Amen we are in Deuteronomy chapter number 6 in verse 15 where the Bible
reads for the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you lest the anger of the Lord
thy God be kindled against thee and destroy thee from off the face of the
earth ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as he tempted him in Massa he shall
diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God and his testimonies and
his statutes which he hath commanded thee and the title to sermon this evening
is the witness of God is greater the witness of God is greater now here we
see in verse number 17 that God commands us to diligently keep the statutes the
commandments but he says the testimonies as well now what is a testimony a
testimony is simply a statement or a declaration some sort of witness that
someone gives of something okay we the Bible would also use the phrase when
someone bears record of something right this is someone's testifying someone
giving witness of something that they've seen something that they know
and they bear it as a fact go to Psalms chapter 19 if you would so specifically
is when we bear a record of something specific and the Bible says that we ought
to diligently keep the statutes precepts commandments but it also says the
testimonies of the Lord now all of these words are used interchangeably in the
Bible they're all referring to the Word of God okay precepts is talking about
the Word of God the by the commandments are the Word of God the testimonies are
the Word of God look at Psalms 19 and verse number 7 the Bible reads here the
law of the Lord is perfect as brother Alex was praying they're converting the
soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple so what is the
Bible saying here it's saying that God's testimony helps people who are simple to
become wise what does it mean to be simple well simple simply means this is
that you don't know a whole lot okay and we live in a society today where
obviously the world doesn't know anything about the Word of God but we
but it's that's expected but you know what's shameful is when God's people
don't know the Word of God when God's people neglect to read the Bible they
neglect to know the commandments of the Lord they refuse to learn the precepts
and testimonies of God and in fact it gets gotten to the point where they
uphold the philosophy of the philosophies of this world much higher
than the Word of God but the Bible tells us here that the testimony of the
Lord is sure making wise the simple you say well you know what brother Bruce I
don't know a lot of Bible well you know what you need to get into the
testimonies of the Lord because that'll make you wise okay that'll help you to
know the things that you didn't know before and to perfect your understanding
look at verse 8 the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the
commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes the fear of the
Lord is clean enduring forever the judgments of the Lord are true and
righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold yay then much fine
gold sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb moreover by them is thy
servant worn and in keeping of them there is great reward now keep in mind
again Commandments precepts testimonies these are all used interchangeably and
all fit they all produce the same exact result when we obey them when we keep
those Commandments now go to first John chapter number five now we can break
apart every single one of these words but obviously they all mean the same
thing but I want to focus specifically on the word testimony all right because
that's something that I think we can relate to we often hear that word used
very frequently when someone says I want to give a testimony or I want to testify
of something they want to bear record of an experience that they had or of a
truth that they know okay well the Bible says that God has testimonies the
difference is is that God is always true God is always speaking the truth there's
never a lie within the Lord okay it is impossible for it for God to lie
whatever he promises whatever he says in his word is true but we're gonna look
real briefly at the witness of the Godhead all right now when I'm referred
to the Godhead I'm referring to God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit
which is commonly known as the Godhead first John chapter 5 and verse number
6 says this is he that came by water and blood even Jesus Christ not by water
only but by water and blood and it and it is the spirit that beareth witness
because the spirit is truth for there are three that bear record in heaven
the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one so the Bible is
clearly telling us here that there are three that testify there's three that
are bearing record it's the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost now go with me
if you went to John chapter 15 and the Bible says these three are one what does
that mean they're God it doesn't mean that they blended all one into one
another and that Jesus is the Father the Father is Jesus the Holy Spirit is God
or excuse me the Holy Spirit is the Father we understand that they are all
God okay not separate gods one God three distinct people that's what the Bible
is teaching us here and look if it taught anything different why would he
separate him into father son father word and the Holy Ghost why don't you just
say that God is just one no it makes it completely it makes a distinction to say
there's the Father here's the word and here's the Holy Ghost yes these three
are one but he clearly made a distinction between the three now it
says there that they bear record though what are they bearing record of well
look at John 15 we're gonna look at the witness of the Holy Spirit first and
foremost verse 226 says here but when the comforters come by the way when the
Bible refers to the comforter capital C that's referring to the Holy Spirit he
said why would God call the Holy Spirit comforter because that's exactly what he
does he comforts us okay and we can look in Romans chapter number eight where the
Bible talks about that he prays for us he makes utterances for us he prays
according to the will of God for us and what does he do and he and in context
in Romans chapter 8 it's talking about when we go through hardships okay see
when we go through hard times and trials and difficulties we shouldn't go to the
end to the entertainment of this world to get our mind off of things we
shouldn't go to drugs or recreational drug abuse or alcohol you know what we
need to go to we need to go to the comforter because that is the built-in
comforter that God has placed within a safe person to help us during a time of
trial but it says here but when the comforters come whom I will send unto
you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceeded from the Father he
shall testify of me and he also shall bear witness because you have been with
me from the beginning go to John chapter 16 just a chapter over so the
Bible says here that the Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ okay he bears
witness of the truth the truth is Jesus John chapter 16 and verse 7 says
nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if
I go not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will
send him unto you and when he has come he will approve the world of sin of
righteousness and of judgment of sin because they believe not on me of
righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more of judgment
because the prince of this world is judged I have yet many things to say
unto you but you cannot bear them now how be it when he the spirit of truth is
come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but
whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to
come he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto
you so here we see that the primary responsibility of the Holy Spirit is to
