In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of receiving revelation from the Word of God and being willing to challenge old traditions and wrong teachings. The speaker refers to previous teachings in Hebrews 3 and 1 Corinthians 10, highlighting the consequences of practicing sin and the need to take heed and walk in fear of God's judgment. The sermon also emphasizes the idea of going through trials and allowing them to refine and purify one's faith. The speaker warns against false teachers who are driven by greed and lead others astray with their arrogant words and desires of the flesh.

When one receives revelation in the Word of God, it sometimes conflicts with what he has previously been taught. This causes you to have to deal with old traditions or wrong teachings. These tapes may contain, and it may be opposed to some traditions you have previously learned. Therefore, follow through these messages in your Bible, in sequence, in order that you may be able to make a choice for the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. This is tape number 8 in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in this series in numerical order, so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of this series, or to the tapes out of sequence, can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of this series. Now turn to Hebrews 5, please. Hebrews 5. Now Hebrews 5, he begins saying to them there in verse 8, Although Jesus was a son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. Now, is that the way you learn obedience? Reprove? You remember what we saw over in Hebrews 12? You know as a son, he disciplines us for our good. Isn't that right? We know in Hebrews 12, verse 11, it said, All discipline for the moment doesn't seem to be joyful but thoughtful, yet to those who have been trained by it, I ask that it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Now, this is the way Jesus, we walk as he walked, and he learned obedience through suffering. You and I learn obedience through suffering. And then verse 9, And having been made perfect, and you and I are supposed to be perfect, we're going to be made perfect because we're going to be holy as he is holy. And having been made perfect, he became to all those who, what? Well, they've got to obey this gospel. If you obey the gospel, then you're going to be led into sanctification and eternal life. Isn't that right? Maturity, the source of eternal life. Now, would that be maturity right there? Isn't that right? When you're led into eternal life, you better believe it. Now, verse 11, you're going to have the divine nature that we studied one night. Verse 11, Concerning him we have much to say, and it is, what? It is hard to explain to you, particularly since you've become dull of hearing, and you can't hear the Lord. Listen, folks. He's trying to tell them in 1 Corinthians 3, I'm wanting to lead you on. I've got some mature things, and I'm wanting to tell them to you, but you're dull of hearing because your hearts are not set on Jesus because you're practicing all this then. Amen? You're dull of hearing. You can't hear. You haven't got ears to hear. All three of you said, Here's wise as ears, let him hear what the Spirit's saying, and I can't tell you because your hearts, see? And later on he said, You haven't repented. You can't hear. You can't be led into maturity. You want to camp somewhere and gather around something. That's what they've done since the Reformation. Luther got some light, and they gathered around Luther's light, and they still gathered around Luther's light. Luther died. Of course, I'll tell you again, if Luther's here, he'd still be looking. Luther looks at him like that. But then in chapter 6, no, wait a minute. No, I missed a couple of verses right there. Verse 13. For ever one who partakes only of milk, only of milk, circulate only of milk, he's not accustomed to the word of righteousness. I mean, he's not into righteousness, and because he's only a what? He's a babe. He's a babe. He doesn't know about his weapons and overcoming, taking every thought captive to the deviance of the Lord Jesus Christ, tearing down these strongholds and something like that. He's coming to life. He can't hear. He can't hear yet. He can't hear the words of wisdom. He's got to move on into it. Amen? Okay. But verse 14. But solid food, this solid food, this wisdom of God is for the who? Who? They're for the mature. They're for the mature person. The one complete in Christ who because of what? He practices righteousness, and that's what we saw over there in John 3, 19 through 21, that you want all your deeds that manifested in God, and we also saw the ones who practiced righteousness, the children of God and the children of the devil, are obvious in John 3, 10, and the one who does not practice righteousness is the devil. Isn't that right? But because of the practice of righteousness, don't practice sin, don't practice strife and jealousy, they have their what? Senses trained to discern good and evil. Now, did your Bible say that you take every thought captive? How can you possess the land if you're not able to discern between good and evil? Well, let me ask you something. How can you discern between good and evil if you don't enter into maturity? Well, how can you enter into maturity if you have a doctrine that tells you, that doctrine that does not conform you to godliness? Because if you have a doctrine that doesn't conform you to godliness, 1 Timothy 6, 3 and 4, you are without understanding, and that's the reason you cannot hear the wisdom of God. Because 2 Corinthians 10, 3 through 5 says, and that's jealousy and envy, anger, and these kind of things. But the weapons are mighty in God to tear down strongholds. And we're talking about the weapons that you put up. You put up because you're in a war. If you're not in the war of the devil, I mean, he's got you to see. You're supposed to overcome him or he'll overcome you. But you take every thought captive of the obedience of Jesus. How can you do that unless you're sober and unless you're alert? How can you do that unless your senses are shortened by practicing righteousness and you keep come to life and you keep receiving reproof and you keep receiving the truth, you keep going through fire, you keep going through affliction, you keep going through persecution, and when it's saying, come on, you don't shrink back. You keep come to life. Say, Lord, I don't know. I know I tell you what is tough right here, but Lord, I don't know what I'm learning in this thing, but I'm still coming to you, Lord. I'm coming to you, and I'm standing on that word. I'm standing to you. I'm suffering in the flesh, but I'm ceasing from sin. I'm dying to this stuff. There's nothing left of me but you. And that's how you come out like gold. You keep coming through the fire, and he keeps putting you in trials. I told you that one trial I had, and I heard, learned some things about heart going after money and things like that. See, he let me get in the fire there for a little while. Now, he said, verse 6, here's what he said. Now, here's, I mean, chapter 6 