Commonly Misinterpreted Passages

Well we've been going through a systematic theology every Sunday night. We're gonna change it up a little bit tonight. There'll be no service next Sunday night. So I wanted to do something different and I'm actually quite excited about the message tonight.

It's something new I didn't get to announce it this morning. I forgot when we were singing. Didn't the men sound good this morning. I just love to hear men sing the Bible truths and I love to hear ladies as well.

And I just was really touched by that. But I wanted to talk tonight about commonly misinterpreted passages. If you were to pick 10 or maybe 15 passages that are the most misinterpreted passages which ones would be on your list.

After all we are told at least as pastors and by implication you the congregation that we are to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God as a workman. What. Not ashamed. We don't want to be shamed by God by handling inaccurately the word of truth.

And 99 percent of the errors that people come up with if the regenerate come from the fact that they don't understand the context. And so we're going to look at several passages tonight. Probably ones that you know about.

But I wonder if you know the biblical context and therefore the biblical meaning. So before we start and you can answer these out loud. Can you think of any passages that are commonly known to be misinterpreted.

Okay. Very good in Matthew 7. Excellent.

Matthew 1616 you know the verse okay.

Is the church built on Peter. Is he built. Is the church built on the statement of Peter as a church built on Christ. Petros. Petros thing. Good. That's a good one. Lewis. Without vision people perish.

I wanna say that's Proverbs 29 18 or 18 29. Without the Word of God people perish. Literally it's not without a vision statement from the elder board that was commonly misinterpreted. Yes. Anyone else.

I saw someone else's hand. Janet. Revelation 320. That's on my list so we're going to go there tonight. Good. About Jesus and the church. Yes. Okay. Good that's on my list tonight as well.

Bob good that.

So many think that many misunderstand what those greater works are. Is it kind or is it number. And very good. Boy these are some good ones. And where were you. A few days ago when I was trying to put the message together.

Okay. Yes that's on my list. Will get there. Good. Okay mark up. Well we know that one's wrong. Mark the perfect man. I. That's only commonly mistranslated in the Schaefer household. Mark the perfect.

Yeah yes for me. John 1028.

And you know the verse good just as I talked about this morning.

That eternal life granted by God and those that have that could never perish in. No one can take those blessed ones out of God's hand. Good flow. John 316. That's on my list tonight. Good down Philippians 4.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That's by the way a good verse to quote before you play football or rugby or something will look about the look at that one tonight. That's on my list.

Good. The nice part about tonight's message is if you don't like a particular verse that I'm talking about it that's not your interpretation. Then the next one will be are I can put it this way if I don't offend you with one of these and maybe I can offend you with a different one.

And my goal tonight really is I want you to be keenly looking at the Word of God and I want you be want you to be able to say this not Mike is right but I want you to be able to say if the text teaches a certain truth I may have believed that for five years 15 years 30 years my parents might even have believed that.

But I will submit to the Word of God and I will bow to its truth. And the context will tell me what it is. And I'm willing to to say my last view is wrong. That's not a bad thing is it. I so was refreshed when God saved me.

My background was liberal Lutheranism. And then I would be able to say did I learn that from the Bible. Or did I learn that from my Lutheran catechism. Did God teach me that through the scriptures. Or did I learn that because Martin Luther said that.

And I as a pastor don't want you to believe what you believe because I say it. I want you to believe what you believe because the Word of God says it with clarity and with authority. Yes. So tonight I have two things that I'm really after.

One is I'd like to teach you the right interpretation. I find it very interesting and provocative study. But number two I want you to see how I come up with these so you can be a good student of the scriptures.

When I preach I proclaim the goodness of God in His Word the exaltation of Christ Jesus verse by verse. But I'm also if you haven't noticed trying to teach you how to study your own Bibles. You learn how to study your Bible as the pastor preaches.

And so when the pastor preaches verse by verse you say well that's how I should study verse by verse by verse. Not this kind of hunting and pecking and nothing has a context and just weave all these words together.

