Our Responsiblity

Many do not believe that Christ is coming, that Christ is returning. And today we live in a world which is in absolute chaos. I really appreciate the sermonette that highlighted how we live in a world where there's no truth. I can imagine somebody talking to a leader of the nation and says, well, this is truth. He says, what is truth? I mean, because today anybody says something, you don't know if it's truth. What is truth?

Because that's the world we live in. So I appreciate the sermonette was very well put together. And really what we know is, Satan is the father of lies. So we live in a world where Satan is very active. But due to these things, the lack of truth and people pulling out in their different ways, we have a lot of division in the world.

A lot of division. People are divided over many things. They have different opinions. Countries are divided. Even people in the church, sometimes they rub with one another the wrong way and people say some things and sometimes they are little arguments or sometimes they get big arguments or somebody gets offended and then the person is crying because somebody else offended him or her. And we have to be careful on these matters because, as we heard in the sermonette, iniquity is abounding and the love of many is waxing cold.

So we really got to be careful with that. But when we look at an international point beyond just the church, but the principle that I'm going to be talking about today applies individually and internationally, but when we look at an international level of peacemaking, we have failed miserably. We, as human beings, we have failed miserably.

And so the conclusion is, brethren, there's only one solution and you and I know it. We have been preaching it for years. It's nothing new and that the solution is Christ's coming to establish the government of God on earth and to bring us peace. That is the only hope for mankind. It's the only hope for all of us. If you would not come, we would really have the end of the world.

That's a fact. And in the sermonette you turned to Matthew 24 and you know in Matthew 24 when it says if those days would not be shortened, there would no flesh be alive. So it would be the end of society as we know it. So God has to intervene at that time. But there also in Matthew 24 it says you know that at the time of the end things will be very tough and it will be just like in the days of Noah.

You know that section, but in case that because maybe it's a section that we don't read too often, let's just turn to it. So let's go to Matthew 24 and we're going to read that in verse 37. So in Matthew 24 verse 37, let's just actually start reading in verse 36. But of that day and hour no man knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark. So people were going happy-go-lucky, everything is going, yes, there's difficulties, there's trials, but yeah, things were bad.

But some people just had like proverbial ostrich, they were dead in the sand and they would just keep going along. But the question is, how were things in the days of Noah? How were things in the days of Noah? So let's quickly look at that by turning to Genesis chapter 6. To Genesis chapter 6. And in Genesis chapter 6, starting, that section talks about the flood. And then starting, I want to focus in verse 11 and 12, it says, The earth also was corrupt.

Brethren, today the earth is corrupt. And then it says, before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Brethren, the earth is filled with violence. We still have some pockets or areas in where there's some peace. But there is violence out there. You see some of the recent shootings at schools and other things. People are just violent. People are violent.

People are violent on the roads. Really, people are violent in every way in the society. And we continue reading in verse 12. So God looked upon the earth and indeed it was corrupt. For all the flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And that's how the world is today. All the flesh have corrupted their way on earth. So what is the problem? The problem is us, the problem is the carnal mind. The problem is us with our human reasoning apart from God.

That's our problem. That's us. You see, we have sinned. We as nations have sinned. And we are very, very responsible for what is happening. You see, there's nothing wrong with human reasoning, with thinking and being able to meditate and be able to reason things. God's given us a brain. And God wants you and I to use our brain the right way. But there is a wrong way. And the wrong way is when we do it apart from God. When our human reasoning is not according to God's principles, that is the problem.

And therefore, our reasoning becomes perverted. And the end result is the whole earth is corrupt. That is what we have today. Basically, what we have is people are rejecting God's truth. As we heard in the sermon, it, thy word is truth. God's Bible, God's Word is true. God never lies. He's yes, He's yes. And He's no, He's no. He's true. He's not subtle in deception like Satan is true. That's why you and I can trust in God. Because He does not lie. In other words, that's why you and I can have faith in God. Because He never lies. Because His Word is truth.

So, what do we have is God has created us with the capability to make choices. Because He wants us to be children of God in the kingdom of God. And so, we go back right to the beginning, as Mr. Armstrong often used to say, there's two trees, remember? There's two trees. Well, some of the younger ones probably don't remember. But those of us that have been around will remember practically every time Mr. Armstrong gets back to the two trees. You know, there's a tree of life and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which basically is the tree of death.

