Jude - Pt 3 Self-Righteousness — Billy Strachan

The Three Traits of False Teachers

Remember our train of thought, a letter that opens and closes with security because we're going to need it, because we're not only seeing the traits and behavioral patterns of the false that have crept in to destroy a church, but we're also seeing what we are not to be like, but are finding out to our horror that that's so often exactly what we are like.

These false men are ungodly, untruthful, unfaithful. They fall down in the area of their morals, but their judgment is sure. We'd only remember that, but so often we don't because we never read it to have it recalled.

They are filthy dreamers, flesh defilers, and dominion despisers. And we see that they are a people that just live naturally as brute beasts and are bent on self corruption. And then in the 11th verse, he gives us another triplet, another horrifying triplet, as to the behavior of the false, what we ought not to be like, and unfortunately what so often we are like.

Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Kor. And the three traits here are Cain, self-righteousness, Balaam, self-willedness, and Kor, self-exaltation.

Self-exaltation. And if you turn to Genesis and chapter 3, chapter 4, you discover here how to recognize this trait of self-righteousness. But then you're also going to recognize that it's one of the things that ought not to be in a spirit-filled, Holy Ghost-controlled life.

Adam knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Now in the literal Hebrew, she is stating in effect, I have gotten the man from the Lord. Because in Genesis 3, 15, was the first promise of a coming Messiah, and I will put enmity between thee, Satan, and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.

It shall bruise thy head, you shall bruise his heel. Christ, the seed of the woman, your miraculous birth of Christ. Women don't have a seed, they have an egg. The males have the seed. But here is the seed of a woman, picturing for us the miraculous birth of Christ through the operation of the Holy Ghost.

And Satan would bruise that seed's heel, kick a man in the shins, he won't die. But he shall bruise your head, wreck a head, and you do die. Showing the ultimate defeat of Satan by this coming promised man, the seed of the woman.

And typical of the impatience of humanity, Eve jumps to the conclusion on the birth of her first son, Cain, that she's holding the man, the Savior, in her hands. And in actual fact, she has a murderer in her hands.

It's like the promise he's given to David that God would raise up to him a son that would rule on the throne of David forever. And he thought it was Solomon, but it wasn't Solomon. It was to be Jesus.

And too soon, men presume that what they've gotten immediately is God's answer. And God says, no, I take time about the preparation of my answers to my promises. Nothing done impetuously or impatiently, and I do it well.

And if you jump to a conclusion that I'm fulfilling my will because you see visibly something that you think is the answer, you can be making the biggest mistake in your life. And she thought she had the man from the Lord.

She'd got the Savior. She didn't. She got a murderer. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time, guess who was the first to make a religious move in the family amongst the children?

It came to pass that Cain, not Abel. And yet, both those boys would hear the story from the father of what God did. How that they tried by self-effort to cover themselves up in their sinfulness by aprons they made of leaves of trees, but God gave them the skins of animals to cover them up.

And if you look in verse 21 of Genesis 3, unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them. Now that meant that an innocent animal that had done no wrong had to die to give up its skin, its hide, to become a covering for man.

Picturing the death of the innocence for the guilty. A picture of Christ, the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world. And this would be passed on. This is the foundation of redemption. The blood sacrifice to atone for the guilty.

And it would be passed on to the boys and yet the first one to make any religious response in the family was Cain. And he brought to the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. He came with what he could produce by self-effort through his own self-righteousness.

He bypassed his father's story and brought the fruit of the ground. And then you have a response from Abel. And Abel, he also brought her the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering.

He respects the one that's prepared to submit themselves to God's demands for redemption and nothing will ever attain anything with God of any righteousness that comes from self-righteousness. And the Word of God tells us that all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. God has no respect for something that you produce to offer him. And Cain was very angry and his face fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, why are you angry and why is your face fallen?

If you do well shalt thou not be accepted. God was stretching out the olive branch giving another opportunity for this person to just humble himself, go back and do what he brother had done. Bring a blood offering.

And if thou doest not well, sin lies at the door, you're opening a whole can of worms that are going to get you. Sin lies at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire and you shall rule over him. And you discover here that sin lies at the door.

And if you refuse to adjust and come under the atoning work of an innocent animal slain on your behalf and still persist in your self-righteousness, you are going to release the enemy who's going to end up ruling over you.

And Cain talked with Abel, his brother, and it came to pass they were in a field that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel, your brother? And he said, I don't know.

Am I my brother's keeper? Sin lies at the door and now sin is through the door. Now sin is turning a man that made the first move towards God, but in self-righteousness, a liar and a murderer. And he said, what have you done?

