The General Epistles - Part 1

Well, greetings, everybody! Good to have you with us, and we appreciate you being with us. This class is called the General Epistles, and we start off with the title of the class General Epistles. The greetings to each... the greetings in the first verse or two of the General Epistles is not addressed to any specific church. James addresses to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, or to the dispersion. And Peter addresses it to the brethren, and John also to the brethren, in a sense. And then, the Book of Jude does not address a specific group. So this epistle is for everyone. Now, some people get hung up on the twelve lost tribes, so-called of Israel, and the dispersion that took place after the Assyrians conquered Israel and Samaria, and took the ten northern tribes, the kingdom to the north, which is called Israel, the kingdom to the south, and it's called Judah, took them into captivity. So the tribes in Israel to the northern kingdom were not totally lost in the sense of their identity, but some were lost, and we talk about the ten lost tribes. What I would like for us to, in 2 Kings 17, verses 4-6, we see where the king of Assyria came and took the northern kingdom captive, and conquered Samaria and took them captive in circles 721-718 BC. And so James is writing almost 750 years later, he wrote this epistle. So the tribes that he's addressing are basically the scattered converted Jews that are scattered among the peoples of the Roman Empire. They're called General Epistles because the words that are listed in the Epistles are for everyone. It's not for just a particular group, but it is especially applicable to all converted people. And the broad outline of the General Epistles is given in 1 Corinthians 13-13.

If you want to turn to 1 Corinthians 13-13, I would ask you to take copious notes if you possibly can. In 1 Corinthians 13, which we call the Epistle of Love, the Apostle Paul enumerates several things about love. Then he comes down in the last verse, 1 Corinthians 13-13, and he says, Now abides these three faith, hope, and charity. So the General Epistles are basically outlined by those three things. James is the Apostle of, while he wrote the Epistle of Faith. James was not one of the original Apostles, and doubtful that he was ever an Apostle. There are at least four James mentioned in the New Testament. Two of the Apostles were named James, but the Lord's brother was not named James, even though it says in Galatians 1-19, if you will turn to Galatians 1-19. This is a controversial scripture in Galatians 1-19, and the commentators are still debating what to do with this verse, because it is apparent from other verses that James was not one of the original Apostles. So we want to go to Galatians 1-19, and you be aware of this so that you, if you ever come across it, and someone tries to stump you, we'll start in Galatians 1-18. Then after three years, and Paul is talking about three years after his conversion on the road to Damascus, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter in a boat with him 15 days. But other of the Apostles saw I none save James, the Lord's brother. And the commentators have difficulty with this verse because in Matthew chapter, in Matthew it says when it lists the original Apostles, James the Lord's brother is not listed as one of the Apostles in that area. So the commentators don't know what to do with none other than I saw none of the Apostles, but none of the Apostles saw none save James, the Lord's brother. He went to Peter's state at his house, and then he saw James. And there are two of the Apostles were named by James. We look at those Matthew 5, 10, 10. Matthew, no Matthew 10 5. Matthew 10 verse 5. These four of Jesus sent forth, they commanded him saying, You're not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans enter north, but go to the Gentiles and more and more any city of the Samaritans enter not into it. Put on my glasses.

