The Carnal Christian

The Problem Of Carnal Immaturity

1 Corinthians 3


The English word "carnal" comes from the Greek word "sarkikos" and it means "as pertaining to the flesh".

The Webster dictionary describes "carnal" as pertaining to the flesh, sensual; opposed to spiritual; as a carnal pleasure.

The Bible says:

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

It is obvious that those who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior are indeed carnal and follow the ways of the world or are led by their own desires.

It is also a fact that one who has just accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior." is just one step from where they once were" and still possess a carnal mind.

The reality of Christian life is that there will always be a process of spiritual maturing that follows salvation of each individual!

Each individual must realize that they are a three part being made up of a fleshly body, a carnal mind, and an eternal spirit.

Upon salvation it is only that eternal spirit that is "Born Again"!

Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

So let's continue with the Apostle Paul and the Church at Corinth.

*****1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

We must all realize the distinction between the "spiritual" believer and the "carnal" believer!

The "spiritual" believer is under the control of the Holy Spirit!

The "carnal" believer is still under the control of his own flesh!

A Christian can be carnal and still be saved but they need to examine themselves and make their salvation sure.

This is sometimes the problem with "babes in Christ" who have not "grown in Grace" and "the knowledge" of the Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ!

God expects us all to grow in the ways of the Lord!

When Paul established this church in Corinth, he, himself had stayed for at least 6 months and had taught them.

Apollos had since come and spent some time to help them mature but they had not grown in the Lord and this was the main problem in this church, they had remained as "babes in Christ".

And a baby requires milk rather than meat!

*****1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

What is the milk of the Scriptures?

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be "the first principles of the oracles of God"; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

It is a fact that all Christians differ in their measure of understanding and strength, as well as the gifts of God but every Christian should grow, striving to reach maturity throughout their remaining days.

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Every new child of God is a blessing to God and to the Church but if they remain babes indefinitely they are of no use to God and they will drag down the Church rather than help it grow!

When we allow our old nature to take control of our actions then we are still acting the way the world does and the world will see no difference in the Christian and the lost.

The way we lead our life, the way the world sees us, is our most important witnessing tool.

Today here in these United States we see the Church looking more like the world every day!

The modern day Church have rejected the meat of the Word of God calling it old fashioned and not ready for the modern times and the Church is sinking and unproductive in the things of God!

The Church can no longer discern between whats good and whats evil!

This was a problem in the days of Paul and the same problem exist today!

How can we tell, the same way the Apostle Paul could tell!

*****1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

These things are all manifestations of the flesh!

Envying is also jealousy and rivalry.

These are the same sins that have disgraced the Church from it's early beginning!

Every Church that displays these things to the world is walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit nor
walking in the Lord!

The truth of salvation rests solely upon the completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ, but rewards are to be earned by "our spiritual service for God" and will be according to the quality of our works and not the quantity!

A carnal Christian has only a fleshly service that is perishable and will suffer a loss of reward at the "judgment seat of Christ"!

The doctrine of Jesus Christ and His becoming our Mediator between us and God are the principle doctrines of Christianity!

How do we know we are in the last of the Church Ages?

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

If Jesus is standing at the door and He is knocking, then He is trying to get back on the inside of the Church, no one knockes to go outside!

Take a serious look and you will see that Our Lord And Savior is being kicked out of the modern day Church!

The Church is walking as men "who have made no confession of faith" and not walking with the Holy Spirit!

The carnality of the Church can be seen as it allows the views of the world to mix with the elements of the new life it has received by Jesus Christ!

*****1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

The question Paul is asking is "are you not influenced by mere human passions"?

ALL those that are influenced by men rather than the Word of God are truly carnal in their behavior!

This happens when we do not take the Word of God literal!

Jesus says this about those that bring the Word of God to us:

Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

A minister is then, no more than the chief servant of the Lord.

It is the Word of God itself that we are to live by and not the words of any man and not some commentary written by some man!

*****1Co 3:5  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

It is not easy to learn that the planter or the waterer are nothing but the messengers of God but the absolute truth is that once saved we must become instruments in the hands of God for His use!

We are simply God's fellow workers and under a higher authority than we ourselves!

Paul clearly understood this and the Church must understand this also!

Again Jesus had these words:

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: "for without me ye can do nothing".
Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and "my words abide in you", ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

When we think of ourselves as some one mighty in the work of God or we think of other men as some one mighty in the work of the Lord we are only deceiving ourselves!

Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

We are simply laborers together with God!

*****1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
1Co 3:10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Husbandry refers to a farmer and the principles of farming.

As God's husbandry, we are simple farmers who till the soil of that one who is lost or we are the ones who water the field to that one who needs to grow in Christ!

This lost world is God's field to bring forth His harvest and we are but workers in God's field!

We are God's building, means that after our salvation, we are being constructed for God's use and He does this by filling us with His own Holy Spirit!

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people".

When we think of ourselves or some preacher as something greater than these things we are ignoring the plan of God!

The Apostle Paul says it takes a master builder to be smart enough to lay a proper foundation!

And there is only one foundation that is the proper foundation of the Church!

*****1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

This means not some mere abstract doctrine of Jesus Christ but "that Jesus Christ Himself, His person, His deity", must be the foundation of every church, and every group of believers!

God has laid this foundation of His Son and mankind cannot lay a better foundation than God!

Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Those that pervert the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" are cursed of the God they say they serve!

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ "depart from iniquity".

No part of any structure can be built without a solid foundation and be expected to stand!

God's created world is the foundation of life of the cosmos!

Jesus Christ was the Creator before He became our Savior!

The record of our created world back in the Book of Genesis is the foundation of the revelation of God!

Jesus Christ, first our Creator, then our Redeemer, is the only foundation of any true and Lasting Christian Life!

1Pe 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

It is only after the foundation of Jesus Christ has been laid that the house of God can be built!

*****1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Gold and silver can go through the fire and come out purer.

Precious stones can go through the fire and the fire will have no effect on them. Granite and natural stone, actual building materials can withstand the hottest of fires.

That fire that is to be revealed is God's judgment!

2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

It is a fact that wood, hay, and stubble will not withstand any fire at all!

