Sermon #12351 Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE
Text: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Subject: The Fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel
Introduction:
I am not talking about Papists, Hindus, Buddhist, and Mohammed’s. I am talking about men and women who profess to know, worship, trust, and serve the living God by faith in his Son Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our friends, relatives, and neighbors, having turned away from the truth have been turned unto fables.
Three Fables
1. "God loves everyone." He does not! Nowhere does the Bible say or imply that he does. In fact, the Bible plainly tells us that God does not love everyone (Ps. 11:5; 7:11; Rom. 9:13; Isa. 43:1-5).
(Psalms 7:11) "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalms 11:5) "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." (Romans 9:13) "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Isaiah 43:1-5) "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (2) When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (3) For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. (4) Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. (5) Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;""God is love." We rejoice in that. But God’s love is in Christ. In the Bible there is no assurance of God’s love given to anyone apart from faith in Christ.
2. "The Lord Jesus Christ died to redeem and save all people." He did not! In a moment, I will show you more from the scriptures on this point. But, for now, let me simply state this fact - The Bible nowhere teaches or implies that Christ died for, redeemed, or came to save those multitudes who are at last lost in hell. Those for whom Christ died shall never die! The Son of God redeemed all whom he came to redeem, and he shall save all whom he came to save.
3. "The Holy Spirit of God is doing all that he can to save all people." You know that is not true. There are multitudes to whom the Spirit of God has never even sent his Word. The Bible says nothing of the Spirit trying to reprove, trying to convince, or trying to regenerate. The Bible declares, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing."
The whole religious world, to one degree or another, declares that salvation is accomplished by the will of man, the worth of man, and the work of man. But the Word of God declares that salvation is by the will of God alone, the worth of Christ alone, and the work of the Holy Spirit alone.
Now it is my responsibility, as the servant of God, to do what I can to stop the mouths of the religious gainsayers and rescue perishing sinners from their pernicious lies. And Paul tells me that the way to do that is to simply, unceasingly preach sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1-2; Tit. 2:1; 1 Tim. 4:6). (1 Timothy 4:6) "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." (2 Timothy 4:1-2) "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." (Titus 2:1) "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:"Proposition: No pastor is faithful to his calling, charge, and responsibility as God’s messenger to men who does not faithfully instruct men and women in sound doctrine, with distinctive clarity and in unmistakable terms. Sound doctrine is essential both to the salvation of sinners and to the spiritual stability and maturity of God’s saints (Eph. 4:14; 1 Tim. 4:16).
(Ephesians 4:14) "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" (1 Timothy 4:16) "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."Fundamentals
A. God is the sovereign Creator of all things (Gen. 1:1).
II. ALL MEN AND WOMEN BY NATURE ARE TOTALLY DEPRAVED (Rom. 3:9-19).
(Romans 3:9-19) "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; (10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (13) Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (14) Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood: (16) Destruction and misery are in their ways: (17) And the way of peace have they not known: (18) There is no fear of God before their eyes. (19) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Ephesians 2:1-5) "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: (2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)" Do you know what happened in the Garden of Eden?(Describe the Fall).
The doctrine of man’s original sin and total depravity does not mean that all men are as sinful and corrupt in their behavior as they can be. God will not allow men in this world to be as wicked in deed as we all are in heart. When we talk about man’s total depravity, we are talking about spiritual death and moral inability (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3). (Romans 5:12) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Here are seven effects of Adam’s fall upon the human race...Those things are true of all men and women by nature.A. Man cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).
B. Man cannot understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14).
C. Man cannot do anything pleasing to God (Rom. 8:8).
D. Man cannot hear the Word of God (John 8:43).
E. Man cannot receive the Spirit and truth of God (John 14:17).
F. Man cannot come to the Son of God (John 6:44).
G. Man cannot call Christ Lord (1 Cor. 12:3).
H. Man cannot believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 12:39-40).
(John 12:39-40) "Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, (40) He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
Total depravity means that you cannot be saved by your free will, or your works. Total depravity means that "Salvation is of the Lord," entirely. If ever you are saved you must be saved by grace alone.
Because we are sinners, we are all deserving of God’s everlasting wrath in hell. We are justly condemned. And unless God saves us by his almighty grace, we will forever die. That’s the bad news. But here is the good news.
III. GOD ALMIGHTY, FROM OLD ETERNITY CHOSE SOME OF ADAM’S FALLEN RACE TO SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST, AND HIS LOVING CHOICE OF SOME WAS AN UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION OF GRACE (Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; John 15:16).
(John 15:16) "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (Ephesians 1:4) "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." If you read the Bible at all, you know that election is a Bible doctrine. And if you understand what the Bible teaches about election, you know that it is a precious Bible doctrine.A. The cause of our election was the love of God (Jer. 31:3).
B. The time of our election was before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).
C. The only condition of our election was the will of God. "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy."
D. The object of our election was our everlasting salvation in perfect holiness - Conformity to Christ (Eph. 1:4).
E. The comfort of our election is the immutability of our God (Mal. 3:6).
IV. IN THE FULNESS OF TIME THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR AND EFFECTUALLY REDEEMED ALL GOD’S ELECT (Isa. 53:8; John 10:11, 15, 26; Heb. 9:12; Gal. 3:13).
(Isaiah 53:8) "He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken." (John 10:11) "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:15) "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:26) "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." (Galatians 3:13) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Hebrews 9:12) "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."We believe, according to the Scriptures that Christ died for and redeemed God’s elect. His blood was not shed in vain. Our Savior’s limited atonement was and is the effectual redemption of his people. The atonement of Christ is limited in scope, but not in efficacy. It was limited in design, but not in merit - "It is finished!"
The issue of the gospel is not the bare fact that Christ died, but "HOW that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3). This is how he died...
(1 Corinthians 15:1-3) "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;"V. SALVATION IS WROUGHT IN GOD’S ELECT BY THE IRRESISTIBLE POWER AND GRACE OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (Ps. 65:4).
(Psalms 65:4) "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple." (Psalms 110:3) "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth."A. Conviction is the work of the Spirit (John 16:8-11).
(John 16:8-11) "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
B. Regeneration (the new birth) is the work of the Spirit (John 3:3).
(John 3:3-7) "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."C. Calling is the work of the Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13-14).
(2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."D. Faith is the work of the Spirit (Eph. 1:19).
(Ephesians 1:19) "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," (Ephesians 2:8-9) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Colossians 2:12) "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."VI. EVERY BELIEVER SHALL PERSEVERE IN FAITH, BECAUSE ALL WHO TRUST CHRIST ARE INFALLIBLY PRESERVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD (John 10:28; Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:5).
(Ecclesiastes 3:14) "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him." (John 10:28) "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (Philippians 1:6) "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (1 Peter 1:5) "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."Here are four bold challenges of faith (Rom. 8:31-39).
(Romans 8:28-39) "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (31) What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. (34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."VII. ALL WHO ARE IN CHRIST ARE FREE FROM THE LAW (Rom. 6:14, 15; 7:4; 10:4).
(Romans 6:14-15) "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." (Romans 7:4) "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (Romans 10:4) "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."In Christ we are freed from...
Application:
1. I call upon you who hear my voice to make your calling and election sure - "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Faith in Christ is both the fruit and the proof of -
(Psalms 115:1) "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."
(1 Corinthians 1:26-31) "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: (27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (29) That no flesh should glory in his presence. (30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (Colossians 2:9-10) "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."(Revelation 5:9-14) "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (11) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; (12) Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (13) And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (14) And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."
AMEN!