1 00:00:05,115 --> 00:00:09,206 "Pastor Tim, can you please do commentary 2 00:00:09,206 --> 00:00:13,177 and give good advice on the subject 3 00:00:13,177 --> 00:00:16,778 of today's young Calvinists 4 00:00:16,778 --> 00:00:18,400 being more loving 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,687 and bearing fruit of the Spirit? 6 00:00:20,687 --> 00:00:22,660 To form a question out of it, 7 00:00:22,660 --> 00:00:27,924 is it okay to appear rather mean and unloving 8 00:00:27,924 --> 00:00:30,506 while being a Christian who identifies 9 00:00:30,506 --> 00:00:35,257 as a Calvinist?" 10 00:00:35,257 --> 00:00:39,146 And then he writes a lot of other things here, 11 00:00:39,146 --> 00:00:43,225 but at the end he says this: 12 00:00:43,225 --> 00:00:46,461 "I recently went to a Calvinism debate 13 00:00:46,461 --> 00:00:48,211 by James White. 14 00:00:48,211 --> 00:00:49,788 Everyone I met there, 15 00:00:49,788 --> 00:00:52,495 I brought up the points you made 16 00:00:52,495 --> 00:00:59,049 in your 'Is Theology Your Idol?' video. 17 00:00:59,049 --> 00:01:02,490 I friended more than 50 people on Facebook 18 00:01:02,490 --> 00:01:04,492 that went to the debate, 19 00:01:04,492 --> 00:01:06,587 and talked to almost all of them 20 00:01:06,587 --> 00:01:08,539 on Facebook Messenger. 21 00:01:08,539 --> 00:01:10,769 I had dialogue with them in a very natural, 22 00:01:10,769 --> 00:01:14,382 non-confrontational way about this subject 23 00:01:14,382 --> 00:01:19,446 and how I've repented, 24 00:01:19,446 --> 00:01:23,267 how my mind has changed. 25 00:01:23,267 --> 00:01:25,468 I sent them all your video. 26 00:01:25,468 --> 00:01:27,182 A good chunk were grateful 27 00:01:27,182 --> 00:01:29,697 and told me they felt convicted as well, 28 00:01:29,697 --> 00:01:31,202 but there were others 29 00:01:31,202 --> 00:01:33,995 who were talking in a scholarly language 30 00:01:33,995 --> 00:01:35,848 trying to stand up for continuing 31 00:01:35,848 --> 00:01:37,899 to appear mean and cold, 32 00:01:37,899 --> 00:01:40,957 and trying to say Scripture doesn't tell us otherwise. 33 00:01:40,957 --> 00:01:43,008 Some of these guys cuss 34 00:01:43,008 --> 00:01:54,761 and are getting Ph.D.'s at Bible college." 35 00:01:54,761 --> 00:01:58,053 Tim: So the mean and cold ones 36 00:01:58,053 --> 00:02:07,716 are "cussers" as well, I guess. 37 00:02:07,716 --> 00:02:10,598 But do you know that not long ago - 38 00:02:10,598 --> 00:02:12,434 it's been some years now, 39 00:02:12,434 --> 00:02:15,471 but Time Magazine ran an article called, 40 00:02:15,471 --> 00:02:20,542 "Ten Ideas Changing the World Right Now." 41 00:02:20,542 --> 00:02:25,337 And the third on the list was Calvinism. 42 00:02:25,337 --> 00:02:27,066 This new Calvinism. 43 00:02:27,066 --> 00:02:40,488 We've talked about the young restless reformed. 44 00:02:40,488 --> 00:02:41,918 What do you think? 45 00:02:41,918 --> 00:02:44,520 Mean? 46 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,125 Can we justify being mean? 47 00:02:47,125 --> 00:02:51,476 Let's ask this: 48 00:02:51,476 --> 00:02:54,505 This guy has a concern 49 00:02:54,505 --> 00:03:00,710 that there are folks in the Calvinistic circles 50 00:03:00,710 --> 00:03:03,728 that are mean. 51 00:03:03,728 --> 00:03:07,264 Now rather than just jumping on that bandwagon 52 00:03:07,264 --> 00:03:09,481 and assuming that what he's saying is right 53 00:03:09,481 --> 00:03:11,087 and going to answer it, 54 00:03:11,087 --> 00:03:19,134 is there a sense that that's right? 55 00:03:19,134 --> 00:03:26,780 What can you say about Calvinism 56 00:03:26,780 --> 00:03:29,125 and those who profess it? 57 00:03:29,125 --> 00:03:40,863 And churches that hold to the doctrines of grace? 58 00:03:40,863 --> 00:03:43,390 I mean, just from your own experience, 59 00:03:43,390 --> 00:03:47,842 would you say he's right at all? 60 00:03:47,842 --> 00:03:49,954 I mean, he says, even in those 61 00:03:49,954 --> 00:03:51,504 who went to that debate, 62 00:03:51,504 --> 00:03:55,278 he says many of the people responded well. 63 00:03:55,278 --> 00:03:57,701 The video that he was sharing with them 64 00:03:57,701 --> 00:04:05,407 was basically a video - 65 00:04:05,407 --> 00:04:08,701 were you taping then? 66 00:04:08,701 --> 00:04:11,060 James: That was 8 years ago. 67 00:04:11,060 --> 00:04:14,750 Tim: Eight years ago? 68 00:04:14,750 --> 00:04:22,646 On theology being our idol. 69 00:04:22,646 --> 00:04:25,153 And so what would I have said in there 70 00:04:25,153 --> 00:04:27,315 that he would be making a point 71 00:04:27,315 --> 00:04:33,432 with these people? 72 00:04:33,432 --> 00:04:36,881 I think it had to do with priority. 