Abiding in the Doctrine of C..

Welcome to Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. Thank you for using and sharing our resources. What you're about to hear is God's Word from one of our teaching elders. We trust that God's Word will inspire, instruct, and bless you. For further teachings or information on our ministry, please visit us on our website at cornerstonerbc.

com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. This time, beloved of Christ, the Lord has given me a burden in my heart to share with you for the last few weeks, which I want to share with you. And I hope that is of much benefit for your life.

And I really, truly hope that you may take heed how you hear, as the Lord Jesus Christ says to his disciples, that you may take heed, that you may pay attention on how you hear the word of God that is preached. that you may not count it as something that is done every Sunday, that you may not be just simply playing religion, just to tick a box and to appease your conscience, but just doing something that is religious. But rather that we all together, by the help and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, may come to this point in this moment, as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, to read the word by faith, and to ask the Lord also by faith that we may be made more like the Lord Jesus Christ, conformed to the image of Christ, that you will die to self and that Jesus Christ will be living in you by faith and that you may enjoy the process of dying to self, that Jesus Christ may be enthroned in your heart continually. and that you may continually forget who you are and who you were and enjoying the abundance of Christ in your heart. You cannot do that if you don't do it by faith.

Coming like a child when the saints come together by the help of the Spirit, believing what the Word of God says, having a heart that receives like water coming on the ground, giving fruit. All of that is accomplished by faith. And what I want to point your attention to, beloved of Christ, as I said, is on the second letter of the Apostle John. And there is a verse there that I have always wanted to use in the sermons when I was preaching about the false prophets and for some reason never came to my mind. But it's a verse that speaks of a very important topic, if you want.

Not only it will help us to understand a little bit better the nature of false prophets, but also it will help us to understand the endurance of the saints, those who endure until the end. And that glorious verse is verse 9 there in 2 John. And it says, we're going to read the whole letter, but I just want to point your attention there. It says in verse 9, everyone who goes on ahead, perhaps you have another translation, it says transgresses. Everyone who transgresses and does not abide in the teaching of Christ or in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.

whoever abides in the teaching or in the doctrine of Christ has both the father and the son. And I want you to see there a beloved of Christ, the weight of the truth that is coming from the spirit of Jesus Christ given to us through the Apostle John. In this case, he says, that the one or that everyone who transgresses or goes beyond the doctrine of Christ and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, that that person does not have God. But everyone who abides in the doctrine of Christ, everyone who remains, if you want, in the doctrine of Christ, then that person has God. The father and the son.

The apostle uses that verse there to give a warning to the church about false prophets, not inviting them into their houses or into their churches, because these are those who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ, who transgress the doctrine of Christ. But there is a deeper teaching that I want to point your hearts to. So beloved of Christ, brothers and sisters who by grace through faith have been united to Christ, baptized by the spirit into his body. Friends who are with us in this opportunity, let's read together. Second, John, let's pay attention to the context of that verse.

And as you read with the Bible, they have in front of you by faith, trying to understand each one of the words and then by faith, trying to hear the word that is going to be preached. so that your heart may be good ground, good soil that receives life faith. And then you become more like Jesus Christ. The second letter of John. The elder to the elect lady and her children who may have love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth.

because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, in truth and love. I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments.

This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so you should walk in it. Then the warning for many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and the Antichrist. Watch yourself so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God.

Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. For whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete.

The children of your Alexis to greet you. Amen. That is the reading of the words of the Lord, beloved of Christ. What a powerful letter, together with first John, second John and third John, the apostle has this. Glorious gift given by the Spirit just to speak about these glorious truths of the reality of what should be in the heart of every single Christian.

Always pointing us to Christ so effectively. Always showing us what we have in our hearts so effectively. And always by the Spirit pointing us to the person of Jesus Christ. And in this time, the apostle is given one of those powerful verses. I remember reading this in the first year of my salvation and writing there, this is the assurance of my salvation.

Because if I have Christ, and if I have the Father in me, I will abide in his teaching much peace on my heart. This is the glorious gift of the Spirit through the Apostle John here that also uses that warning for the teaching of false teachers. And beloved of Christ, as we have been going through 2 Peter, the many opportunities that I have to share with you about the nature and the different types of false teachers there in Second Peter, chapter two, especially, perhaps the most fearful reality that we have seen in that chapter is not only that there will be false teachers in the context of the church, but the most fearful reality is that many professing Christians will follow their pernicious ways. 2 Peter 2, verse 2. Many will follow their ways.

