Salvation From Seeking Man's Honour — Zac Poonen

The Two Trees: Knowledge of Good and Evil or Life in the Spirit

When Adam went into the Garden of Eden, he had a choice of two trees. One was a tree of knowledge of good and evil and the other was a tree of life. What is wrong with knowing the difference between good and evil?

Don't we seek to teach our children what is good and what is evil? Why did God say that if you eat of that tree you will die? Many Christians have not understood that. They only know that if you do evil you will die.

But if you just know good and evil, how can you die? We need to understand that. The tree of life is a picture of life in the Holy Spirit. And so what God was telling Adam was this. You have a choice of two ways in which to live.

One is you take the knowledge of good and evil inside and then you decide yourself what is good and evil. The other is you say I don't know what is good and evil so I have to refer to the Holy Spirit all the time.

And those are the same two choices that we face today as believers. And so when we read this book, the Bible, this can be for you a tree of knowledge of good and evil. Or you can go through this book to the tree of life which is the Holy Spirit.

Many people go only by what is written here. They go and study in Bible schools and fill their head with the knowledge of good and evil. The more they study, the more dead they become. But if you go to the Holy Spirit, you get life.

So the purpose of scripture is to drive us to the Holy Spirit. Now you see the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life in 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 6. Now you see the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life in 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 6.

The New Covenant Versus the Letter of the Law

The meaning of these two trees is explained in the New Covenant. God has made us servants of a new covenant. And what is the difference between a servant of the New Covenant and a servant of the Old Covenant?

We may say that we are not living in Old Testament times. But most Christians live with the spirit of the Old Testament. I showed you Romans 6 .14 that if you are defeated by sin, you are under the law.

Romans 6 .14 is the clearest test of whether you are under law or under grace. Romans 6 .14 is the clearest test of whether you are under law or under grace. It is so clear there that even a child can understand.

If sin rules over you, you are under law. If you can overcome sin, then it is a proof that you have come under grace. If you can overcome sin, then it is a proof that you are under grace. And here it is said in 2 Corinthians 3 .6 The spirit of the Old Covenant is the spirit of the letter of the law.

That is the letter, not the spirit. But it says here God has not made us servants of the letter. But it says here God has not made us servants of the letter. That means we don't just read the scripture and study it like some chemistry formula and try to apply it.

That means we don't just read the scripture and study it like some chemistry formula and try to apply it. When I see some believers trying to argue from scripture, I can sense this man is a servant of the letter.

When I see some believers trying to argue from scripture, I can sense this man is a servant of the letter. I am not saying we should not obey everything written in the New Testament. But you can obey according to the letter or according to the spirit.

But if you obey according to the letter, it says here the letter kills. But if you obey according to the letter, it says here the letter kills. The knowledge of good and evil will kill you. But if you come to the tree of life, to the Holy Spirit, He will give you life.

So when we read the scriptures, we must try to understand, see the Holy Spirit speaking to us. So when we read the scriptures, we must try to understand, see the Holy Spirit speaking to us. Let me give you a classic example from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 13.

Reading Scripture Through the Holy Spirit

Let me give you a classic example from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 13. Where we read about people who were the religious leaders in Jerusalem who read the Bible every week. Where we read about people who were the religious leaders in Jerusalem who read the Bible every week.

Just like we have Sunday services where the word of God is preached. Just like we have Sunday services where the word of God is preached. In those days they had the Saturday meetings in the synagogue.

In those days they had the Saturday meetings in the synagogue. Their Bible was Genesis to Malachi. And they read it and studied it every Saturday. And they read it and studied it every Saturday. And what did that book say?

From Genesis to Malachi, every book was speaking about Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Malachi, every book was speaking about Jesus Christ. Right from Genesis. The seed of the woman will crush the serpent's head.

Right up to Malachi. Where he is called the son of righteousness that will arise. Or he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. It's all about Jesus. Every book in the Old Testament is a picture of Christ.

Every book in the Old Testament is a picture of Christ. But when Jesus came into that synagogue,. But when Jesus came into that synagogue, these people who studied the scriptures, these people who studied the scriptures, called him Beelzebul, prince of devils.

