Clean Transcript

Do You Have A Canon?

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• If you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 10, and we're going to read verses 12 through 15. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verses 12 through 15. The title of the message is "Do You Have a Canon?" Well, look at it. 2 Corinthians chapter 10, beginning there with verse 12. The Apostle says, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly." So the title of this message

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• today, "Do You Have a Canon?" is a serious title. It is not a joke. Neither is it simply an attention-getter. So if you normally ask a Southern man, "Do you have a cannon?" the normal reply would be, "No, but I've always wanted one." And obviously, clearly, the title of this message is a play on words, because I spelled the title of this message as "Do you have a C-A-N-O-N, a canon, not a C-A-N-N-O-N, a

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• cannon." Cannon is the type that shoots, much like that 12-pound Napoleon, which was a devastating piece of equipment which was used during the War of Northern Aggression. But our English word "canon," C-A-N-O-N, is derived from the Greek word "kanon," or "canon," K-A-N-O-N, or K-A-N, we would say Omega N, which would still be a long O. Which is literally, the word means a measuring stick or a measuring rod. So the Greek word "canon" can be used in actually three particular ways. Number one, it can refer to what you and I would call a carpenter's line or carpenter's measuring tape. It can also be used to refer to a sphere of activity or authority that is limited, or what you and I would call a fixed boundary. But it is also used as a rule, a standard, a principle of law for life and activity. Now, we may live our entire lives and never own a cannon, C-A-N-N-O-N, that is the kind that shoots.

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• But we cannot live our lives without a canon, that is, without a measuring stick, without a measuring rod. The truth of the matter is, you cannot live your life. You cannot have a home. You cannot have a school. You cannot have a church. You cannot even have a society or a state without a fixed rule of law. And if you do not have a standard, a fixed rule of law, then inevitably you're going to fall into either totalitarianism, tyranny, and or just sheer anarchy. So the very first obstacle that we have to face in ourselves is whether or not we're going to live our lives according to God's law.

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• I've always said, and you've heard me say this, that the real issue is always between theonomy and autonomy. Theonomy, of course, refers to God's law. Autonomy refers to self-law or man's law. I could frame this another way. Our dilemma, our choice, is always between God's will and our will. And the truth of the matter is each of us must face this dilemma. And we're either going to honor God by following His canon, His measuring stick, His measuring rod, or we're going to dishonor God and substitute for it our own standard, which inevitably is going to appease and satisfy our lusts and our flesh. So the truth of the matter is simply this: unless we obey God, we cannot control ourselves. The reason we cannot control ourselves without obeying God is because our flesh is never satisfied. Our lusts are never satisfied. In fact, the more we get, the more we want. And it's like our Lord said, "You cannot serve God and mammon, because either you'll love the one and hate the other." But the truth of the matter is, we're much like Rehoboam. Rehoboam was a son of Solomon, and

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• Rehoboam did some wise things and he did some very unwise things. But the passage in 2 Chronicles 11:29 tells us one thing that Rehoboam did that was wise and another thing I believe was very unwise. Listen to this verse. The Bible says, "And he," that is Rehoboam, "dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victuals in abundance. And he desired many wives." So he wasn't satisfied with one. He wasn't satisfied with five. He wasn't satisfied with ten. He just desired many wives.

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• So, consequently, that is the way it is. The more you appease the flesh, the more the flesh desires and the more the flesh wants. So, consequently, it's only by the law of God that we are enabled by His grace and mercy to control ourselves. So, without divine help, we can do nothing. Let me give you a good illustration. I want you to hold 2 Corinthians chapter 10. But look in your Bibles, if you would, to Proverbs chapter 16, and then we're going to Proverbs chapter 25. So we're going to Proverbs chapter 16 first, and I want you to look, if you would please, at verse 32. Proverbs 16 and verse 32, and then we'll go to Proverbs 25.

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• Note, if you would, what the Bible says. Proverbs 16 and verse 32. The Bible says, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." So he says if you can control yourself, you're better than the mighty. If you can rule your spirit, you're better than the greatest warrior who's able to capture a city. Now it's explained a little better in Proverbs chapter 25 in verse 28, where the Bible says that "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." So if a city is broken down, has no walls to protect it, you simply walk in, get what you desire, and turn around and walk out. And so the principle is very simple. I cannot make you angry unless you allow me to make you angry. If you can control your spirit, if you can rule yourself, there's no way in the world I can make you angry. I cannot make you jealous unless you allow me to make you jealous.

