Thesis: to impress upon the hearer the sovereignty (the Who) and objectivity (the how) of God in the realm of forgiveness.
Text: Luke 5:17-26
Luk 5:17 On one of those days, as he (Jesus) was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.
Luk 5:18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed (palsied), and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus,
Luk 5:19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.
Luk 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
Luk 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
Luk 5:22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts?
Luk 5:23 Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
Luk 5:24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the man who was paralyzed—"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home."
Luk 5:25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God.
Luk 5:26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today."
Introduction,
In this account we see the palsied or paralyzed man who was let down through a roof by four men (Mk 2:3) in order that the Lord could heal him.
Yet our Lord gives the man what he really needs, first and foremost, not a healthy body, but rather a healthy soul, cleansed of sin.
The scribes and Pharisees present reasoned that our Lord had committed blasphemy seeing that they concluded, “who can forgive sins but God alone.”
They of course were correct in this matter (Ps 103:3), yet they believed not that Jesus was God’s Divine Son (John 8:24; LITV), a Member of the Godhead (Col 2:9), One of the Divine nature (Acts 17:29).
Then Jesus perceived their reasonings (telepathically) and gave them evidence that He was indeed God in the flesh, and had the authority, as God, to forgive sins while He was upon the earth.
He healed the man instantly and completely, confirming His word (Mk 16:20; Acts 14:3; Heb 2:3-4), and all were amazed and glorified God.
This account teaches us two basic facts, 1) it is God Who forgives sins, and 2) Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Word Who was God (John 1:1) and became flesh (John 1:14), God with us, “Immanuel” (Mt 1:23), in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily (Col 2:9).
In this lesson we will specifically look at . . .
1) Who has the authority to forgive sins?
2) How is this authority exercised today?
3) What could be the end result of those who practice and partake of unauthorized forgiveness?
I. WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS?
A. In our passage we have an assertion made by the scribes and Pharisees in verse 21, that being “who can forgive sins. But God alone?”
1. Throughout time God’s love for those made in His image has been the major motivating force in the realm of forgiveness, therefore He brought about His eternal purpose (John 3:16).
Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
a. In the Garden, when sin first entered in the world, we see the love and compassion of God manifested in the “implied” sacrifice for the sins of Adam and Eve (Gen 3:21)
Gen 3:21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
b. Even though it is probable that a sacrifice was made, that fact that they “knew good and evil” (they were considered accountable and partook of good and evil; Gen 3:22), and were thus stained from sin, they could no longer have that close fellowship with God that they once enjoyed, so they were ejected from the Garden and the presence of God and access to the tree of life which enabled them to live forever.
c. We can conclude that those sacrifices were just a temporary covering for sin, that blood which God accepted in exchange for theirs (Rom 6:32a), in order that God’s justice could be satisfied until the Christ would come, as we also see in the case of the Law of Moses, for Acts 13:38-39, Heb 10:1-4 teaches us that permanent forgiveness was not theirs.
Act 13:38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
Act 13:39 and by him everyone who believes is freed (lit. “justified”) from everything from which you could not be freed (lit. “justified”) by the law of Moses.
Heb 10:1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
Heb 10:2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
Heb 10:3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
d. Consider these animal sacrifices able to cleanse sin somewhat, but when the wash was done, there was still a stain remaining, even though they were washed year after year, that stain never completely faded, until God’s own blood through the person of Jesus Christ cleansed it as white as snow (Isa 1:18).
2. Considering God's holiness, purity, and justice we can understand why fellowship was limited until remission of sins could actually take place, and thus finally be forgotten by God (Heb 10:16-18).
Heb 10:16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
Heb 10:17 then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
Heb 10:18 Where there is forgiveness (remission; ASV; KJV; NKJV) of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
a. Also recognizing the “greater blesses the lesser principle” as seen in Heb 7:7 (which is basically “Mechizedek blessed Abraham through whom the Levitical priests came, and the greater always blesses the lesser, thus the Priest after the order of Mechizedek (Christ), is greater than any and all the Levitical priests), considering this principle we can understand why the blood of bulls and goats (lower creatures) could not bless the greater ( those made in the image of God) and provide remission of sins, but only temporary appeasement (atonement).
b. This is why we never see the word “remission” in the OT (12 times NT; 0 times OT), this refers to the full forgiveness and forgetting by God, and likewise we never see the word “atonement” in the NT which refers to a temporary covering for sin (as in the Day of “Atonement;” this word occurs 88 times in the OT).
c. I know that the word “atonement” is used in reference to the sacrifice of Christ, but the truth is, it is used by men, and not the word of God (and in Rom 5:11; KJV “atonement” was corrected to “reconciliation”; in the RV; ASV; NKJV)
d. Thus not until God (Who cannot die), became flesh (in order that He could die; Heb 2:14), and shed His blood, would the actual remission (permanent forgiveness) of sins be possible.
e. The Greater (Christ) would then bless the lesser (mankind).
