All right, we're in Colossians chapter number two and look down at your Bibles at verse number four
It says in this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words for though
I be absent in the flesh yet. I am with you in the Spirit
Joying and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ
And the title of the sermon this morning is keeping the house in order keeping the house in order
Now when I talk about that, I'm not referring to your household. That's your job
The job as a father is to keep their household in order and making sure that everything is run
The way God wants it to be run. I'm talking about keeping God's house in order now more specifically
I'm not referring to the physical aesthetics of the church though. That's important
You know, we got to make sure things are done decently and in order in our church that things are cleaned up
Things are put away that we're making sure that we're not destroying the house of God physically, you know
We gave that announcement last week regarding the children make sure they're not destructive
Make sure we're keeping things in order. Okay, but that's not what I'm referring to this morning
I'm talking about the order the spiritual order
Okay
And more specifically I'm gonna get into some three areas that I really want to talk about this morning in that regard
when we talk about order we're talking about the state in which all components are arranged and
The way that God wants it to be arranged in his proper succession
Okay, basically we need to do things the way God wants us to do them
All right, and we can't lean into our own understanding and try to do things our way
When God is specifically set forth within his word how we're supposed to carry out a specific task a specific discipline
You know a specific goal
We need to do things the way God wants us to do them and when we disregard
The Word of God when we disregard the way God's order is we become a disorderly church. All right
Now go with me if you would to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 if you would
I'm gonna read to you from 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse 14 says these things write unto you unto them hoping to come into
These shortly, but if I tarry long that thou mayest know how the oddest to behave thyself in the house of God
Which is the church of the Living God the pillar and ground of truth
The Apostle Paul is telling Timothy. Hey, you need to know how to behave yourself in the house of God
You need to know what you're supposed to do
You need to know the order of things in the church and more specifically gets into chapter number four
Then we're supposed to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine. Amen
What is the main emphasis of the church when we have a church service? It's the preaching. It's reading the Bible
It's teaching doctrine. It's the preaching of God's Word. It's not the singing. Amen
Now we enjoy the singing prior to our service here and the singing is meant to prepare the heart for preaching
But you know what? Our service is not centered around the singing of God's Word. I mean the singing of Psalms or hymns
Okay, and there are churches that are like that we're literally they will spend an hour hour and a half singing praises unto the Lord
Okay. Now obviously you have your extremes such as the Pentecostal Charismatic Church, right more specifically like the the Hispanic
Pentecostals were where they just sing
Praises and they worship God for an entire hour. I have an aunt who is the Pentecostal and I remember years ago
She came to visit my church and she said how long is your worship? I
Was like what do you what do you mean she's like your worship how long is it?
I was like are you talking about like the preaching? I was like my pastor preaches for like 45 minutes or so
She goes no, no, no, I'm talking about the singing of praises. I was like, I don't know like 15 minutes
We sing like three songs or so, you know, there's announcements the preliminaries. She goes. Oh, no, I can't do that
No way. She said we worship God for at least an hour and a half. We didn't even do preaching
Sometimes we could we could read our Bibles at home
She's that when we gather together we gather together to worship they could do that at a sumba class if they want to
That's what they want
That's disorderly. That's not God's order
The order of God is that when we come to church we come to give attendance to reading to extrication to doctrine
We come to hear the preaching of God's Word. We come with the attitude that we ought not to despise prophesying, right?
We ought to love preaching come ready to hear be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath
We need to make sure that when we come to the house of God
We're coming because we want to learn something. We want to change something about our lives, right?
That is the orderly way and this is what Paul the Apostles telling Timothy is like you need to know how you need to make
Sure, you know how to behave in the house of God look at 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 6
It says now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ verse 6 that you withdraw yourselves from every brother
That walketh
Disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us. This is teaching us biblical separation here and
He's telling us. Hey, we need to make sure we separate from people who are
Disorderly, what does that mean? Well when they don't hold to our traditions and look traditions are not bad
Traditions are good
It's when you have traditions that adhere to things that are anti Bible that violate scripture then it becomes bad
Right, you know having a Christmas tree is not a bad tradition. Amen
Celebrating Christmas is not a bad tradition
You know, but when you have traditions that completely violate the Word of God, you know, well here in our church
We have a tradition of Sunday school class where we have ladies teach men. Well at that point you just violated the Word of God
Well, this is how we always done. It doesn't matter. It's still wrong
It's disorderly and the Bible tells us here that we ought to withdraw ourselves from people who walk this orderly
Verse 7 says for yourselves know how you ought to follow us for we behaved not ourselves
Disorderly among you neither. Did we any man's bread for not?
But wrought with labor and travail night and day that we might be not that we might not be chargeable to any of you
Not because we have not power but to make ourselves and in samples unto you to follow us for even when we were with you
This we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat
For we hear that there are some which walk among you
Disorderly
Working not at all, but our busybodies. So what is he specifically referring to here? He's talking about the man
Who is out of order?
He's making his wife work and he's not he's so lazy
He can't get his lazy rear end off the couch to go and actually do something
Go work get a job pay the bills. That's the order of God
The order of God is that the man is supposed to pay the bills
Supposed to take care of his wife supposed to take care of his children
Well, you know, I just don't want to work at McDonald's, you know, then you're lazy
And if you don't want to work at McDonald's gain a skill that'll make you get a job. That's better than that
Look, no job is shameful unless it's contrary to the Word of God, obviously
No job is shameful. You ought to take any job you possibly can well, you know, I just feel embarrassed there to work at
You know at Little Caesars. No, you ought to be embarrassed. You're not paying the bills and you're having your wife do that
Okay, that is disorderly according to the Bible
That's out of order because the order is the man takes care of the wife and the children not the other way around now today
In society, it's the other way around but you don't want this society is disorderly, right? It's out of order
Verse 12 says this now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness
They work and eat their own bread now
As I mentioned something that is disorderly is basically you're not going according to God's order the comprehensible
Sequence that he set forth within his word go with if you went to Galatians chapter number six if you would
Titus 1 5
Tells us that the Apostle Paul was sending Titus to the island of Crete that he may set an order the things that are
Wanting what was out of order there in the islands of Crete. This was out of order
They were having church, but no pastor
There is no leaders
So he was going there to set that in order to ordain elders so that these local churches could have one leader
Right, not a board of leaders. Not I'm not a deacon board, right?
