Just give us a radiance of mind to receive it and adduce them in prayer. Amen
All right, we're in Hebrews chapter number six lieutenant look down at your Bibles at verse number four
It says here for it is impossible
For those who are once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall
Fall away to renew them again into repentance
Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame and the title my sermon this morning is
apostatizing or backsliding
apostatizing or
Backsliding and I'm talking about the phrase there in verse number six
It says if they shall fall away to renew them again unto
Repentance now, what does it mean to go into apostasy?
That's a word that we typically hear within Christian circles or in churches, you know to go apostate. Well
It's not a word that you typically find you don't find it at all actually in our English King James Bible
But it is a word that you find in the Greek that they derive from and translate into falling away
Okay
and what it simply means is is basically when you fall away or when you depart from the faith when a church or a
Christian departs from the faith on key doctrines such as
Salvation such as the deity of Jesus Christ such as the Bible, you know
We would say that individual or that church that organization has gone apostate
Now we often use it to describe a church that basically has delved into false doctrine and that's definitely the case
But we also see that people can apostatize as well. And in fact here in Hebrew chapter 6 we have that example
Because it talks about the person who was once enlightened, right?
They've tasted of the heavenly gift. They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost verse 5
They've tasted of the good word of God the powers of the world to come and what happens they fall away now people would
ironically say that this is actually referring to a safe person, you know say well and you can kind of see how they would
Interpret that because it says, you know that there were once enlightened they tasted of the heavenly gift
This would seem to be terminology used for an individual who has already received salvation
But here's the thing is that this is actually referring to an individual who was on the brink of salvation
They were basically on the brim of being justified on the brim of justification
They were right there at the top
They were not far from the kingdom of God as we would say and what happens is they choose to reject the truth
And they go into apostasy
Okay, they fall away as the Bible puts it and really I believe that Hebrew chapter 6 is referring to that category of individuals
Who has not only rejected the Word of God, but they've rejected to the point that they can no longer be saved
Okay
This is what the Bible would also refer to as a reprobate a person who has rejected God and therefore they are rejected of God
On the brink of salvation the brim of justification, but they reject and the proof of that look down your Bibles at verse number 7
of Hebrew chapter 6
It says here for the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh off upon it and
bringeth forth herbs meat for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessings from God, but
that which beareth thorns and briars is
Rejected and is what nigh unto cursing you see the person who is
Hearing about salvation and they're going to get saved. They're not far from the kingdom of God. They're nigh unto the kingdom
Are they not?
But when they hear the truth
They reject it they're enlightened they know that salvation is by grace to faith alone and they begin to hate the truth now
They're nigh unto cursing
It says they're nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned
so the individuals that are being referred to here in Hebrew chapter 6 are
compared to thorns and briars
Now, why is he referring to them as thorns and briars?
Well a briar is like basically a shrub a
useless shrub that can only be used to be burned you understand and the Bible would say in Jude
Verse 12 that they are basically trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots
You understand so Hebrews chapter 6 is basically a warning
To the Hebrews who basically are nigh unto that right because they unto them were committed the oracles of God
They were given the gospel they were supposed to be a light unto the Gentiles
It's a warning to them to say hey, you can become thorns and briars
You can be you can go nigh unto cursing you can get to a point where you're enlightened about salvation
Someone tells you about the gospel and you know, what happens is basically you just you reject it
Okay
It kind of reminds me of an individual we talked to brother Ray and I by the way
I forgot to mention. Oh, man the Sony marathon
We had a Sony marathon yesterday. We saw 32 people saved. Amen. Let's give the Lord a round of applause for that
32 salvations we went to South Central Los Angeles and
It was great. It was great. We had a great time a lot of receptive people there
but I remember brother Ray and I we were talking to a brother and sister and
Literally, we're that we're in that apartment for about 40 minutes
We're there for quite some time and I'm not the type of person who likes to stick around
And just like keep you know, talking to someone if I feel like they rejected it, you know
The Bible says a heretic after the first and second admonition reject right knowing that he that is such subverted and sinneth being condemned
Themself, but I don't believe this individual was that type of individual, you know
They obviously had a lot of false doctrine in them and and they believed a lot of false doctrine and they just having a hard
Time coming to the knowledge of the truth, you know
They're basically taking captive at his will at the devil's will and so we were talking to this person
We're just trying to get him to understand try to get him to overcome these lies and then literally
At the very end. It's like the light bulb went on hit went on in his mind
Where he finally understood like I get it and I think he even said like I get it now
Because he was having a hard time like this with this whole thing of like losing your salvation
And he thought you could lose it. He didn't he was just having a hard time with it
but then finally he just understood it and you can see that his eyes just kind of like
Enlightened and he's just like I get it. But here's the thing folks. Let's say he had that enlightening
Time, you know that moment and then he just says but I'm still not gonna get saved
See, I believe an individual like that can become a reprobate
Because now if they say I get it
But I'm not gonna call upon the name of the Lord that individual can become a reprobate
And he he's he specifically said something to this extent
He said look I just you know, aren't there people out there that they get saved or they they you know
They call upon the name of the Lord, but you know
They don't really believe though. They just kind of go through the motions and I said absolutely
And when he was trying to say is like is this biblical to have someone call upon the name of the Lord?
