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No one was a prophet, called to preach the word, Tried to cry, prevented, but nobody heard, They weren't busy sinning, No one preached in pain, They wished they hadn't sinned, When they saw the rain. Be open to the edifying of your word. In Jesus Christ's name we pray, Amen. Title of this sermon this morning is biblical or biblically. No doubt if you have been raised in Christianity or in Christian circles, you've gone to church much, or you speak with Christian people, you will hear this word used a lot. That's a biblical thought. This is biblically what I meant. And this word today in my opinion is being tossed around willy-nilly, ultimately. Some people don't realize what they're saying when they say it. Now here preached the word ministry, we're going to take the things of God of the highest reverence that we can give it. The word of God matters. So when we say something is biblical, what do we mean by that? What do they mean by that? And we're going to define what this word means, biblical or biblically, so that we here understand what it is we mean and what it is we say when we're talking about this to others. And this is important because like I mentioned, no doubt if any of you have heard any preaching at a certain church or maybe you heard some preaching online or a sermon, you're going to hear people use this word. And it's surprising to me that every time I hear this word mentioned, okay, let me rephrase that. Most times I hear this word mentioned, it's never followed up with let alone a Bible verse or a legitimate biblical perspective. Once again, let's define what this word means clearly so it's very obvious what it is we're talking about. The title of this sermon is biblical or biblically. So the suffix, you know, cal, c-a-l, is the form or state of that thing. So if I were to say math, this is a mathematical problem. What I'm saying is that math is the only way to preserve that problem. This is an electrical issue. So the root word electric and the suffix cal is the state or form of the thing. So if there is a problem with a house in the wiring, it is an electrical problem. So biblical means of or from the Bible, formed of the Bible. Li, l-y is another suffix that we use. And you may hear this tossed around sometimes. Scientifically, this makes sense. What does that mean? Once again, the active concept of that word, meaning that through science we can explain whatever it is we're talking about. Scientifically, mathematical, electrical, these are suffixes in the English language that should matter to us. And when you put the root word in front of it, Bible, what does the word Bible mean? It comes in the Latin word biblia. Think about the Spanish word we all know, biblioteca, which basically means library or group of books. The 66 books of the Bible are the word of God, the inspired, infallible, preserved word of God. Our ministry is named Preach the Word Ministry. Now that being said, biblical or biblically means ultimately that any idea that you're portraying has to be found within the context of the Bible. No outside source can influence the Bible or should not be. This is why I'm saying it's important that we understand this word because most people are saying biblically this and then an un-doctrinal concept comes out of their mouth. And what do I mean by that? Well, what does it mean to be a Bible believing Christian? What it ultimately means is that the Bible or the 66 books of the canon are our final authority for all faith and practice. Now listen to what I just said, final authority for all faith and practice. Meaning there are other authoritative statements that can be made, but when it comes to something that has to do with the word of God, the Bible is the final authority. For instance, a moment ago, I said scientifically X, Y, and Z. If you as a journeyman or maybe working on a project and a problem comes up, you don't necessarily need the Bible to help you understand a problem. For instance, if you're building a house and you're engineers and you are just kind of in a conflict, how many times did that happen? We're an engineer and the four men are at odds because on paper it makes sense, but in reality it's not working out. You don't need to take the lens of the Bible to help you understand how to approach the situation. But for sure, when it comes to your job as somebody who is building, you may want to remember biblical concepts or the importance of doing good work. The Bible says, whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it as unto the Lord. So if your boss is telling you to cut a corner, then you can take the lens of the Bible and say, well, wait a second. The Bible tells me that whatsoever my hand finds to do, do it as unto the Lord. So it is important for us to remember that the Bible being our final authority means just that, that nothing can supersede the statements of the Bible. The Bible is the final authority. And where we are in Job chapter 23 is a very unique text that when we go through sermons and we're having our primary text to start from, some people, when we're reading it, try to ask themselves, like, where are we going with this? And Job chapter 23, some people may think about like, well, that's kind of strange. Why would the sermon title be called biblical in reference to this text? Well, let's see what it says. Job chapter 23, verse 1, the Bible reads, Then Job answered and said, Even today is my complaint bitter, my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat. I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with arguments. Pause. For those of you who maybe don't know the character Job or have not been raised in church, just to give you a little bit of context, Job is a person who has suffered a lot of tribulation in his life. God