Untitled Sermon (27)

Over the course of this letter, Paul has introduced a vast majority of topics. And as I pointed out as we progress through this letter all began to unpack things that he stated earlier. I would say Paul is not discussing anything new here. The same is true of what we are covering today. Al is not saying anything that he has not already said. But, he is explaining something that he has stated.

This explanation helps us better understand the Old Testament. This explanation helps us better understand Salvation. And this explanation helps us understand the issue of sin within an around the church. You can actually broaden that statement. it is not just the issue of sin within and around the church But within our country. Within our family. It could also help us understand how unbelievers can prosper so well.

Because at times seems like some unbelievers prosper. But do not think of the unbeliever, at least in the context of what we will be talking about and that context you don't know yet, but do not think of the unbeliever in this context as someone who willingly and happily regects God.

we will be discussing unbelievers who think they are believers or pretend to be believers. and these kind of people are very hard to spot. They are the type that appear to do all the right things and say all the right things but are not truly the ones they are claiming to be.

but before I begin discussing that, I have to back up to a wider view so I can narrow in on what I am talking about. Let us start with our own country. Do we live in a Christian country? Some of you may say yes, some of you may say no and some of you may say it used to be. And I'm going to argue that it never was.

I affirm that this was once a land that held Christian values, but do not mistake that to mean a Christian nation. Let's just think about it for a second. America is a Christian nation; does that mean everyone born in this nation is automatically a Christian? Of course not. Therefore we cannot make the claim that we are or were a Christian nation rather we are a nation who held Christian values.

And there is a difference. We do not hold to a birthright form of religion. Not everyone who is born in America is automatically a Christian and I do not think that there is a person in here who would argue with me on that. Alright let's narrow it down.

We know that not everyone born in this nation is automatically Christian so let's make the scale a bit smaller. Let's reduce it down to just the church. Let's reduce it down to just the church in the United States. You can include the church worldwide that's fine it doesn't hurt but for the sake of conversation let's just restrict it a body of believers in one land.

Let's think of every congregation of every denomination that confess is a trinitarian form of belief within the United States. There are many different denominations, but let's just call it the Christian Church as that is what it is. Is everybody who sits with in the walls of all these churches automatically saved?

Does the mere fact that use it inside of the church make you a Christian? The answer is no of course not. But let's not stop there, what about the family. Does having Christian parents automatically mean that the children are saved? The answer is no of course not. There are many out there who act as if these things are true but when we stayed him out loud like we are we say absolutely not.

And yet, more people commit these acts than you can possibly imagine. And more Christians are fooled then you can possibly imagine. fool might be a harsh word; misled is probably more accurate. But there are people out there who put a lot of stock into their Association.

We have talked about this in the past but I have not explained it in the way that I just explained it now. The easy believeism movement is a movement guilty of this. They are the ones that I've discussed in the past that state all you have to do is raise your hand just once and your saved no matter what.

They have a false hope , and they teach a false hope. This does not mean that everybody within this movement is not saved or that they cannot be saved sticking around within their circles. But it does mean that there are those who believe they are saved when they are in fact not. Jesus makes it clear to us that there will be many who believe that they are saved and he will tell them depart from me I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of evil.

So we should not be surprised when we encounter those who truly think they are saved and you discover that they are not. There are people out there who trust in their baptism for their Salvation. This is obviously a stumbling block for Catholicism. But there are those in Protestant Christianity who are confused on this subject as well.

They will want to baptize their infants and they will say well if your baby dies don't you want your baby to go to heaven?

But the age we are living in is truly bizarre in that this age celebrates sin. Not only does this age celebrate sin, but many within the church come alongside these people and celebrates with them. It is no longer seen as a bad thing or a violation against the law. And what brings many of these churchgoers affirmation is that they find a kind of reward from sin that they believe is from God.

A subject we do not discuss a nuff is the false rewards of sin. Not that sin actually rewards. But sin and the work of evil can and does give people the desires of their heart. And those who are misled often think that these rewards come from God. So they offer up praise to a god that they invented in their own head 4 things that never came from God.

For example; if a person is a part of the ministry that affirms homosexuality and this person is praying for God to help them in their sin, and then what they been asking for comes to fruition and they believe this is a reward from God when rather it is sinful desire being fulfilled. Now it wasn't that long ago when this scenario that I just gave would be unheard of.

But this scenario I just gave does happen. Same attitude can be applied to other things. I used a scenario that I knew you all would not agree with. I used a scenario that you all would affirm this is not Christianity. What happens with that scenario is not as clear as the one I just stated. What happens when greed is rewarded and people think it is the blessing of God?