And so tonight I think you'll be encouraged and hopefully you'll have to think as well. And what I'm after is what does God say whether I like it or whether I don't. So with that said let's do the first commonly misinterpreted passage and turn your Bibles to Exodus chapter 7.

These aren't any rank. I just came up with a few you could probably name a few more Exodus chapter 7 very very misinterpreted and I think basically we have a problem here because we don't like the sovereignty of God although we like it in ourselves.

When I used to play in the sandbox next door at the Rouse Leo Rouse had several children and we would play in the sandbox. One thing about children in a sandbox they shine forth the image and likeness of God and they act like little sovereigns.

We act like little sovereigns don't we. And I would pick which team was good. Which team was bad. Who lived who died. Who the hero was. I could control that little civil war that was in the sandbox behind Leo and Darlene Rouse house.

I just would say if I watched a kid do that look at how they're reflecting the image of God as sovereign. Spurgeon used to say one thing men hate though is they hate the sovereignty of God if they're unregenerate.

But it's everywhere in Exodus chapter 7 verse 13 I think you know the context it says. Yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as the Lord Yahweh had said. Now who hardened Pharaoh's heart first?

Did Pharaoh harden his heart first? Or did God harden his heart? Or what's this all hardening the heart business? Is that fair? Is it good? Is it wise? Why would God do something like that? Anyone? What's the typical response to well Pharaoh's heart was hardened?

I know I know Luke's saying something but I'm trying not to look at him. Well even before the confrontation started. For those that have the theology that God would never harden someone's heart until they harden it first.

Go a little earlier to Exodus chapter 4. Exodus chapter 4 and Exodus chapter 7 talk about how God was the initial hardener. Exodus chapter 4 verse 21 then the Lord said to Moses when you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power but I will harden his heart so that he will not let my people go.

God as the causing agent of the hardening go three chapters in advance to Exodus chapter 7. Back there again but still before the verse 13 where Pharaoh's heart was hardened. I want you to see that the mover and the shaker the primary cause is God.

And it's okay to just leave it that way. We don't have to make excuses for God. What does the passage teach. Certainly Pharaoh did harden his heart. We will see that it's been predicted by God that will happen before the confrontation even started.

Verse 3 of Exodus 7. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. You see when it comes to God God does things for his own glory. Whether it is the suffering of his people as they suffer with the result of the praise and honor to God or when it comes to our salvation it's all about God.

And here God is going to put on all his displays of multitude of signs and wonders. But Pharaoh's heart was going to be hardened. Say well you know I don't buy that. It's the whole Pharaoh thing. And what about free will and everything else.

Let me just read a few other verses. Deuteronomy 2 .30. But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land. Why do you think he wouldn't let Israel go through the land. In Deuteronomy 2 .30.

Any guesses. Why would that king do that. For the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate in order to deliver him into your hand as he is today. How about Joshua chapter 11 verses 19 and 20.

Let me read those for you. There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon. They took them all in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them that they might receive no mercy but that he might destroy them just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The godness of God shows that he's sovereign over everything. And my plea today is if you see passages that just show the utter otherness of God it's okay not to have to tie those up in a neat package.

How do you respond to this verse. Judges 14 .4. However his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord for he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Not that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

Who's that referring to. Can you imagine Samson think Samson acted righteously in these several passages. In Judges 14 however his father and mother did not know it was of the Lord. Remember what he said to his father and his mother.

Remember that in Hebrew translated get me a woman. Get me that lady. You see how dishonorable he was to his father and mother. For Samuel 2 .25 if one man sins against another God will mediate for him.

But if a man sins against the Lord who can intercede for him. But they would not listen to the voice of their father. For the Lord desired to put them to death. God is sovereign. He's sovereign over everything.

In Romans chapter 9 you can study sometime to show that God is the potter. God is the potter who takes the clay and he does whatever he pleases. And I don't want you to be shocked when you read these verses that somehow go against the grain of our humanity because that's just what they do.

We're human and we just recoil. And sometimes we don't like it that God's in charge. And we want to know why and how. And sometimes we just don't need to know God clearly hardened Pharaoh's heart questions.

