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man All right, we're in 1st Corinthians chapter number 9 look down at your Bibles at verse number 26 It says I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I'd not as one that beat at the air But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection less by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway and what I want to preach on this morning is the difference between the castaway and the reprobate the difference between the castaway and The reprobate you say well, I already know the difference I know what what a reprobate is I could understand by this Scripture what a castaway is why do we need to know the difference between the two? well simply because of the fact that there's people out there who are opponents of The reprobate doctrine and they typically would try to use 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 27 to try to prove their belief or their doctrine and They're trying to their opposition to this doctrine here and I'm explaining what I mean in just a bit now before we get into the definition of what a reprobate is and what a castaway is Let's just look at the scripture here and get some context of what the Apostle Paul is actually referring to now He says in verse 27 that he keeps under his body. He brings it into subjection Less by any means when he is preached to others. He himself should be a castaway. What is he referring to there? Well, go back up to verse number 18 in chapter 9. Look what it says here Just remember that the majority of this chapter here is dealing with the Apostle Paul's Responsibility to preach the gospel to go sowing that's what he's referring to there verse 18 says for what what is my reward then? Barely that when I preach the gospel I may make the gospel of Christ without charge that I abused not my power in the gospel For though I be free from all men yet Have I made myself servant unto all that I might gain the more and unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the law as under the law that I might gain them that are under the Law to them that are without law as without law being not without law to God But under the law to Christ that I may gain them that are without law To the week became I as weak that I may gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means Save some and this I do for the gospel sake that I may be partaketh of with you So when he's talking about in verse 27 when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway What he's referring to there is this as I'm preaching the gospel as I'm seeing people saved I got to make sure that I'm temperate that I am disciplined that I'm taking care of myself That I'm making sure that I'm abstaining from sin Why let's when I preach to others I myself should be a castaway in other words It's like a person a Christian who is shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace He knows how to go soul winning, but he doesn't have the breastplate of righteousness It's like a person who preaches the gospel he knows the Romans Road he has all the verses memorized But he's living a worldly life He's into sin he or she is into sin They have other things in the closet that they don't want people to know about they're not living a holy life What is that person eventually they'll become a castaway? Because the Apostle Paul said here you can't just be a preacher of the gospel and not keep under your body You can't just go out and go soul-winning and not bring it into subjection Why because the Bible tells us that when you have preached to others you eventually will become a castaway Yourself he goes on to say know you not that they would run in a race run all But one receive at the prize so run that you may be saved is that what it says no see This is something that comes after salvation Which is preaching the gospel and when you work for God when you preach the gospel, what do you get? You don't get salvation. Salvation is something you get when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ What you actually obtain is what the reward you see? Why are you here today? Why do we go so many on a weekly basis? It's not to be saved. What is it for to obtain the reward that comes when we work for God? It says in every man that striver for the mastery is temperate in all things now They do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. So what is he stating here? He's basically comparing this to like a runner and he said just as a runner, you know disciplines themselves they eat healthy They have a exercise regime. They make sure that they their entire life is basically influenced by their race They do it. They they're tempered in all things. They do it to obtain a corruptible crown That's referred to that little wreath You know what? I mean an ancient Greece for the Olympics they would get this little wreath that they would put around their heads for bragging rights Basically, right and they do it for that stupid little crown That little crown that eventually will dissipate it'll just deteriorate and it's no longer gonna be in existence, right? Well in like manner the Christian Brings himself under the subjection keeps under his body what to obtain an incorruptible crown So we do it not for a corruptible crown. We do it for a crown that fades not away For example, the Apostle Paul said in 2nd Timothy 4 verse 6 for I'm now ready to be offered in the time of my departures At hand I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith henceforth there is later for me a crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them Also that love his appearing you see there is a reward Waiting for the Christian on the other side of eternity now Obviously there's rewards that we get here the Bible explicitly tells us that we will be rewarded a hundredfold even in this lifetime But you know what there's also rewards that we're gonna get sometime in the future an incorruptible crown You know, we can lay up treasures not on earth But in heaven where moth and thieves do not break through and steal moth and rust that's not corrupt Neither the thieves break through and steal. What is that called an incorruptible crown? And that's what we should be striving to get right? He goes on to say look look down to Bible verse 26. I Therefore so run Not as uncertainly so is he doubting when he's running like man. Am I really gonna get something out of this? Am I really gonna get like a reward? Am I really gonna get something? No, he's like I'm fully confident Why because without faith it is impossible to please him For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him So we understand that even though now we see through a glass darkly through the promises of God We're not gonna stagger because we know we're gonna get a reward at the end, right? We should run not as uncertainly so fired I'd not as one that beat at the air So what is someone who's beating the air? What are they doing? Shadowboxing, right? So the Apostle Paul is not just shadowboxing in other words, right? Don't we see him in 1st Corinthians? Fighting with the Beast at Ephesus. He's actually going toe-to-toe With the Beast and false prophets and you know the devil and his own flesh, right? He's making sure that he's bringing into subjection and look let me say this is bringing our flesh into subjection is a fight Is it not I mean, you don't surrender your life to God when you first get saved and then everything's hunky-dory batteries included Right, you need to purposely walk in the spirit that you may not fulfill the lust of the flesh You have to constantly go to war with your flesh and bring it into subjection The Bible says to mortify therefore the members of your body He Says they're not as one that beat at the air But