So he sent forth the Apostles into those cities. Now above the Apostles are named verses 2 and 3. This is Matthew 10 verse 2. Names of the 12 Apostles are the first sin in here is called Peter, Andrew, his brother, James, the son of Zd, his brother, John, Philip or Callamew, Thomas, Matthew, the public and James, the son of Alpertus. So here's the second James that was a part of the a part of the Apostles, but not James the Lord's brother and Ladeus whose surname was Stadius and Simon the candidate and the Canaanite and Judasus Carrot who betrayed him. The 12 went forth, the 12 were sent forth and he commanded them saying, go not into Samaria. So it is said that all scholars agree that the Apostle that James the Lord's brother, James the Lord's brother wrote the epistle that's titled James, the general epistle title James. And as I said, there were three other James that reached in the mention in the New Testament. Of course, you can do a search on your phone or on your computer to name the James that are mentioned in the Old Testament and give you the background of each one of those. But I don't want to spend a lot of time. The problem verse is Galatians 1.19, which James, if you read it just the way it is, James the Lord's brother was an Apostle, but he was not one of the original Apostles. James was the pastor of the Church of Jerusalem and in the Acts conference that was held regarding whether or not Gentiles had to be circumcised. As recorded in Acts 15, James was the resident pastor, and he was the one who made the decision as to whether or not the Gentiles had to be circumcised, and he ruled that they did not have to be circumcised. Now, being circumcised was the hallmark of Judaism in a sense, dating back to the days of Abraham when God made the covenant with Abraham, Abraham's household, and everyone who associated with Abraham and eventually the 12 tribes and the nation of Israel had to be circumcised. So, circumcision was a great hallmark of who was a Jew, and of course, Jew came to be named for both houses of Israel, especially in the book of Zachariah 8. Zachariah gives you a description of Israel in the millennium, and it includes Jew and Gentile. When Israel went into captivity, a lot of the people, a lot of the members of the various tribes escaped the Assyrians, and they were not included in the taking the captives. If you would turn to 2 Kings chapter 30, 2 Kings chapter 30, and we'll note this, this is very important. We don't point this out very often. I don't know if I've ever heard of Bible study or more sermon that pointed this out, because in our literature, we make it sound like every last one of the tribes of Israel were sent into captivity.

I said chapter 30, but 2 Kings 17, that's what I want. 2 Kings 17, and I believe we'll start in verse 6. 2 Kings 17 and verse 6. In the night the Arab Hoshia, the king of Assyria, he took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria and placed him in Halah and in Habor by the river Gozin and in the cities of Amoebes. And so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh of Egypt and had feared other gods and walked in the statues of the heat of the unconverted, the non-Jew whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel and other kings of Israel, which they had made. You know when Israel came into the promised land, they were told to get rid of the tribes among them, and they were instructed not to hit a Mary or the tribes because God wanted a pure line from which the Messiah would come. Now we want to go to 2 Chronicles.

2 Chronicles.

We're Hezekiah now. This is when the Babylonians came into... First of all, Judah was taking captivity in captivity by the Assyrians. Then they were taking in captivity by the... I'm sorry, first of all, the Northern Kingdom was taking in the captivity by the Assyrians. And then the Southern Kingdom, the two tribes to the South, Judah and Benjamin were taking in captivity by the Babylonians. And during the time that Hezekiah was being of Israel, they were cleaning up the temple. They found the book of the law, and Hezekiah called for them to clean up the temple and to prepare the people for a great Passover. So in 2 Chronicles 30 and verse 10, Now you be not stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord and enter into a sanctuary which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of the wrath may turn away from you. And if you turn again unto the Lord your brother and your children, shall find compassion before them that led them or lead them captive, so that they shall come again into the land for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away His face from you if you return unto Him. Now at that time they had post, which we would call mail service, so after they had cleaned up the temple and had been admonished, the post passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim, the Nasr, Zebulon, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless, different ones of Asher, Manasseh, Zebulon, humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. So not all of the tribes were taken captive by the Assyrians, but by that I mean representatives of all the tribes were taken captive, but there were some who escaped and some who returned back to the land that they had been given when Joshua came into the land and divided the land as God had commanded him to divide.

So you see here, you read about that a prophetess who had prayed that she would live until the Messiah came, Anna the prophetess, and she did live until the Messiah came, and she was of the tribe of Asher. So some of them had, the point is, some of them had maintained their identity, and eventually after Israel went into captivity, or Judah, I'm sorry, I keep saying Israel, Israel went into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians, 721 to 719, but then, or 718, and then Judah the southern kingdom went into captivity under the hands of the Babylonians from roughly 604 to 587, some say 586, 587 to 586. And it was after that that Hezekiah, after they had returned and built the second temple, that Hezekiah found the book of the law in the temple and held that first pass over which you can read in the succeeding chapters of 2 Chronicles 30-31. So we say that to say that in between the time of the Assyrian captivity and when James wrote his epistle, there was over 700 years, and in the time that James wrote his epistle and the Babylonian captivity of Judah, over 500 years had passed. So James writes in James 1 that is to the 12 tribes scattered abroad of Israel. So he's talking about the Christians who are converted. Now, the book of James in a sense takes up where Paul's epistles take off or leave off, where the apostle Paul's epistles leave off. Paul talks a great deal about justification.

