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Hell's Best Kept Secret
Hell's Best Kept Secret
Hell's Best Kept Secret - This message was first preached in August 1982. Hell’s Best Kept Secret is non-copyrighted, duplication is encouraged. www.LivingWaters.com – Living Waters Publications, P.O. Box 1172, Bellflower, CA 90706 – Order line: 1-800-437-1893
Hell's Best Kept Secret - This message was first preached in August 1982. Hell’s Best Kept Secret is non-copyrighted, duplication is encouraged. www.LivingWaters.com – Living Waters Publications, P.O. Box 1172, Bellflower, CA 90706 – Order line: 1-800-437-1893
In the late seventies, God very graciously opened an itinerant ministry to me. As I began to travel, I found that I had access to church growth records, and found to my horror that something like 80 to 90% of those making a decision for Christ were falling away from the faith. That is, modern evangelism with its methods is creating something like 80 to 90 of what we commonly call backsliders for every hundred decisions for Christ.
In the late seventies, God very graciously opened an itinerant ministry to me. As I began to travel, I found that I had access to church growth records, and found to my horror that something like 80 to 90% of those making a decision for Christ were falling away from the faith. That is, modern evangelism with its methods is creating something like 80 to 90 of what we commonly call backsliders for every hundred decisions for Christ.
Let me make it more real for you. In 1991, in the first year of the decade of harvest, a major denomination in the U.S. was able to obtain 294,000 decisions for Christ. That is, in one year, this major denomination of 11,500 churches was able to obtain 294,000 decisions for Christ. Unfortunately, they could only find 14,000 in fellowship, which means they couldn’t account for 280,000 of their decisions, and this is normal, modern evangelical results, and something I discovered way back in the late seventies; it greatly concerned me. I began to study the book of Romans intently and, specifically, the gospel proclamation of men like Spurgeon, Wesley, Moody, Finney, Whitfield, Luther, and others that God used down through the ages, and I found they used a principle which is almost entirely neglected by modern evangelical methods. I began teaching that principle; I was eventually invited to base our ministry in southern California, the city of Bellflower, specifically to bring this teaching to the church of the U.S.
Let me make it more real for you. In 1991, in the first year of the decade of harvest, a major denomination in the U.S. was able to obtain 294,000 decisions for Christ. That is, in one year, this major denomination of 11,500 churches was able to obtain 294,000 decisions for Christ. Unfortunately, they could only find 14,000 in fellowship, which means they couldn’t account for 280,000 of their decisions, and this is normal, modern evangelical results, and something I discovered way back in the late seventies; it greatly concerned me. I began to study the book of Romans intently and, specifically, the gospel proclamation of men like Spurgeon, Wesley, Moody, Finney, Whitfield, Luther, and others that God used down through the ages, and I found they used a principle which is almost entirely neglected by modern evangelical methods. I began teaching that principle; I was eventually invited to base our ministry in southern California, the city of Bellflower, specifically to bring this teaching to the church of the U.S.
Things were quiet for the first three years, until I received a call from Bill Gothard, who had seen the teaching on video. He flew me to San Jose in northern California; I shared it with a thousand pastors. Then in 1992 he screened that video to 30,000 pastors. The same year David Wilkerson called from New York. He called from his car. (He had been listening to the teaching in his car and called me on his car phone.) Immediately, he flew me 3,000 miles from L.A. to New York to share the one-hour teaching with his church; he considered it to be that important. And recently I heard of a pastor who had listened to the audio tape 250 times. I’d be happy if you’d listen just once to this teaching which is called “Hell’s Best Kept Secret.”
Things were quiet for the first three years, until I received a call from Bill Gothard, who had seen the teaching on video. He flew me to San Jose in northern California; I shared it with a thousand pastors. Then in 1992 he screened that video to 30,000 pastors. The same year David Wilkerson called from New York. He called from his car. (He had been listening to the teaching in his car and called me on his car phone.) Immediately, he flew me 3,000 miles from L.A. to New York to share the one-hour teaching with his church; he considered it to be that important. And recently I heard of a pastor who had listened to the audio tape 250 times. I’d be happy if you’d listen just once to this teaching which is called “Hell’s Best Kept Secret.”
The Bible says in Psalm 19, verse 7, “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” What is it that the Bible says is perfect and actually converts the soul? Why scripture makes it very clear: “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” Now to illustrate the function of God’s law, let’s just look for a moment at civil law. Imagine if I said to you, “I’ve got some good news for you: someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf.” You’d probably react by saying, “What are you talking about? That’s not good news: it doesn’t make sense. I don’t have a $25,000 speeding fine.” My good news wouldn’t be good news to you: it would seem foolishness. But more than that, it would be offensive to you, because I’m insinuating you’ve broken the law when you don’t think you have. However, if I put it this way, it may make more sense: “On the way to this meeting, the law clocked you at going 55 miles an hour through an area set aside for a blind children’s convention. There were ten clear warning signs stating that fifteen miles an hour was the maximum speed, but you went straight through at 55 miles an hour. What you did was extremely dangerous; there’s a $25,000 fine. The law was about to take its course, when someone you don’t even know stepped in and paid the fine for you. You are very fortunate.”
The Bible says in Psalm 19, verse 7, “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” What is it that the Bible says is perfect and actually converts the soul? Why scripture makes it very clear: “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” Now to illustrate the function of God’s law, let’s just look for a moment at civil law. Imagine if I said to you, “I’ve got some good news for you: someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf.” You’d probably react by saying, “What are you talking about? That’s not good news: it doesn’t make sense. I don’t have a $25,000 speeding fine.” My good news wouldn’t be good news to you: it would seem foolishness. But more than that, it would be offensive to you, because I’m insinuating you’ve broken the law when you don’t think you have. However, if I put it this way, it may make more sense: “On the way to this meeting, the law clocked you at going 55 miles an hour through an area set aside for a blind children’s convention. There were ten clear warning signs stating that fifteen miles an hour was the maximum speed, but you went straight through at 55 miles an hour. What you did was extremely dangerous; there’s a $25,000 fine. The law was about to take its course, when someone you don’t even know stepped in and paid the fine for you. You are very fortunate.”
Can you see that telling you precisely what you’ve done wrong first actually makes the good news make sense? If I don’t clearly bring instruction and understanding that you’ve violated the law, then the good news will seem foolishness; it will seem offensive. But once you understand that you’ve broken the law, then that good news will become good news indeed.
Can you see that telling you precisely what you’ve done wrong first actually makes the good news make sense? If I don’t clearly bring instruction and understanding that you’ve violated the law, then the good news will seem foolishness; it will seem offensive. But once you understand that you’ve broken the law, then that good news will become good news indeed.
Now in the same way, if I approach an impenitent sinner and say, “Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins,” it will be foolishness and offensive to him. Foolishness because it won’t make sense. The Bible says that: “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:18). And offensive because I’m insinuating he’s a sinner when he doesn’t think he is. As far as he’s concerned, there are a lot of people far worse than him. But if I take the time to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, it may make more sense. If I take the time to open up the divine law, the ten commandments, and show the sinner precisely what he’s done wrong, that he has offended God by violating His law, then when he becomes, as James says, “convinced of the law as a transgressor” (Jam. 2:9), the good news of the fine being paid for will not be foolishness, it will not be offensive, it will be “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16).
Now in the same way, if I approach an impenitent sinner and say, “Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins,” it will be foolishness and offensive to him. Foolishness because it won’t make sense. The Bible says that: “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:18). And offensive because I’m insinuating he’s a sinner when he doesn’t think he is. As far as he’s concerned, there are a lot of people far worse than him. But if I take the time to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, it may make more sense. If I take the time to open up the divine law, the ten commandments, and show the sinner precisely what he’s done wrong, that he has offended God by violating His law, then when he becomes, as James says, “convinced of the law as a transgressor” (Jam. 2:9), the good news of the fine being paid for will not be foolishness, it will not be offensive, it will be “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16).
Now, with those few thoughts in mind by way of introduction, let’s now look at Romans 3, verse 19. We’ll look at some of the functions of God’s law for humanity. Romans 3, verse 19: “Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.” So one function of God’s law is to stop the mouth. To stop sinners justifying themselves and saying, “There’s plenty of people worse than me. I’m not a bad person. Really.” No, the law stops the mouth of justification and leaves the whole world, not just the Jews, but the whole world guilty before God. Romans 3, verse 20: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” So God’s law tells us what sin is. 1 John 3:4 says, “Sin is transgression of the law.” Romans 7, verse 7: “What shall we say then?” says Paul. “Is the law sin? God forbid! No, I had not known sin but by the law.” Paul says, “I didn’t know what sin was until the law told me.” In Galatians 3:24, “Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” God’s law acts as a schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ that we might be justified through faith in His blood.
Now, with those few thoughts in mind by way of introduction, let’s now look at Romans 3, verse 19. We’ll look at some of the functions of God’s law for humanity. Romans 3, verse 19: “Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.” So one function of God’s law is to stop the mouth. To stop sinners justifying themselves and saying, “There’s plenty of people worse than me. I’m not a bad person. Really.” No, the law stops the mouth of justification and leaves the whole world, not just the Jews, but the whole world guilty before God. Romans 3, verse 20: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” So God’s law tells us what sin is. 1 John 3:4 says, “Sin is transgression of the law.” Romans 7, verse 7: “What shall we say then?” says Paul. “Is the law sin? God forbid! No, I had not known sin but by the law.” Paul says, “I didn’t know what sin was until the law told me.” In Galatians 3:24, “Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” God’s law acts as a schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ that we might be justified through faith in His blood.
The law doesn’t help us; it just leaves us helpless. It doesn’t justify us; it just leaves us guilty before the judgment bar of a holy God. And the tragedy of modern evangelism is because around the turn of the century when it forsook the law in its capacity to convert the soul, to drive sinners to Christ, modern evangelism had to, therefore, find another reason for sinners to respond to the gospel. And the issue that modern evangelism chose to attract sinners was the issue of “life enhancement”. The gospel degenerated into “Jesus Christ will give you peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” Now to illustrate the unscriptural nature of this very popular teaching, I’d like you to listen very carefully to this following anecdote, because the essence of what I’m saying pivots on this particular illustration; so please listen carefully.
The law doesn’t help us; it just leaves us helpless. It doesn’t justify us; it just leaves us guilty before the judgment bar of a holy God. And the tragedy of modern evangelism is because around the turn of the century when it forsook the law in its capacity to convert the soul, to drive sinners to Christ, modern evangelism had to, therefore, find another reason for sinners to respond to the gospel. And the issue that modern evangelism chose to attract sinners was the issue of “life enhancement”. The gospel degenerated into “Jesus Christ will give you peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” Now to illustrate the unscriptural nature of this very popular teaching, I’d like you to listen very carefully to this following anecdote, because the essence of what I’m saying pivots on this particular illustration; so please listen carefully.
Two men are seated in a plane. The first is given a parachute and told to put is on as it would improve his flight. He’s a little skeptical at first because he can’t see how wearing a parachute in a plane could possibly improve the flight. After a time he decides to experiment and see if the claim is true. As he puts it on he notices the weight of it upon his shoulders and he finds that he has difficulty in sitting upright. However, he consoles himself with the fact that he was told the parachute would improve the flight. So, he decides to give the thing a little time. As he waits he notices that some of the other passengers are laughing at him, because he’s wearing a parachute in a plane. He begins to feel somewhat humiliated. As they begin to point and laugh at him and he can stand it no longer, he slinks in his seat, unstraps the parachute, and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fill his heart, because, as far as he was concerned, he was told an outright lie. The second man is given a parachute, but listen to what he’s told. He’s told to put it on because at any moment he’d be jumping 25,000 feet out of the plane. He gratefully puts the parachute on; he doesn’t notice the weight of it upon his shoulders, nor that he can’t sit upright. His mind is consumed with the thought of what would happen to him if he jumped without that parachute.
Two men are seated in a plane. The first is given a parachute and told to put is on as it would improve his flight. He’s a little skeptical at first because he can’t see how wearing a parachute in a plane could possibly improve the flight. After a time he decides to experiment and see if the claim is true. As he puts it on he notices the weight of it upon his shoulders and he finds that he has difficulty in sitting upright. However, he consoles himself with the fact that he was told the parachute would improve the flight. So, he decides to give the thing a little time. As he waits he notices that some of the other passengers are laughing at him, because he’s wearing a parachute in a plane. He begins to feel somewhat humiliated. As they begin to point and laugh at him and he can stand it no longer, he slinks in his seat, unstraps the parachute, and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fill his heart, because, as far as he was concerned, he was told an outright lie. The second man is given a parachute, but listen to what he’s told. He’s told to put it on because at any moment he’d be jumping 25,000 feet out of the plane. He gratefully puts the parachute on; he doesn’t notice the weight of it upon his shoulders, nor that he can’t sit upright. His mind is consumed with the thought of what would happen to him if he jumped without that parachute.
Let’s analyze the motive and the result of each passenger’s experience. The first man’s motive for putting the parachute on was solely to improve his flight. The result of his experience was that he was humiliated by the passengers; he was disillusioned and somewhat embittered against those who gave him the parachute. As far as he’s concerned it’ll be a long time before anyone gets one of those things on his back again. The second man put the parachute on solely to escape the jump to come, and because of his knowledge of what would happen to him without it, he has a deep-rooted joy and peace in his heart knowing that he’s saved from sure death. This knowledge gives him the ability to withstand the mockery of the other passengers. His attitude towards those who gave him the parachute is one of heart-felt gratitude.
Let’s analyze the motive and the result of each passenger’s experience. The first man’s motive for putting the parachute on was solely to improve his flight. The result of his experience was that he was humiliated by the passengers; he was disillusioned and somewhat embittered against those who gave him the parachute. As far as he’s concerned it’ll be a long time before anyone gets one of those things on his back again. The second man put the parachute on solely to escape the jump to come, and because of his knowledge of what would happen to him without it, he has a deep-rooted joy and peace in his heart knowing that he’s saved from sure death. This knowledge gives him the ability to withstand the mockery of the other passengers. His attitude towards those who gave him the parachute is one of heart-felt gratitude.
Now listen to what the modern gospel says. It says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” In other words, “Jesus will improve your flight.” So the sinner responds, and in an experimental fashion, puts on the Savior to see if the claims are true. And what does he get? The promised temptation, tribulation, and persecution. The other passengers mock him. So what does he do? He takes off the Lord Jesus Christ, he’s offended for the word’s sake (Mark 4:17) 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word., he’s disillusioned and somewhat embittered, and quite rightly so. He was promised peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and lasting happiness, and all he got were trials and humiliation. His bitterness is directed toward those who gave him the so-called “good news”. His latter end becomes worse than the first: another inoculated and bitter backslider.
Now listen to what the modern gospel says. It says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” In other words, “Jesus will improve your flight.” So the sinner responds, and in an experimental fashion, puts on the Savior to see if the claims are true. And what does he get? The promised temptation, tribulation, and persecution. The other passengers mock him. So what does he do? He takes off the Lord Jesus Christ, he’s offended for the word’s sake (Mark 4:17) 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word., he’s disillusioned and somewhat embittered, and quite rightly so. He was promised peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and lasting happiness, and all he got were trials and humiliation. His bitterness is directed toward those who gave him the so-called “good news”. His latter end becomes worse than the first: another inoculated and bitter backslider.
Saints, instead of preaching that Jesus improves the flight, we should be warning the passengers they’re going have to jump out of the plane. That it’s “appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb.9:27). And when a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking God’s law, then he will flee to the Savior solely to escape the wrath that’s to come. And if we’re true and faithful witnesses, that’s what we’ll be preaching. That there is wrath to come; that God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30) “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.. Why? “Because He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness” (vs. 31) For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”.
Saints, instead of preaching that Jesus improves the flight, we should be warning the passengers they’re going have to jump out of the plane. That it’s “appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb.9:27). And when a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking God’s law, then he will flee to the Savior solely to escape the wrath that’s to come. And if we’re true and faithful witnesses, that’s what we’ll be preaching. That there is wrath to come; that God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30) “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.. Why? “Because He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness” (vs. 31) For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”.
You see, the issue isn’t one of happiness, but one of righteousness. It doesn’t matter how happy a sinner is, how much he’s enjoying “the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25) He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.. Without the righteousness of Christ, he’ll perish on the day of wrath. “Riches profit not on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Prov. 11:4). Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but it’s not legitimate to use these fruits as a draw card for salvation. If we continue to do so, sinners will respond with an impure motive lacking repentance.
You see, the issue isn’t one of happiness, but one of righteousness. It doesn’t matter how happy a sinner is, how much he’s enjoying “the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25) He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.. Without the righteousness of Christ, he’ll perish on the day of wrath. “Riches profit not on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Prov. 11:4). Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but it’s not legitimate to use these fruits as a draw card for salvation. If we continue to do so, sinners will respond with an impure motive lacking repentance.
Now, can you remember why the second passenger had joy and peace in his heart? It was because he knew that parachute was going to save him from sure death. And as a believer, I have, as Paul says, “joy and peace in believing” (Rom. 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.), because I know that the righteousness of Christ is going to deliver me from the wrath that’s to come.
Now, can you remember why the second passenger had joy and peace in his heart? It was because he knew that parachute was going to save him from sure death. And as a believer, I have, as Paul says, “joy and peace in believing” (Rom. 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.), because I know that the righteousness of Christ is going to deliver me from the wrath that’s to come.
Now with that thought in mind, let’s take a close look at an incident on board the plane. We have a brand new stewardess. She’s carrying a tray of boiling hot coffee. It’s her first day; she wants to leave an impression on the passengers, and she certainly does. Because as she’s walking down the aisle, she trips over someone’s foot and slops that boiling hot coffee all over the lap of our second passenger. Now what’s his reaction as that boiling liquid hits his tender flesh? Does he go, “Ssssfffff! Man that hurt”? Mmm-hhh. He feels the pain. But then does he
Now with that thought in mind, let’s take a close look at an incident on board the plane. We have a brand new stewardess. She’s carrying a tray of boiling hot coffee. It’s her first day; she wants to leave an impression on the passengers, and she certainly does. Because as she’s walking down the aisle, she trips over someone’s foot and slops that boiling hot coffee all over the lap of our second passenger. Now what’s his reaction as that boiling liquid hits his tender flesh? Does he go, “Ssssfffff! Man that hurt”? Mmm-hhh. He feels the pain. But then does he
rip the parachute from his shoulders, throw it to the floor and say, “The stupid parachute!”? No. Why should he? He didn’t put the parachute on for a better flight. He put it on to save him from the jump to come. If anything, the hot coffee incident causes him to cling tighter to the parachute and even look forward to the jump.
rip the parachute from his shoulders, throw it to the floor and say, “The stupid parachute!”? No. Why should he? He didn’t put the parachute on for a better flight. He put it on to save him from the jump to come. If anything, the hot coffee incident causes him to cling tighter to the parachute and even look forward to the jump.
Now if you and I have put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the right motive, to flee from the wrath that’s to come, when tribulation strikes, when the flight gets bumpy, we won’t get angry at God; we won’t lose our joy and peace. Why should we? We didn’t come to Jesus for a happy lifestyle: we came to flee from the wrath that’s to come. And if anything, tribulation drives the true believer closer to the Savior. And sadly we have literally multitudes of professing Christians who lose their joy and peace when the flight gets bumpy. Why? They’re the product of a man-centered gospel. They came lacking repentance, without which you can’t be saved.
Now if you and I have put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the right motive, to flee from the wrath that’s to come, when tribulation strikes, when the flight gets bumpy, we won’t get angry at God; we won’t lose our joy and peace. Why should we? We didn’t come to Jesus for a happy lifestyle: we came to flee from the wrath that’s to come. And if anything, tribulation drives the true believer closer to the Savior. And sadly we have literally multitudes of professing Christians who lose their joy and peace when the flight gets bumpy. Why? They’re the product of a man-centered gospel. They came lacking repentance, without which you can’t be saved.