73 00:04:36,881 --> 00:04:39,297 Where your theology becomes 74 00:04:39,297 --> 00:04:43,279 the most important thing over and above 75 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,245 perhaps the things that Christ says 76 00:04:46,245 --> 00:04:49,394 are the weightier matters of the law. 77 00:04:49,394 --> 00:04:51,422 That's not to say that doctrine 78 00:04:51,422 --> 00:04:54,761 isn't a weighty matter. 79 00:04:54,761 --> 00:04:58,364 That doesn't mean that truth isn't a weighty matter. 80 00:04:58,364 --> 00:05:00,055 But what we do with it, 81 00:05:00,055 --> 00:05:02,020 how we respond with it, 82 00:05:02,020 --> 00:05:04,470 how we react towards other people 83 00:05:04,470 --> 00:05:07,235 because of what we believe, 84 00:05:07,235 --> 00:05:14,101 we never want to neglect the weighty matters. 85 00:05:14,101 --> 00:05:23,160 So, what makes Calvinists mean? 86 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:24,137 (from the room) 87 00:05:24,137 --> 00:05:27,000 I feel like sometimes people confuse 88 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,561 God's wrath when you talk about it 89 00:05:29,561 --> 00:05:32,417 as coming off as mean. 90 00:05:32,417 --> 00:05:35,651 That's what I've kind of experienced in the past. 91 00:05:35,651 --> 00:05:38,311 So it's like don't talk about the wrath of God. 92 00:05:38,311 --> 00:05:41,174 Talk about grace. 93 00:05:41,174 --> 00:05:44,768 So I don't know if that would be it. 94 00:05:44,768 --> 00:05:51,310 Tim: Here's something to think about. 95 00:05:51,310 --> 00:05:56,919 I know years ago, back in 1996, 96 00:05:56,919 --> 00:06:03,798 Brother Andy brought a series on missions, 97 00:06:03,798 --> 00:06:11,497 and he did one message on reasons why 98 00:06:11,497 --> 00:06:13,856 those in reformed circles 99 00:06:13,856 --> 00:06:19,642 are not more involved in missions. 100 00:06:19,642 --> 00:06:23,099 And one of the things that he brought up 101 00:06:23,099 --> 00:06:32,375 was isolationism. 102 00:06:32,375 --> 00:06:35,000 Do you know the very nature 103 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:39,504 of believing in election 104 00:06:39,504 --> 00:06:44,886 makes those who believe in the doctrines of grace 105 00:06:44,886 --> 00:06:49,507 very narrow? 106 00:06:49,507 --> 00:06:51,950 It comes across that way. 107 00:06:51,950 --> 00:06:54,633 You're very narrow. 108 00:06:54,633 --> 00:06:56,453 You've got this elect people. 109 00:06:56,453 --> 00:06:58,677 I remember as a young believer, 110 00:06:58,677 --> 00:07:01,022 I had somebody very close to me in my family 111 00:07:01,022 --> 00:07:04,966 say, "I hope you're going to be happy 112 00:07:04,966 --> 00:07:09,613 in heaven all by yourself." 113 00:07:09,613 --> 00:07:15,193 But the reality is if we understand Scripture, 114 00:07:15,193 --> 00:07:19,766 we understand that they asked the Lord one day, 115 00:07:19,766 --> 00:07:23,451 "Are there many or are there few 116 00:07:23,451 --> 00:07:27,157 that are going to be saved?" 117 00:07:27,157 --> 00:07:29,748 "Strive to enter in," He said. 118 00:07:29,748 --> 00:07:31,926 "For many are going to seek to enter in 119 00:07:31,926 --> 00:07:34,910 and will not be able." 120 00:07:34,910 --> 00:07:37,249 We recognize that both 121 00:07:37,249 --> 00:07:39,057 coming at it from the human side 122 00:07:39,057 --> 00:07:41,569 and the striving and the narrow gate, 123 00:07:41,569 --> 00:07:42,877 there's few. 124 00:07:42,877 --> 00:07:45,233 We recognize from God's perspective 125 00:07:45,233 --> 00:07:47,196 and the sovereign side of this 126 00:07:47,196 --> 00:07:50,767 that there are an elect people. 127 00:07:50,767 --> 00:07:55,631 It can seem very narrow. 128 00:07:55,631 --> 00:08:01,699 And that's not the same as isolation. 129 00:08:01,699 --> 00:08:05,528 I think what happens 130 00:08:05,528 --> 00:08:09,256 is that we get people 131 00:08:09,256 --> 00:08:13,805 who come to the doctrines of grace, 132 00:08:13,805 --> 00:08:22,103 and they settle into their little reformed communities, 133 00:08:22,103 --> 00:08:27,543 and they basically cut themselves off from the world. 134 00:08:27,543 --> 00:08:33,287 And I can remember visiting a church 135 00:08:33,287 --> 00:08:40,780 up in Kalamazoo that was reformed. 136 00:08:40,780 --> 00:08:42,460 And I doubt people a block away 137 00:08:42,460 --> 00:08:44,685 knew the church was there. 138 00:08:44,685 --> 00:08:46,215 And that was kind of how I felt 139 00:08:46,215 --> 00:08:48,059 about many of the reformed churches. 140 00:08:48,059 --> 00:08:49,148 People would come - 141 00:08:49,148 --> 00:08:51,831 sometimes they would drive from fairly far away 142 00:08:51,831 --> 00:08:56,399 and they would conglomerate in this building, 143 00:08:56,399 --> 00:08:58,776 and then they would go back out again. 