.

21:32 And as we do, let's keep before us constantly two principles. They ought to act like guide rails for us. Whenever you come to deal with a problem in the scripture, keep these two principles before you. Number one, that there is no contradiction within the scriptures.

21:49 In other words, Paul can't say something that will contradict James because the same Holy Ghost who spoke through Paul speaks through James. Right? The same Holy Ghost who spoke through John spoke through Paul. So that we can never receive one portion of the scripture in such a way that it makes us shut our eyes to another portion of the scripture.

22:11 Never. The truth of God is a unit. Now, we may not be able to reconcile everything this side of glory. In fact, there's a lot of things, a lot of questions I have.

22:20 And I've tried to reconcile them and I've wrestled until I thought my poor little brain was about to break. I say, Lord, I see through a glass darkly. Thank you, I see, but I sure see darkly. Lots of fogs over my eyes.

22:32 Lots of things I can't put together. But though we cannot reconcile everything, we should never hold one truth so that it makes us embarrassed when we face another truth. You follow me? If you're embarrassed by reading any portion of the scripture, then you're not rightly understanding another portion of the scripture.

22:53 Now, let's keep that principle before us. In other words, whatever Paul says about those people at Corinth being carnal, he certainly can't contradict what John said in 1 John 3, that he that is born of God does not practice sin. Whatever he's saying, he can't contradict this clear statement. He can't do it, because there's no contradiction in the Holy Spirit, in his teaching.

23:15 That's the first principle. Then the second thing, and it flows right out of this, you always interpret an obscure passage in the light of a clear passage. If you have a problem about a certain thing in Matthew 11, well, check your cross references, you know, those little letters in there, you ought to use them in your Bible. If you have a reference system in your Bible, and you look over and you say, ah, here's another verse that deals with this, ah, that's as clear as the nose on my face.

23:44 Sure, that's clear. That's what we did last week. John says, he that is born of God does not practice sin, his seed remaineth in him. Now, that's kind of obscure.

23:54 What is that seed? It's a passage that goes from the passages to the obscure passage, and we got some light. Now, we're going to do the same with this matter of the carnal Christian. The passage in 1 Corinthians 3 is not a doctrinal passage.

24:10 It's a passage dealing with a particular problem at Corinth. Now, if we're to understand what Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 3, let's first of all find out what Paul taught when he dealt with the great doctrines of holiness, sanctification, justification. Now, if we're to understand what Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 3 is, let's find where he's giving a doctrinal lecture, and then whatever he says there, let's interpret this other passage in the light of these. Now, we want to do that this morning.

Romans 8: The Mutually Exclusive Realms of Flesh and Spirit

24:39 These two principles, no contradiction in the word, the obscure must be understood in the light of the clear. Now, you turn to Romans chapter 8, and I'm sure now, I'm going to have to take two weeks on this, I wasn't sure when I started, but now I am sure. I read verses 1 through 14. Quickly.

25:09 But you listen carefully. And I want you to notice two or three words that occur constantly. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. And some of you have a modern translation, you'll notice that that last phrase is excluded here.

25:31 Later on we'll meet it again. But some of the old manuscripts didn't have it there, but it's in verse 4. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sin for flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

25:59 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. They that are after the Spirit, to be carnally minded is death. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh, for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall lose some rewards. Ye shall die.

27:02 But if through the Spirit ye do mortify the dead, the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are spiritual Christians. They are what? Sons of God. Now in this doctrinal passage, the book of Romans, in which Paul is setting forth the great doctrines of the grace of God and the work of the Spirit, I want you to notice that in Romans chapter 8, he contrasts two things constantly. The realm of the flesh, the realm of the Spirit. The carnal mind, the spiritual mind. And notice what he says. These two

27:52 are mutually exclusive. Let's look now at verse 5. They that are after the flesh, they mind the things of the flesh. Fleshly desire, fleshly longings.

28:04 Those that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Carnally minded, death. A man who's given over to his baser appetites and to the flesh, the end of that is death. The end of the spiritually minded man, life and peace.