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• I cannot make you irritable unless you allow me to make you irritable. In other words, if you can control your spirit, if you can control yourself, if you can rule over your own feelings, your own emotions, then God says you're better than the man who can capture a city. You're greater than the greatest warrior whatsoever. Now, so what God is telling us is there is indeed a boundary. There is a limit, and there is a law that enables us and teaches us to rule ourselves and rule our spirits. And that law is indeed the law of God.

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• Now, I want you to go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 10, because I want you to see the context before I get started with our text. In the context, the apostle Paul is defending his apostleship. He is also defending his authority against a group of people who were known as the Judaizers. So I'll show you about them momentarily. But if you look in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, and let's begin reading there with verse 7, and notice what the Apostle says. "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

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• For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present." So the Apostle Paul is readily confessing that he belongs to Christ exactly the way these Corinthians belong to Christ. And he also points out the fact that he's been given authority over them for their edification and not for their destruction. So his apostolic authority is there as well. And then he goes on to say that although some are making fun of him and saying that he's willing to terrify them by letters, but his presence is weak, his speech is contemptible.

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• He said, "Yes, wait till I get there. You're going to find out that I'm going to be exactly in person that which I am in letters." In other words, my letters may be weighty and powerful, but I'm going to be weighty and powerful, too, because I belong to Christ and because of the authority that Christ has given unto me. So here is the problem. You're going to find that these Judaizers were constantly and continually commending themselves while at the same time they were condemning the Apostle Paul and those who were associated with him. Now, here's the question. How in the world could they condemn the Apostle Paul? How could they condemn those who work with the Apostle?

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• And the answer is they very easily condemned them because they had their own standard. They had their own rule. And they were measuring themselves, which we will see, by themselves and among themselves. Now if you look in your Bibles to two passages, holding 2 Corinthians chapter 10, but look in Acts chapter 15 if you would please, and then Galatians chapter 2. So in Acts chapter 15, I just want to pick up verse 5. Acts 15 verse 5. The Judaizers had their own standard. They had their own rule. They had their own canon, so to speak. And what the Judaizers were saying was this: it's all right to believe in Jesus Christ. In fact, they were saying, yes, you should believe in Jesus Christ. But if you really wanted to be saved, then you have to be circumcised and you have to keep the law of Moses. So they were adding works to grace and adding works to faith. So in Acts chapter 15 in verse 5, the Apostle says this: "But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed," so they were believers in

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• Christ, "saying that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." So it's all right to believe in Jesus Christ, but you must add to faith these works that they were demanding. And now if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 2, you're going to find the Apostle Paul actually refers to these Judaizers as false brethren. Notice if you would Galatians 2 verse 1. He says, "Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also." Remember now, Titus was a Greek. "And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue

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• with you." Note if you would, these Judaizers now are constantly belittling the Apostle Paul and those who are associated with him, and of course he refers to them very clearly as false brethren because they are trying to bring believers back into bondage and make them not only to be circumcised but also to keep all the works of the law, that would refer to the ceremonial law and everything involved. Now, these Judaizers were always commending themselves, and thus what they wanted was the Apostle Paul to end up doing what they were doing. So if you will look in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 1, the Apostle Paul asked this question of the Corinthians. Remember now, he was the founder of the Corinthian church. So they knew him. He was their minister. The Bible says in verse 1 of 2 Corinthians 3, Paul asked this question: "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others," that's the Judaizers, "epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?" Paul said, "Why do we need to commend ourselves?

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• We were the ones that were there. You were converted under our ministry. The church started under our ministry. You know us. We don't need any letters of commendation." Notice if you would in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 12, he mentions this again. 2 Corinthians 5 in verse 12, he says, "For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart." So now he's talking about the Judaizers again. They want to glory in appearance. They want to glory in circumcision. That's what they want to glory in, not in the heart. And so the apostle says, "For we're not going to be commending ourselves like that." Now, I want you to go back to 2 Corinthians 10. Look if you would at verse 12 so we can begin, and look what he says. 2 Corinthians 10 in verse 12: "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." Now

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• the interesting thing in verse 12 is when the Apostle Paul says, "For we dare not." The Greek word for "dare" there is "tolmao," and it refers to an extreme conduct. In other words, the thought is here, this is what the apostle Paul is saying: "We would never do something so rash, so unethical, so brazen, so stupid. We would never dare to do anything like this." So clearly, he says in verse 12, watch now, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves."