testify of Christ and the Bible says here that he will guide you into all
truth so you said what can I take away from that simply this is that the Holy
Spirit will never contradict what the Bible says so when you hear these
charismatic type churches these Pentecostal type churches when they try
to say that they got some revelation from God that God revealed unto him
through the spirit of truth well you know what if it contradicts the Bible
that wasn't the Holy Spirit right why because the Holy Spirit testifies of the
Word of God and testing you said well I think say to testify to Jesus Jesus is
the word so he's gonna testify of God's Word and God's truth he's gonna bear
witness of that Bible says he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine
and I'm leery of religions who only focus on the Holy Spirit all the time
you know they undermine Jesus Christ they undermine God the Father and they're
always lifting up the Holy Spirit they say well you know the Holy Spirit you
know the Spirit hasn't spoken to me about that specific sin if he's spoken
to you about that that's one thing but to speak to me about that you know he
hasn't spoken to me about it then you don't have the Holy Spirit okay because
the Holy Spirit will tell you the same thing that he told me in regards to sin
why because he's not gonna he's not double-tongued okay he's not a hypocrite
all right he's not a politician he's not gonna speak out of both sides of his
mouth and tell you what you want to hear and then tell someone else what they
want to hear the Holy Spirit will bear witness of the Word of God and the it
makes sense because the Bible says that the the flesh profit is nothing it is
the spirit the quick and it's my words that are speaking to you they are spirit
and they are life the Bible says go to first John chapter number four first
John chapter number four you know it's a trendy doctrine of what people say well
you know what the Holy Spirit spoke to me about something you know and usually
it's they do their it's their own agenda something that they want to do you know
for example you know when they when a when a person wants to get divorced oh
well God led me you know it's a spirit that led me to believe that that this is
what I should do no then you don't then it's a spirit lowercase s okay and it's
not of God it's what the Bible would say we'll call him first Timothy or excuse
me first Timothy chapter 4 a seducing spirit okay it's not the Holy Spirit
why because the Bible will never tell God will never tell you through his Holy
Spirit to get divorced okay divorce is wicked it's wrong it's sinful and the
Bible speaks clearly against it in fact the Bible says God hated putting away
putting away in the Bible is another word for divorce okay and the Bible
clearly says God hates it so why would the Holy Spirit leads you into a
teaching and to a practice that's against the Word of God doesn't make any
sense 1st John chapter 4 and verse number 1 says here beloved believe not
every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false
prophets are gone out into the world I often think of the wealth and health
prosperity gospel preachers when I think about this you know you see them on
television shows and I send in your $20 send in $50 $100 the Spirit of God told
me that you have cancer and I can heal you have that cancer you know it is a
spirit that's telling him but it's not the Holy Spirit okay he's greedy of
filthy lucre is what he is and he's trying to make money off of people is
what he's doing okay but it says there don't you know don't just believe
everyone just because they say they're of God doesn't mean they are of God you
know Jehovah's Witnesses will say they're of God Mormons will say they're
of God you know all these false religions will say they're of God but
you know what we have to do we have to try every spirit well how do you try it
is what they're saying compatible to what the Word of God says if it's not
then it's not of God simply put verse 2 hereby know ye the Spirit of God
capital s every spirit that confess it that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
is of God and every spirit that confess it not that Jesus Christ has come in the
flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist where have you have
heard that it should come and even now already is in the world so the Bible is
telling us here that the testimony of the Spirit is that Jesus Christ has come
in the flesh you know what that tells me it tells me any person who holds to a
modalist oneness position is of the Antichrist because they're denying that
Jesus Christ came in the flesh they're saying that God the Father became Jesus
Christ well they're denying it right there because the Bible says no Jesus
Christ came in the flesh and it's a God the Father came in the flesh and said
that Jesus came in the flesh okay and if you deny them to guess what you're the
Spirit of the Antichrist according to the Bible why cuz you're denying the
witness of God you're denying the witness of the Holy Spirit okay and we
understand that the witness of God is true go to Romans chapter number 8 you
know modalist oneness they're they're Antichrist is what they are and I'm not
saying every single person who's even deceived by them are our Antichrist but
you know the people the fools who are promoting this garbage the ones who are
propagating this false doctrine the ones who are trying to prop it up and
try to fight against Trinitarians they're the Antichrist oh I think they're
sincere they're sincerely wicked okay Romans 8 verse 15 but what else does the
Holy Spirit bear witness of for you have not received the spirit of bondage verse
15 again to fear but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry
Abba father the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the
children of God so what's another thing that the Spirit testifies of what
testifies that we're saved you see we believe that once you're saved you're
always saved okay so there should never be a time in your life as a Christian
you question your salvation do you wonder well you know man am I really
saved you know why because the Bible tells us here that when that the Spirit
of God bears witness it testifies that we are the children of God when the
Bible refers to someone being a child of God it's basically saying it's
insinuating it's saying that you are saved is what you are because once you
get saved you're a child of God okay the Bible tells us in 1st John chapter 1 in
verse number 12 that once we receive Christ we believe on him God gives us
the power to become the sons of God that's what the Bible teaches us so once
we're saying we become children of God but the Bible tells us here that the
spear bears witness that we are the children of God you just know you're a
child of God you say well brother Bruce then what if I'm questioning whether I'm
saved then what if I don't what if I still doubt if I'm safe then you're
probably not saved that's just probably that's what it means because if you're
doubting that you got saved that means you are holding on to a teaching or a
belief that you have to do something to maintain your salvation you say well man
I don't know if I really got saved you know I think I lost my salvation because
I sin well then in that case you're still believing that you have to work or
keep the commandments of God to remain saved or to prove that you are saved it
doesn't work that way you see the Bible doesn't teach us that we have to repent
of our sins to be saved doesn't teach that at all okay the Bible just says we
have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and now shall be saved and you say well
how do you know it's not by repenting of your sins we know that for a fact simply
aside from the fact that the Bible witnesses and doesn't say anything about
repenting of your sins the Bible says this therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law and over and over it emphasizes