The false teachers that John here in this second letter is saying, do not receive them in your house. Many professing Christians throughout the ages and even right now, many will follow those false teachers. They profess to be following the Lord Jesus Christ, yet in their hearts they are taken by a man. Worst case scenario, by a woman. Many will follow false teachers.

And that is something that should speak to our hearts, that the church, not the outsider, not the atheist, not the one that is outside of the Christian church, but rather the one that professes to be in Christ, that many of them will be taken and follow the pernicious and destructive ways, the sensuality of false teachers. The Apostle Paul says in 1st Timothy chapter 4, verse 1, that the Spirit of God expressly says that in the last days, many will depart from the faith. How will those people depart from the faith? Following the doctrine of demons and deceitful spirits. Not speaking about the atheists following any tradition of men or any false religion or Islam or Catholicism or anything that is fake and clearly fake.

But in the latter days, in the last times, in the last days, the Spirit of God expressly, clearly says that many will depart and fall from the faith, following the doctrines of demons, following deceitful spirits. and beloved of Jesus Christ. That is what the Word says that is going to happen. So we learn from there that the fact that there is going to be false teachers and that many will follow them is because God has decided that that will be what is going to happen. False teachers were designated before foundation of the world to be in the context of the church.

This judgment that will come upon these false teachers is waiting for them because God has already decreed it. It has pleased God in his wisdom, in his decree, in his perfection, in his love and in everything that he is. That within the context of his bride, there's going to be people that are going to raise and they're going to start to teach things that are contrary to scripture. and that many professing Christians will follow them." What a fearful thing, beloved of Christ.

What a fearful thing. No escape for the false teacher. No escape. He has been ordained just as Balaam. He has been ordained to speak against the Lord.

And because he's speaking against the Lord and against his people, then there is a judgment that is to come, just as Balaam will be destroyed by the Israelites. Beloved of Christ, what a fearful thing to know that that is what the Lord has decided that is going to take place within the context of the church. And then a person is to ask him or herself, why would God do that? Why would God allow that there will be false teachers within the context of the church? And more than that, why would God allow that many professing Christians will follow these false teachers?

Praise be to God that we don't have to go into our minds or into our wisdom to answer that question. But rather the Word of God testifies to that reality, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Because the answer that scripture says, the mouth of God, the answer that he gives to that question of why would God allow false teachers to be within the context of the church, and that many will follow them in their destruction, is to test the church. It is to test the people of God. Deuteronomy chapter 13, verse three, that he allows that there will be false teachers within the context of the people of God.

In that case, Israel, to test not the people, but to test your heart, to test your heart, to see if in your heart love to the Lord abides. to test the heart of those who profess to be the people of God, to test the love. Every single heart under heaven and on earth has love as the permanent resident of their heart. The question is, who is the object of that love? And when false teachers come within the context of the churches to test the love of the people of God, to see if they love their Lord with all their heart, with all their might, and with all their soul.

to test your heart, to test the church. That's why he has done it. But not only that, he then comes with the same spirit through the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 19. He says that it is necessary, that is necessary, there is a need, there must be among you factions, divisions, or heresies, so that those who are genuine may be approved. to purify the church, not only to test the heart of those who profess to be the people of God, but also to purify the church.

The Lord has allowed that people will come into the context of the church, but the Lord is going to bring his bride to perfection and maturity. And as he does so, he is going to purify the church. So that many who are followers of men Many who are followers of the flesh, many who are followers of the things of men and the things of Satan in the end will manifest that reality of the heart and follow them. They are following their passions, they are following their nature, they are following their father, Satan. God tests the church and God will purify his bride.

You think that the skins of men, you think that the rebellion of men and you think that the wickedness of this world is going to oppose the plan of God to redeem my people unto himself and to make it beautiful and holy? Of course not. He will bring to completion the perfection and maturity of his bride. And in that day, glorious day, we'll see the wedding feast of the bride. entering into the glorious presence of the Lamb to be eternally united after separation has taken place, after the nations have been divided, after the tribes and tongues and peoples from the world have been separated.

So that those who have been redeemed to be a kingdom of prison to the Lord by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ will receive white robes and be united to Jesus Christ eternally. Never to be separated, no scheme of men, no power of sin, no Satan, no hierarchy or ruler or king is able to go against the glorious plan of redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ. But he has been pleased to ordain from before the foundation of the world that false teachers would be within the context of the church to test the church and to purify the church. The question that follows, at least in my mind, is how does he do it? How does he do that?

How does he how does he prove that there is division so that many people will follow false teachers and false prophets? How does he execute that decree that has been placed in the mind of the Lord to be carried on in time? The Apostle Paul, again, gives the answer to that, if you can see it in your own with your own eyes there in Second Timothy. I have read that we should all know This is how the Lord does it. 2 Timothy chapter 4.