And I wonder if we could systematically, any of us, tell us how we are justified to save time. I'm going to tell you how we are justified. We're justified when we hear the word, either we hear it from a person that we're close to or we hear it on the radio, we hear it electronic media, we see it in print, however, we see it in the Bible, and we be convicted by the word of God that the death penalty is on our head. And the only way that it can be removed is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Now, Romans chapter 3 tells us how we are justified. I want us to turn now to Romans chapter 3, and we'll see how we are justified. Because James basically, all of the general epistles tell us how to remain in a justified position. Now, before we read how we are justified, I want you to draw a vertical line down your paper, a straight vertical line in the middle of the paper. And on the left side of that vertical line, I want you to write in your sins. And on the right side of that vertical line, I want you to write justified sins paid for. Justified sins paid for. Now, the question I'm asking you, are we like a snake on a pole at one time? The head is on one side and the head on the other side? No, that is not the case.

We sin after our sins are removed, after we are justified. Justified. But he, as it says in 1 John chapter 1, that he's faithful and just to forgive us all of our sins. If we confess our sins, come before him, repent of the sins, ask for forgiveness. He's faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness. So, conversion is a process, and it's a daily process that we go through time after time after time after time, if we sin after we are converted.

So, you don't go back in two. Now, once you pass over the line to the right side, where you are converted, and your sins are forgiven, if you go back across the line, it is impossible to renew to repentance. And that sin is a sin that you won't repent of. That is the unpardonable sin, for there remains no more sacrifice. We'll read that in just a moment. But now we're going to read how you're justified.

So, you come in contact with the Word of God, and you are convicted at your center, and the death penalty is on your head, and you want the death penalty removed. It can only be removed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So, in Romans chapter 3, we read in verse 23, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So, everybody has sinned at one time or the other. Now, the Protestants teach original sin, that we are born in sin, and we're sinners, but from the moment we are born.

We have human nature from the moment we are born, but we're given a choice, as Adam and Eve were given in the Garden of Eden, whether we're going to obey God or not obey Him. Adam and Eve made the wrong choice. They were cast out of the Garden, cut off from the Tree of Life, until Messiah came on the scene, as it says in several places in the Gospels and in the New Testament. Now, continuing here, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption, that is the buying back power that is in Christ Jesus.

And God has set forth to be a propitulation. Propitiation means He went in our stead. He went for us. He gave His life, the only begotten Son, the only one qualified to give His life for the sins of the world, through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for remission of sins that are past. See that are past, the scales are balanced, you cross the line, your sins are forgiven.

Now, you will sin after you're baptized, but you don't go back across the line unless you commit the unpardonable sin. So I declare at this time His righteousness that He might be just and to justify Him, which believes in Jesus.

Now, you read verse 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. No way, no how. God forbid, yes, we establish the law. How do we establish the law? How do we establish the law when we exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ to remove the death penalties on our head because of wages and sin as death, according to Romans 3.23? Because if there was no law and breaking the law didn't incur the death penalty, there would be no need for a Redeemer.

So the fact that there is a Redeemer, and because you're justified by faith, you establish the law. The law is there, and the law of God's immutable spiritual law will never cease to exist because God's law defines His very character, His very being. Now, when you do go across that line, we go to Hebrews chapter 6. You go to Hebrews chapter 6, then you'll find out if you do cross that line, there is no way back. So we are, we must go before God on a daily basis, which we'll see once again when we come to 1 John, especially 1 chapter. Now, in Hebrews chapter 6, we're admonished to go on to perfection.