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• Now, note if you would, he is saying we don't want to be identified with these people in any way whatsoever. Whatever they're doing, we're not going to do. We're not going to fall into that trap. So let me just point something out. According to this passage, there are people, there are institutions, there are organizations that we as Christians and believers in Jesus Christ and believing in the Word of God, that we do not want to be identified with. We don't want to be associated with. Those who hate God, those who despise His Word, there's no way in the world.

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• That's why the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians there, "What fellowship hath light with darkness? What agreement hath the temple of God with idols?" And the answer is absolutely none. So he's saying that there's no way that we want to be associated with these people. Paul said, "I don't want to be associated with them." So moreover he says this, look in verse 12: "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves." In other words, the Apostle Paul is saying, "I know and I understand that other people are not our standard." Now let me explain something to you. I can be as holy, I can be as brave, as bold, as upright, as righteous, as just as I want to be, as long as I can define those terms and set my own standard, as long as I can make my own rule. This is why, by the way, there are cliques in churches. Here's this group, here's this group, here's this group. In other words, you get these little cliques going.

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• And the reason you get these little cliques going is you don't meet my standard and they don't meet my standard and I don't meet their standard, in other words. And so we're just going to associate with our own little clique, is what it amounts to. You will also find this, believe it or not, in the prison system. Because here are prisoners that are thrown in prison, say for being thieves, for robbing banks, and all the thieves will kind of congregate together, but they're not going to associate with the murderers because they are not murderers. And then the murderers are not going to be associating with the pedophiles, for at least they are not pedophiles. And you get the cliques. And it's not just the gangs. You get all the kind of cliques because people are setting their own standards. It's the same way with what you and I would call the snobbish folks. In other words, we have more than you, better educated than you, or we don't dress like you dress. We don't go the places you go.

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• In other words, snobs. The reason there is that is because they have their own standard and they've set that own standard, and they're comparing themselves with others, which the Apostle Paul is going to say is absolutely totally unwise. You see, anytime you compare yourself to someone whom you think is inferior, you're always going to come away feeling superior. I could look around and see a man rolling in the ditch drunk in his own vomit. And I could say, "Well, at least I don't do that. I've never been drunk. I would never do that." Now I can come away feeling that I'm so far superior to that man. And yet pharisaism and self-righteousness is just as much sin as drunkenness is. Just as much. When you try to compare yourselves with someone or commend yourself by comparing yourself with someone, the Apostle is saying that it is deception. It's self-deception. It's error. It's heresy. We have a brother in our church who has very little hair and he shaves his head. I mean just, and he's as bald as a peeled onion. And so I told our people this morning, I said, "You know, I could compare my head of hair to Tom's head

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• of hair, and I could come away feeling, 'Boy, I've got a full head of wavy black hair.'" Well, I don't have a full head of wavy black hair, but compared to Tom, I've got a lot of hair. You see what I'm saying? But now if I compared myself to Steve, I don't have much hair. You follow me? So anytime you compare yourself to someone else, if you believe they're inferior, if you believe they're worse than you, you're going to come off feeling superior. And that's why we don't compare ourselves usually to someone who's greater than we are or superior to us, because we know we're going to come away feeling inferior.

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• So watch what he said again in verse 12. He said this: "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves." Here it is: "But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." So the charges that were being brought against Paul by the Judaizers was actually what they were doing themselves. They were warning Paul to have letters of commendation, and yet they were getting letters of commendation from themselves by comparing themselves with themselves. Thus what has happened is this: the Judaizers have set themselves up as the standard for orthodoxy. In other words, if you are really orthodox, if you really believe the truth,

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• then what they're saying is you're going to believe what we believe. And I've known pastors like that. They believe that somehow their understanding is the epitome of all understanding. And if you agree with them, boy, you've got it. But if you disagree with them or if you don't see what they see, then you're absolutely worthless.

