Matt Slick Bible Study - Apostasy of the Church - 5/24/17

Okay, no, I didn't intentionally now we're good. Now we're live with sound now. All right. Why do we start a half hour late? I'm gonna just tell you that the people who are here heard the story of how I lost the radio show and so I'll give you a very brief synopsis in that apparently the station owner and I didn't see eye-to-eye and a few things and said see ya and.

But if someone said what was the reason. I don't know the reason and that's the way it is but you all heard the series of events so we can theorize but I think I'm just too orthodox. For a lot of people and to in your face for a lot of people and and that's it.

Right you jerks, right? That's right guys. You see how insulting I can be and everything what? But nice and orthodox, that's true. So we'll just continue on right now but because of what's happened and I'll just let people know I When Hank Hanegraaff went south a few weeks ago about 75 had heard the stations dropped him.

And so I got approached by the truth Network to take over 11 of his stations actually, it's 13 and so I said, okay and didn't have any money and long story short some donors came in said We'll do this.

We got a three-month thing going on. So next week. Supposed to be I didn't tell you guys this but supposed to be starting at four o 'clock. So I'm going to change that what I do on Facebook and YouTube to do four o 'clock.

Because it's to be consistent for the same time and I'll put that up on on carm. And so because of all of this contacting. Contacting the techs for the new stations and stuff and working with stuff and trying to use it.

Just cleaning up problems. I didn't have any time to prep literally anything and. But I do have some notes from the issue that I did a week ago on Apostasy in the Christian Church. What I want to do is go over some of the stuff.

I've got here I'm gonna wing it. So if you don't mind that so we'll just wing it and. And then what we'll do is take a break in 20 minutes half hour and then we'll just do normal Q &A. I just do it like that because.

What I will talk about some stuff here that are signs of false teachings and false things in the Christian Church and. So just bear with me as I kind of like I said wing it so I have In my notes, which I intended to fill in and do a lot of research on.

Was the issue of religious humanism? And that we will be like God and I've already gone to Genesis chapter 3 1 through 6. This is a pericope that you should all know. You should really go to John Genesis 3 1 through 6.

Yes. Oh Pray didn't pray. Thank you. Thank you very much. Let's pray Lord, thank you for this time and just ask that you'd bless it and that our words would glorify you and be truthful Jesus we thank you for the opportunity to speak to hear your word to discuss these things and to learn hopefully.

For what you had to say, so we thank you Jesus. We ask this all in your precious name. Amen. So It anyway Genesis 3 1 through 6 is a pericope you all should know and be very familiar with. I've been doing apologetics for 37 years since 1980 and over the years I've gradually come to realize how important Genesis 1 2 and 3 are I just just what I've seen and lately Genesis 3 1 through 6 has become even more important.

Particularly when we get into the issue in the Christian Church as I spoke on last week the necessity the supremacy of the Word of God and the lack of faith in the Word of God that's held by a lot of Christians.

It's not basically where it is is calling God not. Excuse me. Whoops calling God a liar because they're not trusting him for what he says in the things he says and they twist his word just like Eve did and then contradict his word and then they're in sin and.

This progression in Genesis 3 1 through 6 is there is prevalent today and notice that. You know, I read last week of a notebook, which I've got where some of the people these heretics like John John Paul Crouch.

Where Paul Crouch said, you know that we're little gods and I read where Joyce Meyer Has says there's no problem with calling us little gods because God makes his kind the God kind and Heresies like this and notice what Satan said in Genesis 3 1 through 6 you will be like God.

Knowing good and evil now. If someone were to say Matt, how are you like God? I'm alive. I Think I can talk. I Exist. I'm not going to be going Very far. Well, you know, we're the same kind if I said something like that.

You guys said all after you throw things at me walk out of here. If I were to say, you know, it's I'm gonna were to ask that question. It's gonna be as vague as possible. Because the only way I'm similar to God or have any qualities like or anything is he exists.

I exist. Okay, that kind of thing. That's about it. All right. But to say you will be like God knowing good and evil. What that is is an appeal to the flesh you're gonna be able to decide what's true morally and.