See it with your eyes, brother, sister, or friend. 2 Peter chapter 4. It's 2 Timothy. You see, I've been thinking too much about Peter. 2 Timothy chapter 4.

the apostle with the burden of the Spirit given to Timothy in instruction to do what he's supposed to do. Not to preach the wisdom of men, not to preach books, not to preach commentaries, not to preach internet videos, not to preach things from Google, but to preach the Word. The Word that is only obtained by the power of the Spirit. The Word that is only given to a man. Just as man is to labor for the bread that nourishes your body, a man is also to labor in the spirit to receive the word that feeds the saints.

Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. Why? For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers.

And these ones are false teachers. And they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables and all of these things. Beloved of Christ, The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. How does the Lord execute his decree of testing the church and purifying the church from those who profess to be in Christ and they are not in Christ? It is by putting on their shoulders the burden of the doctrine of Christ to an extent that the flesh and the carnality of their minds is not able to endure the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the point in which the preach word, to the point in which the exposition of what is written, not the wisdom of men, not the commentaries of men, but when the word is preached from the spirit of Jesus Christ, then the flesh and the carnality of men is so offended that they are not able to endure the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because sound doctrine is to be endured. The yoke of the Lord is to be taken. The burden of the Lord is to be taken by the Spirit in the soul. And those who are not in Christ eventually and in time will not be able to endure sound doctrine.

They will not be able to receive the words of scripture. They will not be able to receive the piercing power of the word of God. That is a two edged sword that discerns everything and leaves you naked. Will not be able to endure it and in their flesh. They will be taken to accumulate unto themselves teachers after their own passions.

Tell me what I want to hear. Tell me what I want to feel. Tell me the things that I agree with. Tell me, please, that which is satisfying. Move me, ignite my emotions for a couple of hours so that I will remain seated in a chair giving money to this church.

Tell me the things that are necessary so that I will keep my kids in the programs of the church. Tell me the things that are necessary so that we'll keep maintaining and keeping community with other false believers. Tell me the things that are necessary to be told so we all together will be on our way to hell singing Kumbaya. Beloved of Christ, this will happen in the end of the days. And the reason why that happens is because these people are not able to endure sound doctrine.

Or in the words of the Apostle John, they are not able to abide in the teaching of Christ. The same Apostle John or the same Apostle Paul, in his first letter, if you go to verse chapter six, first Timothy chapter six, speaks of this doctrine, this sound doctrine. The sound doctrine that false believers are not able to endure. The sound doctrine that moves false teachers or that move false believers to accumulate unto themselves, false teachers that will tell them what they want to hear. First Timothy chapter six, verse three.

if anyone teaches a different doctrine or teaching and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness and it continues. This is the sound doctrine that people are not able to bear, that people are not able to endure because of their carnality. These are the words, the sound words of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the sound words, the complete words that are according to godliness. And again, in the same, in the unity and in the perfection of the Spirit of God, then through the mouth of the Apostle John in the chapter, in the verse, in the letter that we have in front of us is called the teaching of Christ.

of which I'm going to be referring to as the doctrine of Christ. So you have it there in your second letter of John in verse nine. Everyone who transgresses, everyone who goes beyond, anyone who goes beyond and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ. I hope you see how scripture clearly speaks, I'm not preaching, I'm just simply quoting scripture from one place to another. A person who will not endure in the doctrine of Christ is a false Christian and eventually will end up accumulating unto themselves false teachers that will speak unto them the doctrine of whoever is the person that is speaking, that ultimately is the doctrine of Satan.

You see the importance of understanding scripture beyond a shallow way? Beyond, beyond a simplistic view of scripture. This doctrine of Christ is a qualifier of genuine Christianity. The life of a person, eternally speaking, depends on that person truly abiding until the end in the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's not that those who are false were never in the doctrine of Christ, because we're told that those who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ are the ones who do not have God, but are the ones who abide and remain in the doctrine of Christ, the ones who have the Father and the Son.

Implicitly, we are told that the false teacher, the false believer can be in the doctrine of Christ and not abide in it until it's proved that he is a false teacher, a false believer. That is the importance, soul, eternal soul. You know that your soul is eternal. That is the importance, dear soul, of understanding the scripture. The doctrine of Christ abiding in it determines the eternity of a person, determines truth, determines the substantial reality of the heart of those who profess to be in Christ.