The Apostle Paul had laid the proper foundation in every church he had established but if those that came behind him or those in that church did not properly build onto that foundation then their work would fail.

Jesus said these things:

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Any church not built upon the knowledge of Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God, will not be able to stand against the gates of Hell!

If Jesus Christ is only a man then the Church will one day fall from existence!

Jesus Christ must our Prophet who proclaims the truth of God!

Jesus Christ must be our High Priest who stands between us and God and provide the proper sacrifice.

Jesus Christ must be our King who claims our love, our loyal obedience and our thanksgivings and our worship.

It is the Divine presence of the Lord Jesus Christ that must dwell in our hearts!

There is good teaching about Christ and there is bad teaching about Christ.

Good teaching is the showing forth of Christ Jesus and His Word and in His Life in our own lives and it is these things that will be rewarded at the "Judgment seat of Christ"!

*****1Co 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Many things go on in the modern day church called the outreach of the church.

If we consider the outreach of the church as the walls of the building, then we can be sure that fire will destroy walls that are built of shoddy material, such as wood, hay, and stubble!

At the "judgment seat of Christ", Christ will reveal the worthlessness of some of the church work that is being done and that has been done since it's beginning.

All those that are responsible for these things will suffer a loss of rewards but as one who escapes a burning building they will escape with their lives!

All those that build on anything other than Jesus Christ will suffer loss!

We already know that it is God that controls the increase of the church so quantity is in His hands.

Therefore these Scriptures are referring to the "quality of the work" and "the motivation of the church" and also each individual believer.

It is very important that we assemble as the "Body Of Christ" but of as great an importance "we will be judged for what we do outside the walls of the church".

The reward for attending church is becoming a better disciple of Christ for the work outside the church!

The rewards at the "judgment seat of Christ" is taking that knowledge and teaching all who cross our path of the love of God and His Redeemer!

We are called of God to contribute our share, to the building of saved souls to become a place that God dwells through the Holy Spirit!

Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

In addition to this main thing we must not neglect the building of our character on the "one foundation" of Jesus Christ!

It is a fact that all are saved who have made Jesus Christ the foundation of their lives!

It is also a fact that they remained saved, though the work that have done has accomplished nothing in the building of the "Body of Christ"!

And it is a fact the God will judge the work of His Church before He will judge this world!

1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that "judgment must begin at the house of God": and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We must consider that no matter what we do and no matter where we go, we are carrying with us the Holy Spirit of God!

*****1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Every believer on the things of Jesus Christ will certainly come face to face with Jesus one day, therefore it is vital that we live in daily obedience to the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit.

We must die daily to our own wishes and pick up our own cross and follow the Lord!

There are many who say that God speaks to them!

That "still small voice" comes from within each believer is the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will never go against the Word of God and will always lead us in the ways of Jesus Christ!

Anything that goes against the Word of God is not following the lead of the Holy Spirit!

We must be especially respectful of our bodies and what we do with them for we that are saved house the "Glory of the Lord"!

Php 2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, "among whom ye shine as lights in the world";
Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

If we are not rejoicing in the day of the Lord now, we certainly will not be rejoicing in the Lord on our own day of judgment and we are deceiving ourselves if we think so!

*****1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

God says it takes a fool to reject the Lord Jesus Christ as the One and Only Redeemer!

We are not to reject the knowledge of this world because we still live in this world, but God says we are not to glory in that knowledge.

The truth is that God's way of thinking goes far beyond our own way of thinking!

What is the truth?

All the things of God's creation will serve each man and woman who serves Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ came down to this earth to do the will of His Father in Heaven!

Luk 22:27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but "I am among you as he that serveth".

When we are serving the Lord Jesus we are serving the great purposes of God!

God will then allow His entire creation to serve the individual believer who place their trust in Him.

This includes the extremes of our own existence, the extremes of His creation and the extremes of the duration of our own lifetime!

Rom 8:28  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".

Those that depend on the wisdom of this world will find out that the extremes of this world will not serve them.

The preaching of the cross may be foolishness to all those that are unsaved but their own wisdom is even more foolishness with God!

Psa 7:14  Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
Psa 7:15  He made a pit, and digged it, "and is fallen into the ditch which he made".
Psa 7:16  His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

*****1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

God knows "the plans" of those that think they rule this world but only God's plan will be fulfilled!

God knows "the purposes" of those that think the wisdom will prevail but only God's purpose will remain in the end!

God knows "the designs" of those that think they are so wise but we know that Moses got the complete design of the Tabernacle from God. The design of the Temple came from God.

The most important design here on earth is the plan of salvation which came down from Heaven!

One day soon we will see God's design of the New Jerusalem and the New Heaven!

It is only God's designs that will prevail!

The thoughts of those who are wise in the ways of the world are vain things in the plan of God because they truly lack real wisdom because real wisdom comes only from the Lord!

Therefore:

*****1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

God says everything belongs to the Church!

We have a great pastor here at Gethsemane but sent him to serve the Church and not the Church to serve him.

There are now and have always been great men of God that have been sent to the Church but they were sent to serve the body of Christ and not for the Body of Christ to serve them!

All the things of this world, all God's creation unfolds to serve the Church in some way!

All things pertaining to life and death belong to the Church because we can begin life eternal while we still are alive!

All things in this present life and all things to come, belong to the Body of Christ!

Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

When we believe all these things, then those few things we suffer in this world cannot compare to the Glory of Christ on the day we will be glorified with Him!

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Those that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ then also belong to God!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Problems With Human Thinking

The Problem Of Human Wisdom

1 Corinthians 2


Wisdom is the right use or the right exercise of knowledge. Wisdom then is discerning or judging what is the most just, most proper, and most useful means to an end result.

Knowledge is a clear and certain perception of things that exist, or the truth and the facts of those things.

We cannot have knowledge of that which does not exist!

The truth is that God has a perfect knowledge of all things that exist but human knowledge is very limited and is mostly gained by observation and experience.

Therefore there are great problems that come from human wisdom!

Humans simply cannot ever know all the things of God!

The problems of divisions in the church at Corinth was caused by an underlying ignorance of the purpose of true preaching.

In last weeks lesson we had this verse:

1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

If we trust human wisdom, then we can never know God!

