Examining Christian growth. Hindrances to growing into the image of Christ
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0:00 [Music] all the glory must be to the lord 0:08 [Music] 0:16 no one on earth [Music] 0:33 praise the lord praise ye the lord 0:39 father we thank you again lord thank you just for the 0:44 privilege of life for health for sound mind 0:50 father we are grateful and we just want to say thank you father 0:57 you are a great god merciful god kind god 1:03 father is known like you in all the earth we're grateful that you've called us 1:08 your own help us to work worthy of that calling 1:14 we pray in jesus precious name give us understanding today 1:21 give me utterance to speak your word as you intended 1:28 in jesus name amen god bless you beloved 1:34 brother josh here again by the mercies of god we just want to pick up from when we 1:40 stopped last time we have been speaking about 1:48 the doctrine of balaam hindrance 1:53 a major hindrance to christian growth 1:58 and we gave an example of that doctrine in the 2:05 i presume popular doctrine of one saved always saved 2:11 the doctrine of eternal security once you're saved you can 2:17 it doesn't matter what kind of life you live you can't lose your salvation 2:28 it is a type or an example of the doctrine of battle 2:34 because the doctrine of balum teaches 2:42 that there are basically no consequences 2:49 for the believer defiling himself 2:55 and it came about 3:00 when the children of israel were influenced 3:07 by the children of moab by the world the prophet 3:13 balaam man of god that turned out to be 3:19 a prophet for hire did not teach the children of uh children of israel 3:27 to do it he couldn't curse the chin of israel because they were blessed 3:34 and he said in one of his prophecies 3:40 that the lord had not beheld iniquity in jacob 3:46 [Music] so no curse could come out of his mouth because the lord put a blessing there 3:54 because there was no iniquity in jacob and therefore no curse could come 3:59 because because curseless cannot come that's what the bible says book of proverbs 4:06 we see that in proverbs 26 verse 2 as the bed by wandering as they 4:13 swallow by flying so the curse cost less shall not come so 4:20 because the children of israel could not be cursed externally the prophet balaam 4:26 because of money in his case every false prophet has his own 4:32 motivation the prophet balaam instructed balak 4:39 he advised balak to cast a stumbling block 4:45 in front of israelites by 4:50 making the israelites basically to defile themselves 4:59 by fornication and by eating things sacrificed onto idols 5:05 the prophet balaam taught balak revelation 2 14 says 5:11 meaning he gave instruction to balak you know what this is how you're going 5:16 to get these people he taught balak wow because he knew god he's a prophet of 5:23 god okay the prophets have dealings with god 5:28 and because of that they come to know god 5:33 remember jonah yeah yeah jonah that god sent to natalie go preach and so forth 5:40 yeah yeah that jonah what did jonah say 5:46 when he went the when he went over there let's let's let's look at that very 5:52 quickly in the book of jonah chapter four 5:58 yeah chapter four after he preached to the ninevites and he repented 6:04 prophet jonah got mad look at what he said listen to what he said verse one boy he displeased jonah 6:09 exceedingly and he was angry why was he angry because in jonah chapter 3 6:17 verse 10 it says and god saw their works there's the people of nineveh 6:22 that they turned from their evil way and god repented of the evil that he had 6:28 said that he would do unto them and he did not so jonah was mad that god changed his 6:33 mind and he didn't destroy the netherwights because they repented 6:38 he saw their walks faith without works is dead the ninevites believed that this warning 6:47 from jonah was from god they believed in god 6:53 they believed because they believed in god 6:58 they believed this prophet was from god they believed that the message was from 7:04 god they believed that god was about to judge them and because they believed 7:09 that they turned from their evil ways so 7:15 jonah 3 verse 10 says and god saw their works these are works of faith beloved 7:23 these are not works of the law they didn't have the law these are not works of self-righteousness no no no no they are 7:29 not beating their chest that they were good people no no no no these are walks 7:35 from the faith that they had in god the same thing rahab did 7:41 yeah yeah yeah yeah people say rahab lied yeah whatever 7:47 but hebrews says rahab was saved by her works which works 7:53 she confessed faith in god the god of israel because she told us two spies that came 8:00 to her she confessed to them that we know that god