Called him Beelzebul, prince of devils. Even the non-Christian people say that Jesus is a great prophet. Even the non-Christian people say that Jesus is a great prophet. They have some respect for Christ.

But the people who studied the Bible called him devil. Because they did not try to understand the scriptures through the Holy Spirit. That is what I have against most Bible schools today. And this is what I still believe against many Bible schools.

They are more interested in getting a degree than in being filled with the Holy Spirit. And then they go astray. And why do they want that degree? To add a little tail to their name. And to get a job.

This is the right place. But this is not the way of God. This is the way of the knowledge of good and evil. So, Acts 13 verse 27 Those who live in Jerusalem and their religious leaders it's talking about.

They could not recognize him. And they could not recognize the voices of the prophets. Which they read every Sabbath. Do you think that's possible today? That Christians read it every day? In those days, they didn't have a Bible in their home, so they could only read it on the Sabbath day when they go to the synagogue.

But now we have it in our home, we can read it every day. And we can be as blind as those people. We read it every day and we don't see Jesus. We read it every day and we don't see Jesus. We see doctrines.

The doctrines that we use to argue and debate with other Christians. I have been a believer for more than 50 years. Having walked with God most of those years. And seen so many types of preachers. And heard many of them.

Now, I can make out when I listen to a man. Whether he has gone to the tree of knowledge of good and evil or whether he has gone to the tree of life. Whether he is speaking something he has just studied in his head.

Or somebody else preached and he is just vomiting it out now. Or whether the man knows the Lord. And I teach people in my church. You don't just listen to the words a man speaks. Learn to discern his spirit.

Does he know the Lord? If he does not know the Lord. All he can give you is clever ideas and clever thoughts. Which has made him proud. And which will make you also proud. Be careful. God's word is not given to us to know good and evil.

God's word is given to us that we might have life. You see Jesus said to the Pharisees in John 5. Here again you see the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life again in the New Testament.

Coming to Christ Rather Than Merely Studying Scripture

I told you this book can be the tree of knowledge of good and evil or the tree of life. That depends on you. I see what Jesus said in John 5 .39. You search the scriptures that means you read the Bible.

Because you think that in those words there is eternal life. You read it, you study it. Or go to Bible school and get a degree from it. Put out you think eternal life is there. And they study the Greek and Hebrew and so many things.

And they look up concordances and dictionaries and get so much knowledge. And they listen to so many preachers and get so many clever ideas to preach. But they were dead. Why? Because he says you threw the scripture you did not come to me.

It says these things verse 39 are supposed to be talking about me. But you don't come to me. You come to the book. And you can't get life. You get knowledge. Just like 6000 years ago Adam reached out for knowledge.

Today also most Christians reach out for knowledge. And so they get understanding. They don't get life. Jesus did not come to give us knowledge of good and evil. He came to give us life. And when you have life.

That will always tell you what is right and wrong. Otherwise we can have information in our head. Many times in some of our conferences we have question answer sessions. I find from the type of questions people ask.

Can a Christian do this? What is wrong in doing that? How much can we do this? What type of movies can we watch and we should not watch? That is like little children asking. On a railway platform. How close can I stand to the edge of the platform when the train is coming in?

How close can I stand to the edge of the platform when the train is coming in? Papa, how close can I stand to the edge of the platform? When the train is coming in. 3 inches, 6 inches. What will a sensible father say?

He will say stand as far as you can. How much can I do without becoming worldly? They are not seeking for life. How close can I go to the edge of the cliff without falling down? These are all babies. Grown up people are not trying to find out how close to go to the edge of the cliff.

Proud people are not trying to find out how close to go to the edge of the cliff. Today, a generation of Christians is growing up who are always asking what is wrong in doing this? What is wrong in doing that?

They do not want life. They want rules. This man of God said this thing is okay. Then we can do it. They live by rules. When you live by rules, it is a proof that you don't have life. It means you are in spiritual death.

Life in the Spirit Rather Than Rule-Keeping

I will give you an example of this. See, when people have leprosy, When people have leprosy, My wife used to work as a doctor in leprosy, so I know about it. And when people have leprosy, their hands, legs, skin, and sense organs get damaged.

