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"I would love for some help navigating

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my Christian experience.

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My question is how far can a person

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really go as a false convert?"

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He's asking this question for this reason:

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"I've been reflecting on my own life,

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and I'm a bit confused about some things

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that might be evidences of salvation.

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I believe the Gospel,

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repented of my sin - or so I thought -

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spent countless hours preaching 
the Gospel to people,

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evangelizing,

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even street-preached a couple of times

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overcoming much fear.

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It seemed like the Holy Spirit 
was working to some degree.

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I also had a deep sensitivity,

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conviction over sin.

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I spent a lot of time in prayer

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by which I was also deeply affected.

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I wept over sin and for 
others to get saved.

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There seemed to be a real love for Christ,

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for the brethren, for the lost.

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I was doing my best to 
walk in obedience to God,

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though I suspect I wasn't wholehearted.

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I may have been holding 
back some secret idols.

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I also fought hard and had victory

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over much sin like pornography,

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much worldliness,

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though there were still a few things

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that were an ongoing struggle

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that I continue to fight really hard

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like lust, pride, fear of man,

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watching bad TV and movies

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which often got the better of me.

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Regardless, I made a lot of 
progress in sanctification.

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However, I ended up holding on

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and toying with one or two of those sins

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and fell into a very hardened heart

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and lukewarmness

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and just deliberate unrepentant sin

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and stopped feeling conviction.

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My question is:

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Is it really possible to have such fruits

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as I have had

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and still not have saving faith?

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How far can a person go in deception?

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If so, how is an unsaved man

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able to even feel that way

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if not by the Spirit?

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Any tips to help me 
understand my past experience?

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Could God have caused me to fall like this

52
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so it would become 
clear that I'm not saved?

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Giving some hope

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since only a lost person can be saved?

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I'm trying to seek the Lord 
now for salvation,

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but my past experiences have 
been a cause of confusion.

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Hence, my question. Thanks."

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I just want to look at several texts.

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How far can a person go?

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He's asking this: how far can a 
person go in deception?

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How far can a person really go

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as a false convert?

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I just want to look at several texts.

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The first one is Hebrews 6.

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How far can they go?

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When I was a brand new convert,

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I read a Puritan book by Matthew Mead -

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the Puritan Matthew Mead -

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called "The Almost Christian Discovered."

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Anybody heard of that book before?

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Have you ever read it?

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As a brand new Christian,

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I found myself falling on my face

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on the floor often as I read that book,

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pleading with the Lord

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that if I wasn't genuine

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that He would search that out and show me

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because that book really rattled me.

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I had come to the Lord,

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but it had never occurred to me -

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you know what?

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Because I was around such lost people,

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I just assumed -

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because I was around such lost people

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and around nominal Catholicism,

86
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I just thought if people claimed

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to be true Christians, they were.

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That's what I thought 
when I was first saved,

89
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so to come across that book,

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it really jolted me.

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Hebrews 6:4. Somebody 
begin reading right there.

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"For it is impossible in the case of those

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who have once been enlightened..."

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Tim: Okay.

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What he's going to say

96
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is it's impossible to renew unto

97
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or to restore unto or 
to bring back to a state

98
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of repentance

99
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somebody who has been -

100
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so this is a person who it's impossible

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to be saved.

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So one thing we know for certain:

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They've never been saved

104
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if it's impossible for them to be saved.

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They've been enlightened.

106
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That was the first thing that was said.

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They have been enlightened.

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What does that mean?

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Light.

110
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You know what it's like. 
It's dark outside.

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You come to the light, you can see things.

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If you guys go stand on my porch,

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and the light's not on,

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you can't see things.

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If I turn the light on - whoa!

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All of a sudden, everything 
appears around you.

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Light we are told makes manifest.

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What is it about light?

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Enlightenment.

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It means I am brought to see

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what I never saw before.

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So, how far can a person go?

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They can be exposed to preaching,

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to the Word of God.

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They can be exposed to the light of truth

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and brought to a place that 
they never were before.

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What's the next thing said there?

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"...Who have tasted the heavenly gift."

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Tim: Okay, isn't that amazing?

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They've tasted.

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It's like the heavenly gift -

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it's like they've taken salvation.

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They've put it in their mouth.

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And they've rolled it 
around on their tongue.

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They've got the flavor of it.

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Keep going.

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"...Who have shared in the Holy Spirit."

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Tim: Okay.

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You know what's interesting?

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He said this:

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"Is it really possible 
to have such fruits?"

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Or he says this:

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"How can an unsaved man

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be able to even feel that way

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if not by the Spirit?"

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Well, I would say this,

147
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it probably was by the Spirit.

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You say, what do you mean?

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I'm saying this,

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the Spirit of God works in many people

151
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who come short of genuine salvation.

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The Word of God can be preached.

153
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You know what you find 
oftentimes in times of revival?

154
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Or you find this even on a given Sunday.

155
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Somebody stands up and preaches a message.

156
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You get people who - they're moved.

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They're swayed.

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They're convicted.

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They feel some power in the preaching.

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They go out and they're 
concerned for their souls.

161
00:07:05,737 --> 00:07:09,099
Their conscience has been made alive.

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(incomplete thought)

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They've participated in 
the work of the Spirit.

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It's possible for that to happen

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and truly be of the Spirit,

166
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and yet they get to a 
place where it's impossible

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for them to repent.

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Keep going.

169
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"...And have tasted the goodness

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of the Word of God

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and the powers of the age to come."

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Tim: See? They've tasted of the Word.

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They've tasted the truths.

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That's swirled around 
in their mouth as well.

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And even the world to come.

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There's power.