You know, what if they don't really believe and I basically explained to him
Well, this is what God says that people should do so
You know nuts to whatever other people say if you know people want to call upon the name of the Lord
People want to call upon the name of the Lord and not get saved
That's on them obviously
but God has commanded us to call to have them call upon the name of the Lord when they believe and
I told this person specifically I get what you're saying. But look, let me just say this
You don't want to be that person right now, right? I
Said yeah, there's people out there that you know, we'll give lip service to salvation
They'll say they believe and they don't really believe in they call upon the name of the Lord and they don't really believe in their
Heart I get it
There's people like that and I said but you should not be one of those people
And let me say this I said if you are and you die you will split hell wide open. I told him
Put the fear of God in his heart. I said you want to get saved. He said yes
He got saved amen him and his sister ended up getting saved
By the way, we were uh, there's a lot of Nigerians there and we ran to Belizeans as well
Quite a bit of Belizean some some Belizean gangsters
we were brother Ray and I were talking to them and they're they're they were gangsters for sure and
You two of them didn't want anything to do with it, but the other two did and it was it was so funny
I got to tell the story. This has nothing to do with discernible. It's a good story
Okay, we're talking to this guy and you know, I'm kind of explained to him about salvation and I say look
I'm not saying that when you get saved you can just go out and sin and nothing will ever happen to you
You just won't go to hell. I said God will chastise you he'll spank you and I said does your mom spank you and
He said no
And I was like, oh man, I kind of threw off my illustration there
But then his friend interrupted is like hold on. He's and he said he's like, excuse me, sir. He's like, huh?
He's uh, yo mama Belizean
You know you get your blankety blank whooped
Either we all Belizean here. We all get whooped
And then the guy kind of like hung his head like in shame
I guess he didn't want to admit that he gets whooped. I was like look look we all get whooped, you know, but I
Thought that was pretty funny because he said look we're Belizean and Belizean moms
You know, they they whooped their kids
so
More he's Belizean, so he's testifying to that
But yeah, hey that guy ended up getting saved him and his buddy got saved they're very humble about it and so they got saved
So what I'm saying is this is that you know that enlightening part don't let that confuse you in Hebrew chapter 6
Because when it says they were enlightened it's true
What that means is they understood they say, okay, I get it
But you know that next step is this they're on the brink and they say but I still don't want it
I don't want it
They don't get saved they become a reprobate their conscience is seared with a hot iron and they are at that point rejected of God
And we're not talking about the individual who just doesn't understand
Because look folks you're gonna witness to people who just don't understand the gospel it goes over their head and this person
We were just kind of like pleading with this person help giving them
Illustrations and verses and expounding upon him because we felt like it's not he's not being a jerk or something
You know, he's not being some difficult individual
He just has a lot to overcome and at that point he got saved
but you know, there's there is individuals who are enlightened they taste of the heavenly gift and
It sounds crazy to us, but they say I don't want it
at which point God says okay, then I don't want you and
They become a reprobate. Okay?
now
We would say that individual goes into apostasy
You understand because now they know what the truth is, but they rejected the truth
They go into they they they believe something that is contrary to what they know to be true. You understand
Now go with me if you went to Galatians chapter 5 go to Galatians chapter 5
Now, let me say this is that I don't believe Christians save people
Because obviously there's people who claim to be Christian, but they're not safe
You know, they believe you have to repent of your sins to be saved. You got to be baptized
You know you have Catholics today they'd say that they're Christian they'll say they're Catholic Christian
We obviously understand that's not a real Christian. Okay, because of the fact that they don't believe in the true salvation
But I don't believe saved Christians can go into apostasy. I don't believe that
I believe they can start believing some weird doctrines and I even believe that sometimes Christians
Can get a little cattywampus when it comes to salvation a little bit. Maybe they're they get the terminology mixed up
They start repeating maybe what their pastor is saying
But they're not really putting a whole lot of thought into what's out the terminology that they're using and they can get mixed up
But eventually I believe I personally they come out of that if they're really safe
Okay
And the reason I believe that is because of the fact that if an individual is saved
They have the Spirit of God living within them and the Spirit of God is also known as what the spirit of truth
You understand and if they have the spirit of truth it knows the voice of the shepherd and it doesn't know the voice of strangers
You understand
But look at Galatians chapter 5 says in verse number 1. Let me give you a bit of a background
What's taking place in the book of Galatians?
Paul the Apostle is writing this letter to the churches which are in Galatia
so this is not just one church this is these are multiple churches that are found in that region and
What took place here is that you have these Pharisees these false brethren who have crept in unawares and they were teaching they were
Judaizing the people telling them that they had to keep the law of Moses in order to be saved and chapter 1 basically says that
They brought a what another gospel, which is not another right? It's not like two different three different Gospels
There's only one true gospel. He's just saying they're bringing another way of salvation. That's not the way of salvation and
Some of these Galatians were biting into that hook line and sinker there were believing that
Look at it says in verse number 1
It says stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage
Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised. He is the debtor to the whole law
Christ has become of no effect unto you
Whosoever of you are justified by the law. Look what it says. Ye are fallen from grace now
Let me ask you a question. Can anyone be justified by the law?