the fact that to him that worketh not okay and so if you're doubting whether
you're saved or not talk to us right after right after the service get saved
and then we're gonna have some baptisms afterwards you can get baptized right
after that now baptism has nothing to do with salvation but it's the next step
after salvation but here says that the Spirit bears witness there's something
within us that's called the Holy Spirit that just confirms and says hey I'm
saved I know I'm saved that's why you run into someone who's been like
involved in sin and has been out of church for a long time they're saved and
they know for a fact they're like no I'm saved I know I'm saved first of all they
have the spirit of themselves that's bearing witness but you know the Bible
also teaches us that God chastises his children when they get involved in sin
so they're probably getting a paddling from the Lord okay that's confirming of
the fact that they're saved but the Bible says here that he bears witness
with our spirits so the Bible teaches that once we get saved the Holy Spirit
of God comes to live within us we see that in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13
through 14 we also see that in Ephesians chapter number 4 that this
Holy Spirit of God is sealed within us until the day of redemption and he bears
witness that we're the children of God that's something that should never be
something that we question now do we question God's love every once in a while
yeah when you're going through a hard time you wonder man does God love me
what's going on even John the Baptist question right but to question whether
you're saved or not you're doubting that that's not biblical and if you say well I
still think because I'm just I'm doubting you know I'm not behaving
myself like a Christian the Bible doesn't say you have to behave like a
Christian to be saved okay I know we know some wicked false prophets who
behave like Christians but they're not saved you know some evil wicked people
in this world who claim to be Christians who claim to be pastors and all these
things but you know they're not saved okay so it's not based upon what we do
go to John chapter number 10 so there are three that bear record in heaven the
Holy Ghost obviously is one of them he bears witness of Jesus Christ he bears
witness of the word he bears witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God the Bible says and look don't think that's weird or charismatic to say
that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit I don't I can't explain it I just
know this I know within me I'm saved okay it's just like the spirits bear
witness he's done it's like it's like someone a voice inside of you that say
not audibly but just saying hey you're saying you're a child of God that's not
something you doubt you know for a fact it's the assurance that we have within
ourselves John chapter 10 and verse 24 we see here also the witness of Jesus
Christ verse 24 says then came the Jews round about him and said unto him how
long does thou make us to doubt if thou be the Christ tell us plainly Jesus
answered them I told you and you believe not the works that I do in my father's
name they bear witness of me but you believe not because you're not of my
sheep as I said unto you my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow
me go to John chapter number seven John chapter number seven so we see here that
Jesus Christ witness really was within his works the works that he did bore
witness that he was the Son of God he was God in the flesh okay John chapter
seven in verse number six says then Jesus said unto them my time and it's
not yet come but your time is always ready the world cannot hate you but me
it hate it because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil so what did
Jesus Christ testify of the evil works of this world and what was the result of
that people hating him okay this is in in stark contrast to the Jesus that many
churches portray today the he's just meek and humble which he was that he was
very kind and loving which he was but they completely negate the fact that he
was judgmental Jesus Christ was judgmental okay he judged the whole lot
and in fact the Bible says here that he testified of the works of the world that
they were evil that's why people hated him okay and look he said but that's
Jesus but you know we're supposed to walk in the footsteps that Jesus walked
so that means we're supposed to testify of the evil of this world as well right
even what the result of that will be the people will hate us Christians and
non-christians safe people and non safe people they will all hate us why because
we're testifying of the works that they are evil what are we saying we're
bearing witness of the evil works of the unsafe people of this culture we're
bearing witness of the evil works even of our own brethren okay and that the
result of that is they'll hate us but you know we're just following the
template that Jesus Christ left us he testified of the works that they were
evil that goes to show me that Jesus Christ was being very judgmental that
goes to show me that Jesus Christ though he was meek and humble he judged the
world he testified that man that's evil that's wicked that's evil and that's
wicked he preached very hard on these things okay John chapter 5 and look we
should we should preach hard against it as well you know we should talk about
the sins of this world we should talk about divorce and how wicked it is we
should talk about fornication and how wicked it is we should talk about false
doctrine and how wicked it is and expose religions for who they really are right
oh we shouldn't judge religions they say they're Christians I can care less if
someone says they're a Christian at their words are not matching up to what
the Word of God says they're gonna get testified against right that's how it
works you know Jesus Christ for three years testified against the religion of
Judaism he grounded the powder the Bible says okay he testified against
that he called them sons of devil he called the Jews the sons of devils he
testified hard against them why because that's what he was sent to do and look
he's not revealing anything new he was basically he's saying look you're doing
out in the open I'm just gonna testify that that's what you're doing you see a
lot of the times even in modern days there's an elephant in the room and
everyone knows about it and then people get mad at us because we just hate hey
there's an elephant in the room why are you being judgmental it's like I'm just
saying what everyone already knows I just got the guts to say it you see
what I'm saying so we're not being judgmental we're simply pointing the
finger to the elephant in the room hey did you see the elephant in the room
hey guys there's an elephant in the room Baptist churches are teaching a false
doctrine did you guys know that you know Baptist preachers are condoning divorce
did you know that you know they're not they're not so winning correctly did you
know that everyone knows it we're just lifting up our voice like on trumpet
crying out loud sparing not and showing our people God's people their
transgression look at John chapter 5 so now we're gonna look at the testimony
of God the Father verse 31 says I bear witness of myself if I bear witness of
myself my witness is not true there is another the bearers witness of me and I
know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true ye sent unto
John and he bear witness unto the truth but I received not the testimony from
man but these things I say that you might be saved so I like what he's
saying here okay because he's basing this off of the law that specifically
said that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be
established you see God's manner of seeing someone who's guilty or
condemning someone to who's guilty you needed at least two to three witnesses
to say hey that person did it okay and he said look if I bear witness of myself