I was in Australia recently ministering; Australia is a small island off the coast of New Zealand. And I preached sin, law, righteousness, holiness, judgment, repentance, and hell, and I wasn’t exactly crushed by the amount of people wanting to “give their hearts to Jesus.” In fact, the air went very tense. After the meeting, they said, “There’s a young guy down in the back who wants to give his life to Christ.” I went down the back and found a teenage lad who could not pray the sinner’s prayer because he was weeping so profusely. Now, for me it was so refreshing, because for many years I suffered from the disease of “evangelical frustration”. I so wanted sinners to respond to the gospel I unwittingly preached a man-centered message. The essence of which was this: “You’ll never find true peace without Jesus Christ; you’ve a God-shaped vacuum in your heart that only God can fill.” I’d preach Christ crucified; I’d preach repentance. A sinner would respond to the alter; I’d open an eye and say, “Oh no. This guy wants to give his heart to Jesus and there’s an 80% chance he’s going to backslide. And I am tired of creating backsliders. So I’d better make sure this guy really means it. He’d better be sincere!” So I’d approach the poor guy in a Gestapo spirit. I’d walk up and say, “Vhat do you vant?” He’d say, “I’m here to become a Christian.” I’d say, “Do you mean it?” He’d say, “Yeah.” I’d say, “Do you REALLY MEAN IT!?” He’d say, “Yeah, I reckon.” “Okay, I’ll pray with you, but you’d better mean it from your heart.” He said, “Okay, okay.” “Now you repeat this prayer sincerely after me and mean it from your heart sincerely and really mean it from your heart sincerely and make sure you mean it. ‘Oh, God, I’m a sinner.’ ” He’d say, “Uh...oh, God, I’m a sinner.” And I’d think, “Man, why isn’t there a visible sign of contrition. There’s no outward evidence the guy is inwardly sorry for his sins.” Now, if I could have seen his motive, I would have seen he was 100% sincere. He really did mean his decision with all his heart. He sincerely wanted to give this Jesus thing a go to see if he could get a buzz out of it. He had tried sex, drugs, materialism, alcohol. “Why not give this Christian bit a go and see if it’s as good as all these Christians say it is: peace, joy, love, fulfillment, lasting happiness.”
I was in Australia recently ministering; Australia is a small island off the coast of New Zealand. And I preached sin, law, righteousness, holiness, judgment, repentance, and hell, and I wasn’t exactly crushed by the amount of people wanting to “give their hearts to Jesus.” In fact, the air went very tense. After the meeting, they said, “There’s a young guy down in the back who wants to give his life to Christ.” I went down the back and found a teenage lad who could not pray the sinner’s prayer because he was weeping so profusely. Now, for me it was so refreshing, because for many years I suffered from the disease of “evangelical frustration”. I so wanted sinners to respond to the gospel I unwittingly preached a man-centered message. The essence of which was this: “You’ll never find true peace without Jesus Christ; you’ve a God-shaped vacuum in your heart that only God can fill.” I’d preach Christ crucified; I’d preach repentance. A sinner would respond to the alter; I’d open an eye and say, “Oh no. This guy wants to give his heart to Jesus and there’s an 80% chance he’s going to backslide. And I am tired of creating backsliders. So I’d better make sure this guy really means it. He’d better be sincere!” So I’d approach the poor guy in a Gestapo spirit. I’d walk up and say, “Vhat do you vant?” He’d say, “I’m here to become a Christian.” I’d say, “Do you mean it?” He’d say, “Yeah.” I’d say, “Do you REALLY MEAN IT!?” He’d say, “Yeah, I reckon.” “Okay, I’ll pray with you, but you’d better mean it from your heart.” He said, “Okay, okay.” “Now you repeat this prayer sincerely after me and mean it from your heart sincerely and really mean it from your heart sincerely and make sure you mean it. ‘Oh, God, I’m a sinner.’ ” He’d say, “Uh...oh, God, I’m a sinner.” And I’d think, “Man, why isn’t there a visible sign of contrition. There’s no outward evidence the guy is inwardly sorry for his sins.” Now, if I could have seen his motive, I would have seen he was 100% sincere. He really did mean his decision with all his heart. He sincerely wanted to give this Jesus thing a go to see if he could get a buzz out of it. He had tried sex, drugs, materialism, alcohol. “Why not give this Christian bit a go and see if it’s as good as all these Christians say it is: peace, joy, love, fulfillment, lasting happiness.”
He wasn’t fleeing from the wrath that was to come, because I hadn’t told him there was wrath to come. There was this glaring omission from my message. He wasn’t broken in contrition, because the poor guy didn’t know what sin was. Remember Romans 7, verse 7 Paul said, “I had not known sin but by the law.” How can a man repent if he doesn’t know what sin is? Any so-called “repentance” would be merely what I call “horizontal repentance”. He’s coming because he’s lied to men, he’s stolen from men. But when David sinned with Bathsheba and broke all ten of the ten commandments (when he coveted his neighbor’s wife, lived a lie, stole his neighbor’s wife, committed adultery, committed murder, dishonored his parents, and thus dishonored God), he didn’t say “I’ve sinned against man.” He said, “Against you, and you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight” (Ps. 51:4). When Joseph was tempted sexually, he said, “How can I do this thing and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). The prodigal son said, “I’ve sinned against heaven” (Luke 15:21). Paul preached “repentance toward God” (Acts 20:21 [ I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.]). And the Bible says, “Godly sorrow works repentance” (2Cor. 7:10). And when a man doesn’t understand that his sin is primarily vertical, he’ll merely come and exercise superficial, experimental, and horizontal repentance, and fall away when tribulation, temptation, and persecution come.
He wasn’t fleeing from the wrath that was to come, because I hadn’t told him there was wrath to come. There was this glaring omission from my message. He wasn’t broken in contrition, because the poor guy didn’t know what sin was. Remember Romans 7, verse 7 Paul said, “I had not known sin but by the law.” How can a man repent if he doesn’t know what sin is? Any so-called “repentance” would be merely what I call “horizontal repentance”. He’s coming because he’s lied to men, he’s stolen from men. But when David sinned with Bathsheba and broke all ten of the ten commandments (when he coveted his neighbor’s wife, lived a lie, stole his neighbor’s wife, committed adultery, committed murder, dishonored his parents, and thus dishonored God), he didn’t say “I’ve sinned against man.” He said, “Against you, and you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight” (Ps. 51:4). When Joseph was tempted sexually, he said, “How can I do this thing and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). The prodigal son said, “I’ve sinned against heaven” (Luke 15:21). Paul preached “repentance toward God” (Acts 20:21 [ I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.]). And the Bible says, “Godly sorrow works repentance” (2Cor. 7:10). And when a man doesn’t understand that his sin is primarily vertical, he’ll merely come and exercise superficial, experimental, and horizontal repentance, and fall away when tribulation, temptation, and persecution come.
A.B. Earl said, “I have found by long experience that the severest threatenings of the law of God have a prominent place in leading men to Christ. They must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy; they’ll not escape danger until they see it.”
A.B. Earl said, “I have found by long experience that the severest threatenings of the law of God have a prominent place in leading men to Christ. They must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy; they’ll not escape danger until they see it.”
Now I’d like you to do something a little unusual. I’ll not embarrass you; I give you my word. But I would like to ask, how many of you were thinking of something else when I was reading that quote from A.B. Earl? Now, I want to admit something to you. I was thinking of something else when I was reading that quote from A.B. Earl: I was thinking, “Nobody’s listening to me; they’re thinking of something else.” So, to make a very important point, I’d like you to be really honest. If you were thinking of something else and you haven’t got a clue what A.B. Earl said, could you raise your hand up nice and high...up nice and high. It’s usually half to two- thirds and we’ve got that here tonight. Let’s try again....God bless you, Pastor, for your honesty.
Now I’d like you to do something a little unusual. I’ll not embarrass you; I give you my word. But I would like to ask, how many of you were thinking of something else when I was reading that quote from A.B. Earl? Now, I want to admit something to you. I was thinking of something else when I was reading that quote from A.B. Earl: I was thinking, “Nobody’s listening to me; they’re thinking of something else.” So, to make a very important point, I’d like you to be really honest. If you were thinking of something else and you haven’t got a clue what A.B. Earl said, could you raise your hand up nice and high...up nice and high. It’s usually half to two- thirds and we’ve got that here tonight. Let’s try again....God bless you, Pastor, for your honesty.
A.B. Earl was a famous evangelist of the last century who had 150,000 converts to substantiate his claims. Satan doesn’t want you to get a grip of this, so listen very closely. A.B. Earl said, “I have found by long experience [that’s the true test] that the severest threatening's of the law of God have a prominent place in leading men to Christ. They must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy; they’ll not escape danger until they see it.”
A.B. Earl was a famous evangelist of the last century who had 150,000 converts to substantiate his claims. Satan doesn’t want you to get a grip of this, so listen very closely. A.B. Earl said, “I have found by long experience [that’s the true test] that the severest threatening's of the law of God have a prominent place in leading men to Christ. They must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy; they’ll not escape danger until they see it.”
You see, you try and save a man from drowning when the man doesn’t believe he’s drowning, he’ll not be too happy with you. You see him swimming out in the lake; you think, “I think he’s drowning. Yes, I believe he is.” You dive in, pull him to the shore, without telling him anything. He’s not going to be very happy with you. He won’t want to get saved until he sees that he’s in danger. They’ll not escape danger until they see it.
You see, you try and save a man from drowning when the man doesn’t believe he’s drowning, he’ll not be too happy with you. You see him swimming out in the lake; you think, “I think he’s drowning. Yes, I believe he is.” You dive in, pull him to the shore, without telling him anything. He’s not going to be very happy with you. He won’t want to get saved until he sees that he’s in danger. They’ll not escape danger until they see it.
You see, if you came to me and said, “Hey, Ray,” and I said, “Yeah.” You said, “This is a cure to Groaninzin’s disease; I sold my house to raise the money to get this cure. I’m giving it to you as a free gift.” I’d probably react something like this: “What? Cure to what? Groaninzin’s disease? You sold your house to raise the money to get this cure? You’re giving it to me as a free gift? Why, thanks a lot. Bye....That guy’s a nut.” I mean, that’s probably how I’d react if you sold your house to raise the money to get a cure for a disease I’d never heard of and your giving it to me as free gift, I’d think you’re rather strange. But instead, if you came to me and said, “Ray, you’ve got Groaninzin’s disease. I can see ten clear symptoms on your flesh. You’re going to be dead in two weeks.” And I became convinced I had the disease (the symptoms were so evident), and said, “Oh! What shall I do?” And then you said, “Don’t worry. This is a cure to Groaninzin’s disease. I sold my house to raise the money to get this cure. I’m giving it to you as a free gift.” I’m not going to despise your sacrifice; I’m going to appreciate it and I’m going to appropriate it. Why? Because I’ve seen the disease that I might appreciate the cure.
You see, if you came to me and said, “Hey, Ray,” and I said, “Yeah.” You said, “This is a cure to Groaninzin’s disease; I sold my house to raise the money to get this cure. I’m giving it to you as a free gift.” I’d probably react something like this: “What? Cure to what? Groaninzin’s disease? You sold your house to raise the money to get this cure? You’re giving it to me as a free gift? Why, thanks a lot. Bye....That guy’s a nut.” I mean, that’s probably how I’d react if you sold your house to raise the money to get a cure for a disease I’d never heard of and your giving it to me as free gift, I’d think you’re rather strange. But instead, if you came to me and said, “Ray, you’ve got Groaninzin’s disease. I can see ten clear symptoms on your flesh. You’re going to be dead in two weeks.” And I became convinced I had the disease (the symptoms were so evident), and said, “Oh! What shall I do?” And then you said, “Don’t worry. This is a cure to Groaninzin’s disease. I sold my house to raise the money to get this cure. I’m giving it to you as a free gift.” I’m not going to despise your sacrifice; I’m going to appreciate it and I’m going to appropriate it. Why? Because I’ve seen the disease that I might appreciate the cure.
And sadly, what’s happened in the U.S. and the Western world as follow is that we have preached the cure without first convincing of the disease. We have preached a gospel of grace without first convincing men of the law, that they’re transgressors; and, consequently, almost everyone I try and witness to in southern California or around the Bible belt has been born-again six or seven times. You say, “You need to give your life to Jesus Christ.” “Uh, I did that when I was seven, eleven, seventeen, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-eight, thirty-two...” You know the guy’s not a Christian. He’s a fornicator. He’s a blasphemer, but he thinks he’s saved because he’s been “born-again”. What’s happening? He’s using the grace of our God for an occasion of the flesh. He doesn’t esteem the sacrifice. For him it’s not a bad thing to trample the blood of Christ underfoot (Heb. 10:29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.). Why? Because he’s never been convinced of the disease that he might appreciate the cure.
And sadly, what’s happened in the U.S. and the Western world as follow is that we have preached the cure without first convincing of the disease. We have preached a gospel of grace without first convincing men of the law, that they’re transgressors; and, consequently, almost everyone I try and witness to in southern California or around the Bible belt has been born-again six or seven times. You say, “You need to give your life to Jesus Christ.” “Uh, I did that when I was seven, eleven, seventeen, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-eight, thirty-two...” You know the guy’s not a Christian. He’s a fornicator. He’s a blasphemer, but he thinks he’s saved because he’s been “born-again”. What’s happening? He’s using the grace of our God for an occasion of the flesh. He doesn’t esteem the sacrifice. For him it’s not a bad thing to trample the blood of Christ underfoot (Heb. 10:29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.). Why? Because he’s never been convinced of the disease that he might appreciate the cure.
Biblical evangelism is always, without exception, law to the proud and grace to the humble. Never will you see Jesus giving the gospel, the good news, the cross, the grace of our God, to a proud, arrogant, self-righteous person. No, no. With the law he breaks the hard heart and with the gospel he heals the broken heart. Why? Because He always did those things that please the Father. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (Jam. 4:6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ; 1Pet. 5:5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ). “Everyone who is proud of heart,” scripture says, “is an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 16:5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.). Jesus told us whom the gospel is for. He said, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, the broken-hearted, the captives and the blind” (Luke 4:18). Now, they are spiritual statements. The poor in spirit (Mat. 5:3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.). The broken hearted are the contrite ones (Is. 57:15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.). The captives are those of whom Satan has taken captive to do his will (2Tim. 2:26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.); and the blind are those of whom the god of this world has blinded lest the light of the gospel should shine on them (2 Cor. 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.). Only the sick need a physician (Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”), and only those who are convinced of the disease will appreciate and appropriate a cure.
Biblical evangelism is always, without exception, law to the proud and grace to the humble. Never will you see Jesus giving the gospel, the good news, the cross, the grace of our God, to a proud, arrogant, self-righteous person. No, no. With the law he breaks the hard heart and with the gospel he heals the broken heart. Why? Because He always did those things that please the Father. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (Jam. 4:6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ; 1Pet. 5:5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ). “Everyone who is proud of heart,” scripture says, “is an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 16:5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.). Jesus told us whom the gospel is for. He said, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, the broken-hearted, the captives and the blind” (Luke 4:18). Now, they are spiritual statements. The poor in spirit (Mat. 5:3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.). The broken hearted are the contrite ones (Is. 57:15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.). The captives are those of whom Satan has taken captive to do his will (2Tim. 2:26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.); and the blind are those of whom the god of this world has blinded lest the light of the gospel should shine on them (2 Cor. 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.). Only the sick need a physician (Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”), and only those who are convinced of the disease will appreciate and appropriate a cure.
So we’re going to now very briefly look at examples of law to the proud and grace to the humble. Luke 10:24...Luke 10:24. And when I give you a reference from the pulpit I’ll give it twice, because I know that men are present, and men need to be told things twice....Men need to be told things twice. This can be backed up biblically. When God speaks to men in the Bible he uses their name twice. “Abraham, Abraham...Saul, Saul...Moses, Moses...Samuel, Samuel...” Because men need to be told things twice. Women once. I don’t know how many times I’ve sat in a pew, preacher said, “Ah, Luke 10:25.” I turn to my wife and say, “What’d he say?” She says, “Luke 10:25.” I say, “Thank you, dear.” HELP-MATE. That’s why God created women, because men could not handle it on their own. The whole thing is: men lose things, women find things. “Where’s the keys love?” “Hangin’ on your nose, Dear.” I mean, I don’t know how many times I’ve opened the cupboard, “[Burp] There’s no honey here, Honey!” She says, “Here it is here, Dear.” Where would man be without women? Mm? Still in the Garden of Eden. Eve found the tree. Adam didn’t really know what was going on. In fact, if you look at the creation of woman, to create woman the Bible says God put man into a deep sleep. And Scripture doesn’t say he ever came out of it.
So we’re going to now very briefly look at examples of law to the proud and grace to the humble. Luke 10:24...Luke 10:24. And when I give you a reference from the pulpit I’ll give it twice, because I know that men are present, and men need to be told things twice....Men need to be told things twice. This can be backed up biblically. When God speaks to men in the Bible he uses their name twice. “Abraham, Abraham...Saul, Saul...Moses, Moses...Samuel, Samuel...” Because men need to be told things twice. Women once. I don’t know how many times I’ve sat in a pew, preacher said, “Ah, Luke 10:25.” I turn to my wife and say, “What’d he say?” She says, “Luke 10:25.” I say, “Thank you, dear.” HELP-MATE. That’s why God created women, because men could not handle it on their own. The whole thing is: men lose things, women find things. “Where’s the keys love?” “Hangin’ on your nose, Dear.” I mean, I don’t know how many times I’ve opened the cupboard, “[Burp] There’s no honey here, Honey!” She says, “Here it is here, Dear.” Where would man be without women? Mm? Still in the Garden of Eden. Eve found the tree. Adam didn’t really know what was going on. In fact, if you look at the creation of woman, to create woman the Bible says God put man into a deep sleep. And Scripture doesn’t say he ever came out of it.
In Luke 10:25 we see a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Jesus. This is not an attorney, but a professing expert on God’s law. He stood up and he said to Jesus, “How can I get everlasting life?” Now, what did Jesus do? He gave him law. Why? Because he was proud, arrogant, self-righteous. Here we have a professing expert on God’s law tempting the Son of God. And the spirit of his question was, “And what do you think we’ve got to do to get everlasting life?” So Jesus gave him law. He said, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” He says, “Ah, you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; love your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus said, “This do and you shall live.” And then the Scripture says, “But He, willing to justify Himself, said to Jesus, ‘Who’s my neighbor?’ ” The Living Bible brings out more clearly the effect of the law on the man. It said, “The man wanted to justify his lack of love for some kinds of people; so he asked, ‘Which neighbors?’ ” See, he didn’t mind Jews, but he didn’t like Samaritans. So Jesus then told him the story of what we call the “good Samaritan” who was not “good” at all. In loving his neighbor as much as he loved himself, he merely obeyed the basic requirements of God’s law. And the effect of the essence of the law, the spirituality of the law (of what the law demands in truth), was that that man’s mouth was stopped. See, he didn’t love his neighbor to that degree. The law was given to stop every mouth and leave the whole world guilty before God.
In Luke 10:25 we see a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Jesus. This is not an attorney, but a professing expert on God’s law. He stood up and he said to Jesus, “How can I get everlasting life?” Now, what did Jesus do? He gave him law. Why? Because he was proud, arrogant, self-righteous. Here we have a professing expert on God’s law tempting the Son of God. And the spirit of his question was, “And what do you think we’ve got to do to get everlasting life?” So Jesus gave him law. He said, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” He says, “Ah, you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; love your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus said, “This do and you shall live.” And then the Scripture says, “But He, willing to justify Himself, said to Jesus, ‘Who’s my neighbor?’ ” The Living Bible brings out more clearly the effect of the law on the man. It said, “The man wanted to justify his lack of love for some kinds of people; so he asked, ‘Which neighbors?’ ” See, he didn’t mind Jews, but he didn’t like Samaritans. So Jesus then told him the story of what we call the “good Samaritan” who was not “good” at all. In loving his neighbor as much as he loved himself, he merely obeyed the basic requirements of God’s law. And the effect of the essence of the law, the spirituality of the law (of what the law demands in truth), was that that man’s mouth was stopped. See, he didn’t love his neighbor to that degree. The law was given to stop every mouth and leave the whole world guilty before God.
Similarly, in Luke 18, verse 18, the rich, young ruler came to Jesus. He said, “How can I get everlasting life?” I mean, how would most of us react if someone came up and said, “How can I get everlasting life?” We’d say, “Oh...quickly say this prayer before you change your mind.” But what did Jesus do with His potential convert? He pointed Him to the law. He gave him five horizontal commandments, commandments to do with his fellow men. And when he said, “Ah, I’ve kept those from my youth,” Jesus said, “One thing you lack.” And he used the essence of the first of the ten commandments: “I am the Lord your God...You shall have no other Gods before me” (Ex. 20:2–3 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me.). He showed this man that His god was His money, and “you cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt. 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.). Law to the proud.
Similarly, in Luke 18, verse 18, the rich, young ruler came to Jesus. He said, “How can I get everlasting life?” I mean, how would most of us react if someone came up and said, “How can I get everlasting life?” We’d say, “Oh...quickly say this prayer before you change your mind.” But what did Jesus do with His potential convert? He pointed Him to the law. He gave him five horizontal commandments, commandments to do with his fellow men. And when he said, “Ah, I’ve kept those from my youth,” Jesus said, “One thing you lack.” And he used the essence of the first of the ten commandments: “I am the Lord your God...You shall have no other Gods before me” (Ex. 20:2–3 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me.). He showed this man that His god was His money, and “you cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt. 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.). Law to the proud.