has given you guys 8:08 all this place we know that the lord he is god rey have made that confession 8:15 the same thing the other folks in jericho knew they also 8:21 knew that this god the god of israel had given this place to them 8:27 to the israelites and it was the all-powerful god they knew that 8:33 but what were the walks of rahab the walks of rahab the works of faith of rehab 8:41 was that he will she was not going to deny this god by handing over the servants of this god 8:50 that she believed in to be killed so she hid them 8:56 faith without works is dead 9:01 faith without works is dead she was not going to deny this god 9:08 by betraying his servants the same way judas betrayed jesus 9:16 judas betrayed jesus to be killed rahab refused to betray the two men 9:25 to be killed that's what it boils down to beloved but 9:31 let's let's let's let's leave that alone for now we're talking about jonah lord help me i'm sorry you know i'm 9:38 jumping around again but you all pray for me jonah 3 10 god saw their works 9:46 that they turned from the evil way and he didn't he didn't judge them anymore 9:52 now verse 4 chapter 4 verse 1 says jonah was exceedingly angry 9:59 verse 2. listen to what jonah said and he prayed unto the lord and said i pray to you lord 10:04 was not this my saying when i was yet in my country therefore i fled before unto tashish 10:11 that's why i didn't listen to you god now listen to what it says for i knew 10:16 that thou art a gracious god and merciful slow to anger 10:22 and of great kindness and repentance thee of the evil the prophets of god 10:29 because of their interactions with god begin to know god 10:36 the lord said concerning or the book of psalms i should say said concerning moses that he god showed him his ways 10:45 but he showed his acts to the children of israel look at that very quickly in 10:51 psalm 103 verse 7. let me read from verse 6 the lord has 10:56 executed righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed verse 7 he made known his ways unto moses 11:04 and his acts unto the children of israel so the 11:10 prophets that deal with god no facets of the personality of god they 11:17 know his ways the same way circling back now to my original point 11:24 i'm so sorry the same way the prophet balaam 11:29 knew the ways of god he knew 11:35 that god does not like sin 11:44 he knew that this is the same god 11:49 that told cain in the book of genesis this is way back 11:57 way way way way way way back let's read that 12:03 in genesis chapter four you know the story kanan this is chapter 12:08 four from verse one but i was just skipped over six uh cain and abel brought the offering 12:15 and you know what let's let's let's read it they brought the offering 12:20 and verse four says let me read uh that uh 12:26 let me from verse four or verse three and in the presence of time it came to pass that cain brought 12:31 of the fruit of the ground and offering unto the lord and abel also brought the first lands of his flock and of the 12:36 father thereof and listen now this is genesis 4 4 and the lord had a respect unto abel 12:43 and to his offering but unto cain and to his offering he had no respect 12:50 and cain was very roth and his countenance fell 12:55 i had a gentleman speak about this one time and it really really really really blessed me because i never i never saw 13:01 it before i never had never seen it like that let me read verse 4 again let me read verse 4 again 13:10 abel brought the presence of his flock and the lord had a respect unto abel and 13:16 to his offering the lord accepted abel first before he accepted 13:22 abel's offering genesis 4 5. but unto cain unto his 13:28 offering he had no respect the law did not respect cain before he did not respect his offering 13:35 so is the person first not their gift yeah i know we've preached people have preached about the gift they brought you 13:41 know it was the first it was the last it was the tide it wasn't the tide that's not the point here it was first 13:47 the person and listen uh the end of verse 13:54 genesis 4 5 says and king was very rough and his countenance failed verse 6 and the lord said unto cain 14:01 are you angry king what's up why is your countenance falling 14:06 listen to verse 7 now listen to verse 7 genesis 4 7 if thou do as well 14:13 shall thou not be accepted it's talking to him the person not his 14:20 gift the person if you do well will you not be accepted 14:26 if thou doest not well listen to what the lord says to cain sin 14:32 lies at the door and unto thee 14:37 shall be his desire and thou shall rule over him 14:43 the lord was telling cain listen bro sin is lying at your door 14:53 sin is lying at your door it says but thou shall rule over him 15:03 the lord told cain listen you must 15:08 rule