Keys to Searching for God's Truth

Keys to Searching for God's Truth. It's what we'll title the sermon, Keys to Searching for God's Truth. We'll turn to John 8, verse 31. In John 8, verse 32, Jesus says, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. This truth is the only truth that can free you from fear, ignorant superstition, and the dogmas of man. In John 8, Jesus is carrying on a discourse back in 2 with the detractors of the day. We come to this point where he says, we'll pick it up in 31, then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. Now these are the ones who believed on him. If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples. If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples. Indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Jesus says in John 17, 17, sanctify them through your word. Your word is truth. They answered and said, We be Abraham's seed, and we're never in bondage to any man. How say you, you shall be made free? And Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say in you, whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin.

And the servant abides not in the house forever, but the son abides ever. If the son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. It is the truth of God that sets us free from fear, ignorant superstition, and the dogmas of men, and the great anxieties and fear that grips the hearts of men and women throughout the world today.

And you can only imagine the fear that was in the hearts and minds of the people there in Hawaii as they thought initially that a nuclear attack was coming upon them.

There's something about hearing the truth that clicks in your mind.

We hear the expression, the ring of truth. It just has a ring of truth.

The truth agrees with the truth. Jesus states in John 6, 63, The flesh profits nothing, it is the spirit that quickens, it makes a lie of the words I speak. They are spirit, and they are life. Note the words of Jesus regarding the spirit of truth. The spirit of truth.

John 14. Here in John 8, turn forward there to John 14. This spirit of truth, the spirit of truth has been sent to those who have received God's spirit, and they have this spirit of truth abiding within them. In John 14, we'll start in verse 15.

If you love me, keep my commandments. Jesus said that he had kept his Father's commandments. What about Jesus' commandments? Were they any different from the Father's commandments? Not different, but showing application and how to keep them.

And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another comforter.

Now, the comforter is defined in verse 26. You can look down there and see the comforter is the Holy Spirit. The comforter is the Holy Spirit. Give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. See, Jesus Christ was there on the scene as the comforter in their presence at that time. He said, if I go away, I will send the comforter to you, the Holy Spirit. Even the Spirit of Truth, Talmuma, the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it sees him not, neither knows him, but you know him, for he dwells with you and shall be in you.

We have that eternal Spirit abiding within us, the Spirit that exists in eternity. We have received the earnest of the Spirit, the down payment on eternal life. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you, and that both the Father and the Son comes to us through the Holy Spirit as we shall see. Yet a little while and the world sees me no more, but you see me because I live, you shall live also. At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Of course, that is possible through the Holy Spirit. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

He that hath my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me, and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love Him and will manifest myself to Him. Judah said unto Him, not as chariot, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself unto us and not unto the world? And Jesus answered and said unto me, and said unto Him, If a man loved me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Then you notice that verse 26, But the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, it shall teach you all things. The Holy Spirit is a teacher. I gave a sermon not all that long ago on, is the Holy Spirit teaching you? You have to sit down and study and meditate and think on the Word of God in order for the Holy Spirit to teach you, to bring things to remembrance, to bring thoughts and ideas to your mind that you can compare with the Scripture. He shall teach you, really it should be, it shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. Note the inspired words of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 10. What are we talking about? We're talking about the truths. Searching for the truth of God. Keys to searching for the truth of God. You have to read, you have to study, you have to meditate. You have to ask God to guide you, to lead you, to help you in understanding the truth. If you never set out your hands and your mind to really understand, how will you ever really understand? In Hebrews 10 and 15. Whereof the Holy Spirit also is witness to us, for after that He said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Eternal. I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, indelibly stamped into your minds and heart, unless you quench the Spirit. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. So we have to read, we have to study, we have to meditate and obey the Word of God for it to be written on our inward parts. Remember, keys in searching for the truth of God. Earth-shaking events are currently taking place in the world in the name of freedom and democracy. Mankind seems to be awakened to the dormant desire to be free. But sadly, he seeks this freedom through geopolitical means and not through the Word of God. Remember, Jesus said, You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. We have been called, for such a time as this, to take this precious truth to the world. The only way that the world will ever know peace in the ultimate sense and permanently is through obedience to the truth of God. Beginning with the United States invasion of Panama some years back in the name of freedom and democracy, nations have fought several so-called wars of liberation in recent times. And those so-called wars of liberation and liberation fronts are still operating in the world today. For centuries, nations and armies and individuals have ostensibly fought for freedom and truth, and yet the battle is still rages.