What happens when selfishness is rewarded and people think it is the blessing of God? These are the ones that tend to be overlooked. But it does happen often. Now if you're a critical thinker right now you should be thinking well those are not rewards. I agree, we're talking about the desires of the heart being fulfilled and people crediting God for that fulfillment.

You may also be thinking well obviously selfishness and greed are 2 things that we despise. And I agree as well, but selfishness and greed are hidden desires. A sin like homosexuality is something somebody declares. Somebody can hide it that's in as well, but we're talking about the one who is out and celebrating this sin. There's not many parades for greed. You did not see greed celebrated as often. Not on the same scale anyway.

Also, in Orthodox ministry would never affirm homosexuality. So no homeosexual will not join in Orthodox ministry. But, these inward sinful desires are within Orthodox ministries. And you have to understand that there are many who sit in the pews every Sunday who are not saved.

let's see how Paul explains this and we will tie it all together.

Romans 9:6–7 NASB95

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.”

Romans 9:6 NASB95

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;

Romans 9:

We kinda have to recap to understand why Paul is saying what he is saying. As is always true with all of scripture ; context context context means everything. So what we covered in is essential to understanding what Paul is saying here in now

we can begin with the Golden chain of Salvation the order of Salvation. for those he foreknew he predestine that those whom he predestine he called those whom he called he justified those he justified he glorified. And then Paul built this case that there is nothing mightier than God. That because God is in control him because God knows the end and because God knows who belongs to him there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

Then we come to Chapter 9 and Paul declares that he's not lying and he has a great heart ache for his kinsman. He then goes through the blessings that he is talking about. They were the adopted children, they were the ones who seen god's glory, they are the ones who received his covenant, they are the ones who God revealed his low to, they are the ones that God allowed them to have temple service, they are the ones who receive the promises.

They are the fathers and from them comes to Christ according to the flesh . and Paul makes the great declaration that Christ is God and that he is blessed forever and then he ends with a men. Amen is a statement of affirmation in truth. If you're reading the gospel of John you see Jesus say truly truly I say to you. But if you were reading that in Greek you read Amen Amen I say to you.

When you say Amen you are to clearing an affirmation of truth in a praise format. And the combination of what is setting chapter 8 and what is been declared now in Chapter 9 can be baffling to the mind. And some of you have sat hearing this and may ask how can this be ; how do I make sense of that . how does this apply to this and that?

What about in the scriptures where they state this what about in the scriptures will they state that? How do you make the claims that you are making? And if that is the thought that you have had you are not alone. Paul begins to argue with a hypothetical person.

This is not the first time Paul has done this in this letter. The first verse of chapter 6 Paul asks what shall we say then? are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? Paul does the same thing here. He doesn't ask a question, yet, but you may consider this whole chapter an argument with a hypothetical person. no doubt that Paul has experienced this conversation before. He knows what is going to be asked and he goes ahead and has the conversation before anyone can ask it.

So paul states it is not as though the word of God has failed. Paul you talk about Israel receiving these great blessings. You talk about them being the children of the promise and having the temple and seeing god's glory. But you are also saying that your heart aches for them for their condition. Which is it? Are they blessed or are they not? And if they're not blessed then you were saying the word of God has failed.

Paul comes in and says no the word of God has not failed, for they are not all Israel where to send it from Israel. Literally they are not all Israel who are Israel. let's define it another way; so all you were saying that israel's not blessed there for the word of God has failed , God has failed in keeping his promises. And Paul says no , God has not failed you misunderstand what true Israel is. Your understanding of Israel is not accurate.

Again, Paul is not saying anything he hasn't already said. Paul made this claim back in chapter 2.

Romans 2:28–29 NASB95

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

If you remember we had a discussion, and I realize that was about a year ago, but if you remember we talked about authentic face being an inward thing. It doesn't matter if you are making an outward an expression. And the outward expression is meaningless if you have no faith. So circumcision was meant to point to the issue of the heart.

And Paul calls it the circumcision of the heart which is done by the spirit. You don't do that, the Holy Spirit is the one that does that for you. If one is a Jew outwardly but not one inwardly they are just acting. In other words what is being said in , at the end of , they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.

Paul is not the only one to make this statement. Looking at the New Testament, it is John the Baptist who points it out first.

Luke 3:8 NASB95

“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

John the Baptist comes in preaching a baptism of repentance. The Pharisees came and questioned him and John the Baptist commands that they bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And he says don't you dare don't you dare to begin to say within yourselves do you have Abraham as father.