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• Now, the reason the apostle Paul did not measure up was because they set their own standard. They set their own rule. They had their own canon, so to speak. Like I said, I can be as holy as I want to be as long as I can define holiness. I could say it like this: I can jump, as old as I am, as decrepit as I am, I can jump flat-footed straight off the floor, 20 feet straight up in the air. You say you can't do that. Sure I can. All you have to do is allow me to define 20 feet. And if I can define 20 feet as being an inch or two, then I've got it made.

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• And that's exactly what these people were doing. You can be whatever you want to be and do whatever you want to do as long as you can define your own standard.

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• Now Paul says this is not wise. He says this is foolish. The man who does this is deceived. The man who does this has no understanding. The man who does this is in error. It's kind of like—now, and I don't remember all of it, but I remember the story of how the king, you remember, it was supposed to be getting a new set of clothes, and the scoundrels, of course, did not do anything, but they told the king that they had a suit of clothes for him that only wise men could see. And of course, they didn't have anything. And they pretended like they were clothing the king. And the king, of course, was admiring it because he was not going to admit that he was a fool, that he was unwise. And finally, when they had the parade for the king, then to show off his new suit of clothes, everybody was admiring it until one of the boys hollered out, "The king is naked. He doesn't have any clothes on."

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• Well, you see, the truth of the matter is this is exactly what is happening here. As long as you're thinking that you're meeting your own standard, your own rule, you can elevate yourself until all of a sudden your bubble bursts and you see that your rule is self-made. It's worthless. Look at it in verse 13. Let me keep going. I want to show you this. He says in verse 13, "But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you." Now the interesting thing is this: Paul is stating that his boasting will only relate to the measure of the rule which God had distributed unto us. He said a measure which will reach even unto you. Guess what? The word "rule" is the Greek word "canon." God's standard, God's rule measured the ministry of the Apostle Paul. And the Apostle Paul is saying, "I'm thankful that that measure reached even unto you."

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• Now, let me ask you a question. Has it ever dawned upon you God limits every minister and every ministry? Have you ever thought about that? When you look, look if you would, in verse 13 again, he said, "But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule," the canon, "which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you." So Paul is saying that my ministry is limited by God. You remember I told you that the word "canon" meant a measuring stick, a measuring rod. It could relate to a carpenter. It can also relate to a fixed boundary or limitation that God has supplied and given. And that's exactly what the Apostle Paul is saying right here. So here's my question. Has it ever dawned upon you that God limits every minister and every ministry?

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• I've had people tell me, "Well, Brother Weaver, surely God does not limit ministers. Surely God does not limit ministries." Well, yes, He does. Want you to hold 2 Corinthians and I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah chapter 6. And as we turn to Isaiah chapter 6, here's my question: Did God limit the ministry of Isaiah? If you'll look in Isaiah chapter 6, this is where God calls Isaiah into the ministry. And look if you would beginning there with verse 8. Isaiah 6 in verse 8. Isaiah says, "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I

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• send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."

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• Then said I, Lord, how long? Lord, how long do I have to go to a people like this? And he answered, "Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land."

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• Now, here's what God told Isaiah: "I want you to go preach, but nobody's going to listen to you. It's not going to be successful. You're not going to have a great awakening. You're not going to have a great revival. Your ministry is just to preach to these people and to tell them that I'm going to judge them and destroy them." And that's exactly what God did. So God limited Isaiah's ministry. And if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 1, you'll find also He limited Jeremiah's ministry. Watch this in Jeremiah chapter 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Jeremiah 1 verse 7, look at this: "But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

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• Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." Three times as much destruction as there was building and planting. And did God limit his ministry? And the answer is yes.

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• Well, let me ask you another question. Did God limit the ministry of Noah? Noah preached 120 years and never had one convert. Did God limit the ministry of the Apostle Paul? Well, Apostle Paul has already said that in 2 Corinthians chapter 10. But if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 16, you'll see, yes, God did indeed limit his ministry. Look in Acts chapter 16 beginning there with verse 6. Acts 16 and verse 6. Notice what the scripture says: "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia." They wanted to go to Asia and God says, "No, you're not going there." Watch verse 7: "After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not." Yeah, Paul's ministry was indeed limited by God. Do you realize that there is no minister alive today, there's no pastor alive today that is equaled or matched the preaching, the teaching, the revivals, and the ministry that God gave under George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards? God just gave them an enlarged ministry. And it's God who determines the limitations of a ministry.

