We Believe in Biblical Separation Part 2

Biblical separation, real popular subject, right? I don't think so. We don't like to talk about things that in our mind seem negative, okay? Separation has this negative connotation to it and so we tend to try sometimes to avoid those things that seem at least in our mind to be negative. Actually, this subject is a positive one because it's one about being faithful to the Lord and his word.

It's one about our allegiance to God and his word and to the truth. Our love for him should engender allegiance to him. That we might be faithful to him and to his word above all else. Sometimes that means some things that do seem difficult or or negative in our mind but they are necessary if we are to stay true, if we are to show our love and allegiance to the one who showed his allegiance to us on the cross cross of Calvary and so, we talk about separation this morning. I'm going to read from second Thessalonians chapter six and then I'm going to turn to first Peter two and read there.

So, if you're at first Peter two, just hang on there for a moment and let me read again. It says here in second Corinthians six seventeen, wherefore, come out from among them and be she separate, saith the Lord. Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. You will be and will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord almighty. Come out from among them, he says, and be you what?

Separate. Who says that? God says that. He says it in the Old Testament. He repeats it again here in second Corinthians in the New Testament.

As we talked about last week, it doesn't mean to isolate ourselves. Not at all. He says, to go into all the world and what? Preach the gospel. Can you do that if you isolate yourself?

The answer is no. You cannot. It does not mean to isolate ourselves but it means that we must be fully faithful, set apart, unto the service of Jesus Christ and sometimes that means separating ourselves from things of this word or even at times from people. First Peter chapter two verse nine. First Peter two nine, but you, he's speaking to Christians.

Born again believers in Christ Jesus but you are a chosen generation. A royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for this day and thank you for your word. Please direct in the message this morning.

Please bring conviction where necessary. Bring understanding discernment where we need it. Challenge us. You know, in every aspect of our life and ministry, to be faithful to the one who is so faithful to us. If there be one here today that's never trusted you as savior, I pray that today, they might become part of this holy people, this chosen generation, this peculiar people who are your people today, your church, your servants.

I pray today, you might help them to see how much you love them, what you've done for them, and that they might come to you. And Lord, help us who know you. To be strengthened, to stand strong in the faith and in the truth of God's word. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.

We're talking about separation. It uses a word here that's key to our discussion of separation. In chapter two and verse nine, it says, again, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a what? Anybody there? Holy nation.

Now, the word nation does not relate to a a government or a a land, okay? The word nation there means a group of people. He says, you are a holy group, a holy nation. This word holy is important to our study. First Peter one hundred fifteen and sixteen says, but as he which hath called you as holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation.

Okay? Because it's written be holy for I am holy. You see that word holy there? How many times in that verse? One, two, three, four.

Four times. Four times in that passage, that word holy. You think it's an important word to God? I think it is. A matter of fact, we read about it a whole lot in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament.

The word holy, the word sanctified. The word saint, holy, sanctified, and saint all come from the same Greek word in the New Testament, Hagios. That word means cleansed, consecrated, set apart, and separated from. The word means cleansed, consecrated, set apart, or separated from. It means that if the word holy, God is what?

He is set apart. He is set apart and separated from all of that which is unclean. All of that which is sin. He is holy. Set apart from it all.

Sanctified. When we trust Christ as savior, we are sanctified. We are set apart unto Jesus Christ. This Bible I have up here is a Bible that sits at this pulpit or at least at this area of the church throughout the week and it's the Bible that I preach from. I have some other Bibles at home that I study from.

This is the bible I preach from. It is holy. What that means? It is set apart. This is the bible that stays here.

That is the bible that I preach from. It is set apart from the other bibles and books that I have. It is it is holy. It is sanctified. When you get saved, you are sanctified.

You are set apart from all the people of the world. You have become a child of who? A child of God. Amen. The word saint.

The word saint means holy one. It describes those who have been sanctified, who have been set apart in Christ Jesus. If you've been born again, you're a saint. You don't have to do certain works or accomplish certain things or be acknowledged by a certain group to be a saint. There's only one who makes you a saint and that's Jesus Christ and you become a saint when you receive him as your Lord and savior.

