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you you you you Well good morning everyone welcome to Mountain Baptist Church Take your song books and turn to song 162 Song 162 in your song books will sing to God be the glory and if you would stand we'll sing song 162 To God be the glory Great things he hath done So loved he the world that he gave us his son Who? Yielded his life and atonement for sin and Open the life gain that all may go in praise the Lord Praise the Lord let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord Let the people rejoice oh Come to the father through Jesus the son and give him the glory great things he hath done Oh Perfect redemption the purchase of blood to every believer the promise of God the Paulist offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus apart and receives praise the Lord praise the Lord Hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice oh come To the father through Jesus the son and Give him the glory great things he hath done Great things he hath taught us great things he hath done and great are rejoicing through Jesus the son but And higher and greater will be our wonder our transport when Jesus we see praise the Lord Praise the Lord Let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord Let the people rejoice oh Come to the father through Jesus the son and Give him the glory great things he hath done And let's pray Holy Father Lord again We just want to thank you God for another beautiful Sunday morning that we get to gather and hear your word preached I pray Lord now that you just be with be with us today through the sermons and the soul-winning Lord Be with our pastor and we love you and pray all of us in Jesus name. Amen Or you may be seated and take your mountain Baptist song books Your mountain Baptist Psalms hymns and spiritual song books those blue folders there in your chairs and turn to page Number 18 Page number 18 in your mountain Baptist song books will sing Psalm 3 on page number 18 Lord how are they increase that trouble increase that trouble me? Many are the Against they that rise up against me Many there be which say of my soul There be which say of my soul Oh There is no help for him. There is no How for him and God? Say law But thou o Lord are to shield for me. Oh Lord are to shield for me My glory and the lifter of the lifter Above mine hand I cried unto the Lord with my voice unto the Lord with my voice and He heard me and he heard me out of his holy Hail, St. La I Laid me down and slept I await For the Lord sustained in me I Laid me down and slept I await for the Lord Sustained in me. I Will not I will not be afraid of 10,000 of people That have set themselves up and it's me Gets me round Arise O Lord save me. Oh my god for thou'st has been in all mine enemies Upon the cheekbone that has broken the teeth of the ungodly Salvation belongeth salvation salvation by longeth unto the Lord Thy blessing is thy people upon thy people St. La Amen welcome to Mountain Baptist Church on the Sunday morning Beautiful outside today definitely warm. It's been definitely really warm recently. And so Yeah, it's summertime that's for sure As far as service times today as far as our announcements are concerned everything should be normal today So we'll have obviously our service right now, but we'll have our afternoon service at 4 p.m And then in between that though, we're gonna have our main soul winning church so any time at 1 o'clock So if you want to go out sowing with us Meet up here a little before 1 o'clock and we're gonna go out soul winning And so you can if you've never gone before You can be a silent partner. So no worries there. You don't have to say anything. You just come along with us and then Regional sewing times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Obviously the men leading those up on the bulletin there if you want about soul winning during the week And get with these guys obviously on the church group there they put out the locations times all that stuff as well We are planning on having a baptism. So actually a Brother James back there is gonna be getting baptized after the service. So He decided to trust the Lord and salvation last week. And so praise Lord for that and So if you want to stick around right after the service, we're gonna we'll do the baptism there and then And then if any just a reminder out there too if anybody needs to get baptized hasn't been baptized obviously We can facilitate that anytime you want. So just putting that out there And then as far as the upcoming events, we do have prayer meetings coming up Women's prayer meeting will be on the 21st men's prayer meeting on the 26th. So On your bullets in there just keep that in mind if you want to come out to those And then soul winning marathons. So we have July August and September on the list so far so We've been kind of it seems like we've been doing basically soul winning marathon every month So if you can't make it to one just wait till the next month or if it's too far away And you don't want to travel that far We have everything from far away to to really close by so This next one is pretty close Cumberland, Maryland until at the end of July here on the 27th And so come to the Maryland. I mean that whole area is pretty much, West Virginia Anyway, they want to be anyway, but it's right on the border obviously of West Virginia anyway right there So Cumberland, Maryland that's going to be on the 27th And then Moorfield, West Virginia August 31st and then September 21st Cannonsburg PA so That is our the the day before our anniversary service. We always do a soloing marathon We usually go up the wheeling or places like that. But this is literally basically the same distance. I would imagine Actually might be closer As far as distance is concerned To Cannonsburg anyway, so But every time I'm passing by Cannonsburg going towards Pittsburgh I'm always thinking about that area right there as far as just wanting to knock that so that'll be on the 21st of September So just keep that on calendars there if you want to come to out to any of those Whenever we do a soloing marathon like that, we always provide at least the breakfast When it comes to that if there's any lodging that's needed we provide that and we usually try to get the lunch as well so don't worry about it if you need if you need a ride if you want to go but you don't want to pay for maybe The expenses and stuff like that will take care of you. Don't worry about it and all that so On the back your bullets in there. We have our chapter memory for the month is Psalm 126 Psalm 126 And that has the famous verse there. They did so in tears shall reap enjoy And so a shorter psalm, but we sing it a lot of times in church So it should be a one that's fairly easy to memorize since if you know the song First anything 315 is our memory verse for the week But if I Terry long that thou mayest know how thou ought us to behave thyself in the house of God Which is the church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the truth. So that is our memory verse for the week Birthdays What do we have coming up I don't think Kelly's is till next week, right So and then anniversaries So the 20 is that that's so the signs would you be this week, right? No, you're next week. Yeah 20 seconds Monday, okay So same week is Holly and I's anniversary there, so So what will we But did we get the so the less goes What to get done next time, so we'll remember that but they You got the mind of you have it. You had the memory of a goldfish, right? Okay, then we're good Elephant goldfish, you know anyway Oh Pregnancy's there on the pregnancy list there be in prayer for crystal McCloy due in August. So that's here before you know it But but miss crystals pregnant with twins So be in prayer for her and the McCloy family there and then Rachel Hiles on the list as well be in prayer for her Is there a due date? Do you guys did they set one? Okay, so January baby that's where all the best are born So brother Luke, can I get a witness back there? Yes He's raising his his holy hands up there But no obviously be praying for you guys and so that's what I'll have for announcements Obviously crazy week with Trump getting shot at and all that stuff. So we live in some interesting times now, so But Yeah, the only thing I have to say about that is Is we do need to play pray for our leaders and when it comes to our those that are in authority, I Preached this before though Praying for them doesn't mean it's always a good prayer There's things called imprecatory prayers So one prayer would be let their days be few and another man take their office That is one prayer there So when it comes to this when it comes to leadership that we haven't and we have wicked leadership right now No doubt And so we need to be praying obviously That the Lord will do his will when it comes to what's what's going on in our country So this isn't a political rant This isn't Trump 2024 here or anything like that or anti Trump 2024. All that to say is that obviously There's just wickedness abounding in our country right now and and the answer is We're in the church. It's with the pillar and ground of the truth. And and so that's something that I'm actually gonna be preaching on that subject this morning Who's reading this morning brother Wade? So brother Dave's gonna sing one more song and then brother