Hence the necessity of knowing what this doctrine of Christ is. Right? the vital importance of understanding what this doctrine or this teaching of Christ is. And more importantly, how is a person going to abide in this teaching? What does the Bible say about what this doctrine of Christ is and how are we going to abide in it?

If the Bible tells me that the reality of my heart and my soul depends on me abiding in this teaching, in this doctrine, so Lord Jesus Christ, open my eyes that I can see. Open my eyes that I will understand. Point me to the truth and take me to the truth by your spirit. That I might not be found being one of those who will not abide in the doctrine of Christ. That might be one of those who in the last days is one of those who deviate from the faith.

That I might not be one of those who ends up being taken and carried by deceitful spirits. That I might not be one of those that end up following doctrines of demons. And if you believe that you are away from that danger, your soul is already in danger. Because the Bible is very clear when it gives us that warning to all of us. This is the only two things that I want to do, beloved Christ, is to tell you from scripture what the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ is, what the doctrine, what what the doctrine of the Lord, the teaching of the Lord is, and then just to point you to something very practical and tell you how we are to abide in the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, the context and the contents of this letter very clearly, I think, I hope, give us the contents of this doctrine of Christ, of what the doctrine of Christ is or what the teaching of Christ is. And we're going to see it there from the context of what we have just read. But I'm going to invite you now to read the Apostle John in his gospel, in which he speaks about this teaching of Christ that is going to give us some parameters from the mouth of the apostle that will help us understand what the doctrine of Christ is. So go in your Bibles, please, to the Gospel of John, to Chapter 7. Gospel of John, Chapter 7.

That is the first and most important thing, or better, the first thing that I want to do now, and it's for us to meditate together on the scripture and to understand what this doctrine of Christ is. Go to John, Chapter 7, in verse 14. You know the context of this passage. In verse 14, we're going to see here the questioning and the questioning of the of the Jews to the Lord. And in verse 14, it says about the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.

The Jews, therefore, marveled, saying, how is that this man has learning when he has never studied? So Jesus answered them. My teaching, exactly the same word of John in 2nd John, or my doctrine. My teaching is not mine. But he's who sent me.

My teaching, the Lord says, is not mine. But the teaching that I have, the doctrine that I have is from the one who sent me. And we know that the one who sent the Lord is the father. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I'm speaking on my own authority. Here, the apostle tells us something very important about the teaching or the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The most important thing is here that his teaching is divine. And his divine teaching is not his, but it's from the father. He has received this teaching from the father. It was given to him. The father gave this teaching to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we also know that this teaching in an extent or to an extent, it was known to the Jews so that they will marvel to the things that he was saying. So the Jews were not completely blind to the divine things that the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking. They had a certain level of understanding or knowledge of the things that the apostle, or better, the Lord Jesus Christ was saying. This divine knowledge, this divine teaching given from the Father to the Son. Also, we learned there, that only the one who is doing the will of the Father will be the one that is able to know the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It says there, if anyone's will, in verse 17, if anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I'm speaking on my own authority. And we know that those who desire to do the will of the father are only those who have been spiritually given life from the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how he defines and separates the people in the passage in Matthew chapter seven. Many, many will say, Lord, Lord, but it's not those, but those who do the will of the Father, the ones that will enter into the kingdom of the Father. So we know from this passion from the mouth of John that this teaching of Jesus Christ is a divine teaching given from the Father, is received from the Father.

And it's a teaching that is to be discerned spiritually. You cannot discern that in the flesh. But those who are in the flesh, they still can know something about this teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. having that in our mind, then we come back to the passage that we have in front of us. Because here, the apostle is going to present to us the contents of this doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ by just simply giving us the exhortation to avoid false teachers.

You see there in verse, and then you have to bear with me here because I'm gonna explain the text. So you have to try to pay as much attention as possible. Otherwise, we might be lost. So follow me here, because we're going to explain the text now. In verse 7, you can see that word for, right?

So the apostle has been has given the instruction initially. And then in verse seven, he's going to start with the exhortation. So he's going to present the truth. And because of the truth that has not been given, then it comes the exhortation. And the exhortation is that for many deceivers, for many false prophets have gone into the world.

And those are the ones who do not confess the Lord Jesus Christ. that He has come in the flesh. Those are the deceivers He calls and those are the antichrists. So He calls the church to watch yourself from those people, those who deny the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh. Watch yourself, be careful for those that you may not lose your reward, but you may receive it in fullness.

