Warriors for Jesus

1
Warriors for Jesus

• We often hear such expressions as, Witnesses for
  Jesus, but I do not recall observing in
  advertisement such an expression as, Warriors
  for Jesus. I wonder why? Such a concept,
  however, is altogether scriptural

2
Warriors for Jesus

• 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good
  soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth
  entangleth himself with the affairs of this life
  that he may please him who hath chosen him to be
  a soldier (2 Tim. 2).

3
Warriors for Jesus

• 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good
  soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth
  entangleth himself with the affairs of this life
  that he may please him who hath chosen him to be
  a soldier (2 Tim. 2).

4
Warriors for Jesus

• Warrior is defined A man engaged or
  experienced in warfare soldiera person who has
  shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness
  (R.H.C.D., pg. 1484).

5
Warriors for Jesus

• Results of probative email I sent out regarding
  why more are not entering the arena of
  controversy and battle
• Don,For what it's worth, I appreciate your
  efforts in this area authority and answering
  error, though I do not say it enough. I have too
  much local work to get involved in a worthwhile
  way in some of these Internet discussions, so I
  do not get involved at all. I either do it well
  or not at all. I answer individuals whom I run
  across and whose errors I read personally, but I
  just cannot do what you are doing right now.
  hopefully, when the workload here eases that will
  change. We are working on writing and publishing
  our own class material for at least a five-year
  cycle. Keep up the good work and know you're not
  alone and we DO support you.

6
Warriors for Jesus

• Results of probative email I sent out regarding
  why more are not entering the arena of
  controversy and battle
• Brother Martin, what we need is more emphasis on
  love, not controversy and standing for the
  truth. Aggression, albeit for truth does not
  accomplish anything worth while. Be aware now
  that what I have said is private and I do not
  intend to respond to anything you say in reply.

7
Warriors for Jesus

• Results of probative email I sent out regarding
  why more are not entering the arena of
  controversy and battle
• Brother Don, I do not have time for fighting, as
  I am busy doing the work of the Lord in preaching
  the good news of the Kingdom. Some of us are
  tired of you trying to put us on a guilt trip!

8
Bible Authority, A Closer Look

• Jesus Lordship demands and entails certain
  matters that require mans acquiescence and
  obedience
• Luke 6 46 Matthew 28 18, 7 21-29 Hebrews 5
  8, 9 I John 5 3, 2 John 6 Galatians 6 2, I
  Corinthians 9 21, James 1 25.

9
Bible Authority, A Closer Look

• Consider Jesus teaching
• 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth
  them, he it is that loveth me and he that loveth
  me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love
  him, and will manifest myself to him.
• 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man
  love me, he will keep my words and my Father
  will love him, and we will come unto him, and
  make our abode with him.
• 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings
  and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the
  Father's which sent me (John 14).

10
Bible Authority, A Closer Look

• A conclusion
• Having Bible authority for all believed and
  practiced is, therefore, necessary (cp. I Thes.
  5 21, Rom. 12 2, I Pet. 4 11).
• Hence, a method (proposed command, example,
  and inference).

11
Bible Authority, A Closer Look

• Many sincere students of the Word approach the
  New Testament as if it is a codified, legal
  document that requires the use of certain rules
  which, allegedly, lead the "honest" student into
  the correct understanding of any and all Bible
  issues. This would be a good idea if the New
  Covenant was, in fact, a codified, legal document
  and not "the perfect law of liberty." This would
  be a good idea if God's called out people were
  under law. Rom. 614, 76, and Gal. 518 testify
  that we are not under law. Why then, would anyone
  wish to be bound up under law? We are under faith
  a system of faith.
• The New Covenant is not a legal system with
  codified laws or worse yet, a legal system with
  camouflaged directions which require legal
  specialists with special tools to unlock and make
  known what God expects of us. The tools under
  consideration are 1) direct command, 2) approved
  example, and 3) necessary inference. These tools
  are the instruments of sincere brethren who wish
  to be in bondage to law and to bring everyone
  else under bondage with them and thus lay heavy
  burdens on them. This method of discovery is a
  basic part of the unwritten creed of many
  conservative, denominated churches which, as a
  condition of salvation, demand allegiance to and
  membership in their association (Neil Griffin).

12
Bible Authority, A Closer Look

• Method observed
• Acts 10 48 (command).
• Philippians 4 9 (example).
• Matthew 22 32 (inference).

13
Heard from the Beginning

• Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have
  heard from the beginning. If that which ye have
  heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye
  also shall continue in the Son, and in the
  Father (I Jn. 2 24).

14
Heard from the Beginning

• Baptism for remission of sins.
• Active faith.
• Confession of Jesus deity.
• Repentance.