Wade's gonna be reading first Timothy chapter 3 for us And then we'll get into the sermon You All right, take your song books and turn to song 140 Song 140 in your song books Will sing we have an anchor There's no birth no birthdays their anniversaries Maybe it's a mile like a goldfish Arms like a silverback though. Anyway, and all right. Well, so we'll sing a song 140 Will your anchor hold in the storms of life when the clouds unfold their wings of stripe when the strong tides left and the cable strain will your anchor drift or firm remain We have an anchor that keeps the soul sand fasten sure while the billows roll fastened to the rock which cannot move Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love It is safely more twilter With sand fort is well Secured by the Savior Though the tempest rage and the wild winds blow not an angry Wave shall our park or flow We have an anchor that keeps the soul sand fasten sure while the billows roll fastened to the rock which cannot move Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love when our eyes behold through the gathering night the city of gold our Harbor right we shall anchor fast by the heavenly shore with the storms all past forever more We have an anchor that keeps the soul sand fastened sure billows roll fastened to the rock which cannot move ground and firm and deep in the Savior's love All right, take your Bibles and turn to the book of 1st Timothy chapter number 3 1st Timothy chapter number 3 in your Bibles and we'll have brother Wade come and read that for us 1st Timothy chapter 3 This is a true saying if a man desired the office of a bishop He desired the good work a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behavior Given to hospitality apt to preach apt to teach not given to wine No striker not greedy a filthy lucre, but patient not a brawler But not covetous one that rules well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity For if a man know not how to rule his own house How shall he take care of the Church of God not a novice less being lifted up with pride? He fall into the condemnation of the devil Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil Likewise must the deacons be grave not double tongue not given to much wine not greedy a filthy lucre Holding the mystery of the faith in pure conscience and let these also first be proved Then let them use the office of a deacon being found blameless Even so must their wives be grave not slanders sober and faithful in all things Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children in their own house as well For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchased to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith Which is in Christ Jesus these things right I unto thee hoping to come to thee shortly But if I tarry long that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God Which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the truth and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in spirit seen of angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world Received up and to glory the Lord. Let us pray. Please be with us today Let us hear your word and let us be edified by your message. Jesus now pray. Amen Amen So you're there in first Timothy chapter 3 and I want you to look down at verse 14 verse 14 the end of the chapter there and We're preaching on the pillar and ground of the truth and the church is the pillar and ground of the truth and Notice what it says here in verse 14. It says these things right I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly But if I Terry long that thou mayest Know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God Which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the truth? So we see here that the Church of God is the pillar and ground of the truth And I'll also calls the Church of God the house of God So obviously that's that's right to say that the house of God now The church is not this building. The church is the people right? So the church means congregation. It means assembly so we can literally Just be out in the middle of a field Congregated together as a church with a pastor that's preaching To the church that would be a church just as much as what we have right here So this this building here is obviously to keep the weather Off of us as far as when we're assembling together. So it's not about the building. It's about the people but what I want to get to here is Dealing with the pillar and ground of the truth and the fact of how The church is that pillar and ground but there's there's there's people that take this to to a An unbiblical extreme and I'm going to point out the Catholics Okay So when it comes to the Catholics what they do is they say well the church is the pillar and ground of the truth Therefore the church leadership can determine doctrine outside the Bible Okay, and What this comes down to is they use this passage to say well see the church which obviously Also, we don't believe in this universal Church and that's what Catholic means Catholic means universal And so what the Bible teaches is that there's local New Testament churches There's multiple churches and that Jesus is the head of every single one of those Local churches, but obviously there's there's requirements to be an actual legit church Okay, that means that the Methodist Church down the road isn't an actual legit church because they don't have the right gospel They well, I mean, let's just let's just I'm gonna be getting into what is the pillar and ground of the truth? What makes a real church and in the end, you know, what what is the foundation of the church? And listen if if the gospel is not the foundation if the gospel You know and the fact that salvation is by grace through faith not of works Let's say me and suppose it's not a real church or at least it's not a church that's recognized in God's eyes Okay, that means the Catholic Church isn't recognized in God's eyes the church in Nazarene is not recognized in the in the eyes of God Then the Methodist Church is not recognized the Pentecostal Church and go down the line and listen any Baptist Church It doesn't preach that salvation is by grace through faith Okay so But what when it comes to the church? Let's go to a very famous passage dealing with what Jesus was saying about the church Go to Matthew chapter 16 and this is also a passage that the Catholic Church tries to rip out a Context and tries to say that that Peter was the first Pope and all this this this garbage, okay? And what this really comes down to is that the Catholic Church is against the principle that we believe which is the Latin phrase Solo scriptura Solo means like only right like mono solo, right? scriptura scripture right and what that really means is that scripture only scripture has Complete authoritative power in the church. Okay or for all faith and practice. Okay, and so the Catholic Church Ultimately Rejects that because they say it's not only scripture But also the church leadership can speak and basically what they say Can be be can be on par with scripture Okay, and what I want to do is show you how that's a bunch of garbage Okay, meaning that the Bible is the foundation the Word of God is the only thing that is completely Authoritative Okay, meaning that it's it's it's it's truth and there's nothing that go against it And if we have a certain type of way of doing things at this church There's nothing wrong with that Right the order of service and all that stuff Here's where it becomes a problem when I say that if anybody doesn't do it the way we do it they're in sin because then I've made for doctrines the commandments of men and The Catholic Church is just a bunch of Pharisees Because that's literally what they do They make up doctrines that are not in the Bible and not only that they make up doctrines that are not in the Bible They also contradict clear doctrine in the Bible with their Traditions and they make void the law through their tradition. Okay So, let's see. What is the foundation of the church? Okay, so when it comes to this you say Well, the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. Okay, what's the foundation of the church? Right if the church is the pillar and ground of the truth and that's where we go to to say Hey, what's truth out there? What's the right way? Well, what's the foundation to that? well Matthew chapter 16 verse 15 says this it says And Jesus having a conversation with his disciples basically saying who do men say that I am obviously There's a lot of different answers that people had out there at the time But then he says in verse 15 and he said unto them But whom say ye that I am and Simon Peter answered and said thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God Now based off that statement that Peter makes Jesus is going to talk about something Okay It says in Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock Will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Upon what rock thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God Okay, and you know what when people go back to the Greek and they start making up stuff You should just reject it out of hand You know people are just like well, you know Peter that the name Peter means like a little pebble Except for the fact that that word Petra Literally means rock. Okay, and it says it by interpretation of stone in the New Testament Guess what stone rock same thing and when people start to try to just make up stuff When it says upon this rock while I build my church. Guess what? It's the same. It's the same word that Peter is But guess what? It's a different gender. So when people try to say that that's Peter He's saying, you know upon you Peter. I'm gonna build my church out the lunch Now Anybody that's reading this in English should know that hey, he's saying You're Peter Guess why? Jesus probably called him Peter because he knew that that Peter was gonna be the one to say thou art the Christ the Son of The Living God here's the foundation of the church that Jesus Christ is the Son of God That is the foundation. That is what the church is built upon And I also you know later in the next verse there it says and I will give thee unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou Shall loose on earth thou shalt be loosed in heaven and he'll say well see Peter has the keys of heaven except for two chapters later He says it to everybody in the church and it says whatsoever. Ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven And then he says that to his apostles later on You say why did he say it particularly to Peter because he's specifically talking to him alone If I was having a conversation 101 with somebody and I was saying hey, you know You know thou art Peter, you know And and I'm talking to them would it make sense for me to just start talking about everybody When I'm talking to them specifically, right? This is why thee and thou is important and all that and ye and everything because later on you can see That listen when it's talking about binding stuff on earth We're talking about the church The church can excommunicate somebody if they're living in major sin and God and God regards that whether you are you Holding them accountable to it or whether you're forgiving them from that That is what that's talking about nothing about Peter being the Pope or being the the father of the church or anything like that That is ridiculous. That's not what the Bible teaches Peter's not the rock that the church is formed on it's what Peter said is the rock that the church is built upon Because in 1st Corinthians chapter 10, who's that rock? That rock that was in the wilderness which is Christ That rock that the church is built on is Jesus Christ himself and it is not Peter that he's built upon but what I want you to see here is that the foundation is Jesus Christ Which shouldn't be a surprise to you because this is the stone which the builders have rejected he hath made the same The head of the corner of what the foundation He is the head of the corner and he's also the head of the church But what you have to understand is that this doctrine that Jesus is the Christ is what the church is Established upon and if anybody rejects that they are not a real church and go to the second John second John in verse seven second John verse seven Second John verse seven So In verse seven here says for many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh This is a deceiver in an Antichrist Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have brought but that we receive a full reward Now notice what it says here whosoever transgresses Transgressive and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ now context. What's the doctrine of Christ? That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh That's the doctrine Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. You know what this is God Manifests in the flesh when it says that that the church is the pillar and ground the truth Great is the mystery of God without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh What's the pillar and ground the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? manifest in the flesh God in the flesh that's here on earth that is and that he's the Christ. He is the anointed He is the one his name is Jesus. Okay Because it says now shall call his name Jesus for you shall save his people from their sins When you don't when you say when people say they believe in Jesus But they believe that they can lose their salvation They believe that there's something out that something else is gonna pay for their sins besides Jesus Christ They don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They don't believe that Jesus is the Christ They are taking partial Savior. They don't believe he's the ultimate sacrifice They don't believe he's the anointed one that was going to take away their sins. Okay, and this doctrine is If it's not held no So it says they abide not in the doctrine of Christ Hath not God he that abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son if they're come unto you If they're if they're come any unto you and bring not this doctrine Receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partake care of his deeds evil deeds Listen if someone's coming to you with a false gospel. That's that's preaching a false gospel. That could be Jehovah Witnesses that could be Mormons I mean the Catholics aren't exactly evangelizing the world So you're not really gonna have a Catholic knocking on your door and be like, let me tell you about the sacraments and the Eucharist Okay, it's not Not happening, right? But if they did, okay Then we are not to receive them. We're not to bid them God speed what that means. You know what that means We don't say god bless you. Have a good day Like if a Jehovah Witness is coming up to me bringing a false gospel. I'm not like well god bless you No, I Don't want God to prosper them in their in their false gospel Okay Now that's a little different if you go up to the door with somebody and they say hey I'm a Jehovah Witness and then you're like, hey, you know, can I show you them? You know how you can know you're going to heaven and let's say they let you show them a little bit and then They're just like nah, I don't believe that You can say god bless you have a good day. Does that make sense? There's a difference between when someone's coming at you preaching a false gospel and when someone's deceived by a false gospel Okay So let me just be very clear with that when we're talking about This idea of not bidding someone Godspeed because you know people can be deceived by false religion and we want to pray for them hopefully hopefully they understand it they get saved all of that, but I mean is inherited after the first and second admonition reject, you know, I mean when it comes to With with that there's a point where you're just like, alright, I'm done. Okay now Go to first John chapter 4 first John chapter 4 Because ultimately, what do we want to know we want to know What the truth is but where is the truth? Okay It's like I think everybody wants to know the truth except for Democrats, but apparently, you know, like they don't care, you know and You know that I still hold to pastor Jimenez that God's not a Republican but the devil is definitely a Democrat right and But there are people out there that just hate the truth They don't want to know the truth and all that. So don't get me wrong There are people out there that just can't stand the truth don't want it. They want to be told lies Okay And I'm being a little facetious I'm not saying every Democrat out there is just you know some reprobate that doesn't want to hear the truth, but There are people that exist, you know, those people exist out in the world, but I say Majority of people though want to know what the truth is. Okay, the majority people want to know the truth Is the question is where is it? The Bible says that the church is that the pillar and ground of the truth, okay But what's the foundation of the church? Okay, what's that what's the what's the ultimate Foundation to where that the church is getting that truth. Okay, and This one says here in first John 4 1 it says beloved Beloved believe not every spear Spirit but try the spirits whether they are God because many false prophets are going out into the world So this is a good question right to bring brought up is like, okay. Well, how do I know? Whether this is a good prophet or a bad prophet In the Old Testament if a prophet were to say something was going to come to pass And it didn't then, you know, they're a false prophet pretty simple, right? So, how about Robert Breakers a false prophet? the chipmunk on on YouTube that basically predicts that Jesus is coming back every year and then he's wrong every year But some somehow people still think this guy knows what he's talking about Anybody that predicts something to happen and then it doesn't come in the past guess what they're a false prophet and so but how about this it says here believe not every spirit, so Basically, there's false prophets out there. But how do we know who's a false prophet who's not right? Well, this one's very simple. It says verse 2 It says hereby know ye the Spirit of God every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in The flesh is of God and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in The flesh is not of God This is that spirit of Antichrist. Wherever you have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world? Okay, so you're basically saying Okay, if they don't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh meaning that we're talking about God in the flesh We're talking about the Son