Yet when the motives for war are closely examined, we find that it was not for truth and freedom at all, but it was for personal and political agendas to further their own interests. It is the great power struggle of who is going to rule in the kingdom of man. Will it be God, or will it be Satan and his minions? Man claims to love the truth, yet man has killed a large percentage of God's messengers who brought them the truth.

They sought to kill Jesus Christ at just about every turn. You can read about that in the Gospels. Let's notice one place here, Matthew 23, Matthew 23 and verse 34, where Jesus is in essence saying that through the ages, you've tried to kill everybody that we've sent to you. We have tried to teach you the truth. We have tried to lead you into the way of peace, happiness. We have tried to lead you in the way that brings prosperity and the kind of life that you say that you're pursuing.

But instead of listening to the ones that I have sent you, you have sought to kill them. We'll pick it up in verse 34, Matthew 23, 34, wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them you shall kill and crucify, and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel, under the blood of Zacharias, son of Barchias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar.

He has from Genesis to Revelation. Cain killed his brother Abel. Why? Because he was jealous. Cain wanted the preeminence, and as a firstborn he could have had the preeminence, but he had some kind of messianic complex. Apparently, instead of bringing a sin offering, he brought a thank offering, and his sacrifice was not accepted. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not.

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. The result of holding back the truth, as many have done through the ages, results in God giving them over to a reprobate mind, as we read here in Romans 1, verse 16. In this translation in the King James Bible, it doesn't really say what it really should say in the total sense. It sort of says it in Romans 1.16. The result of holding back the truth. See, the messengers who really brought the truth and giving the keys to the truth and what would bring peace, killed them, hold back the truth, so I can be exalted, so I can be over everyone else.

That's the attitude and mind of Satan the Devil. In Romans 1.16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, from the faith of God and Christ in keeping their promise. They are faithful who has promised that a Messiah would be sent and that there would be a way for humankind to have their sins remitted and for them to receive the very earnest of the Spirit of God. From faith to faith, our faith, and we must act in faith once we are convicted of the truth.

As it is written, The just shall live by faith. Believe God and do what He says. Live by it. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold back. That's the way it should be translated. Hold back. The Greek word here is kataeko. K-A-T-E-C-H-O kataeko. It literally means to hold back, to restrain, for those who hold back the truth in unrighteousness.

Stephen was killed for telling the truth. According to legend, all the apostles died in martyrdom because of their preaching and teaching the Word of God. We can clearly see from Scripture that humankind has historically rejected the truth of God, the truth that truly makes one free.

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. How much do I love the truth? How much do you love the truth? And how do you determine that which is true from that which is false? Look at Isaiah 8 and 20. In chapter 8 of Isaiah 20, to the law and the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no truth in them. Oh, I remember when word went out.

You don't have to keep the Sabbath. The law of God is done away with. Every day is a Sabbath. Every day you can celebrate your Sabbath. And you can do this, and you can do that. All you have to do is believe. And we can't wait to eat puffed up rolls during the days of unleavened bread. And on and on it goes, rejoicing in ungodliness and unrighteousness. And some of them would write to me, former students. I had somewhat of a stock answer with regard to how do you know the truth? If you'll turn to 1 John 2, verse 4, those who are of God and those who are not of God, we just read here, if they speak not according to the law and testimony, it is because there is no truth in them.