No
now look
If they were possible, yeah, you can go to heaven by keeping the law if you kept the whole law and never broke it
But that individual doesn't exist or should I say Jesus Christ is the only individual that exists who can do that
But as far as sinners are concerned a sinner cannot do that
There's not a just man upon earth to do with good and sin is not
That's that's why Paul said therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law
You understand?
So what he's saying here is this if you think you're justified by the law because you circumcise yourself
You've fallen from grace. Does that mean they lost their salvation? No
Falling from grace is the exact same is synonymous with departing from the faith
Falling from grace is what we see in Hebrew 6 that they fell away
they cannot be renewed again into repentance because who is he talking to he's talking to members of a local church and
Members of a local church are hearing preaching
They're hearing about salvation. They're hearing about that. It's faith alone
They're hearing about Jesus Christ. And in fact, who's the one who started these churches the Apostle Paul?
They're getting some pretty darn good preaching
Right. The Apostle Paul is the one who's I mean, he's the Apostle
and
Yet they're rejecting him and accepting these Judaizers who are coming into the church
So that's why he says look if you that's why he says I'm afraid of you
He's not saying like I'm scared of you. He's saying I'm afraid that you're not even saved
because it's
Potentially you've fallen from grace
You understand so I believe what this is referring to is individuals who claim to be Christians
but then they start believing false doctrine and
They delve into it and it's just like okay. It's not that they lost their salvation
It's just that they were never saved to begin with and look folks. There's people in our church
You know not now, but there were people in our church who claimed to be Christian
They claim to be Baptist and King James only and they claim to believe in the right salvation
I don't believe those individuals were saved because of the fact that they delved into some false doctrine
Some damn double heresy and at that point we would say, okay that person was never saved to begin with they went into
apostasy
They apostatize it's not that and you know
The reason I'm preaching this because I don't want people to think that when people go into like delve into major false doctrines like well
Maybe they just backslid. No backsliding is way different than apostatizing
Backsliding and I'll get into it later on is when you revert back to your old ways you get away from God
You you know
You basically you're afraid you don't think God can provide for you deliver you, you know, you get away from church
That's backsliding. That's not apostatizing a
Apostatizing is when an individual teaches false doctrine
They're confronted with the fact that they're teaching false doctrine and they just double down. I
Still believe it and I believe more of it
It's like okay. I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but now I know you're just not safe
Now I know you're just an unsaved individual doesn't matter what you say you are if you're a Baptist Christian
You're King James only you can use all the Christian ease you want
Because you say you believe this and you're doubling down on it. That probably means you're not safe
Okay
Go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 13 you've fallen from grace
You see an individual out there in the world who doesn't go to church. They can't apostatize because they don't have any beliefs
Necessarily, I don't know doctrine. They don't know the Bible
The people who will apostatize are the people who are in church
Who are hearing the preaching of God's Word?
Who are you know, they get up in the morning on Sunday to go to church?
But they're not even safe
God actually holds that individual to a higher standard than just any other sinner
Why because they've made a considerable effort to come into the house of God to hear the truth
And
Let me say this, you know, if you're in our church right now and you're not saved
You better get saved today
and
you if you're in our church and you've been playing like you're saying you've been using the lingo and you just like you're too embarrassed to
Say anything to anybody that embarrassment needs to go out the window today, right?
Because you will be more ashamed when you actually die and go to hell
You understand?
Look there's people who do that. There's people who come to church faithfully sometimes and not just our church
There's other churches out there. They'll go. They're not even saved. They'll use the lingo. They'll say the King James
They believe in Jesus. They'll say all the right things but in their heart, they don't really believe
And the longer they stay in church the harder it is for them to say that they're not safe
Because they're afraid they're ashamed. They're like, well people what are people gonna think of me, you know
But that's Satan trying to get you to not confess and say hey, I'm not safe pastor. I thought I was but I'm not safe
It happens folks where there's like wives
Who are just like I don't really believe
You know, but I just need to go along to get along because I'm embarrassed cuz my my husband's involved or you know
My husband's been going to this church for a long time, but I'm not safe. Don't let that be you
Folks I got horror stories of people who were going to church together
They were going sowing together. They went on missions trips together
They listen preaching together and then like on a dime just the wife just flipped and said I don't even believe in God
Yeah, I don't believe in God I don't even believe in this sowing stuff and in Jesus
I don't want nothing to do with church. I'm leaving you
It's just like weren't you like preaching the gospel with me
What is that that's a person who's just going through the motions
You know and it's a possibility that someone like that could be in our church right now
You know where you're at you're on the brink of salvation, but you know also you're also on the brink of hell you too
You're on the brim of justification, but you're also on the brim of just splitting hell wide open
And it's a scary thought
Hey, that's why it's good to talk about salvation to your spouses. Amen. I
Remember, you know even like a little bit even after we got married I talked to my wife
Just want to make sure you know
Just want to make sure I'm not gonna sue
Well, she grew up in a pastor's house and you know
She's a pastor's daughter PK the King James independent fundamental Baptist. I just wanted to say want to make sure why not?
