Orthodox Christianity

Introduction to Pre-Membership Class and Confessional Commitment

0:04 The following message was delivered on March 22, 1992, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. This is lecture number six in the pre-membership class.

0:18 And now let us once again seek the Lord's help and blessing as we study this morning those matters essential for someone contemplating joining the church. Let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for the access that we have to your holy and blessed presence. We thank you for your word and we thank you for your spirit.

0:44 We pray that as we consider this morning those essential doctrines of your word which must be believed to go to heaven. We pray that your Holy Spirit will come upon us and by your power and might will bless us and write your word upon our hearts that you would receive all of the honor, praise and glory. That it would be. That it would be a time of edification to our souls.

1:07 And if there be any in our midst who are blind and ignorant and lost, oh God, that you will find them this morning. Open their blinded eyes that they may see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. For we ask this in his name. Amen.

1:26 Now for the sake of those who are visiting with us this morning, a word of explanation is in order. We are conducting this. Adult Sunday school class as though it were a pre membership class and as though everyone here in the room this morning. We're in the process of applying for church membership and we intend to conduct this pre membership class over a period of 13 weeks and there are several issues which we must consider together because these are the things which are essential to know.

2:06 If you are desirous to be a member at Trinity Baptist Church, the first issue which we have already covered has to do with the subject of conversion, the second with the matter of baptism, and the third issue has to do with the doctrinal distinctives of our church. We are a confessional church. We stand confessionally committed to the 1689 London Confession of. Faith it is not my purpose this morning to give a defense of this practice it is simply a reality and anyone who desires to join Trinity Baptist Church must be in substantial agreement with our confession of faith and it is for this reason that we include these lessons in our pre membership class the apostle exhorts us in the book of Ephesians chapter four and verse.

3:07 Three to give diligence to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and it is abundantly clear in the exposition of that chapter particularly verses 11 to 16 that this unity of the spirit is grounded in the word of God that the unity of the spirit of which the apostle Paul speaks in Ephesians chapter four is a doctrinal unity. We often hear in. Our day that it is doctrine which divides and love which unifies this is not the teaching of the apostle in Ephesians for his teaching is to the contrary it is error that divides and it is truth which unifies the people of God the more we are conformed in our minds to that same standard of biblical truth. The more.

4:09 Unified we shall be and I think perhaps that is enough to say why we are a confessional church we believe that contained in the 1689 confession of faith are the things most surely believed among us we do not regard this document to be infallible the Bible alone is infallible but we do regard it to be. An accurate expression of what we believe the Bible teaches about the most important issues that we face as his people and for that reason we are all committed to it and if you desire to join this church then you as well must be in substantial agreement you cannot deny any of the fundamental or basic doctrinal distinctives. Of the 1689 London. Confession of faith.

Overview of the Five Doctrinal Distinctives of the 1689 Confession

5:14 Now therefore over the next five weeks it is our purpose to take up these five essential doctrinal distinctives of the 1689 confession of faith in order the next five classes will focus upon them now here I must depart from pretense and speak directly to you those of you who were at the. 1991 pastors conference. Will remember a handout sheet that was given out to you I would suggest to you that you bring that handout sheet to the subsequent classes so that you can follow along and I've asked the deacons for those who are visiting to make available in subsequent weeks that handout sheet which outlines and details the doctrinal distinctives of the 1689 confession if in reality we were conducting a class with say 10 or 15 people. In reality we were conducting a class with say 10 or 15 people.

6:14 Who were not members of the church who wanted to join the church we would give them that handout sheet and then follow let them follow along with it but most of you I think already have it so I regret the fact that there there's just there's some things you just simply cannot pretend away and therefore we must deal with what we have this morning. Now there are five doctrinal distinctives of the 1689 London confession of faith. First of all. As opposed to that which is heretical and false.

6:48 The 1689 confession of faith stands firmly committed to orthodox Christianity. Secondly as opposed to a dispensational view of the Bible the 1689 stands firmly committed to a covenantal perspective on the organization and fundamental unity of the word of God. Thirdly. With.

7:14 Reference to the whole subject of salvation and God's work of salvation the 1689 confession of faith is unashamedly Calvinistic. Fourthly. With reference to experimental religion devotion to God and worship and its focus upon piety and godliness the 1689 is clearly Puritan or. It is committed to the.