Now, that is one of the main things that the general epistles do. They give you the keys. The general epistles is really the meat of the word, and we'll talk about the meat of the word in just a moment. What is the meat of the word? When is it that when do you come to the point that you no longer need milk as a babe, but you need the meat of the word? It is after you cross that line, your sins are forgiven, you're justified.

So we're in Hebrews 6, verse 1, therefore leading the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection. So the topic here is perfection, going on to perfection. The general epistles tell you how to go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.

See, in justification, you repent of the dead works, exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ, you are baptized. It is an outward symbol. It is not what makes you, you do not receive the Holy Spirit upon being baptized. But baptism, now get this, most, even some of our ministers really don't understand this, that baptism is an ordinance of the Church, and the Bible tells you to be baptized, to be baptized.

And the symbol is that you're going under the water, you are dying to the old man. Then you come up out of the water, as it talks about in Romans 6, newness of life, the new man rises up out of the water, and you're to keep that old man down under the water. You could draw a wavy line under your vertical line, draw a stick man under the vertical line. That's baptism. You're burying the old man. Hello?

Hello?

Can somebody say something?

Then you come up the new man, and the job of the new man is to keep the old man under the water. So we're talking about repentance from dead works, not laying in that foundation of dead works, faith toward God, you have faith in the sacrifice of Christ, the doctrine of baptisms. There are two baptisms, there are actually three baptisms spoken of in the Bible. One is water baptism, where you go under the water, signifying death to the old man being raised to newness of life, as it says in Romans 6.

And then, the laying out of hands, that's when you receive the Holy Spirit, and you are begotten by God the Father to newness of life. And then, there's the resurrection of the dead, we are in hope of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And once you're resurrected in the kingdom of God, you cannot sin. Then it says, and this will we do, what will we do? We will go on to perfection if God permit, for it is impossible. Notice that word impossible. For those who were once enlightened, who were on the right side of the vertical line, converted, sinned, forgiven, and have tasted the heavenly gift, they received the Holy Spirit and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away to renew them again under repentance. So, if we go back to the other side of the line, and commit the unpardonable sin, there is no way back. Seeing a crucified themselves, the Son of God, a fresh, and put him to an open chain. So, you never want to cross over that line again. So, you're not saved one day and lost the next, per se, if you repent of your sins, and you remain in a justified position. Now, the world, the Protestant churches, teach that you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and you are sealed by the Holy Spirit. But that doesn't mean you cannot commit a sin. And we know that very well. But if you do sin, we have an advocate with a father, as it says in John 1, John 2, 1 John 2. We have an advocate with a father, and he'll forgive us. Both John 1 and John 2 say that he will forgive us. Now, the general epistles are for people who have been thrown from the breast and weaned from the milk, as we shall see now. And we want to turn, at this point, to Isaiah. To Isaiah. We want to go to Isaiah 28 and verse 9. Isaiah 28 and verse 9. In Isaiah 28 and verse 9, whom shall he teach knowledge? Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Those that have been weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast.

So, when Paul is writing the book of Hebrews, he's preparing the people for the destruction of the temple, which the Romans did in 70 AD. He's preparing the people for the destruction of the temple. And the book of Hebrews compares and contrasts. And to write this down, I know those of you who have heard me over the years, I say this a million times more or less.

The book of Hebrews compares and contrasts elements of the new covenant with elements of the old covenant.

In the new covenant, there's a new ministry. It is the priesthood of Melchizedek. The old covenant is a priesthood of Levi. In the old covenant is an earthly calling. New covenant is a heavenly calling. There's an old covenant. There's a new covenant. There are sacrifices under the old covenant. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ under the new covenant. And so on it goes. There are other things that are compared and contrasting.

So now we're in Hebrews chapter 6, and we have seen that once you have been converted and you're on the bright side of the line, that if you go back over to the other side of the line, it's impossible to renew them again so they put to death Jesus Christ the second time, and they can't be saved again. They can't be justified again.