The Sovereignty of God in Hardening Pharaoh's Heart

Okay let's go to the next one. John 3 .16. Please. John 3 .16 commonly mistranslated. Do I believe in John 3 .16. Yes. Do I love John 3 .16. Yes. But as John MacArthur would say the meaning of scripture is the scripture.

What it means is really the scripture. And so what does it really say. Do we have any young kids besides my kids. I'm not trying to do some kind of sons of Guido know John 3 .16 by heart. You like to stand up and.

Say that okay loudly please good job.

You believe that verse. Yeah. I believe that verse too. The best way to look at it though is in context. But there are a few things that we can't quite get out of context. So let's just see again. We have Nicodemus with the new birth.

And as I said this morning if you go back to John chapter 3 he says in verse 3 if you're not born again you cannot even see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus understands the analogy to some degree at least with the born talk in verse 4 how can a man be born when he's old.

He didn't understand it fully obviously. And Jesus said in verse 5 unless one is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is the Spirit.

Do not be amazed that I said to you you must be born again and again. It's a it's not an imperative. It's a statement of fact. It's something that you can't do. So Jesus says you've got to have this be done to you.

Essentially behooves you to have this done to you. And he talks about the sovereignty of God in verse 8. How can these things be. Verse 9 are you the teacher of Israel. And you don't understand these things before I read any farther.

Let me read to you the Greek text not in Greek but transliteration of John 316. And you tell me what's different from your translations as you look at your verse. Or you remember the verse in your head I'm going to read in Greek and you tell me what's different.

So for loved God the world that is only begotten Son he gave in order that all those believing in him should not perish but would have life eternal. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son that those believing in him what should not perish but have everlasting life.

What's the difference between John 316 in your Bible and John 316 that I just read from the Greek text. Whosoever is not in the Greek text. If I put whosoever in the text does it change the meaning. What does it change it to and from Luke.

Okay. Maybe that's it. Maybe maybe it has to do with the general call and election. Good. Good job buddy. You're a deep thinker. You know what Luke's been doing lately as he just kinda follows me around when I'm talking to the men and discussing certain Bible issues.

And he'll say afterwards daddy what's a hyper dispensationalist. That's good. A hyper is anything that I'm not goes too far. That's the answer to that. But whosoever believes in him should not perish.

Friends the whosoever is not in the passage those believing in him should not perish. But if you go back a little earlier the theology in the passage talks about whosoever. I just wish they would have jammed it into 316.

I don't want the Bible to be translated theologically. I just want the Bible to be translated. What do I mean by that. You say I don't understand verse 14. I think that would help us as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.

Remember what happened there. Anybody who looks what lives. Anybody anybody and everybody who looked would live. Even so the Son of Man must be lifted up as a serpent was lifted up. So Jesus crucified was lifted up.

So that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. Or so that whoever believes in him has eternal life. And so what they do. They take the idea that if you look to God and believe in him you believe in his son you'll be saved.

Whoever Jew or Gentile Nicodemus are the woman at the well if you look to Jesus you'll be saved. But John 316 does not amplify that. John 316 focuses it in on the security of those who do believe. If you're a whosoever that believes this gospel God will save you to the other end.

So instead of making it assurance and surety it again kind of opens it up in terms of this whosoever. Is it true that whosoever believes in the name of the Lord shall be saved. The answer is yes. But John 316 is not trying to make that point.

It's trying to say if you're a whosoever that did believe you in fact have assurance that you will never be destroyed. But you have present tense eternal life. So my beef is only this. When you translate the Bible I just want you to try to be as clear as you can without putting your theology in.

But you know when people translate Bibles sometimes they don't want to buck the system. And if you mess with John 316 you're really messing with something. And so we better not translate it any other way.

We just better keep with what we're going with. Because if you're buying a new Bible and you get the new ESV or the new NET or whatever it is you say well I wonder how they translate some of my favorite verses.

Oh my favorite verse is John 316 and you read it and it says for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that those believing in him should not perish but have everlasting life. You think well that doesn't sound like a good translation.