I keep under my body and bringing into subjection less by any means when I preach to others I myself should be a castaway. So this could be likened to like a runner You know who? He trains he runs, you know X amount of miles each week, but then the the day of the run What does he do? He eats a double-double? Not a good idea Right or he drinks wine Whether strong drink or just grape juice for that matter not a good idea or let's just take it further He takes some mind-altering drug. He just starts smoking pot snorts crack You would be like you just your entire training was just wasted What's gonna happen to that person? He's gonna begin to run and he's gonna get disqualified Because less than halfway through the race what's gonna happen he's gonna gas out He's gonna tire out and he's gonna have to sit down and shut up and not do anything because of the fact that he is Now a castaway He can no longer run the race that is set before him. Does that make sense? That would disqualify him and that's exactly what castaway means it means someone who is disqualified Not from salvation, but from the race That is set before him Okay, it's like this in Matthew chapter 5 verse 13 says ye are the salt of the earth But if the salt hath lost its savor wherewith shall it be salted it is henceforth good for nothing But to be cast out and to be trotted under the foot of men the Bible says you know What the Bible is telling us is that there are Christians out there that are just good for nothing. Oh Man, I can't believe you said that sounds a little rude. Yeah, it is. I mean, that's what the Bible says though It says you're that's what henceforth good for nothing. Oh, but I'm accepted in the beloved. Yeah it for salvation But you know what? You could be a worthless worker for the Lord Not do anything. You can have the label you can look like a Christian, but you know what if you're not salty You can be a castaway. In fact, that's what it says to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot of men What does that mean? You're worthless? That's what that's talking about here now look why do we want to be worthless Christians? I don't want to be worthless Christian I want to make sure that I'm worth something in God's army that I'm doing something for God that I'm not just wasting my life I want to be as salty as I possibly can I want to make sure that I'm running not as Uncertainly not as one that beateth the air I want to make sure that I stay in the race and I stay salty for God because I don't want to be worthless And look many Christians many Christians are worthless Hey, I'll go as far as to say the vast majority of Christians are worthless. Oh Man, but God loves everyone. First of all, we're not even talking about that Obviously God loves Christians, but we're not talking about that We're talking about laboring for the master and you know what a master requires a Person who is fit for the kingdom of God Someone who is laboring someone who is not worthless now So we see here in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 the Apostle Paul. He's stating he himself. Look. I got to make sure that I discipline myself I got to make sure that I'm temperate I got to make sure that if I'm striving for masters that I'm tempered in all things because I don't want to be a Castaway and more specifically. What is he referring to? Well, look at chapter 10 Because he finishes off chapter 9 and verse 27 about being a castaway look at chapter 10 verse number 1 He says moreover. What does that word mean? It means in addition to what has just been said, right? Moreover brethren, I would not that he should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and we're all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and In the sea and they'd all eat the same spiritual meat and they'd all drink the same spiritual drink for they drink of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ but With many of them God was not well pleased For they were overthrown in the wilderness. So because he wasn't pleased with them. What did he do? Well, the Bible says he overthrew them. That means he killed them He overthrew them, oh man, I thought God like love those people. Yeah, but maybe there is just worthless So doesn't Overthrow sound like castaway right So he's just like you guys aren't obeying I'm done with you guys Read the Bible I'm putting it lightly Okay But it says there he was not well pleased with them He overthrew them in the wilderness verse 6 now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not look what it says Lusts after evil things as they also Lusted goes on to say neither be idolaters as were some of them as it has 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 now Let me explain when it says they fell it doesn't mean they tripped and just hit the ground When it says fellow means they died God killed them. God overthrew them. What do you do? He cast them away. That's what he did. Okay Now look, there's a reason why he starts chapter 10 talking about that They followed Christ that rock which was Christ They were all baptized unto Moses and he goes on and on about how they all experienced the same thing However, when it came to them being worthy not worthless what happened God overthrew them God caused them to fall God destroyed them and we see here why because of the sin of idolatry, but also the sin of fornication Why because if someone does not know how to possess their vessel and sanctification and in honor they're defiling the temple Therefore they become a castaway What's another word for now? What's another way to put not being giving yourself to fornication or not possessing your vessel and sanctification and honor? They're not keeping under their body. They're not bringing it into subjection Okay Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents Well, that's Old Testament. Well, hold on a second says Christ right there Okay, obviously we understand that Christ is the eternal Son of God But we see here that first Corinthians 10 is making mention of Christ in the Old Testament As being the one who is allowing them to be destroyed So Being a castaway is largely based upon the temperance or the lack thereof of our body Okay, you know if you ever seen anybody, you know throughout the years, for example I've known of people who were going forward for God. There were winning souls They were faithful to church and what happened they got involved in fornication And you know what happened to get out of church and they become a castaway That's what happens. You know, you said well, can they come back for that? Well, we'll talk about that in just a bit They need to be temperate So this kind of gold works in conjunction with Ephesians chapter 6 in the armor of God because of the fact that yeah We need to wield the sword of the Spirit We need to make sure that our feet are shot with the preparation of the gospel of peace But we also need to make sure that we have the breastplate of righteousness You know that we're living holy lives that we don't touch the unclean thing, you know That we make sure that we're living a life that's pleasing unto the Lord be holy for I am holy say it the Lord, right? Now, let's let's further prove that this is what this is referring to go to chapter number six if you would chapter number six Chapter number six of 1st Corinthians So that's what Paul the Apostles referring to he's like I got to make sure that I keep myself in check I keep under my body. I bring it into subjection because I'm winning a bunch of people to Christ and If I don't do these things what's gonna happen? I'm gonna become a castaway. I'm gonna be disqualified From the race, I'm gonna be disqualified from the reward. Okay. Look at chapter 6 and verse 15 