Which a lot of churches are disorderly in that manner
You know where churches are not run by the pastor it's run by a deacon board or
By the people in the church and the pastor has to get permission
From the deacon board the pastor has to get permission from the people to make even just the most minimal decisions
that's disorderly and
That shows weak leadership. Okay. What is God's order one leader? Amen the pastor? Well, I don't like that
Then there's another church you can go to where you can run the pastor if you want, but it's not here
Well, I think you should ask my advice. Well, I'm glad you think that you're free to think whatever you want
Well, I just you know, I feel well, I'm glad you feel that way. You can feel however you want, but that's it's not changing
When you have something that's out of order you have corruption
You have chaos is what you have
You know church needs one leader and there's nothing wrong with having multiple leaders under him
But at the end of the day Christ is the head of church of the head of the church then the pastor then everyone else
Okay, that is the order. That's how we can keep things from going into chaos and decay
The Bible tells us let all things be done decently and in order when we get out of God's order
There's major problems whether in a country or even in a marriage when the wife is ruling the man that's out of order
You know when the wife is far more spiritual than the man is there's a problem
When the wife is doing all the soul winning going to all the church services
But the man doesn't want to get off his rear end and do that and take the the spiritual bull by the horns
There's a problem that's out of order. Okay?
Now I want to talk about more specific let's get more specific this morning
Because I want to talk about order when it comes to restoring a brother or a sister back into the fold. This is important
Okay, and God has set forth order in this process here
now look if you're to compare our church to
Another church whether it's an old IFB church or a non-denom church or whatever you want to call it
We both basically have the same goal in mind
When someone gets involved in sin when they get backslid in when they destroy their lives
You know if someone who is sincerely serving God, we would want that person to be restored
What does it mean to be restored means to bring them back to where they're originally were at?
Okay, in other words, they're back in church. They're so willing to reading their Bibles. They're living for the Lord
Okay, they're keeping sin out of their lives. This is what we want them to do
We want to restore that person and we both want that that that that goal, right?
But here's the thing people do it out of order
sometimes churches have a different order on how they get people to get restored again and
If you don't do it God's way in God's order, then you're disorderly in that manner now
Look what Galatians 6 verse 1 says brethren if any man be overtaken in the fault ye which are spiritual
Restore such in one in the spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted
So there's a command, you know
If someone is overtaken in a fault and this person repents our goal would be to restore that person back to the full
Okay, get them back in church living for the Lord, etc
Go go with me to 1st Corinthians chapter number 5
Now what are we talking about when a person is overtaken in a fault or they're involved in sin, you know Matthew 18
talks about a person
who
has you know had an offense towards another person or
offended someone in the church for whatever reason and
the Bible tells us that
The person who's offended should go to that person and confront them if they refuse to repent then they bring
People of the church with them to basically confront that person and if they were still refused to repent then they bring it before the church
And at that at that point they still refuse to repent of that offense
Let that man be as a heathen as a public in the Bible says in other words. We're to
Basically excommunicate that person out of the church
This is not a popular topic in churches today
Where it's like what in the world you you like kick people out of church. Well, not every week
You know, but when the time calls for it, yes
Because at the end of the day we're to be servants of God not servants of men
We're to be pleasing God and not pleasers of men
You see someone who pleases men will tolerate sin will allow it to continue in the church allow
Offenses to continue in the church and just not do anything about it
But the person who wants to please God will risk losing people
Right in order to keep the church pure and please God and the church girls because of it. Okay
Let's talk about sin in the church now, there is no sin in the church right now, okay
That's what people are thinking like oh it's good. I knew I should have came to church today. I'm glad I came
You know, you have people who are like, you know, they missed that one service word where I throw out reprobates like
Well today's not the day, okay, sorry you should have been here during the summer when we kicked out the sons of Belial
Haphni and Phinehas, okay
But let's talk about sin in the church because this is gonna take place in our church it is gonna happen
You know, we're not a perfect church
Things are gonna come up and especially as we grow
The more the church grows the more possibilities that sin will come into the church and we have to deal with it
Okay, we can't turn a blind eye to it now the Lord has placed within his word
Procedures on what to do when this takes place and more specifically what sins
Basically qualify someone to be excommunicated out of the church because you know, there's many sins
But there's only a list of six if you don't include Matthew 18 and you don't include someone being a heretic
You know, there's a list of six sins that can get you basically excommunicated from the church and this is important to God now
There's churches that this is not important to so they just let them stay in the church
But you know, it's important to God and these need to be as severe to us as they are to God
Okay
Let's read here in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 look at verse number 1
it says it is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and
Such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles the one should have his father's wife
So we see a guy committing fornication
With his stepmom. Okay. It's not his biological mother. This is basically like a stepmom
It's a wife to his father
And the reason the Bible is calling it fornication and not adultery is because of the fact that the father's potentially dead
All right. Now he you know, she's been freed from that law according to Romans chapter number seven, but it's still inappropriate
Right. First of all, it's an important inappropriate for a person to have his stepmom. That's disgusting
But secondly, they're committing fornication, which is still a major sin. Okay, so this is taking place in the Church of Corinth and
It's reported commonly. What does that mean? Everyone knows about it?
You know you come to church and like oh, yeah, that's hey remember that guy who died
That's his wife and that's his son, you know
It's just that people knew about it verse 2
Why didn't they do anything about it and ye are puffed up and have not rather mourn that he that hath done this deed
Might be taken away from among you
So he's saying you guys are prideful. You guys are arrogant now. Why is he saying that?