The voice of your brother's blood cries unto me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will not henceforth yield unto thee her strength.

A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, my punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid.

And I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it shall come to pass that everyone that finds me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.

And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any find him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. What an exit. What a punishment. Because of his determination to be accepted on his own terms with the Almighty.

Self-righteousness. And you'll find that one of the hallmarks and traits of the false prophet is that he attains to his spiritual height on the basis of self-effort and self-righteousness. Examine every other religion and cult in the world and they all reek of self-righteousness, self-attainment, how perfect you can get yourself to get as near as you can before dying to the God that you're going to earn your way into his heart and meet him.

And God says that's not on. People live by the righteousness of faith, not by self-righteousness. And God's judgment on Cain was severe as it will be on any false prophet that comes into a fellowship to wreck it with an air of self-righteousness.

And yet the funny thing is it's so easy for the false prophet to come into a church fellowship and to work on the self-righteousness aspect because so many of the Christians are self-righteous. They absolutely stink of it.

Proving and proving and proving Sunday in and Sunday out how spiritual they are by self-effort. And God has no respect for it. The only respect he has is for any righteousness that is imparted by faith from Christ to that person.

And that person will acknowledge that any goodness they have is not what they're doing for God or to impress the church but stems from God's goodness to them. To them. So his basic problem was self-righteousness.

Balaam's Self-Willedness and the Desire for Reward

Now, of course, Balaam was a different cup of tea altogether as a false prophet. If you look in numbers and chapter 22 numbers 22. And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side the Jordan by Jericho.

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us as the ox licks up the grass of the field.

And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pithor Which is by the river of the land of the children of his people to call him saying Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt.

Behold, they cover the face of the earth and they abide over against me. Come now therefore I pray thee curse me this people. For they are too mighty for me. Even Moab recognized that God's people had strength.

For they are too mighty for me per adventure. I shall prevail that we may smite them and then I may drive them out of the land for I want that he whom thou Blessest is blessed and he whom thou curses is cursed.

A prophet with a reputation that if he curses somebody they get cursed. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination In their hand and they came unto Balaam and speak unto him the words of Balak.

And he said unto them stay here this night. And I will bring you word again as the most high god Shall speak unto me. And the princes of Moab spoke stayed with Balaam. And notice the beauty of the next verse.

Before Balaam makes a move God came to Balaam. God came to Balaam. He had not gone to God. And he said what men are these with thee? And Balaam said unto God Balak the son of Zipher king of Moab hath sent unto me saying Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt which covers the face of the earth.

Come now curse me them per adventure. I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out. And God said to Balaam and what God says God means. And God said to Balaam thou Shalt not go and the whole problem with this man was he went.

Thou shalt not go with them. And the major problem that he died for eventually was he went Self-willed dug his heels in and had a Determination that at all costs he was going to get doing his thing Irrespective of whether God wanted it or God didn't.

And you shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people for they are blessed. My word has gone out that they're my people and they're blessed. And Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balak Get you into your land for the Lord refuses.

The Lord never refuses. He always gives the correct answer. That's positive. No is not a refusal. It's no because I have something better. Yes is not permission. Because it's what you want. It's yes, because in my heart, it's the best thing for you.

And all prayers will be answered. Yes. No or wait. But it will always be the best. And there's never a refusal. But here you see the determination of the self-willedness of this man's heart that God has been a bit of a spoil sport a God that turns around and refuses.

Meaning I didn't get what I want. And when I don't get what I want it's a refusal. And he doesn't see it as the blessing of God. He refuses to give me permission to go with you. And the princes of Moab rose up and they went to Balak and said Balaam refuses to come with us.

And Balak sent yet princes more and more honorable than they. And they came to Balaam and said to him thus saith Balak the son of Ziphor Let nothing I pray you hinder you from coming unto me. For I will promote thee unto very great honor.

And I will do whatsoever you say unto me. Come now therefore I pray thee curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak stating his price. Oh if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do less or more.

Oh, that sounds tremendous. Sounds like a very submissive person to God. Now therefore I pray you. Stay here this night that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more. God doesn't have to say anymore.

God spoke what God spoke is irrevocable irrefutable irresistible irrepeatable. Once that word has gone out of the divine mouth, that's true. He didn't have to go back. Thou shalt not go with them. And he says I can't do anything More or less other than what God gives me permission to do.

But let's wait till tomorrow and I'll talk to him tonight to see if God's changed his mind. See if maybe in 24 hours he's forgotten. I asked him yesterday and I'll get what I want today. And look at verse 20 and God came to Balaam at night.