The truth is, that the Preaching of the Word of God was never meant to be a popularity contest!

The truth is, that if we walk in God's wisdom we will enjoy God's blessings!

*****1Co 2:1  And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

Preaching then should be more about the message than the act of proclaiming that message!

We should not forget that Paul was a highly educated man. Paul studied the Old Testament at the feet of Gamaliel the most noted Doctor of the Mishna in Israel during his day.

The Mishna was a collection of all Jewish traditions and explanations of the Scriptures.

Paul was saying that he came to Corinth and he spoke neither oratorically nor philosophically.

The salvation message of God is simple and it does not require a great speaker!

What is the testimony of God?

1Jn 5:10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

The message of the Gospel is a simple message and not hard to understand and it seems this is why it is so easily tossed aside and rejected but the truth is the most always the simplest answer.

What is the truth of the Gospel?

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

What was the message of the Apostle Paul?

*****1Co 2:2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Paul did not mean for anyone to set aside all human knowledge.

Paul meant that Jesus Christ and Him crucified would always be the central point and the essence of all his knowledge the rest of his own life as a minister of God.

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Salvation can begin immediately to all those that accept this one point in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and there is no more important point to be made in all of Scripture!

Each sinner in need of a Savior has see Christ Jesus as that Savior!

The Apostle Paul preached what he believed!

Sadly many in the pulpits today do not even believe the Word of God that they preach and it effects the message that they have in a most negative way!

The truth is "faith" produces "faith"!

And without "faith" we cannot begin to please God!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

It is these truths that made this mighty man of God so humble in the pulpit!

*****1Co 2:3  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

The proper state of mind to preach the "Gospel" must always be the opposite of self-confidence!

The success of the "Gospel" does not depend on the skill of the preacher, but wholly on the the work of the Holy Spirit!

The act of saving faith is not by reason of, and not by arguments addressed to it's understanding, but solely on the power of God and the truth that is accepted in the heart of that one that hears it!

Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

The preacher that knows all these things will trust that the Lord is by his side and any needed strength will come from the Lord by His Holy Spirit!

*****1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

If we remember the Book of Acts, Paul came to Corinth from Athens. In Athens Paul had spoken as many of the philosophers had on Mars Hill.

Philosophical messages do not lead to much results.

A preacher must not ever preach down to those listening.

The message of the Lord must reach out to those who have a need!

When Paul arrived in Corinth he kept the message of the Lord simple!

It is the message of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that remains the most important message of salvation!

Paul did not come to Corinth to persuade men through words of wisdom or enticing words.

It is not important for any preacher or teacher to compete with philosophers or mighty men of wisdom who twist and turn words to meet their goals.

The Word of God is not in competition, the Word of God is simply the truth!

It is important for the man of God to teach the facts of the cross!

It is important for the man of God to stay out of the business of the Holy Spirit because it is only the Holy Spirit who can lead those that hear the "Gospel" to the Lord!

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We cannot become Christians until we allow the "Cross of Jesus Christ" to make it's impression upon us!

If we cannot realize that Christ died so that we can live, we have missed the importance of the Word of God!

The world we live in is becoming more and more resistant to the Laws of God!

The world we live in is ignoring the warnings of God!

The world we live in ignores the God who provides the air we breath and the food we eat and considers God too feeble to be of much help in this world!

But, there are still those in this world that understand the act of self-sacrifice!

God sacrificed Himself so that we can live!

Once we understand the "Mercy" and the "Grace" of God and His desire to save us from sin and destruction and instills in each believer the hope of true life eternal, then salvation is in the asking of God for forgiveness.

Without faith we cannot please God!

The only secure place for faith lies in the Power of God!

Men have theories that change as new things develop.

True science changes when new facts are discovered.

Politicians sell out their influence for money and power!

Philosophy and religion are just man-made words and ideals!

But the "sure" Word of God can be depended on!

What is faith?

Heb 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

1) The substance of faith is in the promises of God!

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

2) The evidence of faith is in seeing in our mind what the eye cannot see.

3) The things that are not seen are the invisible and spiritual world of our Holy God!

When we can get that mental picture of Heaven in all it's glory, then that desire to go home to be with our Savior will remain with us all the days of our life!

Isa 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

*****1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

We know that there are no perfect Christians but Paul is referring to those who are no longer "Babes In Christ" and have moved on to those who are maturing in Christ.

Even a Babe in Christ, though saved, have not reached a point where they can comprehend the wisdom of the Word of God!

The word "world" normally would mean the "Cosmos" which means the material aspects of our world.

Paul uses instead the word "Aeon" which means "the world in it's moral and intellectual aspects".

Paul is saying there is a wisdom that is much higher that that of any man!

Our salvation was purchased by the Son, the Lord Jesus!

Our salvation was planned by the Father, Our Heavenly Father!

Our salvation is eternal because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

To the Church we know we live in the Church Age.

In reality there are only two ages, this Age we live in now and the Age that is to come.

The Age of now began with Adam and will end with the Second coming of Christ.

Most of us will only see a small portion of this Age because we can live only a short period of time.

The Age that is to come is when God Himself will take control of this world and remove all sin and make all things right!

Only for the Christian, the Age that is to come can already be realized and in a sense we are already living in that Age that is to come now after accepting the truth of the Scriptures!.

Only for the Christian do these two Ages over lap!

Only in this Age are the princes of this world allowed to govern and rule under the limits that God has set!

It is obvious that in the end all the rules and the ways of mortal men will come to nothingness!

In all these years of mankind, none have been able, to overcome the truth of God and they never will!

1Jn 5:19  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20  And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

No mere man can obtain the wisdom that is God's only!

*****1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

All human wisdom and philosophy of the world's so-called intellectuals will eventually come to mean nothing.

True wisdom is that wisdom that is centered on Jesus Christ!

This is the wisdom that existed in the heart of God before the world began!

Pro 8:22  The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Pro 8:23  I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Pro 8:35  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

The carnal mind cannot understand the deeper truths of Christianity!

Even a brand new Christian still has a carnal mind and still a "Babe in Christ".!

Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

A full grown Christian is one who is no longer a "Babe in Christ"!

