TELL THE TRUTH:
Prov. 23:22-23
All over this world today people disperately need to hear the truth. There is a big difference between what the people are told and the real truth. There is a credibility gap in the presentation of the gospel also.
Countless numbers of people today are lost and on the road to hell because they do not know that there is a difference between what they have been told and the real truth.
Our text found in
Proverbs 23: 22-25 says 22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 23Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
If the plight of mankind is as bad as the bible says it is then it is the wise man that will do everything in his power to obtain the truth.
The Bible tells us that man’s condition is a dark picture; the Devil’s crowd tells us that man’s condition is a not bad at all; they’d have us to believe that-
Fornication has become premarital sex, adultery is now called love affairs, drunks have a fancy name called alcoholics, crime is a mistake brought about by social inequality, sodomy is considered an alternate lifestyle.
What is the plain truth and how important is it to us that we know that truth?
THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT SIN IS:
A. Sin is universal.
1. There is nobody who is not a sinner. There is no one who has not sinned everyday of his or her life. Most everyone listening has already sinned this morning.
2. Sin is not a way of life; it is a part of life. Sin is as much a part of us as the blood that flows in our veins. (The hypocrite is as much a sinner as the drunkard.)
3 Today what we hear a lot is that sin is a force of evil and that it can be avoided. That it is possible to live above sin, that it is possible to live without sin.
Well It would certainly be nice to live without sin and I look forward to a day when the Son of God comes back to this earth and men can at last taste life without the pains of sin.
4. But until Jesus does come back and binds Satan, sin will remain on the rampage, wrecking lives and destroying homes. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of times the bible lays down the indisputable fact that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” and that “there is none righteous, no not one.”
5. Sin has touched the lives of every man and woman since Adam and Eve. What makes people lie and steal? SIN. - What makes people lash out and try to hurt others...burn and destroy...murder --and rape and rob? - What makes alcoholics and dope addicts?- SIN
B. Sin is the great destroyer.
1. The popular idea is that, “Well, a little sin can’t hurt anything.” The little sin of abortion has left literally millions dead in it’s wake.
2. It was sin that started W.W. I and II. Sin is behind every lie and rumor. Sin assassinates characters, lives, and nations.
In all the millions of words that could be said about sin, not a single word can be found that would commend it.
II. PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT HELL.
A. You should know that hell is real.
1. There are a lot of men in the ministry today who don’t believe that there is a real hell.
2. Jesus knew that there was a hell. He described Hell in very vivid terms in Luke 16:19-31. See also Mark 9:43-48.
B. You should also know that hell is for eternity.
1. The rich man in Luke. 16 wanted out of hell, but he couldn’t get out. He wanted to warn his friends and relatives not to come to hell.
2. There are men who will tell you that there is no reason for you to fear hell, that even if you do go there you can get out someday.... and by the way, there is no place called purgatory, no where in our King James Bible can you find that word. That’s just one of the many lies the harlot church wants people to believe, “ just keep giving money to the so called priest and he will finally pray your loved one out”
let me ask you again to please read Luke 16: and you’ll see that the rich man died and instantly lift his eyes in hell.
2. It is not God’s will that you die and go to hell.
3. II Pet. 3:9) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance
. YOU SHOULD KNOW THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT GOD.
A. God is loving and compassionate. He has no desire to see any one go to hell.
1 I don’t want to see anyone go to jail but lawbreakers must be punished. If a man breaks the law it is his fault, and his alone.
2. If people go to hell it will not be because God has forsaken them but rather because they have forsaken God.
3. The Bible tells us that God loves the world to the point of redeeming it at the excessively high cost of the life of His only Son. (Jn. 3:16)
4. Even in the Old Testament there is recorded that God does not want you to go to Hell.
(Ezek. 33:11) “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” (
B. God is longsuffering.
1. John prayed in Rev.21: 20 Even so, come, Lord Jesus. It is said that 187,000 people are born every 24 hours on this earth.
It is estimated that only 10% of these people will actually come in contact with Christianity (true and false). That means that about 167,000 which are born each day are doomed to an eternity in hell.
2. Do you see how very fortunate you are to have heard the gospel message?
3. By all rights God could end the world right now, but He is longsuffering, you have heard the truth, you have an opportunity to be saved now. Others will die and go to hell, but you know the truth.
C. God is just.
1. God has commanded us as Christians to warn as many as possible of the wrath to come, but whether or not they repent is altogether their responsibility.
Ezek. 33:7-9 7So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
9Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
2. God has made provision for your souls salvation. God has also made provision if you fail to repent.
Ezek. 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die
3. God is loving, compassionate, and longsuffering but He is also just and fair.
IV. NOW LEARN THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION.
A. Paul told the Christians in Corinth In I Cor. 7:23 ye are bought with a price.
And a high price it was.
1. The Devil’s preachers started the rumor that we could save ourselves if we would live a good and righteous life and keep the Law of Moses. The Devil is behind the idea that we can be saved if we will just be baptized and join the church. Going to church, living right and practicing religion are good but they will not get you into heaven.
2. Those are lies spawned from the pits of perdition and spread on the wings of demons.
3. The price of salvation was much higher than the price man could afford to pay.
4. So God sent Jesus
John 1:1-5 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ,
B. Salvation is free to all mankind.. Jesus bought and paid for your estate in heaven.
1. Eph. 2: 8-9 for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2. Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
C. Once you are saved, your soul is secure.
1. If you are not saved, then you are a child of sin and Satan.
But once you believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God, Satan can never touch your soul.
2. 1st. Peter 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
Jesus said in john 14:6 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Dear listener that is the TRUTH. JESUS ALSO SAID IN
John 10: 1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
--9I am the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life,
You dear listener have heard the Truth, now it’s up to you to do what’s right with it .