So, So, So, they can put their hands on a hot pan, and they will not feel anything. They can put their hands on a hot steel plate. And they don't feel anything because their senses are gone. Or a thorn can get into their foot.

They don't know anything. So, we have to give them laws. Don't touch hot stoves without finding out if it is hot or cold. When you see one stainless steel vessel in a kitchen, first find out if it is hot or cold.

Don't touch it. When you see one stainless steel vessel in a kitchen, first find out if it is hot or cold. At night before you go to bed, Look under your feet if there are any thorns there. And we have to give them so many such rules because they don't feel anything.

Do you need such rules? Don't you need a rule? As soon as you touch a hot steel plate, your hand will come off. Why, because of some law? No, because you have got life in your hands. When you have life, you don't need a law.

Why do you not have to check your feet at night if there are any thorns? If you walk somewhere and a thorn comes, immediately you will know because you have got life. So, where there is life, you don't need laws.

But where there is no life, you need laws. So, when people have not come into the new covenant of life in the Holy Spirit, you have to make laws for them. Like we make laws for children. Brush your teeth.

Change your underclothes. Go and have a bath. Finish your homework. Eat the vegetables. How many laws do you make? Why don't proud people need such laws? Your father doesn't have to tell you now to brush your teeth.

When we need laws, it's because we are babies. Or, we don't have life. That is the meaning of Galatians 5. Verse 18. Galatians 5 .18. If you are led by the Holy Spirit, you are not under the law. But if you are not led by the Holy Spirit, you don't seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day.

But you need rules. Don't look at the cinema posters. Don't go to the cinema theatre. Don't watch these television programs. You have to make a list of 30 -40 television programs you should not watch.

But one day they may add a new program which is not in that list. What do you do? Then you have to go to the man of God again and find out, this new program, can I watch it or not? But when you have life, when you are watching something on television, the life inside will tell you, turn off that channel.

Just like if you touch a hot plate, immediately the whole life says, take your hand away. So, supposing you are on the computer and some pornographic channel comes up. Immediately your life will say, get away from there.

Get up and run. Turn off the computer. Change the channel. And if the computer is slow to change the channel, turn it off. Sometimes computer takes some time to change the screen. 5 -10 seconds. Pull out the plug, it will stop immediately.

Don't say, okay, after 5 seconds I will... When you touch a hot stove, you say, ah, I will just keep it for 5 seconds. 5 seconds is enough to burn your hand. And that's what happens, you watch this for 5 seconds on the computer screen.

And when you watch this for 5 seconds, this is what happens. It is burned into your memory. And it will come out in your dreams. That's why you have those dirty sexual dreams at night. Because you don't have life.

We don't take out your hand immediately. And you don't even keep the law which says, turn it off. Moses came down from the mountain with 10 commandments. Plus, in Leviticus and Numbers and all, another 603 commandments.

Total 613 commandments. That's what he came down from the mountain with. And he said, keep these 613 commandments. So, they had to have a special group called the scribes, who had to study these commandments and tell people what to do.

So, somebody did not know what to do, he goes to the scribe and says, what do I do in this situation? Jesus came down from heaven and brought a great salvation. Instead of 613 commandments, he went up to heaven.

Sent the Holy Spirit. See the difference? Moses came down with 613 commandments. God, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. And he said these words, now, in the new covenant, Matthew 13, verse 52. Have you seen this verse?

Read the Bible slowly. The scribe must now become a disciple. There is a difference between a scribe and a disciple. A scribe studies the scripture. And tries to understand. And he will get laws. A disciple follows Jesus.

Filled with the Holy Spirit. Inwardly, he is constantly told what to do, what not to do. He doesn't have to remember like the Israelites, oh, rule number 517, said this. The Holy Spirit tells him. I told you these lepers, you have to give them so many laws and they have to remember all that.

But we have life, you don't need those laws. That's what happens when you become a disciple. This is the great salvation, Jesus has brought. So like I have been saying in every session, it all leads back to the Holy Spirit.

