Epistle to the Laodiceans

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Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston.

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No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the apostle

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Paul said, "'But we did not yield in subjection to them "'for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel "'would remain with you.'"

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In short, if you like smooth, watered -down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn't for you.

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By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we're called by the divine trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her king.

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Here's our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth. Welcome to No Compromise Radio ministry. My name's Mike Abendroth. Yeah, it's weird not to be on WVNE.

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I'm so glad we don't have to do that. I'm tempted some days just to turn off No Compromise Radio and say, oh, it was a good experiment, experiment after four years and probably 1 ,200 shows.

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I have other things to do in my life, but early on, I had to study all the time. Someone asked me the other day, how much time do you take out of your day for No Compromise Radio?

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I don't know the exact number, but I don't study for the show anymore, and you probably say, and it shows, especially if Cooley's around, because I can just say something, and then we can just go off of each other's statements.

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Go off on, go off from, go off of, depending on your genitives, how you like your genitives.

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I just sit down, and I'll try to do three new shows a week, and one of those was with Steve, two on my own, probably a rerun thrown in there, and then

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Charlie splices up the sermon. So, my name's Mike Abendroth. I don't know if you know about something called the

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Epistle to the Latticeans, and it is not in the Bible, not part of the

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New Testament canon. I try to teach my kids how many chapters in Isaiah? 66,

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Dad. How many chapters talking about judgment? 39, Dad. How many chapters talking about restoration and forgiveness, et cetera?

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27, Dad, and I said, well, it's not exactly perfect, because there's plenty of grace in the

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Old Testament. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, didn't he? And plenty of grace,

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Abraham. Abraham would be worshiping Nanar the moon god if it wasn't for the grace of God.

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Lots of grace, the leper Naaman healed and cleansed, the widow raised from the dead, or son raised from the dead.

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So, there's lots of grace in the Old Testament, but just easy to remember, 66 books of the Bible, Isaiah 66, 66 chapters.

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Well, the Epistle to the Latticeans is not in the Bible. Now, if you look at Colossians chapter one, excuse me, chapter four, it says, when this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the

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Latticeans, and you, for your part, read my letter that is coming from Latticea.

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Colossians 4, 16. I can hear Steve in his office next door talking. Doesn't he know this is live radio?

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Doesn't he know this is worldwide web only? And so, someone was, actually, it was

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S. Lewis Johnson talking about the Epistle to the Latticeans. Now, he has his students read that alleged epistle from Paul sent out.

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And it says here, according to the internet, the oldest known Bible copy of this epistle is in the

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Fulda, F -U -L -D -A, manuscript written for Victor of Capua in 546.

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Gregory the Great writes about it, and it says, however, the epistle is not without controversy.

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There is no evidence of a Greek text. That's interesting. The epistle appears in more than 100 manuscripts of the

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Latin Vulgate, the oldest codex, Fuldensis, 546. I like it how it says

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CE, Common Era, BC, excuse me, AD, as well as the manuscripts of early

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Albigensian, Bohemian, English, and Flemish versions.

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At the close of the 10th century, Alfred, a monk of Dorset, wrote a treatise in Anglo -Saxon on the

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Old and New Testaments in which he states that the Apostle Paul wrote 15 epistles. In his enumeration of them, he placed

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Latticeans after Philemons. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Acts and Letters of the Latticeans.

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Now, that's not where I'd go. So every time, by the way, I dried my children's hair when they were younger.

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They're older now, 12, 14, 17, 20, almost 21.

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Those numbers always change, don't they? Four times a year they change. And I would always dry their hair.

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This is before they could dry their own hair. My son's hair is short now, so it didn't really require the drying.

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And I would take a towel and dry their hair, and I would sing Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Acts and Letters of the

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Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians. I'd go through the whole song, Judah and Revelation, even with the middle part.

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But now I'm gonna have to start adding the Latticeans. By the way, they all know the New Testament book's in order, only for that, because I figured

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I would take the verse out of context, redeem the time, and I would... I wrote a chapter in a book that nobody wants to publish on redeeming the time, the fallacy of what it means to redeem the time.

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What does it mean? What doesn't it mean? See how that would be a great seller? Time, the stewardship of time. Time is money.