over sin 15:14 sin desires to rule over you but you shall 15:20 rule over sin now like we said in 15:26 our previous episodes god never commands the impossible 15:32 well before i run from that we see here that the lord's attitude to 15:38 sin is not the new testament concept he told cain cain from genesis 4 15:45 you have to live above sin he told abraham in genesis walk before me and be 15:51 thou perfect same thing told the children of israel be 15:56 ye holy father i'm the idol i the lord thy god i'm holy 16:02 same thing is said in the new testament so from the beginning of time 16:08 till now till heaven comes 16:13 god's attitude to sin has never changed we need to get that it has never changed it will not change 16:22 and he never commands the impossible we've talked about that before never so 16:28 when he told cain that cain shall rule over sin he meant what he said and he said what he meant 16:36 but cain did not avail himself of that command 16:43 because god never commands the impossible no he told peter to walk on water who 16:48 who does that who has ever done that nobody but because the lord commanded it the 16:55 command carries power with it said it was that i speak unto you they are spirit and they are life 17:01 you need to know that spirit does not need a generator to work 17:06 spirit has the power in it to work 17:15 it has the power in network 17:21 a spirit the ones that speak unto you their spirit and their life 17:26 we are sustained by spirit 17:32 when god speaks his word it's a spirit the ones that speak unto you their 17:37 spirit and their life and that spirit 17:42 will perform what he said if you take hold of it 17:49 told peter come the minute he said come 17:56 peter could walk on water if peter obeyed the word to walk on water 18:02 peter could not walk on water whilst it's in the boat doesn't walk like that 18:08 when he said come the power to walk on water was in the word come 18:13 the same way jesus went to a tomb and said lazarus come forth who does 18:20 that when was the last time you spoke to a dead person and he heard you 18:27 uh dead people can't hear but but 18:33 for the dead to be raised and that word goes forth lazarus come forth 18:40 that word has power in it number one 18:47 to open the ears of the dead that is dead to hear 18:53 yeah yeah the dead person will hear the word but because they are dead they can't 18:59 hear so the first thing the word does is to make the dead hear 19:05 [Music] so when the dead hears 19:11 the dead cannot only hear but the dead can also 19:17 now receive that word and get up 19:23 lazarus come forth god 19:28 never commands the impossible 19:34 so we see circling back now 19:42 was cycling back to balaam he knew the ways of god 19:49 ah god is not going to curse these people because he has not be held iniquity in jacob 19:55 it's not going to curse him it's not going to curse them 20:02 let's let's let's see that very very quickly um so that we're all on the same page 20:09 it says in numbers 23 verse 20:15 let me read from 18. and he took up this parable and said i rise by like i'm here hacking 20:21 numbers 23 from verse 18 29 now god is not a mind that he should lie near the son of mine that he should 20:26 repent had he said and shall he not do it or has this spoken shall he not make it good verse 20 20:33 behold i have received commandment to bless and he has blessed and i cannot 20:41 reverse it that's verse 20. now listen to verse 21 he has not be beheld 20:47 iniquity in jacob neither has he seen perverseness in 20:53 israel the lord is god is with him and the shout of the king is among them 20:59 verse 20 says he has blessed verse 21 says 21:06 there was no iniquity in jacob there was no perversion in jacob god is with him 21:12 so balaam could not curse the chin of israel so what did he not do he went to 21:19 go teach balak for money's sake he want to go teach barack and say look 21:25 i know this god um 21:30 i know him i know he doesn't like iniquity 21:35 old or new testament i know he doesn't like perversion 21:41 old all new testament he doesn't like it these are his people and he will not 21:47 curse them he has not be held iniquity in them he has not be held perversion in them he will not curse them 21:55 but balak here's what you can do you can make them 22:01 generate and create iniquity and perversion in themselves 22:11 because iniquity shall be a ruin 22:16 we read that in the last episode that we did 22:23 iniquity will ruin a life 22:29 iniquity we see that in ezekiel 22:35 ezekiel 18 verse 30 22:41 therefore i will judge you all house of israel everyone according to his ways 22:47 said the lord god he didn't judge them when balaam wanted to curse them there was nothing to judge 22:54 therefore i would judge your house of israel everyone according