7:46 Distinctives of the old Puritans and finally with reference to its view of the church and the corporate life of the church the 1689 is decidedly Baptistic as opposed to a system associated with infant sprinkling or infant baptism and the 1689 is independent that is as opposed to a system of church life which is denominational and which has. A system of church life which is denominational and which has. A church government broader than the government of a local church which has authority over churches and makes decrees which are binding upon churches this is called synodical government the 1689 stands opposed to this as well so here are the distinctives of the 1689 it is Christian it is covenantal it is Calvinistic it is Puritan and with reference to the church it is independent and Baptistic. Now.

Defining Heresy and Damning Error

8:46 What is our purpose over the next five weeks to consider these five doctrinal distinctives of the 1689 and in the order wherein I have just presented them now the first and the foremost and the foundational of these is that the 1689 confession of faith to which our church stands committed is marked out by being orthodox and Christian it takes a clear. Stand. For orthodox Christian doctrine against all heresy and damning error I want to say this at the outset with reference to the subject of heresy and damning error there is no human being and no Christian that can claim to be free from indwelling sin not the godliest of saints is free from indwelling sin and remaining sin no doubt affects our minds. It.

9:49 It affects our thinking it affects our understanding of the Bible and of doctrine there is none of us that can claim that we are absolutely right about everything we say anybody claims that he's wrong about one thing he's wrong about one thing he's wrong about the fact that he's not absolutely right about everything he said he's wrong about that but thankfully we don't claim that and that's the point in a pre-meditation. Membership class I want to make this very clear that when we speak about damning heresy we are not saying that if anyone disagrees with us about anything he's going to go to hell that's not what we're saying no there are many areas of doctrine where it is possible for good and godly Christian men to disagree. We are not saying that if you believe the Bible teaches that infants ought to be sprinkled that you will be Dan.

11:03 We're not saying that we are not saying that if you are a dispensation list you will be Dan. I'm not saying. We are not saying that unless in every area you are sure it and you will be damned we're not saying.

11:23 And the Bible doesn't teach.

11:27 However. What the Bible does teach is that there are some errors which are so serious as to be heretical. That is, to believe these errors is inconsistent with being in a state of grace.

11:54 You see, there are many in our day who would never say a thing like that. They say, look, as long as you live a decent life and as long as you're a friendly fellow and you're nice to everybody and you're sweet, it doesn't really matter to God what you believe. And you can be a nice, decent fellow and believe anything you like about everything and anything and it's okay. It doesn't really matter.

12:27 Now, the point this morning is that that is not true. There are some errors which, if you hold them in your heart, will lead you into hell. And these are the errors upon which we focus this morning. Now, it is not possible to deal with these errors at this level in a pre-membership class in the kind of detail which they're dealt with in the academy.

13:00 But it seems that every new Christian is beset by the heretic. When people come to the Lord, immediately the wolf in sheep's clothing go out and try to find them and drag them away from the flock. And this morning, my intention is to warn you. It is to guard you.

13:19 It is to protect you from the wolves who are always hanging around the perimeter of the flock of sheep and seeking to snatch away the people and to draw them away after themselves in their errors and heresy. Now, specifically, the scripture speaks of seven areas and kinds of error which are inconsistent with being a Christian and which are inconsistent with going to heaven. It speaks of error respecting scripture and respecting God and creation and Christ and the gospel and the Christian life and the world to come. Amen. Now, what I've listed for you on the board are these major texts which demonstrate that there are some errors so serious that they are inconsistent with knowing God, inconsistent with receiving Christian greeting, inconsistent with being under grace but which are marks of being under wrath, inconsistent with having your name written in the Lamb's book of life

14:35 but which rather are marks of being under wrath. But which rather are so serious as to call forth the anathema and curse of God upon anyone who believes them and anyone who spreads and promotes them.

Heresy Regarding Scripture: Rejecting Apostolic Teaching

14:53 And therefore, what I would like to do this morning is to go through these major errors and these passages of scripture with you, albeit briefly, that your minds may be warned and guarded against those damning, heretical errors which threaten the people of God. Now, the first such error has to do with the scriptures themselves.

15:22 1689 Confession of Faith teaches very clearly that the Bible is infallible in chapter 1 and paragraphs 4 and 5. That the Bible is sufficient to tell us everything we need to know about doctrine and practice. That the Bible is clear with reference to the major issues of life and salvation. That the Bible is inspired of God and kept pure in all ages.