Why? Because you're mixing truth with lie in a subtle way that you can't discern what is truth. What is truth? Because it's so twisted that it appears wrong. You see, God has given us a free moral agency.

God wants us to choose. You know, scriptures like Deuteronomy 30. Let's look at it, please.

Deuteronomy 30 verse 15. Deuteronomy 30 verse 15.

See, I've set before you today life and good, death and evil.

Brethren, God has set before you and I two trees, a tree of life and a tree of death.

God has given us an opportunity to choose. In other words, now I'm saying it in a little bit of jest, but it is a truth.

If you look at it in this context, God is pro-choice. He wants you to choose, but he wants you to choose life. So God is pro-life. You see, it's not two opposites.

God wants us to choose, but he says, choose life for your own good.

But he gives us the freedom of choice. And you read a little later in verse 19. I called heaven and earth as witness today against you that I've set before you life and death. It was these two trees. You and I have choices in our lives every day.

We've got to choose for Jesus. Do I go and pray now, or do I go and do something else?

Or am I going to do bubble study now? I'm going to do something else.

When somebody says something to us and we are stressed, how are we going to react in a nice way or another nice way? We always have the freedom of choice. Regrettably, we all somehow occasionally fail. We do. We human beings. We're growing. I'm not saying we don't fail, but we're trying to do better. And hopefully, we are trying to do better. You see, we have freedom of choice. Yes, we do. God has given us freedom of choice, but God wants us to choose what is right.

Turn with me to Deuteronomy 10, which is just a few pages before where we're a moment ago in Deuteronomy 31. In Deuteronomy 10, verse 12 and 13, Deuteronomy 10, verse 12 and 13, it says, And now, Israel, what does God require of you? What does God require of me? If you're a young man or a young lady in a church, your teenager, and you may ask, what does God expect of me?

That's a fair question. What does God expect of you? And then you read, but to fear the Lord your God. Now, that's not terror, but it's respect. You and I need to respect God. Why? So that we walk in His ways and love Him. We heard that in the sermon as well.

We've got to show proper respect and love to God. To serve the Lord God. Oh, is it just because God just wants to be served and wants to be loved then? And that, no! It says, if you do that, you keep God's commandments. Why? You read at the end of verse 13, for your good. God wants you to choose life for your good. He's not a dictator. He says, I can do this. Now, He says, choose. But please choose what is good for you.

Please choose what's going to make you happy. Or, you see, the carnal mind always thinks that, oh, this doing this little thing is going to give me pleasure. But you know that ultimately, it brings a lot of suffering. A lot of suffering. Often, we as young children, young teenagers, oh, mom and dad doesn't know what they're talking about. I want to do my own thing.

Regrettably, when we do our own thing, sooner or later, we're going to burn our fingers. We're going to get burned. We're going to get hurt. And what happens? There's going to be consequences. Now, I hope and pray that when you do something wrong, I'm not hoping and praying for you to do something wrong. But I hope and pray that when you do something wrong, it will not be something too serious that you won't have serious consequences. I know some young people. They were of my age at that time in the early 70s. And they went to a river, and they jumped and dived in the river. But you know, you've got to be careful when you dive in a river. And what happened? He hit the head on a rock, and he broke his vertebrae right by the neck. He's paraplegic all his life since today, since then till today. He made one mistake, one mistake.

But the consequences are for the rest of his life. You know, young people, you don't want to make one mistake that is going to have consequences for the rest of your life, and is going to make your life miserable all your life till you die. Because God can heal you, of course. But God might not heal you. You see, so yeah, we all make mistakes. But I think we as parents pray that our children's mistakes will be quote-unquote small ones that will have small consequences, so that they learn from it and they repent. Because we as parents want you to be healthy, to be well, to prosper.

Don't we? Which parent does not want his child to be well? Of course we all want.

But we understand that sometimes we're going to keep our hands off and allow the children to make a decision. And so we as parents, we try and train them as much as possible before they get to that teenage age where they want to say, well, I want to try it for myself to see if mom and dad is really true. But we hope and pray you don't get hurt in that trying. Don't get hurt too much.

So that because you will come back, you'll realize, hey, mom and dad, we're right. But you don't want to have these bad consequences. God is the same thing. God wants you to be happy.

So young people, remember, God wants you to be happy. God's laws are not a burden.

Or you may think it's a burden because I can't go and play hockey on the Sabbath or whatever it is.

But you know what? That's small stuff.

There's a lot bigger things that God wants to give you.