In the government of Israel and that government of Rome had truly accepted the wisdom of Christ Jesus, they certainly would never have crucified the "Lord of Glory"!

Act 3:17  And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Act 3:18  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

The wisdom of this world can only lead to the death of those that follow it!

In reality then, can this carnal worldy wisdom ever be very wise?

The wisdom of the world has never been able to accomplish the needs of this world in over 4000 years!

*****1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

The truth is, that no matter how wonderful we think Heaven will be, the truth of Heaven goes far beyond the imagination of all mankind!

This world we live on still has many beautiful places that have escaped the results of sinful men and it was the Lord who created this entire Cosmos.

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

It is this same Creator who has gone to prepare a place for all those that love Him!

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

We can only get a glimpse of these things if we are endowed with the Holy Spirit of God!

*****1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

We know the Word of God came to us by the Holy Spirit!

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost".

So what we can know of the beauty of Heaven, we can only find in the written Word of God and most of the things we know about Heaven were revealed to the Apostle John and recorded for us in the Book of Revelation.

These things were therefore revealed to us by the Spirit of God!

*****1Co 2:11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

We are all individuals and no two of us are alike. We can be close friends but there is no way that I can know all the things of your life without you telling me.

Each person has his own body, soul, and spirit.

The spirit of man could be said to be our self-consciousness.

Our spirit is the substance in which thinking, knowing, doubting and the power of motivation subsist!

God not only has a spirit, God is Spirit!

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Our own spirit has the power of understanding what kind of people we are.

In much the same way the Spirit of God understands the nature of God.

Each of us understand our selves better than anyone else could possibly understand us!

And likewise it is only the Holy Spirit that can know the great depths of the wisdom of God!

To know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and to be endowed with the Holy Spirit, is proof that God wants us to know everything about Him!

*****1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

The very moment we trust in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit enters into our body!

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

We are at that time baptized into the "Body Of Christ"!

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

At that very moment God places His seal of ownership upon each believer!

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit is God's gift to all that call upon the Lord Jesus for salvation!

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

It is the Holy Spirit that makes our liberty possible!

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

To all that trust in the Lord, we then become citizens of Heaven even the remaining days on this Earth!

Joh 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

We can never be caught up in Satan's bondage ever again because we have a new Father, a Heavenly Father, who is more like a dad than any dad of this Earth!

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

BUT, No one can know these things without knowing the Holy Spirit of God!

*****1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

We can see that the Apostle Paul claims that his teachings are not really his.

Paul's teachings were God's because his words were taught to him by the Holy Spirit and this lines up with what the Lord Jesus taught!

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit would be our guide to all the truth of the Scriptures!

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Just as the Apostles Paul was taught by the Scriptures, then we must begin at the same place. We must become familiar with the Scriptures.

Joh 17:8  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

You see it is only by the Holy Spirit that we can compare spiritual things with spiritual!

The Holy Spirit becomes our personal householder!

Mat 13:52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

But those that reject the Word of God can never know these things this is the problem of humanism!

*****1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The natural man who cannot accept the truths of God then cannot appreciate spiritual truths!

Without understanding the truth of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the natural man only sees foolishness in those that believe and foolishness in the Word of God!

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Jude says these are those persons who exalt themselves above the truth of God!

Jud 1:19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

It may seem strange but no matter how intelligent these people are, they will never understand the things of God until they accept the Lord Jesus Christ!

That is the one real thing that most of the world rejects but it is the only means of salvation and the only means into the family of God!

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9  Of sin, "because they believe not on me";

The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin of rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, ALL other sin can be forgiven!

On the other hand, those who are "born again" and "spiritually mature" can discern and understand all the deep things of God!

*****1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

These spiritual are all those that follow the lead of the Holy Spirit!

These are the same ones who can judge every situation as God would judge it!

These are those who judge by the Word of God!

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

We are to be witnesses and not judges but the truth is that God judges all people by His own Words and therefore things that go against the Word of God we are to also point out to others!

This not as much being a judge as it is pointing out the truth!

We cannot be judged by the natural man or any other man because we have already been judged by a higher power than mortal men!

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Anyone that passes judgment on a "born again" child of God is passing judgment on God Himself who is the only true Judge of all mankind!

*****1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Though it is impossible for anyone to have the mind of Christ, by the Holy Spirit we can understand all the words that Jesus spoke and are recorded in the New Testament.

We also have the completed Word of God in the 66 books of the Bible!

The truth is, that the Word of God does not have to be analyzed and to be understood.

The Word Of God Only Has To Be Believed!

To have the mind of Christ means to look at our world through our Savior's point of view and accept what He says as the complete truth!

Having the mind of Christ does not mean we have the ability to instruct God nor change any of His Word!

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The things of God are unsearchable except through the Words He has given to us!

God teaches us all we need to know in this world we live in now!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Problems In The Early Church

The Problem Of Church Divisions

1 Corinthians 1


The Church at Corinth was established on the second of the three missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul.

Paul had traveled as far as Macedonia and Greece.

Paul had made successful visits to Philippi and Thessalonica and then he had a not so pleasant encounter with those of Athens.

After these things Paul had finally made it to the city of Corinth.

Corinth was an important commercial center and was already populated by more than 600,000 people.

Corinth was heavily Grecian in character and was famous as a center for sports in those days.

Corinth was also a very immoral city and sin was rampant, and there was also had a temple to the false goddess Aphrodite.

It is said that there were 1000 female prostitutes who served as priestesses in that place.

Temptation was everywhere and Corinth was "sin city" in that day!

It was at the city of Corinth where Paul met Aquila and Priscilla.

Luke the physician and of the Book of Luke, was also with the Apostle Paul at this time.

Corinth had been founded by Julius Caesar and also had a heavy military presence.

Corinth was also the capitol city of Achai and the residence of the Roman proconsul who administered the city according to the Roman Emperor.

Because of it's location at the isthmus of Corinth commercialism fueled the sin of this city and this city also had a very mixed population from many nations.

Corinth was a city of wealth but that wealth was distributed unevenly and the gap between the rich and the poor grew ever wider as time passed.

Corinth was as famous for sexual immorality as it was for all these other things!

The Greek word for Corinth is "korinthos".