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They're actually experiencing the power

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of the supernatural.

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And not just any supernatural,

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this is actually the power of God

181
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that they're being exposed to.

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Something even that's representative

183
00:08:09,251 --> 00:08:11,578
of the world to come.

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There's exposure.

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00:08:15,148 --> 00:08:17,119
Keep going.

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"...And then have fallen away."

187
00:08:19,188 --> 00:08:26,909
Tim: Okay, now these 
people have fallen away.

188
00:08:26,909 --> 00:08:30,512
Here's the reality we looked at before.

189
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When it's genuine salvation,

190
00:08:34,279 --> 00:08:41,219
it can't be lost.

191
00:08:41,219 --> 00:08:43,428
So these people -

192
00:08:43,428 --> 00:08:47,419
it's impossible once they've tasted -

193
00:08:47,419 --> 00:08:52,449
look, when it says 
that they've fallen away,

194
00:08:52,449 --> 00:08:55,497
you can't fall away from true salvation.

195
00:08:55,497 --> 00:08:57,308
Why? Because He puts His fear in us

196
00:08:57,308 --> 00:09:00,618
that we not fall away;

197
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that we not go away from Him.

198
00:09:02,449 --> 00:09:04,859
Christ says if you come to Me,

199
00:09:04,859 --> 00:09:07,438
I will raise you up at the last day.

200
00:09:07,438 --> 00:09:08,750
You see, these people,

201
00:09:08,750 --> 00:09:10,120
(incomplete thought)

202
00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,751
what they fell away from 
is not being saved.

203
00:09:13,751 --> 00:09:16,209
They've fallen away from the very things

204
00:09:16,209 --> 00:09:17,741
that are described there.

205
00:09:17,741 --> 00:09:21,770
They've fallen away from the impact.

206
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This is a person

207
00:09:25,078 --> 00:09:31,288
who is exposed to truth.

208
00:09:31,288 --> 00:09:34,647
They may claim to believe the truth.

209
00:09:34,647 --> 00:09:36,219
They may make a profession.

210
00:09:36,219 --> 00:09:38,030
They may get baptized.

211
00:09:38,030 --> 00:09:39,525
They may join the church.

212
00:09:39,525 --> 00:09:41,559
They feel they've been impacted.

213
00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,558
They feel they've been convicted.

214
00:09:44,558 --> 00:09:47,250
And look, based on that text,

215
00:09:47,250 --> 00:09:53,516
it's real supernatural 
operations of the Spirit.

216
00:09:53,516 --> 00:09:57,189
But it comes short because they fall.

217
00:09:57,189 --> 00:09:59,178
They go away. Remember this:

218
00:09:59,178 --> 00:10:02,763
If you're sealed with the Spirit,

219
00:10:02,763 --> 00:10:06,208
He's the guarantee of your inheritance

220
00:10:06,208 --> 00:10:08,783
until you acquire possession of it.

221
00:10:08,783 --> 00:10:10,029
It's a guarantee.

222
00:10:10,029 --> 00:10:12,438
These operations of the Spirit right here

223
00:10:12,438 --> 00:10:16,208
fall short of that.

224
00:10:16,208 --> 00:10:18,880
(incomplete thought)

225
00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,967
All those things right there

226
00:10:21,967 --> 00:10:25,297
a person can have happen and come short.

227
00:10:25,297 --> 00:10:27,397
Let me take you somewhere else in Hebrews.

228
00:10:27,397 --> 00:10:33,855
Turn to Hebrews 12:16.

229
00:10:33,855 --> 00:10:37,307
This is Esau.

230
00:10:37,307 --> 00:10:40,849
Esau is another great example to look at

231
00:10:40,849 --> 00:10:43,527
as far as how far a person can go

232
00:10:43,527 --> 00:10:45,748
and still come short.

233
00:10:45,748 --> 00:10:49,749
Somebody read v. 16.

234
00:10:49,749 --> 00:10:51,628
"...That no one is sexually immoral

235
00:10:51,628 --> 00:10:53,317
or unholy like Esau

236
00:10:53,317 --> 00:10:57,858
who sold his birthright 
for a single meal."

237
00:10:57,858 --> 00:10:59,297
Tim: Keep going.

238
00:10:59,297 --> 00:11:01,387
"...For we know that afterward,

239
00:11:01,387 --> 00:11:03,707
when he desired to inherit the blessing,

240
00:11:03,707 --> 00:11:05,014
he was rejected,

241
00:11:05,014 --> 00:11:07,099
for he found no chance to repent

242
00:11:07,099 --> 00:11:09,267
though he sought it with tears."

243
00:11:09,267 --> 00:11:11,977
Tim: Here's the thing. 
We know he was lost.

244
00:11:11,977 --> 00:11:15,159
"Jacob I have loved; Esau I have hated."

245
00:11:15,159 --> 00:11:19,252
This text says he's an evil person.

246
00:11:19,252 --> 00:11:21,366
But what was true of him?

247
00:11:21,366 --> 00:11:24,118
I'll tell you two things that 
can be true of a person

248
00:11:24,118 --> 00:11:27,457
and yet they fall short.

249
00:11:27,457 --> 00:11:28,866
You see them there.

250
00:11:28,866 --> 00:11:32,398
You can repent of sorts.

251
00:11:32,398 --> 00:11:34,258
Remember, that's a change of mind.

252
00:11:34,258 --> 00:11:37,136
He had a change of mind

253
00:11:37,136 --> 00:11:40,209
where he easily cast away his birthright.

254
00:11:40,209 --> 00:11:43,308
He then later had a change of mind.