28:20 The carnal mind is at warfare with God. It is not subject to God. Cannot be. They that are in the flesh cannot please God.

28:28 But you say, Pastor, that's referring to the man who's saved but who's still living in the flesh. And he can't please God in that state. Is it? Look at verse 9.

28:38 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he's none of his. You see what Paul's saying? Get this now.

28:55 He says a man who's living in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. If his basic desires and interests are this life and this flesh, he can't please God. But Paul says this is true of you if the Holy Ghost dwells in you and when you got saved he came to dwell in you. And if he hasn't come to dwell in you, you're none of his.

29:20 You've been basically taken out of the realm of flesh and you've been put into the realm of spirit. Then he moves on in verse 13. If ye live after the flesh ye Oh that means the sin unto death. Does it?

29:55 The most spiritual people I ever know they die. I'm not speaking about physical death. I'm talking about spiritual death. If you live after the flesh you'll die.

30:07 But if by the spirit you do mortify or put to death the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live for as many as by the spirit. Oh but you say I'm being a Christian now. We're going to deal with that problem. Don't go on the next Sunday morning.

Galatians 5: The Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit

30:33 Stay right with me here, will you? You see what he's saying? Flesh two destinies. Life death. Not for the spirit of God opens your eyes on this. And then Galatians 5 for a moment. Galatians 5 please. Paul is dealing again with the two spheres of activity and interest.

31:15 Now here's a doctrinal passage. We're going to interpret the obscure in the light of the clear. We're going to interpret in the light of the fact that there's no contradiction of what God says. Now beginning with verse 16. This I say. Galatians 5 16. Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the spirit, you're not under the law. For the works of the flesh are manifest. Now he names adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft. Now we're all breathing easy.

32:02 But now notice the next one. Hatred, variance, friction, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Anything that comes under the category of disobedience to the revealed will of God. That's the works of the flesh he Paul says. Now what does he say? Notice.

32:31 Notice carefully. As I told you in time past that they who do such things shall lose some reward. No, what's it saying? They shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Now Paul says, I made this clear to you. I told you this when I was with you before. I'll tell it to you again. Those who are given over the flesh shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But, now he's going to draw a contrast, but the fruit of the spirit, and then he mentions it, love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. Now, we usually stop there, and the preacher tenderly says, now dear carnal Christian, you're saved, you're born again, but you're given over to nothing but the flesh, and you'd be so much better if the fruit of the spirit were in your life. Now yield to Jesus as your Lord, and begin to manifest the fruit of the spirit, and then you'll get some rewards. That is in what Paul said. Notice the next verse.

33:40 After giving us two spheres, the works of the flesh and what they're like, the fruit of the spirit and what it's like, now notice verse 24. And they that are Christ's tents have crucified the flesh with the affections and the lust. He does not say those that are spiritual, those that belong to Jesus have basically severed themselves from the realm of the flesh, not perfectly, not completely, that's why he says in the next verse, if we live by the spirit let's walk in the spirit, but basically he says those that belong to Jesus have crucified the flesh with the affections and the lust. Now beloved, either these verses mean what they seem to teach, and the doctrine of a carnal Christian is a damning heresy, or I've got to rip out page after page of my Bible and twist the obvious meaning of the Holy Scripture. And this I will not do. And this you dare not do.

35:01 You dare not. Are you Christ? Do you belong to him? Then demonstrate that the flesh and the affections have been basically crucified and that the fruit of the spirit is manifested. Oh, sometimes I know in my life it's hard nubby fruit. At times there's even some rotten apples hanging on the tree. Beloved, if there's nothing but rotten apples in the tree of your life, then you need to hear what Jesus said. Make the tree good and its fruit good while the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt for a tree is known by its fruits.

Romans 6: Change of Masters and the Fruit of Holiness

35:42 Then there's one other passage. I'm taking this time because this thing is so deeply ingrained I feel there's nothing but the sheer authority of the red word of God, reading it, looking at it, that will expunge it from our minds. Turn back for a moment please to Romans chapter 6. Where again Paul is dealing in this doctrinal book with the basic issues of our allegiance where it lies.