BUT, The people who lived there would simply say "korinthiazethai" which means "to fornicate".

The Apostle Paul remained in Corinth for a good while before he returned to Antioch in Syria.

Let's begin:

*****1Co 1:1  Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

The word apostle means "one sent" and many question the apostleship of Paul but we should not!

If none of the other Apostles questioned it then neither should we!

The Apostle Paul was certainly God's messenger to the Gentiles!

Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

The Bible says that it was the Holy Ghost that separated Paul and paired him with Barnabas just as the other Apostles were paired and sent out!

Act 13:2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Paul was personally called just as the others were called!

Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Paul was an eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ Jesus!

1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Paul received the same three years of training as had the others!

Gal 1:17  Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Gal 1:18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Paul was given the same "so called" powers of the Apostles as was the others!

Act 14:8  And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
Act 14:9  The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Act 14:10  Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

Act 20:9  And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10  And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

That Paul was a Christ chosen Apostle, is a sure thing and we should accept him as an Apostle of Jesus Christ!

Paul identifies this Sosthenes as his Christian brother. It is possible that this was the same Sosthenes that ruled the synagogue at Corinth who was unjustly beaten by a mob.

Act 18:17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

The truth of Scripture is this:

Rom 8:30  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.

No one can know God until they are called!

*****1Co 1:2  Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

The word Church comes from the Greek word "ekklesia" which means a called out assembly.

The word "sanctified"  comes from the Greek word "hagiazo" which means purified or consecrated to God or those that have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Sanctified means all those that are separated or set apart for God's use and at that time "living or dead" become a Saint simply because of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Each individual believer is then the "House of God" and when two or three or more are gathered together they form the Church!

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Paul addressed this epistle to the Church at Corinth but also to all Saints in every place that call on the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!

There is only one Church and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ no matter where we live as long as we recognize the Lord Jesus as our Savior!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

*****1Co 1:3  Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The two things the Apostle Paul knew for sure was, that he was not worthy to called an Apostle and we are also not worthy to be saved.

Salvation is all about the "Grace of God"!

To be called of God is to then to be more like God in the way we live "as best we can"!

It is only by the "Grace" of God that we can be at peace with God!

Those that build on anything but "Grace" will never know the "peace of God"!

Peace with God comes to only those that know the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal Savior!

The "Grace" of God comes only by the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ!

If this church at Corinth was to survive then they would have to come together in the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****1Co 1:4  I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1Co 1:5  That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
1Co 1:6  Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

The purpose of this epistle was to address the divisions in this church so Paul first commends the good things of the church.

The glory of the church must be in the Lord and not in some human of the church!

We must be thankful for the "Grace of God"!

Grace is the unmerited favor of God and comes only by Jesus Christ!

A church is not a church, unless it is enriched by Jesus Christ!

To be "in Christ" is to be a member of the church!

It is the church that is the "Body of Christ"!

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

All divine powers and all qualities of character which belong to Jesus Christ, are passed on to the members of each Christian assembly, so that we all can share in the the utterance and the knowledge of God!

It is the testimony of Christ in each believer that confirms us all before God!

*****1Co 1:7  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1Co 1:8  Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can see that all believers stand on level ground at the cross of Jesus!

No Christian is inferior to any other Christian!

AND, even in the beginnings of the New Testament church, we can see that they knew that the Lord could come back at any time to get His Church!

Most all prophesy concern the restoration of Israel and not the Church!

The process of being made holy in the eyes of God consist of:

1) Salvation: Repenting of sin and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

2) Sanctification: Christ saving work involves the completed, the on-going and the future saving activity of each individual saint of God.

We are saved, we are being saved, we are saved daily and we will be saved eternally!

3) Glorification: The completed work of salvation and sanctification!

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

When we see Jesus on the "day of Jesus Christ we will be like Him"!

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

So Paul, after bragging about the truths of the church, it was now time to address the issues of the church.

*****1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

What was the first problem of the Church at Corinth?

The congregation was split into separate groups!

Now it is not possible for every Christian to agree on every detail in the Word of God but it is extremely important that we all agree on the doctrine of the Word of God and the doctrine of Salvation!

In reality and in content, the Bible stands distinct from all other religious writings!

For example, the Koran was written by by one man under the guidance of Mohammed's father in law. Later a group of Arab scholars produced a unified version and destroyed as many variant copies as they could find trying to preserve the unity of the Koran.

The Bible on the other hand was written by at least 40 different writers from diverse vocations and across separate periods of time  and each writer had very little knowledge of what previous writers had written but in the end the Bible is a completely unified book!

There are no contradictions or inconsistencies within the pages of the Bible!

This is true because the Holy Spirit caused the writings of the Word of God!

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

In unity, within these 66 Books of the Bible, they teach of the "Triunity of God", God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

In unity these books teach the "Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ"!

In unity these books teach of the "Personality of the Holy Spirit"!

In unity these books teach of the "fall of and the depravity of mankind"!

And in unity these books teach of the "Salvation by the Grace of God"!

Is is apparent to anyone who takes a serious look at the Word of God, that no human being or beings could have orchestrated the harmony of the teachings of these divine Scriptures!

Had God not revealed Himself in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, then the Bible would be as useless as the other so called religious writings such as the Koran!

Luk 2:30  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31  Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Rom 16:25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:26  But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

There is no excuse for any Church to be divided over the consistent Word of God!

There is no excuse for the many denominations to be so divided over the consistent Word of God!

There is only one Word of God and there is only ONE CHURCH of the Living God!

Our God is ALIVE!

SO, why was this Church in Corinth so divided?

*****1Co 1:11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Contentions from strife or struggles in an effort to obtain something that no one else has!

There is only One God and there is only one means of Salvation and the Word of God is specific!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

To dispute this fact of the Word of God will bring contention to all Bible Doctrine!

Chloe was a concerned Christian who she, and her household, had stayed in touch with the Apostle Paul but Paul had also gotten his information from other sources.

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

The Church in Corinth were grouping themselves around various human leaders and this caused divisions in the Church.

The was a church where the people had remained "Babes in Christ"!

*****1Co 1:12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Whenever we try to group ourselves around other human beings we will automatically reject other leaders and their followers!