All Christians, all born again believers in Christ are saints. They are holy ones who have been set apart unto God. That's what that word holy means. That's what the word saint means. So, as Christians, we are all saints.

Separation is a major theme throughout scripture. God even back all the way in Genesis warned of one divided the light from the the darkness. God all the way through scripture and we read a long list last week. We won't go back there today of the things that God separates from another, the clean from the unclean, the righteous from the from the unrighteous. The need for separation is based upon the holiness of the God whom we serve.

He is set apart from all others in character, nature, and power. He is holy without sin, flaw, or imperfection. He has commanded both Israel and the church to be you holy for I am holy. This verse is written to the what? To To the church.

This verse was written to Israel. Sanctify yourselves therefore and be you what? Holy for I am the Lord, your God. Both Israel and the Old Testament and the church and the New Testament are commanded by God to be to be holy and that word means to be set apart. Unto the Lord.

The holiness of God's children is the result of their relationship with him. You cannot be holy if you don't know who. If you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ, if you haven't been born again, if you haven't been saved, if your sins have not been washed away by the blood of the lamb, our good works, he says, are as filthy rags. We by our nature are unholy but God who sent his son, his holy son to die for us can make us what? Holy.

And that holiness is based entirely upon a relationship with God. In Leviticus 20 and verse eight, the next verse from the one we just read, it says, and you shall keep my statutes and do them, I am the Lord which sanctifies you. Who sanctifies us? The Lord sanctifies us. There is no sanctification from sin.

There is no cleansing. There is no being set apart in the service to God. Without conversion. Something many preachers especially TV evangelists seem to overlook today. They go through air and they say, I am this and I am that and these promises are for you and this promise is for you and claim this promise and claim that promise and all of that's great except they leave out something very important.

You can't claim any of those promises if you haven't repented and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. Those promises are for who? For the child of God. He says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. That promise is to the children of who?

The children of God. If you haven't been born again, that promises does not yet apply to you but can. It can. For he says, he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. For whosoever shall call in the name of the Lord shall be saved.

You can become a child of God, not by works. By putting your simple faith and coming to the Lord in humility. And receiving him as Lord and savior. It is only by this relationship that we can be holy. First Corinthians six eleven says this, and such were some of you.

There's a lengthy list in first Corinthians six of all kinds of terrible works of the flesh and sins and he gets to the end of the list. He says, and such were some of you but but here's a wonderful thing. We were the, we were defined by those things but now we're defined differently but you are washed but you are what? Sanctified but you are justified, declared guiltless in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God. Praise God.

It's not by works that I have done. It's not because I deserve it. No, I don't. Far from it. We were defined by all sorts of terrible things in our life before we came to Christ but we have been cleansed of our sin and we have been set apart unto our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

We've been declared guiltless in heaven because of our guiltless and innocent savior who died on that cross and shed his blood for our sins. And praise the Lord through my relationship with God. I am a saint. I am a holy one in Jesus Christ. I serve a risen and a holy savior who has set me apart by his grace.

I am a child of God. And I need to live and act and talk like a child of God. And be holy not only in my person and in my standing but also in my what, in my actions, and in my behavior to reflect the holiness of my God. God has chosen us, sanctified us through his blood of his son, Jesus Christ by his grace. The very purpose of salvation is that we should be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ that we should be conformed to the character of Christ for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be what?

Conformed, to be changed, to be molded by the power of God into the image, the character of his son that we might be the firstborn among many brethren. Mentioned this last week, won't spend much time on it this morning but why did God save you? If the only reason he saved you was to take you to heaven, where would you be? It's an easy question. The only reason God saved you was to take you to heaven, where would you be?

You'd be in heaven but you're not. We're not in heaven yet. We're still here. You see, the only reason is not just to take us to heaven to be with him but to change us and to begin that process here on Earth to change us into the image and character of his son. For the praise of his glory.

That others might see our good works and what? Glorify our father which is in heaven. God has justified me before his throne in heaven through Jesus Christ but he has a job for me to do right here, right now. To serve him and to glorify him and what I say and what I do. That others may see it and glorify the one who has changed me.