That's why right in the second verse of Genesis, you read about the Holy Spirit. And even in the last verses of Revelation, you read the Holy Spirit is saying, come and drink of the water of life. He is not saying, come, I will teach you some laws.

Revelation 22, 17, the Spirit says, come and drink of the water of life. This is the important thing, brothers and sisters. You can make out when a preacher is preaching laws and when he is preaching life.

Spiritual Maturity and the Root of the Tree

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Corinthians 13, verse 11, when I was a child, I spoke like a child. I thought like a child. I began to argue like a child. When I became a man, I don't speak like a child.

I don't think like a child. I don't argue like a child. You know how children argue? Silly ways. So the Old Testament, they were like children. Jesus has saved us from that. We are not now to think and speak like children.

Salvation has saved us from that. And like men, from our life, has that become true in your life, my brothers and sisters? Why has it not become like that? John the Baptist said this in Matthew chapter 3.

The axe, in Matthew 3 .10, the axe is laid to the root of the tree. We can say the Old Testament law was like a pair of scissors that kept on cutting the bad fruit. I will tell you, I will show you a picture of what I think many believers are like.

They are like a bad tree, always producing bad fruit. But they don't want anybody to see the bad fruit. So they keep a pair of scissors ready. As soon as the bad fruit comes, they cut it off. Bad mangoes, let's say.

I will cut it off. They go to the market. Buy a whole lot of very good mangoes and tie it up in this tree. People go by and say, Brother, what a wonderful mango tree you have. Always I see full of good fruit.

This is the type of deception that most Christians live by. They have to pretend and act spiritual. But John the Baptist and Jesus said, there is a better solution. Throw away the scissors. Take an axe and hit the root of the tree and pull out the whole tree.

Then what should you do? Plant a good tree. Then you won't have to go to the market to get the fruit. You will have to go to the market and get the fruit. You won't have to have scissors to cut off the bad fruit.

Naturally, you will be gracious. Naturally, your eyes will become pure. Naturally, your tongue will be controlled. Naturally, you will be good to others. That is life. Many people, when they go to church, they hear messages and they say, I've got to behave like that.

It's something like training your dog to behave like a cat. Supposing you send your dog every Sunday to some coaching classes to behave like a cat. It's not really a cat. But every Sunday, you send it to Sunday morning 10 o 'clock, 9 .30 to go and sit in this one-hour class to be taught how to behave like a cat.

And for two hours, the preacher teaches you how to behave like a cat. Never say, bow-wow. Say, meow, meow. So that it's trained. And it comes home and it tries and it says, meow, meow. But one day, another dog comes and glares its teeth at that.

It forgets all about this training and says, bow-wow. This is a picture of what happens when believers go to church. Nature has not changed. But they are being trained don't do this, do this, do this, behave like a Christian.

They go home and in the office try to behave like a Christian. Until somebody really provokes them, then they behave like the child. Is there a solution from this? There is, my brothers and sisters. That is where you are willing to die to yourself and let the Holy Spirit fill your life.

That is the meaning of putting the axe to the root. Where you are now seeking to please God and not man. That is one of the fundamental things which God is testing in our life. Whom do you want to impress?

Humility, Faith, and the Pharisees' Unbelief

You know why the Pharisees could not believe? Do you know why the Pharisees could not believe? I told you earlier that the great thing which Jesus Christ praised was that he was a deceitful person, a person without deceit, an honest person.

Have you seen the two verses in the Gospels where it says Jesus was surprised? Isn't there anything that would surprise Jesus? Only twice. In the Gospels it says, Jesus was surprised. Let me show you that.

Matthew chapter 8. This is an unconverted Roman military man. He never read the Bible, never gone to a synagogue or temple. But when he saw Jesus, he sensed this is a man of God. He could recognize something in Jesus.

So when his servant was sick he came to Jesus Matthew 8 verse 5 and 6 and pleaded with him please come and heal my servant. I don't know how many kilometers he walked to meet Jesus from his house. How many of you will walk so many kilometers to take your servant to a hospital?

To take your son to a hospital you may walk any distance. But a servant? Will you walk so many kilometers to bring some healing for your servant? You really have to be a very humble man who believes in the equality of all human beings to do that.

