“Who is this young wiper snapper coming in here and telling me I’m a sinner. Hear that southern accent! must be one of them hell fire and brimstone teachers. Well, I’m here to tell you that I don’t sin! I’m a Christian!”

Or perhaps there are some of you who are sitting there thinking, “I’m not into this “Christian” movement, I’m a good person, I don’t really have anything to do with this whole sin thing. Just ask around, there’s no one to accuse me of sinning!”

Well, bear with me a second and lets look at the position, that says “I’m a good person! I haven’t anything to do with Gods rules! you aren’t talking about me! I’m not a sinner.” We have made some great advances in technology and some really amazing things are possible these days. Imagine that when you were born, they had an extremely tiny recording device that they assigned to you and it followed you around your whole life. Then, finally, you pass on and get your opportunity to stand before God.

God takes one look at you and say’s, “You are a sinner.” and you say “Whoa God! Those are harsh words. I didn’t have anything to do with your rules and regulations, I was enlightened, I was a good person by all accounts, what do your rules have to do with me, why would I be judged by what you say is right and wrong?”

Now lets imagine at this point that God abdicates, which is just a fancy way to say sets aside, His divine right as creator and say’s, “You know, you are right. I’ve decided that I’m not going to judge you by my rules! I’m going to judge you by your rules!” Whoot, you are thinking “Yes! My rules are the best! I’m good for paradise now!”

Then God reaches out and calls to the stand exhibit A, that little recorder that followed you through life. And He reaches out and hits the play button, and you hear yourself at two years old screaming, “Mine! Mine! You can’t take my stuff!” and God looks at you and says “Your made your first commandment ‘Thou shall not steal’! oh I like that one.” Then He fast forwards a little bit and you hear yourself at age seven saying, “You can’t lie to people, that’s wrong!”. . .

I suppose now you can see how this is going to play out. You have, of your own volition, painted yourself in a corner. Even if you don’t like to subscribe to God’s rules you can’t contradict the fact that you fail to even live by the standards you set for yourself and others around you, how much less the standards set by your Creator!

Now, lets take a more in-depth look at our passage. First, a quick overview of the book of 1 John is in order.

As one of Christ’s apostles, John spoke authoritatively about the truth of the Incarnation, a message his doubting readers needed after hearing false teachers deny the full divinity and humanity of Christ. John reaffirmed the core of Christianity, saying that either we evidence the sound doctrine, obedience, and love that characterize all Christians, or else we are not true Christians. When all the basics of faith are in operation, we not only know joy but can live a holy life and be reassured of salvation – even though we are still far from perfect. This assurance comes especially as we find ourselves learning to “love one another” as brothers and sisters in Christ. John wrote this general letter to congregations across Asia Minor (now Turkey) in the late first century A.D.

Our scripture today directly addresses the basics of faith so that we may not only know joy but can live a holy life and be reassured of salvation. I’m going to follow the same outline as Mr. John Piper and break this text into three parts: 1.The Foundation (Verse 5) – God Is Light 2.The Application (Verses 6-7) – Walk in the Light 3.The Clarification (Verses 8-10) – Don’t Claim to Be Without Sin

This text is particularly addressed to those who call themselves Christians. So, while the non-Christian can certainly profit from these versus and we can and will easily demonstrate the need for salvation from them, keep in mind that it was written with you, the Christian, in mind.

5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

God is none of the depressing and confusing things that darkness represents. God is undoubtedly not darkness, nor is there any darkness in him at all. This verse clearly points out the nature of God. God is all the wonderful and illuminating things that light represents. Spiritually speaking God is a bright sunny fall day, His light reflects off the still water of our prayers, and brings out the radiant colors of the leaves of our lives. This is what we are called to imitate, what must directly influence us in our Gospel work.

6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Let’s look at the term “walk” and how it is used. It is commonly known that to walk, as scripture uses the term, means to order and frame the course and actions of the moral life. So that, to walk in the darkness would mean, to quote Matthew Henry, “to order and frame the course and actions of your life according to such ignorance, error, and erroneous practice, as are contrary to the fundamental dictates of our holy religion.”

You can see then, how one individual, walking in the gloom of darkness and confused by the indistinct shapes of things around them, might say to those within hearing, “I walk with God! Here, look at the fruit of my labor!” But due to their confusion and lack of illumination the fruit they hold out for inspection is riddled with wormholes of wickedness and rotten spots of unrighteousness.