And said unto him if here's the condition. You want a clear-cut Indication as to whether what I said was true or not. I'll show you how to recognize that what I said is true or not. I don't mind confirming my word.

If the men come to call you Rise up and go with them. But yet the word that I shall say unto you you shall do. If the men come in the morning wake you up and say let's go there's a sign that I am letting you go.

And Balaam goes up in the morning sat on his ass and went never even waited for them to wake him up. He got the slight indication. There would be a chance of going. And Balaam rose up in the morning settled his ass and went for the princes of moab.

Determination to get his hands on that reward that power. And God's anger was kindled because he went. And the angel of the lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass and his two servants were with him.

And they asked saw the angel of the lord. It's only the believer that's rebelling. The person that's in communication with god and rebelling and blinded by self-will. That can't see the lord. And people that come and say I just don't know what god wants me to do.

It's a load of rubbish. They're blinded by their determination to get what they want. Even a donkey can see the lord. And if donkeys can see that he's standing in the way and saying this is not the way.

Those of us made in the image of god and indwelt by christ through the holy spirit. It's stupid for us to say I just don't know. I can't see. We're blinded by self-willedness. And they asked saw the angel of the lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand.

And they asked turned the side out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way. But the angel of the lord stood in a path in the vineyards a wall being on this side and a wall on that side.

He's now narrowing it down. He was in an open space saying don't go. Now he's crowding them into a place with a wall on either side making it more evident That you've not to pass me. And when they asked saw the angel of the lord she thrust herself into the wall crushed balaam's foot against the wall and he smote her again.

And the angel of the lord went further and stood in a narrow place notice the patience of the almighty. From out in the open to a walled gap to a narrow place. Determined just as determined as balaam is in his self-willedness to show him That you're opposing me.

You're opposing my will for your life. I'm giving you every signal in every communication imaginable to tell you not to go. There was no way to turn either to the right or the left. And when they asked saw the angel of the lord she fell down under balaam and balaam's anger was kindled and he smote the ass With a stick and the lord opened the mouth of the ass and she said to balaam What have I done unto thee that thou has smitten me these three times?

And balaam said unto the ass because you've mocked me. I would there was a sword in my hand for now I would kill you and the ass said unto balaam I'm not I thine ass upon which you have ridden ever since I was thine unto this day.

Was I ever want to do so unto thee and he said no. Then the lord opened the eyes of balaam. And he saw the angel of the lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand. And he bowed down his head and fell flat in his face.

And the angel of the lord said unto him wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times. Behold, I went out to withstand thee because your way is perverse before me a self-willed person Who blinds themselves from understanding the direction I have for them for their future?

Is nothing more or less than a pervert Of belief. And the ass saw me and turned me these three times and unless she had turned from me Surely now I would have slain me and saved her alive. I'm so god of god.

I can keep a donkey alive and wipe you out. And very often a stubborn donkey a circumstance that crushes your foot against a wall that you think is opposing you and against you. Is an act of mercy. It's a donkey being merciful to you in spite of your self-willedness to keep you from going the wrong way.

But you mistook it and thrashed it and so often in our everyday lives we get up in the circumstances against us. And we get out the stick and we thrash the circumstances to death saying everybody's against me.

Everybody's out to hurt me and we're so totally subjective instead of objective about these things. And we always suspect that every adverse circumstance is both heaven and earth and everybody around us in a church fellowship out to hurt us.

Learn to be a little bit more objective about things in life. When moses saw the burning bush if he was going to be subjective. He wants the power of the bush. But the nearer he gets to it The more the flames are scorching his hair and burning his face.

Well, if he's subjective he ends up and says oh there's a trick to this. There's a catch to it. That fire's only interested in drawing me with an attraction of power to get me near enough to burn me. And he's liable to walk off into the desert.

And miss the blessing of leading two and a half million people to redemption but if you're objective. You take the attitude moses took. I'm going up to that fire and I don't care if I end up like kojak.

Lose all my hair and have a burnt red face. I'm gonna get the answer. I don't care how much it hurts. I want the truth and I want the reality of the power of the bush. And one of the biggest problems.

Is that in self-willedness? Every time somebody out of the love of their heart tries to help you. To see that you're doing something wrong going in the wrong way ruining your own life perverting your faith.

You slap them in the face and tell them in mind their own business. Jesus christ is my boss. Not you. He'll tell me not you. And you kick and you thump and you bash. Because you're so convinced that everybody that says a word against you.