right there. Here's what he said to them. Therefore, here's what I want you to leave. I want you to leave these elementary teachings. I want you to leave these elementary teachings about Christ, and I want you to move on in this word. I want you to move on the word to have your heart purified. I don't want you to, he's saying right there, I don't want you to still camp around this laying upon a foundation of repentance and dead works and faith toward God. I don't want you to camp around around washings and instruction about washing. I don't want you to camp on laying on a hand. I don't want you to camp around the resurrection of the dead. I don't want you to camp around the eternal judgment. I don't want you to get that word of God in you till it's Christ is complete and formed in you. Amen? You go on and you possess that land and have a pure heart. Amen? Don't you camp around this stuff while you're practicing sin, because 2 Thessalonians 2 tell you about how in the last days in the activity of Satan, people's hearts are going to go after signs and wonders, and that's today, their hearts are going to go after signs and wonders, and it says they're going to perish. Why? Because they didn't receive a love for the truth, and God said that I'm going to let a diluting influence come on them so they'll believe what is false. Their heart goes to the by-prophets of Jesus instead of going to Jesus. It goes to signs and wonders instead of Jesus. Signs and wonders follow the Word. We're excited about Jesus. We're not excited about flying in the water, but you take a king, you take that man over in Matthew 7 that cast out demons and prophesied and did miracles, I guarantee you when he come to town, Jesus said, I didn't know you. I wonder who got the glory, him or Jesus? He's looking for followers. He's going to be an idol. You've got to follow me. I've got the power. And I'm going to tell you, Father Jesus, that the power comes from him. So it goes ahead there. Are we supposed to skip Hebrews 6 here? Are we supposed to act like it's not there? Okay, let's just go on then. So we go there in verse 4. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit and they have tasted, they've eaten this good word of God and of the powers of the age to come. Should we stop there or keep on going? Do you want to go on? Okay. And then have what? Fallen away. Can I tell you that falling away is not good? It's not good to fall away. And then have fallen away. Let me tell you what. It is impossible. I said it is impossible. I'm telling you, folks, that it is impossible to renew them again to repentance since they again crucified of themselves the Son of God and put him to open shame. Now, I want you to hold your place right there. And I want you to turn right over to me to Hebrews 10. And it said it's impossible to renew them to repentance. You know what falling away is? Your heart. Hey, let me just first explain to you what falling away is. Falling away means your heart goes to something else besides Jesus. You start loving something more than you do Jesus. That's how you fall away. And, you know, look at me, look at me. If you're falling Jesus with all your heart right here, you're being washed with the Word of God, and you're being led into all truth. And along the way, well, the powers of darkness are going to come. They'll come along with doctrines, the demons that cause you to fall away. They seek the Spirit to have your heart to go somewhere else. And they'll let another, cause another root to come into your heart. And if you're not falling at the root of Jesus, what do you have? You're going to fall away from the faith. And you will start changing the Word of God. You know, now look at me. Let me just have you understand that. See, if I've got pride, if I enjoy pride, if I love the root of pride, when I come to the Word of God, I'm going to skip and pick and choose and water down everything so that I can live with pride. And from right, pride is a root that has all kinds of evil attached to it. Now, in 1 Timothy 6, if I have the love of money, and that's where that whore church was over, it had a form of godliness in 2 Timothy 3. In 1 Timothy 6, if you have, let me just read it to you. If you have a root of the love of money, if your heart goes after the love of money, it says in 1 Timothy 6, 9, that those who want to get rich, they fall into temptation and despair and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men and ruin and destruction. Now, listen to this. For the love of money, if your heart begins to love the money, the Lord said, In other words, don't let it get your heart. Don't let money, don't let any idols, gold, wood, stone of the world, and that's what the powers of darkness come to get to you, to get your heart to go after these things instead of Jesus. That's silver and gold right here, verse 10. For the love of money, silver and gold is the root of all sorts of evil. Now, when you have, when you love money, you're going to have selfishness, you're going to have to be deceitful, you're going to have to be suspicious, you're going to have to be jealous, you're going to envy, you're going to, and all of these things, all these other evils are going to come out of that one root right there. Now, when your heart goes after that pride and everything, see, well, what do you think you're going to do with the word of God? If you don't give up pride, you can't be worse for it. That shows that you love pride more than you do Jesus. Isn't that right? So it shows that you've got idol in your heart because you're practicing that and you won't give it up, see? Are you seeing what I'm saying? Because all is because the root of all evil, and some, the love of money right here, for instance, and some, it's the root of all sorts of other evils, and it gives the enemy, if they can get you love of money, then they can get all kinds of other things for your heart to do, deceitful things, so you can have money, amen? And some, for longing for it, their heart's going after money, they wander away from the faith and pierce themselves with the many a pain. Now, let me ask you something. Are you beginning to see that the love of money is just one idol, it's a root that can come in, and then it pulls you away from the faith, just like it says right there, it pulls you away from the faith, and then you're going to justify love and money, and you're going to only use part of the word of God because you won't use all the word of God because you love money more than you do Jesus. Let me see that, hold up your hand. Now, that's exactly how it works. And see, that's how you're falling away. And what happens when your heart stays there? Your heart becomes hardened to where you don't come back to the word of God. Now, why has it become hardened? Because you're not going for the sacrifice. Now, let's look at, now, let me read that again to verse 6, Hebrews 6, 6. And then you, well, verse 5, you've tasted the good word of God, verse 6, and then have fallen away. It is impossible to renew them again to repentance since they again crucify themselves to the Son of God, and they put Him to