Outline: Lesson 34. The multitude of false opinions in the church today, a great sign of God’s wrath upon a people. Part 5. (The enemies of the gospel exposed and condemned)

Worship service 10/22

Greetings and good morning, saints. It is good to gather together in spirit and truth, under the banner of sound doctrine, striving with one mind and one heart for the success of the truth in the midst of general apostasy. Galatians 1:3-5 says, “grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Truly our worship is directed to God the Father, on behalf of and through the work of the Son, who purchased us to be sons of the Father and gave us access to Him by His Holy Spirit working in us that faith which unites us to Himself. Therefore as sons of God justified, forgiven and created anew, we have boldness before Him and are enabled to worship Him in peace and love , while the rest of the world is cut off from access to Him, on account of sin and unbelief. Such were we before we were called, but He gave His only Son for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world. Thus we are called to a life of sanctification and worship. To Jesus Christ be eternal glory. Amen.

Psalm 9.

9 I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

3 For mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.

4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.

5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

6 O enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

7 But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.

8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in due time, even in affliction.

10 And they that know thy name will trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his works.

12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

13 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:

14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: and rejoice in thy salvation.

15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their foot taken.

16 The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.

19 Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

20 Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know that they are but men. Selah.

Previously we noted the necessity of giving glory to God and the example David shows in this Psalm, saying, “I will praise thee with my whole heart” while wicked men boast and credit to themselves at least part of the victory. Now this much is certain, that if men attribute to themselves that which is worthy of credit, honor and glory it is all the same as to steal it from God and bestow it by some kind of perverse sorcery to themselves. For in taking upon themselves the office of creator and redeemer and imagining within themselves the ability to do that which is right in the sight of God apart from and without his effectual grace, they steal the glory He deserves for these works which belong to Himself alone. For the credit and glory belongs to God on behalf of these His works. So David says, “I will praise thee.” and again, “I will show forth all thy marvelous works” declaring plainly that unless we ascribe to God the act of delivering whether by election, or atonement, or regeneration or by Providence we mock him, make nothing of his word, slight his miracles, and all our worship is vain. Therefore those that do not submit to the doctrine of free grace cannot possibly love, adore or worship God in the smallest degree, for that which is His they have taken and arrogated it to themselves. Further we see in the Psalm more concrete evidence of God’s watchful care over His servants, particularly David. For he says, “thou hast maintained my right and cause” evidencing that God preserves the righteous and plentifully provides for those that trust in Him against the hostility and opposition of the enemy. So he adds, “thou hast rebuked the heathen and put out their name” which is a very instructive word full of weight and matter. For the righteous in this life scarcely flourish with the same decadence and worldly grandeur as do the wicked. While they ambitiously strive for the best positions among men and drink down the carnal delights of this world, consumed by sensual appetite the righteous bearing patiently and meekly with God’s provision wait on Him to receive and acquire promotion. And this is inseparable with the glory of God, for the wicked zealously acquire for themselves treasures and glory in their riches, often boasting over the righteous for their success. But here David full of the Spirit prophesies of their downfall by the hand of God who will not suffer their name to continue on the earth. For besides his general and providential judgment on them in this life, on the last day He will vindicate His servants before all the world and destroy the wicked, and the name of the righteous shall remain forever, seeing that we are united to God through the Son. And so this portion of the Psalm teaches us Faith, thanksgiving, patience, hope and confidence. Faith to believe that God is with those that walk uprightly, “thou hast maintained my right” Thanksgiving to God for previous victories, “Thou hast rebuked the heathen” Patience to wait for that which is promised, “he shall judge the world in righteousness” Hope in expectation of the same “he shall judge. He shall minister” And confidence knowing that He will do all we can ask or think and more. 