to his way said lord god repent and turn yourself from all your 23:02 transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin 23:07 balaam knows that iniquity can ruin 23:14 the children of god it's like shooting yourself on the foot 23:19 [Music] um the devil is not going to do anything 23:24 he will trick you to do something that's his goal so that you do it yourself 23:32 ah help me jesus one saved always saved 23:38 doctrine functions as a doctrine of balaam because 23:44 it seeks to detach the believer's life 23:49 that he lives from the faith that he professes 23:56 he seeks to make them separate no no no no 24:02 faith without works is dead bad works no works will kill your faith 24:09 so they are interconnected so the doctrine of eternal security 24:15 is a doctrine of balaam but is that doctrine even correct of 24:21 course it's not correct from the scriptures were reading the last episode let me read a few here before my time is 24:27 up again help me lord first corinthians chapter 10 verse 1 to 24:35 verse 12 verse 1 moreover brethren i would not that you should be ignorant 24:43 how that our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea 24:49 and were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and in the sea 24:54 the book of corinthians is drawing a parallel between israel 25:00 in the old testament and believers in the new testament 25:05 so that we in the new testament can learn moreover brethren i would not that you 25:12 should be ignorant don't be ignorant now that uh 25:18 how that our fathers were under the cloud and all pass through the sea and we're all baptized onto moses in the 25:24 cloud and in the sea yeah yeah in the new testament i know you're baptized with water i know i know yes yes 25:31 i know you can speak in tongues you're baptized in the spirit i know that it says but don't be 25:37 ignorant that our fathers were under the cloud and pass through the sea 25:42 and were baptized unto moses in the cloud and in the sea yes bishop moses 25:48 baptized them in the sea which is water the same water baptism you have and bishop moses baptized them in the cloud 25:55 which is from above which is the spirit covering or the holy ghost baptism that you have 26:02 so don't don't don't get twisted okay you're not much different from them beloved 26:08 we also see in luke 1 35 the angel said the holy ghost shall come 26:15 upon thee this the power of the highest shall overshadow thee so when you talk about that covering is the covering of 26:21 the spirit the sea obviously is the water baptism because the sea was 26:27 the grave from which they were buried from which they were resurrected exodus 14 22 the bible says the children 26:33 of israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were well unto them on their right hand and 26:40 on their left let's see those 14 22. so the chair of israel went through the similitude of a water baptism 26:47 or written first corinthians 10 now verse 3 says and did all eat the same 26:53 spiritual meat it's drawn a parallel between israel and the church today christians today 27:00 it says the children of israel did all eat the same spiritual meat 27:06 we see that meat in exodus 16 15 where it says 27:12 manna was brought to the children of israel from heaven and moses said unto them 27:18 this is the bread which lord has given you to eat it came from above john 6 31-35 27:26 jesus says or i'm sorry the discourse goes our fathers did it man and in the 27:31 deserts that is written he gave them bread from heaven to eat verse 32 then jesus said unto them verily verily i say 27:36 unto you moses gave you not that bread from heaven but the father give you the true bread from heaven 27:43 for the bread of god is he which comment down from heaven and give it life unto the world then said the unto him lord 27:49 evermore give us this bread and jesus said unto them i am the bread of life he that commits to me shall never hunger 27:56 and he that believeth on me shall never thirst john 6 55 for my flesh is meat indeed 28:02 and my blood is drink indeed do you see that beloved again we're jumping between 28:09 first corinthians 10 verse 1 to 12 going verse by verse 28:15 and as we read a verse if necessary i'll give some correlation from other 28:21 scriptures so we're back to first corinthians chapter 10 now verse 4 28:27 and did all drink the same spiritual drink for the drink of that spiritual rock 28:34 which followed them and that rock was christ the reference for that is exodus 12 28:41 verse 5 to 6 but we already read john 6 55 where jesus says my blood is drink 28:47 indeed now first corinthians 10 verse 5 but with many of them god was not well 28:55 pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness 29:00 um they were overthrown in the wilderness 29:06 verse