So they buckle. It is true that whoever looks to the cross will live. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved. But those believing in him they have assurance unto eternal life makes a world of difference.

So I don't want to have the theology of the whosoever jammed in from verses 14 and 15 into 16 when it doesn't need to be all right. Next one. I feel like I want to close or something close the deal. 2 Chronicles 7 14.

Let's do that. 2 Chronicles 7 14. So far we've seen two examples that you could really get the understanding if you would read the entire context before and after with Exodus. If you read before you say well God is going to harden somebody's heart when Pharaoh's heart is hardened.

Oh okay God's in charge. And secondarily we see John 3 16. If we just read 14 and 15 we could see kind of context. And we might have to have an interlinear that one's a little tougher because of the Greek.

But this one is certainly easy to see as well with context. 2 Chronicles 7 14. I usually see this at 4th of July in America. And my people who were called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face turn from their wicked ways and I will hear from heaven will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Do you believe that verse. Do you believe that verse is for America originally primarily. How do we know that we read the verse. And we say well we want to understand what it says. We want to understand what it means.

How would you figure it out if you don't have any Hebrew books. You don't have the commentaries. You don't have some kind of concordance. You don't have a vines dictionary of words. You don't have anything else.

You just think I don't know how to figure this out. What would I do. Oh good. I start at the beginning. How about. Let's start in chapter 7 verse 1 that might be good. We don't read 2nd Chronicles that much.

And here it's this amazing thing. 2nd Chronicles 7 when Solomon had finished praying fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of Yahweh filled the house.

That is absolutely amazing to me. 40 years earlier David prays same thing. Fire comes down. 1st Chronicles 21 that David built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

And he called to the Lord and he answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. Father like son as God inaugurated these sacrifices did the same thing with his son. Verse 2. The priest could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house.

That's amazing. When the priest can't get in all the sons of Israel seeing the fire come down in the glory of the Lord upon the house. What would you do. Bowed down on the pavement. When you study the word worship primarily it is on your face.

They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground and they worshipped. And they gave praise to the Lord saying truly he's good. Truly his loving kindness is everlasting. We need to read 2nd Chronicles more.

That's amazing. Verse 4. Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. You know they did. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22 ,000 oxen 120 ,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

These were offerings to be eaten by the people. And on the basis of what we'll see 15 days at least full feasting the priest stood at their post and the Levites also with the instruments of the music to the Lord which king David had made for giving praise to the Lord for his loving kindness is everlasting whenever he gave praise by their means while the priest on the other side blew trumpets and all Israel was standing.

Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord and there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering the grain offering and the fat.

So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days and all Israel with him a very great assembly who came from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. On the eighth day they had a solemn assembly for the dedication of the altar.

They observed seven days in the feast seven days down in verse 10 rejoicing and happy of heart of the goodness of the Lord that had been shown to David and now to Solomon and to his people Israel. Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord.

Remember David wasn't able to and the king's palace and successfully completed all that he had planned on doing in the house of the Lord and in his palace. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.

If I shut up the heaven so that there's no rain or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people and my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways.

Then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer offered in this palace I'll be paying attention for now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually as for you.

If you walk before me as your father David walked even to do all according to what I've commanded you and will keep my statutes and my ordinances Solomon that I will establish your royal throne as I have covenanted with your father David saying you shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.

God bless America. I mean where do we get that. If you're 10 years old you know the audience has nothing to do with America by principle. Could you say if America is submissive to God and they're just in their dealings and they're righteous and and we become a Christian nation whatever that is.

And will God pour out his blessings. Well we don't know. We know God blesses righteousness. We know if there's a believer and an unbeliever married together that the unbeliever gets kind of an overflow of blessings that are given to the believer.

But this has nothing to do the United States of America. This has to do with what the glory of God and Solomon and the temple. And you read that and you think that is absolutely amazing. How could I get that for America.

I'll tell you how I got it. That's the promise for me today. Do you do that. I need a promise from God. I know people that do this. I need a word from you God. You know which one I just pointed to. I kid you not.