And that Entertaining of an idea is actually sinful. We are not the one to decide what's morally right morally good. God is. Because he's a perfect standard of righteousness and we need to see what he says because he knows all things.

And so therefore what we do is we trust what he says. Because he is the moral pure one and we need to understand what he says, you know, sometimes I'll say to our children Just trust me on this. Just trust me.

I can't explain it to you just trust me. Why. Because you need to trust me once my child asked me something about that, you know something I forgot it was and you know, I said I think it had to do with the car well because you see when you use a transmission and you're going that far with that with the oil that comes.

I gave this technical explanation and she goes. Okay, and she clear she'd understand. And I said see there's some things you don't know and that's how it is. We don't when God says look. Just trust me.

That's what it is. No, I will decide no you will know you'll be like him knowing good and evil. Really, I Will be like him knowing good and evil. Where'd you get that and how is that possible? I'm telling you the only reason that I can say what is good is because I read it in Scripture.

Lying is a sin. That's why I say lying is a sin. Martyrs a sin. That's why I say murder is a sin. That is a sin. That's why I say theft is a sin. People go you're judgmental. Well, he says I can make spiritual judgments first Corinthians 15 or 2 for 215 and I think it's John 7 34, I think I'm gonna find that verse.

So I'm just gonna try and say what what what God says because that's what we need to do, right? This whole thing is really important because I want you to understand 24 yeah 724 you're not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment.

Okay, 724 John 724, so We can make these judgments, but we judge righteously. And the only way to judge righteously is with the Word of God. I keep coming back to this issue the supremacy and the sufficiency of the Word of God.

Because without it you will say things like we're little gods. And it's just it's a horrible thing. And this is taught by Joyce Meyer. Kenneth Copeland. Paul Crouch. Paul Crouch passed away and he's finding out that he's not a little God.

Another thing that is in error in the Christian Church today is free will ism. Free will ism. It is a self deification self-aggrandizement. Free will. What is free? Well free will is the ability to make uncoerced choices that are consistent with your nature.

Reason I say it that way because God has to be included in what free will is. He is the example of free will. His freedom is restricted to only choosing holy things. Good things. He cannot choose to do anything evil.

He cannot choose to lie. He cannot lie Titus 1 2. So he cannot do that and because he can't do that He reveals what his character is to us and it's codified. You shall not lie for example, and so When we talk about free will we're talking about the ability to make choices.

But the choices have to be consistent with your nature. The reason I say I'm going to reiterate reason I say consistent with your nature because we Can make choices and the only thing you can do is make them in a consistent manner with what you are.

The unbelievers a slave of sin a hater or God who does no good he will only make sinful choices. The Christian is redeemed and dwelt by God can make sinful choices and non-sinful choices. God can only make holy choices.

So free will ism. Which is semi Pelagian ism and is taught in a lot of churches is the idea that an unbeliever in his sin. In his enslavement to sin Romans 6 14 through 20. His hatred of God Romans 3 10 11 and 12.

His lack of ability to receive the things of God first Corinthians 2 14. His heart that's desperately wicked deceitful cannot be trusted Jeremiah 17 9. These conditions that the Bible says it's the state of the unbeliever.

People say oh they can choose God. They can choose all they need is just prevenient grace. Now prevenient grace is the grace that comes before. I'm talking about this another shows prevenient grace the grace that comes before.

What is prevenient grace in Molinism according to Kirk McGregor who wrote on Molina, and I had a good conversation with him good guy. He said prevenient grace is God's movement of bringing a person into a place where they can then freely choose God.

And as long as he's as he's bringing them By circumstances into a place to be able to choose as long as they don't resist his work along the way. They'll get to the place. They can choose God. Now I consider that to be very bad, and I'm gonna write about that but.

Because still the question is then why does he choose another one does not win all this works. It still doesn't answer the question and the Bible does answer the question. Because he grants that we believe Lippin's 129 our believing is the work of God.

John 6 28 29 so Molinism falls flat. And because what it's doing along with open theism, which is under error. Open theism like Molinism in my opinion though there are differences. Some pretty substantial differences.

The commonality between them is the elevation of human free will. Because in open theism God doesn't know everything exhaustively, but in Molinism he does. But in open theism he doesn't know everything exhaustively because if he knows exactly what you're going to choose on that day.