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of in harlot? God forbid what know you not that he which is joined to in harlot is one body for to sayeth He shall be one flesh, but he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit flee fornication Every sin that a man do it is without the body, but he that committed fornication Sin it against his own body What know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which he have of God and you? Are not your own for you're about with the price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit Which are God's go to chapter number five if you would chapter number five, we're gonna work work our way backwards here So to keep under your body is to glorify God in your body So to keep under your body is to glorify God in your body Right because the Bible tells us for this is the will of God even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication You know a lot of people like man. I just want to know the will of God for my life. Well start right there Right your sanctification. Well, I'm not in involved in fornication All right, then your job you're the will of God for your life is to be holy then Sanctification look at chapter 5 verse number of 1st Corinthians chapter 5 verse number 4 Now we obviously understand 1st Corinthians 5 is dealing with the man who? Was involved with fornication in the church and the leadership there was there were not excommunicating this person out of the church Although they should have right He was basically involved in a grievous sin that would qualify him to be booted out of the church That's what this chapter is talking about here And look what the apostle paul says in verse number four in the name of our lord Jesus christ when you are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our lord Jesus christ to deliver one and one unto satan for the destruction of the flesh That the spirit may be saved in the day of our lord. Jesus. So what does it mean when someone is cast away? They're given over to satan for the destruction of the flesh That's what that means So someone you think of people who have been in our church Who have left because they're involved in fornication or drunkenness or whatever it may be mark it down They were delivered unto satan for their destruction of their flesh Oh, how can you say something? Don't you love the word? Yes, but you know what god says here that that's exactly the purpose of church discipline When they get churched, you know what that means? It's for their destruction In hopes that they would repent That they would get right They would come back and clean up their lives and live a life that's pleasing unto the lord Now some would say that this person was not safe Okay, they would say this person is not saved because it says that the spirit may be saved in the day of our lord Jesus But I don't necessarily believe that simply because of the fact that chapter five the latter end says that they shouldn't have no fellowship With a fornicator who was called the brother And who's the one who's getting excommunicated is this guy right here? Okay. Now, thankfully, what do we see with this man in second corinthians? He repents he gets right and comes back to church Then the apostle has to rebuke the church at corn to let him back in right But it says here for the destruction of the flesh. That's that's what you do when they're cast away Go to chapter three if you would chapter three Look at chapter three verse 15 chapter three of first corinthians deals with the judgment seat of christ primarily And it says here in verse 15 if any man's work shall be burned He shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved yet By the way, this is not the sermon but verse 15 is strong proof that guess what you can be saved and not work Right You can be saved and not do any works whatsoever and you're still saved Because it says there if any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved Yet so as by fire, what does that mean with loss? of the rewards No, you're not The ye are the temple of god and the spirit of god dwelleth in you Look what it says if any man defile the temple of god him shall god destroy For the temple of god is holy which temple ye are so what do we see here? God is telling him if you mess up that temple i'm gonna mess you up I'm gonna destroy you Why because that body belongs to me? How does that look like being cast away? How do we avoid that? Being under subjection right bringing our bodies into subjection keeping under our body bringing it into subjection Let's by any means when we're doing the work of god When we're succeeding when we're seeing people save or baptizing people we're doing great things for god Let's by any means when we do those things we ourselves can become passed away where god says i'm done with you. You're going home You know, you ever have to do that to your children when they're playing they just can't play They get a little rough and then they start whining and throwing a fit and it's just like all right You're going home a perfect illustration right here. No, i'm just kidding So this is like you're going home. You gotta go take a nap kind of thing, right? Well, that's what god does When you are involved in sin and you're allowing sin into your life and it goes unconfessed and you're not repenting of it What's gonna happen? God will destroy you Well, can you give me a timetable? I don't know Yeah That's the scary thing. Is it not? Because he could do it immediately Or he can do it a month after a week after a year after but guess what? I don't want to know I rather just keep under my body You know And this is what this is referring to go to first thessalonians chapter number four first thessalonians chapter number four By the way, this also goes to show us that god has satan on a short leash Because of the fact that he gives him over to satan for the destruction of the flesh This is likened into what happened to job right where job literally basically destroyed job Destroyed his finances destroyed even his health But it was at the permission of god that he allowed him to do that how much more a person who's actually willfully sinning, right? They become a castaway look at first thessalonians chapter 4 verse 3 for this is the will of god even your sanctification That you should abstain from fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification And honor not in the lust of concupiscence even as the gentiles which know not god That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter Because that the lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified For god hath not called us unto uncleanness But unto holiness he therefore that despises despiseth not man But god who hath also given us his holy spirit So we see here that that is the call of god in our lives to live a holy life If not, we will become castaways brother marcos. Can you bring me some water, please? Now look Not just today But don't we see In the bible people being cast away What about solomon? He's cast away He didn't keep under his body he married a bunch of women he had a bunch of concubines, right? Or how about this samson? Was supposed to be used greatly of god as the judge of israel He's one of the most notable characters in the old testament the book of judges We're going to be talking about him in just a couple of weeks but yet because of his lust because of his relationship with ungodly women and And the things that he that he did he became a castaway and guess what to this day? He is a byword and a proverb in the mouths of god's people We use them constantly as an example of what not to do We say hey, you don't want to be a castaway. Don't be like samson. How about saul? Perfect example of a castaway I mean the first king of