So let's look now at Hebrews chapter 5, and we'll begin in verse 9. Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 9. Speaking of Jesus, well, let's start in 8. Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 8. Remember why we're doing this?

That James takes up where Paul leaves on, teaching you how you can remain in a justified position. Now Paul covers some of that as well, but we're speaking in general terms and trying to get us to understand just an overview of the general epistles. James being the apostle of faith, Peter being the apostle of hope, John being the apostle of love, and Jude being one who tells us to plead to what we have. Plead to be, strive to be on the right side of the line always. And he says that we remember the oracles that were once taught to us. So now in Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 9, the being made perfect, Jesus Christ, was perfect in that he was obedient unto death. So being made perfect, he was perfectly obedient, perfectly qualified to become the Son of God when he died for our sins.

So we're laying the groundwork for the general epistles.

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all of them that obey him. Notice the salvation is eternal. Once you are resurrected, you don't lose it. Call to God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. No man can come to Jesus Christ unless the Father draws him, and no man can come to the Father unless Christ you come through Christ. I am the door, John. The Gospel of John chapter 10. I am the door. No man comes to the Father except for me. So there is a reciprocal relationship. The Father calls. The Son reveals the Father, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull-appeared. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you see, that's why he writes chapter 6, not laying again the foundation of dead works. You oughtn't be able to go on to perfection now. You have need that someone teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God. Those first principles are given in Hebrews 6, verses 1 and 2. Adam becomes such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. The general epistles are strong meat. Paul is a combination of milk and strong meat. Basically, the general epistles covers strong meat. Where everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. So, hopefully we're not babes. We are ready for strong meat. Strong meat. Notice this is a key verse. Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age. Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. They're not hung up on what about clean and unclean meats. What about keeping the Sabbath? And what about, and you fill in the blank, any of the common doctrines of the Church. What about each one of these? It is very clear from Scripture that you have already learned to exercise your senses with regard to what is good and what is evil.

We see that the general epistles, or we'll see that the general epistles, are for those who are ready for the strong meat. We've already mentioned that, twice at least, that the general epistles are about faith, hope, charity, and holding on to that which you have. And that's the authors. The authors of the general epistles are, of course, James, Peter, John, and Jude. Now, as far as James, the book, and the man, James was a very righteous man. He was known for his righteousness. It was said of him, and this is in non-biblical literature, that his knees were calloused because he spent so much time on his knees in prayer. He was also called James the Just. There is a James the Less that is listed as one of the Jameses in the New Testament as well. And he was called also James the Just. And it was because of he was a stickler for the law, and he was also a stickler for keeping the doctrine of Christ. There are 60 imperative sentences, 60 imperative sentences in the book of James. I don't know if we'll identify each one, but we will come close. There are 60 imperative sentences, and James was called James the Just.

The date of the writing of James James is one of the earliest writings in the New Testament. Scholars believe that the epistle of James was written between 45 and 50 AD, between 435 and 50 AD. And we've already mentioned the basic theme is that you want to remain justified in third place. Now we shall go to James chapter one and verse one.

James chapter one and verse one.

I'll have to guess there, so I'm not clear yet. James chapter one.

My brethren, and now the general epistles, as I said, are for those Jews that are converted that are scattered throughout the Roman Empire. And remember that Israel, the northern kingdom, went into captivity 721-718 BC, and Judah went into captivity at the hands of Babylonians 604-587-86 BC. So this is 700-plus years after the Assyrian captivity and 500 years plus after the Babylonian captivity. So here we are in James 1-1. My brethren, so converted people that are scattered, be not many masters. Don't be haughty. Don't be puffed up. Don't be thinking that you are the grand master, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. The greater condemnation we'll read in James a little later on, since it's chapter three, that war to those who make themselves into teachers, because the word condemnation variable really means the greater judgment, that we shall receive the greater judgment, for in many things we'll bend all. I'm reading from chapter three. Why didn't somebody speak up?

What I said was true for chapter one as well. Well, it's not going to chapter one. I'll go to chapter one manually with my Bible.