And I told her I was like, I just want to make sure don't get offended
Don't get mad
saying it cuz I love you and
It would be a shame that like if I just assumed that my wife was saved and then she was just not saying right
understand
It's a dangerous place to be
Look at 2nd Corinthians 13
In verse 5 look at Paul and look if you think there's a oh, I like this kind of preaching
You just question people's salvation. Yeah, I mean Paul question people's salvation all the time
Look what he says examine yourselves
whether you be in the faith
Verse 5 prove your own selves. No, you're not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you accept you be reprobate
But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates
By the way, this verse verse 5 of 2nd Corinthians 13 is like the coup de gras to people who say oh well
We're ever mates can still be saying, you know
Well, that's funny because the Apostle Paul over here is saying that if they have Christ in them
Then they're not reprobate and the only way they could not have Christ in them is if they're reprobate now
Why is he saying that to them because of the fact it's a Corinthian Church
It's a local church where they're hearing preaching of God's Word. They're having letters written to them by apostles
So if they're getting this much teaching and they're still rejecting the Apostle Paul he's like you guys might be reprobates
Because you're hearing the preaching of God's Word. You're hearing what's being said. I'm your apostle
You've seen signs and wonders how many here have seen signs and wonders by an apostle
And by the way, if you think you have don't raise your hand
That would have been really bad just like right here faster I've been waiting for you to sit
Someone gets it like I am an apostle
You have fallen from grace
They saw the signs and wonders by the Apostle Paul
They saw the miracles that he's done and they're still rejecting him
That's why he says
You guys might be reprobates. You guys might be just wicked individuals because you've heard the truth. You're rejecting the truth
You're rejecting me and what he's saying is basically look if you're rejecting me
That means you're rejecting the truth because I'm bringing the truth to you. You understand?
So, let me just address this, you know
Christians and pastors they can get into false doctrine sometimes
They can get us into stupid doctrine, you know, like the pre-tribulation rapture. That's a dumb doctrine
Now admit I believe in the pre-tribulation rapture at one time. Don't don't crucify me, please. I
Believe that I believe that the Jews were God's chosen people at one time. I believe those doctrines
I've used lingo that the old I have be used in regards to salvation
But you know what when someone brought the truth to me and say look this is not proper to use
This is what the Bible actually says, you know what happened. I changed
You know what? I've never looked back
But here's the thing folks
You know, I've never believed though. I've never believed like that. Jesus was the Father
I've never believed that like Jesus was Satan's brother
Oh
Wouldn't it be weird if I never believed that but then I started believing it
Yeah, you wouldn't say oh, he just got off on some false doctrine. You would say well this person pastor me
He is not even safe. Yeah
He apostatized
You understand so it's different when you know, you believed wrong
but then you believe right and
You go forward after that or but it's that's different than believing wrong then believing right then saying, you know
I think I'm gonna believe wrong again
And here's the thing people who typically believe wrong in the beginning
They believe right in the middle and then they start believing wrong again often believe way more wrong than they did in the very beginning
They double down on their false doctrine
They start teaching weird stuff and
When a when a pastor does that at that point I said this individuals probably not even saved
They're teaching the Bible like an unsaved individual
You understand they're teaching like an unsafe person. They're behaving like an unsafe person
This is how an unsafe person operates
At that point I would say that individual has a pasta size
They've got a past eight
And look sometimes there's there's members of those churches that they're saved
and
They can get carried away
With that person's false doctrine and I'll tell you why because they love that pastor
They love that individual
They you know, there's a natural
There's a natural bond between congregants and their pastor
There's just like a natural bond that comes with being a part of a church you you end up loving your pastor
You're loyal to your pastor and that's good. That's that's that's great
That's how it should be but it can be a detriment when you have a wicked individual
Who's not saved behind the pulpit teaching that doctrine because now he kind of has their hearts
You
Understand look when I preach something and it's biblical even if maybe you have like a different view of an interpretation of the Bible
You respect what I'm telling you
Because you're like, well, he's my pastor. He knows better. He's read the Bible a lot longer
He's been a Christian a lot longer, you know, I'm gonna respect that. I'm open to that idea, right?
but if but if the pastor behind the pulpit starts teaching like
Damnedable heresy
Like weird stuff, you know that puts that puts the congregate in a very difficult position
Cuz they're like man, I love this guy but he's teaching some weird stuff
But he is my pastor. I thought he was right. Is he right? And you know what?