Then we see grace being given to the humble in the case of Nicodemus (John 3). Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews. He was a teacher in Israel. Therefore, he was thoroughly versed in God’s law. He was humble of heart, because he came to Jesus and acknowledged the Deity of the Son of God. A leader in Israel? “We know that you’ve come from God for no man can do these miracles that you do unless God is with Him.” So Jesus gave the sincere seeker of truth, who had a humble heart and a knowledge of sin by the law, the good news of the fine being paid for and “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son.” And it was not foolishness to
Then we see grace being given to the humble in the case of Nicodemus (John 3). Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews. He was a teacher in Israel. Therefore, he was thoroughly versed in God’s law. He was humble of heart, because he came to Jesus and acknowledged the Deity of the Son of God. A leader in Israel? “We know that you’ve come from God for no man can do these miracles that you do unless God is with Him.” So Jesus gave the sincere seeker of truth, who had a humble heart and a knowledge of sin by the law, the good news of the fine being paid for and “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son.” And it was not foolishness to
Nicodemus but the “power of God to salvation.”
Nicodemus but the “power of God to salvation.”
Similarly, in the case of Nathaniel (John 1:43–51). Nathaniel was an Israelite brought up under the law in deed, not just in word, in whom there was no guile; there was no deceit in his heart. Obviously the law was a schoolmaster to bring this godly Jew to Christ. Similarly with the Jews on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). They were devout Jews, godly Jews, who, therefore, ate, drank, and slept God’s law. Matthew Henry, the Bible commentator, said the reason they were gathered together on the day of Pentecost was to celebrate the giving of God’s law on Mt. Sinai. So when Peter stood up to preach to these godly Jews, he didn’t preach wrath. No, the law works wrath; they knew that. He didn’t preach righteousness or judgment. No, no. He just told them the good news of the fine being paid for, and they were pricked in their hearts and cried, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (vs. Acts 2.37). The law was a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ that they might be justified through faith in His blood. And the hymn-writer said, “By God’s word at last my sin I learned; then I trembled at the law I’d spurned, till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.” 1 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 8, says, “But we know that the law is good if it used lawfully for the purpose for which it was designed.” God’s law is good if it’s used lawfully for the purpose for which it was designed. Well, what was the law “designed” for? The following verse tells us: “The law was not made for a righteous man but for sinners.” It even lists the sinners: homosexuals, fornicators. If you want to bring a homosexual to Christ, don’t get into an argument with him over his perversion; he’s ready for you with his boxing gloves on. No, no. Give him the ten commandments. The law was made for homosexuals. Show him that he is damned despite his perversion.
Similarly, in the case of Nathaniel (John 1:43–51). Nathaniel was an Israelite brought up under the law in deed, not just in word, in whom there was no guile; there was no deceit in his heart. Obviously the law was a schoolmaster to bring this godly Jew to Christ. Similarly with the Jews on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). They were devout Jews, godly Jews, who, therefore, ate, drank, and slept God’s law. Matthew Henry, the Bible commentator, said the reason they were gathered together on the day of Pentecost was to celebrate the giving of God’s law on Mt. Sinai. So when Peter stood up to preach to these godly Jews, he didn’t preach wrath. No, the law works wrath; they knew that. He didn’t preach righteousness or judgment. No, no. He just told them the good news of the fine being paid for, and they were pricked in their hearts and cried, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (vs. Acts 2.37). The law was a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ that they might be justified through faith in His blood. And the hymn-writer said, “By God’s word at last my sin I learned; then I trembled at the law I’d spurned, till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.” 1 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 8, says, “But we know that the law is good if it used lawfully for the purpose for which it was designed.” God’s law is good if it’s used lawfully for the purpose for which it was designed. Well, what was the law “designed” for? The following verse tells us: “The law was not made for a righteous man but for sinners.” It even lists the sinners: homosexuals, fornicators. If you want to bring a homosexual to Christ, don’t get into an argument with him over his perversion; he’s ready for you with his boxing gloves on. No, no. Give him the ten commandments. The law was made for homosexuals. Show him that he is damned despite his perversion.
If you want to bring a Jew to Christ, lay the weight of the law upon him; let it prepare his heart for grace as happened on the day of Pentecost. If you want to bring a Moslem to Christ, give him the law of Moses; they accept Moses as a prophet. Well, give them the law of Moses and strip them of their self-righteousness and bring them to the foot of a blood-stained cross. I heard of a Moslem reading our book Hell’s Best Kept Secret, and God soundly saved him purely through reading the book. Why? Because the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.
If you want to bring a Jew to Christ, lay the weight of the law upon him; let it prepare his heart for grace as happened on the day of Pentecost. If you want to bring a Moslem to Christ, give him the law of Moses; they accept Moses as a prophet. Well, give them the law of Moses and strip them of their self-righteousness and bring them to the foot of a blood-stained cross. I heard of a Moslem reading our book Hell’s Best Kept Secret, and God soundly saved him purely through reading the book. Why? Because the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.
Think of the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1–11). Violation of the seventh commandment. The law called for her blood (Lev. 20:10 “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.). She found herself in between a rock and a hard place. She had no avenue but to fling herself at the feet of the Son of God for mercy; and that is the function of God’s law. Paul spoke of being shut up under the law (Gal. 3:23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. ). It condemns. You say, “You can’t condemn sinners.” Saints, they’re already condemned. John 3, verse 18: “He that believes not is condemned already.” All the law does is show him himself in his true state.
Think of the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1–11). Violation of the seventh commandment. The law called for her blood (Lev. 20:10 “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.). She found herself in between a rock and a hard place. She had no avenue but to fling herself at the feet of the Son of God for mercy; and that is the function of God’s law. Paul spoke of being shut up under the law (Gal. 3:23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. ). It condemns. You say, “You can’t condemn sinners.” Saints, they’re already condemned. John 3, verse 18: “He that believes not is condemned already.” All the law does is show him himself in his true state.
Ladies, you might recognize this. Your table needs dusting in your living room. So you dust it clean; all the dust is gone. Then you draw back the curtains and let in the early morning sunlight. What do you see on the table? Dust. What do you see in the air? Dust. Did the light create the dust? No, the light merely exposed the dust. And when you and I take the time to draw back the curtains of the holy of holies and let the light of God’s law shine upon the sinner’s heart, all that happens, is that he sees himself in truth. “The commandment is a lamp and the law is light” (Prov. 6:23). That’s why Paul said, “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). That’s why he said, “By the commandment sin became exceedingly sinful” (Rom. 7:13). In other words, the law showed him sin in its true light.
Ladies, you might recognize this. Your table needs dusting in your living room. So you dust it clean; all the dust is gone. Then you draw back the curtains and let in the early morning sunlight. What do you see on the table? Dust. What do you see in the air? Dust. Did the light create the dust? No, the light merely exposed the dust. And when you and I take the time to draw back the curtains of the holy of holies and let the light of God’s law shine upon the sinner’s heart, all that happens, is that he sees himself in truth. “The commandment is a lamp and the law is light” (Prov. 6:23). That’s why Paul said, “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). That’s why he said, “By the commandment sin became exceedingly sinful” (Rom. 7:13). In other words, the law showed him sin in its true light.
Now, normally at this stage of this teaching I go through the ten commandments one by one, but what I’ll do is share with you how I witness personally because I think it would be more beneficial. Now, I’m a strong believer in following in the footsteps of Jesus. Never, ever, would I approach someone and say, “Jesus loves you.” Totally unbiblical; there’s no precedent for that in Scripture. Neither would I go up to someone and say, “I’d like to talk to you about Jesus Christ.” Why? Because if I wanted to awaken you from a deep sleep, I wouldn’t use a flashlight in your eyes. That will offend you. I’d turn on the light dimmer very gently. First, the natural, then the spiritual. Why? Because “the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God; neither can he know them. They are foolishness to him because they are spiritually understood” (1Cor. 2:14).
Now, normally at this stage of this teaching I go through the ten commandments one by one, but what I’ll do is share with you how I witness personally because I think it would be more beneficial. Now, I’m a strong believer in following in the footsteps of Jesus. Never, ever, would I approach someone and say, “Jesus loves you.” Totally unbiblical; there’s no precedent for that in Scripture. Neither would I go up to someone and say, “I’d like to talk to you about Jesus Christ.” Why? Because if I wanted to awaken you from a deep sleep, I wouldn’t use a flashlight in your eyes. That will offend you. I’d turn on the light dimmer very gently. First, the natural, then the spiritual. Why? Because “the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God; neither can he know them. They are foolishness to him because they are spiritually understood” (1Cor. 2:14).
The precedent in Scripture is given in John 4 for personal witness. You can see Jesus’ example with the woman at the well. He started in the natural realm, swung to the spiritual, brought conviction using the seventh commandment, and then revealed Himself as the Messiah. So, when I meet someone, I’ll talk about the weather, I’ll talk about sport: let them feel a little bit of sanity. Get to know them; maybe joke here and there and then deliberately swing from the natural to the spiritual. Now, the way I do this is that I use gospel tracts. We have something like 24, 25 different tracts; we’re a ministry to the body of Christ. We’ve printed millions and millions of tracts and our tracts are unusual. If you get a hold of them, what you’ll have to do is have a stack on you because people chase you and ask for more. Let me give you an example. This is our optical illusion tract. Which looks bigger, if you can see? Does the pink look bigger? Can you see that? For those listening by tape...They’re the same size; it’s an optical illusion. I say, “It’s actually a gospel tract; instructions are on the back...how to get saved, actually.” I say, “You can keep that.” He says, “Hey...thanks a lot! This is neat...Whoa!”
The precedent in Scripture is given in John 4 for personal witness. You can see Jesus’ example with the woman at the well. He started in the natural realm, swung to the spiritual, brought conviction using the seventh commandment, and then revealed Himself as the Messiah. So, when I meet someone, I’ll talk about the weather, I’ll talk about sport: let them feel a little bit of sanity. Get to know them; maybe joke here and there and then deliberately swing from the natural to the spiritual. Now, the way I do this is that I use gospel tracts. We have something like 24, 25 different tracts; we’re a ministry to the body of Christ. We’ve printed millions and millions of tracts and our tracts are unusual. If you get a hold of them, what you’ll have to do is have a stack on you because people chase you and ask for more. Let me give you an example. This is our optical illusion tract. Which looks bigger, if you can see? Does the pink look bigger? Can you see that? For those listening by tape...They’re the same size; it’s an optical illusion. I say, “It’s actually a gospel tract; instructions are on the back...how to get saved, actually.” I say, “You can keep that.” He says, “Hey...thanks a lot! This is neat...Whoa!”
“Got another gift for you.” And out of my pocket I get a pressed penny with the ten commandments on it. We have a machine that does this. We buy the pennies new from the bank; nice golden-looking pennies and we feed them into this machine and it presses them, or it will do your thumbnail if you want to hold still. But it presses them with the ten commandments. It’s legal to do this: this is considered art. It’s not defacing a penny. So I say, “Here’s a gift.” He says, “Oh...what is it?” I say, “It’s a penny with the ten commandments on it; I did it with my teeth....I do the i’s with my eye teeth but the e’s are really difficult.”
“Got another gift for you.” And out of my pocket I get a pressed penny with the ten commandments on it. We have a machine that does this. We buy the pennies new from the bank; nice golden-looking pennies and we feed them into this machine and it presses them, or it will do your thumbnail if you want to hold still. But it presses them with the ten commandments. It’s legal to do this: this is considered art. It’s not defacing a penny. So I say, “Here’s a gift.” He says, “Oh...what is it?” I say, “It’s a penny with the ten commandments on it; I did it with my teeth....I do the i’s with my eye teeth but the e’s are really difficult.”
Now, what I’m doing is putting out a feeler to see if he’s open to spiritual things. If he negatively says, “Ten commandments? Thanks a lot,” he’s not open. But the usual reaction is, “Ten commandments...Hey, thanks! I appreciate this.” I say, “Ah, do you think you’ve kept the ten commandments?” He says, “Ah, yeah...pretty much.” I say, “Let’s go through them. Ever told a lie?” He says, “Ah, yeah...yeah, one or two.” I say, “What does that make you?” He says, “A sinner.” I say, “No, no. Specifically, what does it make you?” He says, “Well, man, I’m not a liar.”
Now, what I’m doing is putting out a feeler to see if he’s open to spiritual things. If he negatively says, “Ten commandments? Thanks a lot,” he’s not open. But the usual reaction is, “Ten commandments...Hey, thanks! I appreciate this.” I say, “Ah, do you think you’ve kept the ten commandments?” He says, “Ah, yeah...pretty much.” I say, “Let’s go through them. Ever told a lie?” He says, “Ah, yeah...yeah, one or two.” I say, “What does that make you?” He says, “A sinner.” I say, “No, no. Specifically, what does it make you?” He says, “Well, man, I’m not a liar.”
I say, “How many lies, then, do you have to tell to be a liar? Ten and a bell rings and ‘ppppbbbbtttt’ across your forehead? Isn’t it true if you tell one lie, it makes you a liar?” He says, “Yeah...I guess you’re right.” I say, “Have you ever stolen something?” He says, “No.” I say, “Come on; you’ve just admitted to me you’re a liar.” I say, “Ever stolen something, even if its small?” and he says, “Yeah.” I say, “What does that make you?” He says, “A thief.” Isay, “Jesus said, ‘If you look at a woman and lust after her, you commit adultery with her in your heart’ (Mat. 5:28). Ever done that?” He says, “Yeah, plenty of times.” “Then from your own admission, you’re a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart, and you have to face God on judgment day; and we’ve only looked at three of the ten commandments. There’s another seven with their cannons pointed at you. Have you used God’s name in vain?” “Yeah...I’ve been trying to stop.” “You know what you’re doing? Instead of using a four-letter filth word beginning with ‘s’ to express disgust, you’re using God’s name in its place. That’s called blasphemy; and the Bible says, ‘Every idle word a man speaks he’ll give account thereof on the day of judgment’ (Mat. 12:36). ‘The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain’ (Ex. 20:7). The Bible says if you hate someone, you are a murderer (1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister[a] is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.).”
I say, “How many lies, then, do you have to tell to be a liar? Ten and a bell rings and ‘ppppbbbbtttt’ across your forehead? Isn’t it true if you tell one lie, it makes you a liar?” He says, “Yeah...I guess you’re right.” I say, “Have you ever stolen something?” He says, “No.” I say, “Come on; you’ve just admitted to me you’re a liar.” I say, “Ever stolen something, even if its small?” and he says, “Yeah.” I say, “What does that make you?” He says, “A thief.” Isay, “Jesus said, ‘If you look at a woman and lust after her, you commit adultery with her in your heart’ (Mat. 5:28). Ever done that?” He says, “Yeah, plenty of times.” “Then from your own admission, you’re a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart, and you have to face God on judgment day; and we’ve only looked at three of the ten commandments. There’s another seven with their cannons pointed at you. Have you used God’s name in vain?” “Yeah...I’ve been trying to stop.” “You know what you’re doing? Instead of using a four-letter filth word beginning with ‘s’ to express disgust, you’re using God’s name in its place. That’s called blasphemy; and the Bible says, ‘Every idle word a man speaks he’ll give account thereof on the day of judgment’ (Mat. 12:36). ‘The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain’ (Ex. 20:7). The Bible says if you hate someone, you are a murderer (1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister[a] is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.).”
Now the wonderful thing about God’s law is that God has taken the time to write it upon our heart. Romans 2, verse 15: “...which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness...” Now, conscience means “with knowledge.” Con is “with,” science is “knowledge.” Conscience. So when he lies, lusts, fornicates, blasphemes, commits adultery, he does it with knowledge that it’s wrong. God has given light to every man. The Holy Spirit convicts them of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.). Sin which is transgression of the law (1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.); righteousness which is of the law (Rom. 10:5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands; Philip. 3:9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[a] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.); judgment which is by the law. His conscience accuses him—the work of the law written on his heart (Rom. 2:15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.)—and the law condemns him. So I say, “So if God judges you by this standard on the day of judgment, are you going to be innocent or guilty?” He says, “Guilty.” I say, “Well, do you think you’ll go to heaven or hell?” And the usual answer is, “Heaven.”
Now the wonderful thing about God’s law is that God has taken the time to write it upon our heart. Romans 2, verse 15: “...which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness...” Now, conscience means “with knowledge.” Con is “with,” science is “knowledge.” Conscience. So when he lies, lusts, fornicates, blasphemes, commits adultery, he does it with knowledge that it’s wrong. God has given light to every man. The Holy Spirit convicts them of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.). Sin which is transgression of the law (1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.); righteousness which is of the law (Rom. 10:5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands; Philip. 3:9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[a] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.); judgment which is by the law. His conscience accuses him—the work of the law written on his heart (Rom. 2:15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.)—and the law condemns him. So I say, “So if God judges you by this standard on the day of judgment, are you going to be innocent or guilty?” He says, “Guilty.” I say, “Well, do you think you’ll go to heaven or hell?” And the usual answer is, “Heaven.”
A product of the modern gospel. I say, “Why do you feel like that? Is it because you think God is good and he’ll overlook your sins?” He says, “Yeah, that’s it. He’ll overlook my sins.” “Yeah, well, try that in a court of law. You’ve committed rape, murder, drug pushing—very serious crimes. The judge says, ‘You’re guilty. All the evidence is here. Have you anything to say before I pass sentence?’ And you say, ‘Yes, Judge. I’d like to say I believe you’re a good man and you’ll overlook my crimes.’ The judge would probably say, ‘You’re right about one thing. I am a good man, and because of my goodness, I’m going to see that justice is done. Because of my goodness, I’m going to see that you’re punished.’ ” And the very thing sinners are hoping will save them on the day of judgment, the goodness of God, will be the very thing that will condemn them. Because if God is good, He must by nature punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, fornicators, and blasphemers. God is going to punish sin wherever it’s found.
A product of the modern gospel. I say, “Why do you feel like that? Is it because you think God is good and he’ll overlook your sins?” He says, “Yeah, that’s it. He’ll overlook my sins.” “Yeah, well, try that in a court of law. You’ve committed rape, murder, drug pushing—very serious crimes. The judge says, ‘You’re guilty. All the evidence is here. Have you anything to say before I pass sentence?’ And you say, ‘Yes, Judge. I’d like to say I believe you’re a good man and you’ll overlook my crimes.’ The judge would probably say, ‘You’re right about one thing. I am a good man, and because of my goodness, I’m going to see that justice is done. Because of my goodness, I’m going to see that you’re punished.’ ” And the very thing sinners are hoping will save them on the day of judgment, the goodness of God, will be the very thing that will condemn them. Because if God is good, He must by nature punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, fornicators, and blasphemers. God is going to punish sin wherever it’s found.
So with this knowledge, he’s now able to understand. He now has light that his sin is primarily vertical: that he has “sinned against heaven” (Luke 15:21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.). That he has violated God’s law and that He has angered God and the wrath of God abides upon Him (John 3:36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”). He can now see that He is “weighed in the balance” of eternal justice and “found wanting” (Dan. 5:27 you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.). He now understands the need for a sacrifice. “Christ redeemed from the curse of the law being made a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.). “God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). We broke the law; he paid the fine. It’s as simple as that. And if a man will repent, if a woman will repent and put their faith in Jesus, God will remit their sins so that on the day of judgment, when their court case comes up, God can say, “Your case is dismissed through lack of evidence.” “Christ redeemed from the curse of the law being made a curse for us.” And, therefore, exercise repentance towards God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21), put his hand to the plough and not look back because he’s fit for the kingdom (Luke 9:62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”). That word fit means “ready for use”. The soil of his heart has been turned that he might receive the engrafted word which is able to save his soul (Jam. 1:21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.).
So with this knowledge, he’s now able to understand. He now has light that his sin is primarily vertical: that he has “sinned against heaven” (Luke 15:21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.). That he has violated God’s law and that He has angered God and the wrath of God abides upon Him (John 3:36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”). He can now see that He is “weighed in the balance” of eternal justice and “found wanting” (Dan. 5:27 you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.). He now understands the need for a sacrifice. “Christ redeemed from the curse of the law being made a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.). “God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). We broke the law; he paid the fine. It’s as simple as that. And if a man will repent, if a woman will repent and put their faith in Jesus, God will remit their sins so that on the day of judgment, when their court case comes up, God can say, “Your case is dismissed through lack of evidence.” “Christ redeemed from the curse of the law being made a curse for us.” And, therefore, exercise repentance towards God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21), put his hand to the plough and not look back because he’s fit for the kingdom (Luke 9:62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”). That word fit means “ready for use”. The soil of his heart has been turned that he might receive the engrafted word which is able to save his soul (Jam. 1:21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.).
Now, I haven’t got time to share these quotes with you, but their in our literature. I’m sure you’ll recognize these names. John Wycliffe, the Bible translator. He said, “The highest service to which a man may obtain on earth is to preach the law of God.” Why? Because it will drive sinners to faith in the Savior, to everlasting life. Martin Luther said, “The first duty of the gospel preacher is to declare God’s law and to show the nature of sin.” In fact, as we read these quotes, these men have so much conviction you can feel their teeth grit. They say things like, “If you do not use the law in gospel proclamation, you will fill the church with false converts.” Stony ground hearers who will receive the word with joy and gladness.