This is not planned. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath and fire will devour them. Psalm 21 9. Wait a second. I don't need that word from you God. Let's see if I keep flipping all the way over I might kind of get to the Abrahamic covenant or something good a word of God to you can never be just lifted out of context.

There is a context. The meaning of the scripture is the scripture. And when we just kind of throw these verses out it's almost worse than the old testament. Because we've got the Israel issue and Sinai and all these other things.

We have to be careful. All you have to do is read. And wasn't that fun just reading it in second second chronicles chapter 7. I had fun just thinking about what they were doing. The fire of God and the glory.

2 Chronicles 7:14 and the Temple Dedication in Solomon’s Day

Okay let's go to another one. You know this one very well. But we'll go there anyway. Matthew chapter 18. Matthew chapter 18. Oh you know what. Let's let's save that. Let's go to Revelation chapter 20.

If I have enough time I'll do Matthew 18. We're already familiar with that. Revelation chapter 3 verse 20. Now of course I love the verse. Everything about it. I love. I just don't love the wrong interpretation.

Because if you've got the wrong interpretation that's not what God said. The meaning of the scripture is the scripture the right meaning. Not what I think not what I like not what I've been taught. How many people have memorized this verse.

In what context have you memorized it. Not the right one. Okay there's a verse that we would give to unbelievers and probably taught that with good motives. We're not trying to say somebody's got bad motives.

We're just saying that once you do know the real meaning then don't go back to teaching it the wrong way. Just say God. Repentance is a change of mind. God you had one intention when you wrote it and I was saying the wrong thing.

I wanted to preach the gospel but I wasn't into doing it properly. God I repent. I changed my mind. I confess that it was sinful. Because if I teach something that's not biblical it's obviously sinful when Sproul and MacArthur get in a debate on baptism.

R .C. Sproul is correct to say if I have the wrong view of baptism if I R .C. Sproul believe in infant baptism and I am not right. It is sin. And the same could be said for MacArthur's view. And so what does it really mean.

And say how would you figure it out. Well everything has a context. Revelation chapter 3 verse 14. Let's find out. And to the angel or the messenger of the church in Latticea right here we're going to write this letter to these people at this church.

The people around them were Zeus worshippers. They were pleasure mad. They were hedonists. They were club med vacation people all the way. They had three theaters and huge large circus area 30 ,000 seats.

They wanted to be entertained. And here the angel of the church says to the angel of the church in Latticea John is supposed to write the amen. As Ryrie said the one who guarantees confirmation and certainty of all he says the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God says this.

Here's the problem. Verse 15. I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth.

Maybe their slogan was moderation in all things. You don't want to go too far and be extreme. Just kind of right in the center you've got to be balanced. Balance is good. And Jesus is saying through his messenger it's either hot or cold.

There were springs nearby. In Heropolis they had hot springs. In Colossae they had cold springs. But here actually in the town they had this kind of dirty lukewarm kind of tepid spring. And when visitors would come it was said that they would spit it out because it didn't taste good.

And here this church is not fervently receiving Christ and worshiping him. Nor are they saying you know we hate him. They're just kind of in the middle. And you're either for Christ or you're against him.

And it says here I'm going to spit you out of my mouth. You know what it literally says. For those that are lukewarm I will vomit. It's nauseating. I'll spew out. This is very unlike Christ by the way because Jesus was very fervent in his zeal.

Zeal for my house. Father's house will consume me. He was passionate. And then it says because you say they're all talk right. Just like a lot of professing believers. I'm rich. I'm spiritually rich. I'm wealthy.

I've need of nothing either spiritually or materially. We've got everything we need. And then listen to this indictment. And you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

Can you imagine that you'd like to have that set of your church that'll go well as seeker sensitive churches. You see any praise here. You know there's lots of churches in this area. In chapter 2 and chapter 3 I don't see any word of commendation.

I don't see any praises. They're spiritually lukewarm. They drink lukewarm water. And here is some prodding. Verse 18. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire that you may become rich. You say you're rich but you're not rich at all.