The one who has sanctified me. The one who has made me a child of God. When we accept Christ as savior, we're purchased by him. The Bible says with a price. Price is the blood of Jesus Christ and I've been set apart from the rest of the world under his service.

That we might be holy as he is holy, that we might exalt his holiness before a world that surely that is sorely lacking in it. That others might see Christ in who? Might see Christ in us. And it might bring him glory. I mentioned this before.

Some of you might remember but there's a song I heard when I was a teenager used to sing. It says, you're the only Jesus that some will ever see. You're the only words of life that some will ever read. So, let them see in you the one in whom is all they'll ever need because you're the only Jesus that some will ever see and how true that is. We need to show them Jesus and then we need to share Jesus with them through the gospel and his word.

This morning, I want to take a moment and share that there are three different, at least three different types of separation when we speak of separation in the scripture. First, we won't spend much time on today is national separation. There is a nation in scripture who is called a peculiar treasure unto God. They are called at times the children of God. They are a chosen nation unto him and they are the nation of Israel.

They were called to be separated, to be set apart from the West, the rest of the world. Here in Exodus nineteen five and six, it says, now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then you shall be a what? A peculiar treasure, a unique treasure, a unique possession of God unto me above all people. For all the earth is mine and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

So, very clear from the passage. Who is Moses speaking to? Who is God telling Moses to speak to? The children of Israel. He is telling them that they are a peculiar treasure of God above all other what?

Peoples of the earth. They have been called out and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. They've been given a land and he says, they are to be unto him a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. They are peculiar treasure. The nation of Israel.

They were set apart under the Lord. In Psalm 135 and verse four, he says again, the Lord hath chosen Jacob. That's another name for Israel unto himself and Israel for his what? Peculiar treasure. Jacob's name, Abraham's grandson was changed from Jacob to Israel.

The children of Israel are the descendants of Jacob. The 12 tribes of Israel are the 12 sons of Jacob and God says, for God, the Lord, Jehovah, has chosen Jacob, you unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure. What a wonderful thing. For the nation of Israel Sadly, today, that that nation has been set aside by God because they rejected their Messiah. Praise the Lord.

I believe one day, God will turn them back to him. But at this time, the more atheist in Israel than there are Christians, sadly. The Bible said, Jesus said, concerning Israel, they were to continue to be a distinct people with a distinct God. They were not allowed to intermarry with most other nations. They were not allowed to make treaties with some.

They were not to isolate themselves but they were to remain distinct particularly in their worship of who? And their worship of God and their worship of the Lord. They were to be a distinct people. They were his people. In Deuteronomy six four and five, he says, here oh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

When Israel failed to do so, to remain true to the Lord and they allowed idolatry into their worship and their hearts were turned away from God. They were severely reprimanded and chastened by the hand of God. And again, when they rejected Christ, they were they were set aside at this time. God has turned his attention to the church. That is national separation, the nation of Israel.

Now, there's personal separation We're going to talk more about this next week but as children of God, this is what we've been leading up to for the most part. We are separated from the world unto God and we are called to be holy, to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, and not to the character of the world around us. It says in Romans twelve one and two, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not what? Conformed to this world but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is a good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Satan in the world has a will for you and God has a will for you.

Which one do you need to be following? Are you a child of God? Are you? Then, we should be doing whose will? Doing God's will.

We should be allowing him to transform us through his word and by his spirit into the character and image of his son and resisting the pressure from the world and the flesh and the devil to conform us back into its image. Because we are who? We are the children of God. We are believers in Jesus Christ. We are born again and dwelt by his spirit.

And we need to be set apart in our thoughts, our beliefs, our actions, that we represent him well. But I'm going to come back to that next week. Number three, national Old Testament. Personal separation, that's you personally from sin. And then there's this ecclesiastical separation.

Now, ecclesiastical separation. What does that mean? The word for church in the New Testament in Greek is Ecclesia. Ecclesia and that's what we get the word ecclesiastical from. The word means a called out assembly.

Now, it's used a few times in the New Testament to refer to town hall type meetings. People that gather together to deal with a certain issue but most of the times in the New Testament, when we read the word Ecclesia, it is translated church and it's talking about those who have been called out of the world by God's grace to be the children of who? To be the children of God. Ecclesiastical separation has to do with the church. The church is commanded in the New Testament on several occasions as the body of Christ to separate itself from certain things.