I find even among believers there is a caste system. Social levels. Educated rich people and uneducated poor people. I remember when I was a young Christian. Every church I went to, I went to different denominations.

I always saw the board members who were rich and educated big shots in the community. I said, how can this be? You mean the most spiritual people in this church are all the rich people with big jobs? Why does some poor man is not made an elder?

And I saw that it is because the church worshipped money that they appointed all these big people as board members. In every Christian church and organization I saw that. I was young. When I compared it with Jesus who chose fishermen and ordinary people to be his disciples, I said this is not the Christianity of Jesus Christ.

I said, Lord, I don't know whether you will ever use me to build a church. But if I ever build a church, I will not appoint all these rich educated people as board members. I will choose godly people whether they are poor, low level of society.

And that is the principle we have followed in all our 40 -50 churches that we have planted. We don't care what job a man has in society. This Roman centurion had a respect for his servant. That's the first thing you need to recognize, his humility.

Then you see a second example of his humility. When he asked Jesus, Jesus said, yeah, I'll come to your house. What would you say? Jesus said, I'll come to your house. Sure, come. Roman centurion said no.

Lord, I'm too small a man for you to come to my house. This is a captain of the country that's ruling Israel. But his humility in the presence of this carpenter Jesus. Respect. Lord, I'm not worthy that you should come in my house.

I just want to show you his humility. That is why he had faith for the healing of his servant. He said, Lord, just speak the word and my servant will be healed. Even five kilometers away he'll be healed.

Because I know when I tell my soldiers to go, they go. You tell this disease to go, it'll go. And when Jesus heard this, he was surprised. Verse 10. This is the first time we read, he was surprised. What was it that surprised him?

Such faith in a man who's not even a believer. Turned around and told all the people. See this. All you people standing here. See this. I have never seen such faith anywhere in Israel. Now you know, we as Christians don't know how to express appreciation for people.

I found this particularly in India. We don't appreciate people. When was the last time you said some appreciative words to your wife? Maybe 20 years ago? Probably never in your whole life. When was the last time you sisters said an appreciative word to your husband?

Do you say appreciative words to your children? Do you say appreciative words to other brothers and sisters in the church? We are absolute misers. We are misers with money and we are misers with saying words of appreciation.

And we have an excuse for it. Oh, if we appreciate him, he may get puffed up and he may become proud. Why didn't Jesus think, oh, if I say these words, this Roman centurion may get a big head? He was not afraid of all that.

Why do we think like that? Because we ourselves get puffed up when somebody praises us. We think others are also like that. They are not like you, brother. You may get puffed up, they don't get puffed up.

Jesus said, I've never seen faith like this in Israel. I'll tell you, if you want your children to grow up in a good way, speak words of appreciation to them. If you want to build a good relationship with your husband or wife, speak words of appreciation.

Now don't make this rule number 835. Brother Zach said, rule number 835, speak words of appreciation to my husband and wife. If you don't mean it, don't say it. But let it become life in you. If there's something good in a brother, I must appreciate it.

Such people, Jesus appreciated this man's faith. Now, see the second time, Jesus was surprised. Mark 6. When he came to his hometown, Nazareth, verse 1, many people couldn't really believe that this carpenter who grew up is now the son of God.

So, verse 5, he could not do any miracle there except a few sick people. And verse 5, he was surprised. Verse 6, at their unbelief. This is the second time Jesus was surprised. Only two times Jesus was surprised.

When he saw faith, when he saw unbelief, he is the same today. Yesterday, today, forever. He is surprised when he sees faith in somebody. He will do amazing things if you have faith. And he is surprised when he sees unbelief.

He says, after all that I have done for you all these years, you still can't trust me? Look back over your life and see what for you. And still you can't trust me. I am surprised that you are unbelieving.

Salvation From Seeking the Honour of Men

And, why is that? Because, we have unbelief because we don't have humility. We seek honor from men. If you want to have more faith, if you want to surprise Jesus by your faith, it's amazing what he will do for you.

See, John chapter 5, verse 44, how can you believe when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that comes only from God? You know, when we seek honor from others, we want people in the church to think nicely of you.