was testing Job to see if he would hold on to his integrity to give God honor and glory, even during a very hard time in his life. Because we all experience it, we all go through it. Every single one of us has issues, trials and tribulations that we endeavor. But here's the thing, is your mentality like Job? Do you say to yourself that I'm going to try to explain away the phenomena that maybe happened in your life, or basically convince yourself that you've done nothing wrong, if you have done something wrong? Because in the story of Job, he truly didn't do anything wrong, worthy of his downfall. Once again, to give you backstory, there is a challenge from Satan to God that he sees Job and God says, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him? Satan tests God and tries to say that Job's only doing this because you're protecting him. Then we get into the story of God telling Satan, basically paraphrasing, I bet you that even if God forbid stuff happens to him and I take my protection off of him, he's going to hold on to his integrity and he's going to do the right thing and follow the teachings of the Bible. And that's where we're going to get back into the text. Notice it says in the ending of verse four, I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with arguments. Job has a legitimate complaint to be brought to God. He's wondering why this is happening to him. All this turmoil and hardship and we experience that all the time. But let's go on to read. I would know the words which he would answer me and understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his great power? No, but he would put strength in me. So notice Job is saying that even though he has legitimate complaint, even though he legitimately has a problem and let's say in your life, some teacher is trying to tell you something that is not found within the Bible or contradicts the Bible, remember we're Bible believing and it is our final authority for all faith and practice. If in your life you find that there is supposed science that contradicts the Bible, or there is supposed paleography that contradicts the Bible, are you going to hold to your integrity like Job did? Here's the thing. Who are we to come to God? How can the thing formed say to him that formed him? Why has thou made me thus? It is our job to be conformed to the Bible. The Bible tells us what is right and wrong, what is true and false, where to go and where not to go. For instance, in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 12, the Bible reads, Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things we ought we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. What does that mean? In this life, in this world, when we come across issues and problems, the Word of God will help comfort us. It will guide us into all truth and understanding. And all our ways that we acknowledge Him, He will direct our paths. And that's why it says right here at the ending of verse 6, Will He plead against me with His great power? No, but He would put strength in me. The more you meditate on the words of God, the more you contemplate the things of God, it will actually strengthen you, and you will be more confident and wear your stances with God. This is why it's so important that we understand this word biblical. Once again, if you're a Christian pastor, say, biblically speaking, and then a non-bible verse comes out of their mouth, or a non-bible passage, then take it to the bank, that's not a biblical thought. For instance, a prime example, just so you're aware, a lot of Christians today will say that they'll follow the atheistic perspective on the age of the universe, that it's millions and billions of years old, right? And there are people who try to put into the Bible that teaching. The universe must be millions and billions of years old. In Genesis chapter 1, from the first day to the second day, there must be a gap. It's poetic in nature, so therefore that means the science that we see today must prove that when it says in between day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, these are long periods of time. Now, you have to put that into the Bible. You never got that on its own. This is another important aspect of being a Bible-believing Christian, is that you must take the text at surface level. You must read the Bible literally, where it's literal. So when God says that He literally made the world in 6 days, and on day 1 He did this, day 2 He did that, then you can know that it took 6 literal 24-hour days. Now, just so you understand what I'm saying, for Christians who believe that the age of the universe is millions and billions of years old, if they only read the Bible alone by itself, would they ever come to that conclusion on their own? Think about it. If they had no other influence, they had no other literature, they only had the Bible, and they read the Bible cover to cover, would any Christian walk away saying, this universe is millions and billions of years old? It's not possible. It's not biblical. It's not found within the context of just the Bible alone. For instance, we believe, what the Bible clearly teaches, that the age of the universe is some 6,000 to 6,500 years ago. The young earth model. David, that's not scientific, or scientifically accurate. Remember that suffix that we were talking about, right? Are we talking about science? We're talking about a supernatural God right now. We're talking about a supernatural God that told us how these things came to be. And if we look at the genealogies, let alone in Luke and in Matthew, if you reverse engineer the math of the numbers that are already found within the context of the Bible, I'm not going to be dogmatic on a specific number, but it's anywhere between 6 and 6,500 years from the time of Jesus to Adam. And that's