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00:00 Well, make your way to Ephesians 4 17. We're going to begin a new lesson today.
00:05 And if the team would put up,
00:14 you know, actually let me read you these scriptures and then we'll put that definition up.
00:21 Let's make our way to Ephesians 4 17. When you have it, say I have it.
00:26 Then we'll talk about our subject matter and go from there. Ephesians 4 17, which reads,
00:38 This I say, Paul writing to the church at Ephesus. And it reads, This I say,
00:51 therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk.
01:01 That right there lets us know Paul is writing to a specific group of Gentiles.
01:08 And he's telling this specific group of Gentiles. Ultimately, it would apply to any Gentile that
01:15 would read this epistle. But Paul was primarily writing to the Ephesian church, those Gentile
01:22 believers. This portion, of course, of this epistle specifically directed towards them.
01:30 And so he says, you should no longer walk as the rest of them do, as the rest or in the manner
01:38 that the rest of the Gentiles walk, which is in the futility, emptiness or vanity of their mind.
01:46 Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of
01:54 the ignorance that is in them that comes with being born into sin. That comes with
02:02 the need to be born again, having your understanding darkened, being alienated from
02:08 a life with God. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how good an unbeliever is or how many good
02:16 things they might do. Biblically speaking, they are alienated from a life of and a life with God.
02:25 And that's because of the ignorance, what they don't know, because of the ignorance that is in
02:30 them because of the what? Of the blindness of their hearts. And we know that sin, but ultimately
02:37 the adversary is the one who blinds the hearts. Paul actually calls out Satan in 2 Corinthians
02:45 4, for calling him the God of this world or the God of this age, the God of this world system,
02:51 who has blinded the minds of them. So it's the devil who, or we could say it like this, it's
03:00 sin that causes the heart and mind to be blinded. It's the devil that makes sure the hearts and
03:06 the minds remain that way. It's the power of the gospel preach that can break through
03:12 and cause one to experience a life with God. Verse 19, it says, "Who being past feeling have
03:20 given themselves over to what? To lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
03:28 But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him
03:37 as the truth is in Jesus." That you do what? That you put off concerning your former conduct,
03:46 the old way, the old method and practice of living. That you put off concerning your
03:53 former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
03:59 and be renewed in the spirit, the harder core of your mind, and that you put on the new man
04:08 which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. Once again, Paul's
04:14 writing to the Ephesian believers and he's telling them, "Do not walk in the manner in which the rest
04:22 of the Gentiles walk in, in the vanity of their mind. While your old man is continuing to grow
04:31 in corruption, you are to put off the former conduct." And while Paul is writing to Ephesus,
04:42 he's writing to all of us as believers. We as believers need to know and understand and practice
04:49 putting off the former conduct, recognizing that the flesh, the old man is growing more corruptible
04:57 every day, but on the inside is that which is incorruptible. It says in verse 24 again, after
05:05 we are renewed in mind, that you put on the new man, put on, we got to put off the old man
05:11 and put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. Look at
05:16 verse 25 now, "Therefore," since we've put on the new man, since we've put off the old man,
05:25 "Therefore," therefore what? Putting away lying. I have to put lying away.
05:32 I have to put it away. Lying doesn't just go away because I'm saved.
05:39 - Right.
05:41 - Right.
05:43 - How many of you know some Christians who are liars? See, now I know that
05:54 your arm was on autopilot as soon as you heard that.
06:04 You shouldn't even be able to raise your hand. Why? Because covenant-wise, a believer can't be a liar.
06:13 Covenant-wise. Now, can a believer tell a lie? Believer can tell a lie. And sadly,
06:22 you may know some believers, they lie so much, it's so unfortunate.
06:29 But according to the contract, when you've been purchased with the blood of the lamb,
06:34 you're no longer the liar, you're no longer the thief. Doesn't mean you can't lie,
06:41 doesn't mean you can't steal, but you're the righteousness of God now. Think of 1 Corinthians
06:50 6 verses 9 through 11 where Paul says, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit
06:58 the kingdom of God?" Then Paul lists the unrighteous, he specifically lists some of them
07:04 and then says, "Such were some of you." He says, "But you've been what? You've been washed,
07:11 you've been justified, and you've been sanctified." Well, if I've been washed,
07:15 justified, and sanctified, I'm no longer a liar, I'm no longer a thief. Now, if I don't put off
07:21 the old man, I'll still lie and I'll still steal. I got to put off the old man, put on the new man,
07:28 and then do the therefore. And what's the therefore? Putting away lying. "Let each one
07:34 of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, but don't sin."
