Our Responsibility In Light Of Revelation Series

Our Responsibility in Light of Revelation

Rev. 22:6-21

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Knowing these things we have studied now…how shall we live? What should we be motivated to do now?

It’s been an exciting study, over 60 sermons, and many other churches are now doing it using our same materials…exciting, yes, but this book’s purpose is not to excite the curious, but to encourage the consecrated.

We’ve seen Christ in all of his glory in ch. 1, the 7 periods of church history, and we live in the final one, we’ve heard the trumpet blast in 4:1, and the church is taken away, and then we’ve studied the tribulation and the horrors of the end times for those left behind, and what to expect the millennium to be like, as well as heaven, hell, and the eternal state…so, what now? What do we do until that trumpet blasts?

Ch. 22 gives us 4 responsibilities:

1. We need to Keep God’s Word.

v. 6-9 [v. 9—John was warned not to do this before!]

The angel said to “keep” this book.

v. 18-19 same concept.

“Keep” means to watch over or preserve. It’s a dangerous thing to tamper with or alter the Word of God. Many modern translations play fast and loose w/ the scriptures…watering it down to the point that it loses it’s potency and power, and true meaning. Many twist it to make it say what they want it to say.

God said what He meant, He meant what He said, and we have no right and no authority to tamper with it.

“The Jesus Seminar” every year votes on what passages of scripture to keep. The SBC is divided between the Bible believers and the critics who don’t believe it’s all inspired. May I say that we are not to judge the Word of God, rather, the Word is to judge us!

A. This is why we use the KJV exclusively from the pulpit and lecterns of GBC. Now, we don’t ride this hobby horse and we’re not fanatics about it, but there’s good reasons to use it primarily, by conviction and by preference.

First of all, you need to choose something so we’re all on the same page, and not a place of confusion.

Secondly, the KJV is the most accurate, and least watered down of all English versions.

Thirdly, it comes from the correct original text, something which virtually all other modern versions cannot say.

See a more detailed message on this topic at: http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=64900&ContributorID=9625

None of this means you’re bad if you carry something else, or compare for your own personal study, I would if I needed to. I studied Greek, and that takes me directly to the source…but most cannot do that. The errors contained in many modern versions are mostly minor, tho’ there are a few major exceptions, but the trend today is getting more and more into paraphrases and less and less into translations, and most from flawed texts. But a Christian can consult another version for meanings and ideas on confusing verses and usually find some help. If not, ask!

B. Cults get their start when they change what is the Word. They distort the Word of God, which frustrates the grace of God, which ridicules the Spirit of God, which thwarts the teachings of God, which minimizes the salvation of God.

The JW’s deny the trinity, deny Jesus Christ, the resurrection, the Holy Spirit, salvation by grace as a gift [they say it’s a reward], deny the torment of hell. How can they get this far off base? Another book!

The Mormons teach the universe is inhabited by many gods, and good mormons become gods it the next life, that Christ was created, not eternal, a polygamist, and salvation is by good works inc. baptism. And they regularly are baptized for the dead. They teach 3 levels to heaven, etc. How can they get this far off base? Other books!

Roman Catholicism teach sinlessness of Mary from her own conception, and her inability to sin if she wanted to. They teach the Pope is infallible when speaking from the chapel [ex-cathedra], they teach Purgatory even for Christians, minimizing Christ’s payment for sins on the cross. They baptize babies to erase the stain of original sin, confess to human priests, call them father, and believe in transubstantiation.

How can they get so far from the truth? Another book they follow! They may call it the Bible, but look carefully, it’s not!

God help these churches and others like them in light of vv. 18-19!

We are to keep God’s Word. Who is “we”?

• The Pastor—pray for me that I will always preach it plain w/out compromise.

• The Staff—our teachers, deacons, leaders, and office staff are on the team, working under the Pastor, with their loyalty to the Pastor, striving to help the “team” to keep the Word…again, The Main Thing is Keeping The Main Thing! Pray for our leaders as we all strive to stay on subject and never let any little foxes spoil the vines.