Clean Transcript

Pretend Christians

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• John chapter 8, and we're going to read verses 30 through 32. John 8, verses 30 through 32. I'm not necessarily going to be expounding these short verses as much as I'm going to be explaining them, and we will certainly come back to them at the end. So I want you to look in John 8, begin reading there with verse 30. Here's what our Lord says: "And as he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews, which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed."

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• "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The title of the message is "Pretend Christians." Pretend Christians. I've made this statement before, and I will make it again: I am really tired of what you and I would call pretend Christians. Evidently, many professing Christians—and by that I mean mainly church members—believe that Christianity is a game, because they really pretend to be Christians. They pretend to believe the Bible. They pretend to worship God. They pretend to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They pretend to be obedient, and they pretend to submit to the Word of God. They're much like that obedient son in Matthew 21.

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• And I want you to turn there, if you would, very quickly. Look in Matthew chapter 21, and let's begin reading there with verse 28. Notice what our Lord says—and by the way, He's talking to these Pharisees. So in Matthew chapter 21 and verse 28, our Lord says this. He asks them a question: "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?" They say unto him, "The first." Jesus saith unto them, "Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." Now I want you to note that many pretend Christians are like this son.

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• They are nice, and they are mannerly. They even act like they're going to obey. But in reality, they do not. They simply say, "I go, sir," and they went not. So evidently, there are many professing Christians that have never really matured or never really grown up. I remember when I was a boy, we used to play pretend games. We would say, "Let's pretend that we're cops and robbers," or "Let's pretend that we're cowboys and Indians," or "Let's pretend that we're Yankees and Confederates." And of course, in South Georgia, you had problems finding Yankees because nobody wanted to play that part particularly. But we played those games, and we knew that they were pretend, and we knew that they were not real. And the interesting thing is, after we matured and after we became adults, we quit playing those pretend games. I haven't played cowboys and Indians in probably 70 years.

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• I don't know, 65 anyhow. So I'm just simply saying pretend is something when you're a child, but not when you are an adult. And when our Lord is speaking to these people, He's speaking to the Pharisees. Now, the Pharisees and the religious world today are still playing pretend games. The Pharisees were notorious for pretending. They pretended that they were righteous. They pretended that they were keeping God's law. And they pretended that they were the guides and instructors of the people. The Word of God says this in Matthew 23 and verse 14. Our Lord is talking about the Pharisees, and He says this: "Woe to you, scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites!

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• For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation." Then in Mark 12 and verse 40, still talking about the Pharisees, He said, "Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation."

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• Now the word "pretense" here is the Greek word prophasis, which literally means a cloak, a show, a pretext, something that is done under color or something that is done in a pretended cause. In other words, our Lord is saying that it was these long religious prayers of the Pharisees that they were using for a cloak over their wickedness and over their greediness as well. They were pretending to be obedient, but they were being disobedient.

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• Now, remember He said here in these passages, "which devour widows' houses." And in fact, the Bible in Exodus chapter 22 and verse 22, God says, "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child." Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 18, in reference to God, the Bible says, "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and the widow, and loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment." And then again in Deuteronomy 24 and verse 17, God commands, "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor the fatherless, nor take a widow's raiment to pledge." And when you get to Psalm 68 in verse 5, God is called "a father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows."

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• And so what these Pharisees were doing was they were pretending to be righteous, and they were pretending to be keepers of the law. And they were using for their cover these long prayers while they devoured widows' houses and substance. They were literally taking advantage of the helpless. And we find today that there are many in our day and time that use religion and use Christianity as a cover for their wickedness. Let me give you an illustration. The San Antonio Express, which is a newspaper, and the Houston Chronicle, which is a newspaper,

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• reported on February the 19th of this year, 2019, and here's the title: "Hundreds of Southern Baptist church leaders and workers have been accused of sexual misconduct over the past 20 years." The article went on to say that some of the victims were as young as three years of age, and many were teenagers. Of course, the Independent Baptists have also had their sins exposed many times as well. And some of those men who were accused of abusing children are now dead. Some are still alive, and some, of course, are in prison even at this particular point. So it was the antinomianism of the Pharisees that actually led to their wickedness and their corruption and their perversion. And likewise, it's the antinomianism of the church today that leads to using Christianity as a cover for their perversion and their corruption as well. The interesting thing is, in the Bible times, there were not only pretend Christians.