israel Already starting off on the wrong foot right going to witches For counsel trying to kill david a man after god's own heart You know Doing the sacrifices saying that he forced himself to just disobedience after disobedience Rebellion after rebellion and what happened? He was cast away In fact, god told him that the kingdom of god shall be taken from you and give it to a man better than you Better than now How would you like to hear those words? I'm going to take your privileges away and i'm going to give it to someone else who's actually better than you What does that mean? It means You're done. You're disqualified. You're cast away. I'm not going to use you anymore Now did he go to heaven? Yeah, of course Even though he fell upon his own sword, even though he died a dishonorable death Even though he's also used as a byword and a proverb he's still in heaven Amen, and thank god for that, but you know what he was cast away He was cast away now you say why bring all this up You say what does this have to do with the reprobate and and you know what the bible teaches about reprobate? Now, let me give you a brief definition of what a reprobate is. Okay, and this isn't even in the bible Okay. Now the concept is found in the bible, but if you're to look it up on a dictionary The literal definition of a reprobate is someone who is beyond the hope of salvation That's what that means That rubs people the wrong way People get offended at that. They just don't like that. But you know what that dictionary is actually pretty good That definition is actually very biblical Okay, and i'm explaining to you why now? here's the thing the reason i'm bringing this up is because People who oppose the reprobate doctrine will often use first corinthians 9 27 as their proof text to show that reprobates are Can still be saved or reprobates are still christians or even christians can become reprobate Because of the fact that who's the one stating all this in first corinthians 9 the apostle paul And you know the apostle paul in verse 29 basically leaves room To say I can become a castaway, which is true, right? But people will take that and say well You know because they're you know, because they're greek scholars And they know they know all the greek and the homeric greek and addic greek classical greek They know modern greek. They know uh kini greek. They know all this greek and they'll say well You don't understand and by the way people have told me this so I know what i'm talking about. They'll say Well, you know in the greek Castaway is actually reprobate adokimos Right, they'll say, you know adokimos means reprobate, but it also means castaway And so yeah, yeah paul can be a reprobate right there You know, that's what the greek says even though they don't understand a lick of greek I'm, sorry adokimos is the proper way adokimos You know Adok it says adokimos or whatever And they'll say castaway in the greek is the same word for reprobate. Therefore reprobates can be saved christians can become reprobate Whatever, but here's the thing. This is what happens when you look at the greek language as some mystical language with powers beyond our understanding They feel like each individual word of greek I don't mean to offend our greek person here, you know, brother police, but he knows what's up He knows he knows what i'm talking about You know, they'll say all right now i'm really gonna bring it You know, they don't understand that words have synonyms And words are used differently in different contexts, right? So they think that any time reprobate is used even in the bible. It's only It only has one definition So it can't be someone who's beyond the hope of salvation and someone who's cast away. It could only be one One This is such stupid logic when it when when it comes to languages Let me give you an example because even in the english language we have Words that are specifically associated with something but also could be used for other contexts Just like this, you know reprobate when we think of a reparate we think of someone who's beyond the hope of salvation Why because that is the association that the bible gives? However, it is used in different ways in the bible. That doesn't mean that But the vast majority of the times that it's used it is in reference to a person who is beyond the hope of salvation In english, for example the word dead means without life Right no longer living But here's the thing if you come home And let's say your mom told or your mom comes home your dad comes home And you're supposed to do the chores and you didn't do them and you're like, oh man i'm dead does it really mean like You're gonna cease to live your spirit shall be removed from your body to be absent from the bodies to be present with the lord What does that mean? Means he's in what? trouble Right, or how about this the word beats means to palpitate means to hit something, right? But if you come home from work and you say man i'm beat does that mean like someone just whooped you at work? And just put a smack down on you or something No, see we understand the definitions of these words and how they're used in the context that they're in You understand that it's raining, you know, uh cats and dogs Is it really raining feline animals and canines? We understand this is a figure of speech and it's used in a different way Well in like manner the same thing is with this word here now, by the way the greek word. Yeah, it is the same word And it's the other the other crowd was like checkmate, you know Yeah, now what huh? Okay, well here's the thing okay and let me explain this is why I think this is important to teach about Go with me if you would to second corinthians chapter 13 All you have to do to understand which one is being spoken about is just read the context The bible says this of the reprobate who is beyond the hope of salvation that they're ever learning And never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Now as janice and jambres withstood moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith What is faith? It means to believe So who are we talking about there? We're talking about the person who's beyond the hope of salvation Because they are reprobate concerning the faith now that word reprobate if you were to use the bible's built-in dictionary You would see that according to jeremiah chapter 6 that it means rejected Reprobate silver shall men call them for the lord has rejected them. He uses it in tandem It goes to show you that rejection is defining the word reprobate. That's exactly what it means Reprobate silver and here it says in second timothy 3 that they're reprobate concerning the faith. They're rejected the ability to believe I don't know. I think anybody can get saved at any time. Well, it says here that they're ever learning And never able to come to the knowledge of the truth So explain that away why don't you use the greek there Go get your lexicon and throw it in the trash, you know, just Recognize it says that they can't come to the knowledge of the truth This is like a person who memorizes the quran Right They're just learning all this Quran truth or whatever muslim islamic truth, but they never come to the knowledge of the truth Right Or how about the atheist that just knows everything about science and they know everything about the big bang theory and everything about evolution Yeah, they're ever learning, but they're never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. And who's the truth? It's jesus the way the truth and the life So if he says that they're ever learning never able when does never end never It's never Did you guys agree in the english class today Grammar class This is someone who is rejected concerning the faith Okay now second corinthians 13 