clear. You can do the math and see that although the number 6,000 or 6,500 is ever said, biblically, if you reverse engineer the math of the number that's already there, those are the numbers you're going to get to. You're never going to get to millions, let alone billions, let alone thousands or hundreds of thousands. You can only land in what the biblical model of the age of the universe is, about 6,000 to 6,500 years. Once again, Christians today are failing in their understanding of this word, when they're going around espousing biblical doctrine, saying something that was found in, for instance, John Calvin's Institutes or Calvinism. This is an extra book or an extra philosophy and theology that's imposed on the text. This is why it is important for you guys to know that if anyone's here to preach the word ministry, our goal is never to have you read a commentary on the Bible. We want you to read the Bible. The Bible teaches, for instance, that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. Everything that the Bible has to offer is from God Himself. And notice it goes on to read, and it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. So the Bible wants us to know these things, but this is a spiritual book. It takes a spiritual person to understand a spiritual book. If an unsaved person or a professed Christian reads the text, they may walk away with a secondary teaching or a man's philosophy imposed on the text. This is why it's important for us to remember that there are people around, false prophets, that are resting or twisting what the Bible is teaching. And they're using words like biblically, X, Y, and Z, or biblical concepts, and X, Y, and Z. Any and every time you hear a pastor, a preacher, an evangelist, me, or anyone say something like biblically speaking or a biblical concept, you should be asking yourself, chapter and verse. Point to the chapter, point to the verse, and also corroborate it with another passage. And then from there you can understand what truly the Bible says. Now this goes into the subject of discernment because if you're not reading your Bible much, you may not know what the Bible says. You may not know what a biblical idea is. And you're truly just going off of some pastor telling you what it says. You know, you need to be as the Bereans. It says, they heard the preaching with all readiness of mind, and then they search the scriptures daily whether those things are so. It's important for you, for me, for anyone who hears the preaching of the Word of God to fact check if that's even true. Because anyone can say anything. And as a matter of fact, it can be even very convincing depending on what they're saying. And that's the first point I wanted you to know. What does it mean to be a Bible believer? It means to accept the Bible at face value and that it is our final authority for all faith and practice. When you start with that beginning, then you can interpret information that comes to you. Even coming from this pulpit because I don't want you guys to take my word as gospel. What I want you to do is when I preach, or any man of God preaches to you, search the scriptures daily. And then it gets me into my final point, my conclusion of the matter. Turn if you would to Psalms 12. Psalms chapter 12, will you turn there? I'm going to tell you the conclusion of the matter is there's nothing wrong with reading other literature. Did you hear me? There's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing wrong with reading a commentary on the Bible. There's nothing wrong with reading Fox's Book of Martyr. There's nothing wrong with reading other theological perspectives. Here's the problem though. And just not to get too deep into the subject right now, theology is a lens in which to understand what the Bible is saying. We understand that there's the episcopal faith, there's what we believe in, what's known as the Baptist faith. There's what's known as Lutheran's perspective. These are theological aspects to what the text is saying. We all agree that the Bible is the final authority, but people have a lens in which they understand that. That goes into the subject of theology. If you need to be careful with this because basically as you know, unperfect human beings, we can misunderstand what the Bible is saying as a whole. This is why it's so much more important to read your Bible than to only study your Bible. Now what do I mean by that? If I had to choose, let alone for myself or for others, whether you are studying the Bible or you're reading the Bible, it would make more sense to read the Bible. What do I mean by that? I was taught at an early stage of my faith, which I'm thankful that I applied, is you should not study the Bible until you've read it cover to cover five times. Why? Because the Bible is a big book and there's a lot to be learned. There's a lot of things that this side of heaven we may never know. There are things that are confusing. There are things which are hard to understand. The Bible clearly teaches that. But that being said, if you get a good grasp of the greater picture of the Bible, and this is a good rule of interpretation that I help people to realize, is that you want to get the big hawk eye view of the Bible before you start combing it with a fine tooth comb. Get the bigger picture first. From there it will make a lot more sense when you slowly, with a microscope, start looking into things. Because if you don't have the greater picture, this is another good rule of thumb for you guys to understand, is that you need to emphasize what the Bible emphasizes, but you need to be silent where the Bible is silent. What does this mean? There's a constant message being said throughout the Bible. It's being emphasized, the gospel. That is what God wants us to nail down the emphasis of the Bible. And