B. God has created all that exists that is not God (Gen 1:1), He at that time also established the natural laws that sustain creation which are upheld by the word of His power (Heb 1:3; Col 1:17), through these laws He rules, exercises “authority” over the physical universe.
1. Authority is defined as “power, jurisdiction, right, or choice”
a. God also established the laws concerning sin (Lev 17:11-12),
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
Lev 17:12 Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.
2. And the blood has always been God's for atonement (temporary appeasement for sin), man has been forbidden to partake of blood ever since he was allowed to eat flesh, after the flood He commanded Noah (Gen 9:3-4) . . .
Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants (Gen 1:29-30), I give you everything.
Gen 9:4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
3. The same is true for us today concerning blood as seen in Acts 15:28-29 . . .
Act 15:28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
Act 15:29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."
b. Thus God alone has the authority, the power, the jurisdiction, the right, the choice, to forgive sins, and that, by blood, because of His laws which show forth His just nature, life for life, the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23a), physical and spiritual, that life is restored by blood, which contains life giving properties.
c. He has not delegated this power to any of His creatures, only God (Elohiym; Gen 1:1 the Godhead) can atone, forgive, or remiss sins (Ps 103:3; Isa 43:25),
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Psa 103:3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
Psa 103:4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
Isa 43:25 "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
d. Thus our Lord’s statement. “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (the Word Who was God, Jn 1:1; God with us, Immanuel, Mt 1:23; the Son, in Whom all the fullness of Deity dwelt bodily (Col 2:9), of Whom the Father says “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; Heb 1:8), is Divine in nature (make-up), because God alone has authority on earth to forgive sins (Luke 5:24).
II. HOW IS THIS AUTHORITY EXERCISED TODAY?
A. There are certain religions of men that claim this authority, and even state the very words of our Lord as seen in (Luke 5:23), “you sins are forgiven you,” we want to look at is this to determine if this is a proper position?
1. These men use John 20:23 for their so called authority (turn to John 20:19-23) . . .
Joh 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
Joh 20:20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Joh 20:21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."
Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Joh 20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
a. This verse clearly states that the apostles have in some sense been given the authority to forgive sins by our Lord, the only question is how? Just by stating it, or is there some other means? It doesn’t really reveal this in the context, yet the context is John’s account of the great commission, the apostles are sent to go out and preach the gospel and thereby open the way of salvation to others (Mt 16:19; 18:16), the using of those keys that allow individuals to enjoy remission of sins and enter into the kingdom, I believe that first and foremost this speaks of revealing the plan of salvation, which was already bound and loosed, settled forever in heaven by God (Ps 119:89), they were merely God's mouthpieces on earth.
Psa 119:89 For ever, O Lord, your word is fixed (settled) in heaven. (BBE)
Also this could and likely does refer to intercessory prayer, which they and we, as those born from above are privileged to exercise by speaking to our Father, that others might be forgiven, let us look at a few examples of this (Lk 23:33-34; Acts 7:51-60; Rom 10:1-4; Ja 5:13-20; 1 Jn 5:14-17).
Luk 23:33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
Luk 23:34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
At least some of this group of people were forgiven when they received the words Peter preached on Pentecost and were baptized (Acts 2:1-41).
Act 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,
Act 7:53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."
Act 7:54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.
Act 7:55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Act 7:56 And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
Act 7:57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.
Act 7:58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Act 7:59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Act 7:60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord (Jehovah; NWT), do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Again, some of these individuals were of those that had a part in crucifying our Lord, the ones that didn’t believe and obey in Acts 2, we see another praying to God that their sin of murder wouldn’t be held against them, Saul/Paul (v 58) was forgiven when he believed and was baptized in Acts 22:6-16.
Rom 10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
These Jews that Paul prayed for here, if they were to be forgiven, it would be through the gospel, when they individually believed and obeyed (Rom 10:16), which also includes confession of Christ (Rom 10:9-10).
Jas 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Jas 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Jas 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Jas 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
Jas 5:18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
Jas 5:19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,
Jas 5:20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
In this passage we are given a hypothetical situation, it speaks of elders of a congregation praying that a member of the congregation may be healed and forgiven by God, I would assume that whatever sins are in view have been turned from, and it may be that the sickness could to be the result of said sins.