144 00:08:58,776 --> 00:09:01,094 But you just didn't get a real feel 145 00:09:01,094 --> 00:09:07,174 that the people knew they were there. 146 00:09:07,174 --> 00:09:11,354 This idea of meanness... 147 00:09:11,354 --> 00:09:15,010 I think the thing I talked about in that video 148 00:09:15,010 --> 00:09:20,500 was just about how knowledge puffs up. 149 00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:23,943 There is a knowledge that humbles us, 150 00:09:23,943 --> 00:09:26,906 and there is a knowledge that puffs up. 151 00:09:26,906 --> 00:09:30,802 And what can happen is people come 152 00:09:30,802 --> 00:09:33,262 to these doctrines - 153 00:09:33,262 --> 00:09:35,513 it's like God has shed some light 154 00:09:35,513 --> 00:09:41,312 that you kind of feel like maybe other people don't see, 155 00:09:41,312 --> 00:09:44,340 and then you feel superior. 156 00:09:44,340 --> 00:09:47,927 And then you look down at people. 157 00:09:47,927 --> 00:09:50,085 And it's more about what I know. 158 00:09:50,085 --> 00:09:52,784 If you recognize what he said there, 159 00:09:52,784 --> 00:09:56,206 he said it was like there were these scholarly guys 160 00:09:56,206 --> 00:09:57,928 who are getting Ph.D.'s - 161 00:09:57,928 --> 00:10:01,650 and you don't want to stereotype that all the Ph.D.'s 162 00:10:01,650 --> 00:10:03,758 are mean and arrogant. 163 00:10:03,758 --> 00:10:10,194 But it is interesting that Jesus told us 164 00:10:10,194 --> 00:10:13,977 something about titles. 165 00:10:13,977 --> 00:10:17,294 And really that we should call one another "brother." 166 00:10:17,294 --> 00:10:18,771 And there are a lot of guys 167 00:10:18,771 --> 00:10:23,618 that really like to be called "doctor." 168 00:10:23,618 --> 00:10:26,158 I think Christians probably should leave 169 00:10:26,158 --> 00:10:29,157 those titles behind. 170 00:10:29,157 --> 00:10:33,342 Because it tends to make men feel superior. 171 00:10:33,342 --> 00:10:36,143 Calling somebody "doctor" is probably 172 00:10:36,143 --> 00:10:41,819 the reformed way of calling somebody "father." 173 00:10:41,819 --> 00:10:43,586 It's like they would be better off 174 00:10:43,586 --> 00:10:48,239 if they left that title behind. 175 00:10:48,239 --> 00:10:50,216 And I recognize some people use it 176 00:10:50,216 --> 00:10:57,395 to show respect. 177 00:10:57,395 --> 00:11:00,154 But brethren, as Calvinists; 178 00:11:00,154 --> 00:11:04,114 as those who hold to the doctrines of grace, 179 00:11:04,114 --> 00:11:07,729 brethren, you know what we don't ever want to forget? 180 00:11:07,729 --> 00:11:10,207 I've been thinking a lot about these verses. 181 00:11:10,207 --> 00:11:12,203 There's various of them. 182 00:11:12,203 --> 00:11:19,309 How about somebody read Matthew 23:23? 183 00:11:19,309 --> 00:11:20,149 You know this. 184 00:11:20,149 --> 00:11:23,752 Jesus rebuking the Pharisees. 185 00:11:23,752 --> 00:11:25,983 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! 186 00:11:25,983 --> 00:11:27,487 Hypocrites! 187 00:11:27,487 --> 00:11:30,178 For you tithe mint and dill and cumin 188 00:11:30,178 --> 00:11:33,152 and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, 189 00:11:33,152 --> 00:11:35,261 justice and mercy and faithfulness." 190 00:11:35,261 --> 00:11:37,903 Tim: Justice and mercy and faithfulness. 191 00:11:37,903 --> 00:11:39,989 And sometimes I think about people - 192 00:11:39,989 --> 00:11:44,300 certain people - they can dot every "i" 193 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:46,725 and cross every "t" 194 00:11:46,725 --> 00:11:50,114 but they neglect the weightier matters. 195 00:11:50,114 --> 00:11:51,111 Mercy. 196 00:11:51,111 --> 00:11:52,729 Can you think of any other verses 197 00:11:52,729 --> 00:11:57,143 that are similar to that? 198 00:11:57,143 --> 00:12:01,064 Do you remember when Matthew or Levi 199 00:12:01,064 --> 00:12:02,809 had Jesus over? 200 00:12:02,809 --> 00:12:07,071 And Jesus confronted the same Pharisees? 201 00:12:07,071 --> 00:12:09,621 Do you remember what He said there? 202 00:12:09,621 --> 00:12:18,771 Where's that? Matthew 9? 203 00:12:18,771 --> 00:12:21,470 Mercy and not sacrifice. 204 00:12:21,470 --> 00:12:27,690 And then what it is? Matthew 12? 205 00:12:27,690 --> 00:12:32,417 Oh, that's the one where His disciples 206 00:12:32,417 --> 00:12:34,440 were going through and picking 207 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,898 the grain on the Sabbath. 208 00:12:38,898 --> 00:12:49,265 And what did Jesus respond there with? 209 00:12:49,265 --> 00:12:51,332 Anybody remember there? 210 00:12:51,332 --> 00:12:55,362 (unintelligible) 211 00:12:55,362 --> 00:12:58,880 I desire mercy and not sacrifice. 