Well, the same reason why people keep people who are involved in sin in church today, which is well, you know
We're not like that first works Baptist Church where they just kick people out. We want to restore people
You know, we want to be merciful and kind and gracious
Oh by just allowing them just to continue in the church, right? You know, the Bible says you're puffed up. You're prideful. You're arrogant
You have not taken this person away from among you and when people balk at it and they like they don't like this
This concept of church discipline then explain to me what taking them out means obviously doesn't mean kill them
Drag his carcass out of the church. That's not what it means
Taken away from among you means they need to leave the congregation
Which by the way this demolishes the stupid doctrine of dispensationalism because dispensationalism
Teaches the universal church that we're all part of the church
Well, how do you excommunicate someone out of the universal church? You just teleport them to another universe or what?
Verse
3 for I barely as absent in the body but present in spirit have judged already
You're saying that I don't even need to be there. I already know what you should do as
Though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
This is the authority when you are gathered together in my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ
To deliver such in one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus what is he saying? You're supposed to get rid of this person
Excommunicate them out of the congregation of the church and give them over for the destruction of the flesh
What does that mean when we excommunicate people out of the church for these sins that we're gonna look at?
Satan destroys them and
When it says the destruction of the flesh, that's exactly what he's referring to
He'll God basically removes the hedge of protection from that person for Satan to come and just
Destroy that person's body. We say how I don't know
I don't really care to know I just know that it gets done
You know this can happen via a car accident
You know
drug overdose
The the punishments vary obviously, I just know this God hits where it hurts
It's not a lenient punishment
He will inflict the punishment that will affect your life to the point where you want to repent and get right with God
Okay
So he says that's what you should do deliver them unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, okay
Verse 6 says your glorying is not good. So what does that mean?
It means they're gloating about the fact that they're allowing these people to stay in church. Yeah, we're the tolerant Church
We're the merciful Church
We're not like those people over there who like chastise people and get people out of the church and they kick people out
No, we are merciful. We're mature. Your glorying is not good
Know ye not that a little leaven leaven at the whole lump now, what is the leaven referring to sin and
The concept that he's saying there that he's explaining is when you allow sin in the church
It doesn't just remain with that one person sin permeates
Throughout the entire church now, why is that?
Because if the pastor tolerates one sin, he has to tolerate any other sin
If the pastor tolerates fornication then when the drunkard comes he has to tolerate that as well
Because then he becomes a respecter of people which by the way, that's how he got into that situation in the first place
Verse 3 or excuse me verse number 7 says purge out
Therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened for even Christ our Passover sacrifice for us
Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness
But with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth
He's saying be sincere and be truthful
You know when you when you're dealing with people you can't be a fake
you can't be a phony and
The way people are fakes and phonies is they tolerate one sin and they don't tolerate another
Right. Let me give you an example of this. There's a pastor
Not in our area but in this general area Southern, California
Who you know this lady came to him and she was dating a person who was divorced
Or maybe it might have been the other way around she was divorced and she was dating this person and the pastor basically said you
Can't you can't do that. You know, you should not do that what she was right and I agree with him on that. Amen
The Bible teaches us that if not that would committing adultery according to the Bible
Now
You know, hey
Good job pastor for doing that
But then the situation came to him where his daughter his offspring began to date someone who was divorced
you know what he did permitted it and
This person who the previous person they got counsel from him
You know a person talked to him and she basically said that person that pastor is a hypocrite
How is it? Okay for his daughter, but not okay for me
Let me just say it's not okay for both of them. Amen
But what is this pastor doing? Does he really have the the core conviction that this is wrong? No
Obviously not because when it when it comes down to it when the stuff hits the fan and it's his family
Then he makes the exception to the rule
This is wicked
Okay
It's not sincere it's not truth for verse 9 says I wrote into you in an epistle not to company with fornicators
Get not all together with the fornicators of this world with the covetous or extortioners or with idolaters for them
As he needs go out of the world
So he's saying look I'm not saying you can't spend time with unsaved people who are fornicators because at your job
You're gonna know people and work with people and befriend people who are drunkards who are fornicators, you know, they're Catholics. So they're idolaters
They're they're lost people
You know, you can't separate completely from these people because then you need to go to another planet
Because the world is filled with them, right?
He says in verse number 11, but now I've written unto you not to keep company if
Any man that is called a brother?
Be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or drunkard or extortioner was such in one know not to eat
So what is he saying here? If anybody's involved in these sins and they call themselves a brother. What does that mean?
They say that they're saved. They're Christians
You can't you should even eat a meal with them no fellowship with them, okay
For what am I to do to judge them that are without do not eat judge them that are
With them but then that are without God judge it therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person
So he says look if anybody's involved in these specific six sins
You can't have a meal with them. You should not fellowship with them at all
You should be separated from them. And in fact, they're not welcome in the church
Okay
The six ends fornication. This is physical intercourse outside of marriage
This is something different than adultery though adultery can also get you kicked out of church
Because adultery is actually far more severe than fornication
So if he says fornication is wrong
We could automatically assume adultery is also punishable by excommunication out of the church now
They're both sinful but they are different because we understand that according to the Bible. There's different punishments placed upon both
Adultery in the in the Bible is punishable by death
Whereas fornication is not okay. So if someone is involved in fornication you have a couple who's involved in fornication in the church
They get excommunicated
Covetousness, what is that eagerly desiring wealth and influencing others to desire it as well
If we find out some person in the church is covetous
They're just materialistic people and they're trying to spread that around the church. They get excommunicated out of the church
Idolatry worshiping idols, you know if you're a Catholic and you have you know, you're you're you're
Hail Mary full of grace, you know
Rosary thank you. I couldn't even think of a word, you know, you got your rosary you have idols, you know
That's not tolerable you get excommunicated for that. Okay
Railing spreading lies about people in the church you talking crap about me
You get your hanger parts kicked out of the church
Well, that's not you know, who are you well the pastor
So you talk crap about me you get kicked out of the church
You could disagree with me and but you know what don't rail against me and not just me against anybody in the church
Don't go about as a busybody in a tattle tale a
Tattler going about spreading rumors and just being given over to Satan in that manner because then you will get kicked out
And we've had that issue this year
Where this lady was going around just railing against pastor Anderson railing against me railing against just different people against her husband big surprise
Calling him a rapper bait and all these things. Well, guess what that person got kicked out
Okay
Drunkenness, this is intoxication
Alcohol marijuana or any other
mind-altering drugs or even prescription drugs if you're addicted to these things and you do these things on the
Weekly basis daily basis we find out about it you get excommunicated. Okay?