Calvin writes, “The Psalmist proceeds a step farther in the 4th verse, declaring that God stretched forth his hand to give him succor, because he was unrighteously afflicted by his enemies. And surely if we desire to be favored with the assistance of God, we ought to see to it that we fight under his standard. David, therefore, calls him a judge of righteousness, or, which is the same thing, a righteous judge; as if he had said, God has acted towards me according to his ordinary manner and constant principle of acting, for it is his usual way to undertake the defense of good causes. I am more inclined to render the words, Thou sittest a just judge, than to render them, O just judge, thou sittest, because the form of expression, according to the first reading, is more emphatic. The import of it is this: God at length has assumed the character of judge, and is gone up into his judgment-seat to execute the office of judge. On this account he glories in having law and right on his side, and declares that God was the maintainer of his right and cause. What follows in the next verse, Thou hast destroyed [or discomfited, ] the wicked, belongs also to the same subject. When he beholds his enemies overthrown, he does not rejoice in their destruction, considered simply in itself; but in condemning them on account of their unrighteousness, he says that they have received the punishment which they deserved. Under the name of nations he means, that it was not a small number of ungodly persons who were destroyed, but great armies, yea, even all who had risen up against him from different quarters. And the goodness of God shines forth the brighter in this, that, on account of the favor which he bare to one of his servants, he spared not even whole nations. When he says, Thou hast blotted out their name for ever, it may be understood as meaning, that they were destroyed without any hope of ever being able to rise again, and devoted to everlasting shame. We could not otherwise discern how God buries the name of the ungodly with themselves, did we not hear him declare that the memory of the righteous shall be for ever blessed, (Proverbs 10:7.)”

This act of God in rebuking the wicked by the hand of his servant David is relevant also to our lesson today which is on the different forms of idolatry and heresy which by our word and mouth we will rebuke the wicked and destroy their specious cavils, grinding their idols into powder. Therefore let us give God thanks for the promised victory and beg for grace to overcome them by His Spirit.

Opening prayer,
O righteous Father, Lord and Sovereign of heaven and earth, we beseech thee for grace and strength for the coming battle against the enemy. Our nation is flooded with the wicked and overwhelmed by heresy and diverse opinions. The have followed after idols. As their fathers did so do they. They do not question their doctors or challenge their theologians according to the word of Scripture. They are not concerned with correctness in doctrine or in serving the Lord aright. Hast thou not given strict commandment regarding how to worship thee? Is it not according to faith in thy righteousness and hope in thy promise? But the men of this generation have departed from the doctrine of faith and have wholesale given themselves to a multitude of idolatrous opinions. They have not kept the right way but have forsaken the Lord and bow down to idols. Therefore O Lord, put a weapon in our hands and give us strength from heaven to smite them with the word of truth. For thy word is living and mighty in operation and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even unto the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and it is like a flame of fire and this people is like wood and thy word shall devour them. Therefore give us the grace to overcome them and prevail against them for they speak lies in the name of their god but we will remember the name of the Lord our God forever and ever. Through Christ we are more than conquerors. Help us to conquer. Even as we await thy coming when all the world will be rebuked by the word of thy mouth and thou shalt consume them in thine anger. Let our word go forth as a savor of life to those that have it, let it be the means of bringing others also whom thou wilt call, and let it be the savor of death unto death to those that rebel, that thou mightest receive glory and praise and honor, for the salvation of the righteous through faith and the destruction of the wicked according to their own works. Even so , come Lord Jesus, in whose holy name we pray, Amen

Lesson 34. The multitude of false opinions in the church today, a great sign of God’s wrath upon a people. Part 5. (The enemies of the gospel exposed and condemned)