there are nuances, or hard things to be understood. If when we study the Bible and compare spiritual things with spiritual, we may figure out the answers to these harder questions, or we may not. You may come to a fork in the road and think to yourself, I don't really understand what this text or passage is saying. Well, just keep reading it. Just go past it for now. Don't let an atheist or a secularist or somebody try to hem you up on not knowing an answer to a supposed problem found in the Bible. Although it is important for us to be ready always to give an answer to any man that asketh us of the hope of the reason that is in us with meekness and fear, although that is important, realize you may not have every answer. Not only that, you may not have every answer at the moment. So with further reading and further study, you may come to that conclusion. And this is why it is important for us to realize that the Bible, which we believe the King James version of the Bible, is the perfect English translation of the Bible. It has stood the test of time. Internally, within the teachings of the Bible, there is something called preservation, that God has preserved his word. Remember what Job said, that ultimately he esteemed the words of God more valuable than his necessary food. In the Gospels in Matthew chapter 4 verse 4, the Bible reads, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. And in the Bible, where you are in Psalms 12 verse 6, it reads, The words of the Lord as silver tried in the furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. And there are multiple other texts that talk about the importance of the preservation of God preserving his word. Why? Because all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto good works. God is trying to use us for a work to go out and preach the Gospel to the lost. And this goes into the final aspect of the conclusion of there's nothing wrong with reading other books. Just last week when I was evangelizing, I was talking to this Catholic lady and she was not just an average Catholic, she was very Catholic. In the categories of other people's faith, there is the, you know, jack average person who knows much nothing to do with it, just goes because their grandparents go, it's the nearest church near them. Then there are the people who are like the middle of the road and they understand why they believe what they believe and how they're different from other denominations and stuff. She's preaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake. This lady was in the middle of the road but closer towards the level of people preaching false and damnable heresy. And as I'm attempting to give her the Gospel, I'm asking her, God forbid if you die today, do you know for sure you're going to heaven? Then she brings up purgatory. And before I can even get into other things, I'm just like trying to explain to her, you know, not only does the Bible not teach purgatory, and then she tries to go into other Catholic statements. And all I kept trying to do is bring her back to just, and this is a good rule of thumb for us and you guys know when evangelizing, people are going to try to take you in rabbit trails but always bring them back to the Gospel. Remember, emphasize what God has emphasized. And when I'm trying to bring her back to just the simple plan of salvation, I had said to her more than once, I said, just the Bible alone. No other Catholic literature, no Jehovah's Witness literature, no Book of Mormon, no Book of Quran, no Calvin's Institutes, no theological texts, no other books, just the Bible by itself. What is this saying? And of course, any and every time I mention that, which is some three or four different times, they would keep saying, well, we can't know this. Or your Bible is different than my Bible. And you know what, that's true. It's a well-preserved text because the Bible says, in light of Jesus Christ, He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Word of God and the Word of salvation has never changed. So when we're talking biblically about stuff, we need to use the Bible to tell us about the things in this world and not the other way around. You can very simply and very easily put into the Bible your biases, your opinions, your theology, your philosophy. But here's the thing, the Bible also teaches, let God be true and let every man be a liar. The more you memorize the text of the Bible, as it said earlier, saying things which the Holy Ghost teaches, then you become more, as Job said, sure and strengthened in what it is you believe. And then you can boldly take it to the bank. And if I had a nickel or a penny for every time somebody said biblically this and then they espouse something that's not found in the Bible or they misquote a chapter or they misquote a text or they're putting some theological spin on what the text clearly says, take it to the bank. There are many which corrupt the Word of God, says the Apostle Paul. And we need to be, as the Bible says, founded on the sure word of prophecy. And I preach the word ministry. When we tell somebody something is biblical, I want us to be able to point to not just one, not just two, but potentially five texts on the matter and quote the words which the Holy Ghost teaches. Title of this sermon this morning is biblical or biblically. And what it ultimately means is of the Bible and of the Bible. So let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Dearly Father, thank you so much for allowing us this time to be together. Thank you so much for your word and salvation and strengthening us through your word. To understand and navigate this world and all its problems and lies that through your word and the Holy Ghost in us and through your gospel with the lost and to be full of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen.