1
00:00:04,989 --> 00:00:07,356
He says - now follow this.

2
00:00:07,356 --> 00:00:09,147
You have to be discerning.

3
00:00:09,147 --> 00:00:11,931
And I know I've read 
this thing 3 or 4 times,

4
00:00:11,931 --> 00:00:14,303
so sometimes you don't catch everything

5
00:00:14,303 --> 00:00:17,791
in the first time you read it.

6
00:00:17,791 --> 00:00:20,088
"I want to live for Christ

7
00:00:20,088 --> 00:00:25,286
with all that is in me..."

8
00:00:25,286 --> 00:00:27,584
Okay. You get that far...

9
00:00:27,584 --> 00:00:30,822
Again, love assumes the best.

10
00:00:30,822 --> 00:00:33,228
And you take him at his word.

11
00:00:33,228 --> 00:00:36,662
"I attended a youth group

12
00:00:36,662 --> 00:00:39,758
which I no longer attend.

13
00:00:39,758 --> 00:00:43,967
And the youth pastor sent 
me a long message."

14
00:00:43,967 --> 00:00:46,948
So this is the youth pastor

15
00:00:46,948 --> 00:00:51,403
to one of the young 
men that was attending.

16
00:00:51,403 --> 00:00:54,886
"In it, he said I was a Pharisee.

17
00:00:54,886 --> 00:00:57,487
He called me stubborn.

18
00:00:57,487 --> 00:01:01,236
He called me judgmental, rude,

19
00:01:01,236 --> 00:01:09,606
cruel, toxic, and prideful."

20
00:01:09,606 --> 00:01:12,070
I mean, to even get one of those words

21
00:01:12,070 --> 00:01:14,067
is not good,

22
00:01:14,067 --> 00:01:19,169
but when a pastor gives 
you all those words...

23
00:01:19,169 --> 00:01:21,427
"He said this was feedback

24
00:01:21,427 --> 00:01:24,785
he received from others."

25
00:01:24,785 --> 00:01:26,292
And then the guy admits,

26
00:01:26,292 --> 00:01:29,663
"those who aren't Christians 
have told me things like this."

27
00:01:29,663 --> 00:01:34,648
So this isn't the first guy 
that's told him this.

28
00:01:34,648 --> 00:01:36,938
And then he admits this too:

29
00:01:36,938 --> 00:01:40,518
"I'm sure there are just as many 
Christians who think this..."

30
00:01:40,518 --> 00:01:43,026
about him.

31
00:01:43,026 --> 00:01:44,152
And then he says this,

32
00:01:44,152 --> 00:01:47,134
"Obviously, there is a disconnect here.

33
00:01:47,134 --> 00:01:50,205
I've watched you guys at I'll Be Honest.

34
00:01:50,205 --> 00:01:52,989
I read the Puritans.

35
00:01:52,989 --> 00:01:56,624
I read ten chapters a day of Scripture."

36
00:01:56,624 --> 00:01:57,933
And then he says this:

37
00:01:57,933 --> 00:02:00,090
"I don't see how someone

38
00:02:00,090 --> 00:02:03,628
could be saturated with so much truth

39
00:02:03,628 --> 00:02:08,909
and yet be accused of things like this."

40
00:02:08,909 --> 00:02:10,987
If you're discerning, I hope you recognize

41
00:02:10,987 --> 00:02:14,636
there's something really wrong with that.

42
00:02:14,636 --> 00:02:16,284
"I love God.

43
00:02:16,284 --> 00:02:17,573
I love His Word.

44
00:02:17,573 --> 00:02:20,420
And my life has drastically changed

45
00:02:20,420 --> 00:02:22,729
since my conversion."

46
00:02:22,729 --> 00:02:23,896
And then he admits this:

47
00:02:23,896 --> 00:02:26,523
"Prayer is a weak area in my life.

48
00:02:26,523 --> 00:02:29,345
So maybe my problem is there.

49
00:02:29,345 --> 00:02:32,477
If not, where else could it be?

50
00:02:32,477 --> 00:02:34,641
I bear marks of truly being saved,

51
00:02:34,641 --> 00:02:36,792
and those who are calling 
me all these things

52
00:02:36,792 --> 00:02:39,354
don't deny that I'm saved.

53
00:02:39,354 --> 00:02:43,765
But, could it be that I'm still lost?

54
00:02:43,765 --> 00:02:45,197
I don't want to be bringing

55
00:02:45,197 --> 00:02:47,222
so much dishonor to God with these things,

56
00:02:47,222 --> 00:02:53,752
so please help."

57
00:02:53,752 --> 00:02:57,504
Mario, what do you tell him?

58
00:02:57,504 --> 00:02:58,274
(from the room)

59
00:02:58,274 --> 00:03:00,926
That's tough.

60
00:03:00,926 --> 00:03:02,618
Because, those people could be

61
00:03:02,618 --> 00:03:05,850
testifying to right things in his life,

62
00:03:05,850 --> 00:03:08,638
but they could also be resisting truth.

63
00:03:08,638 --> 00:03:12,271
Tim: Let me just ask this question.

64
00:03:12,271 --> 00:03:19,164
Is it likely that multiple 
people telling you -

65
00:03:19,164 --> 00:03:22,032
because he admits that other people

66
00:03:22,032 --> 00:03:26,171
have told him similar things.

67
00:03:26,171 --> 00:03:29,603
When you have multiple people telling you

68
00:03:29,603 --> 00:03:31,928
that you are Pharisaical, stubborn,

69
00:03:31,928 --> 00:03:36,156
judgmental, rude, cruel, 
toxic, and prideful,

70
00:03:36,156 --> 00:03:43,294
is it likely that there's not 
a shred of truth to it?

71
00:03:43,294 --> 00:03:44,783
(from the room)

72
00:03:44,783 --> 00:03:46,518
Sounds like a cage-stager.

73
00:03:46,518 --> 00:03:47,835
Tim: Sounds like what?

74
00:03:47,835 --> 00:03:50,180
(from the room)
He's in a cage stage a little bit.

75
00:03:50,180 --> 00:03:51,270
Tim: Cage stage?

76
00:03:51,270 --> 00:03:53,649
(from the room)
In Calvinism, when you first learn

77
00:03:53,649 --> 00:03:55,869
about Calvinism or truths, it's very easy

78
00:03:55,869 --> 00:03:57,580
to be obnoxious about it

79
00:03:57,580 --> 00:04:00,974
and basically beat everybody around you.

80
00:04:00,974 --> 00:04:07,147
Tim: Now, he doesn't 
bring that out specifically.

81
00:04:07,147 --> 00:04:08,984
(from the room)
the fact he said those

82
00:04:08,984 --> 00:04:12,585
who aren't Christians
have told me these things -

83
00:04:12,585 --> 00:04:16,065
to me, that holds even more 
weight than the Christians.

84
00:04:16,065 --> 00:04:18,810
That unbelievers are telling 
him these same things -

85
00:04:18,810 --> 00:04:25,105
that he's judgmental, stubborn, toxic...

86
00:04:25,105 --> 00:04:28,219
Tim: But let's pick up on this.

87
00:04:28,219 --> 00:04:31,788
How many of you were, in the beginning

88
00:04:31,788 --> 00:04:35,525
when you came to kind of embrace

89
00:04:35,525 --> 00:04:38,410
the doctrines of grace - if you have -

90
00:04:38,410 --> 00:04:40,908
maybe some of you haven't;

91
00:04:40,908 --> 00:04:42,543
but how many of you were

92
00:04:42,543 --> 00:04:46,263
somewhat obnoxious with it?

93
00:04:46,263 --> 00:04:49,155
Okay, so we've got hands, 
but let me ask you.

94
00:04:49,155 --> 00:04:53,098
Even... and so was I.

95
00:04:53,098 --> 00:04:56,746
Even in that state

96
00:04:56,746 --> 00:04:58,953
as obnoxious as you were,

97
00:04:58,953 --> 00:05:00,717
did people say this about you?

98
00:05:00,717 --> 00:05:02,692
Did they call you Pharisaical, stubborn,


99
00:05:02,692 --> 00:05:05,904
judgmental, rude, cruel, 
toxic, and prideful?

100
00:05:05,904 --> 00:05:09,503
(from the room)
Not all at the same time.

101
00:05:09,503 --> 00:05:11,677
Tim: Well, see, I actually don't remember

102
00:05:11,677 --> 00:05:13,691
anybody using those words to describe me.

103
00:05:13,691 --> 00:05:16,082
(from the room)
I just got told that I'm preaching

104
00:05:16,082 --> 00:05:17,774
another Gospel.

105
00:05:17,774 --> 00:05:20,223
Tim: Well, right. That was more the thing.

106
00:05:20,223 --> 00:05:23,660
Well, it can't be true.

107
00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:24,712
Somebody told me,

108
00:05:24,712 --> 00:05:27,852
"I hope you'll be happy 
in heaven by yourself."