1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
1Jn 5:16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.
1Jn 5:17 All wrongdoing (unrighteousness) is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
In this context people were sinning and not repenting and praying for forgiveness from God (1 Jn 1:9), in fact they were practicing sin and believing they were OK, when in fact they were proving that they were Satan’s children and not God’s (1Jn 3:1-10). One time sins are to be repented of, prayed for forgiveness, and forgiveness would be granted. Practiced sins, that were not being battled against, do lead to spiritual death, and without the individual turning from them, and battling against them, were not to be prayed for, but the acknowledgment of wrongdoing, coupled with remorse towards God (godly sorrow) and the turning from wrongdoing does not lead to spiritual death, for God is full of grace.
Now look at Acts 8:14-24 . . .
Act 8:14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,
Act 8:15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
Act 8:16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 8:17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
Act 8:19 saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
Act 8:20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
Act 8:21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
Act 8:22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
Act 8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."
Act 8:24 And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Here we see these teachings of 1 Jn 5:14-17 in practice, in the context Peter and John do not pray for the forgiveness of Simon because he has not yet repented of his wickedness, but if he had, I believe we would have seen this, tradition teaches us that Simon did not repent but actually became an enemy of the Faith.
Let us look at one more passage from the book of Acts (Acts 18:1-6) . . .
Act 18:1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Act 18:2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,
Act 18:3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.
Act 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Act 18:5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.
Act 18:6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
Paul tried to persuade certain Jews and Greeks at a synagogue that Jesus was the Christ in order that they might believe and be baptized, but instead they opposed them. They had a chance to have their sins forgiven, but instead their sins are retained, Paul did what he could, but to no avail, he would go elsewhere.
2. Also, looking back at Jn 20:23 (where the Lord grants them the ability to forgive or retain sins), neither is there such a thing as a continuing apostolic succession, which these must assert to bring that misinterpreted passage to apply to present day,
a. no one can meet the qualifications required to be an apostle today which is seen in (Acts 1:21-24), which is,
i. one would have to been with this specific group of men since the baptism of John (thus they would have to be about 2,000 years old),
ii. and they must be eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ (He has been in Heaven for almost 2,000 years so this is also impossible),
iii. and they must be hand chosen by the Lord Himself.
b. Let us note also that when an apostle died in the 1st century (such as James in Acts 12:2), they were never replaced, and in fact all, except the apostle John were killed before AD 70, and John himself also died in the AD 90’s and was not replaced, it wasn’t till hundreds of years later that members of the church declared themselves to be apostles in order to support their manmade system of hierarchy and other numerous traditions in which they make void the word of God.
c. Christ, in the 1st century, had, and still has, all authority; He gave none to any man (Mt 28:18).
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
d. Today God speaks through His Son (Heb 1:1-2).
Heb 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world(s); i.e. universe).
e. The Father gave Christ the words (John 12:49-50), He gave them to the 1st century apostles and NT prophets (John 17:8; 14; Gal 1:12; Eph 3:3), by the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph 3:4-5) they wrote them down in a manner that when we read we can perceive their writings (the NT), and they are the very words, the commands, the teaching, the doctrine of God (1 Cor 14:37; 1 Thess 2:13)
f. And it is only through the word of God, the teaching, the doctrine of God, the doctrine of Christ, the apostles doctrine, that we are to be united under Christ, as the Lord prayed (John 17:20-21a).
Joh 17:20 "I do not ask (pray) for these only, but also for those who will believe in(to; ies) me through their word,
Joh 17:21a that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us,
And through the word our Lord does rule over “all things to the church”, which is His body, He owns it, He bought it with His own blood (Acts 20:28; Eph 1:22).
Eph 1:22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
This doesn’t leave any “things” left for papal power, or for any other man, or group of men.
Note that the great commission is perpetual in nature (turn to Mt 28:19-20a) . . .
Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in(to; ies) the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20a teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you . . .
Which would include what He just commanded (making disciples, baptizing, and teaching them to do the same), so it is obvious that the teaching is that which would perpetuate, not a specific chain of men.
The word, the teaching, the doctrine would also be committed to faithful men who would teach others also (look at 2 Tim 2:2).
2Ti 2:2 And the things which thou hast heard from me (the teaching, the doctrine, the word) among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (ASV)
2Ti 2:2 and what you have heard from me (the teaching, the doctrine, the word) in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
This also is perpetual in nature, faithful men today are to teach other faithful men who can teach that which the inspired Paul taught, which was the doctrine of Christ, which was once and for all time delivered in the 1st century (Jude 3; and so on, and so on).