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But not today on No Compromise Radio, because we don't have to pay for this show to be on. How's that? About 1165

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CE, John of Salisbury, I have a joke, but Steve's not here, written about the

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Canon to Henry, Count of Champagne, acknowledges that it is common in the almost universal opinion that there are only 14 epistles of Paul, but the 15th is that which is written to the

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Church of Latticeans. So depending on whether you count Hebrews or not, I don't think Hebrews is Pauline, although I think the

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Spirit of God inspired the book of, breathed out the book of Hebrews. Epistle of Latticeans is included in all 18

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German Bibles printed prior to Luther's translation, beginning with the first German Bible issued by Johann Menthel in Strasbourg, 1488.

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So anyway, it says it was not until the Council of Florence, 1439 to 43, that the

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Sea of Rome, I always thought that was funny, the Sea of Rome. I don't know what the sea is.

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It's a capital S -E -E. You know, I know what cardinal is, cardo,

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I think it's hinge, and so the hinge that turns the Roman Catholic Church, the cardinals, delivered for the first time a categorical opinion on the scriptural canon, 27 books of the

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New Testament. Well, I think that last statement I don't agree with, that the Sea of Rome delivered the categorical opinion of the canon, see how we don't like that, just like I don't like the epistle of the

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Latticeans. So here's what I wanna do. I want to read to you this epistle.

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It's super short. It is 19 verses long, and I just want you to ask yourself the question, this is spirit -inspired?

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This is not? This is a forgery? This sounds very much like scripture, but it's not?

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We have a complete canon. We have a closed canon. We have a sufficient canon, now don't we? The answer is yes, and God has rigged us out.

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He has thoroughly equipped us, especially ministers, men of God, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17.

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We have a thoroughly rigged out, adequately equipped canon.

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We have everything we need for gospel ministry. There's nothing that we don't need that's not found in scripture.

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I don't know how many negatives can you throw in a sentence at once, but different forms of psychology, and Adler, and Maslow, and Freud, and Skinner, and Rogers, and all these other people,

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Hammerstein, Stein, they cannot add to sanctification, holiness, godliness.

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Oh, they might be behavioral observers. They might modify some behavior for social constructs, but they can't help you become more holy in practice.

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They can't help you become more apt to say no to unrighteousness, because we have a sufficient canon.

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Everything you need, 2 Peter 1, pertaining to life and godliness, you have in the words of God.

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These words, if you read Psalm 119 sometime, that's your homework, read

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Psalm 119, you'll say, I should study the Bible more. Yes, this is more than my necessary food,

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I need these scriptures. So my name's Mike Abendroth. Today is the Epistle of Paul to the

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Latticeans, and I'm not reading this epistle from the British Museum's Harlian Manuscript Code 1212.

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I'm reading it from, actually a copy of something that I got off the internet.

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Trying to find a list. You just type it in, lost, forgotten text, or something like that. You know you're in trouble then.

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So, I'm gonna read this, and you ask yourself the question. It's like when I read the Book of Mormon. You start reading it, and you think, you know what, this just, spirit doesn't bear witness to my spirit, this is truly the word of God.

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You read the Apographa, and I think you should. And you read Maccabees, and you'll think, yeah, this is a great history, but this is not

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God breathed. You read the Quran, and you'll say this isn't God breathed. I think you'll read this, and you'll say the same thing, or you listen to it, as we talk on Radio Free, no compromise radio.

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Paul, an apostle, so far I like it. Not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, to the brethren which are at Laodicea.

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Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't it amazing you're gonna start listening to all kinds of similarities.

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I thank Christ in every prayer of mine that you may continue and persevere in good works, looking for that which is promised in the day of judgment.

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Do not be troubled by the vain speeches of anyone who perverts, should be of anyone who perverts, the truth, that they may draw you aside from the truth of the gospel which

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I have preached. And now may God grant that my converts, so far everything sounded pretty good up until my converts.

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Although, you know, Paul says my gospel in Romans, doesn't he? He doesn't mean it's his gospel.

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May attain to a perfect knowledge, my son in the faith, he talks about Timothy, remember? To the perfect knowledge of truth of the gospel.

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Be beneficent and doing good works which accompany salvation. And now my bonds which

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I suffer in Christ, see how familiar this all sounds, are manifest in which

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I rejoice and am glad. This book is claiming that Paul, when he was in prison, wrote

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Colossians. Well, this book isn't claiming this part, but like Paul is claiming to write this book in prison, like we know he did write

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Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon when he's in Rome. Verse seven of Latticean Epistle.

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For I know that this shall turn to my salvation forever, which shall be through your prayer and the supply of the

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Holy Spirit. Whether I live or die, to me to live shall be a life to Christ, to die will be joy.

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Now, of course, even the newest Bible reader, if you've read through the Bible, you are struck and fascinated and in awe of Philippians chapter one, verse 21.