Now, I haven’t got time to share these quotes with you, but their in our literature. I’m sure you’ll recognize these names. John Wycliffe, the Bible translator. He said, “The highest service to which a man may obtain on earth is to preach the law of God.” Why? Because it will drive sinners to faith in the Savior, to everlasting life. Martin Luther said, “The first duty of the gospel preacher is to declare God’s law and to show the nature of sin.” In fact, as we read these quotes, these men have so much conviction you can feel their teeth grit. They say things like, “If you do not use the law in gospel proclamation, you will fill the church with false converts.” Stony ground hearers who will receive the word with joy and gladness.
Listen to what Martin Luther said. He said, “Satan, the god of all dissension stirs up daily new sects. And last of all which of all others I should never have foreseen or once suspected, he has raised up a sect such as teach that men should not be terrified by the law, but gently exhorted by the preaching of the grace of Christ.” So what’s Luther saying? He saying, “Listen, guys. There’s a demonic, Satanic sect that’s just risen up. Man, I never, ever would have believed this could happen. He’s raised up a sect such as teach that men should not be terrified by the law, but gently exhorted by the preaching of the grace of Christ,” which perfectly sums up most of our evangelism.
Listen to what Martin Luther said. He said, “Satan, the god of all dissension stirs up daily new sects. And last of all which of all others I should never have foreseen or once suspected, he has raised up a sect such as teach that men should not be terrified by the law, but gently exhorted by the preaching of the grace of Christ.” So what’s Luther saying? He saying, “Listen, guys. There’s a demonic, Satanic sect that’s just risen up. Man, I never, ever would have believed this could happen. He’s raised up a sect such as teach that men should not be terrified by the law, but gently exhorted by the preaching of the grace of Christ,” which perfectly sums up most of our evangelism.
John Wesley said to a friend, in writing to a young evangelist, “Preach 90 percent law and 10 percent grace.” And you say, “90 percent law and 10 percent grace? Pretty heavy. Couldn’t it be 50-50.” Think of it like this. I’m a doctor; you’re a patient. You have a terminal disease. I have a cure, but it’s absolutely essential that you are totally committed to this cure; if you’re not 100 percent committed, it will not work. How am I going to handle it? Probably like this. “Come in here. Sit down. I’ve some very serious news for you: you have a terminal disease.” I see you begin to shake. I think to myself, “Good. He’s beginning to see the seriousness of this situation.” I bring out charts; I bring out x-rays. I show you the poison seeping through your system. I speak to you for ten whole minutes about this terrible disease. How long, then, do you think I’m going to have to talk about the cure? Not long at all. When you’re sitting there trembling after ten minutes, I say, “By the way, here’s the cure.” You grab it and gulp it down. Your knowledge of the disease and its horrific consequence has made you desire the cure.
John Wesley said to a friend, in writing to a young evangelist, “Preach 90 percent law and 10 percent grace.” And you say, “90 percent law and 10 percent grace? Pretty heavy. Couldn’t it be 50-50.” Think of it like this. I’m a doctor; you’re a patient. You have a terminal disease. I have a cure, but it’s absolutely essential that you are totally committed to this cure; if you’re not 100 percent committed, it will not work. How am I going to handle it? Probably like this. “Come in here. Sit down. I’ve some very serious news for you: you have a terminal disease.” I see you begin to shake. I think to myself, “Good. He’s beginning to see the seriousness of this situation.” I bring out charts; I bring out x-rays. I show you the poison seeping through your system. I speak to you for ten whole minutes about this terrible disease. How long, then, do you think I’m going to have to talk about the cure? Not long at all. When you’re sitting there trembling after ten minutes, I say, “By the way, here’s the cure.” You grab it and gulp it down. Your knowledge of the disease and its horrific consequence has made you desire the cure.
You see, before I was a Christian, I had as much desire for righteousness as a four-year-old boy has for the word “bath.” What’s the point? See, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” How many non-Christians do you know who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness? The Bible says, “There is none who seek after God” (Rom. 3:11). It says they love the darkness, they hate the light; neither will they come to the light least there deeds be exposed (John 3:19–20 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.). The only thing they drink in is iniquity like water (Job 15:16 How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness! ). But the night I was confronted with the spiritual nature of God’s law and understood that God requires truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51:6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.), that He saw my thought-life and considered lust to be the same as adultery, hatred the same as murder, I began to say, “I can see I’m condemned. What must I do to be made right?” I began to thirst for righteousness. The law put salt on my tongue. It was a schoolmaster to bring me to Christ. Charles Spurgeon said, “They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy law.” D.L. Moody, John Bunyan, John Newton, who wrote “Amazing Grace” (and if anyone had a grip on grace it was Newton), he said that “the correct understanding of the harmony between law and grace is to preserve oneself from being entangled by errors on the right hand and on the left.” And Charles Finney said, “Evermore the law must prepare the way for the gospel.” He said, “To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of Christian experience, and to fill the church with false converts.”
You see, before I was a Christian, I had as much desire for righteousness as a four-year-old boy has for the word “bath.” What’s the point? See, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” How many non-Christians do you know who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness? The Bible says, “There is none who seek after God” (Rom. 3:11). It says they love the darkness, they hate the light; neither will they come to the light least there deeds be exposed (John 3:19–20 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.). The only thing they drink in is iniquity like water (Job 15:16 How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness! ). But the night I was confronted with the spiritual nature of God’s law and understood that God requires truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51:6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.), that He saw my thought-life and considered lust to be the same as adultery, hatred the same as murder, I began to say, “I can see I’m condemned. What must I do to be made right?” I began to thirst for righteousness. The law put salt on my tongue. It was a schoolmaster to bring me to Christ. Charles Spurgeon said, “They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy law.” D.L. Moody, John Bunyan, John Newton, who wrote “Amazing Grace” (and if anyone had a grip on grace it was Newton), he said that “the correct understanding of the harmony between law and grace is to preserve oneself from being entangled by errors on the right hand and on the left.” And Charles Finney said, “Evermore the law must prepare the way for the gospel.” He said, “To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of Christian experience, and to fill the church with false converts.”
Saints, the first thing David Wilkerson said to me when he called me on his car phone was, “I thought I was the only one who didn’t believe in follow-up.” Now, I believe in feeding a new convert; I believe in nurturing him. I believe in discipling him—biblical and most necessary. But I don’t believe in following him. I can’t find it in Scripture.
Saints, the first thing David Wilkerson said to me when he called me on his car phone was, “I thought I was the only one who didn’t believe in follow-up.” Now, I believe in feeding a new convert; I believe in nurturing him. I believe in discipling him—biblical and most necessary. But I don’t believe in following him. I can’t find it in Scripture.
The Ethiopian eunuch was left without follow-up. How could he survive? All he had was God and the Scriptures. You see, follow-up...now let me explain follow-up for those of you who don’t know. Follow-up is when we get decisions, either through crusades or local church, and we take laborers from the harvest field, who are few as it is, and give them this disheartening task of running after these decisions to make sure they’re going on with God. What it is, is a sad admission of the amount of confidence we have in the power of our message and in the keeping power of God. If God has saved them, God will keep them. If they’re born of God, they’ll never die. If He’s begun a good work in them, He’ll complete it to that day (Philip. 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.); if He’s the author of their faith, He’ll be the finisher of their faith (Heb. 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.). He’s able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him (Heb. 7:25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save[a] those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. ). He’s able to keep them from falling and present them faultless before the presence and glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24). Jesus said, “No one will pluck you from my father’s hand” (John 10:29).
The Ethiopian eunuch was left without follow-up. How could he survive? All he had was God and the Scriptures. You see, follow-up...now let me explain follow-up for those of you who don’t know. Follow-up is when we get decisions, either through crusades or local church, and we take laborers from the harvest field, who are few as it is, and give them this disheartening task of running after these decisions to make sure they’re going on with God. What it is, is a sad admission of the amount of confidence we have in the power of our message and in the keeping power of God. If God has saved them, God will keep them. If they’re born of God, they’ll never die. If He’s begun a good work in them, He’ll complete it to that day (Philip. 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.); if He’s the author of their faith, He’ll be the finisher of their faith (Heb. 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.). He’s able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him (Heb. 7:25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save[a] those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. ). He’s able to keep them from falling and present them faultless before the presence and glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24). Jesus said, “No one will pluck you from my father’s hand” (John 10:29).
You see, saints, the problem is that Lazarus is four days dead (John 11). We can run in the tomb, we can pull him out, we can prop him up, we can open his eyes, but “he stinketh” (vs. 39). He needs to hear the voice of the Son of God. And the sinner is four days dead in his sins. We can run up and say, “Say this prayer.” Still, he needs to hear the voice of the Son of God, or there is no life in him; and the thing that primes the sinner’s ear to hear the voice of the Son of God is the law. It’s a schoolmaster to bring him to Christ that he might be justified through faith (Gal. 3:24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.). Saints, the law works; it converts the soul (Ps. 19:7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.). It makes the person a new creature in Christ. That old things pass away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!).
You see, saints, the problem is that Lazarus is four days dead (John 11). We can run in the tomb, we can pull him out, we can prop him up, we can open his eyes, but “he stinketh” (vs. 39). He needs to hear the voice of the Son of God. And the sinner is four days dead in his sins. We can run up and say, “Say this prayer.” Still, he needs to hear the voice of the Son of God, or there is no life in him; and the thing that primes the sinner’s ear to hear the voice of the Son of God is the law. It’s a schoolmaster to bring him to Christ that he might be justified through faith (Gal. 3:24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.). Saints, the law works; it converts the soul (Ps. 19:7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.). It makes the person a new creature in Christ. That old things pass away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!).
So find yourself a sinner, and experiment on him. But as you do so, remember this one anecdote. You’re sitting on a plane, sipping you’re coffee, biting a cookie, and watching a movie. It’s a good flight, very pleasurable, when suddenly you hear, “This is your captain speaking. I have an announcement to make. As the tail section has just fallen off of this plane, we’re about to crash. There’s a 25,000 foot drop. There’s a parachute under your seat; we’d appreciate it if you’d put it on. Thank you for your attention, and thank you for flying with this airline.” You say, “What!? 25,000 feet!? Man, am I glad to be wearing this parachute!” You look next to you; the guy next to you is biting his cookie, sipping his coffee, and watching the movie. You say, “Excuse me, did you hear the captain? Put the parachute on.” He turns to you and says, “Oh, I really don’t think the captain means it. Besides, I’m quite happy as I am, thanks.” Don’t turn to him in sincere zeal and say, “Oh, please, put the parachute on. It will be better than the movie.”
So find yourself a sinner, and experiment on him. But as you do so, remember this one anecdote. You’re sitting on a plane, sipping you’re coffee, biting a cookie, and watching a movie. It’s a good flight, very pleasurable, when suddenly you hear, “This is your captain speaking. I have an announcement to make. As the tail section has just fallen off of this plane, we’re about to crash. There’s a 25,000 foot drop. There’s a parachute under your seat; we’d appreciate it if you’d put it on. Thank you for your attention, and thank you for flying with this airline.” You say, “What!? 25,000 feet!? Man, am I glad to be wearing this parachute!” You look next to you; the guy next to you is biting his cookie, sipping his coffee, and watching the movie. You say, “Excuse me, did you hear the captain? Put the parachute on.” He turns to you and says, “Oh, I really don’t think the captain means it. Besides, I’m quite happy as I am, thanks.” Don’t turn to him in sincere zeal and say, “Oh, please, put the parachute on. It will be better than the movie.”
Now, that doesn’t make sense. If you tell him that somehow the parachute will improve his flight, he’s going to put it on for a wrong motive. If you want him to put it on and keep it on, tell him about the jump. You say, “Excuse me, ignore the captain if you wish. Jump without a parachute...SPLAT!” He says, “I’m sorry; I beg your pardon.” “I said, if you jump without a parachute, law of gravity. ‘Ppppbbbbtttt’ on the ground.” “Ah! Goodness me! I see what you’re saying! Thank you very much!” And as long as that man has knowledge he has to pass through the door and face the consequences of breaking the law of gravity, there’s no way you’re going to get that parachute off his back, because his very life depends on it.
Now, that doesn’t make sense. If you tell him that somehow the parachute will improve his flight, he’s going to put it on for a wrong motive. If you want him to put it on and keep it on, tell him about the jump. You say, “Excuse me, ignore the captain if you wish. Jump without a parachute...SPLAT!” He says, “I’m sorry; I beg your pardon.” “I said, if you jump without a parachute, law of gravity. ‘Ppppbbbbtttt’ on the ground.” “Ah! Goodness me! I see what you’re saying! Thank you very much!” And as long as that man has knowledge he has to pass through the door and face the consequences of breaking the law of gravity, there’s no way you’re going to get that parachute off his back, because his very life depends on it.
Now, if you look around you, you’ll find there are plenty of passengers enjoying the flight. They’re enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season. Go up and say, “Excuse me. Did you hear the command from our Captain about salvation, ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.’ ” He turns to you and says, “Oh, I really don’t think God means it. God is love. Besides, I’m quite happy as I am, thanks.” Don’t turn to him in sincere zeal without knowledge and say, “Please, put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness. You’ve got a God-shaped vacuum in your heart only God can fill. If you have a marriage problem, drug problem, alcohol problem, just give your heart to Jesus.” No. You’ll give him the wrong motive for his commitment. Instead say, “Oh, God, give me courage!” and tell him about the jump. Just say, “Hey, it’s appointed to man once to die. If you die in your sins, God will be forced to give you justice, and His judgment is going to be so thorough. Every idle word a man speaks he’ll give account thereof on the day of judgment; if you’ve lusted, you’ve committed adultery. If you’ve hated someone, you’ve committed murder. And Jesus warned that justice will be so thorough, the fist of eternal wrath will come upon you and [SMACK] grind you to powder. God bless.”
Now, if you look around you, you’ll find there are plenty of passengers enjoying the flight. They’re enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season. Go up and say, “Excuse me. Did you hear the command from our Captain about salvation, ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.’ ” He turns to you and says, “Oh, I really don’t think God means it. God is love. Besides, I’m quite happy as I am, thanks.” Don’t turn to him in sincere zeal without knowledge and say, “Please, put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness. You’ve got a God-shaped vacuum in your heart only God can fill. If you have a marriage problem, drug problem, alcohol problem, just give your heart to Jesus.” No. You’ll give him the wrong motive for his commitment. Instead say, “Oh, God, give me courage!” and tell him about the jump. Just say, “Hey, it’s appointed to man once to die. If you die in your sins, God will be forced to give you justice, and His judgment is going to be so thorough. Every idle word a man speaks he’ll give account thereof on the day of judgment; if you’ve lusted, you’ve committed adultery. If you’ve hated someone, you’ve committed murder. And Jesus warned that justice will be so thorough, the fist of eternal wrath will come upon you and [SMACK] grind you to powder. God bless.”
Now saints, I’m not talking about hell-fire preaching. Hell-fire preaching will produce fear-filled converts. Using God’s law will produce tear-filled converts. This one comes because why? He wants to escape the fires of hell. But in his heart, he thinks God is harsh and unjust, because the law hasn’t been used to show him the exceeding sinful nature of sin. He doesn’t see hell as being his just desert, that he deserves hell. Therefore, he doesn’t understand mercy or grace; and, therefore, he lacks gratitude to God for His mercy. And gratitude is the prime motivation for evangelism. There’ll be no zeal in the heart of a false convert to evangelize.
Now saints, I’m not talking about hell-fire preaching. Hell-fire preaching will produce fear-filled converts. Using God’s law will produce tear-filled converts. This one comes because why? He wants to escape the fires of hell. But in his heart, he thinks God is harsh and unjust, because the law hasn’t been used to show him the exceeding sinful nature of sin. He doesn’t see hell as being his just desert, that he deserves hell. Therefore, he doesn’t understand mercy or grace; and, therefore, he lacks gratitude to God for His mercy. And gratitude is the prime motivation for evangelism. There’ll be no zeal in the heart of a false convert to evangelize.
But this one comes knowing he has sinned against heaven. That God’s eye is in every place beholding the evil and the good and God has seen darkness, as though it were pure light. He’s seen his thought life. If God in His holiness on the day of wrath made manifest all the secret sins of his heart, all the deeds done in darkness, if he made manifest all the evidence of his guilt, God could pick him up as an unclean thing and cast him into hell and do that which is just. But instead of giving him justice, he’s given him mercy. He’s commended his love toward him in that while he’s yet a sinner Christ died for him. He falls on his knees before that blood-stained cross, and he says, “Oh, God, if You do that for me, I’ll do anything for You. I delight to do Your will, oh, my God. Your law is written upon my heart.” And like the man who knew he had to pass through the door and face the consequences of breaking the law of gravity and would never take his parachute off because his very life depended on it, so he who comes to the Savior, knowing he has to face a holy God on the day of wrath, would never forsake the righteousness of God in Christ because His very life depends on it.
But this one comes knowing he has sinned against heaven. That God’s eye is in every place beholding the evil and the good and God has seen darkness, as though it were pure light. He’s seen his thought life. If God in His holiness on the day of wrath made manifest all the secret sins of his heart, all the deeds done in darkness, if he made manifest all the evidence of his guilt, God could pick him up as an unclean thing and cast him into hell and do that which is just. But instead of giving him justice, he’s given him mercy. He’s commended his love toward him in that while he’s yet a sinner Christ died for him. He falls on his knees before that blood-stained cross, and he says, “Oh, God, if You do that for me, I’ll do anything for You. I delight to do Your will, oh, my God. Your law is written upon my heart.” And like the man who knew he had to pass through the door and face the consequences of breaking the law of gravity and would never take his parachute off because his very life depended on it, so he who comes to the Savior, knowing he has to face a holy God on the day of wrath, would never forsake the righteousness of God in Christ because His very life depends on it.
Let me see if I can coagulate this teaching as we draw it to a close. I was in a store some time ago, and the owner of the store was serving a customer and using God’s name in blasphemy. Now, if somebody used my wife’s name in blasphemy, I would be extremely offended if they used her name as a curse word in that sense. But this guy was using God’s name as a curse word, when God had given him life, his eyes, the ability to think, his children, his food; every pleasure he’s ever had was given to him by the goodness of God, and he’s using God’s name as a curse word. Indignantly, between him and his customer, I leaned and said, “Excuse me. Is this a religious meeting?” The guy says, “What? H-E-L-L no!” “Yes it is, because now you’re talking about hell. Let me get you one of my books.” So I went out to my car and got a book that I’ve written called God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists: Proof the Atheist Doesn’t Exist. And it’s a book which uses logic, humor, reason, and rationalism to prove the existence of God, which you can do in two minutes without the use of faith. It’s a very simple thing to conclusively, absolutely prove God’s existence; and it proves also that the atheist doesn’t exist.
Let me see if I can coagulate this teaching as we draw it to a close. I was in a store some time ago, and the owner of the store was serving a customer and using God’s name in blasphemy. Now, if somebody used my wife’s name in blasphemy, I would be extremely offended if they used her name as a curse word in that sense. But this guy was using God’s name as a curse word, when God had given him life, his eyes, the ability to think, his children, his food; every pleasure he’s ever had was given to him by the goodness of God, and he’s using God’s name as a curse word. Indignantly, between him and his customer, I leaned and said, “Excuse me. Is this a religious meeting?” The guy says, “What? H-E-L-L no!” “Yes it is, because now you’re talking about hell. Let me get you one of my books.” So I went out to my car and got a book that I’ve written called God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists: Proof the Atheist Doesn’t Exist. And it’s a book which uses logic, humor, reason, and rationalism to prove the existence of God, which you can do in two minutes without the use of faith. It’s a very simple thing to conclusively, absolutely prove God’s existence; and it proves also that the atheist doesn’t exist.
In fact, let me show you our bumper sticker. “National Atheist’s Day: April 1.” So I gave him this book, and two months later I went in and gave him another book I’ve written called My Friends Are Dying! A book which is a true and gripping story about the ministering of the gospel in the most murderous portion of Los Angeles; a book which also uses humor in its presentation. I gave him those books and he called me and told me what had happened. He told me his wife kept giving him filthy looks, because there he was reading a book called My Friends Are Dying! and laughing every two minutes. But he was cleaning out his room and he picked up God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists. He said, “Ah,” and he opened it up and read the first page and then he read the whole book, 260 pages. He said, “It was weird because I hate reading.” Then he read My Friends Are Dying!, gave his life to Christ, bought himself a Bible, came around to say, “Hi,” and told me after two days of being a Christian, in his Bible he was already up to what he called the book of “Lev-ih-tie-kus.” And I guess he was going to read “Palms” and then Job. But up until his commitment, the man was a practicing witch. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.”