Extortion blackmailing or using intimidation to get something from someone you get excommunicated for this if you choose not to repent of these sins
Okay
What's the solution?
The solution is we confront people who are involved in these acts and we give them the option to repent
Okay, if someone is involved in drunkenness and we confront them and they say pastor. I
Repent to this. I don't want to do this. I repent of this, you know, I want to be back in the fold
Okay, you're welcome to stay then
But if you're like, well, I'm really just struggling right now, and I can't really just let go of this
Then I would advise that person to not come back
Why
Because if I allow that leaven in the church is gonna spread but don't you love them? Yes, but guess what?
I love God more and I don't want God to judge our church. I want our church to remain healthy
Vibrant. I want God's blessing on the church and it will not remain on the church if we tolerate these sins. Okay
So therefore we have something called Church discipline where we confront this person who's involved in this sin and
Lord willing they repent. Okay, and
Then when they repent we show mercy
Okay, so let me give you an example of a person's involved in drunkenness if they're an idolatry or drunkard and
We find out about it. I confront them to their face and I say hey, I heard that you're involved in drunkenness
You're smoking weed. You're drinking 40s. You're you're involved in prescription drugs and
Here are the two witnesses that say that you're involved in this
And they said yes, I'm involved in that I said, okay, here are your options two options one either repent or two
You get excommunicated you choose. Oh say what? I don't want to do this anymore. Okay, you repent. Yes
Do I have your word? Do you're not gonna get involved in this? You have my word and guess what? That's all I need
Because I'm assuming the man I'm assuming the men in our church their word is good
But they're men of integrity
Okay, so I take that for the if they say I'm not gonna get involved in it
I said, okay, you're restored back into the fold. But if you give me lip if
You buck the offer then I take it before the church you get excommunicated and I take it before the church
That means during the announcements. There's a there's a bonus announcement that you get
And I explained hey, so brother so-and-so is getting kicked out of the church because they're involved in this sin
And they're unwilling to repent of it. Okay. Well, that's not fair. Well, tell me what's not fair about it
You explain to me. Well, maybe they're struggling. Well, let them struggle out there. They're not gonna struggle in here
But if they repent then we show mercy
What does that mean? We don't bring it back up again
We were like, hey, there's Chris the drunkard
Still smoking weed. Just kidding
We don't bring it up
We let them just move on with their lives. We let them turn over a new leaf
And just move on with their lives, right we don't rub it in their face
Okay, we don't bring it back up again
Bring it back up again. We show them mercy
The Bible tells us especially when regards to this guy who was involved in fornication
he was later on he was excommunicated out of the Corinthian Church and
The Corinthians were so severe in their punishment of this guy. They didn't even want to welcome back into the fold
They went to the opposite extreme
They're like he could never come back, you know, and then Paul had to write the second letter and in that second letter
He was like, hey, you need to like confirm your love towards him. This guy's repented. He's gone, right?
It says sufficient to such a man as this punishment which was inflicted of many
So the contrary wise you ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with over much
Sorrow wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him
What is that showing mercy and what is the byproduct of that restoration?
So
This is the order. Okay. Now I need I need five guys. Okay, brother polities. Come on up here. You're gonna be sin
Brother Marcos, come on up here. You're gonna be Church discipline
All right, stand right there brother polities
Hold it up to your chest right here so everyone can see everyone can see you're sinful, right?
Here's Church discipline, all right, I need let me see you let me get another guy brother Glenn
Why don't you come on up and brother Alex? Come on up?
Scoot over a little please
Scoot over the Marcos
Here's repentance, all right and
Then we have mercy stay right next to Glenn scoot over guys scoot over we need one more we need space for one more guy
Any restoration who's right brother Maury? Come on up?
Hold that right there
I'm gonna get my notes here. Okay. So this is the way it's supposed to work. Please move
So someone's involved in sin a fornication
drunkenness
This is normal
Unfortunately, we're sinners. We're not perfect, right? This is God's order
This is how it's supposed to be done
You have sin the pastor executes Church discipline and in light of the Church discipline
The goal is that the person who's involved in sin would repent of that sin. They've get right they clean up their lives
They put out the weed they put out the you know, they throw away the bottles of alcohol. They stop fornicating they get married. Amen
We show mercy
We restore them and then they get restored. They're welcome back into the fold. This is the order of things
This is how it's supposed to work
Okay
You have a person involved in idolatry. They're a former Orthodox, you know, actually we should have had John up here
He was for more with the dogs for idle burning Sunday. He had like 10,000 idols that he brought
They're they're idolatrous. They don't want to let go of their their wasn't the rosary
Like my grandma gave me this
So sentimental value, you know, and I think it's okay for me to pray to this
Okay, then, you know Church discipline you're gonna get kicked out. Okay. I'm just kidding. I'm gonna burn it
Let me see you burn it
We have mercy and they're restored back into the fold. Okay a person is involved in
Covetousness, okay, they
They like money. They like possessions and they're part of the like the pyramid scheme
So they're trying to get people to like join in that pyramid scheme
Pastor hears about it. He executes Church discipline
You know, this house is not a house of merchandise
We don't want you influencing others to be covetous like you are
So here's your options you either repent of that or you get Church discipline
They say well, actually I like first works Baptist Church
So I'm gonna stay I'm gonna stop talking about that and I'm gonna get right with God. I repent
Okay show mercy then they're restored back into the fold. Okay
This is the order and this is the order we're gonna keep until Christ returns a man
Now I need a compromiser. Who's a compromiser here?