109
00:05:27,852 --> 00:05:30,635
Because it seemed so narrow.

110
00:05:30,635 --> 00:05:35,636
(from the room)
You told me I was judgmental.

111
00:05:35,636 --> 00:05:40,261
But that was after about a year 
and a half of being a Christian.

112
00:05:40,261 --> 00:05:42,484
So we don't know much about this pastor.

113
00:05:42,484 --> 00:05:45,494
He might be solid on 
the same page doctrinally.

114
00:05:45,494 --> 00:05:47,510
Tim: Oh, he could be.

115
00:05:47,510 --> 00:05:49,509
(incomplete thought)

116
00:05:49,509 --> 00:05:51,738
(from the room)
Did you mention the kids age?

117
00:05:51,738 --> 00:05:54,066
Or did you skip that?
Tim: I skipped it.

118
00:05:54,066 --> 00:05:56,352
(from the room)
To me, that's interesting too.

119
00:05:56,352 --> 00:06:01,236
Tim: He's 14.

120
00:06:01,236 --> 00:06:04,404
That softened people.

121
00:06:04,404 --> 00:06:07,545
I purposely left it out for that reason.

122
00:06:07,545 --> 00:06:13,182
But at 14, you're that proud, obnoxious,

123
00:06:13,182 --> 00:06:15,831
toxic? I mean that word!

124
00:06:15,831 --> 00:06:20,693
That's a bad word.

125
00:06:20,693 --> 00:06:21,756
What's that?

126
00:06:21,756 --> 00:06:24,084
(from the room)
Would it be easier for him

127
00:06:24,084 --> 00:06:26,988
to fall into that because he's so young?

128
00:06:26,988 --> 00:06:27,864
Tim: Perhaps.

129
00:06:27,864 --> 00:06:30,486
(from the room)
If he was 24, he'd have ten more years

130
00:06:30,486 --> 00:06:33,248
of maturing as a person.

131
00:06:33,248 --> 00:06:36,326
Tim: But here's one of the things he says.

132
00:06:36,326 --> 00:06:38,259
"I watch you guys on I'll Be Honest.

133
00:06:38,259 --> 00:06:39,767
I read the Puritans and I read

134
00:06:39,767 --> 00:06:43,618
ten chapters a day of Scripture."

135
00:06:43,618 --> 00:06:47,103
Now that's kind of 
Pharisaical right there.

136
00:06:47,103 --> 00:06:48,833
It's like throwing out there:

137
00:06:48,833 --> 00:06:50,409
"I read ten chapters a day."

138
00:06:50,409 --> 00:06:52,384
And then to say, "I don't see how

139
00:06:52,384 --> 00:06:54,687
someone could be saturated 
with so much truth

140
00:06:54,687 --> 00:06:57,174
and yet be accused of things like this."

141
00:06:57,174 --> 00:06:59,944
Well, see, that's lacking discernment.

142
00:06:59,944 --> 00:07:01,376
That's very ignorant.

143
00:07:01,376 --> 00:07:03,422
(from the room)
He's just immature.

144
00:07:03,422 --> 00:07:05,523
But I think he's trying 
to protect himself.

145
00:07:05,523 --> 00:07:07,209
He's 14 in this world.

146
00:07:07,209 --> 00:07:09,664
I don't know what kind 
of school he goes to,

147
00:07:09,664 --> 00:07:11,576
but I think if he goes to public school,

148
00:07:11,576 --> 00:07:14,550
I can see myself trying to 
wrap myself in the Word

149
00:07:14,550 --> 00:07:16,957
and just standing on it.

150
00:07:16,957 --> 00:07:19,378
So he's immature, but at the same time,

151
00:07:19,378 --> 00:07:23,098
I think he's trying to 
stand for what is right.

152
00:07:23,098 --> 00:07:28,844
That's a lot of negative 
words in one sentence.

153
00:07:28,844 --> 00:07:31,044
Tim: He's 14. He's a baby.

154
00:07:31,044 --> 00:07:32,941
So we don't excuse it,

155
00:07:32,941 --> 00:07:36,340
but maybe we are a little softer.

156
00:07:36,340 --> 00:07:38,300
He needs guidance. Okay.

157
00:07:38,300 --> 00:07:40,780
What guidance are we going to give him?

158
00:07:40,780 --> 00:07:42,406
Because he's probably watching.

159
00:07:42,406 --> 00:07:46,108
Or he probably will watch 
if James puts this up.

160
00:07:46,108 --> 00:07:52,631
(unintelligible)

161
00:07:52,631 --> 00:07:56,694
Tim: Well, surrounding himself

162
00:07:56,694 --> 00:08:03,455
with those who are very gracious

163
00:08:03,455 --> 00:08:05,206
would be a good influence;

164
00:08:05,206 --> 00:08:07,430
it would be a good starting point.

165
00:08:07,430 --> 00:08:10,279
And you know, there's a possibility

166
00:08:10,279 --> 00:08:12,521
that he doesn't have saved parents.

167
00:08:12,521 --> 00:08:16,948
He was converted maybe 
not through family means.

168
00:08:16,948 --> 00:08:19,238
(Incomplete thought)

169
00:08:19,238 --> 00:08:22,482
He doesn't talk about 
his parental situation.

170
00:08:22,482 --> 00:08:24,241
But is there anything in Scripture

171
00:08:24,241 --> 00:08:25,961
that would lead us to believe

172
00:08:25,961 --> 00:08:30,906
that we become like those we hang around?

173
00:08:30,906 --> 00:08:33,695
Can anybody quote some place?

174
00:08:33,695 --> 00:08:37,405
(unintelligible)

175
00:08:37,405 --> 00:08:38,979
Well, that's the negative,

176
00:08:38,979 --> 00:08:41,395
but how about the positive?

177
00:08:41,395 --> 00:08:42,922
(unintelligible)

178
00:08:42,922 --> 00:08:46,152
He who walks with the wise is wise.

179
00:08:46,152 --> 00:08:49,087
(unintelligible)

180
00:08:49,087 --> 00:08:51,916
Yeah, it's definitely a biblical reality.

181
00:08:51,916 --> 00:08:55,807
And there's the reality of imitation.

182
00:08:55,807 --> 00:09:00,105
We're to imitate the faith of people.

183
00:09:00,105 --> 00:09:02,180
And we're very much called

184
00:09:02,180 --> 00:09:04,781
to imitate those who imitate Christ.

185
00:09:04,781 --> 00:09:15,184
We're very much called to find people -

186
00:09:15,184 --> 00:09:20,904
you know, it's kind of 
the leaven principle.

187
00:09:20,904 --> 00:09:22,936
Leaven leavens the lump.

188
00:09:22,936 --> 00:09:27,710
But it's amazing when 
you have godly people -

189
00:09:27,710 --> 00:09:31,593
you know how often people

190
00:09:31,593 --> 00:09:35,150
came away from just 
sitting for a little bit

191
00:09:35,150 --> 00:09:37,228
and talking to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

192
00:09:37,228 --> 00:09:47,167
They said you just felt a 
greater nearness to God.

193
00:09:47,167 --> 00:09:50,811
I remember Charles and Mona said

194
00:09:50,811 --> 00:09:53,597
that they were in Wales,

195
00:09:53,597 --> 00:09:55,588
and a friend of Lloyd-Jones -

196
00:09:55,588 --> 00:09:57,804
and I can't recall his name right off,

197
00:09:57,804 --> 00:10:02,275
was it McMillan?

198
00:10:02,275 --> 00:10:04,175
They spent a little time with him

199
00:10:04,175 --> 00:10:07,218
and they said it was like

200
00:10:07,218 --> 00:10:14,781
the fragrance of Christ 
stayed with them for awhile.

201
00:10:14,781 --> 00:10:18,923
There's impact in being around people.

202
00:10:18,923 --> 00:10:24,455
I noticed at the Denton conference -

203
00:10:24,455 --> 00:10:26,699
you know, I'd look around

204
00:10:26,699 --> 00:10:29,762
and I'd look to see where Jared was.

205
00:10:29,762 --> 00:10:32,558
It wasn't really that I was 
looking to see where he was;

206
00:10:32,558 --> 00:10:33,848
it was just I would notice,

207
00:10:33,848 --> 00:10:35,643
hey, there's Charles. There's Jared.

208
00:10:35,643 --> 00:10:39,186
Hey, there's Geoffrey Thomas. 
There's Jared.

209
00:10:39,186 --> 00:10:41,471
The guy's walking around 
with all the preachers.

210
00:10:41,471 --> 00:10:43,909
Well, you know there's something to that.

211
00:10:43,909 --> 00:10:45,890
And if we surround ourselves

212
00:10:45,890 --> 00:10:48,374
with the godliest people that we can,

213
00:10:48,374 --> 00:10:50,730
it's really going to have 
an impact on our life.

214
00:10:50,730 --> 00:10:52,522
That would be one thing to tell him.

215
00:10:52,522 --> 00:10:54,299
Being in a church where you have

216
00:10:54,299 --> 00:10:56,783
those kind of elders;

217
00:10:56,783 --> 00:11:00,835
men whose faith is worth imitating.

218
00:11:00,835 --> 00:11:02,404
What else would you tell him?

219
00:11:02,404 --> 00:11:04,890
(from the room)
I would say something that I learned

220
00:11:04,890 --> 00:11:05,911
earlier in my walk.

221
00:11:05,911 --> 00:11:08,995
He mentioned the fact that 
he reads a lot of Puritans.

222
00:11:08,995 --> 00:11:13,881
(unintelligible)

223
00:11:13,881 --> 00:11:17,260
Maybe sometimes you need 
to lay off those books

224
00:11:17,260 --> 00:11:18,853
and go to Scripture and see how

225
00:11:18,853 --> 00:11:20,873
you're supposed to be a Christian.

226
00:11:20,873 --> 00:11:23,486
That helped me because I got into

227
00:11:23,486 --> 00:11:26,507
reading all this, and 
Mack told me one day,

228
00:11:26,507 --> 00:11:29,066
hey, brother, how about you 
just lay off those books

229
00:11:29,066 --> 00:11:30,899
and just focus on the Bible itself

230
00:11:30,899 --> 00:11:32,335
and that greatly helped me.

231
00:11:32,335 --> 00:11:33,967
Tim: And he says, "I don't see how

232
00:11:33,967 --> 00:11:36,782
someone could be saturated 
with so much truth

233
00:11:36,782 --> 00:11:39,910
and yet be accused of things like this."

234
00:11:39,910 --> 00:11:42,827
I would say to him

235
00:11:42,827 --> 00:11:45,480
you can be saturated with a lot of truth,

236
00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,905
but if you're not living the truth;

237
00:11:48,905 --> 00:11:52,131
if you actually are being mean and cruel

238
00:11:52,131 --> 00:11:57,166
and toxic and rude and Pharisaical,

239
00:11:57,166 --> 00:11:59,576
that's why you're being accused of it.

240
00:11:59,576 --> 00:12:02,137
How much intake of Puritans

241
00:12:02,137 --> 00:12:03,944
or how much intake of Scripture

242
00:12:03,944 --> 00:12:05,097
isn't the issue.

243
00:12:05,097 --> 00:12:08,635
Because there is a knowledge,

244
00:12:08,635 --> 00:12:12,808
there's a gaining of intellect 
that simply puffs up.

245
00:12:12,808 --> 00:12:15,315
It produces pride.

246
00:12:15,315 --> 00:12:17,200
One of the things that can happen

247
00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,061
is we gain information, and 
we become judgmental.

248
00:12:20,061 --> 00:12:21,371
We judge other people.

249
00:12:21,371 --> 00:12:22,897
Or we look down on other people

250
00:12:22,897 --> 00:12:25,894
because they don't know what we know.

251
00:12:25,894 --> 00:12:32,636
But, what we want to aim for

252
00:12:32,636 --> 00:12:35,767
is to be transformed by this truth.

253
00:12:35,767 --> 00:12:37,963
And then he does admit this too.

254
00:12:37,963 --> 00:12:40,405
He admits that his 
prayer life isn't very good.

255
00:12:40,405 --> 00:12:44,014
See, that's another indication of pride,

256
00:12:44,014 --> 00:12:46,389
because desperate people,

257
00:12:46,389 --> 00:12:49,647
needy people pray.

258
00:12:49,647 --> 00:12:51,604
Proud people don't need the Lord.

259
00:12:51,604 --> 00:12:55,025
They don't need to pray.

260
00:12:55,025 --> 00:12:56,849
When people know:

261
00:12:56,849 --> 00:13:00,563
"Lord, I can't do this without You,"

262
00:13:00,563 --> 00:13:02,628
you find them out in the field praying

263
00:13:02,628 --> 00:13:05,049
or in their closet praying.

264
00:13:05,049 --> 00:13:07,628
People who can bypass prayer,

265
00:13:07,628 --> 00:13:10,137
that is a real evidence of weakness,

266
00:13:10,137 --> 00:13:18,825
immaturity, pride, 
self-sufficiency, independence.

267
00:13:18,825 --> 00:13:20,563
Anybody say anything else?

268
00:13:20,563 --> 00:13:21,460
(from the room)

269
00:13:21,460 --> 00:13:23,163
I mean, that balance is difficult.