open chains. Now, if we look in Hebrews 10, let's look there in verse 26. For if we go on sinning willfully, sinning willfully would be your heart loving pride, and you won't give it up, or loving a root of evil, which would be money, or if your heart, say, loved greed, and you won't give it up, that'd be an example of it, and all kinds of evil would come in, and you'd wander away from the faith. For if we go on sinning willfully, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, which is what you saw back in Hebrews 6, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin. See, if you practice it, that means you love the sin more than you do Jesus. How many follow me? So what? Is that right? You love the sin more than you do the Lord Jesus Christ, and there no longer remains a sacrifice to you because what do you go to sacrifice for? If you're a receiver of proof and discipline, which a person does if Jesus Christ is your Lord, when you make a mistake, you're going to come to sacrifice, and you're going to be cleansed by it, so you won't be judged by the law. Is that right? Is that right? All right, now let's just continue in verse 29. How much severe punishment do you think he's going to deserve? He tramples underfoot the Son of God, and he regards as unclean the blood of this covenant right here. He regards it unclean because he says, I'm in a covenant, and I can walk in this pride. I can have this idol of greed. I can have this idol of love of money. I can have this idol of pride right here, and regards as unclean the blood of the covenant, which is sanctified, and you know what he's doing? When he's insulting, he insults the Spirit of grace. Now, are you seeing the difference in having another Jesus and another gospel and be led by a different spirit? Amen? Let's read verse 30, because when this happens to you, when you practice it, you won't come to the light. See, now, let me explain to you again. If a person makes this mistake, it's hard going back to money, he'll be convicted of it by the Lord. He'll receive reproof, and he'll turn from it, right? He'll come to the light. Now, the difference is, but if somebody willfully, and, you know, that's what a doctrine, it doesn't conform you to God, and it will teach you to be in rebellion to the Word of God. You won't receive the Word of God, because the doctrine takes the place of the Word of God. It takes the presence. See, the doctrine becomes the idol. It thinks it's going to take you into heaven. That's why the people get blinded to the Word. Now, we look at verse 30, for we know him who says, what? Vengeance is mine, I will repay, and again, the Lord will judge his people. Now, did we say that the Lord was going to have vengeance for his temple? Vengeance for his temple? Did we say that? Well, what is a vengeance for a temple? Because when you don't keep it pure and holy and everything, and you let thieves and robbers come into it, you let the powers of darkness just take over and sin and rebellion, what are you doing? You're defiling a temple, is that right? What do you think? Well, we get back to 1 Corinthians 3. He said, if you defile a temple, I'm going to destroy you. Now, are you seeing how you're destroyed when you defile a temple? That's what he's trying to tell them. You're going to go through fire, and if you don't go through the fire, you're going to be destroyed because you defiled a temple, amen? And the ones who come through the fire are not defiled in the temple, amen? How many of you see that? Hold up your hands. Well, amen. That's how you're saved as through fire. You destroy the temple of God, I'm going to destroy you. Do you know that everyone who practices sin destroys the temple of God? See, when you're not looking at this wisdom of God, the only thing you want to see is just somebody putting a gun to their head or something like that, see? You destroy the temple of God when you agree with the powers of God because the tree cutters come and cut you down, and they gather up all the branches, and they wither up, and they gather them up and burn them. And this is what happens to them. Now, let's just continue right back there. We're back in Hebrews 6 now. Let's read it again. Verse 5, You've tasted the good word of the God, verse 6, and then have fallen away. Now, see, people whose heart... Now, let me just show you somebody right here. If your heart has been tied to a doctrine, your mind is going 50 miles an hour to prove the word not to be right right here. You won't come to the light. You won't see. See, if it's already got your heart, see, you won't come to the... See, you can't be led in all truth. You're just like the Pharisees because you already know all the truth. You've got to justify the flesh and chicken and Jews and do the word of God, see? The whole counsel of God has no effect on you because why? God doesn't have your heart. You've got another Jesus. Let's just continue. And then you've fallen away after tasting the good word of God, verse 6. It is impossible. It is impossible to renew them again to repentance. It's impossible. Since again they crucified themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame, they've already said openly, I love this more than I do you, Lord. I'll be a little religious, but I'll quit drinking, smoking, chewing, and cussing, but I'm not going to possess the land. I'm not going to have a pure heart, verse 7. Now, where's the ground at? Where's the land at? Is this our heart? Is this God's field He's talking about? You're supposed to be God's field, 1 Corinthians 3, 9. Okay. Now, but if it... No, verse 7. For a ground, that's your field, that's your heart, that drinks the rain. Now, that's the Holy Spirit, the Word, which often falls upon it, and it brings forth fruit, a fruit useful to those whose flesh is tilled. What do you receive? A blessing for God. Now, let me show you what that happens right there. Someone like that is being led by the Spirit of God, and if you're led by the Spirit of God, you're no longer under a curse because you're not a lawbreaker. Is that right? Because Jesus became a curse for your calvary, and that's how you're not a curse. Amen? That's the church. You're led by the Spirit of God, and you will not tear up the desires of the flesh, and so what are you going to do? You're going to bear fruit in Galatians 5, 22 and 23. You're going to prove the Spirit is going to be... The fruit of your heart is going to be love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, gentleness, meekness, temperance, faith against such things. There is no law, and so therefore you receive blessing because the law is fulfilled in you. Jesus has fulfilled the law in you, which is to love your neighbor as yourself. You're walking in love. Isn't that right? So you receive blessings. You're not under the law, and you're not breaking the law. Amen? But... So because you bring forth vegetation from this ground right here, that bears fruit for God. Isn't that right? Now look at verse 8. Do you see that first word? What does it say? But... Now, here's the opposite of it. But... If it yields thorns and sizzles... Now, we saw that we... No, wait. We're talking about the false prophet over there in Matthew 7. Emerly is full of... He's... Emerly, you're going to... He's like a wolf. In other words, he's saying one thing, but if he loves pride, he's going to exploit the congregation. If he loves greed, he's... Pride, he's going to use people to build a name and a reputation and a career for himself. He likes nickels, knows his numbers. He'll water down the word of God. He won't sanctify the congregation because he loves pride more than he does Jesus. So he won't say what God says. He's not out to please God. He's just out for shares to give God some of the glory. He'll give God some of the glory, 70% of it, once again, if he can get about 30 of it to build his name and career and reputation of the flesh. Amen? Now, if he has greed, what is he going to do? He'll come before you. He'll use all relationships. I don't worry. It's a congregation. Whatever it is, it's another root, and he'll use and he'll exploit. 