But I also told Him I love Him, and I am willing to preach whatever will please Him.
Today I will be preaching on BIBLICAL SEPARATION.
This is a sermon that you will not hear in the liberal churches across this nation.
And when preachers like me and others preach on BIBLICAL SEPARATION they are often accused of preaching on legalism that we are save by works.
Let me makes something very clear before I get into this sermon on BIBLICAL SEPARATION.
There is not a preacher ANYWHERE that believes in salvation by GRACE ANYMORE THAN I DO.
I not only believe in SALVATION BY GRACE I believed we are KEPT BY GRACE.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
If it was not for the GRACE OF God, I could not SAVE MYSELF FROM SIN nor could I KEEP MYSELF MY SELF FROM SIN.
Ephesians 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.
There is not ONE THING we can do to earn our Salvation.
Illus: On Calvary He did everything that needed to be done for our salvation. And on that cross when died for our sins He said, IT IS FINISHED!!!
Because of the GRACE OF GOD SAVES US we no longer live a life of sin but NOW we live a SEPARATED LIFE FROM THIS UNGODLY WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
Liberal churches use Biblical Separation as for a reason for them not to PREACH on Biblical Separation.
Why?
Because they have filled their churches with people with water down gospel and they know if they were to preach on BIBLICAL SEPARATION it would empty their churches.
But nevertheless, the Bible teaches Biblical Separation.
Let me read some scriptures and you judge for yourself if the word of God does not teach BIBLICAL SEPARATION to those who have been saved by the grace of God.
• 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
• 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
• 1 Cor. 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
• John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
• 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
I could go on and on giving you scriptures about Biblical Separation in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
I believe I have shared with you enough scripture to lay the foundation for this sermon that the Bible teaches from cover-to-cover BIBLICAL SEPARATION from this evil world in which we live AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
Without apology we at the First Baptist Church are different from these liberal churches that do not preach on BIBLICAL SEPARATION.
If you have come to hear a COTTON CANDY SEROMON that these liberal preachers preach you have come to the wrong church.
Why are we different from these liberal churches?
Because of…
I. THE IMPORTANCE WE PLACE ON THE SCRIPTURES
We as Bible believing Christians know the Word of God is not one of the most important things in the church, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE CHURCH.
DOES EVERY CHURCH BELIEVE THAT?
N0!
Some think that music and singing is the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN A CHURCH SERVICE.
Don’t get me wrong I love good music in a church service, and I thank the Lord for our music director (Bro. Kenny) but music is not the most important thing in a church service, and he agrees with me.
Illus: A secretary for one of these liberal churches stated she did the church bulletin each week for them.
She was told after about forty-five minutes of singing and so on she was to put in the program 10 to 15 minutes for a sermon.
The most important thing in a church service is the preaching of God’s Word.
But liberal churches do not believe that.
Illus: For example, have you ever heard some who attended one of these emotional Pentecostal services state, WE HAD A GREAT CHURCH SERVICE LAST NIGHT people were shouting and singing.
IT WAS SO GREAT THE PREACHER DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO PREACH!
There are some churches that believe that shouting, singing, dancing is what define a great church service.
Illus: Listen, would you say if the Lord Jesus was here among us physically and he preached a sermon to us in the SPOKEN WORD would you not say that would be the high light of the service.
He is not here among us physically sharing His Word with us, but I have in my hands His words, the WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, and that is THE SAME as the SPOKEN WORD of God.
The written Word and the Spoken Word are the same.
I like to think of the church as a big feast.
Illus: I remember when growing up as the members of our family we would all come to the table for a good A GOOD MEAL of Pork chops, green beans, mashed potatoes, squash, corn and some of the best biscuits ever been made.
Six children and our parents made eight around the table.
We were a poor family, and we only had 3 chairs at the table and the rest of us had to set on a bench that had at least fifteen coats of paint on it and a knot hole in the middle of the bench.
I generally always set beside my little brother Doug, and we always fought who would set at the end of the bench because we like that position because it gave us more elbow room to swing that fork without punching someone in the eye.
Since my oldest brother was the oldest, he got to set in the third chair.
After we all enjoyed fellowshipping around a good meal my mother would say, “Save some space in your stomach because THE BEST IS YET TO COME.”
We all knew she was talking about some desert she made for us.