Now look at this. In 1 John 2.4, "...he that says, I know him and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whosoever keeps his word, in him barely is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we, that we are in him." How do you know if you keep his word? The love of God is perfected in you by keeping his word. We'll have more on that as we go along. God's word is infallible. According to Titus 1.2, it is impossible for God to lie.

God who has promise, God who is impossible for him to lie, he has made certain promises. Look at Romans 3 and 4. Romans 3 and 4. This is very sobering for all of us because it nails everybody. Everybody. We are all liars. Oh, I'm not a liar, you might say. Yes, we have all lied. I think I heard a certain person give a sermon in that about that not so long ago. This is Romans 3 and 4.

God forbid, yes, let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written, that you might be justified in the sayings and might overcome when you are judged. Let God be true, though every man be a liar. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 10, that those who do not love the truth will be sent grand delusion that they should believe the lie. What is the great lie? The great lie is that one that's described in the first part of 2 Corinthians 2, who sits in the temple of God, proclaiming that he is God, and through the signs, miracles, and wonders, deceives everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

And so they believe the lie, the lie that this one is perpetrating upon those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Let's note now the words of the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 2 Timothy 3, 2 Timothy 3, verse 13. Keys to searching for the truth, seeking the truth, abiding in the truth, living the truth, 2 Timothy 3, verse 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. No contrary to what the progressive liberal agenda might say about humankind is getting better and better.

No, humankind is not getting better and better. Not according to the Word of God. Deceiving, being deceived. And all you have to do is to listen to the news for five minutes or read. You can go to Drudge Report and read all the headlines there, and you want to go take a bath.

And you'll need a bath after you read those headlines. Deceiving and being deceived, but continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them, and that from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

All scriptures given by inspiration of God and profitable for doctrine, reproof, corruption, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. I charge you, therefore, why they put a chapter break out there. I don't know whether there should be no chapter break. I charge you, therefore, for God and Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom, preach the Word. It is the Word.

We are convicted through the Spirit and Word of God. Preach the Word. Be instant in season, out of season. Reprove, and that word reprove is elyncho. It means to convict. It says in John 16, verses 7 and 8, that when the Holy Spirit has come, it will convict you. King James probably translates it reprove. It will convict you of sin and righteousness and judgment.

Preach the Word. Be instant in season. Convict. Rebuke. Exhort. With all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. That was one of the main motivating forces factors for writing this letter of clinging to the trunk of the tree. Don't ever let those things slip. Don't be turned to fables. When one is trying to distinguish truth from error, they should employ sound reasoning and sound methodology. Sound reasoning. See, there you have to use your mind. You have to put two and two together, and you have to base that reasoning upon the Word of God. Let's look at some scriptures that show just what I've just said. Look at Isaiah 1, verse 18. Remember keys to seeking the truth.

In Isaiah 1, verse 18, note these words of Isaiah, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Come now and let us reason together. Let's talk about it. Let's compare verse by verse, line upon line, here a little, there a little. Come now, let us reason together, though your sins be a scarlet. They shall be as white as snow, and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Now, notice in Acts 17. The Apostle Paul, of course, went out on at least three long journeys through the Mediterranean world, preaching and teaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. Of course, he would start off in the Jewish synagogues, because there were scrolls in the synagogue of the Scriptures, and they were familiar with the Messianic prophecies. He would start usually at the synagogue, and then they would run him out of town, oftentimes, and then he would preach to the Gentiles. Acts 17.1, When they had passed through Amphibilis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, which there was a synagogue of the Jews, and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. You know, if you had no other Scripture, you could see very clearly what day that Paul observed, and Paul, and people talk about Pauline Christianity, that Paul was the one who just brought grace, and all you have to do is be under the grace of God. Well, if you really understood all of the ramifications of grace, that might be true. He reasoned with them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. You can look up that Greek word there that's translated reason. It literally means to go back and to, to examine, to look. Even one of the definitions is argued debate. Go back and to showing. How did he do it? Out of the Scriptures. Turn here. Look here. This is what it says here. Look what it says here. Opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. He is the Messiah. He's right here in the book. It's what he was showing them. And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas. And of the devout Greeks, a great multitude, and of the chief women, not a few. But the Jews, which believed not, moved with envy, because they wanted to maintain their station, their office, their influence with the people. The Jews moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These have turned the world upside down, or come here also.