And yes, we have to be faithful to the end, but he's got great things to give you.

I mean, this past week, some of you saw I did not have a chance. I heard about it. I really want to look at it. But some of you may have seen some of the pictures that came from this James Webb telescope, whatever it is. They came out some stunning, from what I hear, stunning. I haven't seen them yet, but my wife saw a few and a few people told me. And I saw a few pictures of them, but I didn't go to that NASA website where it's got those real high-quality pictures.

There are things in God's creation that we cannot see, that we cannot even begin to see, and with some technology now, we're starting to see some things. But God has so much in weight for you. Young children, it's worth it. Teenagers, it's worth it.

But you see what's happening is, none of us is righteous. We all have sinned. If I tell you, I have never sinned, I'm a liar. You know, the Bible says that, right? If anybody says that he has never sinned, he's a liar. But we know in Romans 2 and 3, there's no righteous, no, no one. Let's turn with me to Romans chapter 3. Turn with me, please, to Romans chapter 3.

Starting at inverse stem.

It says, that's written, there's none righteous. No, not one.

You cannot say, there's none righteous except, and put your name there, except George. No, there's none righteous, including George. Put your own name there. We all sinners. So, what happens is, as we read that section, you read towards verse 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways. And that's what we have in the world today, brethren. Isn't that what we have in the world today? Destruction and misery. We have pain. We have sorrow. We have suffering. A lot of people say, why is there suffering? Well, if there was a God, there would be no suffering. Well, there is a God. But why is there suffering? Because God's giving you an high free moral agency. The suffering is our fault. We're causing it. Maybe not you individually, but others like you, around you, some mankind in general, we're causing suffering.

And then we're reading verse 17. And the way of peace they've not known.

And then it ties to what we mentioned earlier on. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

You know, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. The beginning of happiness and joy is respect for God. Because God only wants what's good for you. You see, there's a way of peace. It says there, verse 17, in the way of peace they don't know. God's way is the way of peace.

But what do you and I see today in society? There is a complete, basic spirit of irreverence, disrespect and disdain for the next person next to you.

You just have to drive through these lovely highways of Dallas and Fort Worth.

Right? Today I was driving very happily out here, and somebody, I was on the right lane, the slow lane, but you know, going at 60 plus, whatever it is, going on to nearly 70. And this guy just came in front of me. If I had not avoided and ran onto the emergency lane, he would have hit me. And all it was is because he wanted to go and exit, and he just put me.

Brethren, you and I need God's protection all the time, particularly when we live in the small, in the society.

But there is a complete lack of reverence and respect for your neighbor. People don't love God, and don't love their neighbor.

That's basically what God's commandments are all about. For our good.

You see, what do we have? We live in a society, and we look at it individually, and we look at a national level.

We're the same spirit is there. What do we have? These mad dictators in nations, where they're absolutely mad, and they go out and destroy and bombard other nations just because they want more power.

Not mention any names, but you know what I'm talking about.

So, what do we have? We have what is actually prophesied by Paul when he wrote to Timothy, and turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter 3.

Starting in verse 1, it says, For you know that in the last days perilous times, in other words, difficult times, very difficult times. In my margin says times of stress.

Well, do we live in times of stress? Oh boy, do we live in times of stress. So, we live in difficult times. We'll come for men, we'll be lovers of God. No, no, it doesn't say that. They'll be lovers of themselves. Lovers of money.

You know when we live in a society which is prosperous, where there's a lot of people with a lot of money, we've got to be careful. That does not impact you and I.

Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despises of good. Man, there's enough adverbs here talking about the society, isn't it?

It's pretty bad. And you know what? You can relate to this.

I believe you can relate to it and say, yeah, that's exactly what we've got.

Traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Having a form of godliness. Oh yeah, they all go to church. Well, nowadays, probably quite a few people go to church, but they all have the their own religion, but deny the power of God.

And from such, turn away. And if you're a teenager, that is not easy, because you want to be accepted by society. You want to be accepted by those around you.

And then in verse 8 it says, well, it's like there were some people... Well, look at verse 7. Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Ties in beautifully with our seminary today, doesn't it? They're all learning? Oh yeah, you've got everything. It says there'll be increasing knowledge, remember? Daniel said, I mean, you want to know something? Just Google it.

Just Google it. Just Google it. There is no answer. You know, increasing knowledge is there everywhere.

I mean, Google isn't become a verb now. The act of Googling.