Chris Carey Chris Carey, come on up. You're not a compromiser, but you're gonna play one today. Okay?
Alright, this is tolerance. Okay, hold that right there. Let me get my notes real quick
So as I mentioned this is the order that we need to have right
Now, what is it this orderly Church look like a church who's out of order?
Because remember our goal is to restore move over here brother Chris
Our goal is to restore and by the way, the the liberals and the old IFP and every other church
That's not like our flavor of church. They want to restore too. They want people to get right with God
They want people to live for the Lord. They want to love people. We want to love people
This is our goal. But here's the thing. They got things out of order
It's out of order. So they think they know more than God
Their glory is not good though
So what's their order? Well, they have sin
You need to go sit down
You just get church discipline out of there. Come here tolerance
They got tolerance, right so they got a fornicator in the church
People were involved in adultery
people who are involved in extortion
People who are involved in covetous they're just doing I mean just a cesspool of sin
He's just a cesspool of sin. Okay, and
What does the pastor do one of the people do they just tolerate it?
They do follow up
They make sure that person's in church
They just tolerate just allow it to go in the church. They just turn a blind eye to it
Right and don't you dare
Don't you dare speak out against it because you're not being merciful. You're not being loving you need to tolerate that sin
Repentance what are you doing here? Go sit down man. You don't belong here
You have tolerance and then you you got to be merciful. Okay, and then supposedly
You have restoration. So no church discipline and no repentance
right
No church discipline no excommunicating people no threatening people to get it to kick them out of the church
You can't threaten people we do it all the time if we have to
And the threat is this you can't be here if you continue in that sin
But they don't do that. They rather tolerate have mercy and restore but guess what? This is disorderly
This doesn't work. And this is why churches today are filled with a bunch of wicked sin
There's but why do you think so many faggots in church
Because it all started when they tolerated the fornicator
Why do you think there's so much pedophilia in the church because it all started when they tolerated the alcohol
It all started when they tolerated the Mormon
Or the repent of your sins idiot who's spreading heresy in the church
Sinful
Well, you know, he doesn't know any better he just likes Charles Spurgeon
He's just a disciple of David cloud he likes right comfort
He was saved by John MacArthur
We just got to teach him right we gotta have mercy and
Then we can restore we can teach them to be like us. No, he's teaching you to be like him
Is what he's doing. This is disorderly. Okay, and
Now tolerance go have a seat
What do we have Church discipline coming up
Repentance come on up
There you go, don't get it don't get out of order, right
So here's a question, okay
So let's talk about let's talk about fornication because to be honest with you out of all these sins. There's like two major ones that
Sometimes happen not fairly frequently but more often than the others one of them is fornication and the other one is drunkenness
So let's talk about fornication. Okay, because we live in a society where this happens a lot
Unfortunately, and they bring it into the church now
Let me just say let me start off by saying this
Okay, because sometimes people get confused in our church in regards to this, you know
we're against all these sins, but this does not mean you can't invite a
Fornicator to our church or a drunkard to our church or an idolatry to our church
And in fact during the fall program, that's probably what we had
We had tons 20 30 visitors
Right in the span of our fall program probably more than that probably like 40 or 50 more more
So and I guarantee you a good amount of them were probably involved in fornication and drunkenness
Okay, so what in the world are you like compromising? No, here's the thing. This is my policy
Okay, and this is what I believe the Lord is pleased with
Let's take a fornicator. For example, if you have a couple that comes in and they're involved in fornication
They're having sexual intercourse outside. They're not married
If they come I'm not gonna like be like hey you guys married or what can't come brother brother David
Can you usher these people out of the building? No, I give them space to repent
Now, what does that mean?
From the time that they're ignorant
To the time that they have knowledge
That's the space how long is that it depends if they come to church and I pre if you're here today
Then here's your space you have 50 minutes
Right
Because now, you know
If you're involved in drunkenness, you got 50 minutes because now, you know
So from the time that you come to our church to the time you have knowledge that this is sin
That's your space to repent and that
Could be two weeks because look I'm not going around asking people if they're involved in fornication
even if they come as a couple I
Believe that their sin will find them out
We will find out about it because God will honor the fact that we're trying to honor him and keeping the church clean
Spiritually speaking so he'll bring these things to light
Okay, so if a person comes and you know, they're a couple they're involved in fornication and I don't know it
You know, I preach on it two weeks from then then that's their space or if they come because they were invited by another person
In the church and that person knows about it and they confront them. That's their space
To repent you understand so don't have this this holier-than-thou attitude
Oh, I can't you know, we can't have them come they're drunkards
Well, how do you expect them to get right if they don't have hellfire and damnation preaching against drunkenness to get right?
You expect them to live like you and you've been getting preaching every single week
You know, it's wrong
They don't know that
Well, I tell them but you know what? Sometimes people got to hear from a different person other than you
Because you're you're trying to stuff down reprobate doctrine post trip pre-wrath replacement. Yeah, you're trying to give them the entire meal
They need to come to church. They hear about it
Look, there's something about the preaching of God's Word from the pulpit that actually, you know
Pierces the heart of a person and they want to change
Okay
So I give them space to repent all right now go ahead guys you guys can sit down let's give them a round of applause
All right, so let's keep talking about fornication, okay
Because
That we need to clear this up
Now I'm sure many of you know this but I'm I'm gonna reiterate a lot of this because this is something we got to talk
About on, you know fairly frequent basis because this is something that we're gonna run into a lot
So let's talk about a believer with the non-believer
Okay
So if a guy commits fornication
With an unbeliever or vice versa
They only have two options
Either repent or get kicked out. No marriage
Why because the Bible forbids for a believer to get married with an unbeliever
Why but I love her well you do whatever you want, but I'm not gonna put my stamp of approval on that
And I'm not gonna marry you either
I'm not gonna police you and say, you know to call you and say hey you guys didn't get married at the courts
You're not supposed to do that
I'm just gonna tell you
You're not supposed to get married because God forbids that it's the Bible says to be not equally yoked together with unbelievers
Now here's the here's here's what someone will say. Well, what about if there's a child involved though?