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For me to live is Christ, to die, gain.

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Paul is writing from prison in Philippians and he acknowledges the fact that if he's gonna be alive, it's going to be all for the

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Lord's glory, for Christ's kingdom. He was a rascal, a rabble rouser, a persecutor of the church, and God interrupted him on that road to Damascus and the

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Lord opened his eyes, gave him forgiveness of sins, gave him the apostleship, and we know how much in gratitude, in debt, in love

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Paul was with the Lord for what he had done for him by grace, by free grace, by free distinguishing sovereign grace.

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How many modifiers can you put in front of grace? I should just be able to say grace and we would all know, free, sovereign, distinguishing, but grace is diluted today.

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Mike Abendroth, No Compromise Radio. And so Paul says, if I'm gonna live, it's for the Lord, it's for Jesus.

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I know to die and be with the Lord's better, but I'll, for your sake, Philippians, I'll be here.

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And then he says, did I gain? And so I'll never forget a sermon I once heard.

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If you are on your deathbed and you're a Christian by the grace of God, he's saved you. Saved you.

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When you look into your wife's eyes, heaven for you will be gain. You have all your kids and grandkids around your bed.

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Daddy, we love you. Grandpa, we're gonna miss you. It's gonna be gain, gain.

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Of course, the family loses temporarily, of course, because of the loss of their loved one, but it's gonna be gain.

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And so Paul says in Philippians 121, for me to live is Christ, to die is gain. Sounds very familiar here to this

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Laodicean epistle that I don't think's in the canon at all, but I'm bringing this up because A, it's interesting.

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B, airtime's expensive. And C, it's a good show.

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Verse nine, and our Lord will grant us his mercy that you may have the same love and be like -minded.

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See, doesn't that sound like Philippians to you? Philippians chapter two. Doesn't that sound like Philippians chapter one?

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Wherefore, my beloved, as you have heard of the coming of the Lord, so think and act reverently, and it shall be to you life eternal, for it is

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God who is working in you. Now see, one of the reasons why I'm reading this is because I want you to realize it's redundant.

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It's not giving us new truths. There's no reason to write two books that say the same thing, especially when this is just a forgery of taking a bunch of other verses, put them together, and say it's canonical, because we've got to have the letter from Laodicea.

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For it is God who works in you to will and to do his good pleasure.

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Philippians chapter two, verse 13. Verse 12 of the letter of the Laodiceans.

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And do all things without sin. And what is best, my beloved, rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ and avoid all filthy lucre.

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Now, what is filthy lucre? Suc la crem? No, this is money.

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Filthy lucre is not just money. It is money that is obtained through improper, illegal, sinful methods.

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First Timothy three, Titus one, first Peter five, first Timothy six.

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Money's not the root of all evil, but the love of money, filthy lucre's desire.

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That's just a fun thing to say. I like to say, oops, hit the bench here. I like to say saserdotalism.

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I like to say propitiation. I do like to say hypostatic union.

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It's not as hard to pronounce. I like to say Jean. I like to say

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Chamera, Chimchimaru. I like to say milk, but I say milk.

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I like to say hour, but I say hour. I like to say, Ted, what else do

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I say again? I forgot, I forgot. There's something else that I like to say et. I like to say et cetera, but I should say et cetera.

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Boy, to be on radio, Pirate Christian Radio. Do we listen to Pirate Christian Radio? I was asked to be on Pirate Christian Radio and Chris never called me back.

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Where are you? Where's Todd Freel when I need him? Brandon House, he's got my back these days, but Chris and Todd and I don't know what's going on.

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I was very happy by the way, and then saddened. I'm leaving San Francisco at the airport, sitting there drinking a

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Pete's coffee, enjoying life just before I have to get on the plane and fly to Boston, and I, stretching out before the plane ride, drinking the coffee, and I get a text.

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Hey Mike, this is Phil Johnson, gonna be in Santa Cruz, and let's get together and have dinner or something.

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Go to Gale's. Gale's is, I think one of his favorite places to eat. I saw Phil the other day eating scorpions, some place, some

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Asian market in China or Vietnam or something. I think he said it tasted a little like an armadillo.

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There's something else. It tastes a little like something, he said. I can't remember what it was. It was some other kind of roadkill that Phil Johnson would have riding in the back of some scooter sideways in Vietnam's pathways,

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Saigon. Anyway, I was so happy that Phil would text me, and not that I drop a name or anything, not that I'd tell you who's on my

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Rolodex, but anyway, I couldn't go because I was flying out of town. So I gave him the special hot, spicy things that I've eaten type of menus from my favorite places in Santa Cruz and told him to go without me.