Every circumstance that pushes you in a direction that you didn't particularly want to go with your self-willedness. It's all against you. It's the enemy. It's the devil and you develop in your blindness a determination to go forward to do what you want to do.

And sometimes some of the most severe mercies are the best. Where it hurts, but it stops us from going in the wrong direction. And balaam said to the angel of the lord I have sinned. For I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me.

No, he was blinded by self-determination to get what he wanted. Now therefore if it displeased thee. Oh, how how wonderful I will get me back again. And the angel of the lord said to balaam go with the men.

You're gonna get my permissive will but you're gonna live with the consequences. But only the word that I shall speak unto thee. That thou shalt speak. So balaam went with the princes of balak. And when balak heard that balaam was come he went out to meet him into a city Of moab which is in the border of arnon which is in the utmost coast.

And balak said unto balaam. Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee wherefore thou camest thou not unto me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee unto honor? Don't let anybody ever buy you. I had a friend at one occasion that tried to buy me.

Offered me more than I'd ever had in my life if I just Fulfill the will that he felt god would want me to fulfill in this world. And this stupid little man had the impertinence to say no. Flat broke I was didn't have a penny to my name and I had the stupidity to look at a powerful giant In the world and say no.

Took him 19 years to speak to me again. Oh how hurt they get when they can't buy you with the lovely little pieces of paper called money. Don't let anybody ever buy you. Because then they own you. And balaam said unto balak lo I am come unto thee.

Have I now any power at all to say anything. The word that god puts in my mouth that shall I speak? And balaam went with balak and they came to kirjah husoth and balak offered oxen and sheep and sent to balam and to the princes That were with him and they came to pass on the morrow that balak took balam and brought him up into the high places of bale.

That thence he might see the utmost part of the people and balam said unto balak build me here seven altars. And prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. Let's make this a perfect job. Let's impress him for my wages.

And balak did as balam had spoken and balak and balam offered on every altar a buluk and a ram. No, you can be very religious and find that you're still being self-willed. And balam said unto balak stand by the burnt offering and I will go peradventure.

The lord will come to meet me and whatsoever. He showeth me. I will tell thee. And he went to a high place and god met balam. And he said unto him I have prepared seven altars and I have offered upon every altar a burnt buluk and a ram.

And the lord put a word in balam's mouth and he returned unto balak and Thus thou shalt speak when he took up his parable and said Balak the king of moab hath brought me from aram out of the mountains of the east saying come curse me jacob.

Come defy israel. How shall I curse whom god hath not cursed? How shall I defy whom the lord hath not defied for from the tops of the rocks? I see him From the hills I behold him. Lo the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned amongst the nations and boy to this very day.

That's true. Nobody wants them. Who can count the dust Of jacob and the number of the fourth part of israel. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his. And balak said unto balam why hast thou done unto me?

I took thee to curse my enemies and behold you have blessed them all together. And he answered and said must I not take heed to speak that which the lord hath put in my mouth. And balak said unto him come I pray thee with me and to another place from whence thou mayest see them.

Thou shalt see the utmost part of them and thou shalt not see them all and curse me then from thence. Let's make adjustments and try all over again. And he brought him into the field of zofim to the top of pisgah.

And built seven altars and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar and he said unto balak stand here by the burnt offering. While I meet the lord yonder. And the lord met balam and put a word in his mouth and said go again unto balak and say thus.

And when he came to him behold he stood by his burnt offering and the princes of moab with him. And balak said unto him what hath the lord spoken and he took up his parable and said rise up balak and hear Hearken unto me thou son of zephyr.

God is not a man that he should lie. Neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said and hath he not spoken it or hath he? Spoken and shall not make it good. Behold, I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it.

He hath not beheld iniquity in jacob. Would you get that they're in their 40th year of rebellion? And god says I see no iniquity in my people. I am able to keep them from falling. Neither hath he seen perverseness in israel.

There's no perversion there and yet they were in the depths of sin. The lord his god is with him. And the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of egypt. He hath as it were the strength of a unicorn.

Surely, there is no enchantment against jacob. Neither. Is there any divination against israel? According to this time it shall be said of jacob and of israel. What hath god wrought? Behold the people shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion.

He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain. And balak said unto balaam neither curse them at all nor bless them at all. But balaam answered and said unto balak told not I thee saying that that all that the lord speaketh that I must do.

And balak said unto balaam. Come I pray thee. I will bring thee unto another place peradventure. It will please god that thou mayest curse me then from there. And balak brought balaam unto the top of pier and looketh towards jishimon.