07:41 So we can be angry, we can be righteously indignant,
07:46 but do not sin. "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath."
07:54 Right? Don't end the day in anger, don't go to bed in anger.
07:58 Most likely you'll start the next day in anger. Don't let the sun go down on your wrath.
08:04 And if, because if the sun goes down on your wrath, that means darkness.
08:09 It says what? "Nor give place to the devil." Now, now the devil's defeated, isn't he defeated?
08:19 Didn't Jesus defeat the adversary? The Bible says that Jesus destroyed him who had the power over
08:27 death, that is the devil. Jesus destroyed the devil, not meaning he obliterated him and wiped
08:35 him from existence, but he stripped him of his power. He stripped him of his authority. Whatever
08:41 the devil wanted to lord over you, if you're in Christ now, he can no longer do that.
08:48 So if that's the case, why would Paul tell me, tell Ephesus not to give place to the devil?
08:55 Because even though he's defeated, if you don't put off that old man,
09:00 and if you don't put away lying, and you don't speak truth with your neighbor, and if you are
09:08 angry and sin, if you do let the sun go down on your wrath, you are opening a door for the devil
09:18 to have an entrance into your life. And so it says what? "Nor give place." The Greek word for place,
09:25 topos. That's where we get words like topography from. Daddy used to always say it like this,
09:31 you can't, you can't give them a stone, you can't give them a pebble. How about this? Don't even
09:35 give them a grain of sand, because he'll work with whatever he's given. Nor give place to the devil.
09:43 When you see believers who have the victory and it seems like the devil
09:48 is tearing them a new one, it's because they've been giving him place.
09:53 Watch this, verse 28, "Let him who stole," still no longer, "but rather let him acquire things
10:04 honestly." Let him what? Labor. Working with his hands. What is good that he may have something to
10:13 give him who has need. "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. Only allow," what?
10:23 "What is good for necessary edification that it may minister or impart grace to the hearer."
10:33 The word corrupt here, when it says let no corrupt word, it means let no rotten or putrid word come
10:39 out of your mouth. Only allow that which would minister grace to the listener, to the hearer.
10:46 Don't allow that which is of poor quality to come out of your mouth. Let no corrupt communication
10:53 proceed out of your mouth. Look at verse 30, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God."
10:59 That means we're able to do so. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he said,
11:06 he said, "Do not," what? "Do not quench the Spirit." The Spirit can be quenched. The Holy Spirit can be
11:13 grieved. It's up to me not to do that. "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit by which you were sealed
11:21 for the," what? "The day of redemption." Notice that's a future day. And yet the Bible says,
11:28 "In him we have redemption." Paul, writing to Jewish believers, said, "We've been redeemed
11:34 from the curse of the law." If I've been redeemed and I have redemption, what's the day of redemption?
11:40 That's the redemption of my body. That's the redemption of the old man. That's when the body
11:46 matches the Spirit. That's the day of redemption. Paul says, "We groan within ourselves."
11:54 We ourselves groan within ourselves. Why? Because we want the adoption. We're eagerly awaiting
12:03 and anticipating the redemption of our bodies. That's the day of redemption. Verse 31, "Let all bitterness,
12:13 wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice,
12:18 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you."
12:28 See, that's grace right there. Right? I don't forgive you so God can forgive me.
12:37 I forgive you because God has forgiven me.
12:41 Now look at this 31st verse. This is our subject matter. That first word, bitterness.
12:51 We want to know how to avoid our bitter end.
12:56 That's our lesson. "Let all bitterness." All bitterness?
13:07 What's all bitterness? There are types, kinds, or maybe sides, different sides to bitterness.
13:20 It says, "Let all bitterness," which would then mean, "Let all wrath, let all anger, let all clamor,
13:25 let all evil speaking be," what? "Put away from you." See, it's my job to put these things away.
13:33 It's my job to walk according to the new man, my new nature. "Let all bitterness." Bitterness.
13:40 Too many bitter Christians. In the natural, in the natural, not according to the word,
13:49 in the natural, you can understand why some are bitter. But bitterness is a dangerous place to
13:56 remain. And according to the word, watch this, "It doesn't matter how wrong they did you."