my witness is not true that's not saying that he was lying he's just going
according to the Word of God to say no we need two or three witnesses right he
says John bear witness of me and obviously we knew that John was telling
the truth because but I'm not gonna receive witness of man and what it says
here verse 35 he was a burning and shining light he's given him credit and
you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light but I have greater witness
than that of John he's like I don't even see John's witness I have a greater
witness than that for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the
same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me and the
Father himself which had sent me hath borne witness of me ye have neither
heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape and you have not his word abiding
you for whom he had sent him you believe not so who did God bear witness of the
Son Jesus Christ now here's the interesting thing it says there in verse
number seven ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape now
if Jesus Christ were God the Father then he's a lunatic right here because
they're just listening to him speak as he's speaking is he you have neither
heard his voice it was like well hold on a second Jesus we're hearing him right
now the God the Father is right here and then he said this nor seen his shape
well who were they looking at if he's supposedly God the Father and in fact
the Bible says in 1st John 1 1 that which was from the beginning which you
we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon in
our hands of handled of the Word of Life so these people who are on earth they
handled of Jesus they handled Jesus they saw him with their eyes they heard him
but Jesus and if Jesus if that's not true if God the Father is Jesus then
Jesus lied in verse 37 because he said you have neither heard his voice at any
time nor seen his shape and first John 1 1 says no we heard okay we have seen
with our eyes which we have looked upon in our hands have handled okay see no
man had seen God at any time they've seen Jesus but not God the Father go to
Deuteronomy or excuse me go to John chapter 8 John chapter 8 I'm gonna read
to you from Deuteronomy chapter 19 in verse 15 this is where this concept
comes from and it's a good concept to go by look that's why anytime this is the
reason why anytime if I have to speak to someone in the church maybe to give them
the boot or they're getting they're getting disciplined I take two people
with me all the time okay at least two to three people with me all the time
because out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be
established if someone tries to tries to accuse me falsely of anything that I've
said I got two witnesses I got another witness here I think that's a good
template to go by Deuteronomy 19 verse 15 says one witness shall not rise up
against the man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sent it at
the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the
matter be established now John chapter 8 verse 14 look at the Bible reads here
Jesus answered and sent it to them though I bear record of myself yet my
record is true you see he's not contradicting himself what he said
earlier in the passage that we just read you know he says though I bear witness
of me my witness is not true he's just saying this according to the law we need
two or three witnesses but he reaffirms it in John chapter 8 where he says
though I bear record of myself yet my record is true why because he is the
truth for I know whence I came and whither I go but ye cannot tell whence I
come and whither I go ye judge after the flesh I judge no man and yet if I judge
my judgment is true for I am not alone but I am the father that sent me it is
also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true I am one
that bear witness of myself and the father that sent me beareth witness of
me now if God the Father is Jesus Christ then that doesn't make any sense
right because that means they're one that's not enough witnesses but he said
the mouth of two witnesses you know why because it's God the Father God the Son
and those are two distinct people okay or else it wouldn't make sense you see
what I'm saying so this this nonsense that God the Father is Jesus Christ is
foolish because then Jesus Christ is a liar he can't witness of himself why
because you need two or three witnesses but you know what because they're two
distinct different people the witness of God is right there the witness of Jesus
Christ and God the Father those are the two men that we're talking about here
okay first John chapter 5 and verse 9 go to first John chapter 5 verse number 9 I
am one the beareth witness of myself and the father that sent me beareth
witness of me you see the oneness modulus heretics well you know
according to them that would be like he's very witness of himself and he's
like two and one but he's only one I mean I don't know how you make sense of
it but it but it makes sense no it doesn't according to the the law here it
wouldn't make any sense you need two actual people not a schizophrenic God
you know where it's just like well he's Jesus in one mode and then God the
Father and another and they're both testifying but it but it but it holds
water no that's a schizophrenic God we don't serve a schizophrenic God there's
three distinct people here first John chapter 5 and verse number 9 says if we
receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the
witness of God which he had testified of his son so just remember this you're
gonna run into a lot of people in life that will sound very convincing they'll
make a good argument against anything maybe it's against something that you
believe right but just remember this if we receive the witness of men the
witness of God is always greater so it doesn't matter how convincing they are
or what type of so-called proof that they have and you know how elaborate
their argument is against whatever doctrine the witness of God is always
greater okay now this is specifically referring to the witness of God of his
son verse number 10 says he that believeth on the son had to witness in
himself he that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not
the record that God gave of his son so the record that God gave of his son is
if we believe on him we shall have everlasting life if you choose not to
believe on the son which is Jesus Christ you've made God a liar because
that means you're trusting in something else he's like no I'm not gonna believe
just on Jesus Christ I'm gonna believe on Jesus Christ and do good works well
then you've made God a liar because God is saying no all you have to do is
believe on Jesus Christ and you can have everlasting life okay that's what he's
saying in verse 11 and this is the record that God had given to us eternal
life and this life is in his son not in his son and in his in your works not in
his son and in keeping the commandments not in his son and getting baptized not
in his son and repenting of your sins just in his son he that hath the son
hath life he that hath not the Son of God hath not life very simple these
things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God
that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the
name of the Son of God go to Mark chapter 14 so the witness of God the
Father is of his son saying hey believe on Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved
all you have to do is believe on Christ that's it not your works not in any
keeping of the commandments and look most of the people in the world when
they hear something like this you know a lot of self-righteous people is it why
keep the commandments of God but they don't understand there's not there's
more than ten commandments in the Bible ten commandments are just those famous
commandments that we know about there's hundreds upon hundreds heaps upon heaps