six now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lost after evil things as they also lost 29:14 it neither be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written the people sat 29:20 down to eat and drink and rose up to play neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one 29:26 day three and twenty thousand never let us tempt christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents 29:33 nada momoyi as some of them also muhammad and were destroyed of the destroyer 29:38 now listen verse 11 now all these things happen unto them for examples 29:45 and they are written for our admonition he's warning us 29:52 you don't have to warn me if i'm not in danger what is the danger 29:57 be careful josh watch your step so you don't fall no there is nothing like that 30:03 one save always saved it's a lie 30:09 it's a lie to desensitize the believer from watching it's a lie 30:16 i can go play with the moabites i can come in fornication with the mobiles i can eat the food 30:21 giving sacrifice to idols of the moabites i can go play with the world 30:26 and i'm still holy like cora said don't you see the cloud by day don't see 30:32 the fire by night don't you see the presence of emmanuel with us don't you see 30:37 the things of god around us verse 12 wherefore let he 30:43 let him that thinketh his standard take heed lest he fall 30:48 take heed lest he fall beloved so many scriptures to deal with take heed lest he fall 30:55 first corinthians 6 9 to 11 know ye know that the unrighteous shall not inherit 31:00 the kingdom of god okay again it's a different topic but there are different kinds of 31:06 righteousness we spoke about some of these in the prayer episodes there are different 31:11 kinds of righteousness don't mix them up beloved don't mix them up there's self-righteousness 31:17 there's a righteousness that we have that is as filthy rights there's 31:22 imputed righteousness there's righteousness as is a fruit 31:28 from that righteousness from which was imputed to us they're different kinds of righteousness 31:36 [Music] if god is asking for righteousness five 31:42 don't tell him you have righteousness for he's not asking for number four he's asking for number five 31:50 ah beloved i hope you get it no 31:56 he not first corinthians 6 verse nine he's speaking to believers he's talking to believers 32:01 he's speaking to believers know ye not that the unrighteous is talking to believers that have been 32:08 made righteous be made righteous by christ jesus that have received imputed 32:13 righteousness by christ jesus they have received 32:18 righteousness put on them because they believed in jesus he's speaking 32:24 to believers he's talking to christians don't you know that the unrighteous why should you 32:31 be telling me that you should be telling that to the unsaved no no no no no no no no no no 32:37 the unsaved have zero their self-righteousness is as filthy 32:43 rex i'm a good person yeah right to the unsaved 32:49 when they get saved they receive the righteousness which is by faith in christ jesus is free 32:56 when you get that garment of righteousness guess what you have to keep the garment clean 33:04 you have to produce fruit isaiah says we are trees of righteousness the plantains 33:10 of the lord you have to produce fruits of righteousness from the seed of righteousness 33:16 from which we were planted so when he's asking for the fruit of 33:21 righteousness don't tell him that i am the righteousness of christ no no no 33:27 that was number two number one was to serve righteousness that is like filthy rex it doesn't get 33:33 you anywhere but you got number two which was righteousness by faith in christ jesus 33:39 in this context it's a different subject i'm just giving just for my short example 33:46 then let's just say number three is the fruit of our righteousness there are other types but let's just stick with 33:51 that for now make just let's let's keep it at that but if god is asking for number three 33:57 righteousness don't tell him you have number two you better not tell me you have number one 34:02 no no he's asking for number three righteousness okay somebody goes to a fast food place 34:07 and says give me combo number seven you're telling me you want to give him number two are you serious 34:14 is that what he's asking for that's not what he's asking for so when we conflate these things when we 34:22 mix them up we're in trouble first corinthians chapter 6 verse 9 34:27 know ye not talking to christians that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of god 34:37 be no deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters 34:42 nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind no thieves no covetous no drunkards no 34:48 rivals no extraordinary shall inherit the