255
00:11:43,308 --> 00:11:45,138
He wanted it back.

256
00:11:45,138 --> 00:11:48,218
In fact, he even wept tears.

257
00:11:48,218 --> 00:11:50,238
A person can weep.

258
00:11:50,238 --> 00:11:54,225
A person can change their mind,

259
00:11:54,225 --> 00:11:56,147
but fall short.

260
00:11:56,147 --> 00:11:57,840
I want you to see another one.

261
00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:04,139
Turn to Luke 8.

262
00:12:04,139 --> 00:12:12,798
Somebody read verse 13.

263
00:12:12,798 --> 00:12:15,088
"And the ones on the rock

264
00:12:15,088 --> 00:12:18,547
are those who when they heard the Word

265
00:12:18,547 --> 00:12:20,035
received it with joy."

266
00:12:20,035 --> 00:12:21,858
Tim: Okay, you can have people

267
00:12:21,858 --> 00:12:25,707
who hear the true Word.

268
00:12:25,707 --> 00:12:28,238
Something has happened in them.

269
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The Spirit may be moving and convicting.

270
00:12:31,089 --> 00:12:33,749
They may see something in this

271
00:12:33,749 --> 00:12:36,189
that their eyes have been opened to -

272
00:12:36,189 --> 00:12:41,910
enlightenment like we saw in Hebrews 6.

273
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They embrace it.

274
00:12:44,423 --> 00:12:46,987
They receive it with joy,

275
00:12:46,987 --> 00:12:49,229
but keep reading.

276
00:12:49,229 --> 00:12:50,797
"...But these have no root.

277
00:12:50,797 --> 00:12:52,217
They believe for awhile..."

278
00:12:52,217 --> 00:12:56,489
Tim: Notice that. They believe for awhile.

279
00:12:56,489 --> 00:12:58,803
Very interesting.

280
00:12:58,803 --> 00:13:01,283
Keep going.

281
00:13:01,283 --> 00:13:03,238
"And in time of testing fall away."

282
00:13:03,238 --> 00:13:04,337
Tim: They fall away.

283
00:13:04,337 --> 00:13:06,488
So they weren't genuine. They had no root.

284
00:13:06,488 --> 00:13:07,647
They never had any root.

285
00:13:07,647 --> 00:13:09,077
It's not like they were saved,

286
00:13:09,077 --> 00:13:10,649
and then they weren't saved.

287
00:13:10,649 --> 00:13:12,627
They were defective from the beginning.

288
00:13:12,627 --> 00:13:13,828
But here's the thing,

289
00:13:13,828 --> 00:13:15,540
you can be enlightened.

290
00:13:15,540 --> 00:13:17,878
You can taste of the heavenly gift.

291
00:13:17,878 --> 00:13:25,627
You can taste of this good gift.

292
00:13:25,627 --> 00:13:29,437
You can participate in 
the operations of the Spirit.

293
00:13:29,437 --> 00:13:30,858
You can repent.

294
00:13:30,858 --> 00:13:32,347
You can weep tears.

295
00:13:32,347 --> 00:13:34,098
You can even believe.

296
00:13:34,098 --> 00:13:37,896
You can receive gladly.

297
00:13:37,896 --> 00:13:41,527
You know what Matthew 7 says.

298
00:13:41,527 --> 00:13:43,419
You can say, "Lord, Lord."

299
00:13:43,419 --> 00:13:45,157
You can know the right lingo.

300
00:13:45,157 --> 00:13:47,797
They say, "Lord, Lord." What did they do?

301
00:13:47,797 --> 00:13:50,368
Well, we cast out demons,

302
00:13:50,368 --> 00:13:53,148
and we prophesied in Your name.

303
00:13:53,148 --> 00:13:55,646
We cast out demons in Your name.

304
00:13:55,646 --> 00:13:57,338
In Your name!

305
00:13:57,338 --> 00:13:58,688
We prophesied in Your name.

306
00:13:58,688 --> 00:14:01,458
We did many mighty works in Your name.

307
00:14:01,458 --> 00:14:04,378
You remember Judas?

308
00:14:04,378 --> 00:14:06,897
He undoubtedly cast out 
just as many demons

309
00:14:06,897 --> 00:14:12,227
and healed people as well as the others.

310
00:14:12,227 --> 00:14:15,628
You can do many mighty works in His name.

311
00:14:15,628 --> 00:14:20,746
He's not saying the people didn't do them.

312
00:14:20,746 --> 00:14:22,424
Many of these things can happen

313
00:14:22,424 --> 00:14:24,586
and still people fall short.

314
00:14:24,586 --> 00:14:27,416
You know the church at Sardis?

315
00:14:27,416 --> 00:14:31,266
"You have a name that you're 
alive, but you're dead."

316
00:14:31,266 --> 00:14:33,985
Oh, you can call yourself 
all the right names.

317
00:14:33,985 --> 00:14:35,264
I'm a Christian.

318
00:14:35,264 --> 00:14:37,225
I'm a child of God. I'm born again.

319
00:14:37,225 --> 00:14:40,244
You can say all the right things.

320
00:14:40,244 --> 00:14:41,921
You can say, "Lord, Lord."

321
00:14:41,921 --> 00:14:44,994
And He says it's not everybody 
that says to Me, "Lord, Lord."

322
00:14:44,994 --> 00:14:47,896
You can have a name that you're alive,

323
00:14:47,896 --> 00:14:50,185
but the name is a lie.

324
00:14:50,185 --> 00:14:53,676
People run around calling themselves 
(incomplete thought).

325
00:14:53,676 --> 00:14:57,664
When Jesus comes, He's 
going to set all names right.