At this time in Corinth, Paul, Apollos, and Cephas (Peter) all preached the same sermon and had the same message.

It is true that the authority of Paul was being questioned by many because of false men of the Jews who were called the Judaizers.

It is true that Apollos was an eloquent speaker.

But there is no evidence that Peter had ever preached at this Church but we do know that many Christians had escape Jerusalem because of persecution and had heard Peter preach.

And it seems that there some who still considered Christ to be a mere man, which ignores the Word of God!

*****1Co 1:13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

What are the facts?

It is the Word of God that is to be the final authority in every congregation of believers!

No human leader, human teacher, Pastor or Preacher or Pope has the final nor the sole authority of the Word of God!

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

We must accept a literal interpretation of the Scriptures!

Literal means that the words and sentences of the Scriptures are understood in their normal meaning,

Literal means that the words are to be understood in a normal communication or a normal conversation.

For instance Psalms 22 has been fulfilled literally.

Isaiah 53:1-12 has been fulfilled literally.

Micah 5:2 has been fulfilled literally!

There is only one truth of all the Scriptures literally!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

It is not just necessary that we read the Scriptures, it is also important that we study the Scriptures!

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Because all Scripture comes from God!

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Then Paul describes his personal calling.

*****1Co 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Paul "is not saying" it is not important to be Baptized.

Paul "is not saying" that he did not speak in the wisdom of the Scriptures.

Paul "is saying" the most important message of the Church is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

Until salvation is secure, no Church ordinance has any real meaning!

Until salvation is secure there is no wisdom that can be gleaned from the Scriptures!

There is nothing that can become a substitute for the truth of the Cross!

What was the commandment given to Paul?

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, "that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me".

Many of the Body of Christ have gotten away from this most important message to the lost, which is the "good news" of Jesus Christ!

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

The preaching of the cross must return as the most important message in each and every Church!

*****1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Being saved is not an intellectual process!

Salvation only becomes the power of God when the Holy Spirit moves into the believer!

Those that regard Christianity as foolishness prove to others that are perishing in their own sin and on their way to Hell!

BUT, All mankind are fools until we meet Christ Jesus at the foot of His cross!

Tit 3:3  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

It is the preaching of the "Gospel" that brings salvation!

1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

The most important message to the Church that is making disciples, is to keep the main thing, The Main Thing!

The Main Thing of the Church is Jesus Christ!

*****1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

The Apostle Paul was addressing  the membership of those of Corinth.

Paul said to look at your own church, the ones God has called and blessed.

It is a fact that in most every church you will not find many that the world considers to be wise.

There are usually not many of nobility or families of the so-called "well to do".

There are usually not many people of power that attend church.

BUT, God calls "whosoever will come" in spite of these things!

The Apostle Paul was once a self-righteous religious zealot, but he was called.

These Corinthians came from one of the most evil cities in the world of that day, but they were also called.

No one is too sinful, no one is too evil, no one is so out of touch with reality, that God will not save if they answer God's call!

All the Apostles of Jesus Christ were considered to be unlearned and ignorant men by the religions of that day!

Act 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

*****1Co 1:27  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;
1Co 1:28  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:

God chose to begin His Church with these men, that the world considered to be unlearned and ignorant men!

The lost world may admire men of power, men of royalty, men of great knowledge, men of a high social status, and men of great riches, but none of these can ever guarantee eternal life!

As the world has found out, it is those that call on the Lord Jesus Christ that have obtained salvation and life eternal because God is no respecter of persons.

Rom 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God's foolishness truly does confound all those that seek the wisdom of this world!

God does these things to erase the pride of life from all those that have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is the pride of this life that becomes the stumbling block to those that need to seek the Lord Jesus Christ the author of eternal life!

*****1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Justification before God can come only by "faith"!

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

By using what this world considers to be nobodies, God shows that all wisdom and all power are entirely His own!

There will be no boasting of human greatness or human wisdom when we stand before God at the "judgment seat of Christ".

The wisdom of the believer simply comes from Jesus Christ!

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

*****1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, "who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption":

Jesus Christ is our wisdom!

Jesus Christ is our righteousness!

Jesus Christ is our sanctification!

Jesus Christ is our redemption!

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Humanism nor human philosophy can never bring these things to any person!

We are nothing in ourselves but we can find all we need in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

A Church that is bound up in Christ Jesus and the love of God will not have divisions!

But, because we are only humans there can never be a perfect church!

It is only by Jesus Christ that our relationship with God is restored and it is only by Jesus Christ that any rifts that come between believers can be restored!

Jesus is all we need!

Questions!

Let's Pray!

Joel's Prophesy Of Judgment

Joel God's Prophet Of Judgment

Book of Joel Chapters 2 and 3


Joel was a prophet to Judah of the Southern Kingdom and was one of the earliest of the writing prophets.

The name Joel means "Jehovah is God".

Again nothing much is known about this prophet except that he lived in Jerusalem and his father's name was Pethuel. The name Pethuel means "mouth of God".

In other words Our Heavenly Father was also claimed by Joel, just as all those that know the Lord as our Heavenly Father.

Joel's message speaks much of the soon coming "Day of the Lord" and with that, God's judgment of all the nations that have rejected the Scriptures.

We know that the Book of Joel was recognized as the actual Word of God by the Apostle Peter when he quoted from the Book of Joel in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost just a few days after the Lord Jesus had returned to His throne in Heaven.

Peter said:

Act 2:16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Act 2:19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Act 2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Peter believed he was living in a part of fulfilled prophesy in that same day when 3000 people came to know the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior.

We are wrong if we do not have the same faith that Peter had!

The Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church that day and the New Testament Church had it's beginning.

That phrase "the Day of the Lord" can be found 31 times in the Scriptures and there are even more references to this soon coming day, because we are closer than we have ever been to the Day of the Lord!

It is on this day that all sinners will be destroyed!

Isa 13:9  Behold, "the day of the LORD cometh", cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

The Message of Joel:

*****Joe 2:12  Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Up until this point in the Book of Joel, he has described a terrible plague of locusts that had come into Judah.

An invasion of locusts is one of the heaviest calamities that can befall any nation.

The Jews said these pests could not be numbered.