212 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,638 And then you remember the account right after that? 213 00:13:01,638 --> 00:13:03,370 There's a man with a withered hand 214 00:13:03,370 --> 00:13:04,487 and He brings him out. 215 00:13:04,487 --> 00:13:07,331 And there's different accounts, and there's different places 216 00:13:07,331 --> 00:13:08,973 where He expresses this truth. 217 00:13:08,973 --> 00:13:10,626 But He basically says this: 218 00:13:10,626 --> 00:13:13,332 Look, you guys, if you have an ox 219 00:13:13,332 --> 00:13:15,654 or a sheep or a son 220 00:13:15,654 --> 00:13:18,404 who falls into that pit or that well 221 00:13:18,404 --> 00:13:21,983 on the Sabbath, you'll pull him out. 222 00:13:21,983 --> 00:13:25,943 And listen to what He said. 223 00:13:25,943 --> 00:13:30,906 Is it right to do good on the Sabbath? 224 00:13:30,906 --> 00:13:32,459 What does that have to do 225 00:13:32,459 --> 00:13:34,120 with all the new Calvinism? 226 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:35,632 It has everything. 227 00:13:35,632 --> 00:13:42,391 Brethren, this is what mattered. 228 00:13:42,391 --> 00:13:44,188 You remember the text? 229 00:13:44,188 --> 00:13:48,010 I mentioned this on Sunday. 230 00:13:48,010 --> 00:13:50,989 "This is not the way you learned Christ 231 00:13:50,989 --> 00:13:53,135 assuming that you have learned of Him 232 00:13:53,135 --> 00:13:56,037 and have heard of Him as the truth is in Jesus." 233 00:13:56,037 --> 00:13:57,960 But think with me here. 234 00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,476 How do we learn Christ? 235 00:13:59,476 --> 00:14:01,766 Right from verses like these. 236 00:14:01,766 --> 00:14:03,572 And what do we learn? 237 00:14:03,572 --> 00:14:05,294 What's weighty with Him? 238 00:14:05,294 --> 00:14:06,990 What's the most important thing? 239 00:14:06,990 --> 00:14:08,853 Is the most important thing 240 00:14:08,853 --> 00:14:11,936 for you to win a battle in an argument 241 00:14:11,936 --> 00:14:14,615 on election? 242 00:14:14,615 --> 00:14:16,826 And you know what happens? 243 00:14:16,826 --> 00:14:20,784 Oftentimes, we get exposed to these things. 244 00:14:20,784 --> 00:14:22,236 There's nobody more dangerous 245 00:14:22,236 --> 00:14:27,476 than a young "Calvinist." 246 00:14:27,476 --> 00:14:32,273 Has just come to understand 247 00:14:32,273 --> 00:14:34,546 double-predestination, 248 00:14:34,546 --> 00:14:38,815 and has had his eyes open to Romans 9, 249 00:14:38,815 --> 00:14:44,538 and goes out and bashes the family 250 00:14:44,538 --> 00:14:49,092 and just butchers people with those things. 251 00:14:49,092 --> 00:14:53,453 Election and limited atonement. 252 00:14:53,453 --> 00:14:55,247 By the time he's done with everybody, 253 00:14:55,247 --> 00:14:57,377 he's made it seem to everybody 254 00:14:57,377 --> 00:15:02,652 like it's impossible to get to heaven. 255 00:15:02,652 --> 00:15:08,836 Whereas Jesus - think about Him. 256 00:15:08,836 --> 00:15:11,442 A leper comes to Him 257 00:15:11,442 --> 00:15:16,185 and He touches him. 258 00:15:16,185 --> 00:15:19,779 I can remember a family called me. 259 00:15:19,779 --> 00:15:22,244 They wanted to know about the church. 260 00:15:22,244 --> 00:15:26,396 And I mean, you can tell 261 00:15:26,396 --> 00:15:27,922 by the questions people ask - 262 00:15:27,922 --> 00:15:30,133 this was back when I was manning the phone 263 00:15:30,133 --> 00:15:31,610 before James took it over. 264 00:15:31,610 --> 00:15:32,734 Somebody called, 265 00:15:32,734 --> 00:15:34,795 "Well, tell me about the church." 266 00:15:34,795 --> 00:15:37,696 And I could tell by the questions, 267 00:15:37,696 --> 00:15:40,372 it's like: Do you have Sunday school? 268 00:15:40,372 --> 00:15:42,082 Do you do this? Do you do that? 269 00:15:42,082 --> 00:15:45,239 It's like the guy's making judgments. 270 00:15:45,239 --> 00:15:47,667 And you know, in the end I said - 271 00:15:47,667 --> 00:15:50,055 and this was in the earlier years 272 00:15:50,055 --> 00:15:52,742 when we were meeting over at Fatty's - 273 00:15:52,742 --> 00:15:56,469 and I said, 274 00:15:56,469 --> 00:16:03,265 "Sir, if you're okay to have a meal 275 00:16:03,265 --> 00:16:05,367 after the service and maybe sit across 276 00:16:05,367 --> 00:16:06,683 from a prostitute, 277 00:16:06,683 --> 00:16:09,700 we're the kind of church you want to come to. 278 00:16:09,700 --> 00:16:14,864 If that's not up your alley, 279 00:16:14,864 --> 00:16:18,702 you probably want to look for another church." 280 00:16:18,702 --> 00:16:20,904 And he never came. 281 00:16:20,904 --> 00:16:26,428 And we're probably much better off for it. 282 00:16:26,428 --> 00:16:29,602 But this is what matters. 283 00:16:29,602 --> 00:16:33,922 Jesus wants our doctrine to be biblical, 284 00:16:33,922 --> 00:16:37,395 but with it, we need to remember 285 00:16:37,395 --> 00:16:39,169 the weighty matters. 