of commandments in the Bible and that's not we're not even including the thou
shall right there's there's a lot of thou shall not so try to fit those into
your obedience mark 14 in verse 56 for many bear false witness against him
against to Jesus but their witness agreed not together and there arose
certain and bear false witness against him saying we heard him say I will
destroy this temple that is made with hands and within three days I will build
another made without hands but neither so did their witness agree together when
I think of this verse I think of the oneness modulus their witness agree not
together you know they sound like a bunch of fools why because false doctrine
at the root of it is just pure lies you ever met a chronic liar if you ever met
a chronic liar they're these kind of people that they have to keep lying
right and but it's eventually they get caught why because they have so many
lies that they have to make they can't cover their tracks as well you know what
I mean and so what happens they get caught very easy but you know what when
you're only telling the truth you don't have to cover anything just keep telling
the truth whereas lies is like you have to remember every single lie that you
told and you never agree there's never truth being spoken out of your mouth
whereas if there's truth truth always is in agreement the Bible says we can do
nothing against the truth but for the truth okay now go to 1st Corinthians
chapter number 10 so I just want to start off with that the witness of the
Godhead okay the witness of the Holy Spirit is why he testifies of Jesus
Christ by the way it's interesting that the Bible says that the witness excuse
me out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be
established well we just saw three witnesses right there father son and the
Holy Ghost these three are one these are the witnesses if these three were one as
in only one person that God the Father is Jesus Christ that witness that
wouldn't agree hit or two okay why is that because they need we need three to
establish every word of God all right now these are the testimonies of the
Lord the testimonies of the Lord testimonies of God the Father
testimonies of God the Son testimonies of God the Holy Spirit but the
testimonies of the Lord can also be summed up in the lives of people we find
in the Bible because you have to think about oh you know if I were to come to
you and I say hey Chad tell me your testimony you know how did you get saved
you know or mark tell me your testimony how did you get saved how did you get
into an independent fundamental Baptist Church all of us would agree on those of
us are saved all of us would agree on how we got saved oh I believed on Jesus
Christ you know I trusted Jesus Christ etc but obviously we would differ in in
our lives afterwards how we got into an independent Baptist Church but what
does it mean when we were given our testimonies basically we're we're
bearing record of the experience that we had right that's what it's talking
about so in the Bible we see that we see the lives of people in the Bible the
testimonies of the Lord are the lies found within the Bible these are people
that have had successes but they've also had failures okay now why are there
testimonies in the Bible so we can know what not to do and we can know what to
do okay so we can look at a life of the life of David right and know that we can
have the courage and the confidence to face the Goliaths in our life but at the
same time we could look at the life of David and see his sin with Bathsheba the
adultery that he committed and all the wicked things that he did and say okay
that's something that I shouldn't do so the testimonies of the Lord are specific
principles and doctrines that we find within the lives of people in the Bible
look at 1st Corinthians chapter 10 and verse number 11 excuse me verse number
6 says now these things were our examples to the intent we should not
luster after evil things as they also lust in neither be idolaters as were
some of them as it is written the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to
play neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in
one day three and twenty thousand neither let us tempt Christ as some of
them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents neither murmur ye as some of
them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer now all these things
happen unto them for our examples and they are written for our admonition upon
whom the ends of the world are come so we see here that all these people these
wicked people in the Old Testament they made a lot of mistakes but you know what
the Bible says it's written for our admonition so when you're tempted to
fornicate you're not gonna do it why because the testimonies of the Lord
shows that God killed a lot of people in the desert when that when they committed
that wicked sin of idolatry the Bible tells us that when we're tempted to
complain what do we do we look to the testimonies of the Lord of those who
murmured against the Lord and the destroyer came and destroyed them you
know it instills the fear of the Lord in our hearts you said well I didn't know
these things well that's what the Bible says that the testimony testimonies of
the Lord makes wise the simple so maybe you don't know but now you know okay now
go to 2nd Samuel chapter 11 and this is a common thing that we see throughout
the Bible there's people in the Bible that learn from the mistakes and the
successes of people in the Bible okay from the testimonies of the Lord here's
an example 2nd Samuel chapter number 11 and 2nd Samuel chapter number 11 let me
turn to myself 2nd Samuel chapter number 11 2nd Samuel chapter 11 is basically
it's an unfortunate chapter but it's when when David fell into sin okay he
committed adultery with Bathsheba and then he he's trying to cover it up right
because when you lie you got to cover it up and so now he's trying to get Uriah
to go back home to to basically be with his wife so that the baby that she's
gonna conceive people will think that it's of Uriah now that isn't work
because Uriah is a just man he's a righteous man he decides not to do that
he wants to be in the war with with the King soldiers so he goes back so the
next best step the best best step that David sees is that well I guess I'm just
gonna have to kill Uriah so he plots this entire scenario he sends Joab to
go and put him in the hottest part of the battle which by the way shows that
Uriah is a tough tough cookie I mean the hottest part of the battle is like
you're probably not gonna come back okay that's where everyone dies all right so
he sends Uriah to the hottest part of the battle and then he comes he dies
obviously and when Joab sends a messenger to David he tells the
messenger hey let King David know that Uriah is dead okay so this is where we're
at in the story look at verse 19 and charged the messenger saying when thou
hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king and if so be
that the king's wrath arise and he say unto thee wherefore approached he so nigh
into the city when he did fight knew you not that they would shoot from the wall
so he's telling look in case King David tells you this which is interesting
because obviously Joab knew that David knew right so my guess is the reason
he's about to say what he's about to say is because maybe this is a common phrase
that they would say in those days all right knew you not that they would shoot
from the wall verse 21 who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubasheth did not a
woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall that he died in Thebes
why went ye nigh to the wall then say thou thy servant Uriah the Hittite
is dead also so he says look in case he brings up this parable this proverb you
bring up the fact that Uriah is dead and basically you're off the hook okay now
who did he use as an example as a testimony Abimelech Abimelech is found