15:53 That it is infallible, that it is without error. And we believe clearly the Bible to be without error in everything it says. With reference to doctrine, with reference to religious practice, with reference to history, and with reference to science. Whatever the Bible says, it says infallibly, it says inerrantly, it is without error.

16:23 When it speaks about history, or science, or doctrine, or practice, or any other subject.

16:33 Now, that this is clear, turn with me please to 1 John chapter 4 and verse 6. 1 John chapter 4. And verse 6.

17:02 In this passage, the Apostle John is speaking about the Apostles. And about their writings, about their ministry, about their teaching and preaching. He says in 1 John 4, 6, We are of God. He that knows God hears us.

17:21 He who is not of God hears us not. By this we know the spirit of truth. And by this we know the spirit of truth. And by this we know the spirit of error.

17:33 Now notice, to reject the teaching of the Apostles. To say that what the Apostles said is wrong. To say that the Apostles' teaching is in error. That it is false.

17:49 Is not just a matter about which good and godly men can disagree. You see the category into which such statements are placed. We are of God. He that knows God.

18:02 God hears us. This is not a matter of good and godly brethren disagreeing about this point or that point. This is a matter of whether or not you know God. You cannot deny the teaching of the Apostles.

18:18 And lay a valid claim that you know God.

18:24 If you reject the apostolic doctrine. You reject their teaching. You say the scriptures are in error. Whether they are.

18:34 Teaching and giving the accounts of Christ's life. Whether they are talking about history. Whether they are saying something that scientists might want to dispute. Whether they are talking about religious practice and devotion or in the church.

18:47 Whether they are speaking about their doctrine of God. Their doctrine of creation. Their doctrine of Christ. Their doctrine of the gospel or of the Christian life or of the world to come.

18:57 For you to reject any of the teachings and writings of the Apostles. Is for you to place yourself in a position of grave danger with reference to your soul. So please, you are going to have people come to you and tell you that the Bible is in error. That the Bible is filled with errors.

19:21 There are all kinds of historical errors and scientific errors in the Bible. People are going to come and tell you these things. Remember when they do. He that knows God hears us.

19:35 He that does not hear us does not know God. For someone to reject the Apostolic teachings and writings is for someone to demonstrate according to John that they do not know God. It is a matter of life and death. It is a matter of heaven and hell.

19:55 It is not a matter of legitimate debate among Christian people. Don't be deceived. To reject the writings of the Apostles is damning heresy.

Heresy Regarding God: Denying the Trinity

20:10 But secondly, the Bible clearly teaches and the confession of faith articulates this in chapter 2 and paragraph 3. That there is only one God. And that this one God exists in three persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

20:35 And here is one of the great mysteries of the Bible. There is only one Supreme Being. There is only one God. And yet, this one God exists in three persons.

20:52 Or as our confession says, three subsistences. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three eyes. The Father says to the Son, You.

21:10 And of the Holy Spirit they say, Him. They relate to one another personally. They speak, they listen, they commune. They are distinct persons.

21:28 And yet, the Father is God. He is the one Supreme Being. The Son is God. He is the one Supreme Being.

21:38 The Holy Spirit is God. He is the one Supreme Being. There is only one Supreme Being. The Father is that one Supreme Being.

21:46 And the Son is that one Supreme Being. And the Holy Spirit is that one Supreme Being. And yet, the Father is not the Son. And the Son is not the Father.

21:56 And the Father is not the Holy Spirit. And the Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Son and the Holy Spirit are not the same person. Even after the resurrection.

22:07 The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. They always have been. They always will be. And yet, each of those distinct persons is the one supreme being.

22:25 Now, how can that be? I don't know. I cannot explain it.

22:33 You cannot explain it. Nobody can explain it.

22:38 But if you don't believe it, you're an idolater.

22:44 Where did you get that idea? From the same writing of John.

22:50 1 John chapter 5 and verse 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we know Him that is true and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

23:28 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. There is only one true God. And to know and confess Him, His eternal life.

23:40 It's not a matter of good Christian people disagreeing about whether and who God is. There is only one true God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons, the one true God, are to receive our worship, our adoration, our loyalty, and failure to give to the Father and Son and Holy Spirit that reverence and attachment, and love and adoration and worship, which is due to God, is to be guilty of idolatry.