Then what okay now this is gonna seem kind of harsh, but
You know sin complicates stuff
If there's a child involved and you have a married person and unmarried person the safe
Excuse me a married a believer and a non-believer the believer needs to work on getting custody of that child
That's it
What what in the world? How can you expect that? Well, you know, you should have thought about that before you committed fornication
You know, it's funny how you want to make a big deal
About all the details that come after fornication, but you never thought about making a big deal about the big deal of fornication
You should have thought about that before you commit a fornication
So two options either repent
You split up you stop fornicating or you get kicked out and if there's a child involved gain custody of that child
So that's a believer with anomaly that's pretty clear-cut
How about two believers? Okay?
Two believers are involved in fornication three options
Repentance via splitting up in other words no longer coming together or repentance via getting married
Now we give a weak span
So in other words, you can go to the court
Let's say you come to me and you say hey, we're involved in fornication. What should we do?
We need to get married. I say okay you go to the courts go get your paperwork
You could either go get married by the justice of the peace at the courthouse or I can marry you
But it needs to be done within a week span if you guys are gonna get married. Okay?
pretty simple
Number three
Now this is something that I want to implement starting today
Okay
If you want me to officiate the wedding
But you want to put it off till later
So let's say two people get involved in fornication, right? You're involved in fornication and you come to me you repent
But you say we want to get married at a later date
Here is here are my requirements for you. Okay?
You need to get married through the courts that week
And I could officiate your wedding we could do a whole ceremony in celebration out of the later date if that's what you want
Now why is that?
You say that's unfair
Well, you need to see point number two where I said you should have thought about that before you actually come in fornication
Now this is why I want to do that. Okay, and I don't think this is unfair either
This is why I want to do that
If someone is involved in fornication and they repent and they want to get married at a later date and they say we repent
You know, I'm gonna take your word for it, but I'm risking
I'm risking you potentially getting involved in that again
Between the time that you repented and the time that you get married four or five six months later
So if you repent here's your option if you want to get married at a later date
Okay, then go get married at the courthouse first this week
And if you say no, then this is what I'm gonna ask you why not
What's up, well, you know, we're not really we're not really ready to get married yet, but you should have thought about that
before you fornicated
This is not fair. I know it's it's it's it's it's more than fair actually
Right, this is what God set forth
Now this is a great area obviously when it comes to these specifics
So in these I'm not giving you the commandment of the Lord. I'm just giving you my advice, but guess what?
I'm the pastor here. So this is the policy we're gonna have
And the policy is if you want to get married at a later date, you still have to get married by the courts
Which is basically go get your paperwork either get married by the justice of the peace, you know there or I can marry you that week
But if you say no, we're not going we're not gonna do that then I'm not gonna officiate your wedding. I
Will not honor you
By officiating your wedding and listen to me. I will not honor you by encouraging people to go to your wedding either
I'm not going to do that
Because it's unfair to the church
And look it's unfair to the second generation coming up
You understand because this is not just to keep the church pure
That's the main focus
But you know what the big thing is this is that we want to teach our young people our children
That fornication is wicked and you don't commit it you get married
Why are you making it so complicated because you complicated it by committing fornication. That's why
That's why
So you need to get married through the courts that week which is paperwork the justice of the peace where I can marry you
But in order to have a ceremony at our church it needs to be done ASAP
Look there's nothing wrong with you getting married at the courts and just doing it there
You're married. In fact, if you don't get your paperwork
We don't consider it a real marriage
So there's nothing wrong with you getting your paperwork at the courthouse and then doing the ceremony there and being legitimately married
There's people in our church who have done that and guess what? They're literally married and we recognize it
But that's what I require if you repent and you want to get married at a later date
Well, you're gonna have to get married that week because that safeguards our church from allowing leaven to potentially enter into the church once again
Okay
You said well, I don't really and then by the way
I'm not talking about being reinstated into the church as soon as you repent you're you're reinstated into the church
right
I'm talking about if you want me to officiate your wedding if you want me to honor you and
Your spouse and you want me to encourage our people to honor you to be there at the wedding
This is what we're gonna do. Okay. Oh man. This is a hard saying who can hear it
Well, you know what then here's the thing and look people people scoff and I see the looks when I say don't write alone
With the car and a girl with the girl in a car alone
Don't be you know going places alone and they scoff at that
But then it actually happens and guess what now you got this mess on your hands. Oh
Yeah, yeah then but not me. Oh, yeah, that's what they thought too
And you want to think I'm some old bogey some old IFB bogey for having those standards
Well, you know what? There's a reason why we have that
So you don't get involved in that crap
Because guess what better to lean far to the right?
Better to have stricter standards not get involved in sin then be loose and potentially get involved in fornication now
You got to deal with this
You understand?
And look I'm sure that even here it's not popular well too bad
This is what we're gonna do and I'm still gonna say you shouldn't write alone in a car with the girl
I'm still gonna talk about you know, don't be look and by the way, let me just say this because it's on my mind
Okay
After church, there's dark places in our church. We need lighting out here. I know
Couples who are dating should not be in the outer darkness where there's weeping and wailing and ashing of teeth
Just on the corner out there where no one can see you. Why are you over there for?
Why are you there just chatting away with your future spouse? Why don't you just do it here?
Why do you need to go to the to the darkness?
You know, well, why are you thinking that way because you're in darkness people in darkness do bad stuff
They go to the dark so no one can see what they're doing so they can't see how close you're getting to her
Right, you can't really know what are they doing? They're just like
Why don't you just stay out here in here where everyone can see you
You can go home with a clear conscience and not tempt yourself to do something stupid
You know, we're not brushed it up against each other oops, sorry
That's
How it happens
You know and look I'm not gonna police you
If I see you doing that, I'm just gonna think you're an idiot
You know, I'm gonna think about you I'm a smile like you stupid idiot
Yeah, I will because it's just not wise
Why go to the corner of the street
With your girlfriend or your boyfriend?