14:10 The mysterious they.
14:13 Doesn't matter how wrong they did you, doesn't matter, it doesn't matter the wrong directed,
14:22 the unfairness. If I'm living according to the word of God, if I'm calling myself
14:29 a child of God, I cannot allow bitterness to remain with me. I have to put it away.
14:36 Let's throw up, got a definition for us for bitterness. This is from, I believe this is
14:49 New Oxford's Dictionary. So we're used to this first definition, sharpness of taste,
14:55 lack of sweetness, the lime juice imparts a slight bitterness. We're familiar with the
15:00 bitterness of the lime or the lemon. But then we have anger and disappointment at being treated
15:09 unfairly. Now, no one should be treated unfairly. No one should, that's wrong. But we control how
15:20 we respond to that. Some initial reactions are understandable, but once again, we shouldn't
15:27 remain there. As a matter of fact, we need to get to a place, we need to develop ourselves and
15:34 develop our character to where we no longer react to things, instead we respond. Because when we
15:42 react, somebody has control over us. But when I respond, I'm in control. But bitterness is what?
15:50 Anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly. Resentment. See, resentment is something that
15:57 festers. Resentment is something someone just sits in and dwells in. It says resentment,
16:07 here's an example, he expressed bitterness over his dismissal without notice. Right? So in some
16:15 cases that the initial thing that occurs, it's understandable that one will be disappointed.
16:23 But you can't let that ferment. You can't let it spoil. Because it's going to be that much
16:32 more difficult to remove it from your heart. Let's throw some of those synonyms. This is a
16:37 New Oxford's thesaurus. That was our definition, our dictionary definition. Resentment, resentfulness,
16:44 embitteredness, dissatisfaction, disgruntlement. Y'all know anybody like this? Discontent, grudge,
16:52 pique, indignation, sourness, rancor, spike, subtleness, churlishness,
16:57 moroseness. What word is that? I've never heard of that word in my life.
17:03 Did I pronounce it correctly? Petulance, peevishness, spleen, acrimony.
17:14 That's not a word we use often, acrimony, but that's bitterness.
17:20 You know anyone like this? Have you seen any of this displayed in anyone
17:26 you know or anyone you're familiar with? Maybe you're familiar with the hurt someone has gone
17:32 through and you've watched, you've watched them rot in bitterness with your own eyes. And it
17:38 doesn't seem like they're getting better. It seems like they're getting worse.
17:40 And they call themselves a believer. Paul says, what he says, let all bitterness,
17:49 wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you. What does bitterness mean biblically?
17:56 Poison.
17:57 Gall.
18:01 Bitter. It can be extreme wickedness. It could be a bitter root that produces bitter fruit.
18:15 It can lead to hatred.
18:16 It's believed that Paul begins this list with bitterness
18:25 because it so often leads to these other sins.
18:30 See like jealousy will lead to envy. That could be the result of bitterness. That jealousy that
18:38 leads to envy, that envy then leads to anger, that anger then leads to wrath. You know what
18:43 follows wrath? Murder. And maybe it doesn't start with you taking someone's life, but maybe you take
18:52 their reputation. Maybe you take their character. Maybe you start a smear campaign because of how
19:00 bitter you are. Paul said, let it all be what, let it all be put away. Why? Why do we need to let this
19:11 be put away from us? Because bitterness comes from a heart that is not right before God.
19:15 Bitterness is a primary characteristic of an unregenerate person. And if we're born again,
19:22 we're no longer unregenerates. It causes destruction and defilement. Bitterness and
19:29 resentment are thus incompatible with Christian character and must be put away.
19:38 Bitterness does not line up with the child of God.
19:42 It is in diametric opposition to the character and nature of a believer.
19:48 Let's continue to move forward. Look at Romans chapter three,
19:56 verse 10. Romans 3.10. Let's confirm with the word
20:05 that bitterness is a characteristic of the unrighteous,
20:13 not of the righteous. We know what the characteristics of the righteous are.
20:19 You can go to Galatians 5.22 and you read about the fruit of the born again spirit.
20:25 Love. That's a characteristic of being born again. Self-control, temperance.
20:33 Joy and peace. Goodness. Those are the evidences, the proof of the regenerate,
20:47 of the born again individual, not bitterness. No, that's a characteristic of an unregenerate.
20:52 But because our flesh is unsaved, we have to put that off. We have to put it away.