270
00:13:23,163 --> 00:13:24,943
That balance that James and yourself

271
00:13:24,943 --> 00:13:26,738
were talking about last Sunday.

272
00:13:26,738 --> 00:13:28,500
That's a difficult thing.

273
00:13:28,500 --> 00:13:31,180
And we need a lot of help 
from the Holy Spirit

274
00:13:31,180 --> 00:13:35,701
to find balance. It's tough.

275
00:13:35,701 --> 00:13:37,447
Tim: One of the things

276
00:13:37,447 --> 00:13:40,405
that we need to remember too -

277
00:13:40,405 --> 00:13:43,604
he's not actually saying 
that this has to do

278
00:13:43,604 --> 00:13:46,181
with embracing the sovereignty of God

279
00:13:46,181 --> 00:13:47,732
or the doctrines of grace.

280
00:13:47,732 --> 00:13:49,330
But I will say this,

281
00:13:49,330 --> 00:13:50,962
it's very interesting to me,

282
00:13:50,962 --> 00:13:52,234
when I was studying -

283
00:13:52,234 --> 00:13:55,377
I did a number of messages,

284
00:13:55,377 --> 00:13:57,877
six messages here at GCC

285
00:13:57,877 --> 00:14:00,751
on hyper-Calvinism several years back,

286
00:14:00,751 --> 00:14:06,386
and what was very interesting to me

287
00:14:06,386 --> 00:14:11,652
is that Calvin in his "Institutes" -

288
00:14:11,652 --> 00:14:16,942
he started by having election first

289
00:14:16,942 --> 00:14:21,119
and then the doctrine of justification.

290
00:14:21,119 --> 00:14:22,303
Now think about it -

291
00:14:22,303 --> 00:14:24,478
that's the order in which they happen.

292
00:14:24,478 --> 00:14:26,799
In eternity past, God chooses.

293
00:14:26,799 --> 00:14:29,219
In the course of time, we believe

294
00:14:29,219 --> 00:14:32,817
and are justified by 
faith in Jesus Christ.

295
00:14:32,817 --> 00:14:36,844
So he put them in ordo salutis fashion.

296
00:14:36,844 --> 00:14:40,163
But you know what he recognized?

297
00:14:40,163 --> 00:14:42,704
He recognized the doctrine of election

298
00:14:42,704 --> 00:14:46,823
is a stumbling block for the lost.

299
00:14:46,823 --> 00:14:49,993
And he changed the chapters.

300
00:14:49,993 --> 00:14:53,597
He put justification by 
faith before election.

301
00:14:53,597 --> 00:14:55,803
There's a lot of wisdom to that.

302
00:14:55,803 --> 00:14:58,314
A lot of people come 
across the doctrines of grace

303
00:14:58,314 --> 00:14:59,996
and you know what they want to do?

304
00:14:59,996 --> 00:15:01,255
They want to lost grandma

305
00:15:01,255 --> 00:15:03,378
and start talking Romans 9.

306
00:15:03,378 --> 00:15:05,249
That's not what you want to do.

307
00:15:05,249 --> 00:15:07,894
You want to go to the text you went to.

308
00:15:07,894 --> 00:15:10,896
"Whoever thirsts..."

309
00:15:10,896 --> 00:15:13,953
You want to preach the Gospel to them.

310
00:15:13,953 --> 00:15:17,481
Banging people over the head 
with election doesn't save them.

311
00:15:17,481 --> 00:15:19,928
People need to trust Christ.

312
00:15:19,928 --> 00:15:21,686
You need to show them Christ.

313
00:15:21,686 --> 00:15:23,987
You need to show them 
the beauties of Christ.

314
00:15:23,987 --> 00:15:28,132
You need to put Him up as 
the only hope of mankind.

315
00:15:28,132 --> 00:15:31,302
Because really, when it comes 
to the responsibility of men,

316
00:15:31,302 --> 00:15:36,346
their responsibility is: God commands 
all men everywhere to repent.

317
00:15:36,346 --> 00:15:38,781
That's their responsibility.

318
00:15:38,781 --> 00:15:40,121
Because what happens is

319
00:15:40,121 --> 00:15:43,033
I thank the Lord,

320
00:15:43,033 --> 00:15:47,522
I was not bogged down by election

321
00:15:47,522 --> 00:15:49,893
and predestination.

322
00:15:49,893 --> 00:15:53,234
I came across "The Gospel 
According to Jesus,"

323
00:15:53,234 --> 00:15:56,480
and I was hit full blast with the Gospel

324
00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,435
out of Matthew's Gospel primarily.