When you can just fellowship right here
Where everyone can see you?
You can just hang out you can talk you can get to know each other where your parents can see you
You know, well, my parents aren't here. Well, it's so much the more than right
To be careful. Well, you know, they encourage me to go outside and say then here's the thing if they say
Why don't we just go over there? Then you say this. Why don't we just stay in here?
And if they don't like that then maybe that's a red flag
To say maybe this is not a good person if they constantly want to chat in the dark fellowship in the dark
Talk about have Bible studies in the dark. You need light
Anyways
I'm just saying
You know, I want everyone in our church the couples in our church to get married, right? Amen
I want them to come pure to the altar. I want them to have a clear conscience, you know
But this is necessary in order to do that. Okay?
I'm basically out of time
So what I'm saying is this is that in order to restore the believer we need to have the proper order. That's the order
Okay. Now today if you are involved in any of these sins, just come talk to me
Like I'm scared to know be scared if you don't come talk to me
Because then God's gonna reveal it to me somehow and then I have to come to you
Better you to come to me then me have to go to you and say hey you heard me priest that sermon
You sat there through the entire thing and you didn't even come to me
Then I come to you with the rod. I
Rather have you come to me and tell me hey, I'm involved in fornication. I'm really sorry about this. I want to get right
this is what I want to do because I want to be reinstated into the fold and
Evoke the mercy of myself of God right to welcome you back into the fold
But this is the order that we needed in. Okay. This is how we have to do it. Go to Matthew 28
Let's let's let's talk about something else
Talk about order here. Okay, so we need to have the proper order not be disorderly and this is how we're gonna do it
So Christ comes back. This is this
Insures us according to the Bible that we're gonna have a pure church that is undefiled
And not be like other churches where they just allow all types of sin and cesspool of wickedness take place in there
They don't do anything about it and they wonder why their church is just declining
It's because they're not fixing the sin. They're literally discipling the the the fornicators
I've been in churches where literally people are involved in open fornication and
They stay in the church for years
without getting married
And I brought it up to the leaders and say hey these people are not only involved in fornication. They're involved in adultery
This lady's married. He's not there together her husband's in prison. This is bad
No, yeah, we're working with them
What did what does that mean
Or you know, we're trying to like disciple them help them out. Well, are you gonna do is show them first Corinthians 5
It takes like five minutes not three years
Well, we don't want to offend them you're offending God
You fool
You're offending God
By not taking care of it
Well, you know we just yeah, but you we got to be patient with people and you know
Just give them, you know, they need to grow. Okay, then this is what you do preach a hellfire
Damnation sermon on fornication. Can you at least do that?
Well, then we'll offend the church you compromising weenie
You limp-wristed
compromising sorry excuse for a preacher
You ought to shut up sit down and let someone else take your office
Because you can't tell the people the truth
Whack preacher a
Preacher who just can't get up and called say the fornication is wicked. It's a sin and this is why
This is why sin is tolerated in many churches and this is why they're imploding
They are imploding. They're being destroyed from the inside out and look many of these churches. They're already done
They may look like they have a name that they're living but they're actually dead they're gone
All but they're still running the buses. They're dead. They're dead as last year's Christmas tree
They're dead as Julius Caesar they're gone
They're not teaching doctrine they're not soul-winning, you know, what God is doing is like, okay
If you want to tolerate the sin, I'll just let this be a cesspool of sin
And you know what? I think sometimes God just sends that church a strong delusion to make them think like they're succeeding
I'll just let you think you're doing well with your little bus ministry
With your little different ministries that you got going on there and just all types of infiltrators come in
Church gets destroyed
Let's talk about the Great Commission. This would be my last point
Matthew 28 verse 18 says in Jesus came and spake unto them saying all power is given unto me in heaven and earth
Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Ghost
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I've commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world
Amen this is the order of the gospel
Right you teach which is the gospel after they get saved you baptize them and then you disciple them by bringing them to church
Okay. Now churches have this out of order. Do they not?
They will hold these evangelistic services to bring them into the church to supposedly evangelize them, but they won't even witness to them
They just let them come in and out of the church
You know we had we had a fall program
We encourage people to bring people to church and guess what many a great percentage of the people who came got saved
And baptized by the way, I think we've got one right over here. He's still being discipled. How you doing Stefan?
He got saved
He got baptized and he's being disciplized right now
He's learning how to go sowing. He's learning how to get sin out of his life. He's listening to preaching in his vehicle
You know, this is that's that's the Great Commission right there
But people have this backwards they get it out of order
They just want to fill up the church house and then take a picture of the church how full it is
If you can if you can just put red paint on every single person who is not saved the entire church
95% of the church would like not be saved
right
Because of the fact that they have this out of order
Okay
We need to have we need to be orderly when it comes to this and obviously
Sometimes it'll get out of order or an unsafe person will come and maybe they'll slip out
They didn't get saved we didn't get a chance to witness to them
But it's possibly because we just need more labors to go out and talk to people right or sometimes
There's so many visitors that they just come in they come out or they just leave right after the service
Whatever may be but for the most part we try to keep things in order
Where if someone comes we're I'm already talking to people and saying hey, I need you to go witness to these people
I said, you know if you're visiting today, you're probably gonna get someone to come talk to you about salvation
You know, unless you just like book it out of the church in that case lock the doors
I'm just kidding. That's weird
By the way, a lot of missionaries have this out of order
Right, they'll go to the mission field and then they'll send back a prayer letter pray for you know, this person
We've been working on them for like six months
He's almost saved. He's just right there
Like dude, you're about to make that guy a reprobate. You didn't even know it
Cuz you're giving them so much doctrine. You're not closing the deal
right
you're probably gonna make them a reprobate and
They spent all these months
Discipling them and taking them to the coffee shop and all these things and the reason they do this because they don't even have the right
gospel
You know, I like the way we do missions
The way we do missions is great, which is buy your ticket
Let's go for a couple days and just win a grip of people to the Lord
That's how you get it done
Get her done. Just go in preach the gospel eat good food
and head back home
But Glenn take my advice brother. He's going to Belize on the 11th
Go there you win a bunch of people to the Lord. This is true missions right here
Missionary work is great commissionary work
It's not discipling some unsafe person for seven months six months
To try them to look like get them to look like you
You know people criticize they like we wore shorts on the mission strip
Like shirts and stuff. That's not very, you know Baptist. Yeah, cuz I'm working. Yeah, it's it's freaking hot in Belize
What do you expect like you got to be comfortable
Okay, you know obviously it's it's not appropriate to wear that if you're going to freaking Siberia
At
That point I'll be like dude that's inappropriate you're gonna die
But if you're going to some hot country, yes, we're shorts sandals. We're sure stay hydrated, right?