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• And that's what Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 10. He said, "Thank God I've had a measure given to me by God, but at least that measure has reached even unto you." Yeah. So Paul said, "I do want to stretch out what I can stretch out in that portion which God has given me, but I'm not going to go beyond that." So if you'll go back in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 10, look at this. He says again in verse 13, "But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule," that boundary, that fixed boundary, "which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure." We're not trying to go beyond what God has given us. "So we reached

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• not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ." And then he goes on, said he's not going to boast in other men's labors where they are, because clearly he's been given his own ministry. He's not been given their ministries. Now go back and look at verses 12 and 13 together. Watch this. He says, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you."

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• Now I want to make some comments, some applications on this before I give you the passages that I really want to give you. But okay, here we go. First of all, no one has the right or the power or authority to make a competing standard, a competing measuring stick or rule. No one has the power, authority, or right to make a different canon. God is sovereign. God is absolute. God sets the standard, not man. It is His measuring stick. It is His measuring rod, and therefore we must obey Him. It is by His measuring rod that everything is to be measured. So doing the best you can, being good and doing good occasionally are not His standard.

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• Following your own rules, following your own instincts, following your own thoughts, your own feelings—these are not His standards. You may have high standards, you may have low standards, but yet they're not His. And of course, without His standard, you will be condemned. Here's the second thing. The very fact and thought that you can set your own standard is a manifestation of the pride, arrogance, haughtiness, and rebellion of your heart.

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• You're the creature and not the Creator. You're the child and not the Father. You're the servant and not the Savior. You're the sinner and not the Sovereign. The very thought that you are capable and wise enough to fix your own standard, your own rule, is an insult to God and a demonstration of your pride, your arrogance, and I would add, your ignorance. Here's the third thing. Setting your own standard, setting your own rule, blinds you to the gifts and the greatness of others who are not of your company. Because when you set your own standard, when you set your own rule, then what you're doing is you're recognizing only those who agree with you. Only those who follow your standard and your rule. I have known pastors that have thought that what they believed was the apex of faith, it was the height, and if you did not agree with them, you were in trouble.

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• In fact, they believed that—now I'm thinking of two particularly right now—they believe that they had the right to grill everyone and to see exactly what you believed and whether or not your beliefs measured up to their beliefs and your understanding measured up to their understanding, which is absolutely insane because that means that they do not understand the doctrine of illumination. No man can see any truth unless God opens his eyes. No man can understand anything except the Lord gives him understanding. And I've often used a scripture when I deal with these people: Job 12 in verse 2. You know what Job told his friends? He said, "But no doubt ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with

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• you." Just stop and think about it. "No doubt ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you." Well, that's the way a lot of people think. They believe that they have the epitome of wisdom, and it's going to die with them, and you must agree with them or else. Now, here's the fourth thing: self-commendation is worthless and it is not real commendation. If you look in 2 Corinthians 10 and verse 18, the Apostle Paul really knocks the wind out of the sails of the Judaizers when he says this: "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth."

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• Matthew Henry gave this brief statement concerning this passage. Listen to what he said: "Of all flattery, self-flattery is the worst, and self-applause is seldom any better than self-flattery and self-deceit. At the best, self-commendation is no praise, and it is oftentimes as foolish and vain as it is proud. Therefore, instead of praising or commending ourselves, we should strive to approve ourselves." And when he says to approve ourselves, he's talking about finding the approval of God from obedience to His word and to His law. So remember this.

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• Because I'm going to show it to you now. Remember this. I told you the word "canon" referred to, number one, a carpenter's measuring rod or stick. Number two, a fixed boundary, such as a fixed boundary of authority or fixed boundary of ministry like the Apostle Paul. But then I said, thirdly, it also refers to the rule of law whereby you and I must live and bring our lives into conformity. So we refer then to the Old Testament as the Old Testament canon. We refer to the New Testament as the New Testament canon. Or we can just combine it and say it's the canon of Scripture. And remember the word "canon" then means a measuring stick or a measuring rod. And since the Bible then is our canon, it is our measuring stick, it is our measuring rod, everyone and everything must be measured by the Bible. That is why we as believers say that the Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice. Now, let me show you.