24:16 It is to violate the first and great commandment, which is you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. It is to violate the law of God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

24:34 And to violate that is to put yourself in the place where you have no God. And to have no valid claim to possess eternal life. This is the true God and life eternal. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

24:59 But there's a third thing. Well, let me just say then, when the Mormon comes to you and he comes to your house, when the Jehovah's Witness comes to your house, when the Christadelphian runs into you, recognize that you are not alone. Then put yourself in the place where you are blessed by the Lord, where there is no marriage, which is Alison and Britneyssa, and Peter and John, among others. Do not put yourself in any reverse.

25:29 There is no other way to face this world. And worship instead yourosevelty, or your eternal love, and ask God pretend that you, as Jesus and as Jesus, are small and humble beings. He is not alone. under the canopy of divine wrath and judgment.

Heresy Regarding Creation and the Fall: Embracing Evolution

25:52 We come then to the third thing, and I must move quickly.

26:00 Not only is it heretical to reject the Scriptures, to reject the Trinity, it is also heretical to reject the doctrine of creation. Turn with me, please, to the book of Romans, chapter 1. The 1689 Confession of Faith in chapters 4 through 6 stands firmly committed to the doctrine of creation. The idea that the entire world was made literally by God is taught in chapter 4.

26:43 That man was made and created by God is taught in chapter 4. That the God who made man orders all of history is taught in chapter 5. Man by his rebellion fell into sin, and that this sin spread to the whole human race is taught in chapter 6. There's a perspective on origins that has to do with creation and the control of God and the fall into sin.

27:11 And this is clearly taught in our Confession of Faith. It is one of the things most surely believed among us.

27:21 But there are many in our day who deny these things, who say that man was not created, at all, by God. Or that the human race never fell into sin, but rather that by some process of chance and evolution, human beings came to be. And, far be it, man is not now less than and worse than what he once was when he was originally made. But, oh no, say these, the human race is continually progressing for the better.

27:54 It is evolving morally. It is evolving morally to be superior. And so, we are far, far morally superior today than we were at the dawn of human history. What about such teaching?

28:07 Is it of the Lord? Can a person embrace such things and know God? No, he cannot. To embrace such things is to evidence that you are under the wrath of God and abandoned by God.

28:26 It is to evidence Do you even reject that light of nature which has been given through creation itself? Romans chapter 1 speaks very clearly.

28:40 This is inconsistent with being in a state of grace, but rather such a mentality and such a false doctrine is indicative of being under the wrath of God. Notice, for the wrath of God, Romans 1.18, is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. And it goes on to speak about the fact that His everlasting power and deity are even displayed in the creation so that men perceive it and see it.

29:14 And so to teach such horrible things as the doctrine of chance and evolution, to teach such horrible doctrines, is to deny the very... the very light of nature to which every human being has access.

29:30 It is to suppress it. It is to reject it. And the Lord Himself, in Romans chapter 1, verses 24 to 32, tells us the true state of people who do such things. Notice, verse 24, Wherefore God gave them up.

29:54 God abandoned them. God gave them up. In the lusts...

29:59 ...of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves.

30:04 For that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator. And again, verse 26, For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions. And He speaks about the vile passions of lesbianism and homosexuality, which is the...

30:27 which is itself... which is itself the evidence of divine abandonment.

30:35 Verse 28, And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind. We should not be shocked that in our society, which, like that pagan society to which Paul wrote, in our society which has rejected wholesale creation and the poor, that there should be...

31:03 the rise of promiscuity. God gave them up. The rise of homosexuality and lesbianism. God gave them up.

31:13 And a decline in common decency and courtesy. God gave them up to a reprobate mind. Now these teachings are not consistent with someone who is under the canopy of divine favor. To the contrary, these teachings are indicative of someone who is under the canopy of divine abandonment and wrath.

31:45 Wherefore, God gave them up. So you find someone, very nice fellow, in a Christian college supposedly, teaching to the young students coming from these Christian homes, sending the children there, teaching them evolution, teaching them...

32:08 that there was no creation. And there has never been a fall. Teaching them these things.

32:16 Nice fellow?

32:18 Perhaps. However, I tell you this. How be it how sweet and nice and smiley and friendly he is. The truth of the matter is he knows not the Lord in a saving way.