And you could read the rest of what happened there. Now we look at chapter 18 in verse 1, and we see a similar kind of thing of Paul reasoning with them from the Scriptures. And after these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth, and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, and his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome and came unto them.

And because he was of the same craft, he was a tentmaker, he abode with them and wrought, for by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogues every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ, and when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your heads, I am clean from henceforth, I will go unto the Gentiles.

So we see there that Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures. The science of Bible interpretation is called hermeneutics.

It is from the Greek word hermeneuen, which means to interpret. In other words, hermeneutics involves the methodology employed to interpret the Scriptures.

There are certain rules that must be followed in interpreting the Scripture. Let's look at John 1. We'll see in verse 42 that this very word, there are various derivations of words taken from the word hermeneuen.

Here we see one. See, in rules of interpretation, one of the most important ones is to get the correct translation, the correct meaning and definition of the word.

In John 1.42, we see an example of this.

He brought him to Jesus, and then Jesus beheld him and said, You are Simon, the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, and a derivation of this word, hermeneuen, a stone.

You have to have the correct translation, the correct meaning of whatever the word is that you are looking at. Look at John 9, verse 7. These are not the only places. There are many places in which various words are derived from that word.

In John 9, verse 7, we see something similar. John 9, verse 7, They said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation what it really means, sent. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The Greeks called the ones who brought messages from God hermes, and the Romans called the ones who brought messages from the gods Mercurius. We see an example of that in Acts 14, verse 8, where Paul and Silos are there, and this person is healed, and they begin to think that Paul is one of the gods, and they thought he was Mercurius, or Hermes, one of the messenger gods. We'll pick it up here in Acts 14, verse 8.

There said a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. The same heard Paul speak, who steadfastly beholden him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed. How did Paul perceive that he had faith to be healed? I don't know for sure, but perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand up right on your feet, and he leaped and walked. When the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Laconia, The gods were come down to us in the likeness of men, and they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, that's the Roman name for Hermes, with the Greek called Hermes, the messenger god, because he was the chief speaker. In other words, he brought the message from the gods.

So, hermeneutics involves the science of interpretation. You have to have the right translation, the right definition. You have to have the correct context. You have to view the whole surround of it. You have to have line upon line, here a little, there a little, which we'll talk about a little more. Now, another word that is closely associated with hermeneutics is exegesis. The word exegesis means to lead out or to read out of. Exegesis has to do with the actual explanation of the scripture.

A few years back, we in regional conferences, it must have been 14, 15 years ago, I had this lecture on expository preaching to expose to bring forth out of the scripture what the scripture is really saying. We really encourage the ministry to bring out the meaning, the explanation. The exegesis should present clarity to the meaning of the scripture.

What is the principle of hermeneutical method that one should use to interpret the Word of God?

So what is your exegesis or explanation of scripture based on? The principle method should be employed, we should employ, of course, the Bible, interprets the Bible. The here a little, the there a little. Let's look at Isaiah 28, verse 9.

We've talked about definition, we've talked about context, we could talk about the social structure of the day that was there, and many factors. But, you know, the Word of God stands the test of time. Whether it be the Garden of Eden or Harvard today, the Word of God stands the test of time. Your Word is truth for all ages and all time.

The Ten Commandments from the Garden of Eden to the present day are just as applicable today as it were then.

It doesn't change because of the culture of the day.

So, in Isaiah 28, we see about this line upon line, precept upon precept, and this very question is asked. Remember, once again, keys to seeking the truth of God. We've talked about a lot of things already.

Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand doctrine, the teaching?