That makes me think of God’s church.
Illus: We as the members of the body of Christ come to the house of God. We come to greet each other and sing and rejoice in the Lord with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
But we know after all of this THE SINGING IS DONE THE BEST IS YET TO COME…THE PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD.
We have heard from each other but now our HEVENLY FATHER HAS SOME THINGS HE WANT TO SAY TO US.
As a Bible believing church, we believe the SCRIPTURES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
It is amazing:
• Some drive across town to the First Baptist Church every Sunday to hear God’s word preached because they know the value we place on the Word of God.
• Some attend church services every time the doors are opened at the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH to hear God’s word preached because they know the value we place on the Word of God.
• Some give a tenth of their paycheck to the Lord’s work at the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH to hear God’s word preached and so others around the world can hear because they know the value we place on the Word of God.
• Some are constantly inviting others to attend the FIRST BAPTIS CHURCH because they want others to hear the word of God preached.
Listen, I want to say again without apology the most important thing in the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH…
• It is not what the preacher says that matters…
• It is not what the deacons says that matters…
• It is not what the board of directors says that matters…
• It is not what the biggest tither in this church says that matters…
• It is not what the oldest member in the church that matters…
WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT THUS SAITH GOD’S WORD SAYS!!!
Why?
Because we place a high premium on the Word of God at the First Baptist Church.
If we didn’t…
• I wouldn’t be here…
• I hope you wouldn’t be here…
• And I know GOD WOULD NOT BE HERE…
Here at the FIRST BAPTIST, WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD’S WORD.
But it is not just that the Word of God is Important to us to teach us how we can be SAVED BY GRACE, but we also believe…
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF PREACHING BIBLE SEPARATION.
Also, as group of believers we place a GREAT VALUE ON HIS WORD BUT ALSO, WE ARE CALLED TO...
• We preach what His Word Preach!
Only preachers that believe His Word can preach from this pulpit at the First Baptist Church.
• We teach what His Word teaches!
Only teachers that teach what His Word teaches can teach in our Bible classes
• Only people who are born again as the Word of God teaches can be a member of the First Baptist Church.
We place a HIGH PREMIUM ON GOD’S WORD.
The Bible teaches this.
Look at Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Illus: Jude said I was going to write to you about our common salvation but there is so much false teaching going on I feel led to write unto “…that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Why should we CONTEND FOR THE FAITH THAT HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN TO US?
Illus: Because the second law of Thermodynamic teaches over a period of time everything deteriorates over a period of time.
Illus: It is like I saw a movie actress that I saw recently. She was once a beautiful woman but over a period of time when I saw a picture of her it was hard to believe the woman in the picture was the same woman that I once thought was so beautiful.
The same thing with the church today when we read the scriptures and compare the scriptures to the church today it is hard to believe it is the same church handed down to us.
God’s church has become un-recognizable when we read the Word of God that has been handed down to us.
If we don’t contend for the faith…
• People won’t know about Christ,
• People want know how to please the Lord.
• People want know who should be preaching in the pulpit.
• People want know who should be a deacon.
• If we don’t preach the Word of God false preachers will have an open door to spread their false teachings.
• Mankind will be exalted not the Lord Jesus.
• Bible worship will be replaced with a bunch of foolishness
We live in a changing world, but the Word of God has not changed. In many churches HIS CHURCH HAS!!!
To keep this from happening Paul wrote Timothy and told him in 2 Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Notice, the Bible tells Timothy to preach the Word of God.
Why?
Paul told Timothy do THREE things in his preaching:
1) Reprove,
2) Rebuke,
3) Exhort
What Paul told Timothy applies to every preacher that God has called to preach today.
But because we live in a world today that has been deceived.
Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
The church today is filled with preacher that are no more than a bunch of EAR SCRATCHERS.
If you have a hard time believing that listen to some of these hucksters on television and radio preach.
Illus: For example, on the Larry King show Larry who was a Jew asked Joel Osteen if he did not believe in Christ as the Savior would he die and go to hell.
What a wonderful opportunity he had to share the Word of God nationwide.
But this phony baloney preacher had an excellent chance to tell Larry King that Christ is the only door to Heaven.
But you know what this clown said with his Howdy Doody smile, “Larry, I rather not say that! I will let God be the judge on that.”