If you purpose to walk in the Light, then the brilliance of the light that is God, dancing through the leaves of your life, will clearly illuminate the fruit of your harvest.

Those that walk in the light clearly see the state of their lives, you can avoid those dangerous areas in the forest of this world, and when you find yourself caught up in the brambles of this world and your fruit being starved by the weeds of wickedness growing around you; simply turn the Christ who can and will cleanse you from all sin! Use the light to actively improve the fruit of your life by taking actions illuminated by God and relying on the blood of Christ to do that which you can not!

Therefore, we should strive to walk in the Light, to order and frame the course and actions of our lives according to the fundamental ways of God. And we as we do so, we receive the benefits of having fellowship with God and with each other.

8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

As I demonstrated earlier, every single one of us is a sinner, and we continue to sin. According to verse eight, none of us may claim to be without sin, if we do, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us!

This verse is here to ensure clarity so that the religious lawmakers don’t twist this teaching in such a way as to claim perfection. There are certainly some, perhaps you are among them, which feel and believe that once you give your life to Christ you no longer sin. Untrue! Once we give our lives to Christ, we correctly spend the rest of our lives struggling against the flesh and striving to so order and frame the course of our lives as to reflect Christ in us, but we regularly fail! Not one of us is perfect and completely free of sin.

So then, what do we true Christians, who continue to fail and sin, do about it? Verse 9 clarifies this for us as well, we confess our sins! This is not some one time deal where we come to Christ, admit to being sinners, and then never have to talk about it again. It is a daily, for many of us an hourly, practice.

I admonish you as Christians, use the light to be aware of your sins and confess them. Do not deceive yourselves by choosing darkness over the light! As you pray to God daily, confess your sins daily, strive for the self-discipline only available through the power of God to overcome those sins.

To quote Hodges:

“The more holy a man is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome. Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they pray. They are always subject to the constant chastisement of their Father’s loving hand, which can only be designed to correct their imperfections and to confirm their graces. And it has been notoriously the fact that the best Christians have been those who have been the least prone to claim the attainment of perfection for themselves.”

By all means, do not claim to be without sin! That statement directly calls God a liar, which we label as blaspheme and is of itself a Sin!

I very much hope of have encouraged those Christians here today to continue to take the issue of sin more seriously and to proactively seek God in confessing those sins, in order that you may more fully enjoy fellowship with God and with other Christians.

For those of you who are not Christian, perhaps through self deception or through some other ignorance, I pray that you have profited from this as well. That you are coming to an understanding about what it means to follow Christ and attain fellowship with God. If you have any questions or would like to follow up on this topic please see Pastor Carr or myself after the service.

So, in summary: Verse 5: Foundation – God is light and in him is no darkness at all. His truth is bright and hopeful for all who come to him. Verses 6-7: Application – Therefore, let us walk in the light of God so that we can enjoy his fellowship and experience the cleansing of Christ’s blood. Verses 8-l0: Clarification – Nevertheless, do not presume to claim sinlessness as you walk in the light, but confess your sins to God.

My name is Rob Hines, and I am a sinner. Just in case you didn’t know it, you are all sinners as well. Oh, I can see what the majority of you are thinking right now, it’s written all over your faces. By the Grace of God, let us seek forgiveness let us seek forgiveness together through prayer that we may more fully enjoy our fellowship with God and with each other.

PRAYER Our most loving and forgiving Father, we beg you to continue to pour out your gentle showers of blessings on us. We are sinners, and we have no excuses for our transgressions, we have only the love and blood of Christ. Lord, forgive us of our sins, our selfishness, pettiness, our greed and our lust. Lord, we confess to you that we are imperfect and can not meet your standards alone. We are constantly at war with our own desires and need Your Holy Spirit to constantly encourage and counsel us. We thank you for Your Word that admonishes us, and I pray that You have used Your Word to this effect today. Let us enjoy our fellowship with each other in Your name and may this fellowship generate a bountiful harvest for Your Kingdom. In Christ’s name, Amen.