And then it comes overnight, because everyone who goes beyond the doctrine of Christ does not have God. But everyone who abides in the doctrine of Christ, everyone who abides in the teaching of Christ does have the Father and the Son. For if someone, then he comes in verse 10, if anyone comes to you and does not have this teaching of Christ, then do not receive, namely the deceivers, do not receive those who will not bring the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, not even be to them God's speed, not even greet them, not even speak to them, not even receive them in your house, because these are the deceivers. Paul, or better, John, how are we going to understand this teaching? How are we going, if you are telling us that this having or not having this teaching of Christ is what we need to have in our mind to discern those who we receive and those who we do not receive.

If this teaching of Jesus Christ is that which will tell us if we have God or not, then tell us, please, in the context, in what you are writing here, what is that doctrine of Christ? The apostle will explain that, or has explained that, of course, from verse four to six. Verse four to six. And the chapter, or better, beloved of Christ, the doctrine of Christ will have two elements. The doctrine of Christ has two elements.

Two elements that they come so close together that you cannot even distinguish them time one from the other. You can distinguish from a scripture, but they come so together. Remember that the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ is received from the Father. So the first element is given to us in verse four. The apostle says, I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have received the commandment by the Father.

The literal translation there. I rejoice greatly I rejoice greatly, the Apostle John says, that I'm finding some of you who are walking in the truth. Walking in the truth. And he defines that walking in the truth as per the commandment that was received from the Father. That is that the father gave them the teaching or the doctrine or the commandment to walk in the truth.

And therefore, the Apostle John is greatly rejoicing that he sees in the church that the church is walking, or at least some of them are walking in the truth according to the commandment that they have received from the father. Element number one of the doctrine of Christ is walking in the truth. Then the apostle will continue with this seemingly contradictory way of speaking about the most important commandment. He will continue to write in a seemingly contradictory way of this most important commandment, doing what he does in 1 John 2 and also here, speaking about a commandment that seems to be new, but it's old. And then you don't, or sometimes we don't understand what he's saying.

In verse five, he says, And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning. What is that commandment? That we love one another. And then he comes the explanation in which love and truth are going to be connected. And this is love that we walk according to his commandments.

This is a commandment just as you have heard from the beginning so that you should walk in it. Beloved of Christ, the teaching of the Savior. If you want to do a favor to your soul, receive this with faith. The doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ is that his people will walk in the truth and will walk in love. And loving is walking according to his commandments.

If you love me, the Lord Jesus Christ says, you will keep my commandments. Beloved of Christ, these are the two glorious elements of the teaching and the doctrine of Christ. Walking in the truth and walking in love. You cannot live your life in the fullness of the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, which is the summary of walking in the truth and having the love of Christ. If you move your life towards one of the sides, either excessive love, which is not love, or excessive truth, which is not truth.

The doctrine of Christ, it is the perfect balance given from the Spirit, from the heart of the Father, that you will walk in the truth and that you will walk in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is when we understand that this is a commandment that was given from old, but now it's new. Go to his first letter. Just turn the page there in chapter two. Pay attention to this explanation, please.

First John chapter two. I don't know if this happened to you, but when I first read this as a Christian, I did not understand what the apostle was saying. When he speaks about a new commandment that is not a new commandment, but it's an old commandment that is a new commandment, and then I simply got lost. Until the spirit of Christ opened my eyes like a couple of months ago to see this in verse seven. First John chapter two, it says, Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, same words of the second John, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.

The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true, true in him and in you. What are you doing, John? Is this a new commandment or is this an old commandment? Is this something that has just arrived now with Jesus Christ, or is this something that we had in the past?

And he gives the answer just simply there. The newness, the newness of the commandment, it is not because the commandment has been given recently, but because of the spiritual state of those who receive the commandment. The word was always there. Truth and love. Love God with all your soul, with all your might and with all your being.

The word of the commandment was always there. But the commandment or the truth of the commandment can only be accomplished when light comes to the heart of a person. And in that sense, the commandment is new. It says there, verse Eight. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I'm writing to you, which is true in him and in you.

Why? Because darkness or the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. That is, Jesus Christ has come to your heart and the darkness to which you were enslaved naturally and all your days is now being removed and the light of Christ, the morning star that is rising in your heart, as Peter would say, It is bringing to completion the desire of the Father on setting unto Himself a people from all the tribes and nations and tongues. That the light of God will be progressively, victoriously, unstoppably growing in the heart of those people until the fullness of that light will arrive when we are taken up to glory and when we see Him descending from the clouds. And the commandment is new.

Those who were unable to hear the truth of God, those who were unable to love God. Once the light of Jesus Christ arrives to the heart of that person, then the old letter becomes a new commandment. The old words become new in the power of the spirit, truth and love, the doctrine of Christ. Glorious. Just beholding his face and the things that he has done, beholding his face through scripture.