32:31 And he's under the canopy of divine wrath. And I suspect as well, that you won't have to look very far, and pull off, the mask very far, before you find him not too distant from promiscuity, from homosexuality, and from a reprobate mind.

32:58 You won't have to look too far to find the gift. Because here it is in the word of God. Don't be deceived. It is not an innocent little thing for someone to reject the doctrine of creation and the fallen, to teach the heresy of evolution.

33:17 Evolution is not a scientific theory. Evolution is a religious heresy.

33:29 Let that never be forgotten. Do not be deceived.

Heresy Regarding Christ: Denying His Person and Work

33:38 Fourthly, respecting the Lord Jesus Christ.

33:44 Respecting the Lord Jesus Christ.

33:48 Our 1689 London Confession of Faith stands unashamedly committed to the doctrine that Christ is God the Son who came to earth in the virgin's womb, and who took to himself a true human body and a true human soul. What did I say? Did I say something wrong? Did I say chapter 8?

34:21 I said 9? I meant 8. Our Confession of Faith in chapter 8, paragraphs 2 and 4, is firmly committed to this. The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and his incarnation, that he took to himself a true human body and a true human soul, all of the properties of humanity, all of the infirmities of humanity, yet without sin.

34:51 He is truly human, and yet he is sinlessly human. And when he became truly human, he did not cease to be completely divine. He is one person, God the Son, who has a complete divine nature and a complete human nature that are not confused and commingled and thrown together, but are both found in that one person joined together forever. It is to that orthodox doctrine of Christ that we are called to be.

35:31 That our Confession of Faith stands firmly committed. That the Lord Jesus is truly God. That he lived a perfect life. That he really died an atoning death upon the cross and follow.

35:53 That he actually, literally, bodily was raised from the dead with that very same body, in which he was crucified, now glorified with the same body. That he is now really seated at the right hand of God and that he is coming again, literally, bodily to earth to consummate, to bring to completion this present evil age and to usher in the new heavens and earth wherein dwells righteousness. To all these things, our Confession of Faith stands firmly committed. It is inconsistent with being in a state of grace to reject this orthodox doctrine of Christ. Turn with me to the book of 2 John. 2 John, a little epistle of 2 John and beginning in verse 7. We read, For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not

37:19 that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver, this is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that you lose not the things which we have wrought, but that you receive a full reward. Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ hath not God.

37:47 Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ hath not God. It's not a matter of brethren disagreeing. It's a matter of life and death. It's a matter of whether you belong to the Lord or whether you don't.

38:04 Whoever goes onward and abideth not in this teaching hath not God. Consider verse 9. He that abideth in the teaching the same hath both the Father and the Son. If anyone cometh unto you and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house and give him no greeting.

38:31 For he that giveth him greeting partakes in his evil works. What did he say? Don't extend to him the right hand of Christian fellowship. But isn't that nasty?

38:44 Well, perhaps some would call it nastiness, but if it is, it's apostolic inspired scriptural nastiness. It's apostolic intolerance. There is a place for intolerance. One of the difficulties of our days is that we are far, far too tolerant.

39:04 Tolerate way too much. There's a doctrine of apostolic intolerance. There's a place to draw the line and say we will not tolerate you. We will not extend to you the right hand of Christian greeting.

39:19 Get out of my house. And where's the line drawn? Is it drawn when somebody wants to sprinkle a baby? No, it's not talking about sprinkling babies here.

39:29 It's not talking about a good brother who's mistaken on that point. It's talking about someone who is rejecting the Biblical apostolic teaching about Christ. His deity, his virgin birth, his perfect life, his atoning death, his bodily resurrection, his heavenly session, and his bodily coming. Someone denying those things is not to receive Christian greeting.

39:59 Don't tolerate him. Don't bring him in the house. Therefore, if that be true, those who claim to be Christian in the mainline denominations of our country that are liberal and neo-orthodox are deceived. Because they reject the virgin birth of Christ.

40:24 They reject the perfect life of Christ. They reject the bodily resurrection of Christ. And many of them reject the literal second coming. Don't believe it.

40:37 They think of the resurrection of Christ kind of like Santa Claus. Whether it's real, whether it actually happened in history, space, and time, doesn't really matter. It just matters that this resurrection event has made a great impression on me. That's all that matters.