2 Peter 2 shows you how false teachers will do that. They'll exploit. Their hearts are trained in greed, and they'll exploit the congregation to fulfill greed in their life because that's the root tied to their heart. It's not the Lord Jesus Christ. Is that plain? But if it yields thorns and thistles... This is what it's talking about right there. And Isaiah 5 said, when it yields thorns and thistles, it's worthless fruit, and he lowers the hedge on it, and this is what he does right here. That's how the vengeance of God comes. It's how the tree cutters come. That's how you're gathered up as a branch and burned in John 15, verse 6. But if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless. That's the fruit of the flesh, and it's close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. Well, what does it mean, it's close to being cursed? If he doesn't repent, if he doesn't turn from this thing right away, this sin is soon going to harden his heart. Isn't that right? His heart is going to be hardened, and then that's the sin unto death because then he won't know how to repent because he's resisted the Word of God so much that his heart becomes so hardened. And see, he better turn around right there. That's why he told them over in 2 Corinthians, examine yourself to see if you're in a phase. Because those who practice these things are going to enter into the kingdom of God, and I've already told you. Examine yourself. See if you're in a phase. Now, they're close to being cursed, and it's going to continue right there. They're going to end up being burned if something doesn't happen to them. Is that right? Now, how many of you see that? They're close. Well, let me read it again. I see about two people that might not have seen it. But if it yields the fruit of the flesh, it's the fruit of flesh rebellion, if the ground which is your heart yields the fruit of the flesh. All right. It is worthless. That is worthless fruit, and it is close to being cursed. In other words, it is withering. Is that right? Is that when the withering comes? Amen? Which means if you don't repent, if you continue right there bearing thorns and thistles, does it show that you're practicing sin? Is that right? Then you're close to being cursed if you don't turn around. Amen? The judgment of God is on you. Is that right? The wrath of God comes because you're close to being cursed so you better turn around. Now, how many of you see that so far? Turn around. Hold up your hand. Okay. So you're close to being cursed because the curse is really coming against you, the wrath of God. Jesus redeemed you from the curse of the law, but you're breaking the law, and the law is bringing wrath and judgment against you at this point right here. Now, the only way that you can get away from this vengeance of God, this vengeance of God, is come to the sacrifice. And if you remain in His place, your heart's going to be hardened to where you can't even hear the word of God. You can't receive this wisdom of a mature man. Now, how many of you see what I'm saying? And see, and if you don't do it, if you don't come to this sacrifice, you're already close to being cursed if you don't turn around. And I want to tell you something else. The judgment of God is already on you. And what did we see in Matthew 7, verse 19? If you bear the wrong fruit, are they bearing the wrong fruit right there? Are they bearing the wrong fruit? Before I read Matthew 7 to you, I'm going to turn over there, and I want to read. Now, don't you lose your place right there, but I'm going to turn with you over to John 15, and I want to read something to you right there about fruit now. Now, that's thorns and thistles and bearing the wrong fruit. Now, in John 15, verse 2, every branch in me that does not bear fruit. Now, this is Jesus speaking. He takes away. He takes it away. If he don't bear fruit, he's taken away. Now, I want to ask you something. Is someone bearing the fruit of thorns and thistles, they bearing fruit with God? Absolutely not. But every branch that bears fruit, the Lord is going to cut you back that you're going to bear more fruit. Isn't that right? You're going to keep bearing more fruit. Now, what do you keep bearing more fruit? What is that? That's the person that's overcoming. He's enduring to the end. Is that right? Okay. Now, if you look in verse 6, if anyone does not... That word abide means continue. If anyone does not continue in the Lord Jesus Christ, you don't just go up and, you know, let him pass out double-minded as adulterous and think you have any part of the kingdom of God. That's... You've latched your heart onto a doctrine that does not conform you to Godliness and you, without understanding, deprive the truth. Now, that's Ephesians 6... 1 Timothy 6, 3 and 4. If anyone does not continue in Jesus, he is thrown away as a branch. Now, does that sound like that a curse is upon him? Does that sound like wrath that comes upon him? Because why? He dries up. That means withers. Because when you've got bearing the wrong fruit, you're going to wither. That's what he's trying to warn him over in 1 Corinthians 3. There's practicing that strife and jealousy. You can't hear the word of God. You're not having your senses sharpened. You're not moving on into maturity. Amen? And he said he's thrown away as a branch and he dries up, he withers, and they gather them. And they is that hedge is down. And you see this plainly in 1 Isaiah 5 when it talks about the worthless fruit. The hedge comes down and they cast them into the fire and they are what? Burned. Now, is that exactly what you said? Now, let me read over in Hebrews 6, verse 8 again. But if it doesn't yield the good vegetation that receives the blessings it's going to receive, it's going to yield the kind of fruit that receives the curse. Now, what you're seeing is the two different kind of trees in Matthew 7. One goes to heaven, one goes to hell. Matthew 7, 21. Many are going to say to me, Lord, Lord. And he said, I don't know. They think they know the Lord. And the next one is the one right there that says that the one that does the will of God. Now, he's the one that bears the