The glory of the gospel. I think my voice is too loud, I'm really sorry. Brothers and sisters, the light of Christ. When the gospel is preached unto a lost sinner, rescue from darkness. Genuine salvation is taking place.

The angels and the heavenly places witnessing the preaching of the gospel. A gospel is preached by a humble meek man that society sees as evil and despised. The words are open or the mouth is open to proclaim a person that died upon the cross 2000 years ago. The heart of the hardened sinner, the one that is consumed in pride, the one that is taken by the flesh, captive by Satan, receives the words of the gospel, not because of any attribute, characteristic, or any skill that the preacher will have, but rather because he has been pleased in the heart of God to bring salvation unto that soul. And whatever that happens in Colombia, in China, in Australia, Heaven rejoices because a sinner has repented.

And then the commandment that was a burden to that soul, and that was going to condemn that soul into eternity. Now it's a commandment that is new. Truth and love, the love of Christ, the truth of Christ, regeneration, a new world inserted into the kingdom of Christ, never to be separated, taken captive by the love of the triune God. no power of this world, not a scheme of this world, able to destroy or to separate this glorious union, no virus, no scheme of men, no ruler, no policy, no earthquake, no destruction, not able to separate the love of the Savior in the heart of a true and genuine believer. Truth and love.

Truth and love. And you know what the problem is here? That this is deeper of the words that I have just said. It's deeper. Because when I say truth to you, when I say love to you, you come to define truth and love according to what you have experienced truth and what you have experienced in love.

And then your definition of truth will be whatever theological camp you belong to. And whatever definition of love you have will be whatever experience of love that you have. And how wrong we are about those two. in every camp, how wrong we are about truth and love, because the apostle and the Lord Jesus Christ calls us to walk in truth, a truth that is not meant to abide in your head, cold, indifferent, powerless, that you're supposed to walk in love, not one that you open your mouth and say the word, but rather one that you live because the Lord Jesus Christ is in you. So many things that I have to say, but now the time is just passing and I don't want to lose your attention.

The only thing that I want to do, beloved of Christ, is to point your attention to a passage of the scripture that speaks of the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which I want to give you a warning and an exhortation. Go please to Hebrews chapter five. Here, beloved, this is my best attempt to present to you the depths of the truth of Christ and the love of Christ. And the importance, brother and sister and friend, the importance that you may discipline yourself for godliness, that you may give yourself into this Christ, That you may give your soul entirely for this Savior. That you may give your time, your effort, your strength, your power, your thoughts, your heart to this Jesus Christ.

The urging necessity not to have Jesus Christ as an appendix to your life. The urging necessity not to have Christianity as something that you do, but rather something that you are. The truth and the love of Christ. The author of Hebrews has the burden to call these people in chapter six, if you pay attention there, has this urgent burden to call the saints of this church to move from immaturity to maturity. It says, therefore, there in chapter six, verse one, therefore, Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ.

Or the principles of Christ. That word in English elementary to me is a little bit difficult, but the principles or the beginnings of the doctrine of Christ. Therefore, let us leave. We are called and instructed. Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and destruction is to go on to maturity.

Not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God and instruction about washings or baptisms and the laying on their hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Pay attention to this explanation that I'm going to give you, beloved of Christ. Here, the author of Hebrews is calling the church to move from the elementary or the beginnings, the principles of the doctrine of Christ. And those elementary principles of the beginnings of the doctrine of Christ are outlined there for us. Repentance from dead works and faith towards God, that is salvation.

instruction about washings or baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and the judgment that is to come. Those are the beginnings. Those are the principles of the doctrine of Christ. And the author of Hebrews is calling the church to move towards maturity, that it is to go deeper into these matters, not into these, but into the counsel of the Lord. Because truth of Christ, beloved, is not superficial.

When the Lord Jesus Christ speaks to you, you will see that commentaries, systematic theologies, and any other book is just so feeble and shallow. Because when God teaches, God teaches in a way that transforms the life of a person. So the apostle is calling in the power of the Spirit to move on to maturity. But he has said, therefore. And therefore helps us to understand what he's actually comparing.

If you go there in chapter five, pay attention there to verse seven. Bear with me, because this is important to show you. Verse 7, in the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, the father. And he was hurt because of his reverence. Right?

Gethsemane, remember? Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect. That is not my will, but your will be done there in Gethsemane. And by being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. This is gospel, and this is just explaining the sufferings and the perfection of the Lord being designated by God, a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, connecting the salvation that took place of the events of Gethsemane and the perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ to his priestly service role.