kingdom of god 34:54 all these that are listed they are not fruits of righteousness 34:59 all these that are listed are works of the flesh they are not fruits of righteousness 35:06 so he tells them verse 11 and such were some of you 35:12 but you were washed but you were sanctified yeah i set you 35:18 apart but you were justified in the name of the lord jesus and by the spirit of our 35:23 god so he's telling them again we would we've talked about it in a different episode ye that are supposed 35:31 to be trees of righteousness christians are producing 35:37 evil fruit fornications adulteries adulterers being effeminates 35:45 drunkards covetous it says none of these fruits none of these 35:51 persons that produce these fruits shall inherit the kingdom of god 35:58 and such were some of you now 36:05 i want you to note that he said they shall not inherit the 36:12 kingdom of god not that they will 36:18 not inherit in the kingdom of god 36:24 there are two different things i want us to get that they shall not inherit 36:30 the kingdom of god not that they shall not have an inheritance 36:37 in the kingdom of god in this context what's the difference what's the difference 36:44 the difference is this he's saying here let me read it again verse 10 first corinthians 10 36:51 or from 9 be not deceived and he goes through a long list none of these persons 36:57 shall inherit the kingdom now let's just suppose that with 37:03 first corinthians chapter 3 verse 11 to 20 first corinthians chapter 37:09 3 verse 11 to 20. we're still talking about christian growth 37:15 we're still talking about hindrances to that growth we're talking about 37:21 an example of a hindrance to that growth as the doctrine of balum and we're talking about 37:28 the seemingly popular doctrine of one saved always saved 37:34 as an example of the doctrine of balaam how he fixes the mindset of god's children 37:40 to indulge in iniquity 37:47 which can be to their ruin first corinthians 6 9-11 we just read says 37:54 the unrighteous shall not inherit 38:00 this kingdom they shall not inherit the kingdom of god on the other hand first corinthians 3 38:07 verse 11 to 20 for other foundation can no man laid and that which is laid which is christ jesus 38:14 now if any man build upon that foundation gold silver precious stones wood hastable verse 13 every man's work 38:21 shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall travel man's 38:26 work of what sort it is verse 14 if any man's walk abide which he has built there and he shall receive a reward if 38:33 any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer lost but he himself shall be saved 38:38 so as by fire now you know that you are the temple of god and at the temple of god dwell it and 38:45 that the spirit of god will let in you if any man defile the temple of god him shall god destroy for the temple of god 38:52 is holy which you are let a man deceive you if any man among you see me to be white let him become a 38:57 fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with god for it is written he taketh the wise in 39:04 their own craftiness and again the lord knowing the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 39:09 now let's go back quickly verse 15 39:15 if any man's work shall be burned 39:20 he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 39:28 so now bear that in mind but the very next verse says 39:36 or two verses down verse 17 if any man defile the temple of god 39:43 him shall god destroy for the temple of god is holy which temple ye are there's a difference 39:49 verse 15 is about the work of the man wrk his fruit 39:57 what he produced what he did verse 17 is about the 40:03 walk of the man wlk did he 40:08 walk with god because if we're walking with god i can't walk to god i said be agreed god 40:14 is holy we have to walk together with god holy so the man defiles his temple verse 17 god will destroy him 40:22 verse 15 the man doesn't defile his temple but his work 40:28 wrok is not up to power that man will be saved 40:36 but he will suffer loss no reward 40:41 he will suffer loss but he's saved he will suffer loss but he's saved but 40:47 in verse 17 the man is destroyed 40:52 loss is even secondary now the issue of reward is secondary but 40:58 what we read in first corinthians 6 9-11 says 41:03 when we do these things will shall not inherit the kingdom of god 41:13 [Music] all these things listed here are not things that we build 41:22 on christ first corinthians 3 41:27 12 13 14. 41:32 that will get to reward no all these things are things 41:39 iniquities that defile man 41:45 first corinthians 3 17 my time is up beloved 41:53 god bless you until next time may the lord bless you and keep you make his face shine upon you army gracious unto 41:59 you in jesus name amen [Music]