286 00:16:39,169 --> 00:16:41,424 I've been thinking about the Moravians. 287 00:16:41,424 --> 00:16:43,335 I've been thinking about the Moravians 288 00:16:43,335 --> 00:16:45,416 for the last couple days. 289 00:16:45,416 --> 00:16:47,472 The ones that sold themselves 290 00:16:47,472 --> 00:16:50,645 to the leper colony. 291 00:16:50,645 --> 00:16:52,538 Ruby and I saw something the other day 292 00:16:52,538 --> 00:16:53,782 concerning leprosy, 293 00:16:53,782 --> 00:16:56,250 and I've just been thinking. 294 00:16:56,250 --> 00:17:00,080 They sold themselves into a leper colony 295 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,095 where they likely were going to get leprosy. 296 00:17:04,095 --> 00:17:06,997 You know what? That wins the world. 297 00:17:06,997 --> 00:17:10,307 Not your debate over Calvinism. 298 00:17:10,307 --> 00:17:14,382 Not getting your Ph.D. and being mean and ugly. 299 00:17:14,382 --> 00:17:17,195 You know what melts people's hearts? 300 00:17:17,195 --> 00:17:18,955 "I will. Be clean." 301 00:17:18,955 --> 00:17:20,336 Now, we can't do that. 302 00:17:20,336 --> 00:17:25,082 We can't heal like Jesus could. 303 00:17:25,082 --> 00:17:26,757 But we could jump the wall 304 00:17:26,757 --> 00:17:33,505 and go into the leper colony. 305 00:17:33,505 --> 00:17:34,626 I'll tell you, 306 00:17:34,626 --> 00:17:39,818 that's what turns the world upside down. 307 00:17:39,818 --> 00:17:43,747 Our right theology - 308 00:17:43,747 --> 00:17:46,024 oh, Brother Andy hit it right on the head 309 00:17:46,024 --> 00:17:49,779 back in that '96 series. 310 00:17:49,779 --> 00:17:51,199 The whole reformed movement 311 00:17:51,199 --> 00:17:53,209 will just basically be a footnote 312 00:17:53,209 --> 00:17:56,071 in church history if all we have 313 00:17:56,071 --> 00:18:00,754 is just correct doctrine. 314 00:18:00,754 --> 00:18:04,609 That's not what has ever turned the world upside down. 315 00:18:04,609 --> 00:18:05,584 It simply isn't. 316 00:18:05,584 --> 00:18:07,798 The Moravians turned the world upside down. 317 00:18:07,798 --> 00:18:09,530 And we would say their doctrine 318 00:18:09,530 --> 00:18:13,356 probably didn't square up in some places. 319 00:18:13,356 --> 00:18:15,293 But you know they could look at us 320 00:18:15,293 --> 00:18:16,165 and they could say 321 00:18:16,165 --> 00:18:21,552 our lives don't square up in a lot of places. 322 00:18:21,552 --> 00:18:24,072 I personally would rather have what they had 323 00:18:24,072 --> 00:18:25,687 than have what we have 324 00:18:25,687 --> 00:18:30,255 if all it is is just the dead letter. 325 00:18:30,255 --> 00:18:32,880 I've prayed this - I've wanted this, 326 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,567 that God would make our church 327 00:18:35,567 --> 00:18:37,557 or maybe our circle of churches 328 00:18:37,557 --> 00:18:39,016 in this day and age 329 00:18:39,016 --> 00:18:41,136 the modern Moravian movement; 330 00:18:41,136 --> 00:18:43,116 some kind of movement of the Spirit 331 00:18:43,116 --> 00:18:47,183 that would just unleash a passion. 332 00:18:47,183 --> 00:18:53,018 Think about this. 333 00:18:53,018 --> 00:18:54,968 I mean, somebody open up 334 00:18:54,968 --> 00:19:00,938 and just begin reading 1 Corinthians 13:1. 335 00:19:00,938 --> 00:19:03,987 Just start reading there. 336 00:19:03,987 --> 00:19:06,408 Again, Brother Andy, when he was here 337 00:19:06,408 --> 00:19:11,289 and he spoke at the men's Grace House 338 00:19:11,289 --> 00:19:14,028 when it was over on Pine Street, 339 00:19:14,028 --> 00:19:19,115 he said that these verses affect him 340 00:19:19,115 --> 00:19:20,575 more than anything else. 341 00:19:20,575 --> 00:19:21,989 They should affect us too. 342 00:19:21,989 --> 00:19:24,314 And look what it's done to his life. 343 00:19:24,314 --> 00:19:26,125 He's not some cold Calvinist. 344 00:19:26,125 --> 00:19:28,958 He and his wife are giving their lives. 345 00:19:28,958 --> 00:19:31,210 This is what we want to be. 346 00:19:31,210 --> 00:19:36,878 Somebody start reading that. 347 00:19:36,878 --> 00:19:38,504 1 Corinthians 13:1. 348 00:19:38,504 --> 00:19:42,605 Just start reading real loud. 349 00:19:42,605 --> 00:19:45,980 "And yet I will show you the most excellent way. 350 00:19:45,980 --> 00:19:48,115 If I speak in the tongues of men 351 00:19:48,115 --> 00:19:50,816 or of angels, but do not have love, 352 00:19:50,816 --> 00:19:53,043 I am only a resounding gong 353 00:19:53,043 --> 00:19:54,542 or a clanging cymbal." 354 00:19:54,542 --> 00:19:56,914 Tim: Okay, stop there. 355 00:19:56,914 --> 00:19:58,528 See how we speak? 356 00:19:58,528 --> 00:20:00,403 We stand in the pulpit and speak? 