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.
An evaluation of common heresies in the modern church.
What is heresy?
Gillespie,
Heresy is neither to be so far taken at large as to be extended to every error which may be confuted by scripture, although, haply, such an error be too tenaciously maintained; nor yet is it to be so far restricted as that no error shall be accounted heretical but that which is destructive to some fundamental article of the Christian faith; if, by a fundamental article, you understand such a truth, without the knowledge and faith whereof it is impossible to get salvation. When Peter Martyr defines heresy, he makes no mention of a fundamental error, but of an error contrary to the scriptures, Loc. Com., class. 2, cap. 4, sect. 50. So Calvin (Instit., lib. 4, cap. 2, sect. 5), understands all such to be heretics as make a breach in the church by false doctrines. Walæus (tom. 1, p. 57) says heretical churches do either err in the foundation, or only in some other things built upon the foundation. When Peter speaks of such heresies as take away the very foundation, Jesus Christ, he thinks it too little to call them simple heresies, but he calls these “damnable heresies” [2 Pet. 2:1]. But if you understand by fundamental truths all the chief and substantial principles (I do not mean only the first rudiments, or A, B, C, of a catechism, which we, first of all, put to new beginners; but I mean all such truths as are commonly put in the confessions of faith, and in the more full and large catechisms of the reformed churches; or all such truths as all and every one who lives in a true Christian reformed church are commanded and required to learn and know, as they expect, in the ordinary dispensation of God, to be saved), in this sense I may yield that heresy is always contrary to some fundamental truth.

Calvin, 
Now they treat us as persons guilty of schism and heresy because we preach a doctrine unlike theirs, do not obey their laws, and hold our separate assemblies for prayers, baptism and the celebration of the Supper, and other holy activities. This is indeed a very grave accusation but one that needs no long and labored defense. Those who, by making dissension, break the communion of the church are called heretics and schismatics. Now this communion is held together by two bonds, agreement in sound doctrine and brotherly love. Hence, between heretics and schismatics Augustine makes this sort of distinction: heretics corrupt the sincerity of the faith with false dogmas; but schismatics, while sometimes even of the same faith, break the bond of fellowship. But it must also be noted that this conjunction of love so depends upon unity of faith that it ought to be its beginning, end, and, in fine, its sole rule. Let us therefore remember that whenever church unity is commended to us, this is required: that while our minds agree in Christ, our wills should also be joined with mutual benevolence in Christ. Paul, therefore, while urging us to it, takes it as his foundation that “there is… one God, one faith, and one baptism” [Ephesians 4:5]. Indeed, wherever Paul teaches us to feel the same and will the same, he immediately adds, “in Christ” [Philippians 2:1,5] or “according to Christ” [Romans 15:5]. He means that apart from the Lord’s Word there is not an agreement of believers but a faction of wicked men. (4.2.5)

For the most part men will not admit to either holding heresy or denying essential doctrine, however their beliefs which they state loud and clear in sermons demonstrate unequivocally what they believe and whether or not they truly hold fast to the truth.

Two quotes to prove our contestation,
Turretin on departing from the fundamentals,
“They who quietly rest in the terms of an implied contradiction where there
is opposition in apposition and contradiction in the addition are to be regarded as overthrowing the foundation no less than those who directly attack it.”

Gillespie on heresy,
There was never yet any heretic in the Christian world who contradicted that which is literally and syllabically in scripture. The most damnable heretic will offer to subscribe to the scripture instead of a confession of faith, who yet will not subscribe to all truths which necessarily follow from the words of scripture.

George Gillespie 
I. Particular soul destroying errors.
1. Denial of total depravity, this is primarily demonstrated by saying, man is not as bad as he can be, not every man is as wicked as he can be, Or we can imagine man able to do worse. Or man is merely affected by sin in all his parts. This is to deny the condition man is in after the fall, and therefore stops up all access to faith in Christ as a Savior. This heresy overthrows the doctrine of original sin, and the necessity of man’s redemption through Jesus Christ. There is no mean between the two. Either man is wholly corrupt or he is part righteous. If he is part righteous he is in no need of justification for acceptance and regeneration to believe and is already in favor with God.