Then there wean from the milk and drawn from the breast.

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, light upon line, hear a little, there a little.

For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

You go now to Hebrews chapter 5, and in conjunction with this, see it's expressed in poetic terms here by Isaiah, of weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast.

In the book of Hebrews, it is more in practical application of what you have to do.

It's not expressed in poetic terms, but in more practical terms of what you have to do. In Hebrews 5 verse 9, See here we are somewhere in circa 60 AD, and Paul is writing to the Hebrews.

Remember, the church began in Jerusalem in 31 AD, so some 30 years down the line.

Paul is writing saying, the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that someone teach you again what be the first principles. For the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again what be the first principles of the oracles of God.

Those are listed in chapter 6 verse 1, and are become such as need of milk.

You see, in Isaiah 28 and 9, we read, whom shall he teach the doctrine? Those who are weaned from the milk, drawn from the breast.

And so he's saying here, you have become such as those who need milk and not strong meat.

For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

But strong meat belongs to them who are of full age. That means going on to maturity, even those who by reason of use, in other words, they are doing what they know to do.

By reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. They're not still majoring in the minors. They know what's right and what's wrong. They've gone way past that. They're going on to perfection.

Now, you look at the admonition. Once again, there shouldn't be a chapter break. Therefore, in view of this thing that we've just read, therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection.

Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do. What we will do, we will go on to perfection if God permit.

So one of the great keys has to do with you're already using what you know to do. We've already noted that Jesus says, Sanctify them through your word. Your word is truth. And also, that the words that he speaks, he says, they are spirit and they are life. And Jesus also says in John 10.35, the Scripture cannot be broken. The truth agrees with the truth. But our understanding is often clouded by the following comments.

Well, I've always understood this. I've always been taught, what does the Bible say? Those in Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica because they search the Scriptures daily whether these things be true. And of course, in times of turmoil and trouble, people oftentimes will study the Bible. One person told me yesterday at this funeral, he said, I've studied the Bible more in the past year than I've studied in the rest of my church life.

Something motivated them, pricked them to really study. So we shouldn't have to wait. And we shouldn't take things for granted. As we've already noted from 2 Timothy 4, the time will come when many will be turned to fables.

And so we know that people are subject to myth and superstition. Some would rather dream up fanciful schemes of escape rather than to simply believe God and do what he says. The Apostle Paul continually battled with the Gnostics of his day. All we have, we have special knowledge for you. If you only knew this or that. People who desired to set themselves up as teachers. Let's notice this in 1 Timothy 1.

1 Timothy 1, both Paul and John wrote a great deal in combating Gnosticism. Gnosticism means knowledge. The study of knowledge that through special knowledge one can gain salvation. So we're in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 3.

One of the tenets of Gnosticism is that they have these genealogies. You go through various levels and you finally get back to the source of light. From the demiurge of darkness back to the source of light back to God through memorizing these genealogies and these various bands of light. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith so do. Now the result, King James' translation here is unfortunate. The Greek word is telos, T-E-L-O-S. It means outcome or result. Now the outcome or result of the commandment is charity, that is love, agape, out of a pure heart and out of a good conscience and of faith, unthemed. From which some have swerved, have turned aside, and have been jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good if it is used lawfully. If a man uses it lawfully. There are people who have never received the recognition they believe that they should have received, who spend their waking hours trying to develop their own interpretation of the Bible in order to prove their special gifts of spirituality.

And perhaps more deadly are those who think they know a better way. Judas Iscarratt apparently thought he knew a better way. Well, we're not going to let him waste his money. I'm the treasurer.

They take up a mantra course of what should be emphasized or taught. And that was what happened in the 1990s in the Worldwide Church of God. The leaders of the movement thought they knew the better way. They basically taught that accepting Jesus as your Savior meant that you were free from obeying God's immutable spiritual law.