Thus it is apparent that in “that pattern of sound words” which was to be held (2 Tim 1:13),
2Ti 1:13 Follow (Hold) the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Which is the teaching, the doctrine of Christ, which was once for all time delivered in the 1st century (Jude 3),
Jud 1:3 Dear friends, I had intended to write to you about the salvation we share. But something has come up. It demands that I write to you and encourage you to continue your fight for the Christian faith that was entrusted to God's holy people once for all time. (GW)
That is where the authority lies, it is that one and only vehicle through which Christ exercises His absolute monarchy over His church, His assembly, His called out ones, He didn’t promise to save other churches, only His, and He only rules over all things to it through His word (John 12:48), for He is that Word (Jn 1:1, 14; Mt 7:24-27).
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . .
Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Joh 12:48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
Mat 7:24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does (practices) them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Mat 7:25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Mat 7:26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do (practice) them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Mat 7:27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
III. WHAT COULD BE THE END RESULT OF THOSE THAT PRACTICE AND PARTAKE OF UNAUTHORIZED FORGIVENESS?
A. This is not a pretty picture to say the least, when we look around the Christian world today, we can only weep! We see a multitude of sects, teaching a multitude of faiths, yet the Bible teaches that there is but one Faith, “the Faith” (Eph 4:4-6).
Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
1. Men may state that only this sect is correct, or salvation exists only in that sect, but God says there is but “one” body, and “one” Faith, and it is God Who adds to this body, not man (Acts 2:41-47).
Act 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Act 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Act 2:43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
Act 2:44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
Act 2:45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Act 2:46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
Act 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
2. The Bible also teaches there is but one gospel, and that those that teach another are under the curses of God, even if it were an angel from heaven or the apostle Paul himself (Gal 1:6-9).
Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
a. But what about those that do not know God, that are opposed to the Faith, that do not posses that saving relationship with Him through Jesus because they did not believe thus obey that one gospel? 2 Thess 1:6-9 gives us the answer . . .
2Th 1:6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
2Th 1:7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
2Th 1:8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
2Th 1:9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction (ruin, perdition, damnation), away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
3. Our Lord oftentimes addressed the problem of the doctrines of men in His days upon the earth, concerning such He said (Mt 15:13b-14).
Mat 15:13b Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
a. When God's completed, all sufficient revelation to man was given in the 1st century, He purposed it to enable individuals to “not” be to be tossed to and fro, by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14), it was plain, and simple, to be believed, and obeyed.
b. Yet we see some today with a Bible in hand denying the very word of God which they hold! Of which we are warned, and that very vehemently, and repeatedly (Col 2:8; 2 Cor 11:3)
Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward (“in”; YLT) Christ. (ASV)
c. These say such things as “it doesn’t mean that,” but the inspired apostle Paul writes (Eph 3:3-4).
Eph 3:3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
Eph 3:4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,
d. Some say “that was only to the infant church,” but the word of the living God says it is that once and for all time delivered Faith, and it needs to be contended for (Jude 3), and it’s easy to see why, in light of these gainsayers.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
e. Others say “baptism (immersion) does not save you” or “I don’t want to argue about baptism!”
f. But our Lord says “he that believes and is baptized (immersed) shall be saved” (Mk 16:16), and Peter by inspiration writes “Baptism . . . does also now save you (1 Pet 3:21).
g. Some say, I don’t believe that belongs in the Bible, but the Bible says (Mk 16:16b)
Mar 16:16b . . . he that believeth not shall be damned.
h. Everything to do with salvation (initially and our life within it) and the church (its organization, its work, its worship.) “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3) are written therein, yet very few believe and are following God's Divine directives.
4. Today we even see some “per-versions” of God's word coming out that actually support some of these manmade doctrines, such as total depravity, premillennialism, faith only salvation, the perseverance of the saints, and so forth.
a. Now many of these versions make it easier to read God’s word, and I am all for that, but we have to be careful, and we need to be thankful unto God that we still have access to some of the older versions to compare these to, even though they are not perfect, versions such as KJV, ASV, RV, YLT are for the most part faithful to the original, and are not overloaded with the doctrines of men.
b. Consider when Satan twisted God's word in the Garden, he added just one word “you shall not surely die,” Satan fed into Eve’s lusts and she fell for it, Adam followed suit as well! Were they pronounced innocent?
c. Today’s denominations, perversions, false doctrines and false teachers all feed into a persons lusts, and attempt to draw them away from the one soul saving Truth, into soul damning error.