Is like the coup de gras in my opinion for the reprobate doctrine This thing puts this entire thing to bed and those who oppose the doctrine the reprobate doctrine have never been able to refute What this is plainly saying? Or even to try to explain it away. And by the way, I encourage you go back to the greek if you want You'll get your adokimos there, too Now let me just give you let me preface this by explaining what this chapter is talking about So in chapter 13, this is the second book that the apostle paul wrote to the church at corinth And if you read both books, you understand that this church has a lot of issues. Okay a lot of problems And we begin to realize that throughout those two books We start seeing that the people at corinth are actually rejecting the authority of the apostle paul Okay, they're they're just kind of like, you know They're downplaying his authority. They're not respecting him, even though he's the one that started the church. They're just behaving in a way That's unseemly And so he tells him this right? And by the way, he basically questions their salvation Now those of you all right, you can't quit how can you question the apostle paul questions salvation Right here. Look what it says in verse five Examine yourselves. Let's read it slowly examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith Prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves how that jesus christ is in you Except ye be reprobates Hey paul, you can't say that man That's that's wrong No, that's right I mean, I don't I don't even think we need to explain that verse He basically says You have christ in you The only different don't the only reason you it would not be in you is if you're a reprobate Because christ can't be in reprobates Mic drop is what we call that right now look When we go soul winning All these people don't have christ in them But you know what? Not all of them are reprobates either Why is he telling them this? Because there's a big difference between people who are hearing the word of god on a weekly basis hearing truth on a continual basis And reject the truth. You know what we call that person ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth That's a person who is a reprobate They have a calloused heart. They have a calloused mind. They Took the word of god in when they knew god they glorified them not as god neither were thankful But their foolish heart was dark in the bible says Now we don't know if these people are reprobates or not But he puts this scripture here to show us that christ is in a person a christian unless they are a reprobate, okay? Now look what he goes on to say verse six, but I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates Look at verse seven now. I pray to god that you do no evil not that we should appear approved But that you should do That which is honest though we be as reprobates Now hold on a second. Is he contradicting himself here? No, it does sound almost like a contradiction if you don't know the definitions of reprobate Because he says in verse six. I trust that you that ye shall know that we are not reprobates So he's like we're not reprobates. We have christ in us, right? But then he says though we be as reprobates. Well, remember, what is the definition of reprobate? Rejected Who is rejecting the apostle paul the church at corinth? so Although he wants them to do right he says that you do no evil Not that we should appear approved but that ye should do that which is honest though. We're rejected of you is basically what he's saying So it's like if you're going to reject me, okay, make sure you do no evil live right Not because i'm trying to prove myself not because i'm trying to make sure that my fruit is doing good Even though we're being rejected of you That's what he's saying there for we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth this is the e hud dagger in the belly It's it's it's a finisher second corinthians 13 christ is in you except ye be reprobates How do you even explain that You don't you just say, okay, I believe it now That's what you do. You're like, okay, it makes sense now, right? So we see here that this is the a good definition of what a reprobate is so let me explain something How does a person become a reprobate? Well, we understand that a person becomes a river when they reject christ And i'm not even talking about like a full presentation of the gospel either. Sometimes people just reject god period Without even getting a clear presentation and they actually hate god And what happens is they actually become a reprobate god says, all right, if you don't want me If you don't want to retain me in your knowledge then i'll just give you over to a reprobate mind This is the foolishness of people who say this they'll say well, you know, how can you say what if they what if the reprobate? You know the sodomite wants to get saved. It's like they don't even want to retain god in their knowledge They don't even want to think about have you ever just Despise someone so much that you just don't want to even think about them This is how they're like They I don't want god in my knowledge and then you have these baptists who are like Well, we still got to give them the gospel. They don't want it They don't want the gospel because it's attached to jesus christ and jesus christ is god So what is the difference between the two because they'll say well, you know first corinthians 9 27 Is a castaway and look that puts to bed this anderson doctrine of Reprobation and all this stuff because paul the apostle could become a reprobate that's in the greek adokimos All right. Well, let's talk about the difference between the two then even though we basically showed right then and there what it was the difference What is the difference between the castaway and the reprobate? Well, let's look at who they are. Okay So the castaway is a christian or believer, right? Go to john chapter 15 if you would We believe according to the bible that the castaway is the believer Is a christian and yes, he can be cast away And look, let me just chase a little rabbit here Just to prove that reprobate Is a word that can be used differently if you read the spanish version of the bible For example, the reign of lara gomez or even versions prior to that, okay When you read the account in acts chapter number four talk about the lord Jesus christ how he was, uh, the person who who israel basically rejected Okay, the stone which the builders disallowed the same has become the head of the corner in the spanish bible. It says Because that's what he was he was rejected of israel You understand so it's used multiple times like that. We just got to figure out what the context is Now look at john 15 verse 5 It says here. I am the vine Ye are the branches who's jesus referring to he's referring to christians He that abideth in me and I am him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me he can do nothing Now it doesn't say for without me you're not saved in a sense, right? Because if they're already saved Jesus christ is never going to cast them out. He's never going to forsake them. He's talking about the work that they're going to do Okay, if we abide in christ we abide in the word of god we abide in prayer guess what we can do something for god Verse six if a man if a man abide not in me He is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire And they are burned now a lot of false religion will try to use John 15 as proof text that you can lose your salvation Okay What they don't understand is the way parables work Are we literal branches? No Do men, you know when when people get out of church do men literally, you know Gather them together and throw them into a fire or furnace. No This is basically