Then you're not free to choose anything contrary because what he knows has to happen. Their logic is pretty bad. So they've reduced God and they say that man is the the standard because his free will can't be violated.

Molinists say the same thing and I just ask questions. Why not why not and. Well, then it's not really true truly free will come into Christ, and why is that a problem? Seriously, why is that a problem?

Well because it's not right who says show me that in the Bible. Show it to me in the scripture where it says God can't do that or God won't do that. It's a philosophical imposition the Molinists have they put upon the very nature of God.

Now may might be that that's the case. But show me in scripture that it's the case. Otherwise, you're just imposing a philosophical position and saying this is what has to be and this how God's going to be and therefore.

This is why free will has to be what it is. But the point is here I'm trying to make is this free will is man-centeredness. Man-centeredness you will be the one who knows right and wrong. You are going to exercise your free will and your wisdom and you're gonna be able to be the one who's gonna do this.

Now I'm gonna tell you I know what my free will is capable of. And I don't believe it's capable of a single thing. That's good. Even as a Christian, I don't believe anything I ever do is perfect. And I mean perfect.

I mean perfect By the standard of God because that's the only standard that matters. I Have never yet in my life that I'm aware of. Ever wanted to do something speak publicly be on TV beyond radio write books that hasn't also included.

Hey, look how great I am. It hasn't always included something like that in there. I don't care What it is. I don't think I've ever done anything with a pure motive and therefore nothing I've done is of any merit.

I believe that My free will is free to act in a manner consistent with what I am a Redeemed person who's fallen. He's not perfect and I'm glad that God Predestined me from the foundation of the world.

And that it wasn't up to me in my wisdom and my ability and when I got saved it wasn't me. When the Lord came and overpowered me with his holiness and all I could do was weep in repentance. That was all him.

I Was a long for the ride in that tornado of holiness. Being tossed to and fro against various degrees of sin that my corpse of a soul being slammed against repeatedly and With each impact with each reminiscing with each memory of sin pain.

That's what I was involved with and I got saved by God's grace. Free will ism is a heresy. It's in the Christian Church When it says that salvation is up to the individual and his ability to choose God.

That's not what the scripture says. You cannot come to me unless it's been. Unless the father draws you John 644. You cannot come to me. Let's have been granted to you from the father John 665. You're born again.

Not of your own will John 113. It's when I say things like this as I get older. I can say him with more confidence more assurance the more I am convinced that the Christian Church is Weak and anemic. Because it's relying on its own strength and on wisdom because its own ability to make choices are what's predominant.

It's on wisdom. You see as I've said before to you guys, you know, I've got Asperger's. I've got some autism and My friends over here. They've seen me at my worst. She was a pretty bad sometimes and some pretty whatever once at her for four years I just you know as anybody would you know your friends and I.

And I just rely on God. Do I rely on him perfectly. But I've learned the older I get the less to trust myself. So I've been praying lately. Lord what you want me to do? That's what I want to do. Lord what you want me to say.

That's what I want to say. Lord where you want me to go. That's where I want to go. You know sometimes and I'm sure all of us would wish that God would come down and say, okay, I have some specific instructions take notes.

Yes. Okay. Yeah, you know and I don't care what it was. I want you to go to so-and-so store in the corner and be the janitor for the rest of your life. Yes. Praise God. You know, that's what God wanted to do.

I'm in I don't care what it is. He's gonna bless one way or another. Okay, and I don't care I just tired of being myself in wine wine wine. I mess up too much screw up too much. Free will hasn't done me too well.

But when we want to elevate ourselves our free will gets elevated along with it. And what people will do is judge doctrine and judge truth by their experience. Now, what did Eve do John? Genesis 3 6 when she saw that the fruit was good.

She experienced. She was a sensuality or personal this. Okay. So what we do a lot of a lot of churches do a lot of Christians do it or taught is that? I chose God. Then he saved me. I was in my sins. Someone gave me the gospel.

I saw what I needed. I Chose God and that's why. That's called doctrine by experience. They with the experience I Say well, that's not what happened biblically Matt. Of course it is. I was there Matt.

You're so dumb. Excuse me creature in some scriptures I've talked to people when they've had conversations like this and I've said do you take credit for your salvation? Oh, yeah. You know, I just want to go like this, you know, you know a little vapor thing going up, you know and so.

But people do that and yet God loves us and yet God will work with us even in our arrogance and I've certainly got mine. But free will ism is one of the heresies that is in the Christian Church today.

What needs to happen is the Christian Church needs to repent and start on its own. The Christian Church needs to start saying things like God you are sovereign God. You are the Lord God if you want me sick.

Then I want to be sick if you want me rich that I want to be rich if you want me poor then I want To be poor whatever you want God. You know as John the Baptist said in John 3 30, he must increase. I must decrease.

This is the attitude. We're supposed to have before our Holy and Living God. It's easy to get up here and say it. It's not so easy to live it. Okay, it's not. That's just the way it is. But the church needs to repent and put God back on the throne.

The Edenic lie you I call it the Edenic lie. Eden Edenic lie. Echoing down the corridors of time through our respective hearts that have been affected by the fall in a very severe way and We all hear it and I know That if we were to do private interviews with each one of you and I say, where's your issue of arrogance?

Well now that you've mentioned it let's start with A's. You know, we would all have our list of things and we would When we face God. Even our own prayers and our hearts. We have our problems. We have our issues, but yet God loves us.

But the church has got to repent of its free will ism of its man-centeredness. Of its idea that it's up to them and their wisdom to choose God up to them and their wisdom to keep their Place with God all of this is foolishness.

It's absolute foolishness and the Christian church has got to stop believing and exalting itself and Putting God back on the throne. He won't say stupid things like I've heard down at church on Eagle.

Say that your words have more power in your life than God's words. The pastor said that I'm like, geez flat-out heresy. No pastor should ever say that. It's just heresy. You know, I read those quotes last week.

God didn't have any way to do anything here on earth. Let's he had a contract with a man. Somebody here on earth had given permission to work. He stuck the reduction of God at least in my reformed theology right or wrong.

What it does is it exalts God and it demotes man to be perfectly honest, I like that and I like it because I know what I am and Reformed theology describes it perfectly and I know that in light of that.

The only way I can be saved is God elects predestined to grants moves polls Yanks. Because I know. Now my judging all that by experience. No because what I my experience is it's consistent with Scripture.

I am a sinner and I can only be saved by his mercy and by his grace and Reformed theology does that and that's why I can never see myself abandoning that. A Lot of people think oh you got this imposition that you put upon Scripture.

No, I just believe that God's greater than me and I mean, I really believe this God's greater than me and I'm capable of anything good. Even choosing him in my sin. That's me. And I want a theology That best describes who he is and his great majesty and by necessity.

Then I must be demoted. That's not the way of the world. The way of the world Is to exalt itself. That's why I deserve to have my bank account, right? That's why I deserve. Have a nicer car. That's why I deserve.

Not to be healthy. That's why I deserve Etc because I'm a child of the king. That's what I deserve. He only loves the best. I'm the best because he's given it to me and he deserved to be healed. And the problem with this attitude that I'm giving you is that and we can take it too far though.

And say oh, I'm supposed to be miserable. I got some worms to go eat outside. Yeah, and we can take that to her, you know and make a mistake out of that as well. But we're gonna follow the God we have constructed.

I've already talked about the prosperity gospel and Molinism and this issue of preaching to unbelievers. I want to talk about that. We'll get going for a little bit longer, I guess but preaching to unbelievers.

Now should a pastor preach to unbelievers in one sense? Yes that another sense. No. You should preach the preaching of the gospel if an unbeliever comes in church. Let's say that I'm pastoring a church and some event down the road and we happen to know that a lot of unbelievers.

For some strange reason they're gonna come into church that day. I'm gonna preach the gospel. I'm gonna preach the gospel while I'm equipping the Saints. Okay, but You know aside from something. It's unusual the purpose of the church in Ecclesiastical sense is to equip the Christians.

Ephesians 4 11 and 12 for the work of ministry the work we're to do. That's the purpose if I were to preach again, which I want to preach and teach. I want to equip the Christians. Not interested in people who want to be babysat.