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It's cheaper that way. All right, filthy looker. Verse 14,

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I'm reading the non -canonical, unbiblical, in the sense it's not in the Bible, Epistle of the

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Latticeans, although it's chock full of stuff, close to 100 % of what

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I've read so far seems derived from other Bible verses and is not needed, of course, not required for the church.

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Let all your requests be made known to God. I mean, did they just steal this from Philippians? The peace of pass is all understanding.

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Garden, keep your hearts and minds. No, it says, let all your requests be made known to God and be steady in the doctrine of Christ.

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See, this is where we get steady, Eddie. Verse 15, and whatever things are sound and true and of good report and chaste and just and lovely, these things do.

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Now, doesn't that sound like Philippians 4a to you? Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, things honest, things just, things pure, things lovely, things of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.

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So the Latticean people, they thought a lot, they didn't do. I guess the Philippians at Philippi, they did, they didn't think.

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Verse 16, those things which you have heard and received, think on these things. Think on these things.

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Isn't that where Gary Gilley came up with think on these things? No, it's from another Bible verse. And peace shall be on you.

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All the saints salute you. Two verses left. And the grace of our

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Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, amen. Cause this epistle,

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C -A -U -S -E, to be read to the Colossians. See, see, the Colossians get the

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Latticean letter read to them, and then we do the same thing back. You scratch my epistle, and I'll scratch yours.

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Cause it to be read also in the church of the Latticeans, and that ye likewise read the epistle from Latticea.

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That's actually Colossians chapter 4, 16. But Latticea, chapter one,

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I guess, it's like Jude one, there's no one, so just verse 19, cause this epistle to be read to the

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Colossians, and the epistle of the Colossians be read among you. So my name's Mike Abendroth. Today we're talking about the sufficiency of scripture, the authority of scripture, and the canon which is closed.

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We don't need any more books. We've got plenty, and one of the things that I've found in my life and ministry, people that are most enamored with books that should be included in the

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Bible in their mind, but are not, lost gospels, Gnostic gospels, hidden letters, apocryphal teachings, pseudepigraphal teachings.

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That's a fun word to say, too, along with sacerdotal, pseudepigraphal. Apographer. The people that are most fascinated with those are the ones that know the least about the

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New Testament and the Old Testament. They're the ones that should be studying what they've got, not hankering for what they think should be included, because once you begin to study and realize, okay, four gospels in the

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New Testament, and you see that Jesus is the king with all kinds of Old Testament verses to back up his claims, his meaning.

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Of course, Jesus is, but Matthew, the writer, the human writer, and you see Mark showing the son of man who was a servant, and you see

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Luke. Jesus is fully human, although still divine. You see

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John, that he's, his genealogy is a divine genealogy. He's prostantheon, he's face -to -face with God in eternity past, and you just see the way the scriptures are written, and you read the harmony of the gospels, or I get

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MacArthur's One Perfect Life, for that matter, and you read through it, and you just say the diamond facets are complete.

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We have a complete picture. Everything we need to know is here. I don't need to search for those things outside the scripture.

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Show me someone with a hankering, with a desire, with an insatiable heart that says,

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I'm not content with what's in the scriptures, and what about these other things? I'll show you somebody that's gonna run into all kinds of problems.

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Oh, can you read a book about the Gnostic gospel, or Gospel According to Thomas, or you wanna read some Da Vinci thing or something.

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You can do any of that. But I'd rather study what's in front of me that I know is from the

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Lord. I need to be devoted to studying scriptures. I need to be a man of the

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Bible. I need to be a student of the Bible. I want it to rule me and work its wonderful, sanctifying work in me and through me.

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You think about it does its work, powerfully performs its work in those who believe.

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Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica. And I know he said that, so I should be studying those things.

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That's what I'm after. And so if you are tempted to study all this other stuff, let's go back to the real gospel of grace.

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I don't need a bunch of other verses taken out, put into another epistle and say, now I've got the lost letter to the

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Epistle of the Latticeans. Now I think it's the Bible's right. Well, it's already right. So we don't have all the letters.

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We don't have all the Corinthian letters either. Mike Abendroth, Epistle to the Latticeans, nyet. No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston.

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Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life transforming power of God's word through verse by verse exposition of the sacred text.

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Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 1015 and in the evening at six. We're right on route 110 in West Boylston.

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You can check us out online at bbchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

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The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff or management.