You've got an industry in this land and it has to do with gold. But you don't really have any gold. Because I'm talking about spiritual gold. And white garments that you may clothe yourself. You make a lot of wool around here.

You think you've got plenty of good clothing. You don't have any clothing because I'm talking about spiritual clothing. You have none of it. The shame of your nakedness might not be revealed. And I salve to anoint your eyes that you may see you're spiritually blind.

One man said that this was a the city was a center of of medicines specifically kind of a tablet powdered and you would put it with water and smear it on your eyes. If you had eye problems. You think you're the industry leader for eye problem medicine.

And you're as blind as a bat. It's like saying to Pittsburgh years ago. You think you don't need any. You think you've got steel. You have no spiritual steel even though that's your industry steel everywhere.

Verse 19. Those whom I love I reprove and discipline. Be zealous. Be hot. Don't be lukewarm therefore and repent. And now in the same context behold I stand at the door and knock. I'm outside of you apostate church.

I'm knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I'll come into him and we'll dine with him and he with me. 411. I'm not in your church. What is a church that Jesus is not in. It's not a church.

Wake up. He overcomes. It's not too late to repent. Verse 21. I will grant him to sit down with me on my throne as I've also overcome and sat down with my father on his throne. Pay attention. You as an heir let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

There's no believers in there. He's knocking. You're bankrupt. Respond. Believe. Now. How would you figure this out if you didn't look at context. I think we can figure it out even if we look at verse 20.

This is worth the price. Tonight coming. What do you see. Strange here. And I'll try to read it with inflection so you get it. Pay attention. Please. Behold I stand at the door knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in to him.

Now let me read it another way. Behold I stand at the door knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him. Do you have a space between the in and the two. Is there a difference come in to him or come into him.

You said I didn't really want a grammar lesson tonight. No but God knew you needed one. I shall come in to him. King James. New American Standard Revised Standard Version. Probably does anybody have the two words together.

I-N-T-O. With any translation that you have. I don't think it's out there. In to space in between. Come in to. Actually in Greek Daniel Wallace would say. Quote. However spatially pros means toward not into.

In all eight instances in the New Testament when these words are used the meaning is come in toward before a person i .e. enter a building house so as to be in the presence of someone. Never penetration into the person himself or herself.

In some circumstances such a view would not only be absurd but inappropriate. Cross-reference mark 6 15 Luke 1 Acts 10 11 16 17 and 28. He's not saying he's going to go into somebody. And we get this whole thing except Jesus into your.

What heart that Jesus is out there standing like a gentleman. And if you let him in he's going to go inside of you. He's standing outside of an apostate church saying you know what somebody believes in here I'm going to come inside.

We get the same kind of deal when too often when we read the Bible it'll say a man went into his wife and we put the into together. I n t o when you when you read your Bibles it says in space to now if he walks into his wife and she's in the tent and it's the wedding night.

Well then certainly there are other connotations. But here we just look at in and to with the space in between and we automatically with the way we read it we just go into. Jesus doesn't come into our heart in the way that we say in modern evangelicalism.

Except Jesus in your heart. No. And if that's true it's still not the context. Here's what I would say when you preach the gospel of someone. Why don't you just use biblical terms and never as it said except Jesus in your heart.

But you could say things like this. Repent trust turn forsake flee believe. Speak about who Jesus is. Of course revelation 320 has nothing to do with individual salvation where a person a man or woman invites Jesus into their heart and Jesus comes spatially into their heart and dwells within their left ventricle.

It doesn't. It doesn't happen. He's outside the church. There are no believers in here. They're all lukewarm. And Jesus is saying you know I'll go into that church when there are believers in there. Revelation 3 -5 is my next passage.

Boy we're running out of time quickly. Revelation 3 -5. By the way if you've used revelation 320 for evangelism because you love the lost I commend you for your love for the lost. Keep preaching. Just don't use that verse.

There are also theological issues with that verse that Jesus won't come in until you invite him and everything else. But we won't go there. Revelation 3 -5 boy this is a good one. Revelation 3 -5 people use this all the time to say that you can lose your salvation if you can.