showing us that when a tree When a branch is disattached from a tree, it's worthless. It could no longer bear fruit So what do men do they clean it up? They take it and they throw into a fire into the fire because it's worthless Just as a christian when it's when he or she is not abiding in christ and they're not bearing fruit what happens They're cast forth as a branch and they're burned Because they're worthless. Okay If if you abide in me and my words abide in you you shall ask what you will and it shall be done Unto you so the castaway is verse number six. It's the christian who chooses not to abide in christ Now who's the reprobate the reprobate is the christ rejecting hater of god Go to romans chapter number one if you would romans chapter number one Let me turn to myself Look at verse number 21 because that when they knew god they glorified him not as god neither were thankful But became bane in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened Professing themselves to be wise, you know because they're ever learning They became fools And changed the glory of the uncorruptible god into an image made like to corruptible man And to birds into four-footed beasts and creeping things. So what do we see here? We see idolatry You know, that's why we believe we don't believe that you have to repent of your sins to be saved But you know what if you are trusting in the virgin mary to be saved you have to repent of that Right Because you're changing the image of the incorruptible god into a corruptible mexican image Guadalupe It says wherefore so because of these things wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves Who changed the truth of god into a lie? And worshiped and served the creature more than the creator who is blessed forever. Amen This is as the bible would also say in second timothy chapter three that they shall be lovers of their own selves Because when the bible talks about creatures not always in reference to animals. Sometimes it's in reference to us as a creation You know man, for example, right? For this cause god gave them up to vile affections for even their women to change the natural use into that which is against nature You know like the lesbians likewise Also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in her lust one toward another men with men working now Which is unseemly and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error, which was meat, you know, like diseases aids Verse 28 and even as they did not like to retain god in their knowledge. God gave them over to a reprobate mind To do those things which are not convenient. So look God cast them away. He rejected them, but he rejected their mind He gave them a reprobate mind now, why is that important? Well, because of the fact that the bible talks about having a seared conscience And often the mind is associated with the heart And the bible tells us that the peace to be saved that you have to believe on the lord Jesus christ, right The bible says that if thou should confess with all thy heart the lord jesus and believe in that heart that god had raised him From the dead thou shalt be saved So, how are you saved by believing? Yes, well, how do you do that if your conscience is here Right, how do you do that if you can't even believe So we see here These are who this is who the bible is talking about The reprobate is the christ-rejected hater of god that cast away is the christian who is not attached to the vine Okay now look If you're saved here today, you will never become You'll never god will never give you over to a reprobate mind Never It'll never happen Why because the bible tells us that at salvation that the holy spirit of god comes to dwell within the believer And they're sealed until the day of redemption He's there forever right We have the inward man, but can you be cast away? Absolutely God can shelf you And say you're worthless. You're not doing anything. Let me just take you and put you up here Okay, because you're worthless Now how did they get there? Well the castaway often by moral impurity fornication adultery idolatry sin Defiling the temple the reprobate gets there by rejecting the lord The bible says even as they did not like to retain god in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. Now. Look here's the thing Let's talk about sodomites for example, okay Because there's reprobates out there that are not sodomites But you know, every sodomite is a reprobate every single one of them Because of the fact that a sodomite is the fruit pun intended Of being a reprobate That's the byproduct Right We see a tree And it has no fruit When it starts bearing fruits, we would say okay, that is an apple tree It was an apple tree before I even bear fruit, right? When we see a homo acting like a homo We say okay that tree was a reprobate all along Right, who knows when they got planted or who knows when they they sow that seed who knows when he rejected the lord But we know that that person is a reprobate Because it says there that aside from the fact see when they give are given over to a reprobate mind They're not only not able to believe Because they have a seared conscience their moral compass is removed What is the moral compass? It's the governor that tells you that certain things are just disgusting That is completely removed That's why the bible tells us that they're given over to a reprobate reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness So the person who has a reprobate mind is capable of the most heinous crimes the most disgusting filthy acts known to man Why because they have a seer conscience? Right The castaway does not have that ability Now are they able to fornicate? Absolutely adultery, yes Drug abuse. Absolutely. But you know what the moral compass is still there And before they even get to a certain point god just basically takes them home Or let's just use the bible's word. He overthrows them He destroys them loving god That is a loving god by the way He said why would that be loving for god to kill a christian when they're involved in such wicked sin? Basically to save them from shame at the judgment seat of christ So they don't destroy their lives even further But look, why don't we just stay far far away from that? And then you know At the judgment seat of christ we get honored right for the things that we do Now what are they being rejected from well the castaway is being rejected from obtaining the reward go to Uh, go to colossians chapter number three obtaining a reward And look don't just be the christian who just comes to church that's a start amen be the christian who starts to work Who wants to obtain a reward? Who runs not as uncertainly? Who who fights but not as one that beats the air? Who's actually working preaching the gospel doing something for god make your life count for the lord Look at the bible says in colossians 3 verse 24 knowing that of the lord Ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the lord christ But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons The bible says so what is that talking about? Well? It's not saying you're going to receive the wrong at the judgment seat of christ Because at the judgment seat of christ your work shall be burned you shall be saved yet. So as by fire The wrong that you're going to receive is here You know, we often when we go preach the gospel You know, we'll often tell him you don't have to work for salvation You don't have to like go to church or do keep god's commandments and and he sometimes people will say well Are you saying that we can just like do whatever we want? And this is like well for salvation All you have to do is believe on the lord jesus christ and if you choose to live a sinful life afterwards Yes, you can do that and still be saved