As a church, as a ministry, it is important for the cause of Christ. It is important for the defense of the gospel. It is important for the purity of the faith that we are willing to contend for the faith that we as a church are willing to take a stand for Jesus Christ and for that which is true and that which is right. Sometimes, that is uncomfortable. Have you ever had to stand up to somebody that is wrong and tell them they were wrong?

Was that comfortable? No. It is hardly ever comfortable position to confront people. It's not a comfortable position for many of us to be to have to defend. We would rather just be with a lot of people we agree with and never have to defend but sometimes we have to take a stand.

Sometimes, we have to mount a defense. Sometimes, we have to confront that which is evil with that which is what? Good and true and right. And as a church, we have to be set apart. We have to take a stand.

We cannot compromise. Our ministry, our church, our faith for the purpose of popularity to to be accepted or to be well liked in this world. A matter of fact, the Lord tells us if we take a stand for Christ, we're not going to be well liked in this world. We are going to face persecution, not applause. Not from this world but we will receive applause from who?

From our Lord. That's the applause that matters. That's the pat on the back that matters. It's what he thinks that matters. And so there are three things I want to mention this morning before we wind up.

Concerning ecclesiastical separation. Things that the church is to be separated from or we are to separate from as a church and as a ministry. Turn if you would to Galatians chapter one and we'll read verses six through eight. Galatians one and verses six through eight. Paul writes to the churches in the region of Galatia which is in Northern Turkey in Paul's day And he's concerned.

He is very concerned. He came to the churches to those cities. He preached the gospel. People got saved. Churches started.

Others came in behind him and began to tell the people something different than he had told them. They said, oh yes, we're Christians like Paul. Oh yes, we're believers in Christ like Paul. However, you Gentiles that have trusted Christ as savior that's not enough. You have to become Jews.

You have to undergo the right of circumcision. You have to show you have to keep the Sabbath. You have to keep the festivals of Pentecost and Passover. You have to follow the law. You can't eat certain types of unclean animals.

You have to keep the law in order to be secure in Christ. That's what they were saying. That's not what who was saying. That's not what Paul was saying. That's not what God was saying.

It's not what Paul told them. That's not the gospel. We're saved not by works, not by the works of the law, not by our own good works, not by the works of the church. We're saved by grace through faith in who? In Jesus Christ alone and the work that he did for us on Calvary's Cross.

No, you do not have to become a Jew. Praise God to be a Christian. You do not have to keep the law. To be a Christian, now, are there laws and commandments given us in the New Testament that we should be applying to our life? Oh yes, we should.

That we might be set apart from the world under Jesus Christ and represent him well. We are still to be set apart from sin. Praise God but you're not saved by keeping the works of law. Paul was very clear and then these people came in behind him and they were telling the people, no, Paul's not quite got it right. Yes, Christ died.

Yes, you can be saved but you have to become a Jew and so Paul writes them, Galatians chapter one verse six, I marvel. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another but there be some that trouble you and you would pervert the gospel of Christ. For though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be what? A curse. Now, that's really strong language.

Paul is saying to them, if somebody comes to you, if they said they're with us, if they say they're an angel from heaven, whoever they are and they tell you something that is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Don't listen to them. Don't allow them in your congregation. Don't give them a position of teaching and authority. Don't let them infiltrate your church.

No, let them be what? A curse. The word accursed by the way means also to be set apart. Remember the word holy means to be set apart, right? It means to be set apart unto God.

It means consecrated as his child under the holiness and the justice, the righteousness of God. The word translated accursed also means set apart but it means to be set apart unto judgement or destruction. So, he says to them, if one comes in and says to you things that are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, don't you listen to You consider them to be set apart under what? Destruction and judgement. Don't touch them with a 10 foot what?

10 foot pole. Stay away. The church needs not be infected by their heresy. It is, it is important. So, you separate yourself from them.