21:01 Romans 3. It says, "As it is written." Where was it written? Psalm 14, 1 through 3. Ecclesiastes
21:11 7.20. Paul knew his old covenant. He says, "As it is written." As he's writing to Jewish and
21:18 Gentile believers here at Rome, he says, "As it is written, there's none righteous." No, not one.
21:24 "There is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God."
21:30 It made sense for that to be written under the old covenant. Because there wasn't anyone righteous.
21:35 There were some who had righteousness declared to them. I mean, uh, uh, accounted to them. Not
21:41 declared. Accounted to them. Because they responded in faith to, to whatever the Lord told them to do.
21:47 Like Abraham. Bible says, "Abraham believed God." And what did God do? He accounted it to him
21:55 for righteousness. You and I, under the New Testament, were declared righteous
22:00 because of the finished work of Christ. Because of the precious shed blood of the Lamb.
22:05 But when this was written, Christ hadn't come yet. So how true was it then? That there is none
22:14 righteous. No, not one. There's none who understands. There's none who seeks after God.
22:18 Not according to their nature. They have all turned aside. They have together become
22:24 unprofitable. There is none who does good. No, not one. Their throat is an open tomb. With their
22:30 tongues they've practiced deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of
22:35 cursing and what? Bitterness. Characteristics of the unsaved. Not the saved. But because my flesh
22:44 isn't saved yet. My spirit is. My flesh isn't. So I have to walk according to my new nature and put
22:50 off and put away the things that are the result of the old nature. Look at Acts chapter 9. Let's
22:59 look at an example of an individual. Here's an example of an individual who lived a life that
23:11 was in total opposition to God. But then he got born again. But it's also proof that just because
23:19 you get born again that doesn't mean you get a fully renewed mind and it doesn't mean that
23:26 automatically you're gonna start walking according to the spirit and never according to the flesh.
23:32 Oh no, that requires work and effort on our part and some willpower. Look here. Acts
23:41 chapter what? Where'd I tell you to go? I told you to go to Acts chapter 9?
23:48 You're positive? Okay, so you should be in chapter 8 verse 9 because
23:52 because I told you wrong. I told you incorrectly.
23:56 Acts chapter 8 verse 9.
24:03 All right. Simon the sorcerer.
24:14 So there was a certain man called Simon who previously practiced what? Well that's witchcraft.
24:25 Now we know for believers that's a no-no.
24:28 We don't, we're not friends with witches and warlocks.
24:41 We who are the favorite of God, we don't need fortune tellers.
24:44 We don't need a tarot card reading. We don't need to know what our astrological sign means.
24:57 Because we've been bought with the blood.
25:07 We don't do occultic practices. Not believers. Paul said in Galatians,
25:15 "These are the works of the flesh and they're evident." And one of the ones he mentioned?
25:19 Witchcraft, sorcery, pharmakia.
25:21 So here is a man named Simon who previously practiced sorcery in the city
25:28 and he astonished the people of Samaria. He was claiming that he was someone great.
25:34 See, that's how movements begin. You amass a following and you start a religion and now we
25:42 have a cult. He was claiming that he was someone great to whom they all gave heed. I wonder why
25:49 they gave heed. Well they saw him doing some things. From the least to the greatest saying,
25:54 "This man is, whoa, this man is the great power of God." I wouldn't want to be Simon and have people
26:05 pointing to me and claiming that I am the great power of God. Not I have, but I am the. Ooh, Simon.
26:15 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. That
26:21 lets us know sorcery is real. But it's rooted in the power of the deceiver. He backs all of that.
26:29 But when they believed, who's they? The same people. See, this goes to, see, I don't have to
26:40 combat sorcery with miracles. I don't have to combat the power and demonstration of the adversary
26:50 with the power and demonstration of God. All I gotta do is preach the gospel.
26:53 Now signs, miracles, and wonders, that just makes it all better.
26:59 But look, they were astonished and they were in awe of this man by the name of Simon. He was
27:06 actually a magus or a magi, a wise man. He was a Gnostic. That's what he was. And so he tapped into
27:16 some supernatural power, but that supernatural power had nothing to do with God. And he was
27:20 astonishing people and they were caught up and they were in awe of what he was able to do.
27:26 But then came a man named Philip, who the Bible elsewhere calls an evangelist.
