Open
your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7. -
the Bible shows clearly that the world is going to be coming together in the
last days. It will do this
religiously & governmentally. And
there is a spirit which is strong, and it is working towards this ecumenicist -
this coming together. Now we see
the movements happening all around us, political groups like the NAACP (which
are "racist" communists), ACLU (which has done more to corrupt the
legal system in America, than probably any other one thing), and the ERA (which
hates the Bible, scorns Jesus Christ, and leads an open attack against the home
& Christianity) and some religious movements.
One
of these things that will come to pass is there will be an attack made on your
ability to "discern"! Now
what is discernment? It is the
ability to discriminate! Now
discrimination is a "demonized term" in the news media, and liberal
talk shows, but use some sense here. You've
got to be able to discern! And you
must have discernment!
The
world asks "What's the difference?" and then covers up the differences
to make you believe all things are relative!
"THERE
IS A DIFFERENCE!"
Mat.
5-7 is one of the favorite campgrounds of the liberals and all others who desire
to have a part in their own salvation, because it is a passage which doctrinally
deals with this Jewish King - who happens to be the King of Kings - delivering
the constitutional by-laws for when the Kingdom of heaven will be on earth!
It is not a passage which deals with the salvation of the soul, it deals
with righteousness during the kingdom dispensation!
Those who would foolishly hold to their own righteousness, instead of
trusting the righteousness of Jesus Christ, will run to this portion of
scripture to teach that it is not by grace through faith that a person is saved,
but rather by their lifestyles. And
to someone who spends anytime in the word of God at all, and can be honest about
human nature - nothing could be a bigger joke!
Only it ain't funny! Listen
if your discernment has been dulled to the point that you can't tell the
difference in the righteousness of Jesus Christ & your own, you don't need
even be out on the road!
Your
righteousness is as "filthy rags" - and Jesus Christ didn't fall short
of God's glory by an inch! He descended to this earth from glory, was made
flesh, born of a virgin, subject to parents, and lived His whole life down here
on earth - as righteous as God the Father!
The
passage isn't dealing with church age salvation - it is dealing with the
rulership of Jesus Christ during the Kingdom age.
The kingdom of God is the spiritual kingdom of which a sinner is born
into now by faith, and the Kingdom of heaven is an earthly kingdom of which
Christ will reign from Jerusalem over the whole earth!
According to Daniel 2, the lists of kingdoms are Babylon, Media-Persia,
Greece, Rome - then the kingdom of heaven!
As Babylon was an earthly reign.... so will the kingdom of heaven be on
this earth, and Mat. 5-7 shows the rules Christ has already laid down for when
this kingdom shows up!
Some
have actually had their ability to discern under such an attack, that they can't
tell the difference between when the Devil will reign, and Christ will reign.
Some claim Jesus Christ is actually reigning over this earth right now -
and the Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world"! Satan is the
"prince of the power of the air"!
The
devil is working behind the scenes to try and make everything the same when they
are not the same! The things of
which God has made a difference, he moves through the world system to say there
is no difference! The things God
hasn't made a difference in, he moves through the religious system and says
there is a difference (Rom. 3:23; 10:13)!
But
there are some things a difference must be noticed or there is going to be
trouble - between Males & females (where the difference between the sexes is
not stressed there is effeminantcy); young & old (pride & rebellion);
cultures (confusion & swallowing up of one culture)
Jesus
Christ was an extremist! And He
made some real differences!
I.
There is a difference between "salt" & the unsavory and between
Light & darkness-
5:13-16
Christ
here describes His followers as giving off light and as being the ingredient to
give flavor! And beloved there is a
real difference in someone who is a "salty Christian" and someone who
is not! And there is a real
difference between something which gives light and something which doesn't!
A.
Salt has a purpose -
Actually has many purposes (14,000 uses). Salt
pictures zeal & incorruption. Salt
preserves; melts ice; make you thirsty!
1.
Salt in the home
2. Salt in the church
3. When a nation has lost it's salt
B.
There is a way which gives light and a way which doesn't!
And
you need discernment to know that way, because you need light & and you are
light! And even though you are
saved, you can end up hiding your light by wandering around in darkness!
(Satan's objective & ours have crossed) - *Music - when people lose
their discernment it's hard to get them to see what you are getting so upset
about
II.
Then Jesus illustrates the difference in things by 2 gates -
7:13,
14
All
the roads to travel in life are not the same!
They are not the same because they do not lead to the same place!
They don't have the same entrance. They
are not the same course. They have
a different result!
A.
Wide & broad is the way which leads to destruction & many are going in
it!
- Don't follow the multitudes or you'll get into a mess!
If "everyone's doing it" then you better stay away from it!
B.
Straight & narrow is the way to life and few be there that find it - IN
other words, you could be right there and miss it and go on to the way of
destruction!
*These
two gates are different! They have
different entrances & lead to different places!
And you better be able to discern which is right & wrong or you are
going to end up in one huge mess! (What's the difference?)
III.
Then Jesus Christ talks about 2 trees -
7:15-20
Jesus
Christ said "a good tree brings forth good fruit and an evil tree evil
fruit"! Now works is not
fruit! Fruit is something which is
produced naturally. Works is
something you may go out of your way to do.
*You
may belong to a group which does a lot of good works - but what kind of fruit
does it produce?
Faithful
husbands, fear & zeal for God, strong churches ....
*If
the fruit which is produced by a ministry is not a - belief in the book; love
for souls; desire towards missions; assurance of salvation; fear of God...etc. -
I wouldn't be a part of it! Because
there are two kinds of trees and they are not the same!
IV.
There are 2 kinds of builders -
7:24-27
Which
kind are you? There are only 2 and
they are not the same! Our
foundation is Jesus Christ by & through the word of GOD!
If you aren't building on Him by the Holy Bible, when it comes to
building, you are a fool!
*Homes,
ministries, service (wood hay stubble gold precious stones)
THESE
ARE THINGS GOD MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN WHETHER WE DO OR NOT!