That's why the Bible says that people who are unlearned and unstable they rest the scriptures and they end up duping
The congregants if they're not really rooted in the Bible
It's a scary place to be in folks
Now, let me say this is that I don't believe this church will ever apostatize under my leadership
I'll tell you why because you got to say pastor
I'm a safe pastor. I believe the right doctrines not perfect, but I do believe the right doctrines
The only way this church will apostatize and fall away and fall from grace is that God forbid something were to happen to me
Another leader comes into position who's not saved
Who talks the talk but doesn't really walk the walk, you know some individual who just believes differently
But they're hiding what they truly believe and they take the church in a complete different direction
Or sometimes, you know a church can apostatize even if the pastor is saved, but he's not really teaching solid doctrine
What happens a little leaven comes into the church teaching false doctrine?
Unsafe people are allowed to just permeate the church false doctrine is allowed to permeate throughout the church
Nothing is done about it and then the church apostatizes over the years over the decades or whatever
But what I'm saying is this is that you know, we need to be aware that this is something that happens
okay, and
and not be surprised at that and
The reason I say this because obviously we're living in the age of the internet where you know
We can readily hear someone else's sermon. They're preaching and their their beliefs their doctrine
And you're like what in the world's going on over there?
Well, I'll tell you what's going on over there. It's called apostasy
And you know, you know what folks the Bible tells us that this is gonna happen so much the more as we near the end
times
Go to first John chapter 2
First John chapter 2. Um this morning. I'm just speaking to you as a pastor to my congregants. Okay, and
Some of you may already know these things
They're being reinforced some of you
Maybe this is a new concept to you
And if you're visiting our church
The most important thing that you can get from this sermon is this that you better make sure you don't apostatize
You better make sure you get saved today
Better make sure you believe the right gospel
And let me just say this is that the Bible says that in order to go to heaven
All you have to do is believe on Jesus Christ
Plus nothing minus nothing. You don't have to attend my church to get saved
You don't have to get baptized to get saved
You don't have to keep God's commandments to be saved
All you have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and now shall be saved in thy house the Bible says
It's all you have to do
Now I will say this now that you know that though
Now you're on danger I put you in a dangerous position yes
Because now you know the truth
And I don't know when it is when someone becomes a reprobate like that transitional period we don't know
But I would tell you this you shouldn't want to know
Today is the day of salvation now is the appointed time
Look at 1st John chapter 2 verse 19. Oh
Man, Pastor Mejia, you know, don't you have some pastor friends that just have gone astray and they just become weird
Yeah, some of them had just become stupid but other others have just apostatized
Does it break your heart?
No
Because an individual who is apostatized is an individual who was a devil from the beginning according to the Bible
Look what it says in verse 19. This is John speaking here
He says they went out from us
But they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us
But they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. So who is he talking about specifically?
Think about it who?
Judas
Does he serve what Judas Judas is there he's talking about Judas
He's like they went out from us and look he's not dropping names because everyone already knows who he's talking about
Just like you know
Sometimes it's necessary to call names
But sometimes it's not because a lot of people in our church aren't even on the internet sometimes and they don't even know what's going
On and they can be left in the dark
But it's a good principle for you to just know about right so those of you who know who I'm talking about
You're like, yeah, and then those of you who don't know I'm talking about you're like
Well, this is still good teaching because I'm learning something
Verse 20
Or go to verse 21
I have not written unto you because you know not the truth but because you know it and that no lies of the truth
Who is a liar, but he that denied that Jesus is the Christ. He is Antichrist that denied the Father and the Son
So, what does this tell us about Judas that he denied the Son
Because he is an Antichrist and in fact
He's known as the son of perdition
Which the man of perdition the man of sin in the in the end times is also known as the man of perdition
Which shows us that they're Antichrist. They're people who denied Jesus Christ
And look Judas served with John
But I'll tell you this Judas had no converts
He didn't have any converts that's not even uh
There's no room for debate on that
He had no converts folks
Why because unsaved people cannot get people saved
Read that in Matthew chapter 7 they bear thorns and briars
What do they bear thorns and briars?
Whose end is to be burned they don't bear fruit they bear thorns and briars
A thorn is just a bush. It's like a the part the pointy part of a bush that comes out. That's what it is
Yeah, so I want to tell them what that is you ever seen like a rose
You know rose has a thorn that little pointy thing that can poke you in the finger. That's what a thorn is
and that's what these people are and
They can claim they bear fruit they can claim that they see people saved
But at the end of the day God says they bear thorns and briars their end is to be burned
Look at 2nd Peter chapter 2 go to 2nd Peter chapter 2
So don't say that these individuals are backsliding they're actually apostatizing
Okay
They're actually going a different way that's not a biblical way look what it says in verse 14 of 2nd Peter
This is basically your your false prophet chapter here
Says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls
That's interesting
What does it mean to beguile means to trick them to deceive them?
so
You know a pastor is teaching damnable heresy. Are they gonna be able to deceive me?