2. Fallen man retains the image of God. That is that he retains the material image (holiness) not merely the formal image (soul composed of natural reason).  They bring the unlawfulness of murder as proof. Murder is unlawful for us as respects our office as Christians or equals. But to execute a criminal is neither condemned as unlawful, nor is it the destruction of God’s image, therefore this argument of theirs also falls to the ground. (Samuel himself slew Agag) This heresy militates against the holiness of God in executing judgment on man, against the depravity of man who is utterly indisposed to all good through sin, and regeneration by which the image of God is truly restored in us. 

3. That all men are God’s children.
This is a more common and less formal and articulated heresy held by many professing to be Christian. Man fell into servitude of the devil by his sin, and therefore Christ says of the Jews (his own flesh) you are of your father the devil. This militates against the holiness of God who hates wickedness, the fall which despoiled man of his divine gifts, and adoption by which we are reinstated as children of God by regeneration. “Power to become sons of God”

4. The free offer of the gospel. That is that when the gospel is preached God wants man to respond favorably and calls them, willing for them to come, when by immutable decree he has already prevented them. This places in God a willingness to overthrow His eternal decree for the destruction of the reprobate, and the scripture “God hath made all things for Himself even the wicked for the day of Doom” which conflict can never exist in an immutable God. This doctrine therefore overthrows the immutability of the Godhead, of His decrees, and by consequence, the effectual nature of grace which is necessary to man’s salvation. The gospel is not an offer by which God waits for man to respond. “you have not chosen me but I have chosen you”. If such is the case of their apostolic calling how much more their eternal salvation.

5. That God loves all men. (You in particular) This is held in many liberal and blatantly heretical evangelical churches, but subtly and perniciously in Calvinist churches. Joel Beeke says , “only hyper Calvinists say that God doesn’t love everyone”

John Calvin wrote, “God loves no man outside of Christ” This heresy militates against the sovereignty and holiness of God who hates sinners on account of His eternal will to reprobate them, on account of the fall which renders them obnoxious to His righteousness, and on account of their original sin which consists of guilt and a totally corrupt nature from which flows all transgressions which bring down His peculiar wrath on the world of men. We can explain every passage they bring to their imagined support beginning with John 3.16

6. Common grace. That is that God gives wicked men good things in this life at least in part because of favor towards him. This fits together with their denial of original sin, and insisting that fallen man retains God’s image and God’s universal love. Their own leaders have defined it as, “every good thing falling short of salvation that this undeserving and sin cursed world receives at the hands of God” keyword here is undeserving. Some even go so far as to say that Christ purchased common grace for the reprobate, making the death of Christ about the physical salvation of men doomed to destruction, rather than the actual salvation of the elect from sin. See the redemption of Israel and them perishing in the wilderness for a sufficient refutation. This heresy militates against the justice of God which demands satisfaction for sin, reprobation which places men in high status to make their fall more profound, and the secret curse of God which is mingled with all the blessings of the wicked. “I will curse your blessings” see also Lev. 26. The curse of the covenant. Common grace makes God a liar, saying He will curse all men who live outside of covenant obedience, but still blessing them.