right vegetation, the right fruit, because he obeys the word of God. Now, look in verse 8. But if it yields thorns and thistles, it's worthless, it's close to being cursed if he doesn't turn his heart around, and it ends up being what? Burned. It's cast away. It's going to end up being burned. If he never turns around, it's close to being cursed right then. And I mean, I'm telling you, I mean, he's going to sin until he hardens his heart that he can't even hear the word of God anymore. You know what I mean? If he continues in it, right? Okay. And then, see, and there's only going to be any sacrifice and sin. I mean, if you don't go to the sacrifice and get it sacrificed, you know, and go and repent to him, don't look for any sacrifice later on. See, and that's why you walk in the fear of God. That's understanding the fear of God. Now, we're going to read to you in Matthew 7, verse 7, 17, rather. Every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. Every good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Now, you're talking about these two trees, and look in verse 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. And that's how it winds up being burned because he's bearing the fruit of thistles and thorns. You see it there in verse 16. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorns. There's your thorn bushes, or figs, and there's your thistles already. Do you see that? Now, there's your different kind of trees. And see, therefore, you see in Matthew 7, 21, who's going to go to heaven and who's going to go to hell? Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord's going to enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, that's the one who's bearing the thorns and thistles right there. They're not bearing the fruit of God, and they're not overcoming the flesh. They've found some doctrine or some way that they've turned. They're falling away from the faith. They're calling something Christian. It's not Christian, but it says very plainly, but he who does the will of my God is going to go into heaven. Well, who's the one who's going to go into heaven? He that beis the word of God. And clearly in Matthew 7, 24, you see the two different kind of trees. It's called the wise man and the foolish man. In other words, chapter 25, it's the same thing too. It's the foolish and wise virgin. That would throw a lot of people, because everybody thinks you're going to go by the name virgin, that automatically you're in heaven. Well, that's not what your Bible says. They knock on the door, and they don't get it opened over there in Matthew 25, and said they don't even have the oil, which is the spirit, and the lamp. You can't even see where they're going, because their lamps are not lit. The word's supposed to be a lamp until you see it, and a light until you pass. And so they're outside, and they can't get in, and they're the same one here that says, Lord, Lord. Everyone says, Lord, Lord. He's not going to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Well, I could tie some things to Luke 13, but that's another teaching that's part of the Babylon tapes. But I want you to see clearly while we're in Matthew 7 that the two different kind of trees are, you see in verse 24, the one that bears the fruit of God, he hears the word of God, and he what? Acts upon it. Now, if you've got a doctrine that does not conform you to godliness, you act on the doctrine and tradition. But if you act on the Jesus Christ as your Lord, you come to this mirror, and your last line's up, and the spirit of God leads you to act upon the word of God. And then we see the other man right there. So you'll bear fruit for God. And then verse 26, you see right there, everyone who hears the word of God and does not act upon them. See, he doesn't act upon the word of God. He's a foolish man. And he built this, but you've got the wrong kind of foundation. You get another Jesus, and you get another gospel. And then we know the rains, the sin, and the floods came, and that's the power of the darkness with their words, the river of words that Satan brings to test you, the fiery trials. It burst against that house, and it fell, and great was its fall. I want you to know it surely did fall away. Now, is that clear up to this point? Amen. So now is Hebrews 6 kind of clear to you? Because let's look in verse 9. I want to read 8 again. But if it yearns and thistles, it is worthless, and it's close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. But, beloved, we are convinced of better things than these thistles and thorns concerning you. We are convinced of the things that really are supposed to accompany salvation. You see it? Isn't that plain? When the Lord opens your eyes, isn't that just real plain? Now look in verse 12. No, I want to look at verse 11. I desire that each one of you show the same diligence as to realize the full assurance of the hope until the end. Well, what is the full assurance of the hope until the end? Well, I'm going to read this to you in just a minute. The hope until the end is in 1 John 3, the fact that, beloved, we are children of God. It has not appeared as yet what we are going to be, but when He appears, Jesus, we are going to be like Him because we shall see Him just as He is. Because why? You see, in verse 7, little children, let no one deceive you. The one who practices righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous. Verse 8. The one who practices sin is of the devil. Verse 9. No one is born of God who practices sin. Verse 10. By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious to anyone that doesn't practice righteousness. He's not a god. Therefore, verse 13, we know that verse 2, when He appears, we're going to be like Jesus because we're going to have a pure heart because in verse 3, everyone who has this hope fixed on Jesus is what he's going to do. He's going to purify himself just as He is pure. And that's exactly what we saw over in Revelation 19 that the bride got herself ready because the bride loves Jesus Christ with all her heart and she always practices righteousness. She always comes to the light. So if anyone is not purifying himself, may I tell you very plainly that his hope is not in the Lord Jesus Christ. So that is the full assurance of the hope until the end, verse 12, that you may not be sluggish. Don't be like they were over there in 1 Corinthians 3, but be imitators of those. Be imitators of the ones who walk after Jesus. Be imitators of Paul. Be imitators of the word that God spoke to Paul right here. Be imitators of those who faith and patience. They go and inherit the promise. Is that right? Right? Now do you see why? I'm just going to read this to you. You don't have to turn to it because I've got just a few more scriptures I want to share with you right here. But I want you just to share something with you. And you see why, when you destroy the temple, when you let your temple be defiled, the fires of darkness come in and they cut you down. And you're burning up the branch, all because of your heart willfully sinning. Is that right? And getting tied to another root besides the root Jesus. Because all your motives are to please Jesus, the root of pride is not going to come in. If all your motive is to please Jesus, the root of the love of money is not going to come in. If all your root is to please Jesus, the root of approval of men is not going to come in. Because if he has all your heart, nothing is going to come in but Jesus. Amen? Because everything you're going to do is you're going to do unto the Lord. Is that right? All right. So 1 Corinthians 3, Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you in this temple? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy and that is what you are. And so how do you let it be destroyed? You just let yourself start practicing sin. You let your heart go after something else and then you're going to fall away. And then when you fall away and you don't repent, the vengeance of God comes to you, the wrath of the law, the wrath of the law and the judgment of the law comes upon you because you're not having an obsession with Jesus because you're willfully sinning and you're willfully sinning because you're not receiving reproof and discipline. And if you're not receiving reproof and discipline, you are an illegitimate son. And then when you're an illegitimate son, the tree cutters come in and cut you down and they cut you down and that's why you defile a temple and he destroys you. Amen? You don't let the temple get defiled and you have the blessings of God. There's that claim. Now that's what happens when you put the judgment of God in here but once again I want to tell you a doctrine that another doctrine wants to please flesh and that doesn't please flesh but it sure does please Jesus because this doctrine teaches you in 1 Peter 1, 14-16 that as obedient children you're no longer going to be conformed to the flesh which was yours in your ignorance when you're in darkness but like the Holy One you're going to be holy in all, all, all, all your behavior. Now that's contrary. Now listen, that is something I wanted to well, I want to show you about a hardened heart. I want to show you about this hardness where you don't come to the sacrifice and so you'll understand that better. Back up to Hebrews 3. Hebrews 3. He starts there in verse 1 Therefore, holy brethren partakers of a holy calling. Isn't that right? Now he warns up there if you're hearing this word, verse 7 don't harden your heart. Is that right? Don't harden your heart. And that's what he says right there. He told about the generation you know that we shared last night about the heart going astray but I want you to see how this ties again in verse 12. Take care, brethren. Now who's he talking to? He's talking to the brethren, isn't he? Take care, brethren lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart. Now I'm going to just share a verse to show you what an unbelieving person is. Titus 1, verse 15 and 16. To the pure all things appear but that's one to having a pure heart a purifying heart but to those who are defiled and unbelieving that's one to practice sin. If you've got a defiled heart you have an unbelieving heart and also you're not possessing the land you're not purifying the heart. Nothing is pure but both their mind and their conscience are defiled and they profess to know God but by their deeds they are denied they're detestable, they're disobedient and they're worthless for any good deed and that's exactly what we've seen. So take care, brethren in Hebrews 3, verse 12 lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart in what? Falling away from a living God. Now how can you fall away from a living God is let your heart turn from Jesus and turn to make an idol of something else that you're going to love more than the Lord. Now listen, look at me, folks. When you turn to let your heart go toward prime when you turn to let your heart go toward the love of money see, that just begins a fortress in you it just opens up, Paul. When you turn to let your heart love anything more than the Lord you are in the process of letting your heart be hardened because when you let these things come in your heart going to then see, you're not going to sacrifice or you're not going to sacrifice you're not going to Jesus to be cleansed. Isn't that right? So when you don't go to Jesus to be cleansed of it what do you have? That fortress keeps building and building and more things begin attaching itself to you till your heart becomes so hardened and you've fallen away from the faith. Is that correct? Do you see that? So what is Hebrews 3 and 4 about? That you possess the land so you can enter into the rest. You can't enter into the rest unless you possess the land and purify your heart. Amen? And this is not an option it says do it. So it says, unless you fall away now does your Bible say there that brethren can fall away? Let me ask you one more time. In Hebrews 3 and 12 does your Bible say that a brethren can fall away? Does it say that a brethren can fall away with an evil, unbelieving heart? Does your Bible say that he could fall away although he was a holy brethren and partaker of a heaven calling? Alright, now in verse 13. Now that would upset some people but see what they have to do and I don't say this is unkindly they're going to have to do what I do they're going to have to come and look in this Bible right here because they come and look in the mirror and see if what they're doing lines up with what the gospel is. Maybe they need to hear some more material things and all the laying on of hands trying to get the dead raised and so forth they need to possess the land. Amen? Okay, now verse 13. But encourage one another day after day as long as it's still called a day lest any one of you be what? I can't hear you. You be hardened by what? The deceitfulness of sin. Folks, that is the falling away. The falling away is when your heart goes after something else and when your heart goes after something else this is what the powers of darkness mean. That's called lust. Lust is when something draws your heart to somewhere else the world or the things in the world and then when the enemy can get you to do that then your heart is pulled away from Jesus and then that's when you're hardened you practice this thing you're practicing sin and it's deceitful and you're really loving something else more than you are the Lord with all your heart. Amen? And so you see that there when you're hardened by the deceitfulness of sin are you seeing where it says deceit, sin, and the death? Because it's the sin and the death because you don't go to the sacrifice to get it to get repentance you don't repent and go to sacrifice and there no longer remains any any sacrifice for you because you've already you've already said the covenant is unclean you've already insulted the spirit of grace that wanted to lead you out of rebellion into heaven. Is that right? Is that clear and plain? And so when you're hardened by the deceitfulness of sin here's what he warns you in verse 14 for we have become partakers of Christ and there's a condition circle Ilk about eight times you have become a partaker of Christ Ilk, you hold fast the beginning of your