of God Jesus Christ coming in the flesh and listen Plenty of religions deny this okay, whether it's Mormons Jehovah Witnesses Islam Go down the line, right? But then it says year of God little children And I've overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he does in the world They are of the world therefore speak they have the world in the world here at them notice this in verse 6 It says we are of God He that knoweth God here at us He that is not of God here not us Hereby know we the spirit of truth in the spirit of error, okay Now who wrote John first John? The Apostle John, okay And what I'm gonna teach you and what I want to show you here is that the scripture? Was penned down by prophets and apostles. Okay, and what John is saying here in Obvious scripture is saying if you hear us Then you'll know what the spirit of truth the spirit error is Okay, because go to go to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19 And this is where the Catholic Church will just take this and just be like well see they Listen to the Apostles what they wrote in the Bible Therefore, you know we can listen to the Pope over here and listen to the Cardinal and whatever bird is in the Authority over the Catholic Church, okay So what I want to show you here is that one The foundation of the church is the Word of God Okay So when someone says well prove to me solo scriptura from the Bible Jesus Christ is the foundation. He is the rock, right? What's another name for Jesus? the Word of God in The beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word was made Flesh and dwelled among us and we beheld glory the glories of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Guess what when it's talking about the pillar and ground of truth Then goes on to say great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh The Word was made flesh. That is the foundation of the church, which is the pillar and ground of the truth The Word of God is the foundation so when it comes to solo scriptura as far as Scriptures our final authority is essentially what that means When you take away all everything from the building you get down to the ground where you at you're at the Bible You're at the Word of God, but let me just show you that let me just prove to you that it's the prophets and the apostles and If Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19 Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19 It says now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God This is talking about Gentiles specifically is talking about the fact that there's no more division between the Jew and Gentile. We're all one in Christ There's no more wall of partition dealing with cardinal ordinances or customary laws or anything like that All that's been done away keeping the Sabbath any type of dietary laws any type of washings and sacrifices or even You know dealing with circumcision all that stuff. All that stuff is no longer a division between them And so it's basically stating that no, we're all one nation We're all one people together because we believe on Jesus Christ. Okay, so that being said keep reading there It says in verse 20 and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone So what's the foundation? The prophets and the apostles Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone why because Jesus is the Word But He threw through the Word he He obviously Manifested his word in the Bible. Okay Go to 2nd Peter chapter 1 2nd Peter chapter 1 There's other verses on this as far as the apostles have an authoritative Commandments It says in 2nd Peter 3 2 it says that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before By the holy prophets and of the commandments of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior So when you're talking about the law and the prophets and Moses was also considered a prophet obviously so when you're talking about the law and the prophets you're dealing with prophets all around right that are penning down the Word of God and The apostles are in lockstep with the prophets. Okay, the apostles are really the New Testament version of the prophets if you will and Notice what it says here dealing with scripts or dealing with okay How do we you know, what do we know as being the Word of God? It's what God Has Written through man. Okay, or what man has written through God if you will or with God It says in 2nd Peter chapter 1 and verse 19. It says we have also a more sure word of prophecy Where until you do well that you take heed as unto a light that Shines in a dark place until the day dawn and they star rise in your hearts knowing this first that no prophecy the scriptures of any private interpretation but It says in verse 21, it says for the scripture came not in an old time by the will of God But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost This is like David when it says my tongue is the pen of a ready writer It's like about how the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David And what you have to understand is that the Word of God just as much as Jesus is God made flesh Literally, that's what we have here with the word. We have fleshly man Writing down and penning down what the Holy Ghost is having them pen down. Okay, and When it comes to what scripture The Catholic Church would say well we canonized it Meaning like they did they determined they had a council and They determined what should be in the Bible and what should and they believe the Apocrypha should be in the Bible and If anybody's ever read any of the Apocrypha, they'll know that it's just complete garbage Okay, I tried reading it just for the fact just to say that I read it and I just can't get through it It's that dry. It's that boring. It's that bad Okay, Belle and the dragon is the only one I can get through because there was a dragon involved. Okay And you know that was semi-interesting Try to get through Maccabees one and two. Okay, but here's thing If Man has to validate God's Word then that means man is above God's Word Does that make sense? Like if man is the one determining what's God's Word? That means God that that means man is above that they have to be a higher authority to determine it But here's thing. There's nothing above God's Word Even it it says in the end in Psalms that God have magnified his word above his name So What it comes down to is that the Word of God validates itself How do you know that first John is the Word of God because it's the Word of God? because no man spake like this man because the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharpening any two-edged sword and First and second Maccabees is not sharpening any two-edged sword. It's garbage Okay, even historical value. It's really not that great It's it's just made a lot of it's made up and I wouldn't take any of that as being historical value when it comes to that So We know that God used the prophets and the apostles to pen down the Word of God in the question that you may come to ask is that well Can scripture still be pen down today? You know, what what if an apostle did that well, here's the problem with that there's no there are no more apostles Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 15 that he is the last to see Jesus and he is the least to be called an apostle Because he was born out of due time and all that the apostles one requirement to be an apostle was that you had to have seen the Lord Jesus after his resurrection and Listen Jesus isn't appearing to people today There are no more apostles Paul was the last apostle and last I checked Paul died He's not still alive and none of the apostles are still alive Therefore there is no more scripture being penned down We have the complete Word of God we have all that the prophets and the apostles stated that God has deemed to be scripture and Go to 2nd Timothy chapter 3 2nd Timothy chapter 3 2nd Timothy chapter 3 And the Word of God is very important it's important to the church, but it's also Essential for salvation, okay Essential for salvation. This is why this is very important that you know that you have the Word of God This is why we're King James Bible only Not King James Bible preferred King James Bible only you will only see us reading out of the King James Bible in This church for all faith and practice the only reason that you ever hear me Reading out of a different version if I'm slamming it Okay, if I'm showing you why it's bad And I'm talking about the new versions obviously, right I'm not here to slam the bishops Bible and then the the Tyndale Bible or anything like that because obviously There was a progression to get Everything perfected and all that when it comes to Word of God these new versions though. They are Purposefully changing doctrine for their own for their own volition and what they want to do with it and they're a bunch of garbage But know this is that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God being born again Not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever The foundation to the church is the Word of God the foundation to salvation is the Word of God the Word of truth How can you have a church that is a pillar and ground of the truth if you're not standing on the Word of truth? And listen most churches That are out there in the world today They don't have an accurate Bible that they're even using And so when when it