No, because I would not consider myself to be an unstable soul
If I am I shouldn't even be a pastor
Who are they gonna be able to deceive
Unstable people people who don't know doctrine people who don't read their Bibles people who are not able to prove all things hold fast that
Which is good
They beguile unstable souls and heart they have exercised with covetous practice
cursed children
Look what it says which have forsaken the right way. What is another way to say forsaken the right way they fallen away
they have
apostatized and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bozoar who loved the wages of
unrighteousness the Bible says
They forsaken that right way
That means they were on the brink of the right way going the right way and they turn around and they go the opposite direction
Go to 1st Timothy chapter 4 1st Timothy chapter 4
Let me just say this is that you know our ministry here me as a pastor I never want to
Impose a rule upon you to say hey, you can't listen to anybody
Don't listen to any preacher out there. I'm your own. I'm your guy. I
Don't want to be like that like that jealous boyfriend. You know what I mean? He's just like who are you looking at?
Why are you looking at that guy like that for I?
Saw that
You know
You know I know the doctrine looks good here
Like I'm not worried if my wife is looking at other man cuz
I know she's got
I'm like who are you looking at? I'm like you know you want to look at me come on
I'm not worried about that because I know she's got the good doctrine
And you know what I know that's a shallow example, but you know in church
If you got the right doctrine you have the right teaching you don't have to worry I
Don't have to worry
Then you're going out there listening to other people cuz let's say you listen to some false prophet if I'm teaching you well
You're gonna be like this is heretical
This is heresy
Look what the Bible says in verse 1 of 1st Timothy. It says now the Spirit speaketh expressly
That then in the latter times some shut apart from the faith
Giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared with the hot iron
Forbidding to marry and to command and to abstain from meats, so there's people out there that teach hey you shouldn't get married
You know like the Catholics right? Oh, you gotta abstain from meats. You know Good Friday
Or how about veganism just in general right? Well, you know what a person who is not stable
Will hear that and be like oh, man, maybe we shouldn't eat meat
But a stable individual who reads the Bible will say what are you talking about?
We're supposed to be married
This is a good thing
Eating meat is a good thing
As long as I give God thanks for it. It's a good thing
In this very chapter says it's a good thing
The unstable person will say well, maybe that person you know knows what they're talking about. They're unstable
But it says that there's some that will depart from the faith because of these things
So it doesn't take much to get people to depart from the faith as long as they're not stable
You know what my job as a pastor is to stabilize you
establish
You make you stable and some of you came to church already stable
And I'm just adding more stability to your stability
Some of you are not and you're gaining stability as you come to church
Because I'm not the you know Baptist law enforcement
I'm not trying to regulate who you listen to
And so you can't listen it. That's an old IFP thing folks
That's majorly old IFP. That's so insecure. It's ridiculous
That's like the boyfriend was just like he was like why didn't you answer your phone?
Because it's two o'clock in the morning, and I'm sleeping or something you didn't answer my text message really fast what happened?
That's you're weird a
Pastor who is confident
Just just teaches the right doctrine
And you know what if you go out and you listen to some weird teaching and preaching and you like it and you deserve that
You deserve it it's not my loss
Why is the teaching of apostate churches in Christians so important
I'll tell you why it's because of the fact that it's a precursor to the end times go to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2
You see there will come a time in this world
Where the whole world will worship the beasts?
And when we're talking about the whole world
Worshipping the beast that means there is a religion
where Christianity
Muslims Buddhists Catholics they will all join together and agree that it's okay to worship
the Antichrist
Look what it says in 2nd Thessalonians 2 verse 3 let no man deceive you by any means for that day referring to the rapture
Shall not come except there come a falling away first and the man of sin be revealed the son of perdition
When it says the falling away first I believe that's referring to the fact that people are going to worship the beast
But you know you need precursors in order to get to that point
You need precursors
You need churches today in 2020 who are already acting like this
And you know what?
Marvel not when independent fundamental Baptists act like that
It shouldn't surprise you when you have independent fundamental Baptist pastors teaching false doctrine
It's part of the end times
Always just give them the benefit of the doubt
I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt until they just begin to reject your admonitions
Because you know a heretic after the first and second admonition reject
Says a heretic
God says that person's a heretic they've departed from the faith, okay
Turn to see go to Revelation chapter 2
Now
Look we never want to paint people, you know these churches with the broad brush and just say that everyone in that church is just
Completely gone astray. They're just all stupid and they're all heretical and apostate there could be saved individuals in that church
It can happen
you know and
Sometimes they'll even like defend that heretic of a pastor because they have nowhere else to go
You know what I mean? It was like, oh man, maybe he's not he doesn't really mean that
And
They have to say things like that because they don't they don't they they have nowhere else to go or they feel like they have
No where else to go me. I'm just like, alright, I'd rather just join the most liberal
Church there is than hear this
I'm serious. I
Rather join a liberal church than here's some damn double heresy
Because at least the liberal church, you know, they won't even get into deep doctrine
I
Don't say Jesus is God. They'll say that there's a hell
You know that they'll say all the basic stuff that we know is to be true
They won't delve into any of the deep doctrine because they're really shallow
Look what the Bible says in Revelation chapter 2. Let me say this
So let me use this example here because Pergamos is a church that was kind of going apostate
Look what it says in verse 12 and to the angel of the church and Pergamos, right?
