WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.360 Aren't you glad you're a Christian? Aren't you 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:11.160 glad you're a member of the body of Christ? I'm 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:19.440 glad I know today that I am one of them. Well, 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:22.760 sir, for a few minutes, you and I are going to 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:28.339 continue our little heart -to -heart talk. regarding 00:00:28.339 --> 00:00:31.719 the precious truths as found in the fourth chapter 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.780 of Ephesians. Now, those of you who have been 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:41.479 following me in the discussion of the gifts in 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:45.159 the church, remember that during our last little 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:48.320 heart -to -heart talk, I was speaking to you 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:52.780 regarding the ministry gifts of Christ to his 00:00:52.780 --> 00:00:58.770 body, the church. And the scripture continues 00:00:58.770 --> 00:01:07.430 by telling us why God has purposed to give us 00:01:07.430 --> 00:01:15.189 apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors 00:01:15.189 --> 00:01:21.930 and teachers in the church. He continues by saying, 00:01:22.049 --> 00:01:25.799 for the perfecting of the saints. for the work 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:29.980 of the ministry, for the edifying of the body 00:01:29.980 --> 00:01:34.420 of Christ, till we all come into the unity of 00:01:34.420 --> 00:01:36.939 the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of 00:01:36.939 --> 00:01:41.920 God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:47.359 stature of the fullness of Christ. Now he continues 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:51.859 in that 14th verse, and this is what we're going 00:01:51.859 --> 00:01:57.219 to study today. that we henceforth be no more 00:01:57.219 --> 00:02:02.060 children tossed to and fro and carried about 00:02:02.060 --> 00:02:08.060 with every wind of doctrine by the sly of men 00:02:08.060 --> 00:02:13.080 and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:18.879 to deceive but speaking the truth in love may 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:23.169 grow up into hymn in all things which is the 00:02:23.169 --> 00:02:28.110 head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fit 00:02:28.110 --> 00:02:32.250 jointly together and compacted by that which 00:02:32.250 --> 00:02:36.409 every joint supplieth, according to the effectual 00:02:36.409 --> 00:02:40.810 working in the measure of every part, maketh 00:02:40.810 --> 00:02:46.530 increase of the body unto the edifying of itself 00:02:46.530 --> 00:02:54.259 in love. All right, go back. that we henceforth 00:02:54.259 --> 00:03:03.139 be no more children tossed to and fro and carried 00:03:03.139 --> 00:03:10.099 about with every wind of doctrine o beloved how 00:03:10.099 --> 00:03:14.020 many people there are to -day who are affected 00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:19.939 by every wind of doctrine that comes along They're 00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:23.060 one thing today, they're something else tomorrow, 00:03:23.099 --> 00:03:26.680 and then next week they believe something else. 00:03:27.580 --> 00:03:32.159 They remind me of balloons that are thrust into 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.819 the atmosphere. They're subject to every current. 00:03:36.599 --> 00:03:42.080 Oh, they're carried thither and yond. You're 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.259 never quite sure where they're going to be tomorrow. 00:03:45.379 --> 00:03:47.979 You're... dead sure that you don't know where 00:03:47.979 --> 00:03:50.740 they're going to be next week. And in the final 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:55.259 analysis, I'm convinced that they don't know 00:03:55.259 --> 00:04:00.039 what they believe themselves. They're not sure 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:04.639 of their doctrine. They're not quite sure exactly 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:08.479 what they do believe. And it's just like that. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:12.080 Now listen, God does not desire us to be so. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:16.259 He does not wish that we remain in a state of 00:04:16.259 --> 00:04:21.220 babyhood, or as his word states here, no more 00:04:21.220 --> 00:04:26.439 children. He expects us to cease to be children. 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:30.019 He desires that we should be rooted and grounded 00:04:30.019 --> 00:04:32.779 in the faith, and in order that we might be so, 00:04:32.939 --> 00:04:37.699 he has given gifts to the church. He has given 00:04:37.699 --> 00:04:43.500 pastors. He has given teachers. He is given evangelists. 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:48.660 That you and I might become rooted and grounded 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:55.920 in the word. That we might be perfected in him. 00:04:55.980 --> 00:05:00.740 There is no substitute for the word of God. It 00:05:00.740 --> 00:05:06.079 grieves him when his redeemed ones remain in 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:10.129 the state of babyhood. He longs that we should 00:05:10.129 --> 00:05:14.810 become full grown men and women of faith. Knowing 00:05:14.810 --> 00:05:20.529 his mind. Knowing his purposes. Knowing the word. 00:05:21.470 --> 00:05:25.290 Knowing what it's all about. Knowing how to live. 00:05:26.569 --> 00:05:30.170 Knowing how to become more than conquerors in 00:05:30.170 --> 00:05:35.490 Christ Jesus. Knowing who is the rock upon which 00:05:35.490 --> 00:05:40.069 we stand. God is a father with a father's heart. 