That's the word, right? Priestly service. And now he wants to continue. He wants to continue expounding this glorious truth. The author, he wants to continue.

And then he goes in verse 11. About this, we have much to say. That is, we have so many things to teach you, so many things to tell you about the truth of Christ, so many things that are necessary to explain to you and to tell you about this. We have much to say and it is hard to explain. Why?

Not because the truth of the Lord is unachievable. Since you have become dull of hearing, For though by this time, that is this natural time that has elapsed since your profession of faith, this natural time that has elapsed since the moment that you became a Christian, that you were united to the Lord. For though by this time, you ought to be teachers. After this many years and after receiving and having the scriptures and being instructed, you should be teachers. You need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.

You need milk, not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled. In the words of righteousness, he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore, the exhortation comes.

an exhortation unto maturity, an exhortation unto perfection, an exhortation unto growing in the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ, an exhortation to growing in maturity that requires a heart that is not dull or indifferent, but rather a heart that has been touched by the Lord continually and ongoingly, a heart that has been taken captive by the beauty of Christ that you don't want to be part. A heart that has been taken captive by the sayings of Christ, that you desire to die to self and to make it reign in your heart that he may be enthroned, taking you by his hand into maturity and completion. But then because of the destructions of this evil world, the church taken captive by the things that are passing away. Continually and ongoingly dull in their hearts. continually and ongoingly indifferent to the things of Christ.

Christ is an appendix. Christ is a system. Christ is just that which I do on Sunday so that I will tick the box and my conscience is appeased and I will be moving on with my life and the things that I truly desire. Many will follow their pernicious ways. Why then there is a preacher that simply just opens the door of a place to have a church and speak all type of deceitful teachings, and then what they have is people?

Because people are not people of the heart of Christ, but of their own terrifying reality, beloved Christ. Christ has saved us and redeemed us unto eternal life. An eternal life that promises that we will have the mind of Jesus Christ. And our eyes will be open to behold the wondrous and glorious things of his law. Things that the ancients have not accomplished.

Things that the age have not accomplished. Read Psalm 119, verse 97 through 100. Oh Lord, how I love thy law. You have taught me and I am wiser than the ancient. How I love your law and I keep your precepts.

You have instructed me more than the aged, more than the experienced, David says, I believe. Because he was not trained in seminary. He was not trained with books and online and with partially read books. But rather this man was trained at the feet of Jesus Christ. Prevailing in tears and supplication through the night.

reading his word and deciding his heart in his, deciding to die. That is the saltiness of the church that is required and that is the light of the church that is required, which where is it? There are many things that I want to say brothers and sisters, but time now is gone and it's been very long. I may have the opportunity to give you and to address this Perhaps in the future, my beloved of Christ, let me just call your heart to this. Abiding in the doctrine of Christ, it is abiding in Christ.

Abiding in the truth and in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is abiding in the person of Jesus Christ. You will never understand the importance of abiding in the person of Jesus Christ. Or you will never see the urgency of abiding in the person of Jesus Christ or remaining in the person of Jesus Christ if you have no faith. John chapter 15, when you read it in your own time, it says that those who do not abide in Christ will be thrown into fire. Understand that through your theological system, but rather believe it by faith.

Those who do not abide in Jesus Christ will not bear fruit and will be thrown into fire. They will not glorify the Father. Those who will not abide in Christ. In the words of the Apostle John in his second letter, he says that those who do not abide in Christ do not have the Father. The same apostle says in John chapter 5 that the word abiding in the heart of a person is only accomplished by faith.

You ought to see the importance of abiding in Christ and you are to understand the requirement, faith, childlike faith. That when you open a scripture, you truly believe it. That when you submit to a scripture, not to the precepts of men, that you interpret the scripture before the Lord and before Christ, not through a defeat of preachers and teachers. Don't you know that the same John says in first John chapter two, that those who are in Christ have the anointing of the spirit and have no need for anyone to teach them. But then we have needed the book of the video of these to approach the word of God mediated by someone else's meditations.

Oh, brothers and sisters, I'm telling you, I'm telling you because I've been there, I've done that. The heart of Christ is approached in faith. Make it before the Lord. This is who I am. This is how I speak.

This is how I sound. Lord, do in me what you have decreed that you will do. Accomplish in me through your spirit that which you have done by faith. Take me, Lord, through the Jordan River to destroy the Canaanites, to take the land. Help me, O Lord, not to leave anyone there, but rather to follow your word, your commandment that I know that you will accomplish through the church that we have promised.