27:33 Here comes Philip doing what? Preaching the kingdom. Look what it says, verse 12. But when
27:41 they believed, the same people who were astonished by what Simon was doing, it says when they
27:46 believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom in the name of Jesus Christ, both men
27:52 and women were baptized. Then what happened? Then Simon got saved. Praise God. Yeah, praise God.
28:00 Simon got saved. Look, he also believed. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and was
28:06 amazed seeing the miracles and signs which were done. You got to think about it. Here's this man
28:11 working witchcraft, but he sees only the power of the gospel preached saving people. He believes he
28:21 gets saved, also begins to walk with Philip in his ministry. And on top of that, he sees real power,
28:28 miracles, signs and wonders. Aren't you glad Simon got saved?
28:34 But guess what? Even though he got saved, that old man was still on. Keep reading. Now when the
28:45 apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and
28:52 John to them. Peter and John. John, the calm collected one, Peter, the one always ready to
29:02 cut somebody. It says, and you'll know because watch who gets angry with Simon. Is it Peter or
29:14 is it John? Here we go. Verse 15, who when they had come down, prayed for them that they might what?
29:21 Look at that, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. So Philip does his job as an evangelist,
29:25 preaching the gospel. Folk get saved. Here come two of the apostles filling those saved folk up
29:32 with the Holy Spirit. Praise God for that. It says, for as yet he had fallen upon none of them.
29:39 They had only been what? Baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. They'd only been saved. It says,
29:46 then they laid hands on them. And what happened? They received the Holy Spirit. So we see, we see
29:52 biblical precedents for laying hands on individuals. It's not the only way someone can receive the Holy
29:57 Spirit, but, but clearly it's a way the apostles did it. Or watch this. When Simon saw this,
30:04 he witnessed it with his own eyes. When he saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands,
30:13 the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money.
30:16 Now the question is, did Simon do this out of, out of a, out of an innocent place as a,
30:28 as a new believer? Or was he up to his old deeds? Some say both.
30:35 That's an interesting observation. Let's keep going. When Simon saw that through the laying
30:41 on of the apostles hands, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,
30:45 give me this power also. Then anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit. It's quite
30:52 possible that Simon really did want to get in on getting fulfilled with the Spirit. But he went
30:59 about receiving the power to do so the wrong way. So what does Peter do? Already got his knife out.
31:05 Verse 20. Peter said to him, your money pairs with you because you thought that the gift of God could
31:11 be purchased with money. You have neither part nor portion in this matter. Why? For your heart
31:17 is not right in the sight of God. Oh, Peter called him out. Peter said what it was. Now watch this,
31:24 Simon got saved. But see, signs and wonders don't occur until you're filled with the Holy Spirit.
31:31 So what did Simon see? Most likely he saw an opportunity to continue what he was doing before
31:37 he was saved, post being saved. Under the power of the adversary, he was doing it previously.
31:44 But now that he's born again, oh, here's how I can continue doing what I was doing. I can still
31:51 marvel the people via the power of the Holy Spirit. I will pay you handsomely
32:02 for the same power displayed through you, Sir Peter and Sir John. And Peter said, uh-uh.
32:07 So look at what he says here. He was very specific. Look at verse 21. You have neither part nor portion
32:14 in this matter regarding the Holy Spirit. He says, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
32:20 He says, repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart
32:27 may be forgiven you. Now, now Peter was going in hard. He was going in hard because if Simon truly
32:34 repented, of course Simon would be able to receive forgiveness. But then look at what Peter says next.
32:41 See, this is his discernment radar. It's going off. Verse 23, I see that you're poisoned by bitterness
32:52 and bound by iniquity. I see that you're what? You're poisoned. Let's come back to that verse.
32:59 Verse 24, Simon answered and said, pray to the Lord for me that none of the things which you
33:03 have spoken may come upon me. See, there's his heart right there. You can see his heart.
33:08 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem,
33:13 preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. Look at that 23rd verse again.
33:18 For I see that you're poisoned by bitterness.
33:21 Too, too many believers in the Lord Jesus Christ filled with the Holy Spirit as well,
33:29 poisoned by bitterness. They were done wrong and that was wrong. They were treated unfairly and
33:34 that was unfair, but they've allowed it to, to fester and, and now it's, now it's poison. And so
33:46 they don't want to have anything to do with any church.