Because liberal churches do not preach BIBLE SEPARATION, we now have a WATER DOWN VERSION OF THE BIBLE.
And because this water down version is preached today, we have professing Christians you cannot tell any difference in their life than those who do not profess to be saved.
Illus: Years ago, when the Bible was preached in many churches more than now:
• Elvis Presley came on the scene in the 50’s and appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. The man has a fantastic voice and looks.
But when he began to sing “You aren’t nothing but a hound dog” he started making bedroom gestures with his body while he was singing.
The next time he sung on television they would only show him from his waist up!
Why?
Because Christians all across this nation rose up and stated they are not going to allow this garbage in their home.
But today with all this dirty dancing it would make even Elvis blush.
• About the same time Marilyn Monroe came on the scene wearing tight clothing that displayed every part of her body.
But listen today,
We have professing Christian women that wear pants so tight today they make Marilyn Monroe look like a Sunday school teacher.
THEY DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING TO THE IMAGINATION…THEY MIGHT AS WELL WALK AROUND NAKED.
We have professing Christians that claim they are dancing in the spirit that will make Michael Jackson look like an amateur.
We have preachers in the pulpit wearing t-shirts, flip flops, and jeans like they are fixing to go to the beach not the house of God.
Some justify this by saying Preacher; they dress like the lost world to get them to be saved.
Listen, if I am not mistaken, we are supposed to get them to look like us not us look like them.
• No wonder Paul said this age of comprise is coming! It is here!
• He also said there would many false prophets in the last days…THEY ARE HERE.
The Bible teaches BIBLE SEPARATION FROM COVER TO COVER.
Why aren’t preachers preaching it if they call themselves a Bible preacher.
Illus: I was talking to a man that is not saved sometime back. He told me he was in a night club drinking with another man who was drinking and the man said, “I got to go I have to teach Sunday school in the morning!”
Because the precious Word of God is not being preached in many of the churches today our churches are filled with…
• With professing Christians today on Sunday night, they are in Church and on Monday night they are in a night club.
• With professing Christians, we have those who say they are only social drinkers, but they are so drunk they cannot drive home.
Listen, if Night Quill can keep you from having a cold, they should never have a cold.
• Gambling is no longer gambling it is now a game like baseball.
• Lying is no longer lying it is now bending the truth.
• Abortion is no longer killing a helpless child in the womb of a mother it is now A WOMAN’S CHOICE.
I am glad that we at the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH place a high premium on the PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD.
Illus: I have never had anyone tell me “Preacher, when you preach on Bible Separation, I do not like it!”
I did have a man to tell me one day, “Preacher, I think a lot of you, and I have thought about joining your church…BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE I CAN LIVE UP TO THE STLANDARDS YOU PREACH.”
So he went and found him a church that fit his sinful lifestyle and joined it.
If the apostle Paul was here today in our age, He would be telling preachers the same thing he told Timothy…PREACH THE WORD!
Illus: You can take a glass of tea and keep pouring water in that same glass of tea and soon it will not taste like tea but water.
• If these false liberal churches keep watering down the Word of God soon, we will not have the Word of God.
• If these publishers keep producing false translation of the Bible that leave out the ATONMENT OF CHRIST, VIRGIN BIRTH, BIBLE SEPARATION we want have the Word of God.
• If the song writers keep writing songs what I call 7-11 songs where they say a word SEVEN TIMES AND SING IT ELEVEN TIMES, we are not going to have any more good gospel songs.
It is so sad that most so-called Christians just sit back and let these false teachings spread there false teaching and not take a stand.
When true Christians expose people like Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Ken Copeland, Joyce Meyers, Mike Murdock, Benny Hinn, Geo Jennings, T.D. Jake, and others, so-called Christians say stop judging.
Preacher you are JUDGING!!!
Yes, I am JUDGING, and when I compare their teachings and lifestyles to the Word of God it my job to expose them for what they are.
I do not hate these men; I just hate what they preach!
God put the Bible believing church here to take a stand and expose these cults that preach salvation by works and other things.
Christ said in Matthew 7:15-16 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THEM…?
You will recognize them by the fruit THEY BEAR…”
• They may wear a $3,000 tailor made suit.
• They may live in a 35,00 sq. ft house
• They may drive a $200,000 dollar Bentley car.