36:14 1 Corinthians chapter 6 Romans, I'm sorry, Romans chapter 6. Notice now what he says in verse 16. Or start with verse 15. What then? Shall we sin because we're not under the law but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness. Notice now two spheres.

36:51 Sin unto death, obedience unto righteousness. But then he says but God be thanked. Praise God he says that ye who were the servants of sin you've obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. That's just another way of saying you've committed yourself to Christ as he was offered in the gospel and what happened? Being made free from sin from the mastery and the dominion of sin as your Lord that you loved and obeyed and served you were basically severed from him. Ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of your flesh, etc. Verse 20. For when ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death. But being made free from sin and become servants to God that's conversion. Ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life. Get that verse. Get it now.

37:55 Conversion. A change of masters. I exchange the master's sin for the new master Christ who will work out in me the path of righteousness. What's the fruit? The fruit is unto holiness and the end everlasting life. No man gets everlasting life but in the pathway of holiness and no man can be holy until he's converted and has a change of masters by the grace of God. Isn't that what the book says? But we've read it this way.

38:32 But having accepted Jesus ye went on serving the flesh and ye have your fruit unto carnal Christianity and the end the loss of a few rewards. I'm not going to butcher my Bible beloved. I'm going to let God say what he says and preach it by his grace. Well you say pastor what does 1 Corinthians chapter 3 teach?

The Inescapable Truth: No Contradiction in Scripture

39:02 Just exactly what does it teach? Well we'll take that up next week. I've got notes here planning to give it but I can't deal with it adequately in the time that remains. So I'm going to close with this exhortation. Regardless of what it teaches it cannot contradict 1 John chapter 3 where John says he that is born of God does not make a practice of sin. He's never at home in the realm of sin. Why? The divine seed is at work in him and if he is in sin as the child of God if he stumbles he feels unclean and disturbed until he's back in the way of holiness. He has an advocate with the Father if he stumbles. Yes John said if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. But that's for the man whose basic desire is to walk in the light, walk in obedience. All these birthmarks that John gave us whatever Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 3 he can't contradict 1 John chapter 3.

39:58 He certainly wouldn't contradict himself in Romans 8 where he said there's only two spheres, flesh, spirit two destinies, life and death. The child of God is one indwelt by the Spirit and that indwelling severs him. He can't contradict Galatians chapter 5 where he says works of the flesh, no inheritance in the kingdom of God fruit of the Spirit, those that belong to Jesus are basically committed to this. Whatever he says in 1 Corinthians 3 I'm not going to make him contradict what he said everywhere else.

Pastoral Exhortation and Call to Self-Examination

40:30 Will you dare to do it? And I could number passage after passage which sets this truth forward. I plead with you young man, young woman. Father, Mother if you're not pressing on in the path of holiness if you're content with your present measure of grace you'd better beware.

40:55 Listen to me parents. Listen to me parents. Your children made a decision back when they were little kids, little children. You don't see any fruits of the new birth but you know you've been breathing kind of easy and figured oh well. They aren't going on as they ought but they've accepted Jesus. If this truth grips you. Parents listen to me. If your children die today they wake up in hell.

41:23 You're not concerned. You're not pleading with God. Why? Because you believe this damnable prophecy that they're saved but they're discarded.

41:39 I want my boy to grow up knowing until he's in the way of holiness. I want him to know he can't get in that way until he's born again. I want him to know it's by grace. I want him to know that.

41:53 I don't want to raise a child who thinks he's saved because he's nodded his head to what his daddy believes and preaches. I want a boy who knows by revelation of the Holy Ghost and faithful preaching of the word that until the Holy Ghost is sanctified his heart and give him a desire to be holy he has no grounds to claim he's saved. Oh may God have mercy on some of you parents. Some of you believe this ignorantly.

42:20 I'm not scolding you. It's what you've been taught. But after this morning you have no excuse to further believe it. Some of you believed it willingly because you've deceived yourself.

42:36 And you know if your children don't have the real thing you're going to have to confess I don't have it because I don't have anything more than they've got. That's why some of you parents believe this. You dare not say your children aren't saved because they bear as much fruit as you do. Does this strike fear to your heart?