15
Heard from the Beginning

• One church.
• Limited fellowship.
• Same public worship.
• Withdrawal from disorderly.

16
Heard from the Beginning

• We are warned to not add to or take away from the
  scriptures (Rev. 22 18, 19). Also, we are not
  to pervert or change the First Century gospel
  (Gal. 1 6-9).

17
Spiritual Warfare

• 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
  war after the flesh
• 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not
  carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
  down of strong holds)
• 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high
  thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge
  of God, and bringing into captivity every thought
  to the obedience of Christ
• 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all
  disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled
  (2 Cor. 10).

18
Set for the Defence of the Gospel

• But the other of love, knowing that I am set
  for the defence of the gospelEven as it is meet
  for me to think this of you all, because I have
  you in my heart inasmuch as both in my bonds,
  and in the defence and confirmation of the
  gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace (Phili.
  1 17, 7).

19
Set for the Defence of the Gospel

• Apologia, a speech made in defence (Vine).
• Apologia, literature, a work written as an
  explanation or justification of ones motives,
  convictions, or acts (RHCD).

20
Set for the Defence of the Gospel

• Reason for the defence.
• The truth is necessary to mans salvation and
  his continued relationship with God (Jn. 8 32, 2
  Jn. 9-11.

21
Set for the Defence of the Gospel

• But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be
  ready always to give an answer to every man that
  asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
  with meekness and fearBeloved, when I gave all
  diligence to write unto you of the common
  salvation, it was needful for me to write unto
  you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
  contend for the faith which was once delivered
  unto the saints (I Pet. 3 15 Jude 3).

22
Issues, What To Do With Them

• The fact of the existence of sensitive doctrinal
  differences regarding which there is disagreement
  is repeatedly taught
• 1. 2 Peter 2 1, 2.
• 2. I John 4 1.
• 3. Jude 3, 4.
• 4. I Corinthians 11 19.

23
Issues, What To Do With Them

• There are a number of things done regarding
  issues
• 1. Ignored.
• 2. Denied.
• 3. Determined by majority sentiment.
• 4. Decided by party affiliation.
• 5. Positioned by family circumstance.

24
Issues, What To Do With Them

• We are to possess authority for what we believe
  and practice.
• 1.Express command Acts 2 38.
• 2.Necessary inference Matt. 22 32.
• 3.Approved example Phili. 4 9.

25
Issues, What To Do With Them

• The apostle John dedicated much of his writings
  to the new heresy of Gnosticism.  John forcefully
  showed that Jesus Christ had "come in the flesh"
  and that Christ was not imaginary but actually
  dwelt in a material body, contrary to both
  Cerinthian and Docetic Gnosticism (I John 4
  2-3).Ponder the unequivocal teaching of John
  regarding Gnosticism that taught man could be
  save and not necessarily conform to God's
  commands (the old "once saved, always saved"
  doctrine)

26
Issues, What To Do With Them

• "3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we
  keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know
  him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
  and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth
  his word, in him verily is the love of God
  perfected hereby know we that we are in him. 6
  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself
  also so to walk, even as he walked" (I John 2).

27
Issues, What To Do With Them

• James treated such subjects as materialism and
  worldliness in general and supplied remedies
  (Jas. 2 4).  These Spirit guided men were not
  ashamed to call sin, sin (cp. Jas. 2 9, 10). 
  Consider the cogent language of James as he
  writes to worldly minded brethren.

28
Issues, What To Do With Them

• "1 From whence come wars and fightings among
  you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that
  war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not ye
  kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain ye
  fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask
  not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask
  amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4
  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that
  the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
  Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world
  is the enemy of God" (Jas. 4).

29
Issues, What To Do With Them

• Due to the arrival of false teachers among God's
  people, Jude evidently changed his intended
  subject from the "common salvation" to matters of
  how some would corrupt God's grace, deny the
  Lord, and use monetary gain as their main
  impetus (Jude 3).  Examine how Jude held back
  nothing in describing these ungodly professing
  Christians in the church

30
Issues, What To Do With Them

• "4 For there are certain men crept in unawares,
  who were before of old ordained to this
  condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of
  our God into lasciviousness, and denying the
  only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ....8
  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the
  flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of
  dignities....10 But these speak evil of those
  things which they know not but what they know
  naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they
  corrupt themselves. 11 Woe unto them! for they
  have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily
  after the error of Balaam for reward, and
  perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12 These are
  spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast
  with you, feeding themselves without fear clouds
  they are without water, carried about of winds
  (Jude).