These things saith he which hath a sharp sword with two edges
I know thy works where thou dwelleth even where Satan's seat is and thou holdest fast my name and has not denied my faith
Even in those days where in Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth
But I have a few things against thee
Because I was there
Excuse me them that hold the doctrine of Balaam
Who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication
So there's people at the church of Pergamos who are they're teaching false doctrine and look folks
This is not I don't believe this is just referring to like, you know, the church members. This could be like church leadership
Because it says they're teaching this
So has there also them to hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate
Repent or else I will come into thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He says
So he's telling them look you better repent you better get this right because if you don't then I'm just gonna divide you guys
Okay, skip down to verse number 18 and unto the angel of the church of Thyatira
Right these things saith the Son of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass
I know thy works in charity and service and faith in thy patience and thy works in the last to be more than the first
Notwithstanding I have a few things against him
Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calls herself a prophetess
To teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols
whoa
This church had a woman preacher
We saw that in 2020 we say that church is apostate
They have first of all woman preacher to her name is Jezebel
strike two
Why cuz Jezebel is not a good name in the Bible folks
Jezebel was a very wicked individual in the Old Testament
Wife to Ahab she died a horrible death. God wanted her dead. I mean very wicked
So we got a woman named Jezebel teaching the Bible
in church
God is saying here. This is what I have against you
And don't get offended ladies because uh are you saying women can't preach well they can preach where they go out so many
But according to the Bible only men are supposed to be behind the pulpit teaching the Word of God
And let me just say this okay
Men should be the ones teaching the Bible behind the pulpit ladies of course can prophesy when they're out door knocking
Let me just say this I do not recommend any lady in our church to ever start a YouTube channel
Where you teaching about where you teaching the Bible?
It's not the place
It's not your place. You know what's gonna happen when that takes place eventually false doctrine will be taught
It's gonna happen and I know godly ladies who have a YouTube channel
And when it comes to doctrine they'll say I leave that up to the pastors
Amen
Amen, oh, I know I'm treading on dangerous grounds here. I see the faces. That's okay
It's what I believe and I believe it's biblical
And shame on the man who listens to a lady teaching the Bible on YouTube
The heck is your problem
What
Good point sister
And again, I'm not against women teaching the Bible to their children as the Bible says you should
I'm not against women teaching the Bible to the loss out there when they're preaching the gospel
Philip had daughters who prophesied. Amen. There's plenty examples of women who were
Prophesying getting people saved nothing wrong with that
But
When you get up and you make you create a platform to teach the Bible online
There is a problem with that
Eventually, you will go off course and you will say something you shouldn't say because it's not your place
It's not your place and look people could disagree with me on that. I don't care there
I said it and look this is the direction. I feel Archer should go in and I believe it's a biblical direction
And shame on you if you're a man in my church
Listening to that nonsense, right? I don't believe that exists
But if it did, I'm sure you're you're not gonna do it from now on
Little more on that topic tonight if you want to come tonight
I'm being serious about that that there's a there's a huge problem with that
Okay
Go to Luke chapter 8
Can't I can't steal my thunder for tonight? So I'm just gonna stop right there
So
We're talking about
Apostasizing it's not the same as backslide
Because you never want to take a position either that like when someone leaves our church all that person
Apostasize because they're out there fornicating and drinking and they're out there smoking and living a wicked life
And they cuss me out and they seem like they just don't they hate me and stuff like that. Well, it's probably just backslidden
You know if a person leaves our church because they're involved in sin and they're just very like aggressive towards you
It doesn't mean they've apostatized or reprobate probably means it's just they're just backslidden
They can get like that
Like yeah, but they cuss me out
They curse me out and said all this manner of evil against me. Well, do you remember Peter?
When he denied the Lord three times and he cursed that lady out
You remember that people can get pretty far when they're backslidden, right?
They can get pretty deep in their sin when they're backslidden
So you never want to take that position with oh, they're just apostatizing. No, they're probably just really backslidden is what it is
Okay
Now look at Luke chapter 8 because here's the thing is when someone backslides the Bible uses that same terminology they fall away
So don't get those two mixed up
Falling away doctrinally is different from falling away in your backsliding and look there's people out there that want to mix those two
Look at Luke 8 verse 11 now the the parable is this the seed is the Word of God those by the wayside are they
that hear
Then come at the devil and take it the take it away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved
They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy
These have no root which which for a while believe and in a time of temptation fall away
Now there's a guy used to come to our church and he would teach this doctrine that
People can just stop believing in Jesus if they're saved they could just stop believing in Jesus and they're still safe
Like they can believe that Jesus is the Father, but if they you know confess that Jesus was their Savior
They're still safe wrong, and they would he would use passages like this well this person
They believed for a while and then the time of temptation they fell away they
apostatize
Is what he was saying, but that's not what this is teaching at all folks in fact
Let's look at the parallel passage to this in Matthew chapter 13
So they have no root they believe for a while and a time of temptation
They fall away keep that in mind. This is referring to the individual who's the seed fell on a rock, okay?