In fact, let me show you our bumper sticker. “National Atheist’s Day: April 1.” So I gave him this book, and two months later I went in and gave him another book I’ve written called My Friends Are Dying! A book which is a true and gripping story about the ministering of the gospel in the most murderous portion of Los Angeles; a book which also uses humor in its presentation. I gave him those books and he called me and told me what had happened. He told me his wife kept giving him filthy looks, because there he was reading a book called My Friends Are Dying! and laughing every two minutes. But he was cleaning out his room and he picked up God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists. He said, “Ah,” and he opened it up and read the first page and then he read the whole book, 260 pages. He said, “It was weird because I hate reading.” Then he read My Friends Are Dying!, gave his life to Christ, bought himself a Bible, came around to say, “Hi,” and told me after two days of being a Christian, in his Bible he was already up to what he called the book of “Lev-ih-tie-kus.” And I guess he was going to read “Palms” and then Job. But up until his commitment, the man was a practicing witch. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.”
And it’s as though God looked down upon me, as for many years I open-air preached, and as I fought off the enemy with the feather duster of modern evangelism, it’s as though God said, “What are you doing? My weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor. 10:4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.) . Here are ten great cannons.” And as I lined up the ten cannons of God’s law, no longer did sinners scoff and mock. No, their faces went pale; they lifted their hands and said, “I surrender all! All to Jesus I freely give!” They came across to the winning side never to become deserters. Such converts become soul winners, not pew warmers, laborers, not layabouts, assets, not liabilities for the local church.
And it’s as though God looked down upon me, as for many years I open-air preached, and as I fought off the enemy with the feather duster of modern evangelism, it’s as though God said, “What are you doing? My weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor. 10:4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.) . Here are ten great cannons.” And as I lined up the ten cannons of God’s law, no longer did sinners scoff and mock. No, their faces went pale; they lifted their hands and said, “I surrender all! All to Jesus I freely give!” They came across to the winning side never to become deserters. Such converts become soul winners, not pew warmers, laborers, not layabouts, assets, not liabilities for the local church.
And now saints, with every head raised and every eye open, and no music playing, let me challenge you as to the validity of your salvation. Modern evangelism says, “Never question your salvation.” The Bible says the exact opposite. It says, “Examine yourself and see if you’re in the faith” (2Cor. 13:5). Better now than on the day of judgment. The Bible says “make your calling and election sure” (2Pet. 1:10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. ), and some of you know that something is radically wrong in your Christian walk. You lose your peace and joy when the flight gets bumpy. There is a lack of zeal to evangelize. You never fell on your face before Almighty God and said, “I’ve sinned against You, oh God! Have mercy upon me!” You’ve never fled to Jesus Christ and His blood for cleansing, in desperation crying out, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” And there’s a lack of gratitude; there’s not a burning zeal for the lost. You can’t say you’re on fire for God; in fact, you’re in danger of being one of the ones that are called “lukewarm” and will be spewed out of the mouth of Christ on the day of judgment (Rev. 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!) when multitudes will cry out to Jesus, “Lord, Lord.” And he’ll say, “Depart form me you worker of iniquity—lawlessness: I never knew you” (Mat. 7:22–23). No regard to the divine law. The Bible says, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity”— lawlessness (2Tim. 2:19).
And now saints, with every head raised and every eye open, and no music playing, let me challenge you as to the validity of your salvation. Modern evangelism says, “Never question your salvation.” The Bible says the exact opposite. It says, “Examine yourself and see if you’re in the faith” (2Cor. 13:5). Better now than on the day of judgment. The Bible says “make your calling and election sure” (2Pet. 1:10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. ), and some of you know that something is radically wrong in your Christian walk. You lose your peace and joy when the flight gets bumpy. There is a lack of zeal to evangelize. You never fell on your face before Almighty God and said, “I’ve sinned against You, oh God! Have mercy upon me!” You’ve never fled to Jesus Christ and His blood for cleansing, in desperation crying out, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” And there’s a lack of gratitude; there’s not a burning zeal for the lost. You can’t say you’re on fire for God; in fact, you’re in danger of being one of the ones that are called “lukewarm” and will be spewed out of the mouth of Christ on the day of judgment (Rev. 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!) when multitudes will cry out to Jesus, “Lord, Lord.” And he’ll say, “Depart form me you worker of iniquity—lawlessness: I never knew you” (Mat. 7:22–23). No regard to the divine law. The Bible says, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity”— lawlessness (2Tim. 2:19).
So today you need to readjust the motive for your commitment. Friend, don’t let your pride stop you. I would like to pray for you: I’ll remain up here, you remain in your seat. And if you’d like to be included in this prayer, I’d like for you to slip up your hand, but remember this. If you say, “Well, I should put my hand up but what will people think?” that’s pride. You prefer the praises of men to the praises of God (John 12:43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.). Everyone who is proud of heart is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 16:5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.). God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourself before the mighty hand of God; He’ll exalt you in due time (1Pet. 5:5–6 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. ). Call it a recommittal; call it a committal. But whatever you call it, make your calling and election sure.
So today you need to readjust the motive for your commitment. Friend, don’t let your pride stop you. I would like to pray for you: I’ll remain up here, you remain in your seat. And if you’d like to be included in this prayer, I’d like for you to slip up your hand, but remember this. If you say, “Well, I should put my hand up but what will people think?” that’s pride. You prefer the praises of men to the praises of God (John 12:43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.). Everyone who is proud of heart is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 16:5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.). God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourself before the mighty hand of God; He’ll exalt you in due time (1Pet. 5:5–6 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. ). Call it a recommittal; call it a committal. But whatever you call it, make your calling and election sure.
True and False Conversions
True and False Conversions
True and False Conversion by Ray Comfort
True and False Conversion by Ray Comfort
This message was first preached in 1983. True and False Conversion is non-copyrighted, duplication is encouraged.
This message was first preached in 1983. True and False Conversion is non-copyrighted, duplication is encouraged.
www.LivingWaters.com – Living Waters Publications, P.O. Box 1172, Bellflower, CA 90706 – Order line: 1-800-437-1893
www.LivingWaters.com – Living Waters Publications, P.O. Box 1172, Bellflower, CA 90706 – Order line: 1-800-437-1893
True and False Conversion
True and False Conversion
Tonight I want, by the grace of God, to share with you a teaching called “True and False Conversion.” A very sobering teaching, and a teaching that I believe is most necessary within the contemporary church. I have a teaching called “Hell’s Best Kept Secret” which deals with the use of the Law in evangelism. In fact, God’s Law, the Ten Commandments, was the essence of the gospel proclamation of Wesley, Moody, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, all these men that God so greatly used. They said that if you don’t use the Law, you’ll almost certainly lead to false conversions.
Tonight I want, by the grace of God, to share with you a teaching called “True and False Conversion.” A very sobering teaching, and a teaching that I believe is most necessary within the contemporary church. I have a teaching called “Hell’s Best Kept Secret” which deals with the use of the Law in evangelism. In fact, God’s Law, the Ten Commandments, was the essence of the gospel proclamation of Wesley, Moody, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, all these men that God so greatly used. They said that if you don’t use the Law, you’ll almost certainly lead to false conversions.
I was reading in the American Horizons magazine, which is the official magazine of a very large, or a major, denomination of the United States which has 11,500 churches throughout the US - in 1991, their first year of what they called “the decade of harvest,” they got 294,000 decisions for Christ. They found that only 14,000 remained in fellowship. That is, they couldn’t account for 279,000 of their decisions for Jesus. And this is normal modern evangelical statistics when it comes to crusades and local churches.
I was reading in the American Horizons magazine, which is the official magazine of a very large, or a major, denomination of the United States which has 11,500 churches throughout the US - in 1991, their first year of what they called “the decade of harvest,” they got 294,000 decisions for Christ. They found that only 14,000 remained in fellowship. That is, they couldn’t account for 279,000 of their decisions for Jesus. And this is normal modern evangelical statistics when it comes to crusades and local churches.
Many converts don’t fall away. They get followed up and squeezed into a local church where they’re surrounded by a good social life, and they stay within the church given assurance they’re saved when there is no grounds for their salvation, because they do not have the things that accompany salvation. Now this has happened, this great tragedy has happened, simply because we haven’t followed the Biblical example and preach law to the proud and grace to the humble. Always, when you see Jesus approach a proud arrogant self-righteous person with the gospel, He gave law before grace. Always. With the law He broke the hard heart, with the gospel He healed the broken heart.
Many converts don’t fall away. They get followed up and squeezed into a local church where they’re surrounded by a good social life, and they stay within the church given assurance they’re saved when there is no grounds for their salvation, because they do not have the things that accompany salvation. Now this has happened, this great tragedy has happened, simply because we haven’t followed the Biblical example and preach law to the proud and grace to the humble. Always, when you see Jesus approach a proud arrogant self-righteous person with the gospel, He gave law before grace. Always. With the law He broke the hard heart, with the gospel He healed the broken heart.
Why did He do that? Because He always did those things that were pleasing in the Father’s sight. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. We see this so often in Scripture, where Jesus resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. The rich young ruler, the arrogant self-righteous lawyer that stood up and tempted Jesus. Both times, Jesus gave the Law. He gave the Ten Commandments. When ones came with humility with a knowledge of sin by the Law, that is Godly Jews, he gave grace.
Why did He do that? Because He always did those things that were pleasing in the Father’s sight. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. We see this so often in Scripture, where Jesus resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. The rich young ruler, the arrogant self-righteous lawyer that stood up and tempted Jesus. Both times, Jesus gave the Law. He gave the Ten Commandments. When ones came with humility with a knowledge of sin by the Law, that is Godly Jews, he gave grace.
Paul says in Romans 7:7, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” Charles Finney said, “Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel.” Now Finney had an 80% retention rate. He said, “Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel. To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of Christian experience, and to fill the church with false converts.” And then he said, “Time will make this plain.”
Paul says in Romans 7:7, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” Charles Finney said, “Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel.” Now Finney had an 80% retention rate. He said, “Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel. To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of Christian experience, and to fill the church with false converts.” And then he said, “Time will make this plain.”
John Wesley said of those who failed to use God’s Law in evangelism, “All this proceeds from the deepest ignorance of the nature of the properties and of the use of the Law, and proves that those who act thus either know not Christ, or are the strangers to living faith, or at least they’re but babes in Christ, and as such unskilled in the Word of righteousness.”
John Wesley said of those who failed to use God’s Law in evangelism, “All this proceeds from the deepest ignorance of the nature of the properties and of the use of the Law, and proves that those who act thus either know not Christ, or are the strangers to living faith, or at least they’re but babes in Christ, and as such unskilled in the Word of righteousness.”
Martin Luther, in his commentary on Galatians, which is the book which speaks of freedom from God’s law, spoke of a sect that rose up in his day with a Satanic doctrine. Listen to what that doctrine was. He said, “Satan, the god of all dissention, stirs up daily new sects. And last of all, which I should never have foreseen or once suspected, he has raised up a sect such as teach that the Ten Commandments ought to be taken out of the church, and that men should not be terrified by the Law, but gently exhorted by preaching the grace of Christ.” He said that’s a sect, a new sect that’s risen up, a satanic subtlety and one I thought would never ever come. He was aghast at the thought that men would not use the Law but instead they would gently exhort one to come to Christ, preaching grace alone, which is the perfect summation of the methods of modern evangelism.
Martin Luther, in his commentary on Galatians, which is the book which speaks of freedom from God’s law, spoke of a sect that rose up in his day with a Satanic doctrine. Listen to what that doctrine was. He said, “Satan, the god of all dissention, stirs up daily new sects. And last of all, which I should never have foreseen or once suspected, he has raised up a sect such as teach that the Ten Commandments ought to be taken out of the church, and that men should not be terrified by the Law, but gently exhorted by preaching the grace of Christ.” He said that’s a sect, a new sect that’s risen up, a satanic subtlety and one I thought would never ever come. He was aghast at the thought that men would not use the Law but instead they would gently exhort one to come to Christ, preaching grace alone, which is the perfect summation of the methods of modern evangelism.
Charles Spurgeon said, “They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy Law.” George Whitfield said, “That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts.” That is, ones that spring up overnight and disappear because their stony ground is not plowed up. They’ve not got the conviction of the Law. They are “stony ground hearers” or “false conversions.”
Charles Spurgeon said, “They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy Law.” George Whitfield said, “That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts.” That is, ones that spring up overnight and disappear because their stony ground is not plowed up. They’ve not got the conviction of the Law. They are “stony ground hearers” or “false conversions.”
Now with those thoughts, by way of reduction, let’s look at Romans 7:4. “Wherefore my brethren you are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
Now with those thoughts, by way of reduction, let’s look at Romans 7:4. “Wherefore my brethren you are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
In the book Hell’s Best Kept Secret, we give an illustration of a speedster who drove through a town at a dangerous speed of 120 mph. He was drunk, there was no law against speeding, so the town council gathered and passed a law stating that 60 mph was the maximum speed, and any transgressors would be fined $100 for every mph over the speed limit. The speedster comes back. He’s apprehended by the law. He stands in front of the judge, who was his own father, the town’s only judge. He was proclaimed guilty. He had no money, no words of defense, he couldn’t raise the money for the $6000 fine, so he was thrust into prison. As he waited in prison, his father arrived, opened the door and told his son that he had sold all his goods to raise the $6000, he paid the fine himself, and that he was free to go.
In the book Hell’s Best Kept Secret, we give an illustration of a speedster who drove through a town at a dangerous speed of 120 mph. He was drunk, there was no law against speeding, so the town council gathered and passed a law stating that 60 mph was the maximum speed, and any transgressors would be fined $100 for every mph over the speed limit. The speedster comes back. He’s apprehended by the law. He stands in front of the judge, who was his own father, the town’s only judge. He was proclaimed guilty. He had no money, no words of defense, he couldn’t raise the money for the $6000 fine, so he was thrust into prison. As he waited in prison, his father arrived, opened the door and told his son that he had sold all his goods to raise the $6000, he paid the fine himself, and that he was free to go.
Now, after such a display of love, such sacrifice on behalf of the father, what would the son’s attitude be to the law? Well, firstly, the law has been satisfied. As soon as the fine was paid, he was free to go. He could smile at the law. The judge could say, “you’re free.” The law had no demand on him whatsoever because of the sacrifice and payment of the father. The law was satisfied. And what’s his reaction to the father? What is his attitude? Well, he’s filled with gratitude at such sacrifice and a brokenness that his father would do such a thing for him despite his transgression. And now he lives in honor of the father. He wants to live for the father’s will.
Now, after such a display of love, such sacrifice on behalf of the father, what would the son’s attitude be to the law? Well, firstly, the law has been satisfied. As soon as the fine was paid, he was free to go. He could smile at the law. The judge could say, “you’re free.” The law had no demand on him whatsoever because of the sacrifice and payment of the father. The law was satisfied. And what’s his reaction to the father? What is his attitude? Well, he’s filled with gratitude at such sacrifice and a brokenness that his father would do such a thing for him despite his transgression. And now he lives in honor of the father. He wants to live for the father’s will.
Listen to the attitude of a believer to the Law. Romans 7:4 again, “Wherefore my brethren you also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ.” There was the father’s sacrifice. That’s what appeased God’s Law. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us.” “You are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ.” The Law has no demand upon the believer. “There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” “That you should be married to another, even Him who is raised from the dead, that you should bring forth fruit unto God.”
Listen to the attitude of a believer to the Law. Romans 7:4 again, “Wherefore my brethren you also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ.” There was the father’s sacrifice. That’s what appeased God’s Law. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us.” “You are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ.” The Law has no demand upon the believer. “There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” “That you should be married to another, even Him who is raised from the dead, that you should bring forth fruit unto God.”
So the true believer brings forth the fruit of a new lifestyle, a lifestyle that is pleasing in the sight of Almighty God. If we are rooted and grounded in Christ, it should be evident. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit.” Colossians 1, speaking of the gospel, says “the gospel brings forth fruit in the believer.” Okay, what does the Bible mean when it speaks of fruit?
So the true believer brings forth the fruit of a new lifestyle, a lifestyle that is pleasing in the sight of Almighty God. If we are rooted and grounded in Christ, it should be evident. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit.” Colossians 1, speaking of the gospel, says “the gospel brings forth fruit in the believer.” Okay, what does the Bible mean when it speaks of fruit?
Specifically? Well, #1, the fruit of repentance (Matthew3:8). Zacchaeus had “more than tears.” He said, “Behold, Lord, if I’ve wronged anyone I’ll pay him back fourfold. I’ll give half my goods to the poor.” He knew God’s Law. He was a Godly Jew. That’s what brought him to Christ. It was the schoolmaster to bring him to Christ as a Godly Jew, knowing God’s Law. Or should I say, “a Jew that was humbled by the Law.” He said, “Behold, Lord, if I’ve wronged anyone I’ll pay back fourfold,” which is what the Law demanded.
Specifically? Well, #1, the fruit of repentance (Matthew3:8). Zacchaeus had “more than tears.” He said, “Behold, Lord, if I’ve wronged anyone I’ll pay him back fourfold. I’ll give half my goods to the poor.” He knew God’s Law. He was a Godly Jew. That’s what brought him to Christ. It was the schoolmaster to bring him to Christ as a Godly Jew, knowing God’s Law. Or should I say, “a Jew that was humbled by the Law.” He said, “Behold, Lord, if I’ve wronged anyone I’ll pay back fourfold,” which is what the Law demanded.
I remember reading some years ago about a store that said in a newspaper they found a brown paper bag outside their door on a Monday morning. They opened it up and there was a pair of pants and a note that said, “I stole these from you on Friday, became a Christian on Sunday. Here’s the pants Monday. I’m sorry.” That’s fruit of repentance.
I remember reading some years ago about a store that said in a newspaper they found a brown paper bag outside their door on a Monday morning. They opened it up and there was a pair of pants and a note that said, “I stole these from you on Friday, became a Christian on Sunday. Here’s the pants Monday. I’m sorry.” That’s fruit of repentance.
Secondly, the fruit of good works. John Wesley said, it was Colossians 1:10 ( Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. ), John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”
Secondly, the fruit of good works. John Wesley said, it was Colossians 1:10 ( Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. ), John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”
Now if anyone was zealous for evangelism, it was John Wesley. He had a zeal that turned the United Kingdom upside down. But he said, “Do all the good you can” because he saw in Scripture that good works are a legitimate tool in evangelism. Now the modern church, because of what’s happened to some fiery Christian organizations over the years that have got into social work, they’ve noticed they’ve become lopsided, and they’ve steered away from good works. And yet the Bible says in the book of Titus, “Let those who of you who have believed in God be careful to maintain good works.” Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
Now if anyone was zealous for evangelism, it was John Wesley. He had a zeal that turned the United Kingdom upside down. But he said, “Do all the good you can” because he saw in Scripture that good works are a legitimate tool in evangelism. Now the modern church, because of what’s happened to some fiery Christian organizations over the years that have got into social work, they’ve noticed they’ve become lopsided, and they’ve steered away from good works. And yet the Bible says in the book of Titus, “Let those who of you who have believed in God be careful to maintain good works.” Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
When I was first a Christian, I was… I could be considered by the world as a fanatic. I mean, really fanatical. I haven’t changed at all. And I used to make leather jackets and suede coats to order for people for years. I made about 1500 over a ten-year period, and I followed in my father’s footsteps. You know who the first one was to make a leather jacket? Genesis tells us. God made… clothed Adam and Eve in the skins of animals. Not caveman stuff. Fully lined, with covered buttons. I mean class. When God does something, He does it properly. And I actually had this in a brochure that I had, and it just said that. “God was first to kill an animal and clothe man in the skins of animals.” And I said I was following in my Father’s footsteps, and led through the covering that God offers through Christ. But on the window of my store, I had about a 10 foot by 8 foot window to let in the natural light.
When I was first a Christian, I was… I could be considered by the world as a fanatic. I mean, really fanatical. I haven’t changed at all. And I used to make leather jackets and suede coats to order for people for years. I made about 1500 over a ten-year period, and I followed in my father’s footsteps. You know who the first one was to make a leather jacket? Genesis tells us. God made… clothed Adam and Eve in the skins of animals. Not caveman stuff. Fully lined, with covered buttons. I mean class. When God does something, He does it properly. And I actually had this in a brochure that I had, and it just said that. “God was first to kill an animal and clothe man in the skins of animals.” And I said I was following in my Father’s footsteps, and led through the covering that God offers through Christ. But on the window of my store, I had about a 10 foot by 8 foot window to let in the natural light.
I had a Hare Krishna guy got soundly saved. The thing that brought him to Christ, I said “Was it the preaching, what was it?” And he says, “It was the handshake.” Feel a Christian shook his hand, he just felt a genuineness, and gave some consideration to the claims of the Gospel, gave his life to Christ, and within half an hour he’s eating a T-bone steak. I mean, really set free. And he said… I said, “Ron, what do you do for a living, what did you do?” He said, “I’m a sign writer.” I said, “Really?” And I got him to, on a 10 foot by 8 foot piece of board, to sign write John 3:1-16. And I put it on my window. Incredible amount of work for the poor guy. And he said night after night he was doing this sign. And one night he was very discouraged because it was kind of half an hour per letter to get it right. And he stood back, he felt quite discouraged, he stood back and he read the words, “No man can do these signs that you do unless God is with him,” and he was greatly encouraged by the Lord.