this is a story that's found in Judges okay and Abimelech was was killed the
Bible says of a certain woman when she dropped the millstone and break his skull
so now throughout the ages he's used as a byword in a proverb for military use
to say hey guys don't go don't go next to the wall when we're fighting in a war
why because don't you remember Abimelech so Abimelech is used as an example
testimony of the Lord what not to do in war now there's a spiritual application
to that as well I think we shouldn't get close to the wall of the world okay why
because the world's gonna drop a millstone in our heads and ultimately
destroy us all right that's a sermon for another day now let's see here go to
Deuteronomy I'm sorry go to Job chapter 23 the Bible often talks about the
byword and the proverb these are the testimonies of the Lord so when we talk
about the testimonies of the Lord we're talking about the testimonies that the
witness of the Godhead but it's also talking about the lives of those who are
in the Bible that are timeless principles that we can learn you know
even though these guys didn't have cars they only had sandals they had horses
you know the actions that they took still relate to us today okay and it
would be wise for us to glean wisdom from this don't go to the self-help
books don't go to the philosopher the unsaved philosophers of this world go to
the testimonies of the Lord see what the Bible has to say about your situation
see what the Bible has to say about your depression okay like oh man I don't
think depressions even in the Bible it talks about God no the Bible talks about
depression now it doesn't use the word depressed you know it talks about how
the soul cleaveth unto the dust which is exactly how you feel when you're
depressed right it talks about all those things we just need to read the
Word of God because it's written for our admonition all scriptures given by
inspiration of God okay but the testimonies of the Lord as I mentioned
in the very beginning of the sermon are the precepts that are the teachings of
what the Bible simply teaches about doctrine now look at job 23 I'm gonna
give you just an introduction to that verse 12 neither have I gone back from
the commandment of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more
than my necessary food go to Psalms 138 so job has a great attitude in regards
to the Word of God okay and his attitude is this I esteem I value God's Word more
than even my necessary foods okay does that mean he didn't eat he only read the
Bible no he's just saying it's more important to me than food so what God
says from his word was very important to job he esteemed it he valued it look at
Psalms 138 verse number 2 I will worship toward that holy temple and praise thy
name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy
word above all thy name by the way side note here that's why it's important who
cares whether people say they're Christians or not oh you know I think
they're saved and they're good people because they're Christians he's
magnified his word above his name okay yeah but they have Christ in their name
but he's magnified his word above his name so if what they're even if they
call themselves Christian that they're of Christ if the Bible says complete
something different than what they're practicing and believing then guess what
we will go with the Word of God says why because as job said we're to esteem the
words of his mouth more than our unnecessary foods okay now go to
Galatians chapter number six okay so this is what I want to get at when it
comes to this point we ought to esteem God's Word more than anything else
including the testimony of others okay because there's there's it's always been
a trend but there's a thing that always where people get caught up and well I
heard this testimony of someone you know of this person or whatever you know and
they they esteem the testimony and the experience that someone had above what
God says even when God blatantly teaches something in the in the Bible and it's
clear as day they'll take the testimony of someone else over that but that's
ungodly that's wicked why because the Bible tells us we ought to steam the
words of God more than anything else even God
steams his word above his name so if he has steams the Word of God above his
name don't you think he would esteem his word above someone's testimony now we
live in a day and age where people talk about testimonies all the time and again
I'm not against testimonies I think everyone here has a testimony and I love
we love talking about our testimonies okay because it's the things that God
has done in our lives but they don't trump the Bible our experience never
trumps the Bible okay now specifically let's get into this preaching the gospel
okay when we preach the gospel don't give your your testimony you know your
testimony is not the gospel all right even if you got saved the correct way
that's not the gospel okay I'm not against you telling that person your
testimony after they get saved but the gospel is the death burial and
resurrection of Jesus Christ that's what the that's what the gospel is so the
gospel like well let me tell you what God did in my life you know and by the
way that's where this false doctrine of having a relationship with God you know
I'm a friend of God I have a relationship with God I know God all
these things comes from you know you ever knock on the door and say you know
are you ask them are you 100% sure that if you die today you go to heaven you're
like yeah I got a relationship with God I had this experience with God you know
they're steaming their experience and their dreams more than God's Word
Galatians 6 14 says but God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified into me and I into the world
you see the Apostle Paul had an amazing testimony okay I'm talking about his
personal testimony I mean when you're like getting knocked off your high horse
and the road to Damascus the light is shining down and Jesus Christ comes to
you he commissions him he was like you know persecuted in the church he was a
blasphemer that's an amazing testimony but you know what when he went to go
preach the gospel he he determined not to know anything save Christ and him
crucified here you're like well let me tell you what happened to me okay no the
way he got people saved is by preaching the gospel okay and look if you're one
of these people who just want to talk about your testimony when you go out so
winning then you're just trying to glorify yourself is what you're trying
to do you want to talk about how wonderful you are and you want to
glorify yourself we ought to glorify the gospel of Jesus Christ okay by
specifically highlighting what Christ has done for us through the gospel okay
now go to 1st Corinthians on the see here go to 1st John excuse me chapter 5
we already read this but we're gonna read it one more time you know it's
notorious for this is like victory outreach okay Calvary Chapel all these
modern type churches they like to give the testimonies and they like to talk
about how there are drug addicts back in the day you know I came to church with
a heroin needle in my arm and you know and then you know God changed my life
and took away those desires and all these things and look that's all show
right is what that is okay by the way let's let's make sure we keep the amens
and the the all those things with the men okay so here in this church what we
believe is that no lady should say amen or shout out loud or anything like that
and look you're in if you're new here we're not mad at you or anything like
that but in our church this is what we believe according to God's Word okay we
love everyone here and by the way we're thankful when people are with the
sermon amen they ought to be but if you're a lady in our church and you're
with the sermon this is what you do you could just nod let's go dr. Rita she does