357 00:20:00,403 --> 00:20:05,338 Oh, we can perfectly articulate 358 00:20:05,338 --> 00:20:08,302 our views on the atonement 359 00:20:08,302 --> 00:20:10,556 or perfectly articulate justification 360 00:20:10,556 --> 00:20:13,691 and how it's different from sanctification. 361 00:20:13,691 --> 00:20:16,591 But listen to what Paul's saying. 362 00:20:16,591 --> 00:20:18,115 You see, this goes right along 363 00:20:18,115 --> 00:20:19,546 with what Jesus was saying. 364 00:20:19,546 --> 00:20:21,546 What are the weighty matters? 365 00:20:21,546 --> 00:20:25,776 As we refine our doctrine, 366 00:20:25,776 --> 00:20:30,627 we need to see such glorious views of God 367 00:20:30,627 --> 00:20:34,156 that at the same time are producing 368 00:20:34,156 --> 00:20:38,187 such fruit in our own lives, 369 00:20:38,187 --> 00:20:41,005 and if it doesn't, it's worthless. 370 00:20:41,005 --> 00:20:43,806 And the thing is, we can try to convince ourselves - 371 00:20:43,806 --> 00:20:48,005 it's almost like we think, 372 00:20:48,005 --> 00:20:51,132 well, we have come to understand truth 373 00:20:51,132 --> 00:20:54,038 that other people have not come to understand, 374 00:20:54,038 --> 00:20:57,837 and therefore that automatically 375 00:20:57,837 --> 00:21:00,493 guarantees a blessing. 376 00:21:00,493 --> 00:21:06,769 That automatically guarantees success. 377 00:21:06,769 --> 00:21:09,515 Brethren, I can remember 378 00:21:09,515 --> 00:21:12,134 when our church first started 379 00:21:12,134 --> 00:21:14,494 and I was considering joining 380 00:21:14,494 --> 00:21:18,218 a Reformed Baptist Association 381 00:21:18,218 --> 00:21:21,905 that operates in the United States 382 00:21:21,905 --> 00:21:26,132 and abroad. 383 00:21:26,132 --> 00:21:30,732 And you know, as I examined it, 384 00:21:30,732 --> 00:21:34,494 do you what I began to realize? 385 00:21:34,494 --> 00:21:41,419 I began to realize that the missionaries - 386 00:21:41,419 --> 00:21:45,644 every single missionary 387 00:21:45,644 --> 00:21:49,550 being sent out by this reformed Baptist association, 388 00:21:49,550 --> 00:21:52,093 every one of them at that time 389 00:21:52,093 --> 00:21:53,750 when I was assessing it, 390 00:21:53,750 --> 00:21:58,308 every one of them were saved 391 00:21:58,308 --> 00:22:00,674 in other circles; 392 00:22:00,674 --> 00:22:02,068 every single one of them 393 00:22:02,068 --> 00:22:05,601 got their missionary burden 394 00:22:05,601 --> 00:22:08,045 in other circles, 395 00:22:08,045 --> 00:22:09,762 and then at some point, 396 00:22:09,762 --> 00:22:11,723 came to the doctrines of grace 397 00:22:11,723 --> 00:22:13,719 and joined this. 398 00:22:13,719 --> 00:22:16,609 And one of the guys that was trying to recruit me, 399 00:22:16,609 --> 00:22:20,637 he asked about joining and I asked him, 400 00:22:20,637 --> 00:22:24,298 doesn't it bother you 401 00:22:24,298 --> 00:22:26,006 that the movement is not producing 402 00:22:26,006 --> 00:22:27,884 its own missionaries? 403 00:22:27,884 --> 00:22:29,287 They're all transplants. 404 00:22:29,287 --> 00:22:32,786 They all come from somewhere else. 405 00:22:32,786 --> 00:22:37,511 Why is that fruit not coming out of our churches? 406 00:22:37,511 --> 00:22:39,413 He said, "no, that doesn't bother me. 407 00:22:39,413 --> 00:22:41,303 I think we should give ourselves more 408 00:22:41,303 --> 00:22:43,220 to printing books anyways." 409 00:22:43,220 --> 00:22:45,390 I thought I don't like that. 410 00:22:45,390 --> 00:22:48,353 I want to be part of circles 411 00:22:48,353 --> 00:22:50,371 where the Spirit of God is saving, 412 00:22:50,371 --> 00:22:52,242 and where the Spirit of God 413 00:22:52,242 --> 00:22:54,054 is putting His hand on men and women 414 00:22:54,054 --> 00:22:56,943 and burdening them with a passion for souls. 415 00:22:56,943 --> 00:22:59,729 I don't want this dead Calvinism. 416 00:22:59,729 --> 00:23:06,979 I don't want it. 417 00:23:06,979 --> 00:23:10,738 But I mean, we need this. 418 00:23:10,738 --> 00:23:14,564 Keep reading now. 419 00:23:14,564 --> 00:23:17,007 "If I have the gift of prophecy 420 00:23:17,007 --> 00:23:18,875 and can fathom all mysteries 421 00:23:18,875 --> 00:23:20,569 and all knowledge, 422 00:23:20,569 --> 00:23:23,434 and if I have a faith that can move mountains, 423 00:23:23,434 --> 00:23:26,656 but do not have love, I am nothing. 424 00:23:26,656 --> 00:23:29,216 If I give all I possess to the poor, 425 00:23:29,216 --> 00:23:31,485 and give over my body to hardship 426 00:23:31,485 --> 00:23:33,977 that I may boast, but do not have love, 427 00:23:33,977 --> 00:23:36,083 I gain nothing. 428 00:23:36,083 --> 00:23:38,080 Love is patient, love is kind..." 429 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,778 Tim: Okay, that's far enough. 