326
00:14:57,664 --> 00:15:00,935
He's going to put the 
right names on people.

327
00:15:00,935 --> 00:15:03,673
You know, there's a place there in fact,

328
00:15:03,673 --> 00:15:06,276
Jesus talks about the people 
who say they're Jews,

329
00:15:06,276 --> 00:15:08,954
but they're not. They lie.

330
00:15:08,954 --> 00:15:10,223
Physically they were Jews,

331
00:15:10,223 --> 00:15:12,244
but they weren't really Jews.

332
00:15:12,244 --> 00:15:15,013
And Jesus is going to set all names right.

333
00:15:15,013 --> 00:15:17,128
People love to call themselves by names.

334
00:15:17,128 --> 00:15:18,898
You can call yourself many names

335
00:15:18,898 --> 00:15:23,496
and still fall short of being genuine.

336
00:15:23,496 --> 00:15:27,965
So, I just want us to think.

337
00:15:27,965 --> 00:15:32,279
Okay, how does all of that

338
00:15:32,279 --> 00:15:35,334
compare to the genuine?

339
00:15:35,334 --> 00:15:41,553
And that's the thing.

340
00:15:41,553 --> 00:15:44,835
And James preached through 
Philippians not long ago

341
00:15:44,835 --> 00:15:47,304
and I think I mentioned it last week

342
00:15:47,304 --> 00:15:49,065
or one of the last times.

343
00:15:49,065 --> 00:15:51,785
But Philippians 3:3 -

344
00:15:51,785 --> 00:15:58,194
can anybody quote it besides James?

345
00:15:58,194 --> 00:16:00,594
James, can you quote it?

346
00:16:00,594 --> 00:16:03,814
"For we are the circumcision, 
who worship by the Spirit of God

347
00:16:03,814 --> 00:16:06,873
and glory in Christ Jesus and 
put no confidence in the flesh..."

348
00:16:06,873 --> 00:16:09,854
Tim: Yeah, worship in the Spirit.

349
00:16:09,854 --> 00:16:13,943
So, this is the reality

350
00:16:13,943 --> 00:16:18,474
that their glory is in Christ.

351
00:16:18,474 --> 00:16:19,925
They worship in the Spirit.

352
00:16:19,925 --> 00:16:22,814
They put no confidence in the flesh.

353
00:16:22,814 --> 00:16:25,583
Their confidence is in Christ.

354
00:16:25,583 --> 00:16:28,665
I mean, look, listen.

355
00:16:28,665 --> 00:16:32,443
If somebody falls away 
because of persecution,

356
00:16:32,443 --> 00:16:34,546
you know what?

357
00:16:34,546 --> 00:16:37,336
You know what they really believed?

358
00:16:37,336 --> 00:16:40,886
They didn't believe that Jesus 
was to be had at all costs.

359
00:16:40,886 --> 00:16:46,166
What will make a man 
walk away from Christ?

360
00:16:46,166 --> 00:16:48,724
Only if he truly believes that Christ

361
00:16:48,724 --> 00:16:50,985
isn't the most necessary thing.

362
00:16:50,985 --> 00:16:55,435
Because as persecution goes up,

363
00:16:55,435 --> 00:16:58,024
why does it cause people to fall away?

364
00:16:58,024 --> 00:17:03,885
Because they put suffering 
and Christ in the scale,

365
00:17:03,885 --> 00:17:08,086
and they say my own not suffering,

366
00:17:08,086 --> 00:17:10,246
my own ease,

367
00:17:10,246 --> 00:17:14,233
my own not being 
persecuted and feeling bad

368
00:17:14,233 --> 00:17:17,404
is more important than having Christ.

369
00:17:17,404 --> 00:17:20,496
The reason the true believer 
will not let go of Christ

370
00:17:20,496 --> 00:17:21,958
is because he truly believes.

371
00:17:21,958 --> 00:17:24,134
He believes he's got 
to have Christ or perish

372
00:17:24,134 --> 00:17:26,855
and he won't let go of Him for anything.

373
00:17:26,855 --> 00:17:28,064
He glories in that.

374
00:17:28,064 --> 00:17:29,655
That is his hope.

375
00:17:29,655 --> 00:17:33,245
He worships God in the Spirit.

376
00:17:33,245 --> 00:17:37,196
That's what Christ said 
the Father's looking for.

377
00:17:37,196 --> 00:17:39,696
Not worshiping in the flesh.

378
00:17:39,696 --> 00:17:42,336
You say, what do you mean?

379
00:17:42,336 --> 00:17:45,203
You know what worship in the flesh is?

380
00:17:45,203 --> 00:17:55,115
It's praying like the heathen do.

381
00:17:55,115 --> 00:17:57,464
They think by their repetitions,

382
00:17:57,464 --> 00:18:01,726
they're going to get God.

383
00:18:01,726 --> 00:18:05,306
Believing that because you pray -

384
00:18:05,306 --> 00:18:07,034
it's trusting your prayer.

385
00:18:07,034 --> 00:18:09,026
Trusting the repetition of your prayer.

386
00:18:09,026 --> 00:18:11,325
It's trusting in what you do.

387
00:18:11,325 --> 00:18:14,420
The person who worships by the Spirit,

388
00:18:14,420 --> 00:18:15,718
what's happening?

389
00:18:15,718 --> 00:18:16,890
From the heart,

390
00:18:16,890 --> 00:18:19,961
they delight in God.

