United In Truth

(0:00 - 0:34) Real life presents the Jack Hibbs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture. Always remember this as believers and followers of Christ, we are to always be making our evaluation, our assessment with an outstretched arm of love and of hope. If you know somebody who claims to know Jesus, or in fact they know Jesus, but they're not walking right with the Lord, what are you supposed to do? Stone them? No, you're supposed to reach out and pull them up out of the pit. (0:35 - 0:58) You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to Jackhibbs.com/podcast. Today, if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ, then make sure you leave us one of those five star ratings. To us, that's like saying amen or yes, then that rating will encourage others to listen. (0:58 - 3:02) Now open your hearts to what God's word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs. Romans chapter 14, even out into Romans chapter 15, it's all about interrelationships of the church. It's brother to brother, sister to sister in the family of God. And when we talk about judging one another, why is it in some scriptures, does the Bible say that we ought to judge to determine if somebody is actually a real brother or sister or not? Does the Bible contradict itself? The answer is absolutely not. What do we know? What do we mean? Well, first of all, we are victims of the English language. It's very limited in its description. Just know this, that when the Bible tells us that we are to examine one another's fruit in their lives, what are we producing as watch believers? Are we really believers in followers of the Lord Jesus? If we are, it will be seen by how we live our lives. And we are commanded as brothers and sisters in Christ to not only judge ourselves according to the Bible, but we are to examine one another as well to see if in fact we are of the household of faith. And the word judgment in that case is not condemnation. It means in fact, Jesus put it this way. You'll know one another or you'll know them by their fruits. We are called to be fruit inspectors in the family of God. When somebody says I'm a Christian verbally and then lives a life in opposition to the statement, we know that they're not for real. But the Bible does say thou shalt not judge. And when the Bible says that the word is, you shall not condemn. The word judge is also translated in English that way. Unfortunately, in the Greek and in the Hebrew language, which the Bible was written in, we have no authority whatsoever to condemn another person just because we think they're out of line. (3:03 - 3:18) We do not have that authority. Are you to judge me based upon my life's statements based upon my lifestyle? The answer is yes. And I the same to you, but not with the spirit of condemnation. (3:18 - 5:27) Always remember this as believers and followers of Christ, we are to always be making our evaluation, our assessment with an outstretched arm of love and of hope. If you know somebody who claims to know Jesus or in fact they know Jesus, but they're not walking right with the Lord, what are you supposed to do? Stone them? No, you're supposed to reach out and pull them up out of the pit. The Bible tells us this in Galatians, that we are to rescue our brothers and sisters in the spirit of grace with humility, lest we find ourselves being becoming guilty of the same. Very, very strong things. But can you write this down at the top of your notes, please? It's Psalm 133 Psalm 133 verse one says, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garment. In other words, he's Aaron when he was called to be the priest of Israel by Moses. He was covered in the anointing oil as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descends upon the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore. How pleasant it is that the brethren should dwell together in unity, unity in the body of Christ. Listen, look at the screen must be based upon the word of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Okay, think about that. How did we or are we brothers and sisters in Christ? Secondly, if that's true, what brought us together? Answer the word of God did. You see, listen, we never sacrifice truth for unity. Oh, our church is a church of unity. What does that mean? Wait, you're making me nervous. What does that mean? We just allow everything and anything. (5:27 - 5:46) Everybody just comes together. We're just one big mess. There's people who are members of our church and they don't believe in God or they don't believe in Jesus. They don't believe in the Bible, but we're just one united family. No, you're not. You're living, listen, you're living a nightmare. (5:46 - 10:48) You think it's a dream? It's a nightmare. You've got to be unified upon the truth and it's the truth that will prevail to us today. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1, now faith is the substance. The word in Greek means the assurance of things hoped for. The evidence, the word evidence is the word proof. That's no stretch. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And what I love about that statement, it defines what faith is. And what is also awesome, if you want to stretch it a little bit and apply it to the scientific realm, that our faith in this world is based upon the operation of scientific laws that we physically cannot see, but are invisible. You think about that for a moment. Do you see gravity? You don't see gravity, but all you have to do is look at your body and you can see that gravity is a fact. It's real. When you jump off a cliff, you do not go up. Wouldn't that be something? You jump off a cliff and go up into a cloud. If I were God, I'd like to try that for a day or two and just to play with some people's minds. God just changes the laws of science and they think they're going to jump into the river and they go up into a cloud. That'd be fun, I think. No, you go down. You can't see gravity, but you can see the effects of gravity. And the same is true about faith. You