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• There were also pretend preachers. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Philippians chapter 1. And when you get to Philippians chapter 1, the Apostle Paul was in prison. He thought at one time while he was there that he was going to lose his head. But notice, if you would, what he says in Philippians chapter 1, and he is going to point out that there are some indeed pretend preachers. So in Philippians 1, beginning there with verse 12, look at what he says: "But I would that you should understand, brethren, that the things which happen unto me"—that is, his being imprisoned—"have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel."

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• "So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren"—that is, true brethren in the Lord—"waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." So he said, "My imprisonment has emboldened others to become more vociferous preachers of the truth." Then he says in verse 15: "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will. The one preached Christ of a contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice."

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• So the Apostle Paul is saying, "Look, there are some here preaching that are not sincere, they're not genuine, and the only reason they're preaching is trying to stir up trouble and add affliction to the affliction that I'm already in and already receiving." So, the question you would need to ask very quickly is this: How in the world can you tell a pretend Christian—or not a pretend Christian but a pretend preacher particularly—from a real preacher? And the answer is given to us very clearly in the Bible. And we can know very particularly two specific areas. First of all, we may know by the message, and secondly, we may know by the messenger. When I say by the message, may I remind you of Isaiah 8 in verse 20. Here's what God says: "To the law and to the testimony: if they

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• speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." So God is saying the real message is going to be according to the law and to the testimony. It's going to be biblical. It's going to be scriptural. It will be an exposition. It will be an explanation. It will be an application. He said you can judge whether one is a true preacher by his message. And secondly, He goes on to say that you can also judge whether one is a true preacher by his life. If you will turn in your Bibles very quickly to Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7, and I want you to look, please, beginning there with verse 15. Matthew chapter 7 and verse 15. Note

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• if you would—and this would not just simply apply to preachers, it would apply to a lot of individuals. And I hate to say this, but Christians are the most gullible people in the world, because they just simply believe everything that's told them without ever researching, without ever examining someone's life. And our Lord says this. Look at Matthew 7, verse 15. He says, "Beware false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." So here are false prophets. They're dressed up as sheep, but they're actually wolves.

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• Now, how do you know them? Look in verse 16: "You shall know them by their fruits." And then He explains: "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit"—that is, his life is going to manifest that which he preaches and teaches. "Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." An evil man can't do that. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." So our Lord says you have to examine the message. You have to examine the messenger as well. Now, sometimes it becomes very difficult to examine the messenger because of what he is saying. For instance, look in your Bibles to Matthew 7 there, beginning with verse 21. Look what our Lord says.

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• And now He's talking not just about preachers, but about those who profess to believe in Him. He says, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? Did we not preach in your name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?" Now watch what He says: "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you." Not "I knew you and forgot you." No, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these words of mine, and doeth them..." He then He's going to tell you something else, which we're going to look at it just for a moment. But notice, if you would, it is not just simply that you hear the word or you say the word; you actually do the word.

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• Do you understand that how we live and what we do and how we act is far more important than what we say many times? So many people depend upon their profession of faith. "Well, I made a profession of faith." May I remind you that a profession never saved anyone. Jesus Christ is the one who saves. You can make all the professions that you want to make. But if you have not been convicted by the Holy Spirit and converted and repented of your sins and believed on Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ, your profession is worthless. It is not professions that save. So it is possible, according to Matthew chapter 7, to profess Jesus Christ, even preach Jesus Christ, do works in His name, and still be lost. I have known preachers—and I still know preachers—who have preached for years and then God saved them. They were already preaching. One is a dear friend of mine.

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• I'm just simply saying, just because someone speaks and talks a good talk, you have to also examine the walk. And when you examine the walk, you also have to examine the talk as well.

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• Now, let me explain something to you. We are not perfect, and we are not sinless. However, in every true child of God, there is a desire to honor the Lord and worship Him and give Him glory and give Him praise. And you want to worship Him as He has revealed Himself through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. So the man who is indeed a true Christian is going to be continually endeavoring to bring his life into conformity to the Word of God. Now let me just tell you something. I can right now tell you the will of God for everyone in this room.