5. The way that leads unto eternal life is straightened, it is difficult (Mt 7:14); it was a long hard road towards a life of habitual sin, and it will take some real Holy Spirit given determination coupled with application of the Holy Spirit delivered and confirmed word, to put those things aside and walk in holiness, without which, one will not see the Lord, they will not make it to heaven (Heb 12:14).
a. Yet God gave us His Son, in order that we may see that great love and return it (1 Jn 4:19), unto the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26), Jesus said “if you love Me you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).
b. And He gave us His Spirit, to change us, to be more like Him, in order that could obey from the heart (Rom 8:7-9)
Rom 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Rom 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
c. And be faithful unto the point of death (Rev 2:10)
Rev 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
d. He revealed what would happen after death to the faithful and the unfaithful, in order that we may have hope, or be warned, depending on one’s choice! (Gal 6:7-8; Mt 25:46; Lk 16:19-31)
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Mat 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Luk 16:19 "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
Luk 16:20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
Luk 16:21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,
Luk 16:23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Luk 16:24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
Luk 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
Luk 16:27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—
Luk 16:28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
Luk 16:29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
Luk 16:30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
Luk 16:31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"
i. If Baptist doctrine is sown into one’s heart, a Baptist will be the end result.
ii. If Catholic doctrine is sown into one’s heart, a Catholic will spring up.
iii. If one sows Lutheran doctrine, a Lutheran one gets
iv. If it be Methodist, Presbyterian, Jehovah witnesses, whatever . . .
v. Are these churches getting us closer to God, or closer to men?
e. These and most other sectarians (denominational and non-denominational) believe, practice and teach things that are not taught in the Bible, God's living word. Basically these groups are promoting their specific agendas, not the Truth that makes one free.
f. Papal authority or other man made systems of hierarchy, clergy/laity systems, worldly, chaotic things such as rock bands, light shows, smoke machines being called worship of the Almighty, original sin, inherited depravity, no Hell, no eternal punishment, no spirit, sprinkling for the remission of sins on non-believing infants, faith only salvation, grace only salvation, immersion because one is already forgiven, praying Jesus into one’s heart, obedience to the Law of Moses, women preachers, God approved sodomy and lesbianism, baby killing, multiple marriages, the list goes on and on.
g. But if one plants the seed of the kingdom, that pure, unadulterated word of God, the doctrine of Christ, one gets a Christian (ONLY!).
i. We are commanded to glorify God in the name Christian (1 Pet 4:16)
ii. So let us not blaspheme that honorable name by which we are called (Ja 2:7).
iii. This name denotes ownership, we are owned by Christ, Who is God! (Mt 1:23; Jn 1:1; Col 2:9; Heb 1:8)
iv. Let us not put a creature’s, or a certain doctrine’s name beside the Name above names (Phili 2:9).
v. Let us only be called “Christians.”
6. There is but one revealed plan of salvation, it is God only that forgives sin (Rom 8:33), and He does it His way, according to the gospel of Christ, and that way is plainly stated over and over in the book of Acts.
There are 9 detailed conversion examples in order that one might know the Truth, without a doubt! And be made free (John 8:32), the account of Paul’s conversion is even brought forth three times in order to take away any doubt.
a. One is to hear the word of God (Acts 2:37), which produces faith (Rom 10:17), it is the seed of the kingdom (Lk 8:11) which the Father plants, every plant which He does not plant shall be rooted up (Mt 15:13) and cast into the fire at the end of the age (Mt 13:40-42).
b. One is to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Lord and Savior (Acts 8:37), Who died for our sins, Who was raised from the dead, Who ascended into Heaven, Whom we follow (1 Cor 15:1-4, 23), this the crossover point (Jn 5:24) wherein one enters into the process of being saved (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15).
c. At belief one receives the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:2; Eph 1:13) Who convicts a person of sin (Jn 16:8) and leads a person to repent of their sins, turn away from self, a turn to God and His revealed will (Acts 2:38; 17:30).
d. The Holy Spirit prompts us to confess Christ with the mouth before others (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9-10), which propagates the gospel through the perpetual great commission (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15-16).
e. The Holy Spirit also leads us to be baptized (immersed) into the death of Christ (Rom 6:3) wherein His blood was shed (John 19:34), which was poured out unto the remission of sins (Mt 26:28; Acts 2:38; 22:16), which is that consummating act of obedience and “doth also now save us” (1 Pet 3:21).
h. And then we are to be renewed to think and act like God, more and more, day by day (2 Cor 4:16) through God’s Holy Spirit working within us (Tit 3:5), in order that we would desire and be fit to be with God in eternity.
i. So let us teach God's truth’s to whosoever will listen, and pray for their hearts to be that “good ground” (Luke 8:15), which will bear much fruit unto the life eternal.