I had a Hare Krishna guy got soundly saved. The thing that brought him to Christ, I said “Was it the preaching, what was it?” And he says, “It was the handshake.” Feel a Christian shook his hand, he just felt a genuineness, and gave some consideration to the claims of the Gospel, gave his life to Christ, and within half an hour he’s eating a T-bone steak. I mean, really set free. And he said… I said, “Ron, what do you do for a living, what did you do?” He said, “I’m a sign writer.” I said, “Really?” And I got him to, on a 10 foot by 8 foot piece of board, to sign write John 3:1-16. And I put it on my window. Incredible amount of work for the poor guy. And he said night after night he was doing this sign. And one night he was very discouraged because it was kind of half an hour per letter to get it right. And he stood back, he felt quite discouraged, he stood back and he read the words, “No man can do these signs that you do unless God is with him,” and he was greatly encouraged by the Lord.
Anyway, I put this sign up in the window, and I had on the door, “Behold I stand at the door and knock,” a lot of Scriptures. And I shared the entrance with a barber. And this barber called me to him one day, and he says, “Ray, I’ve got to tell you something.” He said, “Guys come into my store, they sit down in the seat, and they turn back here, and they just say with utter disgust and contempt, ‘What a fanatic next door.’ And they just couldn’t say anything more, and nausea consumed them.”
Anyway, I put this sign up in the window, and I had on the door, “Behold I stand at the door and knock,” a lot of Scriptures. And I shared the entrance with a barber. And this barber called me to him one day, and he says, “Ray, I’ve got to tell you something.” He said, “Guys come into my store, they sit down in the seat, and they turn back here, and they just say with utter disgust and contempt, ‘What a fanatic next door.’ And they just couldn’t say anything more, and nausea consumed them.”
But he said, “A number of months ago when you put out a book called My Friends Are Dying and got into drug prevention work, the same guys would come into the store, sit down for a haircut, and say ‘Doing a good job, that young man next door.’” And all that was happening was the fruit of 1 Peter 2:15. Listen to it. “For so is the will of God that by your welldoing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” “For so is the will of God that by your well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” If you’re a Christian who is rich in good works, people will say, “I don’t believe what he believes, but boy I can see that he’s genuine.” You’ll put them to silence, you’ll stop their mouth by your good works.
But he said, “A number of months ago when you put out a book called My Friends Are Dying and got into drug prevention work, the same guys would come into the store, sit down for a haircut, and say ‘Doing a good job, that young man next door.’” And all that was happening was the fruit of 1 Peter 2:15. Listen to it. “For so is the will of God that by your welldoing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” “For so is the will of God that by your well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” If you’re a Christian who is rich in good works, people will say, “I don’t believe what he believes, but boy I can see that he’s genuine.” You’ll put them to silence, you’ll stop their mouth by your good works.
And I saw this a number of years ago. So as an assistant pastor of a local assembly, I said, “Let’s get into good works.” So I went to a place that sold vegetables, I said “Look, I want to give away 100 bags of vegetables around our local church.” I said, “Can you supply us?” They said, “Yeah. If you let us put our name on the bag, we’ll give you a good deal. In fact, we’ll give you double.” So what they did, is they gave us a bag about three feet high packed full of carrots, cabbages, all sorts, corn, all sorts of vegetables, and they put their name on it. And then we got on a truck, we put a letter on each bag that said something like, “Dear friend.” It didn’t say, “Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus,” there was nothing Christian on it at all. “Dear friend or neighbor, we’re concerned about you, we care about you, we’re a local church in your area. If we can help mow your lawn, trim your hedge, if there’s anything we can do to help you, please call on us. We’re here for your benefit. Yours, sincerely,” and just signed it. Put that at the top of the bags, then put them at the gates of 100 homes.
And I saw this a number of years ago. So as an assistant pastor of a local assembly, I said, “Let’s get into good works.” So I went to a place that sold vegetables, I said “Look, I want to give away 100 bags of vegetables around our local church.” I said, “Can you supply us?” They said, “Yeah. If you let us put our name on the bag, we’ll give you a good deal. In fact, we’ll give you double.” So what they did, is they gave us a bag about three feet high packed full of carrots, cabbages, all sorts, corn, all sorts of vegetables, and they put their name on it. And then we got on a truck, we put a letter on each bag that said something like, “Dear friend.” It didn’t say, “Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus,” there was nothing Christian on it at all. “Dear friend or neighbor, we’re concerned about you, we care about you, we’re a local church in your area. If we can help mow your lawn, trim your hedge, if there’s anything we can do to help you, please call on us. We’re here for your benefit. Yours, sincerely,” and just signed it. Put that at the top of the bags, then put them at the gates of 100 homes.
Now I said to the guys putting them there, “Don’t knock on the door, don’t get into a conversation, don’t let anyone think you’re trying to get a foot in their door.” The reaction was incredible. We had people stop us on the street and burst into tears. One woman burst into tears of gratitude. Another woman said, “I have been in this area 60 years, and this is the first time the local church has done anything for me.” Another one said, “I’m an atheist, but I just want to wish you all the best in the community.”
Now I said to the guys putting them there, “Don’t knock on the door, don’t get into a conversation, don’t let anyone think you’re trying to get a foot in their door.” The reaction was incredible. We had people stop us on the street and burst into tears. One woman burst into tears of gratitude. Another woman said, “I have been in this area 60 years, and this is the first time the local church has done anything for me.” Another one said, “I’m an atheist, but I just want to wish you all the best in the community.”
Another guy, his girlfriend made a commitment to the Lord, and told him. He put his fist into the wall with anger because he was a professing atheist and he saw an evident token of the love of God in those vegetables, and he could not handle it. He just went “umph” like that. I mean, it was just such a powerful thing. One woman, as I said, she said, “I couldn’t believe these vegetables were mine.” Two bucks, is what that bag of vegetables cost. Two dollars. “For so is the will of God that by your good works you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” The fruit of good works.
Another guy, his girlfriend made a commitment to the Lord, and told him. He put his fist into the wall with anger because he was a professing atheist and he saw an evident token of the love of God in those vegetables, and he could not handle it. He just went “umph” like that. I mean, it was just such a powerful thing. One woman, as I said, she said, “I couldn’t believe these vegetables were mine.” Two bucks, is what that bag of vegetables cost. Two dollars. “For so is the will of God that by your good works you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” The fruit of good works.
Number three, the fruit of thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.). I mean, if you’re soundly saved, there should be a cry within your heart, “thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift.” If there isn’t the fruit of thanksgiving, if there isn’t a gratitude burning in your soul, you may not be saved.
Number three, the fruit of thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.). I mean, if you’re soundly saved, there should be a cry within your heart, “thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift.” If there isn’t the fruit of thanksgiving, if there isn’t a gratitude burning in your soul, you may not be saved.
Number four, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,). It should be evident in, “love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance.”
Number four, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,). It should be evident in, “love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance.”
Number five, the fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. ). There should be the fruit of that which is right, the fruit of righteousness in your lifestyle. Remember Matthew 3:10 says, “every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.” Therefore as Christians, in our evangelistic endeavors, we should do everything we can not just to get decisions, not just to get church members, youth group members, but to produce fruit-bearing commitments to Christ, because “every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.”
Number five, the fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. ). There should be the fruit of that which is right, the fruit of righteousness in your lifestyle. Remember Matthew 3:10 says, “every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.” Therefore as Christians, in our evangelistic endeavors, we should do everything we can not just to get decisions, not just to get church members, youth group members, but to produce fruit-bearing commitments to Christ, because “every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.”
So what we’re going to do is look at Matthew 4:3 to get an insight into what hinders and what produces genuine fruit. Mark 4, should I say, Mark 4:3. Now when the Bible says, “behold,” what it’s doing is blowing a little trumpet and saying, “this is important.” When Jesus said words like, “harken,” it was a little trumpet. In verse 3 of Mark 4, Jesus uses both words. This is a double trumpet, so this is incredibly important.He said, Mark 4:3 “Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it wither away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and it did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty fold, and some sixty, and some a hundred. And he said to them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.” “And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom: but unto them that are outside, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” “And he said to them, don’t you know this parable? How then will you know all parables? The sower is the sower of the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they in like manner which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and some bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.”
So what we’re going to do is look at Matthew 4:3 to get an insight into what hinders and what produces genuine fruit. Mark 4, should I say, Mark 4:3. Now when the Bible says, “behold,” what it’s doing is blowing a little trumpet and saying, “this is important.” When Jesus said words like, “harken,” it was a little trumpet. In verse 3 of Mark 4, Jesus uses both words. This is a double trumpet, so this is incredibly important.He said, Mark 4:3 “Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it wither away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and it did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty fold, and some sixty, and some a hundred. And he said to them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.” “And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom: but unto them that are outside, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” “And he said to them, don’t you know this parable? How then will you know all parables? The sower is the sower of the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they in like manner which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and some bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.”
Verse 13, I think is one of the key verses in the entire Bible. Jesus said to them, “Don’t you know this parable? How then will you know all parables?” In other words, the parable of the sower is the key to unlock the mystery of all the other parables. When you and I get a grip on the understanding that the parable of the sower is about true and false conversion, stony ground hearer, thorny ground hearer, good soil hearer, two false, one genuine, then we begin to understand the other parables, that there are true and false conversions.
Verse 13, I think is one of the key verses in the entire Bible. Jesus said to them, “Don’t you know this parable? How then will you know all parables?” In other words, the parable of the sower is the key to unlock the mystery of all the other parables. When you and I get a grip on the understanding that the parable of the sower is about true and false conversion, stony ground hearer, thorny ground hearer, good soil hearer, two false, one genuine, then we begin to understand the other parables, that there are true and false conversions.
The good fish, and the bad fish, the true and the false. The foolish virgins, the false, the wise virgins, the true. The man who built his house on rock, the genuine convert. The man who built his house on sand, the false convert. See I used to think the foolish man who built his house on sand was the unbeliever. No, you read what Jesus said. He said, “he that hears my sayings and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” The ungodly don’t hear the saying of Jesus. Most of them know “judge not lest you be judged,” and the golden rule, “do to others as you’d have them do to you.” And both, they’re twisted, they don’t understand them.
The good fish, and the bad fish, the true and the false. The foolish virgins, the false, the wise virgins, the true. The man who built his house on rock, the genuine convert. The man who built his house on sand, the false convert. See I used to think the foolish man who built his house on sand was the unbeliever. No, you read what Jesus said. He said, “he that hears my sayings and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” The ungodly don’t hear the saying of Jesus. Most of them know “judge not lest you be judged,” and the golden rule, “do to others as you’d have them do to you.” And both, they’re twisted, they don’t understand them.
No, the church is filled with people who hear the sayings of Jesus and don’t obey them. They don’t evangelize, even though Jesus said, “you are my witnesses,” “let your light shine before men,” “go unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” They don’t. They are like the man who built his house on sand.
No, the church is filled with people who hear the sayings of Jesus and don’t obey them. They don’t evangelize, even though Jesus said, “you are my witnesses,” “let your light shine before men,” “go unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” They don’t. They are like the man who built his house on sand.
Now using the harmony of the gospel, and the parable of the sower is also Luke 13, sorry, Luke 8 and Matthew 13, using the harmony of the gospel we’re going to look at the six characteristics of a false convert, the stony ground hearer.
Now using the harmony of the gospel, and the parable of the sower is also Luke 13, sorry, Luke 8 and Matthew 13, using the harmony of the gospel we’re going to look at the six characteristics of a false convert, the stony ground hearer.
Firstly, with a false convert, according to Mark 4:5, there are immediate results. They don’t weigh the issues. The gospel they hear is not a gospel that’s preceded by the Law. They’re not made to tremble before the throne of a holy God. They’re told they need to get assurance they’re going to Heaven. They think they’re already going to Heaven. Most people think that. Why? They go about to establish their own righteousness, being ignorant of the righteousness which is of God. 62% of Americans believe in a literal Hell, but they don’t believe they’re going there. They think they’re too good. Now that’s human nature. “Every man will proclaim his own goodness.” “There is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof is the way of death.” The modern gospel says, “You need to have assurance that you’re going to Heaven. You shouldn’t go to Hell. You need to come and give your life to Christ. You must have faith in Jesus,” and they preach Christ crucified. So the sinner thinks he deserves Heaven anyway, comes and gives his heart to Jesus, and gets assurance he’s going to Heaven. He’s got no understanding of sin because Paul said, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” 1 John 3:4 says, “sin is transgression of the Law.” He’s given assurance that he’s saved, he’s followed up, he’s set in a church, he finds new friends, a new lifestyle, gets ahold of his alcohol problem, deals with it, and things go sweet. And there’s still no repentance, and when there’s no understanding of sin, there is no Godly sorrow, which works repentance. And Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will perish.” And the church is filled with people who have assurance of salvation when it’s not Holy Ghost assurance. These ones don’t weigh the issues. It’s easy to get a decision from them because the bait of eternal life is hung in front of them.
Firstly, with a false convert, according to Mark 4:5, there are immediate results. They don’t weigh the issues. The gospel they hear is not a gospel that’s preceded by the Law. They’re not made to tremble before the throne of a holy God. They’re told they need to get assurance they’re going to Heaven. They think they’re already going to Heaven. Most people think that. Why? They go about to establish their own righteousness, being ignorant of the righteousness which is of God. 62% of Americans believe in a literal Hell, but they don’t believe they’re going there. They think they’re too good. Now that’s human nature. “Every man will proclaim his own goodness.” “There is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof is the way of death.” The modern gospel says, “You need to have assurance that you’re going to Heaven. You shouldn’t go to Hell. You need to come and give your life to Christ. You must have faith in Jesus,” and they preach Christ crucified. So the sinner thinks he deserves Heaven anyway, comes and gives his heart to Jesus, and gets assurance he’s going to Heaven. He’s got no understanding of sin because Paul said, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” 1 John 3:4 says, “sin is transgression of the Law.” He’s given assurance that he’s saved, he’s followed up, he’s set in a church, he finds new friends, a new lifestyle, gets ahold of his alcohol problem, deals with it, and things go sweet. And there’s still no repentance, and when there’s no understanding of sin, there is no Godly sorrow, which works repentance. And Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will perish.” And the church is filled with people who have assurance of salvation when it’s not Holy Ghost assurance. These ones don’t weigh the issues. It’s easy to get a decision from them because the bait of eternal life is hung in front of them.
Secondly, there is a lack of moisture (Luke 8:6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.). There is no thirst for God, for the living God.
Secondly, there is a lack of moisture (Luke 8:6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.). There is no thirst for God, for the living God.
Thirdly, there’s no root in themselves (Matthew 13:6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.). There is no depth of Godly character.
Thirdly, there’s no root in themselves (Matthew 13:6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.). There is no depth of Godly character.
Number four, they receive the Word with gladness. Again, there’s no Godly sorrow because the Law hasn’t been brought to them that they might see themselves in truth. God’s Law is like a mirror. When there’s no mirror, you can go around the whole day, if someone doesn’t tell you, and have a dirty face. You’ve got no idea. Each day, every one of us looks in the mirror to see the state. You get up in the morning, look in the mirror to see what damage has been done during the night. I mean, there’s no greater evidence that we’re in a fallen creation as looking in the mirror first thing in the morning. I mean, we rest ourselves after a hard day. So in the morning, you should be rested. No, the eyes are puffy, you say, “Ugh… oh…” They don’t look into the perfect Law of liberty and see themselves in truth. God’s Law is like a mirror. Therefore, they don’t go to the water of the blood of Christ to wash, because they don’t see themselves as in desperate need of God’s forgiveness. Paul said, “by the commandment, sin became exceedingly sinful.” (Romans 7:13). So they receive the Word with gladness (Mark 4:16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.).
Number four, they receive the Word with gladness. Again, there’s no Godly sorrow because the Law hasn’t been brought to them that they might see themselves in truth. God’s Law is like a mirror. When there’s no mirror, you can go around the whole day, if someone doesn’t tell you, and have a dirty face. You’ve got no idea. Each day, every one of us looks in the mirror to see the state. You get up in the morning, look in the mirror to see what damage has been done during the night. I mean, there’s no greater evidence that we’re in a fallen creation as looking in the mirror first thing in the morning. I mean, we rest ourselves after a hard day. So in the morning, you should be rested. No, the eyes are puffy, you say, “Ugh… oh…” They don’t look into the perfect Law of liberty and see themselves in truth. God’s Law is like a mirror. Therefore, they don’t go to the water of the blood of Christ to wash, because they don’t see themselves as in desperate need of God’s forgiveness. Paul said, “by the commandment, sin became exceedingly sinful.” (Romans 7:13). So they receive the Word with gladness (Mark 4:16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.).
Number five, they receive the Word with joy. Their laughter isn’t turned to mourning, and their joy isn’t turned to heaviness (Matthew 13:20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.). And Number six, for a while they do believe. (Luke 8:13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.). There is a genuine false conversion experience. For a while they do believe. Now let’s look on the overhead projector at this picture which is a picture of two plants. The plant, or plant, on the left is strong and healthy looking. The plant on the right is kind of small. And if you had to make room in your garden because you lack room, most of us would probably make the judgment, “Well the little fellow has to go because the big plant’s doing well.” But then let’s look at picture number two. We see the sun has come out and it’s causing our big, strong, healthy plant to wither and yet the little plant seems to be “doing quite well, thanks.” And let’s look at picture number three, what we couldn’t see, and we see the reason the big plant was withering and the little plant was prospering, because under the soil beneath the big plant was bedrock. The soil could not find… the root could not find depth of root because there was a lack of soil, it was rock. The little plant was small because beneath the soil it was sending its roots in deep searching for moisture.
Number five, they receive the Word with joy. Their laughter isn’t turned to mourning, and their joy isn’t turned to heaviness (Matthew 13:20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.). And Number six, for a while they do believe. (Luke 8:13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.). There is a genuine false conversion experience. For a while they do believe. Now let’s look on the overhead projector at this picture which is a picture of two plants. The plant, or plant, on the left is strong and healthy looking. The plant on the right is kind of small. And if you had to make room in your garden because you lack room, most of us would probably make the judgment, “Well the little fellow has to go because the big plant’s doing well.” But then let’s look at picture number two. We see the sun has come out and it’s causing our big, strong, healthy plant to wither and yet the little plant seems to be “doing quite well, thanks.” And let’s look at picture number three, what we couldn’t see, and we see the reason the big plant was withering and the little plant was prospering, because under the soil beneath the big plant was bedrock. The soil could not find… the root could not find depth of root because there was a lack of soil, it was rock. The little plant was small because beneath the soil it was sending its roots in deep searching for moisture.
Now can you see that is was the sunlight that revealed what you and I couldn’t see, the soil condition of the plants? Can you see that? It was the sunlight that was instrumental in revealing what you and I couldn’t see, the soil condition of the root system of the plants. Now in the spiritual, the plant is the regenerate life of the professing believer. The soil is his heart condition. In the spiritual, the sunlight is tribulation, temptation, and persecution. (Matthew 13:21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.) , tribulation. (Luke 8:13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.) temptation, and persecution, (Mark 4:17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.). Just as in the natural, it was the sunlight that revealed the plants’ soil condition, what was going on where we can’t see, in the spiritual the thing that reveals what you and I can’t see in the life of the professing believer, is tribulation, temptation, and persecution.
Now can you see that is was the sunlight that revealed what you and I couldn’t see, the soil condition of the plants? Can you see that? It was the sunlight that was instrumental in revealing what you and I couldn’t see, the soil condition of the root system of the plants. Now in the spiritual, the plant is the regenerate life of the professing believer. The soil is his heart condition. In the spiritual, the sunlight is tribulation, temptation, and persecution. (Matthew 13:21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.) , tribulation. (Luke 8:13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.) temptation, and persecution, (Mark 4:17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.). Just as in the natural, it was the sunlight that revealed the plants’ soil condition, what was going on where we can’t see, in the spiritual the thing that reveals what you and I can’t see in the life of the professing believer, is tribulation, temptation, and persecution.
Now, if you are seeking to have a house plant prosper and grow, the worst thing you can do is hide it from the sunlight. Okay, you’ve spent 15 dollars on a really nice house plant, you say “boy this cost me a bit of money. I’m going to look after this. It goes straight into the cupboard.” Nice, warm, dark cupboard. No, that’s the worst thing you can do. You don’t want to shelter a plant from the sunlight. If it’s in good soil, if it’s got plenty of room, and it’s got access to moisture, you know the sunlight is going to prosper it. It is not going to kill it. Now in the same way, the worst thing that you and I can do with a new believer is shelter him from the sunlight of tribulation, temptation, and persecution. That is the worst thing you can do. When we say, “Well, so-and-so has just given his heart to Jesus in prison, he comes out on Tuesday, let’s be there to pick him up, to keep him from temptation, to keep him away from his old friends. And when he has trials, let’s make sure we look after him.” No, that’s the worst thing you can do. If he’s genuine, he is going to grow, if he’s false he’s going to wither and die.