The city of Corinth was at the heart of a primary trade route in the ancient world. Like many cities that thrive on trade, Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality, religious diversity, and corruption. The church that Paul planted there (Acts 18) floundered under all of these influences and began to divide over various issues. First Corinthians addresses many of the practical questions dividing the church—questions concerning such things as spiritual gifts, marriage, food offered to idols, and the resurrection. Paul urged the Corinthians to be unified and to give themselves fully to "the work of the Lord" (15:58). Chapter 13 includes a well-known passage on the nature and importance of love. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus in the spring of a.d. 55.

Now, Chapter Seven begins with a focus on the principles of marriage and ends with a treatise on the unmarried and widowed. Right in the middle we find a section, 1 Corinthians 7: 17-24, separating these two that discusses the way we are to live as we are called. This will be our focus today.

This scripture admonishes us to "lead the life that the Lord has assigned" us. We are to lead this life by keeping the "commands of God" regardless of what condition we were called. In a society where the vast majority of people buy into the philosophy that "the grass is always greener on the other side", it is important for those in God’s flock to pay attention to where He leads. Let me read this scripture and then make a few observations about it.

1 Corinthians 7:17 – 24 17Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. 22For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

Our value systems have been turned on their heads over the last couple of decades. Of course some of them need turning on their heads. But we seem to think that it is our duty to overturn all the values of the past generations. Nowhere is this more acutely seen than in the changing roles in life.

If we don’t like our house or neighborhood, we move. If we don’t like our job, we change careers. If we don’t like the laws, we change them. If we don’t like the body God endowed us with; we lift it, tuck it, suck it and stuff it. Our generation has gone from husband and wives to "significant others". We have gone from two parent homes to one-parent homes or no parents at all; we have gone from parental authority to child authority.

There appears to be a dire need for everyone to challenge the role assigned him or her by God, time and circumstances. Maybe it is because the grass always looks greener on the other side. Maybe it is because we feel deprived with our station in life. It may be that we are actually deprived because of circumstance. There are all sorts of reasons – good ones and bad ones – for challenging the roles we are called to fill. It seems that we are fostering upon every succeeding generation the need to challenge the role assigned to us by God, time and circumstances.

At times this can personally be quite confusing. What role am I to play in such a conflicting culture where our thinking is constantly changing by new ways of looking at things? Television, Cell Phones, and the Internet are all examples of disruptive technologies that have completely changed the way we view our roles and the world around us.

The church in America is not immune to these changing effects either! We deal with difficult issues on a regular basis. We have leaders who have usurped their authority and abdicated God from His throne; we have preachers who have usurped the authority of Christ by what they teach, we have children challenging the authority of parents.

Now, all the answers are not necessarily specifically laid out in scripture, but there are definitely principles and precepts given to guide us through the chaos of our lives. We can apply these principles when we seemingly find ourselves enslaved to a role we don’t like. Some substantial principles and precepts are found in our scripture today.

When we feel cheated by a role that God, time, circumstances or choice have placed us in, we should ask ourselves some questions.

What is my responsibility to God in the role that I now occupy? Does the role I occupy violate the role I am naturally made to fill whether male or female? Can I fill this role without violating the expressed will of God? Is God asking me to abandon the role that time, circumstances, birth or choice has dictated for me over which I have no control?

It goes without saying that if our role in life is an ungodly role we must come out of it no matter how natural the role may be seen in the culture in which we live. As we observe what the Corinthians gave up as Christians, it is indicative of the sinful roles we must give up as a child of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)

Paul’s original instructions in 1 Corinthians 7:14-24 was concerning marriage. The Corinthians were to determine the best way to serve God in married or unmarried situations they were in when they were converted. Yet, this basic principle is continually demonstrated throughout the scriptures not only in marriage situations but also in every walk of life.

Our modern mindset seems to want to change everything but what needs to be changed. Instead of redefining everyone’s role, would we not be more blessed if we learned how to serve God in the circumstances we find ourselves?

Often we bemoan the fact that things should be different. This is indicative that we feel deprived by circumstances. In 1 Corinthians 7:24 Paul reminds us that we have been bought with a price and he tells us not to become enslaved to the world’s thinking. Jesus paid the price for us to be set free in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. We must make doubly sure that men do not enslave us to time and circumstance by thinking like the world thinks. We can exercise our freedom in Christ in our assigned role whether it is an ideal situation or not.