430 00:23:40,778 --> 00:23:46,724 But you think about, 431 00:23:46,724 --> 00:23:49,151 like I think of 1 Timothy. 432 00:23:49,151 --> 00:23:52,862 Somebody open to 1 Timothy 1. 433 00:23:52,862 --> 00:23:56,036 Maybe about verse 5. 434 00:23:56,036 --> 00:23:59,143 And read that text. 435 00:23:59,143 --> 00:24:02,802 1 Timothy 1:5. 436 00:24:02,802 --> 00:24:05,848 The aim... 437 00:24:05,848 --> 00:24:07,465 "The aim of our charge is love 438 00:24:07,465 --> 00:24:09,107 that issues from a pure heart 439 00:24:09,107 --> 00:24:10,524 and a good conscience 440 00:24:10,524 --> 00:24:11,677 and a sincere faith." 441 00:24:11,677 --> 00:24:12,584 Tim: Notice that. 442 00:24:12,584 --> 00:24:14,542 And another text I think a lot about 443 00:24:14,542 --> 00:24:16,544 is Galatians 5:6. 444 00:24:16,544 --> 00:24:19,983 Circumcision is nothing. Uncircumcision is nothing. 445 00:24:19,983 --> 00:24:25,397 But what's everything? 446 00:24:25,397 --> 00:24:28,236 Faith working through love. 447 00:24:28,236 --> 00:24:32,940 That's everything. 448 00:24:32,940 --> 00:24:40,953 Brethren, a lot of you 449 00:24:40,953 --> 00:24:44,862 are the young Calvinists. 450 00:24:44,862 --> 00:24:47,952 But look, if we properly learn Christ, 451 00:24:47,952 --> 00:24:50,395 this is what we need. 452 00:24:50,395 --> 00:24:54,315 See, I was thinking today. 453 00:24:54,315 --> 00:25:02,403 Wow, John Sytsma has like 15 years on me. 454 00:25:02,403 --> 00:25:06,086 I thought you know he could outlive me, 455 00:25:06,086 --> 00:25:08,219 but I thought, 456 00:25:08,219 --> 00:25:12,227 I'm probably going to see John's funeral. 457 00:25:12,227 --> 00:25:16,107 Who's going to replace him? 458 00:25:16,107 --> 00:25:18,247 Who's then going to run all over the world 459 00:25:18,247 --> 00:25:19,970 and run to Iraq and run to Nepal 460 00:25:19,970 --> 00:25:25,221 and run to India and run to the Philippines? 461 00:25:25,221 --> 00:25:29,690 Who's coming along? 462 00:25:29,690 --> 00:25:32,234 Who's going to have the love? 463 00:25:32,234 --> 00:25:34,215 What about when Sam Pitrone's gone? 464 00:25:34,215 --> 00:25:37,025 What about when Andy's gone? 465 00:25:37,025 --> 00:25:45,452 Who's going to go to these places then? 466 00:25:45,452 --> 00:25:49,966 And the Moravians are gone. 467 00:25:49,966 --> 00:25:51,270 The leper colonies. 468 00:25:51,270 --> 00:25:52,605 I was hearing just today - 469 00:25:52,605 --> 00:25:58,718 my wife had Platt preaching 470 00:25:58,718 --> 00:26:02,579 who's now leading in the Southern Baptist Convention. 471 00:26:02,579 --> 00:26:05,164 What's his position? 472 00:26:05,164 --> 00:26:08,803 He's the president of (the mission board). 473 00:26:08,803 --> 00:26:11,193 And basically that thing operates - 474 00:26:11,193 --> 00:26:14,669 I think his goal is for the missionary aspect of it. 475 00:26:14,669 --> 00:26:16,613 And he was talking about Africa 476 00:26:16,613 --> 00:26:19,941 being one of the least reached. 477 00:26:19,941 --> 00:26:21,758 Randy Pisino is going over there 478 00:26:21,758 --> 00:26:23,816 4 or 5 times a year, but when he's gone, 479 00:26:23,816 --> 00:26:30,027 who's going to go then? 480 00:26:30,027 --> 00:26:31,484 Africa. 481 00:26:31,484 --> 00:26:37,150 You know a lot of English speaking people in Africa. 482 00:26:37,150 --> 00:26:38,531 A lot. 483 00:26:38,531 --> 00:26:43,669 I cannot get out of my mind Haiti. 484 00:26:43,669 --> 00:26:47,003 Haiti. 485 00:26:47,003 --> 00:26:49,320 We went up through those mountains 486 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:57,261 preaching the Gospel. 487 00:26:57,261 --> 00:26:59,713 But here it is. 488 00:26:59,713 --> 00:27:01,322 "Is it okay to appear rather mean 489 00:27:01,322 --> 00:27:03,121 and unloving while being a Christian 490 00:27:03,121 --> 00:27:06,526 who identifies as a Calvinist?" 491 00:27:06,526 --> 00:27:09,080 I mean, just the things we've considered. 492 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,353 Of course it's not. 493 00:27:11,353 --> 00:27:13,824 It's not just not being mean. 494 00:27:13,824 --> 00:27:18,506 It's not just articulating the right doctrine. 495 00:27:18,506 --> 00:27:23,349 Because if we do that but we don't have love, 496 00:27:23,349 --> 00:27:26,168 I'll tell you, judgment day's going to sift all that out. 497 00:27:26,168 --> 00:27:28,875 And the right doctrine is not - 498 00:27:28,875 --> 00:27:29,929 think about it. 499 00:27:29,929 --> 00:27:31,540 Jesus never once - 500 00:27:31,540 --> 00:27:34,854 Matthew 25 ought to stand before our eyes 501 00:27:34,854 --> 00:27:36,059 all the time. 502 00:27:36,059 --> 00:27:37,578 He never once says, 503 00:27:37,578 --> 00:27:41,147 "You were a Calvinist." 504 00:27:41,147 --> 00:27:44,764 "Good job." 505 00:27:44,764 --> 00:27:48,894 Think about everything that He says. 506 00:27:48,894 --> 00:27:51,172 "I was hungry." 