But no if you do that guess what god is going to judge you on this earth Vengeance is mine say the lord. I will repay and that is in context of the christian You can be cast away so you will receive the wrong That you have done, but it will be on this earth And most of sometimes it's just death And guess what at the time of death no more work No more winning souls No more preaching the word of god. No more discipling no more helping your children grow in the lord No more laboring in the things of god no more missions. No more sowing events. No more any of that. You're done Go to hebrew chapter 12 hebrew chapter number 12 So the sermon is not only to show you the difference between these two The difference between these two it's also it's also to encourage the believers here. Hey, don't be a castaway And look throughout the lifespan of our church. We will have many castaways Because that's just the nature of the beast People will come and go come and go people will get into sin Leave for years some may come back some may not some will just be a permanent castaway Okay, look at hebrews 12 verse 1 wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses Let us lay aside every weight And the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us See in order for us to be an effective christian. We not only have to know the gospel presentation. We got to live holy lives Not be worldly but be holy be effective Looking unto jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross Despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of god for consider him that endorsed such contradiction of sinners Against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds Ye have not resisted unto blood striving against sin So what happens when you don't lay aside every weight? When you don't lay aside the sin that does so easily beset us or it compasses us what happens? Well you faint in your mind That's why the bible tells us that when we're when we're to not grow weary and well-doing for in due season ye shall reap if you faint not So you just got to put up with you got to endure the hardships of life in the times that you're that you're struggling Go to john chapter 12 if you would So the castaway The christian is being rejected from the reward. Well, you said I don't care about that You know, whatever, okay That's not what you're going to be seeing and saying in eternity and by the way you not only get shamed There because the bible says that some will wake up to everlasting shame and everlasting contempt. You'll also get shamed here You know, it's shameful to get thrown out of the church It's a shame to get thrown out of the church And look this isn't there's no carpet here I mean you see it, but there's you can't peel the carpet back for us to sweep under all the garbage under the carpet So when you get thrown out for something Wicked as what we see in first corinthians chapter five we bring it before the church You know if you get thrown out for some reason if you don't want to repent you're railing You're being contentious you're involved in fornication. You're involved in drunkenness. You're smoking weed You're doing all these things. Guess what pastor bruce me. He is going to do He's not going to sweep it under the carpet. I'm going to bring it up and show everyone and then throw it out Amen Oh, that's not right, but you know what it'll keep you right and by the way it is right They that sin rebuke before all that others may fear You need to serve god because you love jesus obviously, right? But jesus did say if you love me keep my commandments And these things keeps us on track And by the way, it keeps your kids on track Okay and You know We want to make sure the bible tells us to preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort With all long suffering and doctrine so we do we are patient with people We're patient. We try to be long suffering We try to be forbearing but you know If people continue to willfully sin and be involved in things that they're not supposed to be involved in And we keep correcting we keep correcting them. They're out And they will get shamed You will be cast away. How does god cast away with the church? We use the authority that god has given to us as a church institution to cast people away Yeah, absolutely Okay Now That's what the castle so the castaway is rejected from the reward They're rejected from having fellowship with other christians All right, because if you get booted out of the church, guess what you have no fellowship We we're not to have any fellowship with you That's cultish. No cultures would be like lock the doors. You can't leave I'm your daddy You know i'm divine No, no, no The opposite of cultish is get out And if you want to join a church that's liberal and weak and limp-wristed where they don't You know, they don't practice any church discipline. They tolerate the most heinous of sins then go join that liberal baptist church That weakling limp-wristed baptist church You know, but here but here's the thing before you criticize what we do I want you to come with bible in hand and prove to me that what i'm doing is wrong Prove to me that what you believe is right and don't use while I feel Because I don't care what you feel Unless you feel i'm right. Just kidding I'm, just kidding So that's the castaway And look the reason i'm preaching like this is because I don't want no one to be I don't want anybody to be Castaway in our church Let's go forward. Amen. Let's bear fruit. Let's go soul winning. Let's enjoy fellowship Let's just live for the lord and and and work in such a way that the lord would delight in us To bless us. Amen But the reprobate so what is he rejected from from believing on the lord for salvation? So the bible tells us that they're given over to a reprobate mind and it says that they're reprobate concerning the faith Now I know I said second corinthians 13 is like the coup de gras i'm gonna show you another coup de gras And this one's for sure For sure for sure for sure for sure Okay, because sometimes people will be like, I don't think god will do that to someone and you know I just don't believe god, you know, how can god a loving god and all this? This liberal rhetoric Okay Okay, let's go to the most loving book In the bible Don't we all love the book of john? Isn't that where we find john 316? For god so loved the world you know Beautiful beautiful verses the whole bible is beautiful, obviously, you know, but we give people I mean when someone first gets saved We tell them to start reading the bible. Where did they start reading the book of john, right? Look at john 12 verse 38 Verse 38 says that the saying of his eyes the prophet might be fulfilled with she spake lord who hath believed our report To whom hath the arm of the lord been revealed therefore They could not what's that next word? Say it louder Because that his eyes said again He who's he? god hath blinded their eyes Now just step back for a second here Did I read that correctly? They could not believe Why because he had blinded their eyes now He's not literally blinding their eyes, right That term is used in regards to salvation. That's why you know Amazing grace, you know I once was blind but now I see that's in regards to salvation That's what we're talking about. Right because now we see the truth Right, we see that jesus christ is the way the truth and the life. We know the truth. We're awake, right? Therefore they could not believe because it is I said again he god hath blinded their eyes And hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes. Hey, that's mean god You blind so they should not see. Yep Nor understand with their heart, how does someone get saved they have to understand the gospel They have to put a and b and connect