The Arabs said there were so many that they could darken the Sun and locusts do not fly at night.

The Italians called them "the little horse".

God said the locusts have no king but they could move as being directed by a supreme leader.

Pro 30:27  The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

And Joel says when they die their decaying bodies caused a stench that could taint the air for miles.

Joe 2:20  But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

The result of such a plague of locusts is total devastation to the land!

Deu 28:42  All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

And Joel says the on "the Day of the Lord" the circumstances will be the same. The land will be devastated and the armies that come against Israel will lay on the ground and their bodies will stench up the air.

Isa 66:23  And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Isa 66:24  And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Our verse says the only way to avoid this "Day of the Lord" is to repent!

The most important word in this verse is "turn"!

True repentance consists of the "immediate" turning away from the things of this world and then a complete "turn" toward the face of God!

We should always seek the face of the Lord before we ever seek the arm of the Lord!

This turning must include a "sincere" deep "sorrow" for sin and that sorrow must come from "within" the heart!

Fasting in this verse is abstaining from the things of this world and seeking the nourishment of God.

God has provided a complete nourishment in the completed Word of God!

Weeping in this verse is the inward conversion of the heart after reviewing the sins of the past and to hate and forsake them!

Mourning here is the confessing of our faults knowing, no one on this Earth can repair that feeling of loneliness!

That repair can only come from above!

And must include the heart:

*****Joe 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

The Jews would rip their garments into pieces as a sign of remorse but God says it will take more than an outward show of remorse, it must be an inward thing.

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

God will not accept anything less than these all things in true repentance!

True repentance of sin requires a deeper grief, because we must learn to hate sin while maintaining a love for the sinner!

These are the only things that will cause God to repent of the evil that is in store for each unrepentant sinner!

God hates to do evil but He must fulfill the Word of God as it is written!

Even Jonah knew this to be true of the Lord!

Jon 4:2  And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

We must never forget the wages of sin are still "DEATH"!

True repentance of Sin, brings "LIFE" but only by Jesus Christ!

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*****Joe 2:14  Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

In this day of Joel, God had visited His people and had left behind the curse of the locusts but upon repentance when the Lord returns, God will leave behind a blessing!

Those locust had devastated the land. These Jews were required by the Laws of Moses to offer up a meat offering to the Lord but that was now impossible.

Lev 2:1  And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

These Jews were to offer up a drink offering to the Lord which was also now impossible because of those same locusts.

Lev 23:37  These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:

In that day there was no forgiveness of sin unless these offerings were made and unless they repented of their sins only then would God change a curse into a blessing. They could never be forgiven without such an offering and they clearly understood the outcome of these things.

Every individual sinner must realize these same things!

God simply says "I tell you these things that you may know" the truth!

1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; "that ye may know" that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

It is true repentance that restores our relationship with the Lord!

*****Joe 2:18  Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
Joe 2:19  Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

What is he truth of Scripture?

Once God sees true repentance, then and only then, will God be jealous for His land and pity His people!

This is the change in God that repentance brings!

This is best described as "Mercy".

Mercy is best described as compassion for the miserable!

We are all miserable sinners, each and everyone!

In Christ Jesus "Mercy" and "Truth" come together in the only means of salvation for a lost and miserable people!

Jesus teaches us all to be compassionate and show mercy to all others as He has done to those that repent!

Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

We need to clearly understand that God has deep and strong emotions for those that place their trust and their faith in Him!

God becomes a Father to all those that call on His name and He will provide all the things we need and most important, protect us from the coming destruction of this world!

Repentance may not bring healing from the pain of sin.

Repentance may not erase the sad memories of our past.

Repentance may not restore the things we lost in our sinful life.

Repentance "does" restore us to a position of peace with the only One who can do all these things if He so chooses!

And it is God Himself who will take vengeance on all our enemies!

All these things are true for all those that repent and call on the name of the Lord!

*****Joe 2:32  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

This prophesy of Joel spans the years this prophesy and was revealed on through the Church Age and on through the Second Coming of the Lord when He will also save that remnant of the Jews!

Paul wrote:

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

These words had not changed in the nearly 1000 years before Paul and these words will hold true until the return of Christ Jesus!

A call on the Messiah is a call on our Father in Heaven!

Deliverance is a release from captivity!

Deliverance is a release from the slavery to Satan!

Deliverance is a release from the oppression of a sinful life!

Deliverance is a release from the bondage of sin!

Jesus said of His first mission:

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

We can see that by the Holy Spirit, it can only be Jesus Christ who can fulfill the prophesy of Joel!

After explaining the means of salvation Joel then takes us to the judgment on the nations and the foolish people who reject the Word of God.

*****Joe 3:2  I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

The land promised to Abraham, from the Nile River to the Euphrates River has been "parted" by many nations in the more than 4000 years since Abraham.

In 1948 just part of this land was divided between Israel and Jordan by the United Nations.

In fact this passage could be read that God will judge those United Nations, who have done such a thing, all the way back to the Roman league of nations and on through those of Nebuchadnezzar.

All nations, each and everyone, that are united against the nation of Israel will be judged by the Lord!

The name Jehoshaphat means "whom Jehovah judges" and with this meaning this could simply mean the place of God's final judgment on all the foes of Israel!

Isaiah writes these things:

Isa 66:5  Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Isa 66:6  A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

God says He will just speak and it will happen, much like the first week of creation!

Zechariah writes these things:

Zec 14:1  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
Zec 14:2  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Zec 14:3  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

And the Apostle John wrote these things:

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

These words are the truth as much as all the Word of God is true!

God will certainly judge all nations that have caused harm to Israel along with all those that reject the truth of the Word of God!

It is this battle that the Lord will end with the "Sword Of His Mouth" that will usher in the 1000 year Millennial Rule of the Lord.

Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Even King Jehoshaphat knew this truth:

2Ch 20:20  And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; "Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper".
2Ch 20:21  And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

It should also be noted that this judgment is two-fold, those nations that have treated Israel poorly will see the wrath of God but those nations that have treated Israel good will earn God's blessing and be a part of the Millennial Kingdom!

*****Joe 3:11  Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
Joe 3:12  Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

It should be very clear to this world that there is coming a judgment!