507 00:27:51,172 --> 00:27:53,453 "I was thirsty." 508 00:27:53,453 --> 00:27:55,482 "I was naked." 509 00:27:55,482 --> 00:27:57,716 "I was a stranger." 510 00:27:57,716 --> 00:28:02,084 "I was sick." 511 00:28:02,084 --> 00:28:07,754 Listen, religion that is pure and undefiled - 512 00:28:07,754 --> 00:28:10,399 it's visiting the widow and the orphan 513 00:28:10,399 --> 00:28:12,746 in their affliction. 514 00:28:12,746 --> 00:28:17,620 That's what Jesus is recognizing. 515 00:28:17,620 --> 00:28:19,655 Jesus said, "Follow Me." 516 00:28:19,655 --> 00:28:22,417 He put His hand on the leper. 517 00:28:22,417 --> 00:28:31,260 The Moravians put their hands on lepers. 518 00:28:31,260 --> 00:28:35,756 But this is the Calvinism that we want. 519 00:28:35,756 --> 00:28:42,701 This is what William Carey broke out of. 520 00:28:42,701 --> 00:28:45,246 He broke out of the dead 521 00:28:45,246 --> 00:28:51,337 and dying churches of 18th century 522 00:28:51,337 --> 00:28:54,177 hyper-Calvinism. 523 00:28:54,177 --> 00:28:57,588 And he broke out into India. 524 00:28:57,588 --> 00:28:59,280 And others went with him. 525 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:00,909 And a handful of those churches 526 00:29:00,909 --> 00:29:03,682 caught the fire. 527 00:29:03,682 --> 00:29:06,012 Spurgeon. 528 00:29:06,012 --> 00:29:07,750 A burden for souls. 529 00:29:07,750 --> 00:29:13,101 Oh, he could preach the doctrines of grace. 530 00:29:13,101 --> 00:29:19,658 But he had a love for the souls of men. 531 00:29:19,658 --> 00:29:25,799 Young, restless, and reformed. 532 00:29:25,799 --> 00:29:28,936 I don't know. That makes me think of a soap opera. 533 00:29:28,936 --> 00:29:30,340 "The Young and the Restless" 534 00:29:30,340 --> 00:29:31,650 that my grandmother watched 535 00:29:31,650 --> 00:29:33,348 when I was a kid. 536 00:29:33,348 --> 00:29:35,491 Young and the restless. 537 00:29:35,491 --> 00:29:39,204 Restless doesn't sound good. 538 00:29:39,204 --> 00:29:44,042 Young? That's okay. 539 00:29:44,042 --> 00:29:45,927 But I think we need to be 540 00:29:45,927 --> 00:29:49,889 young and purposeful 541 00:29:49,889 --> 00:29:53,835 and holding to good doctrine. 542 00:29:53,835 --> 00:29:58,638 (Incomplete thought) 543 00:29:58,638 --> 00:30:01,850 You think about it. 544 00:30:01,850 --> 00:30:05,533 You know, if you're the two Moravians 545 00:30:05,533 --> 00:30:09,502 that jumped the wall into the leper colony; 546 00:30:09,502 --> 00:30:12,116 or you're the guy on the ship 547 00:30:12,116 --> 00:30:14,681 that sails away out of Copenhagen Harbor 548 00:30:14,681 --> 00:30:17,847 and goes to the Caribbean never to return, 549 00:30:17,847 --> 00:30:20,458 you know you kind of have your moment of glory 550 00:30:20,458 --> 00:30:23,304 as you're pulling out of the harbor, and you say the words 551 00:30:23,304 --> 00:30:25,603 that get immortalized, 552 00:30:25,603 --> 00:30:27,002 but then you're forgotten. 553 00:30:27,002 --> 00:30:28,589 I mean, we know who they were. 554 00:30:28,589 --> 00:30:30,365 We can put names to them. 555 00:30:30,365 --> 00:30:32,682 But you kind of jump the wall, 556 00:30:32,682 --> 00:30:35,839 and the glory's kind of over. 557 00:30:35,839 --> 00:30:38,492 You know? Yes, charge! 558 00:30:38,492 --> 00:30:40,700 And you go in there, and what is it? 559 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:47,875 Day after day among the lepers. 560 00:30:47,875 --> 00:30:49,765 And they're dying and they stink 561 00:30:49,765 --> 00:30:51,336 and they're repulsive 562 00:30:51,336 --> 00:30:54,083 and you're probably going to catch it, 563 00:30:54,083 --> 00:30:56,418 and you're in that all the time 564 00:30:56,418 --> 00:30:59,161 and there's no vacations and you don't go out 565 00:30:59,161 --> 00:31:01,328 and you basically live all your days there 566 00:31:01,328 --> 00:31:04,792 and you preach the Gospel. 567 00:31:04,792 --> 00:31:06,825 The Lord will be with you 568 00:31:06,825 --> 00:31:09,597 and He'll give you joy. 569 00:31:09,597 --> 00:31:13,072 And He'll uphold you and keep you going, 570 00:31:13,072 --> 00:31:15,440 and in the end, there's great reward. 571 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:20,706 But there's not a lot of glamour here. 572 00:31:20,706 --> 00:31:22,074 Most of what He calls us to 573 00:31:22,074 --> 00:31:31,925 isn't out on the platform under the bright lights. 574 00:31:31,925 --> 00:31:35,274 So, who's ready to go? 575 00:31:35,274 --> 00:31:39,086 And the going doesn't just mean Africa. 576 00:31:39,086 --> 00:31:41,729 It may mean just out here 577 00:31:41,729 --> 00:31:43,177 in these neighborhoods. 578 00:31:43,177 --> 00:31:46,432 It may mean - who knows what it may mean?