It's a semester break in 1995, and I think it was 1996 by the time—well, I mean it was the semester break of 1994. And I think it was 1995, January, by the time we got there, Wanda and I were summons to Pasadena. I was out on the back 40, and she came out there and said, We just got a call from Pasadena. Pastor General wants you in his office tomorrow morning.

And so I called him and said, I won't be coming unless my wife comes with me. And they said, OK. And we got the royal treatment, met at the Los Angeles airport with the limousine, and went to the very best of the apartments with the greatest food spread you've ever seen. Kind of thing. And then the meeting at 1 o'clock, and we walk in, and he holds up this stack of e-mails. And he reads the top one, and the top one quoted Martin Luther King's famous quote, Free at last! Free at last! Thank God, almighty, free at last! This burdensome law of God has been done away. And here's a pastor writing in, saying, or quoting Martin Luther King's, Free at last.

The supposed freedom was freedom from the immutable spiritual law of God. We must never forget what the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6 and verse 12. At that meeting, we had been called out the day before to be fired. But in the interim, someone intervened, and they came to understand that they would need the board to fire. So then it turned the other way to try to influence a different way, which that didn't work either. In Romans 6 and verse 12, We were given an opportunity to be members of the family of God. It was God's grace that He provided for us a Savior. It was through the grace of God and Jesus Christ that Jesus Christ voluntarily gave His life essence upon the stake that our sins might be remitted.

What then shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, His servants you are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness. No, grace does not do away with the immutable spiritual law of God. Ironically, Satan's main way of deceiving humans is to portray God as oppressive and tyrannical, as we shall see it as ironic because Satan is the world's most brutal tyrant. Never forget it. Satan is the world's most brutal tyrant, yet he poses as the great liberator. Almost every tyrant poses as the great liberator. God labels Satan as a tyrant who rules his prisoners in anger. Let's go to Isaiah 14 and Isaiah 14 and verse 4.

You shall take up this proverb against the king of Babylon and say, and the king of Babylon is a type of Satan the devil, type and a type, how has the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased? The literal translation of the golden city is the exactress of gold. Of course, one of the things that tyrants have tried to do is to garner all the gold to themselves. The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger is persecuted in non-henders. God has brought him down. Therefore, verse 7, the whole earth is at rest. Verse 12, how are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations? Which did weaken the nations? For you have said in your heart, I will ascend unto heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit upon the mount of the congregation. In the sides of the north I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High. Some translations, commentaries bring out literally, he wants to take the place of the Most High. That's the reason. Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the sides of the pit. They that see you shall narrowly look upon you and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, and did shake kingdoms, that made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the houses of his prisoners? Oh yes, he is a tyrant. In the garden of Eden, Sesant Nasse Eve, if she could eat of every tree of the garden. In other words, are you truly free to do whatever you choose to do? Creating doubt in Eve's mind, Eve replies, We're free to eat of every tree except one. And God has told us that if we eat of that tree, we will surely die. Satan then tells the great grand lie of the ages, You shall not surely die, but your eyes shall be open. You shall be as God's, knowing good and evil. In plain language, Satan portrayed himself as a great liberator. You'll be freed from any of those shackles. You don't have to listen to that. The Apostle Peter describes this strategy. Look at 2 Peter 2, verse 17. 2 Peter 2, verse 17. The Apostle Peter describes this to the tea of Satan posing as the great liberator. If you speak not according to the law and the testimony, it is because there is no truth in them. He that says, he that does not keep God's commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. 2 Peter 2, verse 17. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantedness, those that were clean escape from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter is worse with them than the beginning. It would have been better to have never known the truth.

Jude also warned against those who turned the grace of God in license to sin. You look at Jude as one chapter, so we'll say chapter 1, verse 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was going to write something totally different about everything that you had in common.

The civiousness, lawlessness, license to sin, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt afterward, destroyed them that believed not.

