Gatekeepers Pt.2 - "Proclaiming & Protecting Truth " - Keith Miller

GATEKEEPERS Proclaiming and Protecting Truth Guarding Truth with Prophetic Proclamation Week #2 Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.” Last week Mark taught us about the three positions of a Gatekeeper. This week we will discuss the three roles of a Gatekeeper. To fully understand the roles of Gatekeepers as guards of the truth, we must first understand truth.J However, before I start the message today, I want to read John 15:22 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.“ He was making a prophetic proclamation. Christ was proclaiming: "My appearing and My speaking have removed from you all pretense. The truth has come in Myself, and now you are responsible. Before I came you had an excuse for your superficiality and for your religious carryings on, that you thought was the real thing, but now that I have come, now that I have spoken, you have no excuse. The divine standard has fallen. The reality of God, the revelation of His purposes has been presented, and now you are responsible for that. You cannot go on as you were before." The prophetic word makes a particular demand upon our attention and likewise a requirement in our obedience. That kind of word can only come out of the whole council of God. Once we have heard the reality of God, the revelation of His purposes we are responsible for that. We no longer have an excuse. We cannot go on as we were before. Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Even more to the point: Truth is the self-expression of God. That is the biblical meaning of truth. The definition of truth flows from God. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so. Therefore, God is the author, source, determiner, governor, arbiter, ultimate standard, and final judge of all truth. In America today, the concept of truth has clearly fallen on hard times, and the consequences of rejecting it are ravaging human society. So, let’s go back to the starting point and answer the question: What is truth? To some, truth is subjective, the individual world of preference and opinion. Others believe truth is a collective judgment, the product of cultural consensus, and still others flatly deny the concept of truth altogether. The truth of the matter is, Truth means nothing apart from God. Truth cannot be explained, recognized, understood, or defined without God as source. The Old Testament refers to the Almighty as the “God of truth” (Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16). When Jesus said of Himself, “I am…the truth” (John 14:6,) emphasis added), He was thereby making a profound claim about His own deity. He was also making it clear that all truth must ultimately be defined in terms of God and His eternal glory. Of course, there cannot be any discord or difference of opinion between the written Word of God (Scripture) and the incarnate Word of God (Jesus). In the first place, truth cannot contradict itself. Second, Scripture is called “the word of Christ” (Colossians 3:16). the truth of Christ and the truth of the Bible are of the very same character. They are in perfect agreement in every respect. Both are equally true. To suppress this truth is to dishonor God, displace His glory, and incur His wrath (Romans 1: 19-20). The Bible is the touchstone to which all truth claims should be brought and by which all other truth must finally be measured. The whole concept of truth instantly becomes nonsense (and every imagination of the human heart therefore turns to sheer foolishness) as soon as people attempt to remove the thought of God from their minds. That, of course, is precisely how the apostle Paul traced the relentless decline of human ideas in Romans 1:21-22: “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Whenever someone tries to dissociate truth from the knowledge of God. Paul went on to write, “Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:28). Abandon a biblical definition of truth, and unrighteousness is the inescapable result. We see it happening before our eyes in every corner of contemporary society. In fact, the widespread acceptance of homosexuality, rebellion, and all forms of evil that we see in our society today is a verbatim fulfillment of what Romans 1 says always happens when a society denies and suppresses the essential connection between God and truth. It is impossible to make sense of truth without acknowledging God as the necessary starting point. Truth is not subjective, it is not a consensual cultural construct, and it is not an invalid, outdated, irrelevant concept. Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth is thus theological; it is the reality God has created and defined, and over which He rules. Truth is therefore a moral issue for every human being. Gatekeepers of today have three primary roles I. They shield and protect against false teachings and doctrine. This means they defend the gospel, the truth of the Word and Protect the holiness of God’s house. Their hearts are on fire with the Fear of the Lord. They know the scriptures well and are full of understanding. Gatekeepers keep the whole council of God. They stay active in the church and the kingdom2 Timothy 4:.3-4 II. They stand watch, watching for the signs of the end times and are prepared to proclaim truth. According to the Old Testament, Gatekeepers were also watchmen on the walls. They appointed and taught others around them to guard the gate as well. Their hearts were fully committed to God. They are always prepared and continually remind others to be ready. Gatekeepers make sure that nothing unholy enters into their homes, local church, schools, or government. They know and watch for the signs of the Lords return. Philippians 1:9 10 III. They sound the alarm when they see the enemy prowling about. They are constantly on the lookout for Satan as he prowls about seeking those that he might destroy. They are bold and not afraid to tell the truth of God’s word, knowing full well they are protecting many from the fires of eternal hell. They are prayer warriors and intercessors. Gatekeepers are trustworthy and alert for any signs of trouble. 1 Peter 5:8 When we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit , He serves as “gatekeeper” for our hearts. The Spirit desires our sanctification, giving us the power to repel sin. When temptation comes knocking at our gate, the Holy Spirit nudges our Scripture-informed conscience: “That’s dangerous. Don’t go there.” The divine Gatekeeper acts on our behalf to keep invaders from destroying us. When we ignore the Holy Spirit as our Gatekeeper, we put ourselves and those we love in jeopardy. But when we, in godly fear, heed the warnings of the Word and the Holy Spirit, we are safe. Our hearts and lives are protected from Satan’s invasive schemes (Ephesians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 2:11). RUNNING AWAY FROM THIS IS NOT AN OPTION (Jonah didn’t win) You are commanded to speak out and warn them  It is time to stand up and speak in the righteousness of the Lord- not for our own self-righteousness, but for the Honor of the Lord and for the salvation of those who are about to perish. We can no longer fear what man thinks, what he may say, do, or even notice their countenance – Fear God and what lies ahead for all of us. Take your stand and don’t turn to look around to the right or left, who cares what people think- ask yourself this “What does the Lord say?”.  Will he call you “Good and faithful servant” or an “evil coward”. Yikes, I know, that sounds harsh, but that’s what the scripture says. Don’t we all wish we could make everyone happy with our words, but that is not our job. Our duty is to speak the truth in Love, snatching up those about to perish. Gatekeepers protect the house of the Lord from corruption and worldly ideas. Stand true to the Word of God and do not waver. Protect the people from following lies, false ideas and wrong doctrine. Protect and cling tightly to the Word of God, protecting the Lord’s house and His Ways. You must keep from stumbling off the narrow path. He has commanded us to watch for His return. Do you have something to say? Do you know something is wrong and you haven’t sounded the alarm? Be encouraged today. Spend time with the Lord and pray about it. Ask the Lord to search your heart and make sure that pride/ haughtiness hasn’t slipped in. Meditate on Ps 131 and speak boldly for the Lord – don’t go in seeking great things for yourself, but for the glory of the Lord. Keep your focus. If you have children- you are the watchmen over them and their hearts. Do you know someone who has drifted from the faith? Then pray for them and speak to them in love warning everyone everyday.