Now, if you are seeking to have a house plant prosper and grow, the worst thing you can do is hide it from the sunlight. Okay, you’ve spent 15 dollars on a really nice house plant, you say “boy this cost me a bit of money. I’m going to look after this. It goes straight into the cupboard.” Nice, warm, dark cupboard. No, that’s the worst thing you can do. You don’t want to shelter a plant from the sunlight. If it’s in good soil, if it’s got plenty of room, and it’s got access to moisture, you know the sunlight is going to prosper it. It is not going to kill it. Now in the same way, the worst thing that you and I can do with a new believer is shelter him from the sunlight of tribulation, temptation, and persecution. That is the worst thing you can do. When we say, “Well, so-and-so has just given his heart to Jesus in prison, he comes out on Tuesday, let’s be there to pick him up, to keep him from temptation, to keep him away from his old friends. And when he has trials, let’s make sure we look after him.” No, that’s the worst thing you can do. If he’s genuine, he is going to grow, if he’s false he’s going to wither and die.
A number of years ago when Russia was in persecution against Christians, I heard there was a prayer meeting among a number of professing Christians. And suddenly, the doors burst open, there were two fully armed Russian guards, and they said in Russian, “Get out of this place if you’re not willing to die for your faith.” And half of the professing Christians just got up and left. They just ran. And then when the doors closed, the guards put down their guns, took off their hats, sat down and said, “Praise the Lord, we’re just sorting out the sheep from the goats before we’d risk fellowship.”
A number of years ago when Russia was in persecution against Christians, I heard there was a prayer meeting among a number of professing Christians. And suddenly, the doors burst open, there were two fully armed Russian guards, and they said in Russian, “Get out of this place if you’re not willing to die for your faith.” And half of the professing Christians just got up and left. They just ran. And then when the doors closed, the guards put down their guns, took off their hats, sat down and said, “Praise the Lord, we’re just sorting out the sheep from the goats before we’d risk fellowship.”
Now God doesn’t normally use the Russian guard method. He uses open up the ground and swallow them up method. You see, if there was severe persecution that came to the church, what it would do is that it would rid the church of murmurers and complainers. But more, those that cause division, and those that (?????) the Spirit. But more, and I think more importantly, if severe persecution came to the church, it would show the stony ground hearer the error of his ways.
Now God doesn’t normally use the Russian guard method. He uses open up the ground and swallow them up method. You see, if there was severe persecution that came to the church, what it would do is that it would rid the church of murmurers and complainers. But more, those that cause division, and those that (?????) the Spirit. But more, and I think more importantly, if severe persecution came to the church, it would show the stony ground hearer the error of his ways.
Can you imagine the tragedy of leading someone to Christ, so you think. You don’t give him Law before grace. You don’t give him the knowledge of sin. You don’t show him that he’s violated the Law of a holy God, that he has sinned, and sin is transgression of the Law. You just say, “Hey, you’ve got a God-shaped vacuum in your life. Jesus can give you real peace and love and fulfillment, you just give your heart to Him, and He’ll help you with your problems, He’ll be with you in trials, and you’ll have assurance of Heaven.” And you lead him in a sincere prayer. But there’s something lacking in this “believer.” He’s got no zeal for the lost. He’s a stranger to holiness. He’s got no hunger for the Word. He’s got no depth of prayer life. So you see it as your job, because you led him to Christ, to get him into fellowship. To make sure he’s reading his Bible, to pray with him, etc. That, you see, if your job. You follow him up. And you actually prop him up right until Judgment Day, when the sunlight of the eye of an omniscient God proves him to be the hypocrite that he is. Whose fault was it, if you propped him up until Judgment Day? Wouldn’t it be better to let him fall? To not shield him from the sunlight, but let him come under the sunlight and reveal his soil condition. If he’s genuine, he’s going to grow, if he’s false, he’s going to wither and die.
Can you imagine the tragedy of leading someone to Christ, so you think. You don’t give him Law before grace. You don’t give him the knowledge of sin. You don’t show him that he’s violated the Law of a holy God, that he has sinned, and sin is transgression of the Law. You just say, “Hey, you’ve got a God-shaped vacuum in your life. Jesus can give you real peace and love and fulfillment, you just give your heart to Him, and He’ll help you with your problems, He’ll be with you in trials, and you’ll have assurance of Heaven.” And you lead him in a sincere prayer. But there’s something lacking in this “believer.” He’s got no zeal for the lost. He’s a stranger to holiness. He’s got no hunger for the Word. He’s got no depth of prayer life. So you see it as your job, because you led him to Christ, to get him into fellowship. To make sure he’s reading his Bible, to pray with him, etc. That, you see, if your job. You follow him up. And you actually prop him up right until Judgment Day, when the sunlight of the eye of an omniscient God proves him to be the hypocrite that he is. Whose fault was it, if you propped him up until Judgment Day? Wouldn’t it be better to let him fall? To not shield him from the sunlight, but let him come under the sunlight and reveal his soil condition. If he’s genuine, he’s going to grow, if he’s false, he’s going to wither and die.
For years I put my energies into professing Christians, people who’d given their heart to Jesus. Those who proved to be stony ground hearers, I’d say, “Are you reading the Word” and they’d say, “I haven’t really got time. I’ve got TV Guide, and I’ve got all these other things I have to do.” “So are you going to be at church,” “Man, I’ve got a golf tournament Sunday, I can’t be here. I’ve got swimming next Sunday.” Man, no, nowadays, I just leave them. If they don’t listen after the first and second admonition, I just say, “Okay, leave it,” and then put my energies into the unsaved.
For years I put my energies into professing Christians, people who’d given their heart to Jesus. Those who proved to be stony ground hearers, I’d say, “Are you reading the Word” and they’d say, “I haven’t really got time. I’ve got TV Guide, and I’ve got all these other things I have to do.” “So are you going to be at church,” “Man, I’ve got a golf tournament Sunday, I can’t be here. I’ve got swimming next Sunday.” Man, no, nowadays, I just leave them. If they don’t listen after the first and second admonition, I just say, “Okay, leave it,” and then put my energies into the unsaved.
The Bible says, “Desire the sincere milk of the Word, if you’ve tasted that the Lord is gracious.” A healthy lamb will have a healthy appetite. You don’t have to force-feed a healthy lamb. Someone who’s soundly saved will desire the sincere milk of the Word. They’ll discipline themselves. The first thing I knew I had to do when I became a Christian was get myself a Bible and read it and see what God wanted me to do. And I loved the brethren. And I knew that I’d passed from death to life because I loved the brethren. When I saw in Scripture, “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some,” I thought, “okay, I go to church.” Surfing can take a second seat. If a new convert even looks back, Jesus says he’s not fit for the Kingdom. Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom.” That word “fit” in the Greek is “eusetto.” It means “ready for use.”
The Bible says, “Desire the sincere milk of the Word, if you’ve tasted that the Lord is gracious.” A healthy lamb will have a healthy appetite. You don’t have to force-feed a healthy lamb. Someone who’s soundly saved will desire the sincere milk of the Word. They’ll discipline themselves. The first thing I knew I had to do when I became a Christian was get myself a Bible and read it and see what God wanted me to do. And I loved the brethren. And I knew that I’d passed from death to life because I loved the brethren. When I saw in Scripture, “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some,” I thought, “okay, I go to church.” Surfing can take a second seat. If a new convert even looks back, Jesus says he’s not fit for the Kingdom. Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom.” That word “fit” in the Greek is “eusetto.” It means “ready for use.”
You see, if you take good seed, quality seed, and cast it on stony ground, is it going to bring forth fruit? Umm umm. It can’t. Now if you know what you’re doing as a farmer, or if you’ve got substance between your ears, you’ll say, “Hey, I’ve got to turn the soil, cast out the stones, and then when I toss some good seed in good soil it’ll bring forth good fruit.” Simple farming. God says the soil of the heart of man is like stone. It says in Ezekiel 8, “I’ll take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” You can take the pure gospel seed and cast it on the unregenerate heart and it will not bring forth fruit. It can’t. What we must do is turn the soil of man’s heart using the spade of God’s Law. Expose the stones of sin that are removed by way of repentance. Then he can receive the engrafted Word, which is able to save his soul.
You see, if you take good seed, quality seed, and cast it on stony ground, is it going to bring forth fruit? Umm umm. It can’t. Now if you know what you’re doing as a farmer, or if you’ve got substance between your ears, you’ll say, “Hey, I’ve got to turn the soil, cast out the stones, and then when I toss some good seed in good soil it’ll bring forth good fruit.” Simple farming. God says the soil of the heart of man is like stone. It says in Ezekiel 8, “I’ll take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” You can take the pure gospel seed and cast it on the unregenerate heart and it will not bring forth fruit. It can’t. What we must do is turn the soil of man’s heart using the spade of God’s Law. Expose the stones of sin that are removed by way of repentance. Then he can receive the engrafted Word, which is able to save his soul.
You see, many great evangelists, men and whom I greatly admire and respect, don’t really get alarmed about an 80% fall-away rate among their converts. But I don’t think the parable of the sower is given as a consolation to disappointing evangelical results. There are keys given to us to give us understanding. And if you study the good soil hearer, you’ll see that he hears and understands, and that he brings forth fruit because he receives the seed into his good and honest heart. So he has a good and honest heart, he has understanding. Oh, so that’s what’s going on. Out in secular society there are those who have good and honest hearts and understanding, and they are the ones that will receive the gospel seed. That is not Biblical. Romans 3 says, “there is none that understand.” How many understand? None. It says “there is none good, not one,” the heart of man is “desperately wicked, deceitful above all things.” So the virtues of understanding and goodness must have come from without the heart, not from within, because it is not in the heart of man to have understanding and goodness. What is it that produces understanding? It’s the schoolmaster. The Law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. That’s the function of a schoolmaster, to bring knowledge. “By the Law is the knowledge of sin.” God said, “My people are destroyed through lack of knowledge of my Law.” (Hosea 4:6)
You see, many great evangelists, men and whom I greatly admire and respect, don’t really get alarmed about an 80% fall-away rate among their converts. But I don’t think the parable of the sower is given as a consolation to disappointing evangelical results. There are keys given to us to give us understanding. And if you study the good soil hearer, you’ll see that he hears and understands, and that he brings forth fruit because he receives the seed into his good and honest heart. So he has a good and honest heart, he has understanding. Oh, so that’s what’s going on. Out in secular society there are those who have good and honest hearts and understanding, and they are the ones that will receive the gospel seed. That is not Biblical. Romans 3 says, “there is none that understand.” How many understand? None. It says “there is none good, not one,” the heart of man is “desperately wicked, deceitful above all things.” So the virtues of understanding and goodness must have come from without the heart, not from within, because it is not in the heart of man to have understanding and goodness. What is it that produces understanding? It’s the schoolmaster. The Law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. That’s the function of a schoolmaster, to bring knowledge. “By the Law is the knowledge of sin.” God said, “My people are destroyed through lack of knowledge of my Law.” (Hosea 4:6)
What the Law does, is it brings the light of understanding. The Commandment is a lamp, the Law is light. And when a man comes under the sound of God’s Law, he sees that he’s sinned against God, that God requires truth in the inward parts and considers lust to be the same as adultery, hatred to be the same as murder, that if you just take one thing that belongs to somebody else, irrespective of its value, you’re a thief, and you’ll not inherit God’s Kingdom. If you tell one fib or white lie you’re bearing false witness, and all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire. Transgressors of God’s Law, workers of iniquity. Jesus said, “Many on that day will say ‘Lord, Lord.’” He’ll say, “Depart from me you worker of lawlessness, I never knew you.” When he understands he’s sinned against God, when the soil of his heart has been turned by the Law, the stones of sin exposed, he then removes the stones of sin through repentance, and is able to receive the seed that can save his soul, which is the good soil hearer.
What the Law does, is it brings the light of understanding. The Commandment is a lamp, the Law is light. And when a man comes under the sound of God’s Law, he sees that he’s sinned against God, that God requires truth in the inward parts and considers lust to be the same as adultery, hatred to be the same as murder, that if you just take one thing that belongs to somebody else, irrespective of its value, you’re a thief, and you’ll not inherit God’s Kingdom. If you tell one fib or white lie you’re bearing false witness, and all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire. Transgressors of God’s Law, workers of iniquity. Jesus said, “Many on that day will say ‘Lord, Lord.’” He’ll say, “Depart from me you worker of lawlessness, I never knew you.” When he understands he’s sinned against God, when the soil of his heart has been turned by the Law, the stones of sin exposed, he then removes the stones of sin through repentance, and is able to receive the seed that can save his soul, which is the good soil hearer.
So the essence of what I’m saying is that God has placed within the hands of the church weapons that are not carnal, but mighty through God of the pulling down of strongholds and under God with the help of the Holy Spirit, you and I can determine the soil the seed is going to fall upon, by using God’s Law as a spade to turn the soil of an unregenerate heart. Remember what George Whitfield said. “That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts.” Because their stony ground is now plowed up. They have not got a conviction of the Law, they are stony ground hearers.
So the essence of what I’m saying is that God has placed within the hands of the church weapons that are not carnal, but mighty through God of the pulling down of strongholds and under God with the help of the Holy Spirit, you and I can determine the soil the seed is going to fall upon, by using God’s Law as a spade to turn the soil of an unregenerate heart. Remember what George Whitfield said. “That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts.” Because their stony ground is now plowed up. They have not got a conviction of the Law, they are stony ground hearers.
A friend of mine, he once came to me, he said, “Ray, there’s something wrong with my Christian life.” He says, “I’m kind of lacking in the zeal you guys have got.” And I say, “Hey, Richard, have you got love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance?” He said, “Well, no, I haven’t got eight of those fruits.” There’s only one that he had. And I said, “Well, Richard, by your own confession, I don’t see any grounds for you to call yourself a Christian.” Now he did actually have another fruit of the Spirit at that particular time. He exercised the fruit of self-control, because afterwards he said he wanted to re-arrange my face. But he didn’t. He went home, he examined himself to see if he was in the faith, concluded he wasn’t, repented before Almighty God, and within three months he was such a fruit-bearer our church put him in charge of our coffee bar outreach ministry.
A friend of mine, he once came to me, he said, “Ray, there’s something wrong with my Christian life.” He says, “I’m kind of lacking in the zeal you guys have got.” And I say, “Hey, Richard, have you got love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance?” He said, “Well, no, I haven’t got eight of those fruits.” There’s only one that he had. And I said, “Well, Richard, by your own confession, I don’t see any grounds for you to call yourself a Christian.” Now he did actually have another fruit of the Spirit at that particular time. He exercised the fruit of self-control, because afterwards he said he wanted to re-arrange my face. But he didn’t. He went home, he examined himself to see if he was in the faith, concluded he wasn’t, repented before Almighty God, and within three months he was such a fruit-bearer our church put him in charge of our coffee bar outreach ministry.
That’s why the Bible says examine yourself and see if you’re in the faith. Colossians 4:5 says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time.” Now I used to think “them that are without, that’s the ungodly. That’s the secular society.” No, a stony ground hearer, a false convert can be within your church, within your youth group, and without the body of Christ. The Bible says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time.” If anyone will steal your time, it’s a false convert. He wants counsel, he wants counsel, he wants counsel. He’s always coming because he’s got problems, problems, problems. I’ve spent many hours counseling people who didn’t need counseled, they needed repentance.
That’s why the Bible says examine yourself and see if you’re in the faith. Colossians 4:5 says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time.” Now I used to think “them that are without, that’s the ungodly. That’s the secular society.” No, a stony ground hearer, a false convert can be within your church, within your youth group, and without the body of Christ. The Bible says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time.” If anyone will steal your time, it’s a false convert. He wants counsel, he wants counsel, he wants counsel. He’s always coming because he’s got problems, problems, problems. I’ve spent many hours counseling people who didn’t need counseled, they needed repentance.
Remember the big plant? What does it need? “Fertilizer! Needs more fertilizer. Put fertilizer up to the top of the plant. That’ll help it.” Umm umm. You can have a false convert and say “we’re going to follow him up. We’re going to follow him and follow him. We need more follow-up.” No, that’s not the problem. He doesn’t need fertilizer. The problem is the soil, his heart condition. He needs repentance.
Remember the big plant? What does it need? “Fertilizer! Needs more fertilizer. Put fertilizer up to the top of the plant. That’ll help it.” Umm umm. You can have a false convert and say “we’re going to follow him up. We’re going to follow him and follow him. We need more follow-up.” No, that’s not the problem. He doesn’t need fertilizer. The problem is the soil, his heart condition. He needs repentance.
Follow-up is not Biblical. It’s not. You check it out. You won’t find follow-up in Scripture. You can find feeding, nurturing, discipling, but you’ll not find following new converts. David Wilkerson, when he heard the Hell’s Best Kept Secret teaching, the first thing he said to me when he called me from his car phone when he heard the tape in his car, he says, “I thought I was the only one who didn’t believe in follow-up.” It’s not Biblical. Follow-up is merely a sad testimony of the confidence modern evangelism has both in its message and in the keeping power of God. If He is the author of their faith, He’ll also be the finisher. “God is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him. He is able to keep them from falling and present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” If God has saved them, God will keep them. The Ethiopian eunuch was left without follow-up. Why? Because if he’s genuine, he’s going to last, if he’s false, he’ll wither and die. And the stony ground hearer doesn’t need follow-up. By follow-up, I don’t mean just looking after someone in the area of making sure they go to Bible. I mean it’s when you have the job of following someone who gave their heart to Jesus in a crusade or at church. You go around to their place next week, and knock on the door, and say, “Excuse me, you should really get into fellowship now. Could you open your door? I can see you hiding under your bed.”
Follow-up is not Biblical. It’s not. You check it out. You won’t find follow-up in Scripture. You can find feeding, nurturing, discipling, but you’ll not find following new converts. David Wilkerson, when he heard the Hell’s Best Kept Secret teaching, the first thing he said to me when he called me from his car phone when he heard the tape in his car, he says, “I thought I was the only one who didn’t believe in follow-up.” It’s not Biblical. Follow-up is merely a sad testimony of the confidence modern evangelism has both in its message and in the keeping power of God. If He is the author of their faith, He’ll also be the finisher. “God is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him. He is able to keep them from falling and present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” If God has saved them, God will keep them. The Ethiopian eunuch was left without follow-up. Why? Because if he’s genuine, he’s going to last, if he’s false, he’ll wither and die. And the stony ground hearer doesn’t need follow-up. By follow-up, I don’t mean just looking after someone in the area of making sure they go to Bible. I mean it’s when you have the job of following someone who gave their heart to Jesus in a crusade or at church. You go around to their place next week, and knock on the door, and say, “Excuse me, you should really get into fellowship now. Could you open your door? I can see you hiding under your bed.”