these things she you know dr. Rita is very quiet you know but when I'm
preaching hard my wife says that she goes like this she wants it to just but
she holds herself you know I'm cool with that but you know what the Bible says
that ladies ought to keep silent in the church okay so victory outreach they're
notorious for these things okay and you'll find people at these at these
false wicked churches or by the way sin is still rampant in there you know and
they want to talk about all God did this in my life and you know he told me to
marry someone else and I got a divorce and it's been wonderful ever since
you're a liar is what you are okay you're a liar
why because the Bible says there if we receive the witness of man the witness
of God is greater this is for this is the witness of God which he had
testified of his son you know oh you don't know my testimony brother I don't
want to know your testimony you know the only testimony I want to know is so how
did you get saved you know oh I you know I had a dream one day and God led me to
an alley where I found a track you know I found a Bible in the wind blew the
Bible from Genesis to Revelation and I just you know boom put my finger there
you know I don't believe that okay now so this is this is rampant in these
churches and in independent fundamental Baptists get fooled by these churches
like oh they're Christians they're just a little off no they're like off the
deep end is what they are right okay they don't believe the right gospel you
know I went to a victory outreach funeral for a guy who left who had left
our church he had gone to one of these churches and he died and he was murdered
actually and I remember going to his funeral and and just to honor him and
his death because he was a friend of mine and I remember the people the guys
were getting up there to testify they weren't even talking about they're like
you know salvation is a process you know it's all about a process if we need to
make sure that we're we're we're we're we're we're striving to do what God
pleases because that's because salvation is a process of God that's false you
know and there's there's they're saying that because they're still involved in
all kinds of wicked sin that's why they have to say that salvation is a process
okay now look again I'm not against testimonies but I am against putting
testimonies above God's Word okay what I have you turn to have you turn
anywhere go to John chapter 11 go to John chapter 11 if I had you turn
somewhere else sorry about that John chapter 11 here's a good testimony okay
often people will say well I don't know if they really got saved you ever heard
that you give someone the real gospel and some people say yeah I don't know if
they got saved or not well what'd you tell them I you know they have to
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ did you tell my eternal security yeah I told
them did they say they believe you had to say they believed it I just don't
know man well according to the Bible they were saved you see these churches
also what they like to do is they want to accompany an emotion with the belief
you know and by the way sometimes salvation is emotional you know
sometimes when people get saved they break down in tears that's a beautiful
thing I love when I leave someone to the Lord and they just break down in tears
it touches my heart but that's not gonna be everyone some people are just like
stone-faced when they get saved they're just like yes you know yes I believe
that yes you know and it's just it doesn't affect them at all but guess
what they're still saved you know and you're people might be like well you
know what you know I just believe that if someone gets saved they're gonna show
it they're gonna they're gonna it's just gonna show in their countenance
not everyone's like that and we need to make sure that the realize that the
testimony of God is still greater okay and the testimony of God is this if they
just believe they're saved they don't need to get emotional they don't need to
have a change of life or a change of lifestyle to be saved look at John
chapter 11 verse 25 Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that
believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die believeth thou this he just said believe
that's all he said do you believe this okay then that then that settles it
right there and unfortunately a lot of Baptist have gone into this false
doctrine that if someone gets saved they have to show some sort of emotion they
have to make some sort of change it doesn't work that way okay we ought to
realize that if they say they believed on Jesus Christ it's not by works and
they believe that it's by one saved always saved they're saved okay now go
to Psalms 119 now this is the reason I was thinking about this it's because
there's even Baptist who yeah they get caught up in that but I get real
surprised when Baptists are getting caught up in things like I believe
homosexuals can be saved right and though and you say well what do you
base that off of well I heard a testimony I heard this testimony of this
sodomite who got saved you know and they changed their life and now they're in
church they're preachers they're living a clean life and you know I just you
know what do you say about that brother here I say this I don't care about their
testimony and look this is the verse that I always take people to when they
bring that stupid one-liner to me look what Psalms 119 verse 24 says thy
testimonies who's that that's God's testimonies are also are my delight and
my counselors so if you come to me and you tell me why I believe homosexuals
can be saved because I heard a testimony about this one faggot who trusted Jesus
Christ as your Savior you know what I do I said well you know what God's
testimonies are my delight in my counselors so the witness of God is
greater so I don't care if you find some homo who said they're a homo and
they're no longer a homo and they're in church and they're working in the
children's ministry and they're delivering a clean life and even if they
get married you can change and look like you change all you want thy testimonies
are my counselors and guess what the testimonies of God says that sodomites
are reprobates and they can't be saved okay and it's interesting the people
who bring this when we talk about when we discuss this matter of sodomites
supposedly being saved they never go to the Word of God they always highlight
some faggot who supposedly got saved let me read you this article here former
homosexual turned pastor shares this story of freedom
Daryl Foster's is founder and executive director of witness freedom ministries a
Christian outreach to men and women who struggle with same-sex attraction
Foster who once lived an openly gay lifestyle started the ministry 1992
because he knows the pain of people trapped in homosexuality yeah they hate
being in that sin right he grew up in a Pentecostal Christian family in a small
town in Texas but he said that he knew from an early age that something was
wrong in his life I had this strange perhaps attraction to other boys that
means you're a pedophile that's that's not it's not this this thing it's it
means you're you're a reprobate okay because no normal human being will like
the the the same gender he shares his he shares in a YouTube video testimony of
his intrinsically I knew it was wrong but I didn't know what to do about it he
said at age 13 Foster said he was molested for several years by an older
boy at church by the way that's why we don't have children's ministries that's
what we don't do Sunday school or nurseries my son is on my wife's lap
right now okay he's not in some room with some other people that I don't even
know you know taking care of him it says he said that molestation caused him to
be even more conflicted about his sexual identity but he often turned to God for
answers I went to church a lot he explained I would fast I would pray I