We want some elder brother to have a good opinion about you. You will never have faith. There is a close connection between seeking honor from men and unbelief. There is a close connection between seeking only God's glory and faith.

He says there, how can you have faith when you seek honor from others? You don't seek only the glory of God. It says here, the glory from the one and only God, that's how it says in English. How does he say one and only God?

Because, when we seek honor from people, they are treating them also like God. Supposing, I preach a sermon, or you preach a sermon, and I want to impress people. You know, I think a lot of preachers are like that.

They want to know what do people think of my sermon. That's why they listen to so many messages to try and produce some clever thoughts to impress people. What are they actually saying? They are standing in the pulpit, and they are bowing down before all the people, and saying, oh my gods, please, I hope you think nicely of me.

I hope you all appreciate my sermon, because you are my gods. I worship your opinion about me. You are an idolater. You are not bowing down before stone and brass images, but people. Jesus says there's only one and only one God.

You must not care for the opinion of people. What does God think about you? That's all that matters. Let anybody think anything else. You know, I remember when I was a young preacher, I had a big struggle with this.

You know,.

When you're young, you want to impress people. And I'll tell you how the Lord set me free from that. That is a great salvation to be free from the opinions of people. Most people in the world, politicians, businessmen, preachers, they're all slaves of people's opinion.

That is a great salvation when you're saved from that. This is how the Lord saved me. I started preaching when I was 22 years old. 50 years ago. I would say, I hope these people are impressed with my sermon.

I would be quite nervous and try to say some clever things to impress people. Till one day, I read this verse. Isaiah, chapter 2, verse 22. That's a great verse for me. Stop regarding man whose breath of life is in his nostrils for why should he be esteemed.

This is a.

Word of God to my heart. Don't care for man. Their breath is in their nostrils. Whatever the color of their skin may be. Brown or black or yellow or white. When the breath is taken away, they become dust.

That's what the Lord was saying. The only thing that prevents that man from becoming dust is that I've given him breath. The Lord says, if I take away that breath, the fellow will become dust. That's what he says here.

So, that was a help to me. The Lord said, now look at all these people sitting in front of you like piles of dust. Black dust, brown dust, yellow dust, white dust, all here and there. And I used to imagine, supposing I'm standing on a beach, and there are 200 piles of dust there.

I'm preaching to them. I'm not bothered about their opinion. That set me free. Then I could have faith. How can you believe when you seek honor from one another? Salvation is by faith. Not just forgiveness of sin.

Salvation from all the evil we have inherited from Adam. How shall I get this salvation by the life of Jesus? By faith. And that faith can come only if I am free from the honor of man. One of the things that the devil infected Adam with was pride.

And that infection of pride has come down to all of us. That's what makes us seek honor from people. That's what makes us compare ourselves with others. That's what makes us proud when we play an instrument well or sing well.

Or we do something and we want other people to know what we did for the Lord. Look at all the reports that Christian organizations send to America to show what we are doing for the Lord here. There are hundreds of Christian organizations always sending reports.

Because they want to impress all the white piles of dust lying over there. See what a work we are doing for God in India. And also to get money from there. Can you imagine Jesus doing that? Can you imagine Jesus sending reports to Rome and all that to show what a great work I am doing for God?

Do you think these people are Christians? They are like this Coca-Cola company sending reports and all these different companies sending reports of their work. They are following the ways of the world.

And they call it Christian work. It is not Christian work. It is 100 Babylon. Because they are not following Jesus. Jesus never sent any reports of his work to anybody. He didn't want any money. He didn't want any appreciation.

He only wanted his father to know what he was doing. If you don't get free from seeking the honor of men, you will not experience salvation. I remember I was a young man. The Lord taught me this. Never, never give a report of your work to anybody.

No photographs, no reports, nothing. And we have followed that rule for 35 years in all of our churches in India. This is the picture the Lord gave me at the beginning. You know, in the olden days we had these cameras where you had to put a roll inside and then click.

You modern young people may not know those days. We are all digital cameras now. In the olden days we had to buy a reel, put it inside the camera and then click, click, maybe 16 photographs. And then we had to be very careful, rewind the reel.