41:00 Doesn't matter if it actually happened. Doesn't matter if his body really rotted in the tomb or whether his spirit returned to his body and he came out of the tomb. Doesn't matter! Oh yes, it does matter.

41:12 In fact, it matters a whole lot. In fact, it makes every bit of difference. One of the major denominations years ago debating the subject of the ordination of women comments to this nature were made. Quote, Denial of the virgin birth hurts no one.

41:31 Refusal to ordain a woman hurts a lot of people. There's the mentality. Hurts no one. What about God?

41:45 And what about the soul of the one who denies it? Hurts plenty. But the mentality in our day is it doesn't matter. This is just old antiquated talk about doctrine.

42:00 What difference does it make whether Mary was a virgin? What difference does it make whether Jesus really came out of the grave bodily? What difference does all that make? The importance is look at the lovely example of the Jesus event.

42:13 And all that that says to us and means to us. Now listen, this kind of stuff, this neo-orthodox stuff, this is heresy. It is heresy. It is damning error.

42:25 To reject the perfect life, the virgin birth, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is damning heresy. It's inconsistent with having God as your Father. It's inconsistent with receiving the right hand of Christian fellowship. We must hasten on.

Heresy Regarding the Gospel: Adding Works to Faith

42:50 Also with reference to the Gospel. Turn with me please to the book of Galatians chapter 1. It's evident in the book of Galatians what heretical teaching the Apostle Paul is speaking about. Galatians chapter 1.

43:16 Our 1689 London Confession of Faith takes a firm stand on the Gospel Paul preached. The Gospel of justification by faith. The Gospel that we considered in our first pre-membership class. You'll recall perhaps.

43:32 That Gospel of need and provision and requirement. The Gospel about our sins and about Christ as our only provision received by means of faith and about our duty to repent and to believe the Gospel. Christ is all we need. The righteousness of Christ is all the righteousness we need.

43:58 The virtue of the cross of Christ is all the atonement we need. We don't need to add anything to His atonement. And we don't need to add anything to His perfect righteousness. We come with the empty hand of faith and we receive Christ.

44:16 And when we receive Christ by the empty hand of faith we are made right with God. It's not Christ plus works. It's not faith plus circumcision. It's not faith plus works.

44:29 It's not faith plus sacraments. It's not faith plus rituals. It's not faith plus anything. It's not Christ plus anything.

44:37 It's Christ alone and faith alone. Christ alone and faith alone. You say, well what if some good Christian believes it's Christ plus keeping ceremony. And what if some good Christian believes it's faith plus going through religious rituals like circumcision.

45:00 Paul says there is no such thing as such a good Christian. Paul says in fact that's another Gospel. And to teach that and believe that is to place yourself under the curse of God. Galatians chapter 1.

45:19 I marvel, verse 6, that you are so quickly removing from Him that called you in the grace of Christ to a different Gospel which is not another Gospel. Only there are some that trouble you that would pervert the Gospel of Christ. And what was their perversion? They were teaching, oh yes, Jesus is Messiah but it's not enough to have Christ.

45:41 It's not enough to believe you also in order to be saved you must be circumcised and keep the ceremonies of the Jewish law. He says, no, no, no, no, no. But, verse 8, though we or an angel from heaven should preach to you any Gospel other than that which we preach to you let him be anathema, that is a curse. As we have said before, so say I now again.

46:06 If any man preaches to you any Gospel other than that which you preach to him, that which you receive, let him be anathema. For am I now seeking the favor of men or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men I should not be a servant of Christ.

46:28 The ecumenical spirit inconsistent with having a good conscience in a Gospel ministry. It's inconsistent joining hands, Protestants and Catholics together ecumenical, quote, Christian identification. Wait a minute. What so-called Gospel does Rome preach?

46:50 Does Rome preach Christ alone? Does Rome preach faith alone? No. Rome preaches a false Gospel very similar to that Gospel of the Judaizers which was preached in the first century.

47:03 The same fundamental error and heresy is taught by Rome today. And yet there are some so blind that we're all involved in this ecumenical loving. Paul wouldn't have been there. Paul wouldn't have been there.

47:19 For he says, Am I striving to please men? If I should still be striving to please men I would not be a servant of Christ. The so-called Gospel which Rome preaches, a Gospel of faith plus works, a Gospel of Christ plus merit, is a false Gospel. It's a heretical Gospel.