You go listen to Joyce Meyer. Or Joel Osteen if you want to be breastfed. I had your diapers changed. What I'm interested in is teaching Christians who want to know the truth. Who are willing to be changed by God's Word?

Be confronted by God's Word and who are willing to face themselves before a holy Lord and Ask that he would super condescend to lower his standards to use you you know Lord if you could just like lower your standards like a kabillion times and You know just work it so that I can maybe say something true about you in the gospel to some unbeliever.

Sure like that and then he does and you go man. I sure did a good job, didn't I? Yeah. Um, but the church is supposed to equip the Christians but to equip the Christians is difficult. We equip the Christians.

If I were a pastor of a church I Would want to equip the Christians on Sunday to get a sermon. Out of the Word of God they get the truth during the week. I'd have classes on come and get equipped. And we have elders.

Who were in charge of outreach? That outreach I'd tell people so-and-so's in charge of it not me. I don't have time. This guy or these guys are in charge of this this outreach what outreach the outreach God gives you.

You know, what if it's knitting little hats for newborns to take to a hospital? Praise God little scripture reference on it or nothing and you just say it and you're looking for an opportunity to witness.

Why you're doing that? Perfectly great ministry. Awesome. You know, I want to go into the military in order to witness to the guy go for it. You know as long you don't do that. Oh, he's Want to go to the gym and get buff so that I can pick up boxes my wife, you know.

We'll work on that one as being really okay. But the idea is that we can all Be used of God and it doesn't have to be evangelism street corner this holding up signs. Some people like doing that so people can do that.

So people don't want to do that. Some people just want to do things different. Ladies are a little bit more genteel and The idea of standing up with a megaphone you pigs. Oh Sorry, you know, they wouldn't do that.

The guys were like, oh that was that wrong. You know how we are. And so ladies have a you know, they do this touchy-feely stuff what the ladies talking about. Things girly stuff, you know. They could do that.

I don't get that universe. You know, I just go in there I got to have a full protection radiation gear, you know the cooties. You know, that's me. But I like it when the ladies are ladies. I like that.

I like to observe observing to like aliens observing things that are odd and You know, I like to observe weird things storm fronts and women, you know. Is there when they're together talking with this mutual?

Interrupting conversation thing that jumps around that they all understand. They have a secret code thing or some radar communication stuff in their brains. You don't let any guy know about. Let's switch now what he's listening.

We'll switch to this topic. Okay, and the guys going what what is going on? That's what happens. It's gotta happen. So, I don't I you know, I like to watch that, you know, I'm. You don't get it, but that's okay.

It's a girl world I tell my guy my wife about the guy world. I said the guy world. Say you upset me yesterday how so you said I was dumb. Okay. Sorry. All right, we're done. Guy world girl word, you know.

Yesterday when you said that my shoes weren't right, you know I kind of feel like no, maybe that it kind of hurt you feel I'm so much. Well, yes, you see, but I was thinking well you were all 20 minutes later.

They're hugging and kissing the guys like don't touch me kick. Okay, the worlds are different but the ministries and get back on track. I Don't know what his tangents come from. Portal squirrel squirrel.

What kind of squirrel anyway, so what? Calvin a squirrel. The five-point bushy tail or something. I don't know. It's got five whiskers you know anyway, so the whole thing is. Where was I? Oh Yeah ministry.

So the idea of equipping the Christians, I believe in letting people do what they're called to do. The way they wanted I knew what they're called to do support me. That's what that's where the things are doing.

They go. He's like man. I'd be in the woods right now. Building a cabin. I'd be but I asked God to be used. I had no idea it'd be helping you. Like you I actually said to him a while back you asked for it.

He goes. Yeah, I know I Said yeah, I'd be careful what you asked for. Yeah. Yeah. Can you imagine use me God? Okay, the vision comes up you can be helping a guy named slick who's really irritating. He's got autism and he's kind of arrogant and he likes to rip on people the first time you see him.

He's gonna insult you. He'd be like that's obviously not from God. Okay. Yeah, that cannot be true because it's too whacked but that's what happened and so here we are. But anyway, you see God can use us in different ways and the Christian Church needs week.