Because God is holy, He must judge all that is unholy or He would no longer be holy!

Judgment is a necessary expression of God's character!

BUT, God's judgment will be fair and according to the truth of Scripture!

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

Notice God will judge all the heathen!

We have already established that the heathen are all those that reject the Word of God!

At this time God will judge all the nations from all parts of the Earth and not just the nations that surround Israel!

Zec 12:9  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Mal 4:3  And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

And though they hate His name, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will cause this judgment to take place!

Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Mat 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

These things were not written to be a threat. These things are simply the truth of the Word of God and not some fable from some old book that is rejected by most of this world!

*****Joe 3:13  Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

When the judgment of God comes to this Earth it will be because wickedness has reached the point of it's maturity.

An example is given in the Book of Genesis:

Gen 15:14  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Gen 15:15  And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
Gen 15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

And the Amorites no longer exist!

It may surprise many to know but there have been at least 7 nations in the last 100 years that no longer exist as a nation!

We know from the Book of Revelation, that the world in the end times will be spiritually and physically as wicked Babylon!

Jeremiah prophesied of the end times:

Jer 51:33  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.

And the Apostle John wrote of this day:

Rev 14:18  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

God will have extended every opportunity for our world to change but the world will continue to hate the Lord and hate the the New Testament Church.

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

*****Joe 3:14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Sin will have caused the conversion all the instruments of peace into implements of war on this day and most of the world will defy our holy Living God!

All evil will present itself ready for destruction, because sin will have reached the limit that God had placed upon it!

To become a Christian, a decision must be made before the end of our lifetime and the sooner the better!

Many will say they are just not ready to make that decision.

In fact the sadness and the gloom of our world are mainly due to the indecision of it's people!

Abortion continues, because even though most of the world deplores this thing they remain silent and so it continues.

The gay lifestyle continues because even though most of the world deplores such immorality they remain silent and undecided, so it continues.

This is true for most every other immoral act that continues in our world today!

The world simply will not speak out against sin but remains tolerant to sin, saying people have rights to sin.

The Word of God says this is not true!

AND, On the "day of the Lord" no one will emerge until they have made a decision right or wrong!

There will be no indecision from anyone living that day!

As each branch of theology matures during the Church Age, which will end at the Rapture which will take place before the "Day of the Lord" we must come to a decision with regard to Jesus Christ and for those who cannot, they will see the "Day of the Lord" where all decisions are final!

1) It is Jesus Christ who revealed God to this world!

2) It is Jesus Christ who removed all barriers to the throne room of God!

3) It is Jesus Christ who provides the only means of salvation!

The world must accept these truths to find their way out of the valley of decision!

*****Joe 3:15  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

The biggest conversation in our world today has changed from global warming to climate change and nations are beginning to bring lawsuits against other nations who they deem responsible for these things.

Our own President says climate change is our greatest foe in the years to come.

This evil world will find that on and even nearer to the "Day of the Lord" all of nature and all the agencies of our universe will aid in the defeat of all immoral evil and wickedness and that day is closer than it has ever been!

Isa 13:9  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Isa 13:10  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isa 13:11  And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

*****Joe 3:16  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Jesus Christ the innocent Lamb of God, will be the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah and will defiantly roar on this day!

He will be heard far and near and He will strike fear and terror into the hearts of all His enemies!

Jer 25:30  Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

But those of the nation of Israel will not see terror but only hope!

Because God is a refuge to all those that trust in Him!

There are three things that a Christian has, that most of the world does not have.

1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Hope is an essential element of Christian life!

The little nation of Israel, on the "Day of the Lord" will realize this same hope that the Church has always had since the time of His resurrection!

Unbelievers live in a world of no hope and this is a very miserable place to be!

It is our hope that keeps us motivated to serve the Lord!

Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

And where there is hope there is strength!

*****Joe 3:17  So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

The truth is that when Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem, the glory of the Lord came down and filled that building.

Mount Zion, where Jerusalem was built, belongs to God and no one on this planet can claim ownership of this place because it is God's!

Psa 87:2  The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psa 87:3  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

When the Temple was destroyed, the Scriptures have said that the Temple will be restored and God's glory will return.

Psa 69:35  For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

The Nation of Israel has since been restored to that land in 1948 and in 1967 Jerusalem once again came back into the hands of God's people!

Today the people of Israel battle daily just to walk on the Temple Mount but there is no Temple at this time, instead a mosque to a false god sits on the Temple Mount.

God has promised to restore Zion and to dwell there this time in all His glory!

Isa 51:3  For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

As the Church we know this time as the reign of God during the Millennial Kingdom!

Isa 33:20  Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Isa 33:21  But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

Jer 31:6  For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.

Mic 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Zec 1:16  Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Many claim these Scriptures refer to the physical city of Jerusalem.

Many claim these Scriptures refer to the spiritual city of New Jerusalem.

The fact is that is both!

The Lord will restore the physical city of Jerusalem and Mount Zion and the throne of David and rule in that place for 1000 years.

It is only after this 1000 years that the New Jerusalem will be occupied by all the children of God!

Jerusalem is called the Holy City many times in the Bible and the word Holy means that Jerusalem belongs to God!

Isa 4:3  And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:
Isa 4:4  When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

It is only after this time that things become Spiritual!

*****Joe 3:20  But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

The lessons from the Book of Joel are these:

1) There will be a time of judgment for this world and it is best known as "The Day Of The Lord"!

The calls for repentance will be over, at least temporarily, and retribution will commence!

2) As Peter stated along with Joel, God is very patient with a disobedient world because His "Mercy Endureth Forever".

3) God's blessings of the Holy Spirit. These blessings are for all people, in all ages. God may have selected one nation as a peculiar people to bring forth His message but "Whosoever Calleth On The Name Of The Lord Shall Be Saved"!

4) God's people will have the final victory! "We Are On The Winning Side"!

It may seem that evil is going to triumph and Jerusalem is trodden down, but the promises of God are sure and a remnant of the Jews will eventually accept the Messiah for who He is!

Until that Day Of The Lord, it is the Church that is God's tool of salvation and we must not remain lax in the work God has given us to do!

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen

Questions?

Let's Pray!