391
00:18:19,961 --> 00:18:23,661
From the heart, they admire

392
00:18:23,661 --> 00:18:25,701
and they adore

393
00:18:25,701 --> 00:18:27,169
and they're amazed

394
00:18:27,169 --> 00:18:28,649
and they're in awe,

395
00:18:28,649 --> 00:18:31,539
and they find God glorious

396
00:18:31,539 --> 00:18:34,666
and they're shaken by His majesty

397
00:18:34,666 --> 00:18:40,326
and by His purity and by His holiness.

398
00:18:40,326 --> 00:18:43,305
When they sing, there's a joy that comes.

399
00:18:43,305 --> 00:18:47,147
You see, those who don't 
worship by the Spirit,

400
00:18:47,147 --> 00:18:50,024
it's a work.

401
00:18:50,024 --> 00:18:53,006
What's happening in the worship

402
00:18:53,006 --> 00:18:56,767
is it's an exercise that they go through

403
00:18:56,767 --> 00:19:00,415
because they're 
accumulating points with God.

404
00:19:00,415 --> 00:19:04,119
Versus the worship that's of the Spirit -

405
00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:08,846
it's when the Spirit 
takes the blinders off

406
00:19:08,846 --> 00:19:10,885
and allows us to see the beauty

407
00:19:10,885 --> 00:19:13,225
and majesty of God

408
00:19:13,225 --> 00:19:16,466
and we worship Him from the heart level

409
00:19:16,466 --> 00:19:18,934
because we're thankful,

410
00:19:18,934 --> 00:19:21,667
because we find beauty.

411
00:19:21,667 --> 00:19:23,725
We're legitimately thankful.

412
00:19:23,725 --> 00:19:27,416
We come to God thankful that He saved us

413
00:19:27,416 --> 00:19:29,756
based on the merits of Jesus Christ.

414
00:19:29,756 --> 00:19:31,407
Not like the Catholic comes

415
00:19:31,407 --> 00:19:33,117
who counts the beads.

416
00:19:33,117 --> 00:19:36,788
What is bead counting?

417
00:19:36,788 --> 00:19:38,857
Why? Why each one?

418
00:19:38,857 --> 00:19:40,696
Because it's merit.

419
00:19:40,696 --> 00:19:42,896
I'm doing it to get something.

420
00:19:42,896 --> 00:19:45,877
So I count all these out. I'm rigorous.

421
00:19:45,877 --> 00:19:48,607
I walk on my knees till they bleed.

422
00:19:48,607 --> 00:19:50,535
I told you guys this.

423
00:19:50,535 --> 00:19:52,223
I went to high school with a guy

424
00:19:52,223 --> 00:19:53,836
that became a Jesuit priest.

425
00:19:53,836 --> 00:19:56,531
He likes to tell people 
that when he was a kid

426
00:19:56,531 --> 00:19:59,166
back when he was my friend -

427
00:19:59,166 --> 00:20:00,735
I grew up with this guy -

428
00:20:00,735 --> 00:20:03,777
that he put rocks in his shoes.

429
00:20:03,777 --> 00:20:05,556
He likes to tell people.

430
00:20:05,556 --> 00:20:06,785
Why?

431
00:20:06,785 --> 00:20:09,256
Because it's another notch in the belt

432
00:20:09,256 --> 00:20:10,595
of his righteousness

433
00:20:10,595 --> 00:20:12,906
that he's earning this merit.

434
00:20:12,906 --> 00:20:14,616
That's what it's all about.

435
00:20:14,616 --> 00:20:16,346
What do you think purgatory is?

436
00:20:16,346 --> 00:20:19,276
Purgatory is where you go pay in the fire.

437
00:20:19,276 --> 00:20:21,896
If you weren't able to 
pay well enough here

438
00:20:21,896 --> 00:20:23,666
and get enough here

439
00:20:23,666 --> 00:20:25,233
and do enough here,

440
00:20:25,233 --> 00:20:26,616
then you pay more there.

441
00:20:26,616 --> 00:20:28,355
It's all this merit system.

442
00:20:28,355 --> 00:20:32,317
When you worship God in the Spirit,

443
00:20:32,317 --> 00:20:33,886
it's totally different

444
00:20:33,886 --> 00:20:36,664
because what the Spirit 
does is exalts Christ.

445
00:20:36,664 --> 00:20:39,557
You see there. There's appreciation

446
00:20:39,557 --> 00:20:40,966
and there's thankfulness

447
00:20:40,966 --> 00:20:43,915
that He has saved you.

448
00:20:43,915 --> 00:20:45,597
And it's based on Him.

449
00:20:45,597 --> 00:20:48,116
And there's thankfulness and gratefulness.

450
00:20:48,116 --> 00:20:50,166
And you don't put confidence in the flesh.

451
00:20:50,166 --> 00:20:51,987
Counting those beads is all flesh.

452
00:20:51,987 --> 00:20:54,436
It's what you can do in your own strength.

453
00:20:54,436 --> 00:20:56,761
But you see, we cast that away.

454
00:20:56,761 --> 00:20:57,945
That's what Paul did.

455
00:20:57,945 --> 00:20:59,908
That's what Philippians 3 is.

456
00:20:59,908 --> 00:21:02,157
It's this great big list 
of all these things

457
00:21:02,157 --> 00:21:04,316
that he put his confidence in.

458
00:21:04,316 --> 00:21:05,279
But you know what?

459
00:21:05,279 --> 00:21:08,925
That's what it is to 
worship in the Spirit.

460
00:21:08,925 --> 00:21:11,805
The Spirit comes in and just devastates

461
00:21:11,805 --> 00:21:14,715
all the confidences that we formerly had.