325
00:15:59,435 --> 00:16:02,077
I didn't know those things

326
00:16:02,077 --> 00:16:04,150
and so they weren't a stumbling block;

327
00:16:04,150 --> 00:16:05,489
they weren't a snare to me.

328
00:16:05,489 --> 00:16:10,029
But I've seen people get 
so ensnared by that.

329
00:16:10,029 --> 00:16:11,520
But it's a non-issue.

330
00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,270
You say why? If I'm not 
chosen, I can't be saved!

331
00:16:15,270 --> 00:16:18,194
Technically speaking, yes, that's true.

332
00:16:18,194 --> 00:16:22,281
But, the reality of Scripture

333
00:16:22,281 --> 00:16:23,766
is that if you come to Christ,

334
00:16:23,766 --> 00:16:25,465
He's not going to cast you out.

335
00:16:25,465 --> 00:16:28,896
If you thirst, drink.

336
00:16:28,896 --> 00:16:30,597
That's what Scripture says.

337
00:16:30,597 --> 00:16:35,324
Whosoever... if you're thirsty, drink.

338
00:16:35,324 --> 00:16:36,892
So you don't want to hit people

339
00:16:36,892 --> 00:16:38,204
with this thought -

340
00:16:38,204 --> 00:16:40,386
and you know what Jared was just saying?

341
00:16:40,386 --> 00:16:43,809
This last Sunday he preached out of John 7

342
00:16:43,809 --> 00:16:45,119
and when he was all done,

343
00:16:45,119 --> 00:16:47,716
a woman came up and said, 
"I didn't like that message,

344
00:16:47,716 --> 00:16:54,412
because you didn't emphasize 
the fact that God chooses us."

345
00:16:54,412 --> 00:16:58,168
See, that is the hyper-
Calvinism right there.

346
00:16:58,168 --> 00:16:59,687
Because you know what happens?

347
00:16:59,687 --> 00:17:02,987
You tell the sinner,

348
00:17:02,987 --> 00:17:05,365
"Well, you can only 
be saved if you're elect."

349
00:17:05,365 --> 00:17:06,792
And so you know what they do?

350
00:17:06,792 --> 00:17:08,366
Now they're going to sit there

351
00:17:08,366 --> 00:17:11,081
and they're going to wait 
to see if they're elect.

352
00:17:11,081 --> 00:17:13,019
And they're going to think it's useless

353
00:17:13,019 --> 00:17:14,080
to do anything else

354
00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:15,990
until I can figure out if I'm elect.

355
00:17:15,990 --> 00:17:19,571
But they're never going to 
figure out if they're elect.

356
00:17:19,571 --> 00:17:21,738
When the reality is, 
Jesus didn't come along

357
00:17:21,738 --> 00:17:25,389
and say you've got to 
figure out if you're elect.

358
00:17:25,389 --> 00:17:29,531
He came along and He said, 
"repent and believe the Gospel."

359
00:17:29,531 --> 00:17:31,628
And we appeal to man's responsibility,

360
00:17:31,628 --> 00:17:33,960
not to God's sovereignty,

361
00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:35,939
not when we're preaching the Gospel.

362
00:17:35,939 --> 00:17:37,096
And it's a snare.

363
00:17:37,096 --> 00:17:40,920
I think Calvin was absolutely 
right in doing what he did.

364
00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,317
So we need to be careful.

365
00:17:42,317 --> 00:17:43,649
We come to these doctrines;

366
00:17:43,649 --> 00:17:46,051
we come to the doctrine of 
the sovereignty of God.

367
00:17:46,051 --> 00:17:47,310
But what that ought to do

368
00:17:47,310 --> 00:17:49,680
is not be this club to beat 
people over the head;

369
00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,838
it ought to fuel your confidence

370
00:17:51,838 --> 00:17:54,750
that when you take the 
Gospel and preach it,

371
00:17:54,750 --> 00:17:57,257
it's going to be the power 
of God unto salvation.

372
00:17:57,257 --> 00:17:58,744
People are going to get saved.

373
00:17:58,744 --> 00:18:01,426
Because God's going to see 
to it that people get saved.

374
00:18:01,426 --> 00:18:02,891
But they're going to get saved

375
00:18:02,891 --> 00:18:04,279
as you lift up Christ.

376
00:18:04,279 --> 00:18:05,591
Remember what Christ said.