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• It's a piece of cake. How can I tell the will of God for everyone in this room? Well, all I have to do is quote Romans 8 and verse 29. Listen carefully: "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." So it is God's will then that His people be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. That is, we're to be made into His likeness, and we're to live and walk and talk like Him. And so many people just simply pretend. And pretending is nothing more than a scam. Why? Because when you pretend, you're trying to deceive someone. You're trying to make someone think that you're something that you're not. It's often easy to deceive man, but you cannot deceive God. It fails every time. And here's why: 2 Timothy chapter 2 in verse 19, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from

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• iniquity." So the Bible tells us the Lord knows who are His, and if you name the name of Christ, He said you must depart from iniquity. Now iniquity is just simply another word for sin. The word for righteousness is dikaios, and when you put an alpha in front of it—a-dikaios—it negates it. So the word iniquity is a-dikaios. And so when you are unrighteous, you are unjust. When you are unrighteous, when you are unjust, when you're committing iniquity, you're also violating God's law, for sin is a violation of God's law. That's why I said in 1 John 3 in verse 4, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is a transgression of the law." Now, let me just try to lay this out for you very clearly. The Apostle Paul asked a very important question in Romans chapter 6, verses 1 and 2. He begins with this simple question:

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• "What shall we say then?" And then he says this: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" Now, let me just stop right there. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"

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• Now, it is true that when God saved us, He found us in sin. We were in rebellion. We were wicked. We were disobedient. We were sinners, and our sinners. And He found us in our sin, and He saved us out of our sin. So Paul is asking this question: "Shall we then continue in sin, that grace may abound?" And then he makes this statement: "God forbid." And then he asked this: "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Now, interestingly, when he says, "God forbid," the Greek is very, very strong. Literally it is this: "Perish the thought. Don't even think this. Don't even let this enter into your mind." No, you do not continue in sin that grace may abound.

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• He said we died in Jesus Christ. We were buried with Him. We were raised from the dead in Him in newness of life. So if you have been raised in newness of life in Jesus Christ, how can you live then as a dead man? If you have been—you are dead to sin. How can you live any longer therein? It doesn't mean that you're not a sinner, but it just simply means that you cannot live in that sin. Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3, because here's a passage that has been taken out of context so many times, and so many

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• people try to teach sinless perfection from this section. Sinless perfection is a false, heretical doctrine. No one is sinlessly perfect in this life, neither will they ever be in this life. But look at it. In 1 John 3, beginning there with verse 6, let's just read it as it is in our Bibles: "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him."

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• "Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

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• Now, when you look at these verses like this, you begin to say, "Hmm, look at verse 6: 'Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.' So if I'm abiding in Jesus Christ, I'm never ever gonna sin again. Really? 'Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.' Well, you've sinned in times past. Does that mean that you've never seen Him by faith and you've never known Him?" How do we explain these passages? Well, let me just show you something. The same author that wrote 1 John 3, verses 6 through 10, also wrote 1 John 2 and verse 1. Look at 1 John 2 and verse 1. Look at it: "My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin"—that's a believer, that's a brother—"we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." So John is saying, "I'm writing to you that you sin not, but if and when you do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who's going to plead our case." And now, if you go back to 1 John chapter 3, here is the explanation.

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• Each one of these verbs in the Greek is a present active indicative. It is something that is happening and continues to happen. So literally, when you look at verse 6, it would say something like this: "Whosoever is continually abiding in Him is not continually sinning. Whosoever is continually sinning hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you. He that is continually doing righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that is continually committing sin is of the devil. For the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God is not continually committing sin. Why? For his seed is continually remaining in him, and he cannot continually sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest from the children of the devil."

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• So you're talking about two different lifestyles. You're talking about people whose lives, number one, are geared to righteousness and obedience, and number two, on the other hand, someone whose lives are geared to wickedness, sin, and disobedience. So, he is not talking about being sinlessly perfect right here. He is talking about the fact that our lives are now lives that are going after continual obedience.

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• Now, a Christian, a real Christian, cannot continue in that which he knows is absolutely unlawful and wicked and sinful. Look back in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2 and verses 3 and 4. You will see this same truth again, a present active indicative. So if you look at it, 1 John 2, verse 3: "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." So verse 3: "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we are continually keeping his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and is not continually keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

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• So, you have to understand this. Christianity is not an off-and-on sport. It is not religion on Sunday and heathenism the rest of the week. Christianity, real, genuine Christianity affects our lives seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Christianity is life. Everything else is death. If you'll go back in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7—we've read two passages from there already—let me go ahead and finish with a third passage. I want you to look in Matthew chapter 7, because our Lord is actually emphasizing what I have just said to you. Matthew chapter 7, beginning there with verse 24. Our Lord says, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them"—that is, you're continually doing them, you're continually hearing them—"I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock."