47:42 It's a damning error and heresy to believe it will land you in the pit. Do not be deceived. It's Christ alone. Christ plus nothing.

47:53 Faith plus nothing. Not faith plus works or faith plus rituals or faith plus baptism and sacraments. No, it is not. It is Christ alone and faith alone.

Heresy Regarding the Christian Life: Antinomianism

48:03 And any other Gospel, so-called, is a false Gospel. A heretical error. Thumb six to the subject of the Christian life. Now, thankfully, I can be brief at this point because we already looked at this a couple of weeks ago.

48:24 The Christian life. There is a heresy around with reference to the Christian life. And just turn with me to one passage in 1 Corinthians 6. And I'll speak about it briefly and then we'll move on to the seventh and final point that I want to make this morning.

48:37 With reference to the Christian life, our confession of faith and the Word of God is abundantly clear that a godly or holy life, as we saw two weeks ago, is the evidence of true conversion. And in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 9 and 10, we read the following. For don't you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be deceived.

49:02 Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor coveters, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such are some of you. You say, no, that's not what it says. You're right.

49:25 It says, and such were some of you. Not such are some of you. Some of you are carnal Christians. That's not what he said.

49:34 Such were some of you. Such were some of you. The people who believe that they can live a life of fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, and go to heaven are deceived. And do not be deceived.

49:48 People who do such things cannot and will not inherit the kingdom of God. But much of that was said two weeks ago. I pass it over briefly to come to the seventh point. And that is with reference to the world to come.

Heresy Regarding the World to Come: Denying Hell

50:00 Turn with me, please, to the book of Revelation, chapter 22. The book of Revelation, chapter 22. There are some who teach in our day that this life is all there is. And they teach that everything will turn out okay in the end for everybody.

50:23 No matter how you live, God is all love. There's no such thing as hell. There's no such thing as damnation. No such thing as eternal punishment.

50:33 And there's another version of that which is around in our day, which is growing, by the way, and becoming more popular among people who say, well, I'm an evangelical. How dare you question the integrity of my evangelical status just because I don't believe in hell? Ah, I dare to question it. And so should you.

50:55 Why? Why? Look at Revelation 22 and verse 19. It says in verse 18, If any man shall add to the words of this prophecy, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book.

51:10 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city which are written in this book. Now, this prophecy focuses upon the world to come. It focuses upon the reality of the judgment to come upon the wicked. So anybody says there's no judgment for the wicked, it's inconsistent with eating from the tree of life and being in that holy city for all eternity.

51:41 And this prophecy of this book also teaches that in conjunction with that judgment is the second death, is the leg of fire, and it tells us what that means. And now let's just look briefly in closing at these two passages, and then we've got to stop. Our time is gone. I'll just read them to you.

51:58 Revelation chapter 20, verse 14. And death and Hades were cast into the leg of fire. This is the second death. Even the leg of fire.

52:11 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the leg of fire. And Revelation 14, verses 9 to 11. Verse 9. If any man worships the beast and receives his mark, that is anyone who is not truly converted, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of the Lord.

52:34 For God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger, he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day and night who worship the beast. And the prophecy of this book is the judgment to come and the eternal torment, the eternal punishment in the leg of fire and the wicked. And if anyone takes that away, if anyone denies that, if anyone rejects that, erases that from the Bible, God will take away his part out of the book of life. No matter how useful that person may have been in Christian work, no matter who he may think he is, he denies that. He's not in a place consistent with spending eternity in the holy city, having his name in the book of life. Therefore, I say this to you in closing.

Conclusion: Call to Guard Against Heresy

53:41 Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. Beware of the carnal toleration of heresy in the name of love. Beware of tolerating heresy, respecting scripture, God, creation, Christ, the gospel, the Christian life, and the world to come. Be on your guard.

54:04 This church stands firmly committed to this orthodox truth. If you want to join, then you too must be firmly committed to it. Let us pray. Our Father, we give you thanks for your holy and infallible word.

54:25 We pray our God that we may not be led astray by the winds of error and heresy of our generation, that you would be pleased to keep us in the way of righteousness, holiness, and of truth. Until Christ comes. Seal your word to our hearts. We pray it in his name.

54:44 Amen.