00:05:40.850 --> 00:05:43.550 He delights to see his children grow in grace 00:05:43.550 --> 00:05:47.149 and in the knowledge of the Son of God, just 00:05:47.149 --> 00:05:51.050 as you, as a parent, as a father and mother, 00:05:51.129 --> 00:05:54.209 rejoice when you see your children developing 00:05:54.209 --> 00:06:01.189 mentally and physically. Babies are cute. Babies 00:06:01.189 --> 00:06:04.990 are darling. There's nothing the whole world 00:06:04.990 --> 00:06:12.649 quite as sweet. As a little baby. And how often 00:06:12.649 --> 00:06:16.990 I've heard a parent say, I wish he'd never grow 00:06:16.990 --> 00:06:22.329 up. He's so cute just like that. Oh, to fondle 00:06:22.329 --> 00:06:23.709 a baby. But I'm going to tell you something. 00:06:24.610 --> 00:06:31.750 Who wants a 16 -year -old baby? Who wants a 25 00:06:31.750 --> 00:06:35.689 -year -old baby? No matter how cute your baby 00:06:35.689 --> 00:06:40.019 is. No matter how darling that baby is today, 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:46.579 you'd feel pretty badly if that baby didn't go 00:06:46.579 --> 00:06:51.879 to manhood, if it didn't develop, if it didn't 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:56.500 grow to be an adult. And God the Father feels 00:06:56.500 --> 00:07:00.100 the same way about his children, and yet he has 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:05.240 children who are still... and have never left 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:10.379 their babyhood at the age of 30, 35, 40, and 00:07:10.379 --> 00:07:15.420 50. You're still little children never having 00:07:15.420 --> 00:07:20.199 become rooted and grounded in the word. At this 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:27.540 very hour, you're not dead sure what you believe. 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:31.860 And that's the reason you're tossed... to and 00:07:31.860 --> 00:07:36.959 fro by every wind of doctrine. Oh, beloved, there 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:38.300 never was a day in the history of the church 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:42.899 when Christians needed more to be rooted and 00:07:42.899 --> 00:07:45.519 grounded in the faith as in the present day. 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:50.920 For you and I both know that false teachers are 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:55.920 increasing and their doctrines are becoming more 00:07:55.920 --> 00:08:01.389 plausible. You know something? False systems, 00:08:01.769 --> 00:08:09.269 false doctrines, and their promoters are described 00:08:09.269 --> 00:08:15.350 in this 14th verse of the 4th chapter of Ephesians. 00:08:15.410 --> 00:08:23.870 Here it is. Sly men, cunning craftiness, whereby 00:08:23.870 --> 00:08:28.430 they lie in wait to deceive. In other words, 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:32.340 Such men have selfish purposes and deceive in 00:08:32.340 --> 00:08:37.279 order to profit from their lies. Paul's not describing 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:40.940 in these words people who sell insecure oil stock 00:08:40.940 --> 00:08:46.179 or land. No. He's describing religious leaders 00:08:46.179 --> 00:08:51.320 who come to us these days in the name of Christ. 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:56.379 They're those today who'll accept anyone who 00:08:56.379 --> 00:09:01.179 topes a Bible under his arm. There are still 00:09:01.179 --> 00:09:05.820 children in the body of Christ who will accept 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:10.220 anyone as being sincere if they'll just use the 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:16.779 name of Jesus or of Christ. That's right. These 00:09:16.779 --> 00:09:19.440 words given by Paul are in keeping with Matthew, 00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:22.899 the 24th chapter and the 24th verse, where the 00:09:22.899 --> 00:09:25.779 end of the age is described by the Lord Jesus 00:09:25.779 --> 00:09:29.830 Christ. And he says, For there shall arise false 00:09:29.830 --> 00:09:34.850 Christs and false prophets, and shall show great 00:09:34.850 --> 00:09:39.669 signs and wonders insomuch that, if it were possible, 00:09:40.429 --> 00:09:47.250 they shall deceive the very elect. Now then, 00:09:47.370 --> 00:09:51.750 we're told in 1 John, the fourth chapter, to 00:09:51.750 --> 00:09:55.429 try the spirits. And this may be done in several 00:09:55.429 --> 00:10:00.419 ways. First, Find out what the attitude of the 00:10:00.419 --> 00:10:05.200 system of teaching is toward the Bible. Whether 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.960 the Bible is held to be the complete revelation 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:12.080 of God or whether it's only a partial revelation 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:16.779 with another book needed to complete it. I'm 00:10:16.779 --> 00:10:18.720 always a little leery of these folks who come 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.200 around with another book that you're supposed 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:26.649 to read. With the Bible, I'm going to tell you 00:10:26.649 --> 00:10:30.470 something. There is no substitute for the Word 00:10:30.470 --> 00:10:37.190 of God. All you need is the say of the Lord. 00:10:38.169 --> 00:10:45.590 You don't need anything further to know God's 00:10:45.590 --> 00:10:54.639 truth than just the Bible itself. For the Bible 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:59.460 is the Word, the living God. It is supernaturally 00:10:59.460 --> 00:11:04.899 inspired. It was written by holy men of old as 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:07.080 they were moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost. 00:11:08.419 --> 00:11:12.860 It is the only true ground of Christian unity 00:11:12.860 --> 00:11:19.879 and fellowship. Believe me, it is the eternal 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:27.820 tribunal by whose all men and all nations shall 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:36.899 