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• "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not. Why? For it was founded upon the rock. But everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and does not do them"—that is, it's not his life, he's not pursuing them, he's not continuing in them—"shall be likened to a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." In other words, it's death. So, Christianity is life; anything else and everything else is death.

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• Obedience to the truth and application of the truth is that which testifies that we are truly His. We are not and we cannot be pretend Christians if our lives are being constantly and continually brought into conformity to the Word of God. Now, here's a question. I want to ask this question several different ways, and I'm going to give you several different answers. But I want you to answer this in your mind. I want you to think about this. Why do some professed believers who have seemingly been faithful to the Word of God suddenly forsake and cast off the truth? How can one who professes to be a Christian turn and act wickedly and refuse to repent and conform their lives to the Word of God? How can one seemingly turn off every vestige of the truth and become totally self-centered and obsessed with their will, their lust, their desires, and their ways? How can that be? And you and I know people who have been seemingly faithful, supposedly to Christ, to the church, to the Word for years.

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• And all of a sudden they're gone. One answer is the enticing, seducing, and tempting power of the world.

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• Now the world is opposed to anything that is spiritual, biblical, and right. The world appeals to the fallen nature and the depraved nature of man. If you've never read Pilgrim's Progress, I want to encourage you to read it. In Pilgrim's Progress, there is one character by the name of Mr. Worldly Wise Man. And one author commenting on Mr. Worldly Wise Man sums up this character in two paragraphs. Let me read them to you. He states, "Mr. Worldly Wise Man is a citizen from the city of Carnal Policy, which tells us that it is a place that is ruled by fleshly strategies meant to damn its citizens to the darkest confines of eternal punishment. This man, Mr. Worldly Wise Man, attacks the scriptures, the book that Christian is holding in his hand. Mr. Worldly Wise Man is a smooth, cool soul dressed in the garb of a pastor who is married up with the world. He works in a very seducing way toward Christian, and that sometimes is the most deceptive of all means. Usually it is not the outright heretical views that entrap, but the

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• subtle seducing spirits. All of his actions are exactly the opposite of the honesty and purity of Evangelist, who is doing the real nitty-gritty of pastoral work. Mr. Worldly Wise Man is a deceitful man who is constantly swayed in the changing winds of popular doctrine and uses that influence very effectively on the spiritually naive."

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• Now, I just want to change one little phrase. He says that Mr. Worldly Wise Man is a man who is constantly swayed in the changing winds of popular doctrine. I could change that and say Mr. Worldly Wise Man is a man who is constantly swayed in the changing winds of political correctness, because political correctness today is absolutely contrary to the Bible.

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• Now you have to remember Demas. Demas worked with the Apostle Paul. And the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 10 had to write these words: "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica." The world drew Demas away from Christ and Paul. But listen to me. It is not just simply the allurements of the world. It's also the philosophy of the world. The world does not have many allurements for some people.

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• Especially the older we get. I have no desire to go to a fair. I'm not going to ride one of those roller coasters. I wouldn't do that anyhow. I like my stomach exactly where it is, you know. I have no problem with that. I don't want to do those things. And the older you get, you're not going to waste your money on something like that anyhow. You're just not going to do it. But, you know, it is an attraction for some people.

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• But it is not necessarily the allurements of the world particularly as much as it is the philosophy of the world. You see, humanistic attitudes and humanistic dispositions are indeed a worldly philosophy, and they are absolutely in opposition to and contrary to the Word of God. And many people fall prey to the thinking and the philosophy of the world, and they absorb it. And I'm talking about Christians. I'm talking about churches. You can hear young people, you can hear young adults make statements like this to excuse their disobedience or to excuse their worldliness. They'll say, "Well, everybody's doing it," or "Everybody's saying this, everybody is thinking this." Well, not everybody is doing it. Not everybody is saying it. Not everybody is thinking it. But that is what they say.

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• But still the Bible has an answer to that, because in Exodus chapter 23 and verse 2, God says, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." So just because someone jumps off a cliff and kills himself, or 20 people do, or 100 people do, it doesn't mean that you have to. "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." And you look around the world today and you find so many humanistic ideas and philosophies that are absolutely contrary to scripture. Think about feminism, transgenderism, socialism, communism, anarchy, pedophilia. All of these are not only being excused and overlooked by a lot of Christians and churches.