31
Issues, What To Do With Them

• There were evidently a number of scoffers in
  Peter's day who denied Jesus second coming. 
  Peter focuses attention on them and exposes their
  fallacious reasoning of uniformitarianism (all
  presently continues as it has in the past) and
  sinful character.  Consider his manner in so
  marking them

32
Issues, What To Do With Them

• "3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in
  the last days scoffers, walking after their own
  lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his
  coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
  things continue as they were from the beginning
  of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are
  ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens
  were of old, and the earth standing out of the
  water and in the water 6 Whereby the world that
  then was, being overflowed with water, perished
  7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now,
  by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto
  fire against the day of judgment and perdition of
  ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of
  this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as
  a thousand years, and a thousand years as one
  day" (2 Pet. 3).

33
Issues, What To Do With Them

• Jesus collided with the elite Pharisees of his
  day, those who perverted God's law.  Rather than
  avoid the issues, he attacked them with unequaled
  velocity.  He called them out in the most direct
  way when he said

34
Issues, What To Do With Them

• "20 For I say unto you, That except your
  righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of
  the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
  enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5).
• "15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
  hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make
  one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him
  twofold more the child of hell than yourselves"
  (Matt. 23).

35
Issues, What To Do With Them

• Conclusion
• We need more preachers of the soul saving gospel
  and not the, "Accent the positive and eliminate
  the negative" mentality type.  The latter have
  increased numbers, but not souls they have added
  impetus for larger buildings, but not holy
  churches and they have popularized the hand
  shake, but not scriptural fellowship. 

36
Issues, What To Do With Them

• We need men such as Paul, John, James, Jude, and
  Peter, men who love the truth and hate error. We
  need men who emulate Jesus and not the purveyors
  of false unity.

37
Corinth and Unity-in-Diversity

• A Look at Corinth
• A fragmented church.
• Fornication harbored.
• Perverted occasion for Lords Supper.
• Chaos and disordered prevailed.

38
Corinth and Unity-in-Diversity

• Proponents forced to say
• Division to be fellowshipped.
• Fornication not so bad.
• A drunkard orgy to be tolerated.

39
Corinth and Unity-in-Diversity

• Just imagine (full application)
• 1. A church today having open cliques, a man
  living with his fathers wife, and engaging in a
  drunkard orgy yet, unity must not be jeopardized!

40
Corinth and Unity-in-Diversity

• The Time Element factor
• 1. I Cor. 5 4, 5-9, cp. 2 Cor. 1 1, 3-10, 7
  8-11, 13 2 (see also Rev. 2 5, 2 16).

41
The World Wide Web

• Potential for good
• Spread the gospel (Phili. 2 16).
• Challenge error (Jude 3).
• Expose false teachers (Rom. 16 17).
• Communicate with others (cp. I Thes. 5 14).

WWW.
WWW.
WWW.
WWW.
42
The Pulpit
43
The Pulpit
44
Teaching about Hate

• Things we are not to hate
• Knowledge Prov. 1 22.
• Reproof Prov. 12 1.
• Good Micah 3 2.
• Enemy Matt. 5 43, 44.
• Peace Ps. 120 6.

45
Teaching about Hate

• Things we are to hate
• False way Ps. 119 104.
• Iniquity Rom. 12 9.
• Covetousness Prov. 28 16.
• Lying Prov. 13 5.
• Froward mouth Prov. 8 13.

46
Why Some Do Not Stand

• Some are afraid to stand up for the truth.
• For God hath not given us the spirit of fear
  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind
  (2 Tim. 1 7).

47
Why Some Do Not Stand

• Others labor under a false view of biblical
  unity.
• Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in
  the bond of peace. There is one body. (Eph. 4
  3-6).

48
Why Some Do Not Stand

• They do not have sufficient love of the truth.
• because they received not the love of the
  truth, that they might be saved. And for this
  cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that
  they should believe a lie (2 Thes. 2 10, 11).

49
Why Some Do Not Stand

• They view standing for the truth as unloving.
• But the other of love, knowing that I am set for
  the defence of the gospel (Phili. 1 17).

50
Why Some Do Not Stand

• They do not want the reputation of a
  trouble-maker.
• For we have found this man a pestilent fellow
  (Acts 24 5).

51
Warriors for Jesus

• Conclusion
• 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive
  but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach,
  patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that
  oppose themselves if God peradventure will give
  them repentance to the acknowledging of the
  truth 26 And that they may recover themselves
  out of the snare of the devil, who are taken
  captive by him at his will (2 Tim. 2).

52
Warriors for Jesus

• Conclusion
• 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
  into him in all things, which is the head, even
  Christ (Eph. 4 cp. Acts 13 9-12, 15 2).

Eph. 6 12-17