33:48 They don't want to have anything to do with those so-called Christians. I don't trust anybody
33:54 because they've been poisoned by it, poisoned by this thing called bitterness. And as a result,
34:02 look, it's bound by iniquity. But see, once again, bitterness, that's not a characteristic
34:07 of the unsaved, of the saved. That's a characteristic of the unsaved. Let's keep going.
34:13 Look at Hebrews, Hebrews 12. Here's why we have to locate bitterness and uproot it.
34:24 Because bitterness is like COVID-19.
34:30 And it's worse because vaccination or mask won't help.
34:40 From you catching it, unless you're rooted in the word yourself.
34:46 Look at what our Hebrews writer tells us. Hebrews 12
34:50 and find verse 12. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 12.
34:57 This is, "Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down."
35:08 "And the feeble knees." "And make straight paths for your feet."
35:15 "So that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."
35:23 This is a spiritual parallel here, but how fitting even in the natural.
35:33 "Make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not remain lame,
35:38 twisted, dislocated, but rather be healed." The end result externally and internally should be
35:46 healing. We want, as believers, we want people healed on the outside and on the inside.
35:53 We really want them healed on the inside because they can receive their healing on the outside,
35:59 but that rotten inside will cause that sickness and disease to come right back with vengeance.
36:04 Some people hated themselves to an early grave.
36:10 Some people bad mouthed themselves to sickness and disease.
36:20 So he says, "But rather be healed." Look at verse 14. "Pursue peace with all people."
36:29 >> Yes.
36:29 >> That's believers and unbelievers. We as believers, we are, we are pursuers of peace.
36:37 "Pursue peace with all people in holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."
36:44 A lot of times the scripture gets, it gets butchered a bit because
36:54 people who, who, and you hear a lot of this in holiness churches,
36:58 saying that you got to live holy to see the Lord. That's true in part,
37:04 but, but holy living, that's not how you see the Lord. That's not how you ultimately see the Lord,
37:11 because if so, then that's works.
37:12 Seeing the Lord is responding in faith to the call of salvation.
37:21 Now watch this. Once that happens, you become holy.
37:25 So therefore, without holiness, you can't see the Lord, because you can only be made holy
37:34 when you get saved, when you get born again. Now there is holy living that you must live out,
37:39 which should be the reflection of you being made holy.
37:44 But the holy living alone is not how you see the Lord.
37:50 See, see, see deeds don't get you saved. Deeds don't unsave you.
38:01 Now you might do some deeds that you're gonna have to answer for at the judgment seat of Christ.
38:09 First Corinthians three is very clear. Works will be burned. The man will be saved.
38:19 But if I were that man, I'd fix that here on the earth. I'd remedy that. I'd rectify that.
38:27 I'd fix it here on the earth. I don't want to stand before the judgment seat of Christ,
38:32 and Jesus reads my rap sheet of bad deeds. I think I'll pass on that. Oh, you don't still be saved.
38:42 Praise God for that. But that's a rebuke I don't want. That's an admonishing and a reproving I
38:50 don't want. It's my, I'm aiming to only give an account for the good deeds.
38:56 See, deeds don't get you saved. Deeds don't unsave you. Oh, watch this. It's an act of faith,
39:06 working in opposite directions, that saves you and unsaves you.
39:10 In the scriptures, those who departed from the faith walked away.
39:16 They had nothing to do with deeds. They stopped believing.
39:21 And watch this. And they stopped believing knowing God's real.
39:25 You understand what I'm saying? No, they're not denying the existence of God. They're saying,
39:32 "I don't want God." And bitterness will get a person to that point. You become so upset with
39:39 God. You got a problem with God. Everybody got a problem with God. Nobody mad at the devil,
39:44 we mad at God. And we're mad at God because God's all-powerful and He can fix everything,
39:52 and that's the problem. Too many Christians don't know how God operates.
39:55 And you're sitting around wanting God to fix stuff He gave you the power to fix.
40:01 [applause]
40:05 God didn't say, "Pray to me so that I can make you stop lying."
40:09 No, He said, "Put it away. You do that."
40:14 So, "Pursue peace with all people in holiness, without which no one will see the Lord,
40:22 looking carefully," watch this, "looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God,
40:27 lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this, uh-oh, many
40:36 become defiled." Because of the spreading of—bitterness will spread like a virus.
40:45 You're bitter, you're resentful, you're mad at the world, and then you indoctrinate someone else.
40:55 [laughter]
40:57 And now, and now, they're just as mad as you, and they really couldn't tell you why they're mad.