comes down to this even churches that may even believe right on salvation they're like on the on sifting faltering sand because they're reading out of some other version in a lot of cases or They're using the King James, but they're constantly correcting it and then saying well, you know what? I like what the NIV says here. I Like what the NLT says here And Second Timothy chapter 3 verse 14 says but continue thou and the things that thou hast learned and has been assured of Knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus So salvation is known through the scriptures and obviously it's by faith in Jesus Christ But then it says verse 16 all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction For instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Now, where did you see that the church leaders have to determine doctrine? Outside the Bible for a man of God to be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works I looked up this article where it was like answered like Catholic answers or something like that and it was like this this guy that talked about how he grew up with the Bible and all this stuff, but then he didn't know Jesus until later on and basically it was this so watered-down His test the guy was obviously not safe. Okay He's like, yeah, you know I read the New Living Translation and I read through Luke and I just I didn't know where I was at didn't know what was going on and All this stuff and then he goes on to just talk about Basically how he came to the Catholic Church and how the Catholic Church is the pillar and ground of the truth and all this other garbage, okay But here's thing what he was stating with that. It was that basically I can't understand this. Therefore the church has to teach me What you have to understand though the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Now that can he know them for their fullness is unto him because he spiritually discerned Because an unsaved person can't get saved just from reading the Bible Just like the Ethiopian eunuch had to say How can I accept some man should guide me right Philip came up to him He's reading Isaiah 53 and Philip says understand us what thou readest and he says, how can I accept some man should guide me? Because how shall they hear without a preacher the Bible says for who suffers a call upon name Lord shall be saved How should they call on him and whom they have not believed? How should they believe in him and whom they not heard and how should they hear without a preacher and how should they? Preach accept that be sent as it is written How beautiful are the feet of them to preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Set from where the pillar and ground of the truth the church the church sends out soul winners the preachers The preachers go out with the Word of God because faith comes by hearing here by the Word of God They go out and they preach the gospel Someone hears it. They have the opportunity to believe and call upon name Lord for salvation That is the progression when it comes to this on how that works and When it comes to Scripture Scriptures all you need, okay Once you're saved Scripture is all you need to be throughly furnished unto all good works to be a perfect man of God Why because the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things in his truth and is no lie And even as it hath taught you shall abide in him Listen, if you're saved today You can know everything I know out of that by yourself You know what the Catholic Church teaches you can't You can't know it. You can't know the Word of God without me That's what the church that's what the Catholic Church teaches You can't be perfectly throughly furnished unto all good works Without the church and without the leadership of the church You say well, what's the point of the pastor to feed the flock but here's thing When you're a babe in Christ Guess what? You kind of need someone to spoon feed you a little bit to get you going okay, you know, like like a baby needs milk But they kind of need assisted when it comes to that, right? And here's the thing when it comes to this, okay, learn everything you can on your own But why not hear good doctrine from someone that's already spent years figuring it out Okay, and here's the thing don't blindly believe it though Don't just take what I say as fact without discerning what the Bible says What you should do is say, okay Here's the doctrine that's presented before me Let me look at it with the Holy Ghost inside of me and determine. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that fits You need to judge and discern whether that's right or wrong You know what this turns into if it's the leadership if you need the leadership in order to determine what's truth And what's right you have a cult And ultimately this is why the Catholic Church is a cult Because a cult is led basically that it goes back to a leader okay, and the Pope is that leader of that church and it gets down into the leadership and everything else and you say well you believe you're a cult because you yeah, the the Bible is your your Your idol, you know, it's your whole it's like Well, listen, God is not an idol Okay, I don't worship the leather on this book I don't worship the ink that wrote Wrote the words on here. It's the words For God's to love the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish But have everlasting life guess what that is the Word of God whether it's penned down whether it's spoken whether it's using sign language to Communicate that that's the Word of God and obviously there's nothing wrong with pending pending it down But the idea here is that the Word of God is the foundation and it is our final authority when it comes to all faith and practice of this church and the idea of saying that the church is the pillar and ground of truth and it's not just the Bible that determines that that is Insane now go to Galatians chapter 2 because I just got done stating that the Apostles pen down the 27 books of The New Testament, okay, there's 39 books in the Old Testament 27 books in the New Testament the prophets pen down 39 books right Obviously under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost But the Apostles pen down the 27 books in the New Testament But the Apostles were not infallible themselves, okay Now let me prove that to you Because I think this is very interesting what are we talking about the pillar and ground of the truth Are the Apostles the pillars of? The truth or is it what God used them to pen down as the pillar and ground that makes sense For example Dave is a prophet, but was he infallible Not when he committed adultery and had Uriah killed Right Solomon wrote down how many Proverbs right, but was he infallible No, and guess what the Apostles were not infallible actually We have a passage in here showing you where Peter Was to be blamed Okay, their first pope, right? And listen, I love Peter But Peter is an apostle and a man just like anybody else. He was not infallible. God used him to pen down first and second Peter Yeah, great We also use John Jude Luke Mark Matthew John the other you know, like James did I say John? He obviously wrote a lot. Okay Galatians chapter 2 and verse 6 here It says but of those who seem to be somewhat Whatsoever they were it maketh no matter to me God except no man's person for they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me What he's talking about here is that there's a click there was a click going on in Jerusalem in the church at Jerusalem And he's basically saying there was like this group that everyone looked to and he said it doesn't matter to me Right. He's basically saying doesn't make a difference to me God excepted no man's person and he's gonna talk about exactly who he's talking about here It says in verse 7 it says but contrary wise when they saw the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me as The gospel the circumcision was unto Peter, okay, so He's making a point here that yeah, obviously they looked at Peter as being kind of like someone being somewhat right when it says like who seemed to be somewhat meaning like they're kind of like They're the man right, you know, like everybody's kind of looking to them as the man like who we gonna get our information from Notice what it says here in verse Well verse 8 here says for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumstances and the same was mighty and me Toward the Gentiles notice this and when James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars Now when it says seem that doesn't mean they are What it means is the perception is that they're pillars Meaning like what they say goes and what they say is like gospel truth okay, meaning like they're in fact the kind of like this idea of Setting up not as men of God but God men right that basically they are Like scripture talking kind of thing, okay Seem to be pillars perceived that the great the grace of God I'm sorry that the grace that was given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should Go on to the heathen and they unto the circumcision only they would that we should remember the poor The same which I also was for to do Then go on to verse 11 here it says but when Peter was come to Antioch I was stood him to the face because he was to be blamed Now James here isn't talking about James the son of Zebedee Because