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• They're actually being embraced. And I think I mentioned a few weeks ago about the one library that canceled the drag queen story hour in one of the cities in Texas, and a church opened the door so they could have the drag queen story hour in the church building. And I saw a picture of this woman with her little girl, looked to be about three or four. The woman was kneeling in front of the drag queen and had her arm around the little girl. Both were smiling, approved, you know. If you believe the Bible, you have to be absolutely insane to try to sacrifice your child on something like that. Well, here's what is happening. There is a breakdown in the

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• family. And feminism, particularly, transgenderism, particularly, is attacking the family unit. The wives, in many homes, are usurping the authority of the husband and are becoming the head of the house. I know preachers who attack what is known as patriarchy or man being the head of the house. Let me tell you something. Women are equal to men in their standing before God. A woman is just as much the creation of God as is the man. A woman can be redeemed just exactly as the man can be redeemed. There is an equal standing before God, but just because there is an equal standing does not mean that there is equality of positions. You can be equal in some areas and positionally unequal in other areas. God has established a head of the house. Have you noticed that our bodies have only one head? The Church of Jesus Christ only has one head, and that's Jesus Christ.

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• Now, if your body doesn't have a head, you're dead. If your body has two or three heads, you're a freak. Something's wrong with you. I've seen pictures of two-headed snakes. I've seen a picture of a two-headed turtle. I've seen a picture of two-headed goats. And usually they don't live long. So a headless body is dead. And a body with multiple heads is a freak.

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• Now let me tell you something. God has indeed established order. I want you to see it. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11 and look, if you would please, at verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 3. Then we are going to go to the book of Ephesians. So look in 1 Corinthians 11 and note, if you would please, verse 3. Here it is very plainly stated. God says through the Apostle Paul, "But I would have you to know"—this is something you need to understand—"but I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." So God's order is very simple. If you look here, it is God, Christ, man, and woman.

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• And there is so much ranting and raving today against male patriarchy and even white male patriarchy. And if you are a white male and you claim to be the head of your house, it is now being equated with white supremacy. And as one Congresswoman said, "The problem in America is white males." Really? You see what I'm saying? If you are against God's ordinance and God's orderly way, your problem is not with men; it is with God.

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• And it's nothing less than sheer rebellion to fly in the face of scripture. So I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5. Let me show it to you. Beginning there with verse 22, Ephesians 5, verse 22. We're talking about the fact, yes, men and women are equal before God, but positionally we are different. So if I were to go to work for James, James hired me. We may be equally the creature of God and we may have equal standing before God, but if he hired me and I'm working for him, he's positionally over me and has the right to tell me what to do. Of course he does. Well, look in your Bibles, Ephesians 5, verse 22. The Bible says, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." So part of a woman's submission to the Lord is her submission to her husband. Notice, if you would, verse 23: "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body."

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• "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." Biblical headship does not mean that the woman is inferior. She is equal, equally the creation of God and equally has standing with God, but positionally she is different. She does not occupy the same position that the man occupies. And it is her honor, it is her glory to represent the church of Jesus Christ. Now, please remember this. Jesus Christ came as a servant of the Father. The phrase "the sent one" is used of Jesus Christ over and over in the Bible. The very fact that Jesus Christ is indeed the servant of the Father, and was indeed the servant of the Father, does not mean that Jesus Christ was inferior to the Father. For He said in John 10, verse 30, "I and my Father are one."

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• So submission is not wicked. Submission is not inferiority. Submission is not a denial of equality. Submission of a wife to her husband is not a denial of her person and worth. It is evidence of her submission to God. It is her glory and her honor to represent the Church of Jesus Christ. Because as the Church is in subjection to Christ, the woman is to be in subjection to her husband.

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• May I remind you of something? I've heard people say, "But my wife knows more than I do." Well, that doesn't mean anything. That doesn't mean anything at all. All it means is if the husband is wise, if his wife does know more than he does, then he ought to talk to her a little more often and learn what she knows. But may I remind you of Luke chapter 2. You remember when our Lord was 12 years old, they found Him in the temple hearing and answering questions from the doctors. And His mother said, "Son, we have sought thee sorrowing." And He said, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" And listen to this: Luke 2:51 and 52.

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• "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them." Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate, Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, who is omniscient, was in submission to His parents because He was a child. And that was His position. He certainly knew more than His parents. So the husband is also required to be in submission. He's required to be in submission to Jesus Christ.