Well, not Googling, but anyway, whatever, that is... Just Google it.

So, you have knowledge at your fingertips, but knowledge is not wisdom.

You see, knowledge is not wisdom.

Knowledge applied incorrect is a recipe for disaster.

So, you see, always learning never come to the knowledge of what is right and wrong. Why? Because they don't fear God and they don't listen to the foundation of truth, which is your Bible and my Bible, God's Word. That's the problem.

And then in verse 8 says, like there were these two individuals that resisted Moses, so do these people today that live around us with these sort of attitudes, resist what? The truth.

To me, the biggest resistance of truth is to recognize when a baby is born that actually is a boy or a girl.

I mean, you can't be more basic truth to determine you look and you can see. Oh no, you see, they resist the truth.

Men of corrupt minds disapproved concerning the faith, God's truth, God's way. And then you read in verse 13, these evil men and impostors will grow better and better. Or now. Now, will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. They deceiving, say, oh well, but they themselves are deceived. Is this today's society or not? Is this the world we live in today or not?

I think you will agree with me that it is. This is so aptly describing today's society.

And brethren, I am not being critical of America because the same thing in Brazil, is the same thing in Europe, is the same thing everywhere.

Because there is a spirit of the world pervasive all over society at this time. It is what is happening to the whole world. You know, you remember, if I tell you there is a scripture that talks about the heart of man is deceitful about all things, would you know what that is? You probably would. You probably can say the book, the chapter and the verse.

Jeremiah 17 verse 9, the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it. And that's where we live in.

You see, what we have is knowledge of the world, worldly knowledge, which is pride, based in pride. Now think about it. That was Satan's original sin, pride. Yes, he lied, he said, but he was proud, he was arrogant. I will ascend to the throne of, I will be like the most I, I will, you know that.

It's pride. And that's why Christ started the Sermon of the Mount with the very first beatitude, which is what?

Humility.

Humility. And we as servants of God, there is the basic attitude that you and I need to have.

Humility. Humility.

As deacons and as ministers of God, we need to be humble.

I remember I ordained an elder in Brazil.

And we went through the process and said, I'm ready to ordain you, but I will not ordain you for another six months, because I want to watch you, whether you remain humble. Not that he had a problem. As I was saying, we live in a society in which to mankind, they think that their way is the right way. They think they have the answers.

And because of the arrogance and because of their thinking that they have all the answers, we have problems and we have little wars and big wars.

A book that covers this in amazing detail is the book of James. And in James, we find, in chapter 4, James chapter 4. If you turn with me to James chapter 4.

It asks, where do wars and fights come from among you?

You know, brethren, who is James asking this to? Who is you?

You see, you just have to turn a few pages earlier, and James, writing chapter 1 verse 1, he says, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, the bond servant of God, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. So he's actually writing to the twelve tribes, and specifically, he's writing to Christians of the different tribes scattered abroad.

So he's now asking, in chapter 4, asking where do wars and fights come from among you?

And this is very pertinent to us for Christians, because, yeah, maybe we don't have wars and fights, but we may have disagreements. And so we can look at this principle amongst us, and we can look at this principle internationally, because it's the same principle. So why are there divisions and fights and disagreements? He says, because they come from our desires for pleasure. In other words, we want our way. It's going to be my way or the highway. You know, it's going to be what I think it needs to be done. It's my way, my idea. And basically, what you and I have to is become humble and give a chance to other people. We need to give a chance to others.

It is very important for us to give a chance to others. And so, then James goes a little bit further and he says, do you think that Scripture says in vying, the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealousy? Obviously, it's not God's Spirit, because God's Spirit is the Spirit of peace.

But it's our human Spirit, our carnal mind, that if we allow our carnal mind to go the wrong way, we then go in the wrong direction. And we've got to be careful. That's why he says, God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. What you and I need to do is to be humble, to be teachable, to be meek. Yeah, sometimes it's not my way, but that's okay. We've got to look for the well-being of one another. And so, the first point that we need to have when we have situations like this, we need to be able to forgive. If somebody's done something wrong against us, we've got to forgive. And that's why Christ forgiving us, Christ's forgiveness, is such a blessing. You know, the wages of sin is death, but you and I can have eternal life because it's a gift from God. Why? Because he died for us, he paid for our sins, and you and I can have eternal life. But you know the Lord's Prayer, or let's call it the Model Prayer, it says, Forgive us our trespasses, and forgive them the trespass against us. Forgive our sons as we forgive those that sin against us. Us, we forgive them. So, we actually pray and ask God, Don't forgive me if I don't forgive the others. And so, Christ has paid for our forgiveness.