would go to the altar I did almost everything I knew to do to do that
people in church said would make you right with God you know like you know
did I not prophesy prophesying thy name and then I named and many wonderful
works and all these things kind of like the same thing in Matthew 7 but here I
was in the midst of this Pentecostal holiness spirit led not Holy Spirit all
of this but it seemed like I was all alone said Foster he said he eventually
told the leadership at his church about the abuse but instead of helping me he
said they blamed him for it it tore me to pieces he answered he shares the
pain of feeling let down by his church-led Foster to embrace the gay
lifestyle wholeheartedly he said I decided that I would no longer try to be
what I thought God wanted me to be I decided that I would be a homosexual by
the way he decided that a long time okay he just wanted a pastor's stamp of
approval on it after graduating from high school he said he left church and
lived life his way for 11 years he assimilated in the gay culture by the
way that's such a stupid statement he assimilated in the gay culture for 11
years like he had to learn how to be one God gives him over to a reprobate mind
it says to do those things which are not convenient so when God gives you over to
a reprobate mind you just do it according to the Bible you don't have to
assimilate to it where am I at here it was about having fun throwing away any
kind of conventional restrictions that prevented you from having the fun that
you wanted he said but he said after all the parties and sexual encounters he was
often left with an empty and lonely feeling in his heart and he constantly
battled depression and suicidal thoughts which he should have gave in to a man
one day after watching a Christian movie about the suffering that Jesus by the
way look look listen to this part one day after watching a Christian movie
about the suffering that Jesus experienced before his crucifixion
Foster says he heard God speak to him now I don't believe sodomites can be
saved obviously but let's just entertain the fact that maybe they could okay
which is not true it wasn't like I went to the Bible and I saw believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ he went to a movie with a passion of the Christ or
something and he says your God speak to him remember the Holy Spirit testifies
of Christ through his word not through some Hollywood movie we're mad here
let's see oh this is what he said this is what God said I did all this just for
you I mean I could almost believe that if God's like like giving him strong
delusions or something like I made this movie for you so you can believe like
you're gonna get saved you're not gonna get saved okay he said tears filled his
eyes when he heard those words I didn't think anybody heard me or saw me and I
could not believe that he would say to me that he endured this for me Foster
said he took this pain what the by the way this is in quotes I mean God is
telling him these things he took this pain what these people were doing doing
to him he did it for me and at that time I realized it was Jesus I decided
that I would ask God to forgive me he said I fell on my face before God and I
began to ask him how could you love me knowing all that I've done here's the
answer he can't love you in fact he will love you no more the Bible says okay
and look here's the here's the thing about this I guarantee if you ask him so
how did you get saved aside from this you know he's not gonna say what was the
movie he said I repented of my sin that's what he'll say because any sod of
my testimony you hear about they all talk about how they repented of their
sin of homosexuality so how can a Bible believing one saved always saved
Christian believe that nonsense when they're literally saying that they got
saved by repenting of their sins right Foster went on to say I don't know how
long I laid on my face but when I got up I was a new man I was a new creation all
the old things have passed away in my life had become new on that day I think
that's it it's nonsense you know and Christians will look at
and say that's a great testimony brother Mihia I heard a testimony of a
guy who's a pastor now he got saved thy testimonies are my god and my counselors
Romans 1 read it they can't be saved but I heard thy testimonies and see never
get to a point where it doesn't matter how good it sounds which that was like a
really bad example right there that even sound convincing at all you know that
was the most foolish thing I've ever heard in my life but you know what
Christians are eating this garbage up like well he had an experience
experiences don't get you saved buddy okay it's the Word of God to get you
saved right now you're in Psalms 119 look at verse 24 read it again thy
testimonies also are my delight of my counselors go to verse 99 I have more
understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation I
understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts by the way
you know what the problem is with a lot of these Christians they're not keeping
the testimonies of God that's why they don't understand this understand I mean
the test the guy gave a good testimony well you need to listen to the
testimonies of God go to verse 111 thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage
forever for there the rejoicing of my heart verse 129 thy testimonies are
wonderful therefore does my soul keep them how could you say that sodomites
should be put to death how could you say cuz his testimonies are wonderful right
you know that's so hateful for you to say that God says it's it's wonderful
yeah that's a wonderful thing you know Romans chapter 1 is a wonderful chapter
beautifully written the words of the Lord are pure words the Bible says okay
it's a wonderful thing so for some Christian to balk at some of the things
we say about sodomites when we're quoting scripture you know what you're
undermining God's word you're subverted the Bible says verse 138 thy testimonies
that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful so look you know what
that means that means you know what we see in Leviticus still applies today
amen why cuz they're faithful my zeal hath consuming because mine enemies have
forgotten thy words whoa come on old IFB you know why there are enemies you
know why my zeal is eating me up because they forgot the Word of God they forgot
what God says in his word they forgot the testimonies of the Lord is what they
did instead of allowing that to be their their their meditation they're allowing
Fox News to be their meditation verse 157 many are my persecutors and mine
enemies why yet do I not decline from thy testimonies you see when you hold to
the testimonies of God you're gonna get a lot of enemies you're gonna get a lot
of persecutors on both sides but you know what let God be true but every man
a liar so if you don't agree with it then that's fine but you know what let
God be true and every man a liar oh but this testimony that this faggot said it
was so good let God be true and every man a liar he's a liar man okay don't be
fooled by that what's the what's the sermon this evening I'm done the
testimony is the Lord are pure making wise is simple okay and we need to make
sure that we engraft these testimonies in our heart so we don't get fooled by
the witness of man by the witness of these modalist heretics by the witness
of sodomites that they supposedly have turned over a new leaf that's not the
testimonies that we're looking at thy testimonies are my delight and my
counselors that's what the Bible teaches us as fire hasn't have a word of
prayer father we thank you so much for your word thank you for your testimonies
I pray God that you'd help us to have a greater appreciation of the testimonies
found within your word help us to believe to a greater extent the witness
of God because the witness of God is greater and I pray that you bless us
tonight in Jesus name we pray amen
you