be judged one day. Know that. Accept nothing 00:11:36.899 --> 00:11:43.220 more than God's word. Next, ask what their belief 00:11:43.220 --> 00:11:46.820 is concerning the person of Jesus Christ, whether 00:11:46.820 --> 00:11:52.039 he is the eternal son of the eternal God. born 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:55.860 of a virgin, the perfect man, and the perfect 00:11:55.860 --> 00:12:00.559 God, ascertain their attitude toward the atoning 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:04.460 work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary. Find 00:12:04.460 --> 00:12:07.019 out what they believe concerning the eternal 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:09.759 destiny of those who reject Jesus Christ and 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:13.320 refuse to believe in Him as Savior through faith 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:23.700 in His blood. Such a test reveals the truth of 00:12:23.700 --> 00:12:32.519 their doctrine. Know that. Jesus Christ is the 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:37.240 very Son, the living God, coexistence and co 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:41.500 -eternal with the Father, who was conceived by 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:45.259 the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, taking 00:12:45.259 --> 00:12:48.340 upon himself the form of man, and by the shedding 00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:56.179 of his blood, Atonement for man. He is not just 00:12:56.179 --> 00:13:03.700 a beautiful example. Know that. It is more than 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:17.399 that. He is the very son of the living God. Nothing 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:25.159 else will suffice. For the transgression of men. 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:34.799 Know that. Know. Not just an example. But the 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:41.659 very son of the living God. You know something? 00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:45.559 When false teaching is brought under the lens 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:53.450 of holy writ. It's true. Character is revealed. 00:13:55.669 --> 00:13:57.970 But in our proclamation of the great doctrines, 00:13:57.970 --> 00:14:01.889 the word, the truth of God, let us remember the 00:14:01.889 --> 00:14:05.730 exhortation in verse 15, here in this fourth 00:14:05.730 --> 00:14:09.049 chapter of Ephesians, with regard to the spirit 00:14:09.049 --> 00:14:14.289 in which it should be done. Let me read it. But 00:14:14.289 --> 00:14:20.679 speaking the truth in love. may grow up into 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:26.059 him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:29.039 Oh, what a need there is for the fundamentals 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:32.080 of the truth to be emphasized. It's important 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.440 that we set forth the fundamentals of the faith 00:14:34.440 --> 00:14:39.320 and contend for them earnestly. But it's just 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:44.679 as important that we should exemplify in our 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:48.620 lives. the great truths for which we contend, 00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:53.700 and that we practice at all times and under all 00:14:53.700 --> 00:15:00.820 circumstances the inexhaustible love. As Paul 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:05.019 says, though I speak with the tongues of men 00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:11.759 and of angels and have not love, it profiteth 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:16.539 me nothing. Oh, how many of us there are who 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:20.059 seem to have a profound knowledge of doctrine, 00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:28.740 but are destitute of love and of kindness. Speak 00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:33.700 the truth. By all means, speak the truth. But 00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:43.529 by all means, let us speak it in love. And let 00:15:43.529 --> 00:15:49.490 us live out in our lives the things that we proclaim 00:15:49.490 --> 00:15:55.289 by lip. You know, there's a beautiful story that's 00:15:55.289 --> 00:16:00.149 told of Dr. G. Campbell Morgan. He had four sons, 00:16:00.429 --> 00:16:04.409 all of whom were preachers. The youngest son, 00:16:04.509 --> 00:16:08.090 Howard, was considered a great preacher. Someone 00:16:08.090 --> 00:16:11.039 came into the drawing room with the family. were 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:17.059 having a reunion, and thinking to find out what 00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:20.600 Howard was made of, asked this question, Howard, 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:27.039 who's the greatest preacher in your family? Howard 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:30.779 had a great admiration for his father, and he 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:33.679 looked across the room where his father stood. 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:38.019 For just a moment, there was silence as he looked 00:16:38.019 --> 00:16:43.110 at his father directly. Clay in the face. The 00:16:43.110 --> 00:16:49.429 man whom he admired most. And then, without further 00:16:49.429 --> 00:16:56.490 hesitation, he answered, My mother. He was right. 00:16:57.789 --> 00:17:03.610 You know, sometimes men and women, never standing 00:17:03.610 --> 00:17:07.549 on a platform, never having stood behind a pulpit, 00:17:07.750 --> 00:17:13.589 preach the great, discernment through living 00:17:13.589 --> 00:17:20.049 out in their daily lives the word and the practicing 00:17:20.049 --> 00:17:28.069 of the word of God. For me to live is Christ 00:17:28.069 --> 00:17:34.569 and Christ is love. Amen.