at this point James son Zebedee was killed We're talking about James the Lord's brother Because the Lord had Jesus had four half brothers, right? One of them was James while that James that same James was the one that was making the final decision on matters in Jerusalem even over Peter at the church that was at Jerusalem and Peter was afraid of those that came from James because he was eating with the Gentiles and Paul withstood him to the face and said if you're living as The man of the Gentiles. Why are you trying to get the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Right and you're making basically there was a dissemblance there was a dissimulation Between the Jews and the Gentiles Because people came down from James and it was the there was this schism this Separation that was being made there and guess what James was wrong Peter was wrong When when when Paul comes back to Jerusalem in Acts So in Acts he comes back to Jerusalem and everybody's telling him not to go the Spirit of God is saying don't go down There because the Spirit of God was speaking through men of God and saying don't go down to Jerusalem But he's like I'm going anyway He goes down there and does a sacrifice in the temple. He basically he's getting purified doing probably what was the Nazarite vow The Old Testament is no longer in regard Okay The moment Jesus died on the cross the Old Testament's done away with all those Sacrifices and cardinal ordinances and all that stuff have been done away But James comes and says hey, we've heard that you're saying that that people shouldn't get circumcised and that you know That they shouldn't have to keep these laws and all these different things and he's like well, you know just so that everybody knows that you keep the law, how about you go do this and He ends up getting in trouble with the Jews and everything and the rest of the story. He's basically in bonds Dealing with that. Okay But guess what James was wrong Peter was wrong. They seem to be pillars. Okay, meaning this is what does that mean? They kind of seem to be unmovable right like their doctrine was unmovable what they said went But guess what even in the time that the Bible is being written Guess what Peter and James are not infallible Okay, so why do you think that in 2024 That the people that are in leadership in the Catholic Church are somehow above that Right that they're gonna determine what doctrine is outside the Bible And again what this comes down to is that what they believe is doctrine can be can't come it can come from the Bible But it can also come from the church outside the Bible So when we say sola scriptura, you know What we mean by that is that the Bible is our final authority and listen if it's not in the Bible If it's not a command in the Bible, it's not a sin That makes sense If we have a standard at this church, but it's not in the Bible. There's nothing wrong with having standards Nothing wrong with having traditions. But listen when you make for doctrines the commandments of men now you're in sin Okay When I say that my standards are the commandments of God That's when you have now crossed the line, okay You Let me just show you that when we're talking about What is truth go to a obviously Pilate even asked this question what is truth, right? because Jesus says that he came to bear witness of the truth and How said what is truth? Well, we know the answer that because in John 14 6 I want you to I want you to go Go to John 17 John 17, but John 14 6 very famous verse Jesus saith unto him I am the way the truth and the life and no man cometh unto the Father but by me Jesus Christ is the truth Which makes sense because he's the foundation of the church he's not only the foundation he's the head That makes sense. He's the foundation, but he's also the leader So when it comes to this and Jesus is the Word of God And these are true and faithful sayings dealing with what is the Word of God, okay in John 17 17 Small verse very very much impactful here in the fact that it says sanctify them through thy truth Thy word is truth. So it says what is truth the Word of God? That's what truth is What is truth Jesus Christ? What is the pillar and ground of the church Well, you can say the apostles and the prophets But Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of that And that means that Jesus Christ is the Word of God and he obviously Allowed his word to be spoken through the apostles and prophets We have it here in the 66 book 66 books of the Bible and this is our foundation This is where truth comes from. It does not come from church leadership That doesn't mean I can't speak truth But here's thing unless I have chapter and verse behind what I'm saying, then that is not ultimate truth That is not authoritative truth through that. You should take to the bank I can say up here for example, I can say 2 plus 2 equals 4. Is that true? Yes, okay And I'm not against stuff that's outside the Bible that's true But when it comes to what's what's true as far as faith and practice of the church It's what's in these 66 books And you want doctrine it needs to come from here And go to 2 Timothy chapter 2 2 Timothy chapter 2 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 14 What people will say that are Catholics that will try to defend this doctrine that The church leaders can determine doctrine or basically declare truth and doctrine is They'll say well, but it would never contradict the Bible Except for the fact that pretty much every one of their doctrines contradicts the Bible So you can say that right like it's coming out of their mouth, right? Like our doctrines don't contradict the Bible except for the fact when they baptize babies Okay, well on the on the surface that's wrong because what is the requirement for being baptized Because the Ethiopian eudic asked Philip he said what does hinder me to be baptized He said if I believe it's not all thine heart thou mayest and he said I believe the Jesus Christ is the Son of God Boom they went down where there's water and they got baptized How can a baby believe on Christ They can't short answer But you know what they say not only that okay So on the surface baptism is not biblical show me a baby being baptized in the Bible Okay, I'll show you where you have to believe to be baptized Show me where it's sprinkling To baptize somebody when the word baptism literally means to immerse in something Okay, and then show me any place where they were sprinkling anybody with water No, Jesus came up out of the water when he is baptized and went into the wilderness Philip and he of the mute they found water and when they had come up out of the water Philip was carried away by the Spirit, okay John the baptizer was baptizing and it says where there was much water Why because you have to dunk people in water to baptize them, okay? So Okay, well It can't be babies because that it's got to be immersion because of that but then they also have a false dog You see listen, their their doctrine is like threefold like false when it comes to any other doctrines You're not the baptized babies because you can't even believe baptizing is immersion not sprinkling Okay And the reason that the Greek Orthodox dunks their babies because they know Greek they know what that word means. Okay But here's the thing That also the false thing about that is they believe that that babies need to be baptized because they have original sin false Everybody's born with sin physically, but the soul is innocent from birth And it's not until as Paul states in Roman chapter 7 that when the commandment came I died Meaning that I was alive once before the law But then the commandment came and sin revived and I died and it talks about the commandments slaying him This comes to the knowledge of good and evil just like Adam and Eve They were innocent before the eight of the the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Well, listen children are innocent spiritually speaking until they can even come to the knowledge of good and evil You know what Catholics reject that I just heard a Catholic say that they don't believe that all babies go to heaven Or basically what they'll say is that well we pray for them because they believe in like Indulgences meaning like we will pay us will pray your loved one out of purgatory or out of hell or whatever But they don't believe that babies all babies just go to heaven Okay, because they believe in original sin and they believe that if you don't baptize The baby then they still have original sin False talk show me that in the Bible show me sprinkling in the Bible Presbyterians You know Catholic light Lutherans all them that believe in sprinkling babies Show me a baby that believes on Christ that needs to be baptized And Obviously, there's other religions that believe that baptism is part of salvation, which is obviously false as well Okay, and obviously that Catholic Church believes that to a certain extent there's obviously other religions that teach that Those what says here in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 and verse 14 And you're like you're so hard against the Catholics you can't say that listen I used to be Catholic Grew up Catholic And it doesn't matter if I grew up Catholic or not We can point out false doctrine whether we grew up with it or not. That makes sense I happen to personally know about this