Save the church and save the world. Save the church and save the world. How are we going to abide in Christ? How are we going to abide in Christ? So many times that we just simply say, abide in Christ, look to Christ, do this to Christ, look to Christ, look to Christ.

Go to John chapter one. So many scriptures that speak about this matter. I just want to illustrate it from something that happened there in John chapter one. Kids, teenagers, teenagers do not exist, but kids and young adults and adults and brothers and sisters, listen to these, which I'm just about to say here and read together. John chapter one, verse 13, 35, sorry.

John one, verse 35. This is just simply story. It's a narrative. There is no theological elements there. The next day, verse 35, right?

The next day, again, John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, Behold, the Lamb of God. The two disciples heard him say this. They heard Elijah preaching to them, Behold, the Lamb of God. They heard, they heard. What did they do?

They followed Jesus, the spirit of Elijah and the power of John the Baptist. Behold, the Lamb of God. They followed him. Verse 38, Jesus, the one whom they were following, Jesus turned and saw them with his fiery eyes in their eyes. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, What are you seeking?

What are you seeking? What are you looking for? And they said to him, Rabbi, which means teacher, this is what they were looking for. This is what they were seeking. Where are you staying?

Where do you abide? Where is your abode? Where do you live, Lord? I'm seeking you and I want to go to the place where you abide, where you live. Where are you staying?

Was the question of those who had received the words of Elijah through John the Baptist. Verse 19, the Lord said to them, come and you will see. Come and you will see. So they came and saw where he was staying. They obey and they came and saw the place where the Lord was abiding.

And they abode and they stayed with him that day for it was about a 10th hour. Beloved of Christ. So many scriptures that speaks in a more direct and theological way to this reality that this story just simply and beautifully illustrates. Seek the Lord with all your heart. Seek the abiding place of the Lord with your heart.

Seek the Lord. And once you find the Lord in the secret place, remain there. Remain in the secret place with the Lord in which he teaches you through his word. Seek the Lord and remain with him when he is opening your mouth to other prayers and worship and songs. Seek the Lord in the secret place that you may commune with him and remove from your mouth the concept of a quiet place or the quiet time.

What is that? Other than traditions of men subconsciously infiltrated in your mind. Quiet time? Tell that to Paul and Silas when they were in prison. Quiet time?

Tell those brothers and sisters who have been supplicating and praying for revival through the ages. Quiet time? As if you would just take Christ as a religious thing that you do. Seek the Lord, the living God, Jesus Christ, the one who died upon the cross through his word, through his promises in faith and remain there. Do not leave until you have found him.

Because when he speaks to you, he transforms your life. He brings holiness to your life, to your wife, to those who are around you. He revives the church. We need only one person among us that hears that and a greater weight of glory will be given to us all. Seek the Lord and remain in his presence.

Kill religion and empty and cold practices of doing this and that with no substance. Seek the Lord. He died upon the cross. Why would you give your life to those things which will not satisfy? Which way you spend your resources and your time on things that will pass away and will be destroyed?

Give your life to Christ continually, ongoingly, by faith. Seek the Lord in your heart, in the secret place, in your mind. Seek the Lord and remain there. When temptation and distraction comes to your heart, when I desire to depart and then just to go with the things of life, remain there. Remain there, and you will be like the cedar, unbreakable, only broken by the hand of the Lord.

Contrite in your heart, only broken by the hand of the Lord, only broken by the beauty of Christ. Fear of men, removed. because you're only broken by the Lord Jesus Christ. Remain there, beloved of Christ. Seek Him.

Eliminate the things that make your life complicated. Eliminate the things that are going to pass away. Do not give yourself onto things that will not give you any reward. Treasure up things in heaven and not on the earth. Seek His face and you will see the place that is kept and reserved for you.

For the church, truth and love. Are you going to accomplish that with a shallow truth? That it is faithlessly apprehended, that it is based on intellectualism, and it is just simply following the traditions of men? Never. That's why those people will perish, and those people, when the tribulation comes, will be shown that they are not of Christ.

Who will endure? Who will endear the martyrdom of Christianity when it comes? Only those who have Jesus Christ in their hearts, beloved of Jesus Christ. Kill all of those things, and may the Lord Jesus Christ help us to continually abide in him, to continually abide in his teaching and in his doctrine. Never make Christianity a dumb religion of which you apprehend and understand things through a book or just by superficially and carelessly and in a lazy, slothful way, reading here and there.

Come before the Lord with a true heart. Genuineness in your heart is what will transform your life and what will give us eyes to see the truth of the Lord. Amen.