Of course, filling a role we aren’t comfortable with is not always easy. If we are not willing to do the best for God in the role we now possess, changing roles will not be a benefit. If God does want us to change roles, we will only discover our new role by filling the one we are now filling. If we don’t discover the freedom to serve where we are standing, there will never be another role for us to fill.

Paul tells us that changing roles isn’t going to count for anything if we do not keep God’s commandments (1 Corinthians 7:19). Christ tells us that if we love Him we will keep His commandments. So, rather than attempting to discover a way to change our situation, we should be consistently seeking a way to love Christ and follow His commandments and then perhaps we will begin to see our situations change.

It is interesting to note the way most of us pray today. It tends to be numerous prayers for God to change our role, move us out of the situation we are currently in, or otherwise make things more to our own liking. However, a survey of prayers in the New Testament demonstrate a plethora of instances where the individual praying is asking for endurance, strength, and fortitude to serve God in their current situation.

Our God is a sovereign God! He is in control of everything, even the situation or role that you currently find yourself in! Our God is a purposeful God, He has a purpose for the situation or role that you currently find yourself in. Our God calls us to fulfill His purpose in every situation and role that He sovereignly places us in. It is our responsibility to keep His commandments in every situation and role that we find ourselves in.

Keeping in mind at all times that we are indeed bought with a price. Christ died for us, he deigned to change His own situation, that of living in heaven, in order to place Himself in the role of Redeemer. His role carried dreadful consequences, and yet he fulfilled God’s purpose by keeping God’s commandments in every single situation He found Himself in. He was crucified, dead, and buried. Yet He rose again on the third day, and now sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

What better example can we ask? We see clearly that Christ Himself lived as He was called. He didn’t attempt to change His role, but glorified God in the role assigned to Him and in doing so, He is now glorified!

You were bought with a price! Do not become slaves of men by blindly following the culture around you as they, much like lemmings, run blindly and without purpose in whatever direction the others around them are headed.

As Christians the grass will always be greenest in the situations and roles our Good Shepherd assigns us. Lead the life the Lord has assigned you and to which God has called you.

This text was heavily influenced by another sermon that I had read via the Internet. Unfortunately I don’t remember where. If anyone reads this and recognizes the other please let me know so that I can give proper credit.

"Okay," the man said, "I was married to the same woman for fifty years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."

Gabriel replied, "That’s wonderful. That’s worth three points."

"Three points?" said the man incredulously. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my money and service."

"Terrific!" said Gabriel, "that’s certainly worth a point."

"One point?" said the man with his eyes beginning to show a bit of panic. "Well, how about this: I opened a shelter for the homeless in my city, and fed needy people by the hundred during the holidays."

"Fantastic, that’s good for two more points," said the angel.

"TWO POINTS!" cried the man in desperation. "At this rate the only way I will get into heaven is by the grace of God."

"Come on in," said Gabriel.

Read this first Ephesians 2:1-10.

When it comes to preaching God’s Word, I often reflect that I ultimately have only two basic messages with which to approach any person or group of people. These two messages can be summed up as follows:

Do you claim to be a Christian? Then here is a summary of my message to those who lay claim to Christ:

Release anything else you might think to have cause to grasp, and hold on to Jesus Christ with both hands for the rest of your life.

• Let your love be genuine.
• Abhor what is evil.
• Hold fast to what is good.
• Love one another with brotherly affection.
• Outdo one another in showing honor.
• Do not be slothful in zeal.
• Be fervent in spirit.
• Serve the Lord.
• Rejoice in hope.
• Be patient in tribulation.
• Be constant in prayer.
• Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
• Bless those who persecute you, live in harmony with one another.
• Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.
• Never be conceited.
• Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

Do you not know Christ? Then the second of my messages is for you:

Repent! The Kingdom of God is at hand! Realize that you have sinned against God and are justly destined for eternal punishment. Beg forgiveness of those sins and throw yourself upon the mercy of God through every scrap of faith that you can muster. Rest assured in His promise of salvation and spend every moment of the rest of your life striving to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul – and to love your neighbor as yourself, through the Spirit of God – by faith in the Son of God – for the Glory of God the Father. So may it be!

And I love this scripture that we just read, because it so eloquently encapsulates these two messages into one. Let us look back at these verses and I would propose to you that verses one through three speak directly to those who do not know Christ, by admonishing those who do know Christ to remember whence they came. Then a quick review of verses four through nine demonstrate to us the saving grace of God, pointing out that we are saved by what God has done – not by what we have done.