because I grew up with it So Yeah, it might be a little more close to my heart than if you know preaching against Mormonism or Jehovah's Witnesses or anything like that But here's thing. I don't hate Catholics. I want them to get saved But there it seems to be an influx of like this Curiosity for the Catholic Church and what it is is it's just prestige People like it because of the nice buildings. They think it looks good. It's like the oldest It's the oldest Christian, you know form of Christianity. No, it's not it is not the oldest They can keep saying that till the cows come home Listen, listen, that's like saying like this is the old that get an oldest form of false doctrine Listen, there's always been false doctrine. There's always been apostate churches. There's always been apostate Christianity and the Catholic Church is there and it goes back to like the second or third century or whatever it is but in the end That's not the Catholic Church is not what's going on in the book of Acts That's not what was going on in the beginning of the New Testament Church But notice what it says here in verse 14 It says of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no prophet but to the subverting of the hearers meaning this is that don't Don't be just listening to and just dealing with these words out of a prophet. Nope Here's what you should do verse 15 It says study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth But shun profane vain babblings for they will increase unto more ungodliness Listen if some Catholic priest is coming out babbling about something that's not in the Bible Guess what? I'm gonna abstain from even listening to that garbage I Mean they didn't even get past Matthew chapter 23 where it says to call no man upon the earth father Because every Catholic priest is called father, aren't they? So They're over there doing Lent where they're putting ashes on their face I mean listen Like I said, you could probably go through every chapter in Matthew and point out where the Catholic Church is completely backwards to the Bible doctrine It's not even that they're a little off. They're literally opposite And listen The Methodist Church the the Church of Nazarene like all these different churches. They all basically borrow from mama Right. They all just basically take portions of that and they're like, well, I didn't like that as much I don't like the Pope thing, but we'll keep the baptizing of babies. I Don't really like the Pope thing, but I you know what? Yeah, you still got to be a good person To go to heaven. It's not just by faith So Go to Shorten my thing I'm going rogue here Okay, so I got other things that other verses here to get to but go to go to Titus chapter 1 Titus chapter 1 What this comes down to is that these people In the Catholic Church they desire to be teachers of law, but they They Understanding neither what they say nor where have they affirm, right? They don't know what they're talking about They don't know the Bible and if they do know the Bible, they're they're twisting it. Okay? But this doctrine is very important as far as knowing that the church is the pillar ground of the truth But that scripture is the final authority in the church That the Bible is what's the final authority? But Also, you know what this comes down to too is that the church is very important Okay, because you know what people will do is they'll take it too far and say I don't need church Church is bad. You know, we don't need to go to church like well, that's that's wrong Okay the Bible says not that forsaking the assembly of the set not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of some is but exhorting one another And it talks about so much more as you see today approaching meaning this is that as the day approaches As we get closer to the end we should be going to church more, you know, we should be taking heed to that more the church is it it says that Jesus that he That he purchased the church with his own blood and that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. Okay? Okay. Well, that means the church is very important Okay, he is the head of the church and therefore the church is a very important Institution in the New Testament that the gospel is being brought forth That good doctrine supposed to be coming out of that good fellowship supposed to be coming out the exhorting one another Unto love and good works that that is the part of what the church is doing. This is very important Okay, but listen if a church is not using the Word of God to determine what is truth and that church is garbage Okay, that church is not legit But I want you to see an example of this in Titus chapter 1 and verse 9 of The idea of taking what some leader says over the Bible, okay Titus 1 9 says holding fast the faithful word as he had been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine Both to exhort and convince the gainsayers. What are we doing that with the Word of God? The faithful word the word of truth the word of life Right keep reading there It says for there are many unruly and vain talkers in deceiver Especially they have the circumcision whose mouths must be stopped to subvert whole houses teaching things, but they ought not for filthy lucre's sake One of themselves even a prophet of their own said the Christians are all way liars Evil be slow bellies so basically saying There's people that we need to stop their mouths because they're teaching things that they shouldn't right and One of their own prophets said that the creations okay from Crete right the people from Crete Basically every single one of them is a liar That they're all evil beasts Guess what? That's false That is not true because then it goes on to say This witness is true meaning the witness that they're doing this that he's saying this Wherefore rebuke them sharply Who's them those that are teaching this Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound the faith not giving heed the Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth Listen, the Catholic Church is just full of commandments that turn from the truth. There are a bunch of fables If you ever listen to like someone that's really into the Catholic doctrine, you know what they're constantly They're not quoting the Bible. They're quoting like some saint or some Pope or something like that It's just like who gives a rip what Quintus thought a Quintus, you know thinks who gives a rip what Pope John Paul Who's in hell right now thought on this matter? Why don't you look up what the Bible thinks about the matter? And it's always just like well, you know in this council over here They determine this and listen the Protestants are guilty of this as well. They're like well the confession of 16, whatever, you know The Baptist confessional and it's like this Reformed Baptist thing where it's just like it's all about this Baptist confession It's like I don't need the best Baptist confessional. I had the Word of God Right, it's like well, you know the Catholics they said we believe in one God and the Father and the Son the Holy Ghost it's like I Don't need to creed I don't need I Figured that out from reading the Bible right? I figured that out from there There are three to bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one boom Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Boom got it So when it comes to why you know, why are we looking back? Why are people looking back on what some Church Father said what some you know, what some Creed says over here? Why don't we go back to what the Bible says? Because newsflash people can be wrong Okay And if you're constantly going back to what some like group of people are looking at Guess what chances are they're wrong about something and listen that Baptist confessional. I agree with most of it It's all just kind of like common sense type stuff like we believe that the Bible's our final authority You know, we believe you know that the Father Son and the Holy Ghost the Trinity and it's like typical type stuff But here's thing Why would I go back to that and listen Baptist independent fundamental Baptist? Why are you going back to some commentary some dead guy? That's that that you're reading their commentary Because what that ends up doing is leads into false doctrine even if it's it's mistaken, right? Let's say that person's saved and all of that. Why are you looking back to some dead guy that You can't even talk to now In a lot of cases people that wrote commentaries or did things like that. They change their views later on You know who should be your commentary the Holy Spirit You know where you should be getting your information from as far as like Bible doctrine the Bible And a good church that preaches from that Bible Okay, so why is good to find a good church that preaches right on on doctrine does that mean I'm perfect of course not I've preached things that weren't that later on like yeah, you know what the way I explained that wasn't right I'm not talking about damnable heresy. I'm just talking about like explaining like like Isaiah 9 6 for example, right? We're talking about explaining what it means to be the everlasting father When it talks about him being called the everlasting father and I explained it one way the doctrine is fine But that's not what that passage is saying that makes sense And that being said is that there's times where I've