them together and say okay not by works of righteousness Which I have done but according to his mercy he saved us Oh for by grace are you safe through faith and then out of yourselves? It is a gift of god not of works. Let any man should boast Oh, I get it. I understand But this person can't understand Was it the soul winner that came to him and just kind of give a very complicated You know, uh apologetic type of uh sermon that did just they're just like I don't know what this guy's saying. No god Caused them to not understand god caused them to not be able to see because god doesn't want them to be saved And look what it says and be converted And I should heal them. These are very tough words But it's true Now look, this is not for everyone though But I will say this if you are in a bible believing church and you're not saved And you've heard the truth over and over again. This will apply to you soon enough if you don't get saved That's the way it works Because you're giving the truth constantly And you're like, I don't want it. I don't want it. I don't want it and god says okay, then I don't want you You I mean is that wrong for god to do that? No, the judge of all the earth will do right And he's like, I don't want you. I don't want you. I don't want you. God says okay. I don't want you either He's just agreeing with you Is what he's doing So they're reprobate from believing for salvation now Go to hebrew chapter 10. This will be the last portion of scripture we go to Now here's my last point is god finished with them Well the castaway is he is he done with the castaway? Well, let me say this he can be He can be Not for salvation But from life on this earth So people who've been thrown out for sin or whatever it may be and they're out there They're just like yeah, I think i'm good, you know, all right You could actually be permanently cast away And god could just destroy you and you're done The reason I say that is because If we're ever in the position that we're cast away because of sin You better come back quick You better get right with god fast You know, you better recognize that the goodness and forbearance of god leadeth us unto repentance Amen and not play with god's wrath Don't play with his judgment Don't play with you know, the uh, the fact that he is a god who is merciful and kind and gracious Don't turn the grace of god into lasciviousness Just get right with god Repent and get right look at hebrews 10 verse 26 Why? Because it says in verse 26 for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth There remain is no more sacrifice for sins You see in the old testament the sacrifices of the animals were done for the sins of the flesh Because obviously we understand that their sins just totality as far as their spirit is concerned Was paid by jesus christ before the foundation of the world Right the lamb of god who was slain before the foundation of the world the bible says this was done for the sins of the flesh Well, it says here if we sin willfully after that we receive the knowledge of the truth. There were made no more sacrifices for sins Why because that's already done away with? So guess what? You're gonna have to pay for your sins How are you gonna pay for it by god judging you? or You know if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I'd rather do first john 1 9 Look at verse 27 So there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain Fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries who's a certain the person who's willfully sinning So what's the only thing that remains the person who's in sin who's just like man god's gonna judge me at any moment God's wrath is gonna come upon me at any moment Verse 28 he that despised moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Good night So it wasn't like hey, man I'm, sorry. I gotta do this man. I know we grew up together and stuff. No, it was like Stone them with stones I don't agree with that rendition It's all over the old testament In fact the person even if it was in your own family If your family member caused you to sin and to depart from the lord The bible says thine eyes shall not pity He Says in verse 29 of how much sore punishment suppose he Shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under the foot of the son of god and hath counted the blood of the covenant? Wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace for we know him That hath said vengeance belongeth unto me. Hey, by the way, we know him too. Amen We know the one who says vengeance belongeth unto me But we typically quote that for those who hate us, right? It actually says here vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompensate the lord and again the lord shall judge his people So who's god taking vengeance on his people I like verse 31 It is a fearful thing To fall into the hands of the living god Know what that means? Let me let me render to you in in modern english. This is scary This is very scary So let's not willfully sin. Let's not let's not be a castaway in other words, right? Let's stay attached to the vine. Let's bear fruit. Let's get a reward You say well, what about the reprobate is he done? Yes Done done The bible says that they're twice dead plucked up by the roots A tree that is twice that it's plucked up by the roots. It means it's not going to be planted anymore It's they're done Now what is the message today? Well one if you're not saved you better get saved amen You better get saved because there could come a point where you actually cross the line and become a reprobate and you're rejected concerning the faith And and you know what the bible says that you'll be a twofold more a child of hell In fact just as we when we believe on christ the bible says the word the bible says that but as many as receive them To them give you power to become the sons of god Even unto them to believe in his name in like manner the person who rejects christ and becomes a reprobate The bible says they're sons of the devil Ye are of your father the devil the lust of a father what you do? He was a murderer from the beginning of bow down the truth for there is no truth in him He's referring to people there The same people he was referring to in john chapter 12 So the message today is this hey don't get these two mixed up and you probably I don't know if you've even heard anything like that, but I have i've had multiple people tell me oh They're both the same thing. No, they're not the same thing And all you have to do is look at the context of those two That's the first thing I want you to know second thing is this hey, don't be a castaway Stay attached and look step number one get in a good church Getting in a good church will help you stay attached during the times that you don't want to stay attached The times you struggle so you can get that reward amen Inspire heads and have a word of prayer father. We thank you so much for your word And god, I pray that you'd help us help us to keep under our bodies bring it into subjection And um, let's by any means when we have preached to others. We ourselves can be castaways. We can be rejected from from the crown The incorruptible crown we could be rejected from the reward And I pray god that you'd help us to Abide in the vine To make sure that we're reading our bibles. We're staying in church where we're working at Just being holy and living a life that's pleasing unto you help us to stay far away from sin And help us as a church continually be a congregation That helps those who come back and restores them But also those who refuse to be restored that we may be used of you to cast them out because we don't want god's judgment On our congregation here either and I pray god that you bless us as we go on our way In jesus name we pray. Amen