John the Baptist can make such a claim because he knows what is still a Jewish man rest in. That some people within Israel would say I'm of Israel no matter what and what John the Baptist is saying here is they're not all Israel, which are of Israel. The Baptist goes on to say that from the stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

and folks, God did in fact take your heart of stone and raised it up for you to be a child of Abraham. so we have Paul making this declaration and we have John the Baptist making this declaration ; is there anyone else in the pages of scripture that makes this declaration? The answer is yes and that person is Jesus himself.

We will be getting this out of the gospel of John before I go to the specific text I want us to focus on, we have to understand something about belief. Anyone can say that they believe. And many people do say that they believe. We read from Paul that is one believes in their heart and confess with your mouth they will receive Salvation. And that is true assuming the belief is authentic, assuming the faith is authentic.

Because there is such a thing as false belief and there is such a thing as false faith. and the gospel of John highlights that. We will be reading from John chapter 8 and you can go ahead and turn there but I wanna point something out in John chapter 2 first.

Jesus was beginning his ministry and was performing miracles and it says this towards the end of the chapter;

John 2:23 NASB95

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.

Do you see how they belived in his name based on what they have witnessed. But there is more to the text.

John 2:24–25 NASB95

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

with that in mind, let us now look to chapter 8.

John 8:30–45 NASB95

As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. “I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. “But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.

Alright a lot was said there. The first thing to point out is that they believed. But Jesus knows the heart of man. He knew that they truly did not believe. So he argued with them. By the way what Jesus did here is what gets pastors fired. He chased people who were confessing belief in him away. he questioned their belief and they became defensive. As any other person would do.

So they went to what they trusted the most and they said we are the children of Abraham . and Jesus said Nope , no you are not. If you were children of Abraham you would do the deeds of Abraham and Abraham did not try and kill me. Then he went on to tell them that they were of their father the devil.

I love looking at the ministry of Jesus because what all the ministry experts tell pastors to do today that is exactly what Jesus did not do. he was not trying to win the approval of other people and he was not trying to win the world. In this text that we just looked at from John his only concern was the proclamation of truth. But if we can sum up this section of John chapter 8 it would be summed up this way they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.

The rest of this Chapter will argue and defend this point. there is no need for me to jump ahead and explain more when paul will do that for us. And while Paul is in the context of Israel this applies to us as well as we do see and have something similar. And that is they are not all the church which are of church. Not everyone who claims faith in Jesus is of Jesus.

And this point does get made of the church elsewhere in the New Testament. There are many and I mean many goat and wolves in the pews. This saved are called the sheep. The unsaved are called the goats and the rules are the ones who want to destroy the sheep. There are many wolves and goats in the pews. There are many wolves and goats in the world.

There were many in Israel were misled interested in the fact that they were the physical seed of Abraham. They neglect the fact that they must be the spiritual seed of Abraham to truly be called the children of Abraham , to truly be called the children of promise.

And everyone who has authentic faith in Jesus are the spiritual children of Abraham. Those of you who sitting here today who have faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior are a part of the promise to Abraham that was made thousands of years ago. Abraham's acts of righteousness or every action of the faith that he had when he heard about you and others like you.

But there are many in Israel who did not have this authentic faith. Who are not the spiritual seed of Abraham. And do not think of that word spirit was less than real. Spirituality is reality. I say that because I think some people when they make a spiritual truth claim think it's less than true . it is not less than true it is very much as real and a part of reality as the pew you sit on.

So there were many in Israel who did not have this authentic faith, who were misled and they trusted in something they misunderstood. But would often happened with Israel is that they would be blessed by God and those who are not of Israel but in Israel thought that blessing belong to them as well. They abused the temple but because they had their land and the temple they thought they were blessed by God.

And some of these Pharisees were prosperous , were well off and they took that as a sign that they were truly the descendants of Abraham. That was all misleading. That was in in the works of evil keeping people ignorant so they would not embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. Do you understand that is house sin and evil works?

it is not the spiritual monster that takes over your body and causes your head to spin around in 360 degrees and green vomit coming out of the mouth, that is what Hollywood wants you to think evil strictly is. Sin and evil is everything that works to keep you from Jesus. So evil and sin will give you to the desires of your heart. Just like you did for some of those who are in Israel.

And what we must Take away from this is that there are people around us who think they are saved but there not. We are not to be mad at these people for being misled . we are not to show anger to these people for being misled. But we should be grieved like Paul is grieved at the fact that we know somebody who is misled. That she grievous to the core so much so that we say we ourselves if we can be a sacrifice for these people we would.

If we truly hold to a doctrine of hell, then our understanding of hell should drop us to our knees in prayer and cause our legs to move towards those who are perishing.

That does not mean that they will become the church. But it does mean you are faithfull to the message that you have been entrusted with.

Be faithful and it begins with those around us.