The money is in the bank account, to put it that way.

But you and I can have access to it if we do the same thing for others. And therefore, how can we resolve our problems? We've got to be meek and teachable and humble, and we've got to forgive like Christ has forgiven us. And then, we need a change of heart, of mind. You see, the Spirit that dwells in us, yearns jealousy. So, what are we going to do? We're going to change our minds. God's Holy Spirit is that. God's Holy Spirit works with our spirit. It's the spirit of sanctification, the sanctification of the Spirit. It breaks your conscience, it breaks my conscience, and it says, George, don't do that. So, you read something in the Bible, you respect God, you read something in the Bible, and then God's Holy Spirit breaks your conscience and says, George, don't do that. Put your name there. I'm putting my name. You put your name.

Don't do that. God's Spirit, then, is cleansing us, that sanctification of the Spirit. See, God's Spirit is writing God's laws in our minds and in our hearts. You read that in Hebrews 8 verse 10. God's Spirit, through this new agreement and commitment we made with Thema, and before we received His Spirit and a new agreement we made at baptism, that's our new covenant that we made with God, then He gives us His Spirit by the laying on of hands, and with His Spirit, then, we grow and we change and we change ourselves.

So, as we forgive others, as we allow God's Spirit to work with us, that's the second thing, as we go through a change of mind and heart, you know, that's what the Bible says, put on the all, take off the old man and put on the new man, that's what we're going to do, that's all.

We have peace. That's the way to peace. Will that happen at an international level? No.

Why? Because we need Christ to come to roll with a rod of iron and force these nations to do that. But once there's a change of mind, He doesn't have to force it, because He'll work with them in a loving and kind way. You see, that's why you and I need Christ to come back, to sort the world's problems. You and I can't solve these world's problems. And then the third part is that we're going to submit to God. There it is. Look at in verse 6. God resists the proud, gives grace to the humble. Verse 7, therefore, submit to God. You know, brethren, Satan wants to attack you.

Satan wants to attack me. Satan wants to destroy you, and he wants to destroy me. How does he do that? By making well or saying to you, hey, you know, look at what he's done against you. You know, he's got something against you, or she's got something against you. You know, he is actually treating you badly. Let me ask you, how many church divisions have occurred because people said, I've been treated badly? That is not a justification to start another church.

We have to humble ourselves that we aren't being treated badly.

Wait on God. But that doesn't justify to start another church. But the point is, that's what we need is to change, to be humble. If we be humble, what are we doing? We're resisting the devil, because the devil is the one that inspires these thoughts of, hey, I'm better, I'm being maltreated, and this and that, and yeah, maybe I am being maltreated. I'm not despairing that. But what I'm saying is, we've got to be humble. Submit yourselves to one another. Look at verse 8. Draw near to God, and you'll draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, your sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, you know, repent and mourn. That's through fasting, repent, change, and then be humble. Verse 10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

So, James is asking, why are there wars and fights and divisions amongst us? Why are there little problems amongst us? Because sometimes we're not that humble. We really need to be humble and submissive to God, and being kind to one another, to actually draw closer to God.

Brethren, the world is bad. You and I know the world is very bad.

If the days are not cut short, there will not be any human being alive. But the days will be cut short. God will intervene. We know that. Why? Because God is truth, right? As we heard in the sermon, God is truth, and God said He's going to intervene. God said He's going to come back through His servant Christ, and He, God through Christ, is going to bring us peace.

We believe in that, and we trust that, because God doesn't lie. God is going to intervene.

But what are we going to learn from that? We got to learn that our job is to live a godly life at this time. Our job is to be kind to one another. That's our responsibility. So, brethren, we know that Christ has to intervene in world affairs. We know that is the only solution to the world. But you and I have the opportunity now to qualify to rule with Him. And for you and I to rule with Him, we have to learn ourselves today. I don't mean just today, but during these years ahead, during this life, we have to learn to allow the Father to be in authority over us in our lives and to do His will. And we know that He will intervene. We don't have to doubt. He will intervene. And you and I can give God thanks that God will rule that He will send His Messiah to bring us peace, and there will be peace on earth. Thank God that He is God and that He's going to bring us peace.