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• I want you to turn to the book of Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3. And I want you to look at verses 15 and 16. Philippians 3 verses 15 and 16. So here's—I'm asking the question again: Do you have a canon? What's this? Philippians 3 verse 15: "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

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• Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." Well, first of all, let's cover the word "perfect." When he said, "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect," the word "perfect" here does not mean sinless. It does not refer to sinless perfection. The Greek word is the word "teleios," which actually refers to a man of full age, one that is mature, one that is being brought to an end. So it does not refer to that which is sinless. Now look what he said then in verse 15: "Let us therefore, as many as be mature," that is, there are some areas in which we are mature, "be thus minded. And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded," in other words, you're not mature in those areas,

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• "God shall reveal even this unto you." Well, how in the world is God going to reveal to us that wherein we are not mature? Well, the answer is He's going to reveal it to us by the Scriptures. Look in verse 16: "Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained," that is, in the areas where we have reached maturity, "let us walk by the same rule." That is, let us walk by the same canon. What is the canon? It's God's measuring stick. It's God's rule. It is His Word. "Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same" measure, the same measuring stick, the same measuring rod, the Scriptures. "Let us mind the same thing." The only way that you and I can mind the same thing is walking by the same rule, which is the canon. And so our standard, the Word of God, our rule is the Word of God. Now listen to me very carefully: our standard, our rule, our measuring stick is the Word of God. It is not some imagined, fanciful, autonomous structure that someone else has set up or imagined, such as the Judaizers, the government,

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• the Great Reset, the Great Society, the New World Order. No, no, no. It's none of those crazy things. Our measuring stick is the Word of God. That's what he said. We are to walk by this same rule, this same canon.

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• Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians, chapter 6. And look, if you would, beginning there with verse 14. Galatians chapter 6 and verse 14. Look what he says. The Apostle Paul says, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And

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• as many as walk according to this rule," this canon, this measuring stick, this measuring rod, "and as many as walk according to this rule," that is God's Word, "peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." So here's the question: who is the Israel of God? Is it those people who live in Israel? No. Is it those people who claim to be Jews? No. He said the Israel of God are those that walk according to this rule. Those who walk according to the canon of Scripture. If you're walking contrary to the canon of Scripture, you're not God's. If you walk according to the canon of Scripture, if you'll look in verse 15, you are in Christ Jesus.

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• You've been made a new creature. Yes. And according to verse 16, you're going to be walking according to His rule. That means you have bowed to Him. You've recognized Him as Lord. You understand Luke 6 and verse 46, when Jesus said, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" In other words, you believe the Lord Jesus Christ. If you've bowed to Him, you're going to walk according to His rule. Now go back in your Bibles, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, go over if you would to Philippians chapter 3 and look at verse 3, because here he says the same thing. Watch it, different words, but the same truth. "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." So if you're walking according to God's rule, you are indeed rejoicing in Jesus Christ. You're worshiping God and you have absolutely no confidence in the flesh. In other words, you understand you're not capable, you're not able

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• to have a different standard other than God's standard. So let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this: There is nothing more certain, a certain indication of folly, than for a man to think that he is capable of setting his own standard of excellence. And then when he has reached that standard, to think that he has arrived. Such an individual is blind. He's foolish. He's deceived. He has no understanding.

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• That's what the apostle Paul said. That's why the Judaizers did it. They had their own standard. They were meeting their own standard. They were commending themselves and they would measure themselves by other people. Paul said, "This is totally unwise." Here's the second one. I want you to think about this. The only way that you may have your own rule, the only way that you may have your own standard, is to reject God's standard. And when you reject God's standard, you reject His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You reject His law, you reject His Spirit. It is impossible for any man to set up a different standard than God's without refusing, rejecting, and despising God's standard. So the question is, do you have a canon? And the answer is yes. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you have a measuring stick. I can measure Steve by the measuring stick of God's Word. Steve can measure me by the measuring stick of God's Word. We can measure any situation, any circumstance, any individual by the measuring stick of God's Word.

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• Even our Lord said, "By their fruits ye shall know them." In other words, we measure by the Word of God. We do have a canon. We do have a measuring stick, and we need to use it. And we need to bring our lives in conformity to it. Well, let's pray. Thank you, Father, for this day, for Your love, Your grace, Your mercy. Help us, Lord, to understand Your canon and apply it to our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

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• ♪

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:09:24Z