Do what you have to do to get the job done and look well, they're not gonna know your Baptist
Yes, they will cuz I have a shirt that says first words Baptist Church
across my chest
About this big the letters are about this big
okay, and
Then they even say when we went to Belize, you know that they knew who I was because the guy
You know a year ago someone from faithful word was there and the guy on the YouTube card preached just like you she said
That's what she said, so they know we're Baptist
We need to make sure we have the order correct when it comes to that and
Then lastly I know I said I was last but this is actually last
Order when it comes to leaders in the church what I mean preaching. Okay, you know, obviously this is never gonna happen here
And if it does, I'll burn the church down, you know, no lady preachers ever
The Bible tells us that women ought to keep silence in the church. This is the order of God
And along with that, let me just say this no ladies ever say amen in the church
No children either and parents correct your children
When you hear them say, amen when we say, amen don't think oh, that's so cute
I
You could think that if you want, but just make sure you stop them and teach them say hey don't say amen
Look, I'm the first to say because my children have said amen many times
in fact when I made that announcement you guys remember when I made that announcement during the
Announcements my son was devastated
He was crying. He was weeping. Well, you know, it's a bad
And my wife's like no you can't you gotta wait till you're older. You can't right now, you know
And I told her you could say amen in the car son. You just can't say it in the church
Okay, you gotta teach your children
And ladies no crying out in the church
Right. No. Amen. That's right. No waving hankies like at Tony Hudson's lame Church
None of that
If you don't know who Tony Hudson is good for you
Okay, you said well, what can we do this what you can do
You cannot and look we're not saying that ladies can't talk at all in church we're talking about during the preaching
Right because it's talking about the Bible talks about learning teaching. This is a regards to the preaching of God's Word
So we're not saying you have to be a mute
From the time you come through these doors until you leave. Okay. Look, I'm not even saying you can't even laugh during church
You
Know cuz you know, sometimes you hear something funny and just it just comes out
Okay, what I'm saying is you can't ask questions. You can't say amen. Oh, you're just like a male chauvinist pig hug
pigs are females
This is the order of the church
And look you have all these stupid churches in the south who allow their ladies
They
Literally run up and down the aisles
It's a circus is disorderly. Oh
You're just you know, you're being what do you think you're better than the women? No, this is just God's order
This is God's order. And in fact a couple months ago when I mentioned this like, I don't know last week or something
Paul and I we got a lady saved. He got her saved invited her to church. She came
She was liking the preaching and she was like getting with it in the service
She was just like amen. Amen. She was like
And then it was just too much and I told I was like hey women keep silence in the church
women are not allowed to speak in our church keep silence and
She was just like did he just say what I think he said?
And she stormed out she left she came back
She told my wife was like did he really say what I think he said and she's like that's what the Bible says
So
My wife had to violate that principle just to tell her
You know and said that's what the Bible says and she threw the Bible and then she came back later and she picked it up
She goes I need this and then she left she never came back. But you know what? So be it an
Orderly church does not have ladies
Being all crazy. I remember even at my old church the church plant that we were at. There is this lady
who would like
She would even dance. I
Calvary how do you dance now Calvary?
You know years I spent in van and she'd be like
you know getting down and stuff and
She say amen and one day I just and I wasn't like the leader. I was they call like the co-pastor
I was just like an assistant to the pastor and no one told me what I said. I was like, hey, you can't do that
You need to keep silence in the church
You're saying amen and victory and all this stupid stuff. You can't do that
This is what the Bible says about that and she left and she wrote me a long letter condemning me for it
She's just like I'm filled with the spirit. I'm like, yeah you are but it's not God's Spirit
You know, so
We need to have an orderly church here and look if you bring look folks if you bring people to church
You know and you know that they afford time have a habit of maybe saying shouting in church and stuff
Sit next to them and tell them not to do that
Okay
You know, they're like, hey, man, just think ladies are not supposed to say amen in church
I'll explain it afterwards, but make sure you don't do that because if not the pastor's gonna call you out
Teach them
Don't let them like, you know, cuz some of them are just ignorant. They don't know
Okay, and I'm not mad at ladies if they do that because especially if they're ignorant, okay
What I'm mad at is if they continue to do it even in the midst of knowing that they should not
Understand. So what are we talking about today? We're simply talking about hey keeping the house that God's house in order
We need to make sure we have order in the church
We're not gonna be a perfect church, but we can at least follow God's orders. Amen
Spire heads and have a word of prayer
father we thank you so much for your word and
thank you for the orders that you've given to us very clear and
The areas that may not be clear is are the areas that you've given us liberty
To choose and to gain wisdom and to exercise discernment to be able to make the right decision
And I pray that you'd honor that Lord as we seek to honor you by keeping sin out of the church. I
Pray for those who?
Have been wayward Lord who are maybe being destroyed by by Satan
That that would bring them to repentance that they would they would come back to the fold Lord
And I pray that when they do come back to the fold that we would show them love and care and confirm our love toward
them and forgive them and
Lord if they repented that we would act like it just never happened and I pray God that you help us to do so
We love you so much and we thank you pray these things in Jesus name. Amen