41:02 [laughter]
41:08 Verse 16, "lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food,
41:15 he sold his birthright." Watch this, "for you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit
41:21 the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it
41:29 diligently with tears." That's an interesting scripture reading.
41:35 He wanted to inherit the blessing. Blessing was his, he gave it up for stew.
41:46 That soup better have been amazing, I hope.
41:50 Must have been clam chowder because—
41:55 [laughter]
42:01 He wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, because he gave up the blessing.
42:05 For he found no place for repentance. A mindset leading to a change in life,
42:13 change in lifestyle, but he sought it diligently with tears.
42:16 How, how, how many, how, how many, well, first, how many unbelievers
42:24 are seeking something with tears, but they can't acquire it?
42:29 Even worse, how many believers are seeking God's whatever, favor, blessing,
42:42 via tears alone, and that's not gonna do it? God sees tears, don't get me wrong.
42:47 But it would be better for you to not be educated in the Word,
42:53 because once you become educated in the Word, tears alone aren't gonna do it.
42:56 Not when you know better.
43:01 Look at James, James 3. This is probably where we'll finish today.
43:10 James 3, verse 1.
43:13 How many of you would say there is a worse sin?
43:19 How many of you would say there is a sin that could be called the worst?
43:26 Most of you aren't raising your hand. You would say sin is sin?
43:32 Okay, let's consider a few things. Number one,
43:36 we know that, that there, there's a specific account where Jesus refers to someone having
43:50 done the greater sin, right? But that was in a context, right? And that's not general.
43:56 For the most part, sin is sin, but we do see some sins that are more pronounced in Scripture.
44:05 Well, let's consider, I mean, I could make a case and say pride's the worst sin,
44:08 'cause that's what got us all into this mess.
44:10 You don't have the pride of Lucifer, you don't have the temptation of Adam.
44:17 So I could make a case and say pride, that's the worst sin.
44:21 Or maybe I might consider the sins that are listed in Proverbs, in which the Bible says,
44:28 "These six things the Lord hates." Maybe I would say that the seventh is worse than the six,
44:36 because it says, "Yay, seven are an abomination."
44:40 Maybe I would say that sexually immoral sins are the worst, because Paul says
44:48 sexual sin is the only sin you sin against your own body.
44:55 Or maybe the sins of the tongue could be the worst, based on what we're about to read here in James.
45:02 James 3.1, it says, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers."
45:08 That's encouraging, James, thanks.
45:10 He says, "Knowing that we shall," see, he included himself,
45:17 "Knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment."
45:20 All right, that's not something to be afraid of, ministry gifts.
45:25 Don't run from the calling now, because of what James just said.
45:28 The stricter judgment just means that we're in this capacity and function,
45:35 there's a standard we're held to. We're responsible for souls.
45:39 We can lead people down a number of paths, so you make sure if you're called,
45:48 that you indeed are called. Matter of fact, it can't be an "if you're called."
45:54 It must be an "I am called." You gotta know it.
45:56 Now watch this, verse 2, "For we all stumble in many things."
46:02 I was talking about this last week. Remember, Peter said we'll never stumble.
46:05 James says we all stumble in many things, but we cleared up that.
46:08 We understand what James was talking about. We understand what Peter was talking about.
46:12 Peter primarily was talking about stumbling away from the faith as a whole.
46:18 Right, if you keep to these things, right, adding to your faith,
46:23 beginning with faith, ending with love, and all in between.
46:26 James is talking about the life of the believer, right? Perfect spirits with souls being perfected,
46:33 but we live in imperfect flesh, and so we're going to miss the mark sometimes.
46:36 Right? No one in here should be making it their aim. We shouldn't be waking up in the morning,
46:42 right, looking at our calendar and our schedule and penciling in when we're going to miss the mark.
46:46 Right? I don't think any of us are doing that. Right? We're not making that our aim, but we know
46:52 this imperfect flesh. So what does James say? We all stumble in many things.
46:58 If anyone does not stumble in word, he's perfect. Able also to bridle the whole body.
47:05 Says indeed, we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
47:12 Their whole body? Doesn't the horse weigh more than you and I? But with the bit, we can turn the horse.
47:20 How about this? It's not even written, but I can tell a dog what to do.
47:25 Did I wave a wand? Did I sprinkle pixie dust in his ears?