assurance firm and to the end now I want you to know firm and to the end that your spirit of God leads you and to spirit of God leads you to bear the fruit of God and to overcome and I want you to know that we looked in 2 Peter 2 about the divine nature that you come to 2 Peter 1 verse 4 by the promises in order that by them the promises of God you become partakers of the divine nature and when you have a divine nature you escape the corruption of the world of lust you escape lust and then it goes ahead and tells you the moral actions the self-control the perseverance and godliness and all these things and it goes on in verse 9 for he who lacks these qualities is blind that's Laodicea right there they are short-sighted they have forgotten it's former purification from sin and you know that's the same thing that the false teachers in 2 Peter 2 the false teachers they're going to lead you in this and the same thing it's making reference to in Matthew 7 that the false teachers are going to lead destructive heresies verse 2 many are going to follow their sensuality that's flesh and because of them the word of God gets perverted it's the way of truth it's malign and in their greed see their heart going after greed their heart will go after greed they will exploit you with false words now they'll teach a whole lot of things of God but they have some wrong motives which we saw in James 4 their motives are wrong Jesus is not the real root in their heart because they've got the root of greed right there they never have given up they're going to exploit you with false words now they'll pervert the word of God they won't use the word of God to sanctify the congregation they'll pick out things of the word of God where they can build nickel noses and numbers because that's what thieves greed and their judgment from long ago is not idle and their destruction is not asleep and it goes on to show you that these people have a hell waiting on them verse 4 if God did not spare his angel when he sent him to cast them to hell and it goes ahead to show you the flood and the judgment that's going to be on them he tells us plainly in that verse 14 now Lord knows how to rescue godly people from temptation and keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment the unrighteous are kept under punishment because they're kept under law and under fire and judgment of God but godly people knows how to avoid can be rescued from temptation by going and receiving from the throne of grace now these false teachers verse 14 they have eyes full of adultery they never cease from sin and their hearts are trained in greed their hearts they have a heart that's trained in greed it's not their heart is not trained of being a slave or righteous they are cursed children and they're the blind that leads the blind because look what they do in verse 18 for they speak out arrogant words of vanity and they entice and lead people by fleshly desires and the fleshly desires is what's supposed to be put to death now once again we see right here in the working 1st Corinthians 6 that people that advocate doctrines that do not conform you to godliness and because they the flesh kings take the place of king Jesus and they have you to gather around them that's how they exploit you and use you they count you they use you they use you to make a good appearance in the flesh that's an old flesh congregation in Matthew 23 that God told to them and said you clean the outside of the cup the inside is full of flesh indulgence you're full of dead men's bones how are you going to escape the sentence of hell for speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice the congregation and people by fleshly desires by sensuality and we see there verse 19 they promise them folks freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption and that's a corruption which is opposite of divine nature and we see there verse 20 if after they've escaped the defilement of the world by the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and then you get yourself entangled again in the world and then you're overcome the last state has become worse for them than the first why has the last state become worse for them than the first because you get yourself entangled in sin and your heart begins to harden that you can't come back to the word of God and there's no sacrifice for you and there's no other sacrifice for you because you regarded the covenant of God as unclean and you've trampled underfoot the word you've trampled underfoot the son of God and you've insulted the spirit of grace does everyone see that plainly are you learning the fear of God right well then let's go ahead in verse 21 for it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known it to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them because since they have turned away from the holy commandment they cannot come back to the truth because their heart is so hardened they can't come back right now are you seeing what I'm saying they absolutely cannot come back anymore because it would have been better for them not to turn away because they have trampled underfoot Jesus and so it's happened verse 22 according to the true proverb a dog returns to its own vomit what is a dog a dog is someone outside the covenant of God a dog returns to the vomit now that's what happens when you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and you continue in sin it's like someone returning to a dog returning to its vomit and a sow after washing turning to wallowing in the mire now I would ask anyone who had any problem with this what is your problem your problem is your problem is the Lord Jesus Christ I'm giving you plenty of scripture to show where you are and where you've missed it right here and if you're not getting it then you've got a problem in your heart with the Lord Jesus Christ now some of those strongholds and those demons in you will be telling you that I'm your problem now I'll tell you that your problem is that Jesus and that word of God is in your Bible you're not receiving it you're not taking it to heart now in Galatians 2 let me just read read to you something else Galatians 2 verse 17 if while seeking to be justified in Christ you found to be sinners is Christ the minister of this sin minister of this sin may it never be for if you rebuild what has once been destroyed you prove yourself a transgressor glory be to God forevermore what could be any clearer than that huh? now we're back over in Hebrews 4 now now I've already explained to you up there in Hebrews 3 17 that give a comparison with whom he was angry before he was it was those who sinned whose bodies fell in the wilderness what we saw in 1 Corinthians 10 that our bodies are going to fall the same way if we practice sin as they fell and take heed anybody who thinks he's sinned take heed lest you fall because when you leave out the judgment of God you leave out 1 Corinthians 10 you call it something else and you leave out the vengeance of God for those who want to practice sin which God told us over in Hebrews 10 it's called the fury of fire it's going to come on to those who are in