462
00:21:14,715 --> 00:21:16,316
All the hopes we formerly had

463
00:21:16,316 --> 00:21:18,205
of how we were going to get to heaven -

464
00:21:18,205 --> 00:21:19,797
He just devastates them all

465
00:21:19,797 --> 00:21:22,194
until we're broken, we're 
empty, we're bankrupt,

466
00:21:22,194 --> 00:21:24,116
and there's only one hope,

467
00:21:24,116 --> 00:21:26,935
and that's we glory in Christ Jesus.

468
00:21:26,935 --> 00:21:30,407
Those three things stated 
there in Philippians 3:3.

469
00:21:30,407 --> 00:21:32,325
That's the essence of it.

470
00:21:32,325 --> 00:21:34,905
Sometimes people can feel discouraged

471
00:21:34,905 --> 00:21:37,625
or you feel like when I 
was a brand new convert

472
00:21:37,625 --> 00:21:39,085
reading this Puritan book

473
00:21:39,085 --> 00:21:40,815
and falling on my face all the time.

474
00:21:40,815 --> 00:21:42,725
But the reality is even though

475
00:21:42,725 --> 00:21:44,917
so many things can be real of your life

476
00:21:44,917 --> 00:21:47,805
and you fall short of 
being the real thing,

477
00:21:47,805 --> 00:21:50,446
you never fall short 
of being the real thing

478
00:21:50,446 --> 00:21:53,952
if your only confidence 
is in Jesus Christ.

479
00:21:53,952 --> 00:21:56,216
You will not be put to shame.

480
00:21:56,216 --> 00:21:57,725
No matter what else may happen,

481
00:21:57,725 --> 00:21:59,445
no matter whatever winds may blow,

482
00:21:59,445 --> 00:22:00,946
whatever persecutions may come,

483
00:22:00,946 --> 00:22:03,005
whatever attacks you may suffer,

484
00:22:03,005 --> 00:22:05,759
whatever thoughts may 
run through your mind,

485
00:22:05,759 --> 00:22:06,873
I'll tell you this -

486
00:22:06,873 --> 00:22:10,737
if your sole confidence in 
being saved before God

487
00:22:10,737 --> 00:22:14,474
rests in the merits, 
the death of Jesus Christ,

488
00:22:14,474 --> 00:22:16,226
that's your only hope,

489
00:22:16,226 --> 00:22:17,885
that's your only confidence,

490
00:22:17,885 --> 00:22:20,019
and you have none in the flesh -

491
00:22:20,019 --> 00:22:22,205
in your own doings, in your own worship,

492
00:22:22,205 --> 00:22:23,455
in your own merit -

493
00:22:23,455 --> 00:22:25,636
none in your own goodness,

494
00:22:25,636 --> 00:22:27,608
it's not there, it's only in Him,

495
00:22:27,608 --> 00:22:29,595
I'll guarantee you this: you are saved.

496
00:22:29,595 --> 00:22:31,125
You are going to glory.

497
00:22:31,125 --> 00:22:35,605
Scripture promises it.

498
00:22:35,605 --> 00:22:43,799
You have root if that's the case.

499
00:22:43,799 --> 00:22:48,908
So, this guy, I would say this to him.

500
00:22:48,908 --> 00:22:52,868
He said, "I made a lot 
of progress in sanctification."

501
00:22:52,868 --> 00:22:57,758
But he says,

502
00:22:57,758 --> 00:23:01,199
"I've ended up holding 
on to one or two sins."

503
00:23:01,199 --> 00:23:05,198
He says, "...lust, pride, fear of man,

504
00:23:05,198 --> 00:23:08,377
watching bad TV, bad movies...

505
00:23:08,377 --> 00:23:13,857
often gets the better of me."

506
00:23:13,857 --> 00:23:18,577
I would say this,

507
00:23:18,577 --> 00:23:22,537
that that isn't a good 
picture of sanctification.

508
00:23:22,537 --> 00:23:25,257
He says, "I've made lots
of progress in sanctification."

509
00:23:25,257 --> 00:23:30,356
I don't think that is lots of 
progress in sanctification likely.

510
00:23:30,356 --> 00:23:33,177
If lust, pride, fear of 
man, watching bad TV

511
00:23:33,177 --> 00:23:36,585
and bad movies are often 
getting the better of him,

512
00:23:36,585 --> 00:23:39,683
that's not a good 
picture of sanctification.

513
00:23:39,683 --> 00:23:44,167
And so, what I would 
say to people like this

514
00:23:44,167 --> 00:23:55,696
is if you look at your life

515
00:23:55,696 --> 00:24:03,194
and you recognize something's wrong -

516
00:24:03,194 --> 00:24:08,615
look, people are looking for the solution.

517
00:24:08,615 --> 00:24:10,497
They're looking for the magic formula.

518
00:24:10,497 --> 00:24:11,668
But I'll tell you this,

519
00:24:11,668 --> 00:24:13,216
if something's wrong,

520
00:24:13,216 --> 00:24:14,777
there's only One who can fix it,

521
00:24:14,777 --> 00:24:16,386
and you can't.

522
00:24:16,386 --> 00:24:18,775
And the thing is you've got to be

523
00:24:18,775 --> 00:24:20,327
like blind Bartimaeus

524
00:24:20,327 --> 00:24:22,827
where you cry out until He fixes it.

525
00:24:22,827 --> 00:24:25,558
You cry out until He sets your eyes right.