do not see the air that you're breathing, but you're very glad for it. Why? Because these things dwell in a realm that are beyond our ability to see with the naked human eye. But faith is real. And we see in verse 1 that as we mature in Christ, it is this, that we produce a practical faith. He says there in verse 1, receive one another. He's speaking to brothers and sisters in Christ. Receive one who is weak in the faith. Please circle these words. Circle the word reserve or receive. Excuse me. Receive. Circle the word weak. And then he says, but not, don't receive them with disputes over doubtful things. What does this mean? It means that those who appear or seem to be, or in fact are weak in the faith, they are your brother and your sister. Church family, I'm going to be hard on this today. They're not sub brothers and sisters. They're not, they're not less than you. When the Bible says that they are weak, let's first of all, understand what the Bible means by saying we are to receive them. Receive is this, to bring in or to make or to take, excuse me, alongside. In other words, to incorporate them, to draw them near, to open up your arms toward them as a brother or sister in Christ. It is to welcome them in. Carte Blanche right there, brother and sister in Christ. Welcome them in is a very, very important truth. And the amazing thing about this great truth is that when we are with other brothers and sisters and we begin to perceive, we think that they're, they're not as mature as we are. Boy, we better be careful with that assessment instantly. Folks. Listen, you think in the reading of this, that it's like, oh yes, I know some weak believers. What you do not know is listen, that weak believer may actually be stronger than you in many things. Notice what we read today. It was regarding food. It was regarding the Sabbath. It was regarding drink. Paul mentions three things. We're going to talk about these things today, but that weak brother may be extremely strong in areas that you, the strong brother are very weak in. And the greatest manifestation of our weakness is for us who think we're strong to look down at a brother and sister and say, oh, look how weak someday they'll be grown up like me, spiritually grounded. And the moment you have that thought or that admission, you are far from being mature and you just might be weaker than the weakest. Quite remarkable. It's a very practical faith. And so listen to this. The Bible says in second Corinthians chapter five, verse 10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he or she has done, whether good or bad. He's talking about the beam of seat of Christ. And in that day, listen, the level will take place. All of our human judgment will be proven to be either true or false based upon the great judgment of Christ Jesus. And for those of you who don't know, let me clarify real quick, though. It's not in our notes. God, the father will judge the world in righteousness. (10:48 - 11:27) And when he judges the world in righteousness, revelation chapter 20, all those who he judges from from that judgment go straight to hell. This is the judgment of God, the father. There's no Jesus involved. The world is an unbelieving world. God, the father judges them and notice their demise is hell. That's the judgment of God. And then there's the judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ that we just read a moment ago. Jesus will judge his own church, and it has nothing to do with hell. It has everything to do with heaven. (11:28 - 12:51) And you and I will be judged by Jesus regarding our faithfulness. Were we faithful to do what he called us to do and to give of our lives to him as he called upon us to give? You will not answer to a person. You're not going to answer to the Pope. You're not going to answer to Billy Graham. You're not going to answer to me or anybody else. You're not going to listen. You're not going to answer to your husband, and you're not going to answer to your wife. The Bible makes it clear that we will stand before God. The Bible explains it this way. We will stand before the Lord naked. It doesn't mean you're naked naked. It means you'll have nobody with you, but that's okay. You'll have Christ. He is your great advocate. He's your great defense. And then I think we're going to see all the things that he invited us to do. You know those things in life where he said do this, and we didn't do it. I think he's going to show us the opportunities he provided, and we miss them, and we're going to weep over that. No wonder why I think after the judgment it says he wipes away every tear. I think those are our tears. Oh man, he was telling me to go tell that person, and I thought I would be like a fool or look silly, and I went home that day wrestling in my mind. I should have spoke to them. Those kinds of things. I think I'll be very grieved on that day when the things that God has told me to do or prompted me to do, and I didn't do. (12:52 - 14:10) In Romans chapter 16 verse 17. I'm going to give you a lot of reading here in a moment. Romans 16 verse 17. The Bible says, no, I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses. This is within the church. Note them. You know people who cause division. They split people up. Listen, in a church family, you need to mark them. I'll keep reading, and then I'll come back and comment on this. It says, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. Man, can you imagine going to church, and there's somebody that causes division, and the Bible says you need to avoid that person. What are you doing? You're making a discernment, a judgment based upon the Bible, not your feeling. So if somebody's always gossiping about others, you need to mark them. You need to mark them. See them coming, you put on garlic and a big crucifix, and sprinkle some holy water on them or something. I don't know. But listen, if you're a gossip, you need to be marked according to the Bible. The Bible says that a tailbearer divides friends. God hates that, by the way. Well, you know, hey, Betty, did you hear what Karen did? No, what happened? Well, I'm just calling you so we can pray for her. (14:11 - 15:54) Yeah, right. How about this response? Do I need to know? And they, oh, yeah, yeah, you really, you really ought to know. Okay, just know this. Once you get done telling me, I'm going to quote you having told me this. Oh, well, maybe I, maybe I, maybe I left the oven on. You know what I'm saying? Gotta watch out. And so watch out for that, because he says in verse 18, Romans 16, 18. For those who are such do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. Matthew chapter 15, verse 1. Here's a big one. Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus saying, why do your disciples transgress, notice, the traditions of the elders, not Bible, just the tradition of the elders. For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them, Jesus answered and said to them, why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? Isn't that awesome comeback? You guys all excited about my disciples not washing their hands because your traditions say that that's not good? Then how do you answer the fact that you've put the traditions of man greater than the word of God? Wow. Verse four, for God commanded saying, honor your father and mother, and he who curses father or mother, let him be put to death. But I say to you, whoever says to his father or his mother, whatever profit you might have, in other words, whatever I was going to give mom and dad has been given as a gift to God. Sorry, mom and dad, you're out. (15:56 - 16:26) Then then he need not honor his father or mother. Thus, you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Jesus is so mild. He says, hypocrites. Well, did Isaiah prophesy about you saying these people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain, they worship me. What a horrible thing to hear from the heart of God. You have vainly worshiped me. In other words, your worship was false. (16:27 - 17:19) Why? Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men, rules and regulations. And when he had called the multitude to himself, he said to them, hear and understand that not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. Then his disciples came and said to him, do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying? But he answered and said to them, every plant, which watch this, everyone, every plant, which my heavenly father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. (17:19 - 20:51) Can you imagine Jesus saying everything that's not for my father will be plucked out. It's going to be removed. Church family. I've said this for several times over these last few months. The church is going through this right now. In all of the world, the church right now is, is the Lord is, is pulling out the false. He's, he's, the Lord is pruning and plucking and cleansing this church. And he, listen, I warned you before, don't look at somebody's face and assume God looks at the heart. Well, they're that famous Christian famous to who famous to God. No famous to you, not to God. It's about, it's the heart of the matter. It's what's inside of them and friends. Listen, it's what's inside of you that matters. And before that, we should walk before God humbly. Jesus Christ came to save us and to give us a whole new identity. And that identity is not wrapped up in do's and don'ts. We are to receive a brother and sister in Christ and not get into unnecessary, silly disputes and arguments over things that do not matter. What does this mean? It means agree on biblical doctrine. And when we do not agree on things of opinions, we are big enough to let those opinions go. And I I'm, I'm, I'm hesitant to think that the church in America has even matured to that place. We've got this thing, this spirit of arrogance that, well, if they don't, if they don't go to church wearing flip flops and board shorts, then they must be losers. And then those who wear three piece suits are saying, you know what? If those people go to church with flip flops and then they're, you know, they're all going to hell. You can tell this is terrible. Is it okay with you that there are people on the shores of the Hawaiian islands who go to church with flip flops and board shorts and worship God. You say, how can they possibly do that? They do. If you go to the jungles of South America, if you go to Brazil, you're going to see Christians worshiping God and they have a gourd on, you know what a gourd is? They have underwear covering their private parts and that's it. And they're praising God in the jungle where Christ has come to them. And we think because we're from New York city, that if they don't put a suit on, they cannot be worshiping God. What's wrong with us? Might I remind you that the Bible says in heaven, God will gather together every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation of the world. He will bring them together. Why? Because it's what God sees in the heart. It's not what you're wearing that makes you a Christian. You know, the old saying, uh, going, going to win. I don't even have windshield, but this is the old saying. I'll make you a donut. Just like going to church. Does it make you a Christian? Now? Of course, it's Krispy Kreme instead of Winchell's, but John chapter one, verse 12 and 13 says, but as many as received him, see that that's the qualifier to them. He gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in his name. Church is that enough? Think about it. (20:51 - 21:05) They believe in his name. They trust him. They love him. They obey him. It's not what they're wearing. It's not what they're doing. It's not what they're dressed like or the way they comb their hair. It's not what color their skin is. It's not how short or how long they worship. (21:05 - 21:26) This challenges us. This Jack Hibbs podcast, as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities are listener supported. Will you consider partnering with us through a special gift? Go to Jackhibbs.com to learn more and stay connected.