Separate ourselves first of all as a church. We're to set apart ourselves unto the truth of God's word from false teaching and are there still a lot of false teaching out there? Yes, there is. And we need to watch out for it. We need to be careful.

Says in second John verses ten and eleven, if there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him godspeed for he that biddeth him godspeed is partaker of his what? Evil deeds. If somebody comes to your door and knocks on your door and they say, I'm here I have a watchtower for you. I have I have a this Book of Mormon to give you or whatever it is they may have to give you. What does the Bible say?

It says, don't don't bring them into your life. Don't bring them in. It means don't show them hospitality. It's not that there's something special about the threshold of your house but don't be hospitable unto them. Don't give ear to their doctrines.

Don't wish them godspeed. Don't say, okay, go and be well and hope things go well for you and your ministry there. No, we don't want things to go well for their ministry because they're preaching a lot. They're preaching a lie. So, no, I don't want things to go well for their ministry.

I don't wish them godspeed because if I do, I am in part in a way taking part in their what? Their evil deeds and when somebody is teaching a false doctrine, is that good or is that bad? That's bad. That's bad. Now, I don't have to be mean about.

I don't have to be ugly about it. Bible says, we're to speak the truth in what? In love but speak the truth. And don't give ear to that which is why. That which is false.

There are many false doctrines out there. We must separate ourselves from those that would teach that this is not the what. Must separate ourselves from those that would teach that this is not the infallible what? Word of God. There are some baptist churches out there today that are teaching that this is not the infallible word of God.

Doesn't matter if they have a B or baptist on the name of their church. We must separate ourselves from those who do not believe that the God word of God is the word of God and not the word of men. We must set up our separate ourselves from those who say that Jesus is not equal with the father as he claimed to be. Jesus said as the father, was I am. I am.

I and my father are one. The Bible declares this over and over again. Jesus is equal with the father. If he is not equal with the father, that is a false doctrine and we must separate ourselves from that false doctrine. We must separate ourselves from those who say Jesus was not born of a virgin or he did not rise again bodily from the grave.

Because the Bible says he was born of a virgin. That means that he is the incarnate word of God, that he came first from where? From heaven. Conceived of the Holy Spirit and that he rose again from the dead in a bodily form and ascended up into heaven while his disciples stood there and watched. That's the word of God.

Only a risen savior can offer you resurrection. Praise the Lord. We must separate ourselves from those who teach the salvation is obtained through keeping the law or the works of the church. Many churches out there today Catholic in nature particularly that teach if you're going to make it to heaven, you have to keep the works of the church. You have to keep the sacraments and if you don't keep em, you won't make it.

That puts salvation, the power of salvation not in the hands of Christ but in the hands of the church. Don't trust your salvation to the church. Don't trust your salvation to your ability to do A, B, C, and D. You won't get there that way. Put your trust in the hands of Jesus Christ who died for you.

We must separate ourselves from those teach that souls upon death do not go to eternal bliss in heaven or eternal punishment in hell. That's popular today because we don't want to talk about. We don't want to teach that there's an eternal place of punishment called hell but it's real and when you die, you go to one place or you go to the other. There is no purgatory. There is no just disappearing out of existence.

Your soul is going to go to one place or another. Yes, God did create this world in six days and he created two sexes, male and female. We need to be willing to take a stand. Is it popular? Homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, same sex marriage is forbidden where?

It's forbidden in scripture. It's forbidden in the word of God. I will take a stand on this. I will trust in my God. It's not going to be popular in the world today, is it?

But we must be willing as a church and as a people to say God is first. My allegiance to Christ is first. I will take a stand for the truth. I will contend for the what? Contend for the faith.

These are just a few doctrines on which we must stand. As Christians today. Therefore, we don't allow just anybody in this pulpit to preach. We're careful to make sure the people that preach and teach in our church are preaching and teaching what? The word of God.

Therefore, we won't join in some citywide crusades or or ministries with those who teach something directly contrary to what we believe and teach no matter how worthy the cause. For we must stake a stand for the truth. We must be clear. That's called Ecclesiastical separation on grounds of doctrine. There's two other things quickly as we close.