And of course, then Satan the devil, who was cast down. So will you let the Bible be your guide? Will you cleave to the Word of God? Or will you, as some do, some have over the past, cleave to flatterers, trying to gain advantage through flattery? You know, Absalom was a prime example of this. Absalom, and of course you might say, well, he had a right to because one of his brothers had raped his sister, Tamar. Absalom killed him. And then he had to flee, and he was gone for quite a long time. Then Joab began to intercede really for Absalom with David to bring him back. And eventually they brought him back. And what did he do? Well, you look here at 1 Kings 15, you'll see what he did. He stole the hearts of the children of Israel. He led a great rebellion against his father, David. And virtually everyone had gone with Absalom. Some commentators estimate as few as 300 people were with David. Of course, you know the story of how Absalom wound up. His horse ran under a tree. His beautiful flowing locks were caught in the tree and jerked him off his horse, and there he was. And yet David wept for him. 1 Kings 15.1. Now in the 18th year, 2 Kings undoubtedly. I'm going to error in my notes, so... 2 Kings 15.1. That's where I was in the first place. I want 1 Kings. It's in the book, I'm sure. Yeah, I was right in the first place. Now in the 18th year, King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, the son of Nebat, reigned, abides him over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem, and his mother... Well, that's not right either. Now go back to 2 Kings. It's got to be there. It's in the book. 2 Samuel 15. I don't know how the world kings got in there. It must have been the devil, did it? 2 Samuel 15. It came to pass after this that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. And it was so that any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment. Then Absalom called unto him and said, O that of what city are you? And he said, Your servant is one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See your matters are good and right, but there is no man deputate of the king to hear you. Absalom said, Mow over, O that I were made judge in the land, that every man which has any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice.

And it was so that when any man came, nigh to him, to do him obesience, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment. And Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. See, God expects us to seek his truth and obey him from the heart with no ulterior motives.

Of course, Absalom had an ulterior motive in feigning to be the one who would bring justice to the people. And he rebelled against his father David and suffered the consequences thereof. God is love. It says that in John 4.8 and 1 John 4.8 and 1 John 4.16. Let's turn there. In 1 John 4.16, we'll quote 1 John 4.8, God is love, for God is love. In 1 John 4 and verse 16, we'll start to read, And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in the world.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us. Now right here I'm going to interject the two great commandments. Remember Matthew 22 verse 37, 38, 39, long and dear.

They came to Jesus and said, Master, what is the greatest commandment? Jesus said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. And the second is likened to it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Then he said, On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. A whole ball of wax on these two. And now we will see in these two verses that those two commandments are really reciprocals. What do I mean by reciprocals? You can't have love without the other. You can't love God and not love your brother. And you can't love your brother and not love God. So verse 20, If any man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he's a liar. For he that loves not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loves God, loves his brother also. Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, is begotten of God, and everyone that loves him, that beget, loves him also, that is begotten of him. But this we know, by this we know, we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous. So that's the way that God wants us to be. He wants us to have unfeigned love for him and for the brethren. There is no ulterior motive. He wants us to seek him, to seek peace, and to seek it fervently. And now we've had the special music of Psalm 25, and we're going to close with Psalm 25. So let's go there in Psalm 25. Quite sobering. Sobering to hear some of the words sung. And let's really focus on these words, because it summarizes to a large degree what we have said. Unto you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, my life essence, my inner being. O my God, I trust in you. Let me not be ashamed. Let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yes, let none that wait on you be ashamed. Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show me your ways, O Lord. Teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation.

On you do I wait all the day. Remember, O eternal, your tender mercies and your loving kindness. For you have ever been of old. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions. According to your mercy, remember you me. For your goodness sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord. Therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, and to such is keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your name's sake, O Lord. Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. What man is he that fears the eternal? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn you unto me and have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged. O bring you me out of the distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Consider mine enemies, for they are many, and they that hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul and deliver me. Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in you. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait on you. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all of his troubles. May God redeem all of us out of our troubles, and may we remember the keys to seeking him, to seek him with our whole heart in love and pain.