526
00:24:25,558 --> 00:24:26,987
Because if you don't,

527
00:24:26,987 --> 00:24:29,007
if you just go back to your life,

528
00:24:29,007 --> 00:24:30,736
go back to your sin,

529
00:24:30,736 --> 00:24:33,197
go back to your religion,

530
00:24:33,197 --> 00:24:37,096
you just ignore these kinds of things,

531
00:24:37,096 --> 00:24:39,057
and you just let them go,

532
00:24:39,057 --> 00:24:42,017
he's going to drift deeper and deeper

533
00:24:42,017 --> 00:24:45,337
into what he describes as lukewarmness,

534
00:24:45,337 --> 00:24:47,516
unrepentant sin,

535
00:24:47,516 --> 00:24:51,187
stop feeling conviction,

536
00:24:51,187 --> 00:24:52,927
hard heart.

537
00:24:52,927 --> 00:24:56,536
And you just wake up in hell.

538
00:24:56,536 --> 00:25:04,294
You cry out until the Lord heals you

539
00:25:04,294 --> 00:25:06,666
or you perish.

540
00:25:06,666 --> 00:25:09,095
If something's wrong,

541
00:25:09,095 --> 00:25:10,875
there's only one place to go.

542
00:25:10,875 --> 00:25:13,274
It's not the church. 
The church doesn't heal you.

543
00:25:13,274 --> 00:25:16,245
It's not the pastors - any of them.

544
00:25:16,245 --> 00:25:17,676
All of us together -

545
00:25:17,676 --> 00:25:19,556
all the pastors in our church,

546
00:25:19,556 --> 00:25:21,597
all the pastors from every church in town,

547
00:25:21,597 --> 00:25:22,777
we can come together

548
00:25:22,777 --> 00:25:24,278
and we can all lay hands on you

549
00:25:24,278 --> 00:25:25,907
and we can't do anything for you.

550
00:25:25,907 --> 00:25:27,037
We can pray for you,

551
00:25:27,037 --> 00:25:29,187
but in the end, we're 
going to call upon Him

552
00:25:29,187 --> 00:25:30,777
who is your only hope.

553
00:25:30,777 --> 00:25:33,391
That's the only hope 
of anybody sitting here,

554
00:25:33,391 --> 00:25:34,536
anybody listening.

555
00:25:34,536 --> 00:25:36,497
If something's wrong,

556
00:25:36,497 --> 00:25:40,186
if you're spiraling into sin,

557
00:25:40,186 --> 00:25:42,328
look, what we can say is this:

558
00:25:42,328 --> 00:25:46,152
Scripture says in no uncertain terms

559
00:25:46,152 --> 00:25:47,986
you've been raised to newness of life.

560
00:25:47,986 --> 00:25:50,833
Sin shall not have dominion over you.

561
00:25:50,833 --> 00:25:54,307
You need to reckon yourselves dead to sin.

562
00:25:54,307 --> 00:25:56,037
The reality of Scripture is

563
00:25:56,037 --> 00:25:59,718
without holiness, you don't see the Lord.

564
00:25:59,718 --> 00:26:03,437
The reality is God is in the business

565
00:26:03,437 --> 00:26:05,895
of transforming people

566
00:26:05,895 --> 00:26:07,957
into the image of Jesus Christ.

567
00:26:07,957 --> 00:26:09,646
And if that is not happening

568
00:26:09,646 --> 00:26:12,208
in some stark, very real,

569
00:26:12,208 --> 00:26:14,527
very recognizable fashion,

570
00:26:14,527 --> 00:26:15,937
something is wrong.

571
00:26:15,937 --> 00:26:18,297
Like I say, if something is wrong,

572
00:26:18,297 --> 00:26:20,208
only Jesus can set it right.

573
00:26:20,208 --> 00:26:21,686
Only He can heal this.

574
00:26:21,686 --> 00:26:24,457
Only He is the doctor to do

575
00:26:24,457 --> 00:26:26,966
the kind of surgery that's necessary

576
00:26:26,966 --> 00:26:30,008
on the heart of people.

577
00:26:30,008 --> 00:26:31,582
You go to Him. You go to Him.

578
00:26:31,582 --> 00:26:34,748
You cry to Him. You look to Him.

579
00:26:34,748 --> 00:26:38,048
Scripture says if you call 
upon the name of the Lord

580
00:26:38,048 --> 00:26:40,086
you will be saved.

581
00:26:40,086 --> 00:26:42,159
So you call. You call. You go there.

582
00:26:42,159 --> 00:26:43,616
That is the only hope.

583
00:26:43,616 --> 00:26:47,988
There is no other place to direct people.

584
00:26:47,988 --> 00:26:50,644
I would give the Lord no rest

585
00:26:50,644 --> 00:26:52,968
if you're in a position 
where you're uncertain.

586
00:26:52,968 --> 00:26:54,987
And whether there's such things happening

587
00:26:54,987 --> 00:26:56,967
in your life with regards to lukewarmness

588
00:26:56,967 --> 00:26:59,645
and hardness and spiraling into sin

589
00:26:59,645 --> 00:27:01,133
and just not really knowing

590
00:27:01,133 --> 00:27:03,337
what it even means to worship the Lord

591
00:27:03,337 --> 00:27:06,401
in the Spirit and glory in Jesus Christ

592
00:27:06,401 --> 00:27:08,848
and to find all your hope there.

593
00:27:08,848 --> 00:27:10,568
Give Him no rest.

594
00:27:10,568 --> 00:27:12,695
Look, hell is real and once you're there,

595
00:27:12,695 --> 00:27:14,897
it's permanent. It's done. It's over.

596
00:27:14,897 --> 00:27:18,822
And you're devastated forever.

597
00:27:18,822 --> 00:27:20,686
You're damned.

598
00:27:20,686 --> 00:27:22,517
You're destroyed.

599
00:27:22,517 --> 00:27:25,136
And there's no hope. Fire is real.