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• If you look in Ephesians 5 in verse 25, he says this: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." So as the wife is to be in submission to the husband, the husband is to be in submission to Jesus Christ. And the husband who is in submission to Jesus Christ is going to love his wife the way Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. And it's going to be very easy for a woman to be in submission to her husband who loves her the way Jesus Christ loves the church.

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• But here's what we've done. We've reached the point today in our society that if the wife cannot get her way, she leaves. She departs. She forsakes her husband and her home. Her claim of equality even forces her to say that we're equally positionally, and it drives her away from her role as a wife and a mother. So conformity to the thinking of the world, conformity to worldly philosophy, not only destroys the home, the family, it also destroys the church, society, and ultimately the nation. You look at our nation, it is falling apart. And it's falling apart.

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• Do you understand, there is no one—there is no man or woman, boy or girl—that is not commanded to be in submission. Even the President of the United States is supposed to be in submission. He's supposed to be in submission to the Constitution, submission to God. He took an oath with his hand upon the Bible. Congress is supposed to be in submission. Everyone is supposed to be in submission. The only one who's not in submission is God the Father. He is the Sovereign God of Heaven and Earth. Everyone else is required to be in submission.

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• But I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. See, if you do not understand what I am saying, then you are ultimately going to be doomed and destroyed. Why? Because worldly philosophy is contrary to biblical philosophy. So in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 18. The Bible says, 1 Corinthians 1, verse 18, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God." So what I'm teaching you today, it's foolishness to someone who does not believe the Bible and who does not trust Jesus Christ.

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• They say, "That's crazy." Really? Oh, let's keep reading. Verse 19, God says, "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" Here's where the wisdom of this world will take you. Verse 21: "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." The wisdom of this world will take you as far away from God as you can possibly get, and far away from biblical principles.

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• I've often said, I've never had problem with problems. Every problem has a solution. Every problem can be solved. I have problems with people—getting people to do what's necessary and right to resolve the problem. There is no help for anyone who is not willing to repent and do that which is biblical and right. And there is grave—there is a grave danger, especially to a professing Christian who, when he's shown what is right from the Bible, refuses to bow to it and refuses to submit to it. How in the world can anyone flee from the Lord Jesus Christ? How in the world can anyone flee from the truth? Let me show you what's going to happen.

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• I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2. I've got two more verses for you, actually three, but look in your Bibles, 1 John chapter 2 and verse 19. Here's the problem. When people leave the Lord Jesus Christ and people leave the faith and begin to live wicked lives and lives that are contrary to scriptures—divorcing husbands, divorcing wives, forsaking children, doing all kind of things that is wicked and wrong—look what the Bible says in 1 John 2 in verse 19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." What did John say? John said, if a man can leave the faith, if a man can walk away from Jesus Christ, if a man can walk away from the truth, it's just proof that he was never saved to begin with.

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• He was nothing more than a pretend Christian. I want you to go back, if you would, to John chapter 8, our text. I want you to look at it. I want you to see it. I hope everything that I've said has been an explanation of these verses. John 8, verse 30: "As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed." Let me read this another way: "If you continue in my word, then are you my true disciples. If you continue in my word, then you're truly my disciples." His disciples continue in His word. Look in verse 32: "And you shall know the truth"—because the truth is His word—"and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." His true disciples continue in His word, and the truth sets them free from the flesh and the world and every enemy. His truth sets us free to enjoy our status, our position, and every blessing that He gives us in life. One last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5, and look if you

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• would at verses 8 and 9. Hebrews chapter 5, verses 8 and 9. Watch carefully. We're talking about Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter 5, verse 8: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that"—what?—"obey him." He became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him. Obedience: the evidence of our sonship and our salvation. If there is no obedience, then that is indicative of the fact that you are a pretend Christian. Our Lord asked this question: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say unto you?" And the word "Lord"—kurios—means boss, owner, master, sovereign. Jesus Christ said, "If I'm your true boss, if I'm your true sovereign, if I'm your true master, if I'm your true owner, you will obey Me." He is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. Where there is no obedience, there is no evidence of salvation.

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• Someone who professes to be a Christian and lives in direct disobedience to the plain command and truth of God is in grave danger. They're either a pretend Christian, or they're getting ready, according to Hebrews 12, to receive a very serious chastening. His true disciples continue in His word. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You for Your teaching. And Lord, we do ask that You would make us more obedient, make us more holy, make us more godly, and enable us to bring our lives into greater conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His Word. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

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• so

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:21:21Z