Lesson 30. (Of the False Profession of Hypocrites and Heretics)

Worship service 9/24
Greetings and good morning, saints, it is good once again to gather together before the Lord and worship Him in the sincerity of holiness. Hebrews 12:14 says, without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. This is said in the context of following after peace with our neighbor. Just as Peter also says, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be tenderhearted, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and follow after it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” Without this communion among the saints, and love towards our neighbors no one shall see the Lord. To be holy is to be set apart for the worship and service of God, and as we are set apart as an assembly, a church and people, so we are called to holiness in the pursuit of peace among ourselves and others. Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”

As we prepare our hearts for worship, let us remember that we are called to holiness and peace. 

Psalm 6 When David by his sins had provoked God’s wrath, and now felt not only his hand against him, but also conceived the horrors of death everlasting, he desireth forgiveness. 6 Bewailing that if God took him away in his indignation, he should lack occasion to praise him as he was wont to do while he was among men. 9 Then suddenly feeling God’s mercy, he sharply rebuketh his enemies which rejoiced in his affliction.

To him that excelleth on Neginoth, upon the eighth tune. A Psalm of David.

“O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 

2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. 

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long? 

4 Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. 

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall praise thee? 

6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. 

7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. 

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. 

9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. 

10 Let all mine enemies be confounded and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly. 

David here shows the profound manner in which God chastises His people for sin and the humility it brings out. As the beating of a dusty rug or carpet removes the dirt, and brings back the vibrancy of it’s color, so the Christian when he is beaten with the rod is purged from the sin that blemishes his spiritual beauty. Important to note here is David’s humility even as the king of Israel. The king himself who rules over men must be a beggar before the throne of God.  But see the manner in which God smites His servants. Does He take away their privileges for a time? Yes. David was run out of His kingdom after his sin. Does He take away their possessions? Yes, Israel was plagued with famine and poverty for their idolatry. But the chief manner in which God demonstrates His displeasure is the withdrawal of His comfortable presence, the removal of our chief joy which is immediate knowledge of His favor, and close communion with Him. So here in the Psalm David acknowledges this and says, “rebuke me not” and then, “return O Lord.” The prayer of the penitent is a prayer of repentance and the request of God’s presence to bless us with sanctification and peace. Only when the gracious soul is assured of God’s love will it rest and be at peace, and this is only achieved by obedience which is also the gift of the Spirit. See Ephesians 2:10, “for we are His workmanship”  Also worthy of note is David’s rebuke of his enemies at the end of the Psalm. When we are publicly chastised and openly suffer, those who are outside of God’s favor who have nothing but this world to comfort them believe that the righteous are cursed by their affliction and boast in their carnal security. David responds by saying, “depart from me” for the righteous have no fellowship with the wicked,  “the Lord will hear my prayer” as opposed to their delusions of apparent safety. And, “they will be ashamed” in this life when God exalts us before them, but chiefly in the next when God will set things right before their eyes and we will be vindicated by Christ the King whom we love and whose favor we desire above all things in this world, when He sits on His throne and passes judgment upon all men, those who are His elect people being blessed with eternal life, the reprobate and wicked being eternally cursed and cast into the lake of fire.

Matthew Henry writes,
David was a weeping prophet as well as Jeremiah, and this psalm is one of his lamentations: either it was penned in a time, or at least calculated for a time, of great trouble, both outward and inward. Is any afflicted? Is any sick? Let him sing this psalm. The method of this psalm is very observable, and what we shall often meet with. He begins with doleful complaints, but ends with joyful praises; like Hannah, who went to prayer with a sorrowful spirit, but, when she had prayed, went her way, and her countenance was no more sad. Three things the psalmist is here complaining of:– 1. Sickness of body. 2. Trouble of mind, arising from the sense of sin, the meritorious cause of pain and sickness. 3. The insults of his enemies upon occasion of both. Now here, I. He pours out his complaints before God, deprecates his wrath, and begs earnestly for the return of his favour, Psalms 6:1-7. II. He assures himself of an answer of peace, shortly, to his full satisfaction, Psalms 6:8-10. This psalm is like the book of Job.

An excellent saying of Calvin summarizing this doctrine of fatherly chastisement,
“Those persons are very unsuitably exercised under their afflictions who do not immediately take a near and a steady view of their sins, in order thereby to produce the conviction that they have deserved the wrath of God…It is to be particularly noticed that David does not simply ascribe to God the afflictions under which he is now suffering, but acknowledges them to be the just recompense of his sins. He does not take God to task as if he had been an enemy, treating him with cruelty without any just cause; but yielding to him the right of rebuking and chastening, he desires and prays only that bounds may be set to the punishment inflicted on him. By this he declares God to be a just Judge in taking vengeance on the sins of men. But as soon as he has confessed that he is justly chastised, he earnestly beseeches God not to deal with him in strict justice, or according to the utmost rigour of the law. He does not altogether refuse punishment, for that would be unreasonable; and to be without it, he judged would be more hurtful than beneficial to him: but what he is afraid of is the wrath of God, which threatens sinners with ruin and perdition. To anger and indignation David tacitly opposes fatherly and gentle chastisement, and this last he was willing to bear. We have a similar contrast in the words of Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 10:24,) “O Lord,” says he, “correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger.” God is, indeed, said to be angry with sinners whenever he inflicts punishment upon them, but not in the proper and strict sense, inasmuch as he not only mingles with it some of the sweetness of his grace to mitigate their sorrow, but also shows himself favorable to them, in moderating their punishment, and in mercifully drawing back his hand.”