47:34 No. I said something with my mouth. Right? And even an untrained dog, or a dog
47:48 that is a dog that does not belong to you, you can tell a strange dog to come here.
47:53 There's a high probability that dog will come. You did that with your mouth. You did that with
47:59 your tongue. Verse four, look also at ships, although they're so large and driven by fierce
48:06 winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so, oh, James,
48:17 where are you going with this? Even so, the tongue is a little member, but it boasts great things.
48:25 Now let's stop right there. Great things could be good or bad.
48:30 Right? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Death and life are in the power of the
48:38 tongue. So James says, even so the tongue is a little member. After he talks about the rudder
48:45 of the ship and the bits placed in the mouth of the horse, he says, even so the tongue,
48:51 he's likening the tongue to that rudder, to that bit. Even so the tongue is a little member and
48:57 boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles. And the tongue is a fire.
49:06 It's a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it what? Defiles the whole
49:17 body and sets on fire the course of nature and is set on fire by hell.
49:25 James sound like he's making a case for the sins of the tongue being the worst. Now watch this,
49:34 none of the writers are saying that any particular sin is worse than any other sin,
49:39 but it is true that some sins come with graver consequences. It's just a fact.
49:45 It's a fact. There are certain things you could do in front of a police officer that will net you
49:54 a worse punishment than maybe other things you could do in front of a police officer.
50:02 You could do a certain something and you just get a verbal reprimand
50:05 or something else will have you in cuffs.
50:09 I mean crime is crime. Sin is sin. But some crimes and some sins have graver consequences.
50:20 James is focusing on how the tongue defies, I mean think about this, Paul said sexual immorality is a
50:30 sin against your own body, but James says the tongue defiles the whole body.
50:35 And see more Christians need to read this because with the tongue that defiles the
50:44 whole body they want to judge the person who fell into sin sexually.
50:47 See the problem is this, misery loves company, right? So a miserable person needs to look for
50:56 somebody else going through something worse than what they're going through so the spotlight can
51:00 no longer be on them. But see that rotten putrid bitterness is in their heart. Look at verse 7.
51:14 "For every kind of beast and bird of reptile and creature of the sea is tamed and has been tamed by
51:19 mankind but no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of what? Deadly poison.
51:27 With it we bless our God and Father and with the same tongue what do we do?
51:34 We curse men who have been made in the similitude of God." You look like God, they look like God,
51:40 you take that tongue, you bless God and curse the one who looks like God,
51:43 who is like God, who's been made in the image of God.
51:46 "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be
51:59 so. Does the spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?"
52:05 But see the bitter comes from bitterness, right? Bitter root produces bitter fruit.
52:14 "Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both
52:22 salt water and fresh. Who is wise in understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his
52:28 works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy, if you have bitter envy,
52:35 if you wait a minute, isn't envy bad enough? But if you have bitter envy, I said it before,
52:45 jealousy, envy, see bitterness and resentful resentfulness and jealousy and envy and anger
52:54 and wrath and murder and bitterness is just an open door to other heinous acts.
53:02 Then that heart becomes so black, so dark, angry at everything.
53:09 You get angry at stuff you shouldn't be angry at.
53:12 If you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
53:20 This wisdom doesn't descend from above. It's earthly, it's sensual, it's demonic.
53:28 For where envy and self-seeking exists, wherever you find that, and see here's the thing,
53:35 if you found out where envy exists, you can bet money bitterness is there.
53:40 Where envy and self-seeking exists, confusion and every evil thing are there.
53:47 But the wisdom that is from above, that's where mommy got that from, wisdom from above.
53:54 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield,
53:59 full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
54:03 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace, so the opposite must be true.
54:09 The what? The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
54:15 What about those who make war?
54:20 See that's why Hebrew says you got to root that bitterness out, otherwise it's going to defile others.
54:26 We can't allow bitterness to exist in this community of believers,
54:31 and I don't just mean Crenshaw, but wherever your local ecclesia is,
54:36 bitterness cannot be allowed to run amok.
54:40 It must be pulled by its roots and excommunicated.
54:48 We'll pick up next time. Father, we thank you for your word. It's life and truth.
54:51 It will not, it cannot return to you void, but it will accomplish what it's set to do.
54:57 It'll prosper where it's sent. Father, I thank you that the seed of the word,
55:00 that which is incorruptible, has indeed gone forth, and it has been sown into the hearts of the people.