7. Redefining the gospel.
The gospel to the church today is entirely centered on works without any reference to correct doctrine. Belief in physical phenomenon about scripture and submission to Christ as Lord and you’re in. (Theoretically) John Frame said, “as long as you believe in the authority of the Holy scripture I have reason to call you a Christian” and “there are Arminian Christians and Calvinist Christians just as there are Arminian non Christians and Calvinist non Christians.” To them the gospel has nothing to do with doctrine, although we have seen from Calvin , Turretin and Gillespie that the gospel is sound doctrine.
Matters nothing if you hold correctly to original sin, election, limited atonement, sanctification, as long as you say you believe that scripture is the word of God, profess the virgin birth, miracles and the passion of Christ and do works before men, especially them, supporting their ministry, you’re in.  Two observations pertaining to their redefinition of the gospel. First in the positive, what they say the gospel is. Lordship salvation. John MacArthur writes, “The gospel that Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow Him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer. Jesus’ message liberated people from the bondage of their sin while it confronted and condemned hypocrisy. It was an offer of eternal life and forgiveness for repentant sinners, but at the same time it was a rebuke to outwardly religious people whose lives were devoid of true righteousness.
Anyone who claims to be a Christian can find evangelicals willing to accept a profession of faith, whether or not the person’s behavior shows any evidence of commitment to Christ. In this way, faith has become merely an intellectual exercise. Instead of calling men and women to surrender to Christ, modern evangelism asks them only to accept some basic facts about Him.” MacArthur’s gospel is clearly, don’t merely do intellectual works, do works that I can see. Taking the focus from the spiritual (quality)and putting the focus on what is actually accomplished (quantity). His gospel is not justification by faith , as with Luther, Calvin and the godly Reformers, but repentance and submission. This is not a different focus of the same gospel but a different gospel. Free grace does not promote licentiousness, but it does (contrary to MacArthur) declare the gospel as being the entire doctrine of free grace apart from works. Secondly what they say the gospel is not, it is not correct understanding of the atonement. J. I. Packer writes, What has to be said about the cross when preaching the gospel is simply that Christ’s death is the ground on which Christ’s forgiveness is given. And this is all that has to be said. The question of the designed extent of the atonement does not come into the story at all…The fact is that the New Testament never calls on any man to repent on the ground that Christ died specifically and particularly for him. The gospel is not, “Believe that Christ died for everybody’s sins, and therefore for yours,” any more than it is, “Believe that Christ died only for certain people’s sins, and so perhaps not for yours”…We have no business to ask them to put faith in any view of the extent of the atonement. Our job is to point them to the living Christ, and summon them to trust in Him…This brings us to the final ingredient in the gospel message. (A clear denial of limited atonement as essential to a true understanding of Christ. As if one might believe that Christ died for all men and therefore the primary effectual work in salvation is the sinners free will, and also believe that Christ’s death is the meritorious ground of faith) see Gal. 1:4, 2:10
Their Gospel is clearly shown to be works and not grace. Recall to mind Turretin and Gillespie on the consequence of the fundamentals. If they deny the consequence of the atonement that it is therefore on account of it’s efficacy limited in scope, this is a soul destroying error. This heresy militates against the gospel itself and therefore is under the anathema of Paul, if any man preach to you otherwise, let him be accursed. Consequently they must err concerning the doctrine of the church also,

8. Profession of this false gospel (doing works) is a sufficient evidence of grace to call someone a believer. And not even profession of protestantism or Reformed orthodoxy, (remember what Gillespie says pertaining to salvation being restricted to the Reformed church) but profession that Jesus Christ is Lord. Whatever that means to you. Dispensationalist, Catholic, Anabaptist, Antinomian, Pentecostal, Arminian, Amyraldian, even C. S. Lewis. This is the prevailing spirit of deceit in the world, to accept all men as believers regardless of their interpretation of scripture. Correct doctrine means nothing. Faith means nothing. So long as you are zealous about what you believe concerning Christ, you’re passed for a true believer. This is not Christianity but Baal worship. This heresy militates against the doctrine of the church which is evidenced by sound doctrine, the effect of regeneration which is belief in the truth, sanctification by which we grow in the truth, God’s holiness as he is not the approver of heresy, lies and error and the basis for Christian unity and fellowship.

II. Other heretical groups.

7. Arminianism.
That God gives sufficient grace to all men to believe,but not effectual grace causing them to believe. That men must respond to the grace in order to obtain salvation and by their free will, extricate themselves from wrath and place themselves by their own work into God’s favor. That Christ died for all men and made it possible for them to exercise free will in order to be saved. That a person being saved can fall out of that estate. This is a soul destroying doctrine and those who call them believers will be destroyed with them by reason of the afore said. John Knox, Pierre Du Moulin, John Owen, and Christopher Ness have written treatises exposing their errors.