• They may preach to thousands of people each week.
But that does not make them a minister of God!
We know them by what they preach and by the fruit they bear.
The Lord said before He returns many false prophets will exist.
We at the First Baptist Church without apology we place more VALUE ON THE WORD OF GOD THAN ANYTHING OR ANYONE!
Also since the Word of God teaches Biblical Separation, we believe in…
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF PREACHING BIBLICAL SEPARATION.
Once we are saved by the Grace of God the Bible that I hold in my hands teaches BIBLE SEPARATION FROM COVER TO COVER.
Illus: We parents know the importance of warning our children to stay away from BAD COMPANY.
It is a great concern for godly parents that their children ATTEND schools with other students who:
• Drink
• Smoke
• Lie
• Curse
• Steal
• Rebellious
• Disobedient
WHY ARE THEY CONCERN?
Because parents know if they associate with them, they will soon become like them.
When children that was raised up in church and taught the Word of God start mingling with the ungodly it rubs off on them.
This is why God in the Old Testament taught BIBLE SEPARATION.
The Old Testament and the New Testament teaches this
Look at Deuteronomy 7:1-3 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Illus: This is the problem with Christian young people marrying unsaved people…Their evil ways will rub off on them.
Illus: This the problem with Christian young people dating unsaved young people…their evil ways will rub off on them.
The Word of God tells us “Be not unequally yoked together” because they will rub off on you.
Illus: This is the problem with children watching things they should not watch on television.
If they are allowed to watch such things on television, they will soon become just like them.
When our children watch this stuff on TV soon you cannot tell one bit of difference between them and the kids on television.
It is amazing to me that some parents will allow on television two teenagers committing fornication on television in their living room.
But if this was taking place in real life in their living room, they would not allow this to take place.
But they allow the same thing to take place in their home watching this on television.
God’s Word teaches BIBLE SEPARATION.
There was a time when when preacher preached on Christian Separation Christians would not go to these THEATERS.
But today in this age when preachers no longer preach against the THEATERS professing Christians just like the sinners go there to watch the scum of the earth, curse, committed adultery, killings, lying, cheat on their marriage vows and think nothing of it.
This is the age of EVERYBODY IS DOING IT! But everybody should not be doing it!
This is the problem with Hollywood movies. They are made by the scum of the earth that does not have a shred of decency.
When we go to the movies and support these movies we are supporting the scum of the earth.
And we wonder why our children have become so corrupted in their thinking and deeds.
The Bible teaches “Evil corrupt good manners”
This is one of the problems with today’s church if we do not practice what the Word of God teach and preach on BIBLICAL SEPARATION, WE WILL BECOME LIKE THE LIBERAL CHURCHES that will NOT preach on COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM.
With their compromising ways these liberal preachers have filled their churches with so called Christians that you cannot tell a bit of difference between them and the lost world.
God has not called us as a Bible believing church to follow after liberal churches that compromise the word of God to draw a crowd! God has called us to follow after the Word of God and preach the Word of God LINE BY LINE AND PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT.
WHY?
Because we recognize that if we associate with evil, it will rub off on us.
Illus: You cannot go into a coal mine wearing a white suit without get some SMUT on youself!!!
We do not make any claim that we are better than anyone, we just recognize that if we associate with certain people long enough, we soon will live our life the way they live their lives.
Listen, do not let anyone fool you into thinking it does not matter who you associate with. The people we associate with influence us for GOOD or for BAD.
For example:
• You can walk into a room when someone lets out a big yawn, and in a few minutes others in the room will be doing the same thing,
• You can walk into a room where someone is humming a tune, and soon someone else will start to hum that tune. ’
• You can walk into a room where someone is griping, and soon others will begin to gripe.
• You can walk into a room where someone is gossiping, and soon you will be doing the same thing.
• You CANNOT hang around someone that is cursing and taking God’s name in vain without soon doing the same
God’s Word tells us COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM ‘
We are affected greatly by those we associate with. '
We tell our children of the danger of associating with bad company, but we adults act like we are exempt from that danger. NOT SO!
Conclusion:
We at the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH choose to live a LIFE OF BIBLICAL SEPARATION
Why? Because…
I. THE IMPORTANCE WE PLACE ON THE SCRIPTURES
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF PREACHING BIBLE SEPARATION.