James chapter one, James, a servant of God, so identifies himself. James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ. So he doesn't boast about being the Lord's brother.

The word servant is to be noted. The word servant in the Greek is doulos, d-u-l-o-s, and it means a bond servant. It means a bond servant. The apostles generally in their greeting and their salutation do not take it on themselves to boast of their, of who they are. They are chosen of God and they are a bond servant of Jesus Christ. To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, or which are dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. My brother, similar to chapter three, my brother, counted all joy when we fall into different trials. Now that is one of the greatest challenges of all time. My wife and I are in a great trial at the present time. It's ironic that in a sense that I had to fall back a year and eight months ago in which I fractured my rheumae bone. The rheumae bone, the bones are on either side and they join in the middle of the body in the pubic area. They in a sense hold up your insides. I fractured mine about 18 months ago and now she has two fractures in hers and very painful. Knowing this is the trying of your faith works patience. Now how does the trying of your faith work patience? The trying of your faith works patience because you know and know you know that God will deliver you. Now let's say that again. How does you can count it all joy when you fall into different trials? Knowing that the trying of your faith works patience because you know and you know that you know. And if you don't know it, then you really have some serious study of the Bible to do in meditation because you know and know that you know that God is going to deliver you. And it says to let patience have his perfect work.

Generally speaking, we would like to be delivered immediately. We want it right now.

But it says, but let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. How is it that you would want nothing? You would want nothing because you know that God is going to deliver you. You have faith in God. Notice verse three again, knowing that the trying of your faith works patience. How does it work? Patience because you know and know that you know that God is going to deliver you. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all men liberally and upgreateth not and it shall be given him. See, once again, you have to ask in faith and totally believe that he is going to give you wisdom. One thing in prayer that you know it says in the Gospels, that whatsoever you ask in my name I will give you. And of course we also qualify that with according to your will. And that's when we have patience because most of the time we would will that it be done immediately. But God knows what he is doing with each one of us. If you're without chastisement, then are you illegitimate and not sons? As it says in the book of Hebrews, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives liberally to all men.

And it shall be given him. You want to ask God in Jesus Christ's name. And I have learned that it just seems that prayer is more effective when you pray in the name of your Holy One, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In the Old Testament, Jesus Christ, the one who became Jesus Christ, is referred to you as the Father's Holy One. So we want to pray in the name of the Holy One, Jesus Christ, the righteous. I notice verse 6, but let him ask in what? Faith. What is the theme of James' faith? Nothing wavering, for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with wind and tossed. Or let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

So faith also is a mental kind of activity as well that you believe. Now you can believe yourself to the point that you, I guess, say doubt. That's probably the wrong way to say it. But you see, if you let patience have its perfect work, you know and you know that you know that God is going to deliver you immediately. God is eventually, not immediately necessarily, that God is eventually going to deliver you and you want to have patience and faith. And when you ask for wisdom, nothing wavering, you don't receive anything if you waver. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted. But the rich in that he is made low because as a flower of the grass he shall pass away. So we have come to eight o'clock. We will halt right there and we will begin with verse 11 after a brief recap of what we have said tonight, two weeks from tonight. Let's see what is the date?

The day is the 18th, right?

Day is the 22nd, I believe, Dr. Ward. 22nd. So he had 14 on that, so we'll be into March. November 3rd.

To be the start of March.

November. Oh, I'm sorry. November the 3rd. Thank you.

Okay, do we have any question or comment?

Who wants to volunteer until it's all justified? Unless I'm looking at it wrong, it's November the 5th, not the 3rd.

In two weeks?

Yes, two weeks. Wednesday night.

Right. It'd be the first one. You're right, it's the fifth. Yeah, it's what I thought. It's the fifth. This is March. Anyone else want to volunteer and tell me how you're justified?

I didn't hear you. Anybody want to volunteer and tell me how you're justified?

Justified by faith and Holy Spirit. I'm telling.

I'm talking about from the beginning, all the steps.