Have no root they believe for a while time of temptation they fall away the individual was teaching this well
That means that they believe that Jesus is the devil's brother or whatever you know they can believe some damnable heresy
But they're still safe
Look at Matthew 13 verse 18
This is the parallel passage to what we saw in Luke chapter 8 hear ye therefore the parable of the sower
When anyone here at the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catch it the way that
Which is sown in his heart
This is he which received the seed by the wayside
But he that received the seed in stony places the same as he that here at the word and anon with joy receiveth it
Yet hath he not root in himself
So this is what we're see in Luke chapter 8 right they don't have root
but dureth
For a while now. What does it mean to do her a short for what endure?
right
for when tribulation or
persecution
Ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended
So the parallel passage is this
Temptation and tribulation are referring to the same thing the persecution. He's receiving
So what is it that he stopped believing in?
Well according to this because of persecution. He stopped believing that God would deliver him that God will protect him
and
Believe it or not folks. There's people out there that are backslidden because they're afraid that if they serve God
They read the Word of God they go soul with him that persecution will come upon them and they're right
Persecution will come upon them
But I've literally have had people even say in the comments section God is being unreasonable
Why can't the Christian life just be just like easy with no persecution? I'm not exaggerating people have literally said that
You're like I don't want to serve God because I don't want to be persecuted I
Don't want to serve God because I don't want something bad to happen to me
They literally believe that you know what that person has fallen away, but they're not in a posse to see they're just wheeze
That's all it is
That's what it is folks
And I believe the guy's saved and you know what he's not the only one he's just the only one who's willing to admit it
Right. There's plenty of people out there who don't want to serve God because they're afraid
Especially serve God in our church
You know once when you become a member of our church, you don't just get a certificate
You don't just get a meal to raising canes
You get automatic enemies amen
You're marked you get any you get my enemies you get our movements enemies
You just it comes with the package and there's people who literally don't want to do it because it's for that reason
So what happens they believe but because they don't have root in themselves they endure for a while
But when the time of persecution arrives because of the word by and by they're offended
They stop believing that God can deliver them from that persecution. That's different than going into heresy
That's different than going into dandable heresy. That's just basically a coward is what it is
And look people like that they just they just need to get right with God
They need to get bold. They need to be filled with the Spirit and look coming to a church
Coming to a church like ours will embolden you
If
You're afraid and you come to our church. You will get some boldness
Because you're around other Christians who are bold and
It's contagious you become confident you become bold and your faith is strengthened you understand
But this is not apostatizing here, and we need to be able to differentiate between the two
Understand that apostatizing is not backsliding
Understand one of them is going into just dandable heresy not really believing not really being even being saved them to begin with
The other one is a saved individual who's just weak in the faith
They fell away because of the word
understand so
The last principle that you really need to know about the sermon is simply this is that you know Marvel not
When you know of pastors and churches who are just going off the deep end
That shouldn't cause you to marvel
Because it's gonna happen
And
Don't don't be heard about it either
And I don't think anybody's heard in here over like pastors who have done that if you are heard
Then you just need to grow in your faith and understand that this is this these things are gonna happen
You think anybody was hurt over Judas?
Do you think anybody even shed a tear for Judas to scary it
No
Neither should we
Because what they are they're they're wolves and sheep's clothing who creep in
They try to act like there are safe pastors, and they're not and
unfortunately those people influence other pastors who are saved to join them and
They become deceived they go into that route. You know and they become idiots or whatever
But look folks if you're in our church, and you're not safe
You better get saved
Hey young child. Hey young young man. Hey young lady
You've been coming to our church, and you know that you're not saved you better get saved today, right?
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God
It's a fearful thing to know about salvation to come to a church where there's salvation is being preached
And you just say I don't want to get saved because I'm too embarrassed
That's a scary thing
Hey young lady. Hey young man. You better not walk out these doors before getting saved
Because you don't want you walk out these doors
God forbid something could happen to you you die and your soul splits hell wide open, and it's too late. It's too late
and
for the rest of eternity
You're gonna be remembering this sermon
You're gonna remember this sermon for all of eternity
Don't let that be you
Or even worse
You may not die and split hell wide open
But you know what you could be told twice dead plucked up by the roots and become a reprobate
And you're still allowed to live and breathe and live your life here
But you can no longer believe because God has seared your conscience because you rejected the truth
Don't let that be you today. Amen Spire heads and I border prayer father. We thank you so much for your word and
Lord thank you for
The principles there in Lord help us to to always recognize that
apostasy will be a part of
The Christian life in the sense that churches around us people around us
pastors around us will will go into apostasy that will apostatize they'll teach false doctrine and
It should come as no surprise to us
But it help us also not to confuse that with people who are just simply backslidden and just off kilter
They're just afraid or they're involved in sin Lord
Help us not to confuse the to help us to be merciful gracious and kind to those who are backslidden
I prayed that you would deal with them work in them
So they would repent get right with God and come back to church back to the fold
But those who are apostatizing Lord
I pray that it continued to collect the trash and those who are under their preaching may they run far away from those false prophets
get away from that and
Lord I pray father God that you would your hand continually be upon us
Thank you for the 32 souls that were saved yesterday, and I pray Lord that if there's someone in this church who's not saved
And I hope they get that right today. I don't think they don't leave