8. Antinomianism.
The belief that the ten commandments are abrogated and void absolutely, no longer binding as a rule of obedience, and that sanctification is not personal, practical and progressive, but merely objective and theoretical, abstracted from the person and identity of the Christian. From this spawns the heresy of eternal justification, redefining faith as realization, and often denying the validity of the Old Testament as a necessary part of Holy scripture.
John Flavel has written a work exposing their damnable errors.

Thomas Watson writes,
Is all Scripture of divine inspiration? (2.) It condemns the Antinomians, who lay aside the Old Testament as useless, and out of date; and call those who adhere to them Old Testament Christians. God has stamped a divine majesty upon both Testaments; and till they can show me where God has repealed the Old, it stands in force. The two Testaments are the two wells of salvation; the Antinomians would stop up one of these wells, they would dry up one of the breasts of Scripture. There is much gospel in the Old Testament. The comforts of the gospel in the New Testament have their rise from the Old. The great promise of the Messiah is in the Old Testament, ‘A virgin shall conceive and bear a son.’ Nay, I say more. The moral law, in some parts of it, speaks gospel – ‘I am the Lord thy God;’ here is the pure wine of the gospel.

9. Dispensationalism.
Replacing the doctrine of Christ and the church with the doctrine of the supremacy of Israel. Does Christ abide in the wicked? Why should we pay them any mind?

10. Anabaptism.
Luther called them demons possessed by worse demons. Gillespie says, “The most damnable heretic will offer to subscribe to the scripture instead of a confession of faith, who yet will not subscribe to all truths which necessarily follow from the words of scripture.” A famous Baptist preacher has called necessary consequence heresy.

11. Roman Catholicism.
The anti Christ, the synagogue of Satan calling themselves the church both legalistic in dogma, justification by works and antinomian in principle, confess to a priest and be blessed in your sin .

12. Liberal theology.
Modern culturally acceptable Christianity. Challenge the accounts of Scripture with new progressive ideas of “morality”.

13. Neo-orthodoxy.
Skeptic Christianity, secular Christianity, Christianity that appeals to the scholastic atheists. Mystical relationship over sound doctrine and historical account.
Contradiction over authority. Mysticism over explanation and exposition. God is infinite and transcendent therefore don’t try. Just invent whatever religion you like and do what you can. Barth says, As ministers we ought to speak of God. We are human, however, and so cannot speak of God. We ought therefore to recognize both our obligation and our inability and by that very recognition give glory to God. Barth is the champion of contradiction theology also called dialectics and therefore is to be regarded as one of the founders of neo Calvinism the religion of MacArthur, Piper, Sproul, Washer, Lawson, Beeke. Remember MacArthur and his inability to explain limited atonement and the love of God. Karl Barth, Emil Brunner, C.S. Lewis were all proponents of neo orthodoxy.
Concluding application, the scripture and confession is a bulwark against all these damnable opinions, but the holy Spirit speaking to us in the scripture, ordinarily by a minister is the only preventative of heresy.

Closing prayer,
Holy and righteous Father, we come before thee empty and broken. Empty because we have no righteousness of our own, and broken in heart because thou dost require it of us. Therefore bear with our infirmities O Lord, forgive us our sins, be merciful to us in Jesus Christ for thy mercies sake that we might rejoice in thee. Grant in us a new spirit, a spirit of life and holiness able and willing to do thy commandments, and keep us from the hour of temptation, delivering us from all evil. Give us a zealous heart and mind striving with one will to do thee service on earth, to love thy church and people and offer our bodies a living sacrifice to God. Put this mind in us and write thy law upon our hearts that we might be well pleasing, an acceptable sacrifice to God. Do it for thy names sake, and on behalf of the Son who is our Righteousness before thee and in whose holy name we pray, Amen. 

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/c6jroWMu-1w