Turn if you would to first Corinthians five nine to 11. First Corinthians five nine to 11. We must separate ourselves from those who teach another gospel. We must separate ourselves as a church sometimes from those who live in unrepentant immorality. Who who says this, God says this, first Corinthians five nine, I wrote unto you an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not all together with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or with extortioners or with idolaters.

For then, he must needs go out of the world but now, I've written unto you not to company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or drunkard or an extortioner with such and one not to what? Not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without do not you judge them that are what? Within. But them that are without God judges.

Therefore, put away from among yourselves this wicked person. There was a person in the church at Corinth. He was sleeping immorally with his stepmother. And Paul says, I I don't know why you haven't dealt with this. Even the Gentiles don't do this.

This is such gross immorality and this person evidently a well known person in the church, you haven't dealt with it. You haven't done anything about it. What message are you sending? What message are you sending to the world? Well, we Christians are just like you.

We have no morality. What a message. What message are you sending to the rest of your church? This isn't a problem? That's the wrong message to send.

Paul being quite incensed by their inaction. Argue that their choice to ignore it was a bad one. It was bad for the testimony of the church and the purity and spiritual growth of the members. A little leaven leavens what? The whole lump.

One bad apple spoils the what? The whole bunch. Paul says, you need to deal with this person You need to break off fellowship with them. You need others to see that this is what? This is wrong.

Now, is that easy? Is that fun? No, it's hard. But sometimes it might actually be what? Necessary for the health of the church and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Also, for the individual, for this individual who continued in immorality without being confronted was not was not having their spiritual need met. There's a spiritual problem that they didn't see a problem with this. And in order for them to see the problem, the Christians needed to take a what? A stand and let them know that this is something terrible. This is something that needs to be dealt with.

This is something you need to take care of to get right with God. So, sometimes the church has to separate themselves from one who is living in unrepentant immorality. Sometimes, it's necessary for the purity and the cause of Christ and then finally, to separate ourselves purposely from those who cause divisions within the body. Romans sixteen seventeen, now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which they have learned and avoid them. Second Thessalonians three sixteen and fourteen.

Now, we command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after tradition which we achieve which he have received of us and if any man obey not our word by epistle, note that man, have no company with him that he may be ashamed. Paul says, I'm sending you these epistles. I'm writing you and there's some in your church that will not bow to the authority of the word of God and they are complaining and they are griping and they are not following and they are purposefully causing what? Division in the church. They will not hear reason.

And they're dividing one person from another. You can't just sit back and let that what? Let that happen. You need to confront them. You need to deal with it and if they're belligerent, you may have to just withdraw fellowship from them.

Again, for the cause of Christ and for the testimony of Christ and the health of the church. Sometimes, it's necessary to separate. So, the Lord can work in that person's life and also help others to see how important it is to defend and contend for the faith. These things are not popular in our world. But they are the command of our savior and we need to stay true.

To him. Do any of these things fit you? I don't know that any of these things do fit you today but if there is something God pointed out, would you not put it off? Would you deal with him? He can forgive you and change you.

We must take a stand for what is right. Are you doing that in your own life? Are we listening to people? Are we joining hands with people who are teaching a false gospel? We need to ask the Lord to help us to have discernment and to be able to say, you know, that's wrong.

Here's the truth. And this morning, last of all, are you a child of God? Are you his peculiar treasure? Have you been saved? If you haven't, you can today.

If you'll come as we sing a hymn of invitation a moment. I'll show you from God's word how you can be saved and know it. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word. Lord, help us when necessary to do the uncomfortable things because you are worthy and our love for you is greater than the applause of the world or even at times those who call themselves Christians.

Lord, help us to be willing to contend for the faith, to defend it against all attacks. Lord, help us to recognize false doctrine when we see it. Help us to recognize sin in our own life that we may abandon it and repent of it. Help us, Lord, to recognize those who would sow discord among us. And rebuke them.

And defend our faith in our church. Thank you, Lord. For the unity that we have here. Lord, thank you how you have blessed this ministry and this congregation. With so many who desire to know the truth, to learn it, to stand upon it, and Lord, whom you have given a love for you and for one another.

And for the joy of the unity of the faith that we have experienced here. Lord, we pray that it would continue. In Jesus name, amen.