To encourage you to be used and to go out there and do stuff, but I don't see that happening. I don't see it happening. I don't see I just don't see it. People need to know and I like it when people make mistakes because it means are doing something.

You come and you know, I'm in pastor and I tried this. Good. Well, you know I figured making bombs for further the Christians wasn't a good thing. Bombs forget. I went off in the house and Okay. We probably should have talked about that one first, but you know, there are extremes so anyway, that's an issue that's an issue and I'm gonna say a couple of more things here psychology and stories over academical preaching psychology and stories.

If you're gonna give me a story you better be short sweet to the point that is Basically used to illustrate something in Scripture in a way that we don't always understand. That's okay when I was checking things out churches in Southern, California Crystal Cathedral Robert Shuler and I went to his church and I said I want to hear how long it's gonna take before he talks About Jesus and so 20 minutes into a sermon after illustrations and after this isn't that's the stories of psychology.

He mentioned Jesus 20 minutes. So I said not gonna work. I went to Calvary Chapel. Chuck Smith. Got there. So let's see how this guy does and he opens his Bible and says Jesus said I go here I am first word out of his mouth literally was Jesus and You know, that's what I want.

I don't want a psychology. I don't want I don't need story occasional stories. Okay, you know people like stories, you know little story here and there that shouldn't be the main thing of a of a sermon.

Usually doesn't mean you can't have a fantastic story. That's very illustrative to illustrate something. Okay preachings dynamic but when Sermons are characterized by stories and human psychological ideas and stuff.

That's the problem. It should be governed by Scripture. Scripture needs to be the final authority and the place we draw stuff from and of course I've already mentioned the issue of man centered theology.

God's here to please you and No, he's not. Actually, he says in Isaiah 43 7 he creates us for his glory. That's why he created us. Now, how can we best glorify him? And for some it might be in perpetual pain and then Praising God some it might be autism and preaching something might be other mental problems and they're trying to help out.

Okay, who knows? But We want to glorify God. Not ourselves. I want to glorify myself, but you know what? I mean, we don't want to glorify ourselves want to glorify God. The church is in dire need of a new apostle.

I wish Paul the Apostle was back and He could go around man would he write the epistle to the church in Houston? Yeah, you know he would just say this just mail this one out and It's got a lot of flame in it, you know.

What would he write to the churches today the church at Houston, right? There'd be some churches he'd be talking crap about but you know Jesus said when he returns we find faith and As we gather in the last days as the prophecy is we gather to ourselves teachers that tickle our ears.

Second Timothy 4 3 and 4. I think it is 1st Timothy. That's what's happening. I'm standing up against it. I'm going to continue to speak the truth what God says and That's it best of my ability to teach what it says if it says we're predestined we're predestined says we're elected we're elected.

People don't like that that says we're born again not of our own. Will then we're born again not of our own. Well Don't like it take it up with the author. As I used to say on the radio don't like it turn the channel.

We'll need people who are gonna say the truth and Women shouldn't be in the pulpit doing it men need to be many to stand up. That's what needs to happen. The church has got to repent and Move forward.

That's where repentance begins in the household of God then it'll be it'll happen in society when we start getting off the Spiritual wagon train feed me feed me feed me. What do I get? What do I get? It's our nature and because reformed theology in my opinion is not predominant and our minionism is.

Which in my opinion is a little too man-centered. Then it is the bedrock for narcissism. That's not to say every Armenian is that way. Not to say every Calvinist is perfect but generally speaking Human centered free will ism, which is based not on God's sovereignty, but upon man's ability.

That's the bedrock for heresy. Subtle over time becomes more and more defended. Believed and then those who preach the truth are accused of heresy. That's how it works. And the Bible warns us They will persecute you thinking that they're serving God in the process.

All right. That's depressing. Let's pray. We'll stop. We'll take a break. Then we'll get some Q &A. We'll see what happens Lord Jesus. Thank you again for this time and just ask Lord that you would bless it and Bless everyone here and those listening.

May you be glorified in our words. Thank you. Lord Jesus. We ask this in your name. Amen. All right.