43:14 I've got to give an account for you dear ones to whom God has sent you. Will you go on believing and confessing you're a Christian while you're at home in the realm of sin? Will you? Will you go on professing to know Christ as your Savior though you've never bowed to him as your Lord?

43:44 Then my friend unless God awakens you and turns you from that course you will go right on believing those things right on to judgment and out into eternity a lost soul. God grant that today recognizing the error of your way you might cry out to God for mercy. It's a terrible thing for a man or woman to live and to die never having heard the message of Christ and to go out into eternity. It's a terrible thing for a person to hear the message and never believe and to go out into eternity.

44:24 It's thrice terrible for a person to hear the message and then believe a false truth about the message or a false doctrine that lets them be at home in sin while they profess to belong to Jesus and then go out into eternity. Hell will be more tolerable for the demons than for such people who turn the grace of God into a license for their sin and turn the blood of Jesus into an excuse to carry out their rebellion against God without any fear of punishment. O may God awake and God destroy. Beloved, this is a sobering thing. I'm not talking about something that's out in right field in China somewhere. This is right here.

45:22 My roommate at Columbia Bible College on his way to the mission field converted several years ago already setting his sights for the mission field reared in a Christian home graduate from a Christian college member of gospel churches never been born again. Converted several years ago. We ought to just bow in prayer and soberly reflect upon our own hearts and ask ourselves the question am I at home in the realm of sin? Am I at ease in my present state? Having made a trip to an altar five or ten years ago have I breathed easy ever since? I've done the ritual. I've made my almighty decision therefore God must take me to heaven.

46:28 Oh dear one, what a lie. Father by the Holy Spirit burn the word of truth into hearts. Grant that that word may find men and women even today. May it shake the false foundation.

46:58 Grant Lord that it may cut from underneath men and women in this place every prop upon which they've stood. Lord don't let them lean upon a wall that will crumble in the day of judgment. Set them on the rock of a real vital experience of thy saving grace. For everyone in our midst who professes to know thee but whose heart is basically committed to the work and realm of the flesh wilt thou not wound the conscience awaken them Lord oh we pray that in love and in mercy thou wilt arrest them.

47:42 For those of us in whom this work of grace has been done stir up within us Lord a greater desire to pursue thee in the path of holiness and obedience. Give us a greater hatred for sin than we've ever had before. Help us to hate as thy word says even the garment spotted by the flesh. Oh Lord grant that we shall be a people upon whom there is written holiness unto the Lord.

48:12 We don't ask for thrilling experiences our Father we ask for practical godliness practical obedience to thy revealed will through the power of the Holy Spirit. For those who come among us who make no profession of thee Lord grant that their eyes may be opened to see that they cannot be holy until they come to Jesus who loved them and died for them. Grant our Father that the word today shall not prove vain we pray in Christ's name. Amen.

48:49 We'll dispense for the singing of a closing hymn and I feel probably some of you wonder what pastor after God has spoken so clearly why don't you give an invitation for people to come. I feel I'd be doing the very thing I've sought to expose this morning. I'd be making you rest in a certain act coming down an aisle talking with a preacher. So I am deliberately, deliberately this is not an oversight I am deliberately refusing to invite people to come to the altar for fear that you'll do a second time what you've done before. Mistake this trip to the altar for a meeting with God. If God has spoken to you get a secret place with God and cry out to Him, O Lord is it I? Have I been deceived?

49:48 Have I been deceiving myself about my children? There you meet God. You've heard enough truth today I trust you'll respond. For we stand together and be dismissed from here.

50:06 Our Father we do not delight to face thy searching gaze and yet we know we must meet that gaze someday. Grant, O God grant we might meet it today in grace and mercy and then be prepared to meet thee that day when we stand before thee. Grant that no oversensitive soul shall be unduly troubled. Grant that every careless soul shall be shaken and may thy grace and mercy and peace comfort and be very present to those who love our Lord Jesus. We pray in his dear name. Amen.