unbelief and they won't walk in the word so chapter 4 verse 1 you ready? therefore let us what? God says you better walk in fear who are you supposed to walk in fear of? the devil? or men? no you walk in the fear of God because for perfect love cast out all fear of everything else right? so when therefore let us fear lest while a promise remains of endless rest any of you come short of it now you better not you better fear if you don't come short of possessing the land have a passage and then go shake it off and say ho hum huh? verse 10 for the one who's entered in his rest is rested from his own works in other words it shows that he that is the Lord and the spirit of God has entered in your heart so verse is control of your life now verse 11 let us therefore be diligent to enter the rest lest anyone fall to following the same example of disobedience and you know with the rebellion in your heart now look at verse 15 now here's what the Lord wants us to do here's how you're going to overcome and this is what the grace of God is the grace of God causes you to overcome sin and the flesh and the world and the devil verse 15 for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but one who has been tempted in all things as we are he's been tempted in the same things yet he was without sin so let us therefore draw near with confidence now how do you draw near with confidence to the throne of grace if your heart condemns you you can't draw near with confidence you draw near with confidence because if your heart condemns you you've got sin repent of sin and then draw near to the throne of grace amen okay so draw near with confidence to the throne of grace and then you're going to find the grace mercy and find grace to help in time of need but don't try to draw near to the throne of grace until you've done what James 4 6 through 10 says it cleanses your hands and purifies your heart because then it says in verse 10 you can enter in the presence of God but until you do it who shall ascend and heal the Lord he that has a clean hand and a pure heart confess that sin and deal with it and then you get in the presence of God and you get all your prayers answered as long as you walk in peace it's a walk of peace amen okay so chapter 6 again verse 4 for in the case of those who once been enlightened I want to go through this again I want you to get it and take it and go to the heavenly gift and become a partaker of the Holy Spirit and have tasted of the good word and the powers of the age to come see that follows Hebrews 6 follows Hebrews 3, 4, and 5 doesn't it and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come and then you have fallen away see you don't go to God up there being confident you don't go to the throne of grace to help you to overcome this thing you don't do it you don't go you don't suffer you don't pay any attention to the scripture that said he'll wish to come after me let him deny himself deny that flesh and take up his cross and follow me you don't pay any attention to 1st Timothy 4, 1, and 2 that you're going to walk as he walked you'll suffer as he suffered you'll suffer in the flesh and cease in sin no flesh doesn't like it and I want to tell you in the last days that people 2nd Timothy 4 that time is going to come in verse 3 that people are not going to endure sound doctrine but they want to have their ears tickled they want doctrines of demons they want another Jesus they want another gospel they want to have their ears tickled they want to accumulate for themselves these false teachers in accordance to their own desires it will tell them as they walk in this rebellion how righteous and holy they are in their stiff neck rebellion they want to tell them since they love the flesh since they love greed since they love the world since they love money since they love these things they're going to find them doctrines and teachers in accordance to their own desire and when you ever turn to this the next verse says you turn your ears away from the truth you turn your ears away from God and although you're drinking and being married for a season you're being destroyed by the powers of doctrine and the powers of the age to come and then you've fallen away your heart goes to something else and that's what the parable says and when you your ears truth you turn your ears away from the truth and from the and you turn your ears away the truth truth and you your ears the truth and you turn your ears away the truth and you turn your ears away from the truth and you turn your ears away and you turn your ears the truth and you turn your ears from and you turn your ears from the truth and you turn your ears away Verse 7, Paul says, well, whatever things were gained to me, those things I've counted as lost. Whatever's gained to the flesh, he said I counted as lost for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be lost in the view of surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Well now, does Paul let everything be burned up that him or the flesh or the world or the things are at issue, the relationship of Christ against every other relationship? You know you lose a lot of relationships when you, you know that all desire to live godly in Christ Jesus is gonna be persecuted. You know, family and so, do you know the word divide? Then you have to count the loss of everything because that's the reason it said to hate your mother and father and all the other things because you're supposed to love them less than the Lord. You don't love the Lord less than anything else because when you do, you've got idols. Now verse eight, more than that, I count all things to be lost in the view of surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. I have suffered the loss of all things. I suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish. I count them but rubbish. I count it all rubbish. Now isn't that something? Now verse nine, in order that I may gain Christ. Now if his heart's still tied to it, it might have a problem gaining Christ. Isn't that right? And verse nine, that I may be found in him, I don't want a righteousness alone. I don't want self-righteousness derived from the law or the works of the law, but that which is through faith, Jesus Christ being the Lord led by the Spirit of God in Christ, the righteousness which comes through God on the basis of faith which is obedience. And when you do this, this is what happens to you. Jesus becomes control in your life and that I may know him. And then that's the way I'm gonna know the power of his resurrection. I'm gonna enjoy the fellowship of his suffering because I'm gonna be conformed to his death because everything that doesn't look like Jesus, God is gonna leave me. I've given it up and I'm suffering the loss of everything and coming through the fire, coming through the fire, coming through the fire, coming through the fire, coming through the fire, coming through the fire and the trials, all this stuff is gonna burn off of me. This concludes tape number eight. Please fast forward this tape to return it to the beginning. Please proceed to tape number nine where this message continues.