600
00:27:25,136 --> 00:27:27,987
You wouldn't cast yourself into a bonfire.

601
00:27:27,987 --> 00:27:29,997
Think of the lake of fire. It's real.

602
00:27:29,997 --> 00:27:32,096
You're going to be cast in there.

603
00:27:32,096 --> 00:27:35,267
You don't want to just play with your soul

604
00:27:35,267 --> 00:27:37,776
as though it's some cheap little toy,

605
00:27:37,776 --> 00:27:39,748
something easily squandered.

606
00:27:39,748 --> 00:27:41,276
You don't want to do that.

607
00:27:41,276 --> 00:27:42,997
You lose your soul - Jesus said,

608
00:27:42,997 --> 00:27:46,438
what will a man give in 
exchange for his soul?

609
00:27:46,438 --> 00:27:48,028
There's nothing.

610
00:27:48,028 --> 00:27:50,685
You'll give everything in 
exchange for your soul.

611
00:27:50,685 --> 00:27:52,647
There's nothing to hold on to

612
00:27:52,647 --> 00:27:54,498
at the cost of your soul.

613
00:27:54,498 --> 00:27:58,367
This sin that you think 
that you have to have?

614
00:27:58,367 --> 00:28:01,538
You will curse yourself one 
day for holding on to it

615
00:28:01,538 --> 00:28:03,147
if it costs you your soul

616
00:28:03,147 --> 00:28:05,535
and you end up perishing.

617
00:28:05,535 --> 00:28:09,446
Especially when you were so close.

618
00:28:09,446 --> 00:28:12,237
If you perish after having sat

619
00:28:12,237 --> 00:28:13,807
under the preaching

620
00:28:13,807 --> 00:28:17,157
that you people have sat under,

621
00:28:17,157 --> 00:28:19,056
what a horror in that!

622
00:28:19,056 --> 00:28:20,142
Can you imagine?

623
00:28:20,142 --> 00:28:22,628
It's one thing to end up in hell

624
00:28:22,628 --> 00:28:24,516
and how devastating that is,

625
00:28:24,516 --> 00:28:25,826
but can you imagine?

626
00:28:25,826 --> 00:28:29,007
Can you imagine if you came this close?

627
00:28:29,007 --> 00:28:32,348
It was like, wow, God put me in church

628
00:28:32,348 --> 00:28:34,876
where they taught the truth

629
00:28:34,876 --> 00:28:36,644
and I heard the truth

630
00:28:36,644 --> 00:28:38,246
and I entertained the truth

631
00:28:38,246 --> 00:28:40,857
and I saw it from the pages of Scripture

632
00:28:40,857 --> 00:28:42,705
and I heard Christ proclaimed

633
00:28:42,705 --> 00:28:45,236
and He was lifted up as the only hope.

634
00:28:45,236 --> 00:28:46,666
And you know there were times

635
00:28:46,666 --> 00:28:49,597
I even experienced some of 
that power of the Holy Spirit

636
00:28:49,597 --> 00:28:51,027
and I felt convicted

637
00:28:51,027 --> 00:28:52,647
and I came this close.

638
00:28:52,647 --> 00:28:54,737
And there were times I was even reaching.

639
00:28:54,737 --> 00:28:56,938
There were times I asked the Lord to save.

640
00:28:56,938 --> 00:28:58,926
Oh, I look back now and I recognize

641
00:28:58,926 --> 00:29:00,867
I wasn't totally committed to that.

642
00:29:00,867 --> 00:29:02,377
I didn't totally want it.

643
00:29:02,377 --> 00:29:04,390
I wasn't really being honest.

644
00:29:04,390 --> 00:29:06,217
But there was some movements

645
00:29:06,217 --> 00:29:07,631
and I was this close!

646
00:29:07,631 --> 00:29:11,427
Can you imagine if you got that close

647
00:29:11,427 --> 00:29:12,935
to the Treasure?

648
00:29:12,935 --> 00:29:15,987
To touching the Treasure

649
00:29:15,987 --> 00:29:17,018
and then you turned

650
00:29:17,018 --> 00:29:19,265
and you chose your sin instead?

651
00:29:19,265 --> 00:29:21,140
And you perished.

652
00:29:21,140 --> 00:29:24,037
You will curse yourself forever.

653
00:29:24,037 --> 00:29:27,537
You came that close.

654
00:29:27,537 --> 00:29:29,916
And you will hear those words.

655
00:29:29,916 --> 00:29:31,889
It is now going to be more tolerable

656
00:29:31,889 --> 00:29:35,688
for Sodom than for you.

657
00:29:35,688 --> 00:29:41,627
That's what Scripture says.

658
00:29:41,627 --> 00:29:45,266
Oh Father, I pray that there would be

659
00:29:45,266 --> 00:29:48,027
some serious dealings with You

660
00:29:48,027 --> 00:29:51,045
by hopefully some of these young men

661
00:29:51,045 --> 00:29:53,547
who have written will hear these things

662
00:29:53,547 --> 00:29:58,796
and others like them.

663
00:29:58,796 --> 00:30:01,496
Lord, I pray,

664
00:30:01,496 --> 00:30:04,027
have compassion upon sinners.

665
00:30:04,027 --> 00:30:07,147
We pray You'd bring revival to our land.

666
00:30:07,147 --> 00:30:08,727
Bring a stirring.

667
00:30:08,727 --> 00:30:11,206
Sweep people into Your kingdom.

668
00:30:11,206 --> 00:30:14,668
Cause salvation to fall down from above.

669
00:30:14,668 --> 00:30:16,924
We ask it in Christ's name, Amen.