I mean, it’s the most disheartening job in the world following up modern decisions for Jesus. They’re always out when you call them on the phone. They don’t need fertilizer, they need good soil. A number of years ago, I had a pastor, a senior pastor, I was on staff at a large church, who was the most Godly shepherd you could imagine. Real Godly man. Now I want to tell you about… how much he weighed and how big he was for a reason. He was about 5’11”, maybe 6 feet, his name was Peter Morrow, lovely man of God. But he didn’t weigh too much. I think he weighed about maybe 120 lbs. He used to joke about his lack of weight. He could eat and eat and eat and not put on weight. He must have a glorified body or something. But imagine, he only had one stripe on his pajamas. He had to run around in the shower… he had to run around in the shower to get wet. A number of years ago, there was a knock on the door of his home. It was 3:00 AM. Early hours of the morning. His son went to the door. He says, “Yeah?” And this guy says, “I want some counsel from your father.” Now this teenage boy knew the heart of his father, he knew he was a shepherd and he wouldn’t mind rising at 3:00 AM to give counsel to someone, one of his sheep. So he said to the guy, “Just go into the living room and wait for him.” He woke his father up, the father got up, walked to the living room, and as he did so, from behind the door came down a 14 inch machete blade across his face. Sliced his fingers, cut his throat. His sons came running into the living room because they heard him screaming, faced with the blood of their father all around the walls. It was such a horrific thing. They grabbed the guy thought had murdered their father, and they just about killed him. He was screaming, “I can’t breathe,” and they said, “Die, die then.” He got arrested. The father actually lived. Just had literally hundreds of
I mean, it’s the most disheartening job in the world following up modern decisions for Jesus. They’re always out when you call them on the phone. They don’t need fertilizer, they need good soil. A number of years ago, I had a pastor, a senior pastor, I was on staff at a large church, who was the most Godly shepherd you could imagine. Real Godly man. Now I want to tell you about… how much he weighed and how big he was for a reason. He was about 5’11”, maybe 6 feet, his name was Peter Morrow, lovely man of God. But he didn’t weigh too much. I think he weighed about maybe 120 lbs. He used to joke about his lack of weight. He could eat and eat and eat and not put on weight. He must have a glorified body or something. But imagine, he only had one stripe on his pajamas. He had to run around in the shower… he had to run around in the shower to get wet. A number of years ago, there was a knock on the door of his home. It was 3:00 AM. Early hours of the morning. His son went to the door. He says, “Yeah?” And this guy says, “I want some counsel from your father.” Now this teenage boy knew the heart of his father, he knew he was a shepherd and he wouldn’t mind rising at 3:00 AM to give counsel to someone, one of his sheep. So he said to the guy, “Just go into the living room and wait for him.” He woke his father up, the father got up, walked to the living room, and as he did so, from behind the door came down a 14 inch machete blade across his face. Sliced his fingers, cut his throat. His sons came running into the living room because they heard him screaming, faced with the blood of their father all around the walls. It was such a horrific thing. They grabbed the guy thought had murdered their father, and they just about killed him. He was screaming, “I can’t breathe,” and they said, “Die, die then.” He got arrested. The father actually lived. Just had literally hundreds of
blood transfusions. He lived. But the next day, another pastor called me. He said, “Did you hear about last night?” I said, “Yeah. I can’t believe that.” I said, “That’s heavy.” He says, “Well, you won’t believe this.” He said, “The guy that did it was in my church. He’s one of my flock.” I say, “You’re kidding.” He says, “Man it’s heavy,” he said, “that another Christian could do that.” I said, “Hang on a minute.” I said, “If someone tries to decapitate the pastor, you could probably conclude that he lacks in the area of love, goodness, gentleness…” I mean, we’ve got to start taking Scripture seriously. I do not welcome people into the faith until I see fruit. It doesn’t matter too much nowadays, in one sense, but wait till severe persecution comes. Wait till people have machetes, that Christians are actually preaching the whole counsel of God, and we’re hated for His name’s sake. They’re suffering persecution because they’re living Godly in Christ Jesus.
blood transfusions. He lived. But the next day, another pastor called me. He said, “Did you hear about last night?” I said, “Yeah. I can’t believe that.” I said, “That’s heavy.” He says, “Well, you won’t believe this.” He said, “The guy that did it was in my church. He’s one of my flock.” I say, “You’re kidding.” He says, “Man it’s heavy,” he said, “that another Christian could do that.” I said, “Hang on a minute.” I said, “If someone tries to decapitate the pastor, you could probably conclude that he lacks in the area of love, goodness, gentleness…” I mean, we’ve got to start taking Scripture seriously. I do not welcome people into the faith until I see fruit. It doesn’t matter too much nowadays, in one sense, but wait till severe persecution comes. Wait till people have machetes, that Christians are actually preaching the whole counsel of God, and we’re hated for His name’s sake. They’re suffering persecution because they’re living Godly in Christ Jesus.
You see, the Bible speaks of false brethren twice in Scripture. It speaks of false apostles, false prophets, false teachers, and false conversions. And hardly ever do we hear teaching on them. I wished a number of years ago I had a video camera when this incident took place. I was going to cross the street, and suddenly I heard “bzzt bzzt,” and I looked down the road. There was this car in the middle of the road and it sounded like there was no muffler on the thing, and the guy was driving like an idiot. So I jumped back off the road onto the sidewalk. I thought I might get run down. The car went past me, and suddenly the guy saw who it was. He recognized me. The guy who was driving the car was the classic stony ground hearer, a false convert. I’d heard that this guy had already threatened pastors in another assembly, so I had marked him. He saw me, slammed on the anchors of his car, backed up, jumped out, and says, “Hi, Ray.” Now I wish you could have seen him. He had three Jesus stickers on the front windshield of his car. He had a big cross around his neck hanging in the forest of a hairy chest, shirt undone to his navel, and he was full of Christian clichés, and he wanted to see me for counsel. I was busy that year.
You see, the Bible speaks of false brethren twice in Scripture. It speaks of false apostles, false prophets, false teachers, and false conversions. And hardly ever do we hear teaching on them. I wished a number of years ago I had a video camera when this incident took place. I was going to cross the street, and suddenly I heard “bzzt bzzt,” and I looked down the road. There was this car in the middle of the road and it sounded like there was no muffler on the thing, and the guy was driving like an idiot. So I jumped back off the road onto the sidewalk. I thought I might get run down. The car went past me, and suddenly the guy saw who it was. He recognized me. The guy who was driving the car was the classic stony ground hearer, a false convert. I’d heard that this guy had already threatened pastors in another assembly, so I had marked him. He saw me, slammed on the anchors of his car, backed up, jumped out, and says, “Hi, Ray.” Now I wish you could have seen him. He had three Jesus stickers on the front windshield of his car. He had a big cross around his neck hanging in the forest of a hairy chest, shirt undone to his navel, and he was full of Christian clichés, and he wanted to see me for counsel. I was busy that year.
You see, a false convert wants your time. He is a tool of the devil to wear out the saints. Remember, Satan wants to wear down the saints? They are hearers of the Word, and not doers. And what they do is because they lack inwardly depth of root, they have branches and leaves. Now I believe in Jesus stickers. If someone wants to wear a cross, that’s fine. T-shirts are great. But you will find that false converts, because they lack depth of root, depth within their heart, within the soil of the heart, they have lots of branches and leaves to impress you. I mean, they’ll have a big Bible. So you don’t feel intimidated, let me tell you what version this is so there’s no confusion. This is a “New Pharisee’s Bible,” authorized King James version. Widest Sepulcher’s Publishing. “Each Bible has been carefully soaked in a bath for one month and then dragged behind a car for two weeks for that special, spiritual look.” A false convert will lack fruit, but he’ll have plenty of branches and leaves to impress those that are around them. Listen to Matthew 7:15-20. “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they’re ravening wolves. You’ll know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Listen to this. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.” In other words, if someone’s genuine, they’re genuine, if they’re false, they’re false. “Nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you shall know them.”
You see, a false convert wants your time. He is a tool of the devil to wear out the saints. Remember, Satan wants to wear down the saints? They are hearers of the Word, and not doers. And what they do is because they lack inwardly depth of root, they have branches and leaves. Now I believe in Jesus stickers. If someone wants to wear a cross, that’s fine. T-shirts are great. But you will find that false converts, because they lack depth of root, depth within their heart, within the soil of the heart, they have lots of branches and leaves to impress you. I mean, they’ll have a big Bible. So you don’t feel intimidated, let me tell you what version this is so there’s no confusion. This is a “New Pharisee’s Bible,” authorized King James version. Widest Sepulcher’s Publishing. “Each Bible has been carefully soaked in a bath for one month and then dragged behind a car for two weeks for that special, spiritual look.” A false convert will lack fruit, but he’ll have plenty of branches and leaves to impress those that are around them. Listen to Matthew 7:15-20. “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they’re ravening wolves. You’ll know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Listen to this. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.” In other words, if someone’s genuine, they’re genuine, if they’re false, they’re false. “Nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you shall know them.”
Why should we know each other by our fruit? Well listen to Acts 20:29-30. “For this I know,” says Paul, “that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among your own selves, men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.” From your own selves, men will rise up. And you look at all of the cults and sects, and false prophets. It comes from within the body. Not people who have known the Lord, have known the way of righteousness, and gone bad, but people who have had a false conversion and then failed to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. Wolves pick off weak sheep. That’s what they do. And if I was a pastor and had my own assembly, I’m an itinerant pastor of Hosanna Chapel, I travel most weekends. But if I had my own church, I would watch those who make decisions for Jesus. And I’d watch for fruit. And if any young guys were a little bit too close to the young girls, hold arms around her, etc., I’d just grab him, have a good talk with him. Mark those. Keep an eye on them. As I said, wolves go for the weak sheep. That’s the way of a wolf. As I said, a genuine convert will stand no matter how great the adversity. Proverbs 12:3 says, “The root of the righteous yields fruit.” The stronger the sunlight, the deeper the roots will go.
Why should we know each other by our fruit? Well listen to Acts 20:29-30. “For this I know,” says Paul, “that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among your own selves, men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.” From your own selves, men will rise up. And you look at all of the cults and sects, and false prophets. It comes from within the body. Not people who have known the Lord, have known the way of righteousness, and gone bad, but people who have had a false conversion and then failed to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. Wolves pick off weak sheep. That’s what they do. And if I was a pastor and had my own assembly, I’m an itinerant pastor of Hosanna Chapel, I travel most weekends. But if I had my own church, I would watch those who make decisions for Jesus. And I’d watch for fruit. And if any young guys were a little bit too close to the young girls, hold arms around her, etc., I’d just grab him, have a good talk with him. Mark those. Keep an eye on them. As I said, wolves go for the weak sheep. That’s the way of a wolf. As I said, a genuine convert will stand no matter how great the adversity. Proverbs 12:3 says, “The root of the righteous yields fruit.” The stronger the sunlight, the deeper the roots will go.
Jesus sent his lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:3 Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.) That is so different from the way we treat our new converts. We try and shield them. No, he sent as lambs among wolves. Why? Because the sunlight of tribulation, temptation, and persecution will expose the false, and cause the genuine to grow. And it did so with Judas Iscariot. He was exposed. Judas was not a Christian. He was never a Christian. How do I know? Here’s a good clue. Jesus said, “One of you is a devil.” That’s a good clue. I remember hearing Winkie Pratney, a friend of mine, share about when he saw pictures of Leonardo De Vinci’s The Last Supper, with Jesus and the disciples. And he’d look at the picture and say, “Where’s Judas? Come on, where are you?” And he’d look for the guy with the big hook nose, wringing his hands in a corner like this. But that is totally un-Biblical. Judas would probably be a real smooth-looking guy. He was so trusted, he was the treasurer of the disciples. He looked after them. He cared for the poor. He was concerned for the poor. When some woman did a lavish act of breaking an alabaster box of ointment, expensive ointment, over the head of Jesus,
Jesus sent his lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:3 Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.) That is so different from the way we treat our new converts. We try and shield them. No, he sent as lambs among wolves. Why? Because the sunlight of tribulation, temptation, and persecution will expose the false, and cause the genuine to grow. And it did so with Judas Iscariot. He was exposed. Judas was not a Christian. He was never a Christian. How do I know? Here’s a good clue. Jesus said, “One of you is a devil.” That’s a good clue. I remember hearing Winkie Pratney, a friend of mine, share about when he saw pictures of Leonardo De Vinci’s The Last Supper, with Jesus and the disciples. And he’d look at the picture and say, “Where’s Judas? Come on, where are you?” And he’d look for the guy with the big hook nose, wringing his hands in a corner like this. But that is totally un-Biblical. Judas would probably be a real smooth-looking guy. He was so trusted, he was the treasurer of the disciples. He looked after them. He cared for the poor. He was concerned for the poor. When some woman did a lavish act of breaking an alabaster box of ointment, expensive ointment, over the head of Jesus,
and washing His hair with her feet… “Washing His hair with her feet…” You didn’t even notice. I could have got away with it. It’s probably on tape. At least I’m listening. Nobody else is. When that happens, Judas said, “Why wasn’t this sold for such-and-such amount, and the money given to the poor.” He cared for the poor. No, the Bible says he looked after the money. He was a thief. But he was trusted by the disciples. When Jesus said, “One of you will betray me,” the disciples didn’t sit there and say, “Yeah. I know who he’s talking about. Old hook-nose over there. I knew it was hook-nose.” No, they didn’t say that. They said, “Is it I, Lord? Is it me?” He said, “It is he who puts his hand in the dish.” Judas did that. They didn’t say, “oh, yes.” No. When Judas went out to betray Jesus, Jesus said, “what you do, do quickly.” They thought he’d gone to give money to the poor. Judas was such a good guy. He fooled everyone but the Lord.
and washing His hair with her feet… “Washing His hair with her feet…” You didn’t even notice. I could have got away with it. It’s probably on tape. At least I’m listening. Nobody else is. When that happens, Judas said, “Why wasn’t this sold for such-and-such amount, and the money given to the poor.” He cared for the poor. No, the Bible says he looked after the money. He was a thief. But he was trusted by the disciples. When Jesus said, “One of you will betray me,” the disciples didn’t sit there and say, “Yeah. I know who he’s talking about. Old hook-nose over there. I knew it was hook-nose.” No, they didn’t say that. They said, “Is it I, Lord? Is it me?” He said, “It is he who puts his hand in the dish.” Judas did that. They didn’t say, “oh, yes.” No. When Judas went out to betray Jesus, Jesus said, “what you do, do quickly.” They thought he’d gone to give money to the poor. Judas was such a good guy. He fooled everyone but the Lord.
Turn to Colossians 4, sorry, Colossians 4:7. And let’s look at how Paul put his seal of approval on those who professed to be in the grace of God. Colossians 4:7. And watch how Paul puts his seal of approval on certain believers. “All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts.” So Tychicus is a faithful minister and a fellow servant of the Lord. Verse 9, “With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.” You see, nowadays, it doesn’t matter too much who comes into the faith and who we commend and who we don’t. But then, it did, when Christians were being thrown to the lions, being killed for their faith. “They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus my fellow prisoner salutes you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom you received commandments: if he comes to you, receive him;). And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salute you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician [who didn’t need an introduction], and Demas, greet you.”
Turn to Colossians 4, sorry, Colossians 4:7. And let’s look at how Paul put his seal of approval on those who professed to be in the grace of God. Colossians 4:7. And watch how Paul puts his seal of approval on certain believers. “All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts.” So Tychicus is a faithful minister and a fellow servant of the Lord. Verse 9, “With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.” You see, nowadays, it doesn’t matter too much who comes into the faith and who we commend and who we don’t. But then, it did, when Christians were being thrown to the lions, being killed for their faith. “They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus my fellow prisoner salutes you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom you received commandments: if he comes to you, receive him;). And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salute you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician [who didn’t need an introduction], and Demas, greet you.”
There was no seal of approval upon Demas. And if you study 2 Timothy 4:10 you’ll see, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” And it’s as though Paul looked at Demas and thought, “Yeah, I really don’t know about you. There’s something not quite right. I’m not going to say, ‘If Demas comes to you, receive him.’” “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” A false convert. He didn’t just look back, he went back. He was not fit for the Kingdom, and the word “fit” is eusetto, which means “ready for use.”
There was no seal of approval upon Demas. And if you study 2 Timothy 4:10 you’ll see, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” And it’s as though Paul looked at Demas and thought, “Yeah, I really don’t know about you. There’s something not quite right. I’m not going to say, ‘If Demas comes to you, receive him.’” “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” A false convert. He didn’t just look back, he went back. He was not fit for the Kingdom, and the word “fit” is eusetto, which means “ready for use.”
So we have, very briefly, looked at the characteristics of a false conversion. And now, very briefly, before we close we will look at the characteristics of a genuine convert. According to (Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.), he hears the word and understands it. This is why it’s so vital to use God’s Law in witnessing and in preaching. Because without the Law, there won’t be understanding of the true state before God. There’ll be merely horizontal repentance, not a Godly sorrow which works repentance. They won’t understand they’ve sinned against God. They’ll think they’ve sinned against man with their lying and stealing, etc.
So we have, very briefly, looked at the characteristics of a false conversion. And now, very briefly, before we close we will look at the characteristics of a genuine convert. According to (Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.), he hears the word and understands it. This is why it’s so vital to use God’s Law in witnessing and in preaching. Because without the Law, there won’t be understanding of the true state before God. There’ll be merely horizontal repentance, not a Godly sorrow which works repentance. They won’t understand they’ve sinned against God. They’ll think they’ve sinned against man with their lying and stealing, etc.
But when David sinned with Bathsheba, he said, “I’ve sinned against You, and You only have I sinned.” The prodigal son said, “I’ve sinned against Heaven.” Paul preached “repentance towards God,” the offended party. Godly sorrow works repentance. And without the Law you cannot have the understanding necessary to exercise Godly sorrow which works repentance. If you use God’s Law in witnessing, you’ll become familiar with sinners saying things like, “I can see what you’re saying. I can understand that. I’ve never heard it put that way before.” That is the reaction almost every time I go through the Ten Commandments one by one, and show the reason they need a Savior is to escape the wrath that’s to come. God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Listen to Matthew 13:15. “For this people's heart has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their
But when David sinned with Bathsheba, he said, “I’ve sinned against You, and You only have I sinned.” The prodigal son said, “I’ve sinned against Heaven.” Paul preached “repentance towards God,” the offended party. Godly sorrow works repentance. And without the Law you cannot have the understanding necessary to exercise Godly sorrow which works repentance. If you use God’s Law in witnessing, you’ll become familiar with sinners saying things like, “I can see what you’re saying. I can understand that. I’ve never heard it put that way before.” That is the reaction almost every time I go through the Ten Commandments one by one, and show the reason they need a Savior is to escape the wrath that’s to come. God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Listen to Matthew 13:15. “For this people's heart has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their
eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and listen, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and listen, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
You see, when there is an understanding of the heart, then comes conversion. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch was asked by Philip the evangelist, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Remember the lawyer that stood
You see, when there is an understanding of the heart, then comes conversion. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch was asked by Philip the evangelist, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Remember the lawyer that stood
up and tempted Jesus and said, “How can I get everlasting life?” Jesus said, “What is your understanding of the Law? What is your reading of it?” Because if there’s no understanding of the Law, there can be no salvation, because sin is transgression of the Law. Paul said, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” Charles Finney said, “I remark the Law is the rule and the only just rule by which the guilt of sin can be measured.” D. L. Moody said, “This then is what God gives us the Law for, to show us ourselves in our true colors.”
up and tempted Jesus and said, “How can I get everlasting life?” Jesus said, “What is your understanding of the Law? What is your reading of it?” Because if there’s no understanding of the Law, there can be no salvation, because sin is transgression of the Law. Paul said, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” Charles Finney said, “I remark the Law is the rule and the only just rule by which the guilt of sin can be measured.” D. L. Moody said, “This then is what God gives us the Law for, to show us ourselves in our true colors.”
I have been in evangelistic meetings where the usual psychological manipulations are used, where the preacher will teach on faith or some Biblical incident, and then right in the middle of his preaching he would say, “Just stop. Let’s just bow in prayer. There are people here tonight who don’t know the Lord. You need to give your life to Jesus.” And he may preach Christ crucified, but I’ve been in meetings where Christ crucified hasn’t even been preached. No preaching of the cross. There’s just faith and then “you need to yield your heart to Jesus because you’ve got a God-shaped vacuum in your heart. Just slip up your hand while every head is bowed and every eye closed. Nobody is watching you.” And when their hand is slipped up he says, “I see that hand. God bless you.” And then, what he did, he says “I want everyone to stand and I have seen those of you that have raised your hand. I want you to come to the front when the music plays, when the counselors come.” So the counselors come out as a draw card. That’s why counselors come out, to make it easier when the music’s playing. People get up the front. And as the pastor is up on the platform, I could see the facial expression of those giving their heart to Jesus. There was no Godly sorrow, no contrition. And after the meeting, one of the counselors said, “You should have been out in the back.” And they were counseling those that had just made decisions. There wasn’t an ounce of Godly sorrow. People would just say, “Hey, Bertha, fancy you being here.” “Oh, Fred, what are you doing here?” And the expression on the faces of those who come to the front was, “How on earth did I get up here? Really? Because I was sitting in my seat, I just went like that, and suddenly I’m up the front,” drawn out by psychological manipulation. That man had a 96… 96% fall-away rate in his converts. That was the last when I heard his statistics, and I don’t really think the other 4% would have hung in. Or they may have stayed in the Christian social club, I don’t know. The true convert says, “Woe is me. I am undone. God be merciful to me, a sinner.”
I have been in evangelistic meetings where the usual psychological manipulations are used, where the preacher will teach on faith or some Biblical incident, and then right in the middle of his preaching he would say, “Just stop. Let’s just bow in prayer. There are people here tonight who don’t know the Lord. You need to give your life to Jesus.” And he may preach Christ crucified, but I’ve been in meetings where Christ crucified hasn’t even been preached. No preaching of the cross. There’s just faith and then “you need to yield your heart to Jesus because you’ve got a God-shaped vacuum in your heart. Just slip up your hand while every head is bowed and every eye closed. Nobody is watching you.” And when their hand is slipped up he says, “I see that hand. God bless you.” And then, what he did, he says “I want everyone to stand and I have seen those of you that have raised your hand. I want you to come to the front when the music plays, when the counselors come.” So the counselors come out as a draw card. That’s why counselors come out, to make it easier when the music’s playing. People get up the front. And as the pastor is up on the platform, I could see the facial expression of those giving their heart to Jesus. There was no Godly sorrow, no contrition. And after the meeting, one of the counselors said, “You should have been out in the back.” And they were counseling those that had just made decisions. There wasn’t an ounce of Godly sorrow. People would just say, “Hey, Bertha, fancy you being here.” “Oh, Fred, what are you doing here?” And the expression on the faces of those who come to the front was, “How on earth did I get up here? Really? Because I was sitting in my seat, I just went like that, and suddenly I’m up the front,” drawn out by psychological manipulation. That man had a 96… 96% fall-away rate in his converts. That was the last when I heard his statistics, and I don’t really think the other 4% would have hung in. Or they may have stayed in the Christian social club, I don’t know. The true convert says, “Woe is me. I am undone. God be merciful to me, a sinner.”
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