come up with like, you know What what I said before I was wrong on that. This is what it is right here Okay, that's why the Bible was the final authority not what I say Because as much as I want to be right and much as I'm trying to be right we all make mistakes We're not right about everything And anybody that thinks they are It's like the person that thinks they don't sin anymore If we say that we have no sin with deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us Listen, if I he that thinketh he knoweth as he ought knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know That's what the Bible says So anybody thinks they know it all Guess what? They don't know anything like they ought to know it We should always know that hey, you know, I might be I might be I could be wrong with some things Therefore that's why you have the Holy Ghost inside of you and that's why you need to look at it Yourself. Okay, and the last thing that I want to point out is that Even good churches can lose their status as being a church go to go to Revelation chapter 1 Revelation chapter 1 the last thing I want to mention here is that Listen if our church if this church right here stopped The King James Bible for being its final authority. Okay, stop the Word of God as being the final authority. Guess what? It's not the church it's not it's not a legit church that God is recognizing anymore If our church stopped going soul-winning And I'm gonna show you that in Revelation if we stop going soul-winning, I don't believe it's a media I don't mean it's like well, we stopped going soul-winning this week and then and then immediately the church is done but listen Beware because that candlestick will be taken away So just because a church is a legit church at one time doesn't mean it is always a legit church. I Mean case of point the the seven churches in Asia don't even exist anymore. Okay But there's always been local New Testament churches that were preaching the gospel that were sending people out to go Get people saved two by two all of that like the Bible teaches that's always been going on And That's not gonna stop Even if our church stops listen, I don't know if you know this But we're not the only church in the world that preaches right on salvation There are millions of saved Christians and tens of thousands of churches that believe right on salvation Better out there. Okay. I'm not saying they're as good as our church, of course, you know, obviously we're the best No But obviously there's different there's different levels as far as what you would consider to be like, this is a great church It's a good church. This is mediocre Church, whatever but in the end there are Tons of churches out there. So if our church stopped it's still going it's still going on, right? So when he's still going on the gospel is being preached it's sad if we stopped but Notice what says here in Revelation chapter 1 verse 20 It says the mystery of the seven stars Which are which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks The seven stars and are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches so he sees this vision where Jesus is standing in the midst of seven golden candlesticks and he's Got seven stars in his hand and basically explaining this Emma sit up and stop You're being distracting girls sit up and look forward So The seven stars are the seven angels which are I believe the seven messengers meaning like each church has a leader meaning that you have someone that's basically The lead pastor if you will as far as the leader of the church. Okay, the under Shepherd if you will And each church is addressing God is addressing that angel that church right that messenger of that church Obviously, it doesn't mean I have wings and I'm like a cherry of him here Okay, it just means a messenger someone that's giving the message to the church and But the seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches notice what it says here in chapter 2 and verse 1 the church at Ephesus It says in verse 1 it says unto the angel of the church of Ephesus Right these things set he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand and who walketh in the midst of the seven Golden candlesticks those these are separate churches in different locations But Jesus is walking in the midst of all of them at the same time Why because Jesus can be at all places at once because God is omnipresent meaning that he can be everywhere at one time and Listen, Jesus Christ is in stronghold Baptist Church down in Georgia right now Does that make sense and I use that because they obviously have the same church time as we do But every church that's that's that's meeting right now it's a legit church Jesus is in the midst of them, okay This one says here verse 2 It says I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them Which are evil and now has tried them which say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars So he gives some good things basically like here's all the good things are going on in your church But it says it has born has patience and for my name's sake has labor and has not fainted Nevertheless, okay, so it's like these are all good things But nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou has left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works Or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place Except thou repent now. I believe it's very clear that the first works are the Great Commission What did Jesus say before you send it up to heaven is that go with all the world? Teaching all nations right go all the world preach the gospel every creature, but it says teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost And to teach them to observe all things whatsoever commanded you and behold lo I'm with you all way even unto the end of the world That's the commission that he gave to the New Testament Church is to preach the gospel Get people baptized and to teach them to observe all things. That's the job of the church If anybody ever asked, you know, like what is your mission? That's it That's it right there Preach to the lost get him baptized and then obviously teach them to observe all things, right? And guess what that last part is for the rest of your life, right? It's because no one's gonna ever just know everything We're gonna constantly be learning until we die. Okay? But he's basically saying that if you don't repent if you don't get back to this, okay Then he's gonna take away the candlestick From him, okay Now you could say well is he taking it away from that leader and he's gonna put up new leadership possibly Right kind of like a Demetrius diatrophes situation the second second John but Listen if new leadership doesn't get put in guess what that's no longer a church and so when it comes to the pillar and ground of the truth, the church is the pillar and ground of truth, but you're not just Because you put Baptist on your sign just because you put Christian Church on your side doesn't mean you're a legit church Doesn't mean that God regards that as a church and that definitely doesn't mean if God's not regarding at a church That's not the pillar and ground of the truth Does that make sense? Like it's not the Church of the Living God if God's not regarding it And it's not the pillar and ground of the truth If you're not standing on the foundation of Jesus Christ being the Son of God Jesus Christ the Word of God the foundation of the scripture that is the ultimate authority when it comes to all faith and practice So when when some Catholic comes up to you and say well the pillar and ground of the truth Well, what is the foundation of the of the church? The prophets and the Apostles Jesus Christ being the chief Cornerstone And The Bible states that we should not give heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth That is the Bible that has the final authority in all faith and practice and This is just a sermon to show you that that the church is is obviously important It is the pillar and ground of the truth, but it's because the Bible is the basis Okay, the Word of God is the basis That's how we know what the truth is because his word is true because Jesus is true So hopefully all that made sense. That's it with word of prayer. Thank the heavenly father We thank you for today. Thank you for your word. Pray that you be with us throughout the rest of this day Pray that you be with us throughout soul winning. Pray that you be with baptism and just be with us throughout the rest of the day In the Lord we love you. Pray all this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen The brother they ever come sing one more song and then we'll be dismissed All right, take your song books and turn to song 147 Song 147 and your song books will sing leaning on the everlasting arms if you would stand will sing song 147 What a fellowship what a joy divine leaning on the everlasting arms what a blessedness what a peace is mine leaning on the everlasting arms Leaning Oh How sweet to walk in this pilgrim way on the everlasting arms Oh How bright the path grows from day to day leaning On the everlasting arms Safe and secure from all alarms Everlasting arms what have I to dread? Have I to fear leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord. So near leaning on the everlasting arms And secure from all alarms Meaning on the everlasting arms