377
00:18:05,591 --> 00:18:07,682
It's just like out there 
in the wilderness,

378
00:18:07,682 --> 00:18:10,552
you've got all these fiery serpents
and they're biting people

379
00:18:10,552 --> 00:18:11,477
and what happened?

380
00:18:11,477 --> 00:18:14,305
Moses, make a brazen serpent.

381
00:18:14,305 --> 00:18:16,039
And he lifted it up on a pole,

382
00:18:16,039 --> 00:18:17,238
and as many as looked -

383
00:18:17,238 --> 00:18:18,621
and He said in the same way,

384
00:18:18,621 --> 00:18:21,156
the Son of Man is going to be lifted up,

385
00:18:21,156 --> 00:18:23,448
and whoever looks on Him and believes,

386
00:18:23,448 --> 00:18:25,182
they're going to be saved.

387
00:18:25,182 --> 00:18:27,164
That's what we want to show people.

388
00:18:27,164 --> 00:18:29,577
Christ is your only hope.

389
00:18:29,577 --> 00:18:35,230
Scripture does not say 
election is your only hope.

390
00:18:35,230 --> 00:18:38,453
Christ is your only hope.

391
00:18:38,453 --> 00:18:42,337
(incomplete thought)

392
00:18:42,337 --> 00:18:46,335
Yes, in a way, I know you could argue,

393
00:18:46,335 --> 00:18:50,024
well, election does bring hope.

394
00:18:50,024 --> 00:18:51,488
And it does.

395
00:18:51,488 --> 00:18:55,007
It brings certainty to the reality

396
00:18:55,007 --> 00:18:58,831
that our Gospel is going to produce fruit.

397
00:18:58,831 --> 00:18:59,649
(from the room)

398
00:18:59,649 --> 00:19:01,842
Brother, I heard Lloyd-Jones in his book,

399
00:19:01,842 --> 00:19:03,177
"What is an Evangelical?"

400
00:19:03,177 --> 00:19:05,928
And he boldly stated, 
"yes, I'm a Calvinist,

401
00:19:05,928 --> 00:19:08,239
but I wouldn't put predestination

402
00:19:08,239 --> 00:19:10,865
and election under the essentials."

403
00:19:10,865 --> 00:19:12,571
He said it's not essential.

404
00:19:12,571 --> 00:19:15,030
It's the resurrection, being born again,

405
00:19:15,030 --> 00:19:20,247
that's what essential.

406
00:19:20,247 --> 00:19:29,123
Tim: Any other word for young Zechariah?

407
00:19:29,123 --> 00:19:31,778
Okay.

408
00:19:31,778 --> 00:19:33,428
You'd warn him against pride.

409
00:19:33,428 --> 00:19:34,163
(from the room)

410
00:19:34,163 --> 00:19:37,486
Maybe take him the 
Scripture about being humble.

411
00:19:37,486 --> 00:19:39,235
Isaiah 66.

412
00:19:39,235 --> 00:19:41,581
"This is the one to whom I will look,

413
00:19:41,581 --> 00:19:43,781
he who is humble and contrite in spirit

414
00:19:43,781 --> 00:19:45,297
and trembles at My Word."

415
00:19:45,297 --> 00:19:47,765
Tim: The problem with 
pride is that it's blind.

416
00:19:47,765 --> 00:19:50,029
The problem with pride 
is that it exalts self.

417
00:19:50,029 --> 00:19:53,173
And when you're exalting yourself,

418
00:19:53,173 --> 00:19:55,359
you're right in your own eyes.

419
00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,086
And so, that's the difficulty.

420
00:19:58,086 --> 00:19:59,506
(from the room)

421
00:19:59,506 --> 00:20:02,124
I'd probably ask him if he's gone

422
00:20:02,124 --> 00:20:03,989
to his youth pastor

423
00:20:03,989 --> 00:20:07,367
and asked him why he said those things.

424
00:20:07,367 --> 00:20:09,270
(unintelligible)

425
00:20:09,270 --> 00:20:11,142
Tim: Well, I have a feeling

426
00:20:11,142 --> 00:20:14,613
there is definitely weight behind it.

427
00:20:14,613 --> 00:20:15,970
There's truth behind it.

428
00:20:15,970 --> 00:20:18,956
And I guess that's one 
of the things I'd say to him

429
00:20:18,956 --> 00:20:23,229
is take these things as being true,

430
00:20:23,229 --> 00:20:25,921
and humble yourself.

431
00:20:25,921 --> 00:20:27,335
Repent of these things.

432
00:20:27,335 --> 00:20:30,591
Humble yourself before the Lord.