Well, when you read and hear the Word of God and you become convicted of it, then you've accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, then you live in a justified state. You're made right before God. You still fall into sin from time to time, but then when we repent and we ask for forgiveness, we become justified. We're in that state because we're able to receive forgiveness because we are justified.

Yes, we're still. Justified by faith. We still have baptism.

You're correct on everything you said, but you want to. Baptism, yes, and then faith as well. Right. Can mention that, too. Faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Baptism, which symbolizes what?

Death.

Death of the old man, yes. Death of the old man. And you erase the newness of life, and you're to keep the old man down. And James and John and Peter and Jude help us understand how to keep the old man down. You can tell from just the very first 10 verses that we have read in James that it is the meaty word. You're weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast, and you're ready to go on a perfection.

Okay. Anybody volunteer to tell me the broad outline of the general epistles?

Hey, good evening, Dr. Ward. That was actually going to be a comment of mine. I like how you brought out that from 1 Corinthians 13, by faith, hope, and love, and how that's kind of a framework of the general epistles or kind of an outline. Yes. And Jude is what is Jude about?

Oh man, a follow-up question.

Pardon? Oh, I just said a follow-up.

If I remember, it's about justification, correct? Or is that James? And the way you describe James, is that Jude is about holding on.

Leaving. Holding on.

Beloved, when I call, beloved, when I gave all diligence right under you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the place which was once delivered under the saints. So Jude is also about holding on, not going back across that line to an unjustified position. So we got faith, we got hope, we got love, we got... I like to turn holy on. I like the term ho to the end of the rope, that you're going to stay with it until the very end.

Okay, any question or comment?

Dr. Ward, I was just going to comment on the concept of justification. As you've outlined it, just how important it is, because, you know, the Bible talks about the fact that self-justification is a very dangerous place to be. People try to justify themselves all the time or make excuses, but self-justification actually puts you in a very dangerous place. You seek to run around the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by saying, I'm okay just as I am. Again, making excuses rather than recognizing and going through the process that you outlined that I've sinned, I've fallen short, I need to repent, I need to come under that sacrifice and be reconciled. You know, self-justification is just such a dangerous place for someone to be. Yes. You remember when Eve sinned, she had basically three responses.

Try to hide it, deny it, maybe even put on fig leaves and try to hide it, purposely try to hide from God. People try to hide their sins and oftentimes which leads, almost always leads to lying. And then they try to blame others. The husband you gave to me, he made me do it. And then they blame others and shame and try to hide it.

And then they try to justify themselves as you just run out. And nearly always hide, justify, and blame others.

I appreciate the explanation that we are, once you enter into that reconciled relationship with God through repentance and baptism and faith, that we're in a justified position and we remain there and we want to remain there. You know, we put our efforts by God's mercy to remain there and to cross back over the line outside of justification then is the, you know, basically the point of no return. Because I've heard other religious people say, well, you know, you go in and out of justification. And that never sounded right to me. It's, you know, we're under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is that justified position unless we turn from it. Yeah, and we, the unpartable sin is a sin you won't repent of. Usually with most people, like I know so many people, even family members and so on, they have drifted so far and, you know, they were baptized. They had the laying on of hands and you sort of like, you take a rubber band and you begin to stretch it. You stretch it and stretch it and finally at some point that rubber band will break. And it's impossible to put it back together. So like with the converted person that begins to stray, he goes so far, so far, God is judged. I don't know when they have committed the unpartable sin, but God knows I have rebaptized people because of other reasons, not that.

This, rebaptism is a difficult thing to decide where you did you receive the Holy Spirit to begin with. And then other people, you just see them drift, drift, drift, and they don't even know what the Holy Days are. They do their own thing on the Sabbath and on and on it goes. They don't teach their children to obey God. The children basically have just a very limited knowledge of God and what they pick up from conversation or at school or whatever. Pretty sad. And we have thousands, we have drifted thousands. We have a lot that have returned and we can only hope for everyone to return and be acceptable to God. He is the ultimate judge, of course, I'm not. Any other question or comment? I appreciate the feedback, appreciate the comments, and we'll see you in two weeks.