Let us therefore remember that in all our afflictions, many of which are brought upon us by own own fault, not to complain at the smart of the rod, but submit to it and pray as David does for deliverance, knowing that the safest way out of the waters of affliction is through the sea of God’s mercy, His own voice calming the storm and the soft winds of His Spirit guiding us and moving us in the way of peace. 

Opening prayer,
O Father of mercy and Lord of comfort, we beseech thee as an afflicted people, a broken and scattered people. We know that we have brought this condition upon ourselves because of sin, our fathers have walked after vanity and they have lifted up their hands to a strange God. The whole world is swallowed up in ignorance, and the false church chooses for itself a god after their own devices. They have invented for themselves an idol that accepts them on the basis of their own righteousness, even wicked men hoping to be justified by the same that condemns them, their abominable works. Therefore judge them after their deeds but not unto salvation. Show them thy righteousness O Lord and punish them for their iniquity, for though they speak fair with their mouths boasting that they are Reformed, or Calvinistic, or evangelical, yet in their hearts they work wickedness and devise evil doctrine. They mingle with the wicked, they have fellowship with idolaters and devil worshipers. They invent for themselves new doctrine that allows for them to practice iniquity and then they say, “we shall have peace” when they and their fathers have departed from the living God. Shall there be peace? Shall not God avenge himself on such a nation and people as this? Therefore we await that day of judgment with eagerness, and hope confidently that thou wilt bless the righteous and curse the wicked. We pray for thy blessing and protection upon us for we ourselves are so prone to depart from the right way. Save us O Lord according to thy promise, for in thy word do we hope. Revive us O Lord and call a people to thyself from the broken rubble and ruins that thou mightest make a name for thyself and thy people shall praise thee forever, for thou O Lord alone canst do it. Establish thy church and cause us to worship thee in humility knowing that we have procured evil for ourselves but thou hast purchased us with thy blood and promised us everlasting life according to the righteousness in the Son. Cause us therefore by the blessing of the Spirit to worship His holy name forever, Jesus Christ who is the strength of Israel, the peace and security of Jerusalem, the salvation of thy people, whose name alone is salvation and in whose holy name we pray, Amen. 

Lesson 30. The multitude of false opinions in the church today, a great sign of God’s wrath upon a people. Part 1. Of the false profession of hypocrites and heretics.

And, indeed, considering 1. what a Babel of opinions, what a strange confusion of tongues, there is this day among them who 2. profess they speak the language of Canaan, there is no 3. intelligent person but will conclude that advice of the prophet 4. especially suited to such an age as this, Isa. viii. 20, To the law, and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because 5. there is no light in them.

Intro. 
1.That there is a language of grace as opposed to works.
2. That the multitude of opinions contrary to the received doctrine are not other forms and expressions of Christianity but false religions utterly inconsistent with the language of Canaan. Rom. 10:2-3, Gal. 1:8-10, Jer. 11:13-14
3. The substance of idolatry that the prophets preached against was self righteousness.
4. The common opinion in the Reformed churches today is that Arminianism, antinomianism, and other heresies are weaker forms of Christianity and true believers are found in their circles.
i. Heresy is the punishment of God upon a disobedient and idolatrous people. Gen. 11:1-9, Jer. 5, 2 Thess. 2:8-12
ii. The devil’s children unite and have concord with the devil’s children. It is not so with believers. Members of the true faith have no fellowship with idols.  2 Cor. 6:14-18, 2 John 9-11

2. That even among those who profess the true religion there are those who cannot consistently speak the language of grace.
i. The doctrine taught in scripture is justification by faith. Rom. 3 and 4
What is justification by faith? 
ii. Uniting with Arminians is inconsistent with it. Phil. 3:3, 2 John 9
iii. Common grace is inconsistent with it. Ps. 73:16-20, 
iv. The free offer is inconsistent with it. Matt. 11:25-27, Matt. 13:10-11, Mark 4:33-34
v. Denying Original sin is inconsistent with it. Gen. 6:5, Rom. 3:9-20
vi. Calling men Christian based on their profession is inconsistent with it. Isa 1, Matt. 7:21-23, Jer. 5:1-2.

Conclusion, review the outline, prepare for part 2.

Closing Prayer. 

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/0b2GKf-YsmA