And balaam said unto balak build me here seven altars and prepare me here seven bullocks. Seven rams and balak did as balam had said and he offered a bullock and a ram in every altar. And when balam saw that it pleased the lord to bless israel.

He went not as at other times to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And balam lifted up his eyes and he saw israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes and the spirit of god came upon him.

And he took up his parable and said balam the son of beor hath said. And the man whose eyes were open hath said. He hath said which heard the words of god that saw the vision of the almighty falling into a trance.

But having his eyes open how goodly are thy tents o jacob and thy tabernacles. O israel as the valleys are they spread forth as gardens by the riverside as the trees of lyne aloes Which the lord hath planted and as cedar trees beside the waters.

He shall pour the water out of his buckets and his seed shall be in many waters. And his king shall be higher than agag and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of egypt. He hath as it were the strength of a unicorn.

He shall eat up the nations his enemies and shall break their bones and pierce them through with arrows. He couched he laid down as a lion and as a great line who shall stir him up. Blessed is he that blessed thee and cursed is he that cursed thee.

And balak's anger was kindled against balam and he smote his hands together and balak said unto balam I call thee to curse my enemies and behold you've altogether blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee thou to thy place.

I thought to promote thee into great honor, but lo the lord has kept thee back from honor. And balam said unto balak spake I not also to thee and to thy messengers. Which thou sentest me saying if balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the commandment of the lord to do either good or bad of my own mind.

But what the lord said that will I speak and now behold I go out unto my people come therefore. And I will advertise thee what this people shall do to your people in the last days. And he took up his parable and said balam the son of beer hath said and the man whose eyes are open hath said.

He hath said which heard the words of god and knew the knowledge of the most high. Which saw the vision of the almighty falling into a trance, but having his eyes open. I shall see him jesus christ, but not now.

I shall behold him Jesus christ, but not nigh. There shall come a star out of jacob jesus christ. And a scepter jesus christ shall rise out of israel. And shall smite the corners of moab and destroy all the children of sheath.

And edom shall be a possession seer also shall be a possession for his enemies and israel shall do valiantly out of jacob. Shall come he jesus christ that shall have dominion. He doesn't come into your life to have a coalition government Dominion.

And shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. And when he looked on amalek he took up his parable and said amalek was the first of the nations. But his latter end shall be that he shall perish forever.

And on and on he goes with his great prophecy. About the coming of the lord and what the lord will do. And balam died and never enjoyed a part of it. He was slain shortly after that but the whole problem with that man and the whole problem with Balak was the determination the self-willedness to get the answer they wanted moving around trying again.

Every conceivable trick in the book to get what they wanted out of god. And couldn't get it and that's the trait of a false teacher. But you see how easy it is for the false teacher to come into a church and to wreak havoc in a fellowship.

Because you have so many christians and they get up every morning and that's exactly their attitude to god. Here is my plan for today. Can you just put your rubber stamp on there and say passed? And we are the awfulest people.

For creating plans and asking god to stamp them with the seal of approval. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with what god wants to do with your life. You're wanting his religious Sanctimonious super spiritual seal on your own plan so that you can tell the world.

It's what god wants you to do. And if you really examine the so-called will of god for people today on their lives. You're only going to come up with one conclusion. God's eccentric because he's Mind seems to be full of chaos indecision.

And things that destroy people and it's not true. Most of that chaos indecision and destruction is self-inflicted because they're so blind they want what they want. This is god's will for me. It's what i'm going to do.

It's what i'm going to get. It's where i'm going and they go. And the whole problem with balaam was that he went. And you know, it's exactly the same problem with a believer. And so it's no surprise when you find somebody walking into the church.

And uh seeing a lot of self-willed people saying I think I can be at home here. I think I can be at home here. They practice a lot of self-will everybody doing their own thing. So I can do my own thing too.

And get away with it. And then they spoil the church. Then the church says how did that happen? How could a church split? How could a church be wrecked in its fellowship because they did not. See to it that their own walk was such that they would have spotted the false person coming in immediately.

Korah's Self-Exaltation and Rebellion Against Moses

But when you have so much self-righteousness cluttering up a church and so much self-willedness cluttering up a church. It's no surprise that they end up splitting in the sin of korah. Self-exaltation you find that in chapter 16 of numbers now korah.

The son of isha the son of koha the son of levi. That means something. That was israel's who's who. That's how you introduce people if you came up and say can I introduce you to korah and you say? Oh, yeah sometime i'm busy at the moment.