Finally, we come to verse ten, which encourages us to realize that while we once were dead and what we had done was useless for attaining salvation, we are now alive and God has prepared good works for us to do while at the same time creating us for good works!

What a wonderful condescension! That God would not only save us by His grace and mercy, but that on top of that He should choose to work through us! This certainly requires a closer inspection, so we will start at the top and work our way down.

Verses one through three reminds the Christian:

• You were dead!
• You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked!
• You were following the course of this world – that is to say that you were following the prince of the power of the air, which is a fancy way of saying Satan.
• Satan is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
• You once lived in the passions of your flesh.
• You once carried out the desires of your body and mind.
• You were by nature a child of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Verses one through three tells the un-saved:

• You are dead!
• You are dead in the trespasses and sins in which you walk!
• You are following the course of this world – that is to say that you are following Satan.
• You are one of the sons of disobedience.
• You live in the passions of your flesh.
• You carry out the desires of your body and mind.
• You are by nature a child of wrath.

I shudder to consider the term a child of wrath – at one time, we all were children of wrath and sons of disobedience. Perhaps some here today are children of wrath. What is a child of wrath but one who, like most children, look at the world and consider only their own wants and desires. Fueled by the passions of their flesh, and the desires of their body for what they perceive to be the sweetest things in life, their minds are overcome with pursuing only their own passions, and with reckless abandon they precariously climb upon the most dangerous of precipices in order to slyly slip their hands into the proverbial cookie jar; and believing that their selfish appetite is about to be fueled, they ultimately discover first hand where God stores the grapes of wrath.

These children of wrath will come before the Judgment seat of Christ on that last day and never hear "Well done, My good and faithful servant." Rather they will hear the Just Judge pronounce their punishment, that they should be bound hand and foot, and then hauled off to be thrown into an everlasting torment, better known as hell.

I thank my God and Savior that I am no child of wrath, but that by the grace of the Father, I am a child of God! I pray with all urgency that each one here today can safely make that same claim, to be a child of God following Jesus Christ and no longer a child of wrath following the course of this world!

I believe that it is important that you know what you are saved to and it is vital that you know, and remember, what you are saved from. But this is a hard and difficult topic, let us move on toward the happier versus that speak of God’s grace and love for us.

Look quickly at verse four. We see here that God is rich in mercy! That God has a great love with which He loves us! For those of us here today, that can rightfully claim to be children of God, scripture points out that He loved us even when we were dead in our trespass, which is nothing more than a nice way to say that He loved us even as children of wrathand sons of disobedience! God makes us alive with Christ! And He does this by His Grace alone.

To what end does God do this? That we might be raised up to the heavenly places with Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages God might show us His immeasurable grace, in kindness towards us! How would you propose to measure Gods grace or kindness? He loved me, a child of wrath, justly deserving no more than the punishment reserved for only the foulest of fiends, and by no effort of my own, God reached out His hand and adopted me into His kingdom! My Lord – surely Your grace and kindness have no measure whatsoever.

Let’s look again at verses eight and nine. It is clearly stated, yet again, so that you can not be confused, that you will be saved by nothing more than the grace of God. No work you perform can bring you through the pearly gates! This is Gods gift, it is not earned, and no one will be walking through the pearly gates and swell their chest out and tell anyone else why God had to let them in.

Oh there will be plenty of children of wrath lined up, those sons of disobedience with their works in hand, saying:

• I was married to the same person for fifty years and never cheated on them, even in my heart.
• I went to church regularly.
• I tithed and supported the church with my time as well.
• I regularly assisted the poor and unfortunate.
• I was a “good” person.
• I did this.
• I did that.
• I was nice to dogs and small children.

And the judgment of God will be the response they receive, for there is nothing you can do that will win you passage into that far better land.

You can only swallow your pride, bend your stiff neck, and accept salvation from God as the gift that it is, boasting only in the cross of Jesus Christ and dead to the works you once believed would buy your passage into the kingdom of God.

And once we have repented, attaining Gods free gift through faith, we, as Kierkegaard says, fasten the end by means of the paradox.

Did we not just discuss how meaningless our works are? Have we not already determined that nothing we do can attain our salvation? Do we not know that there will be no boasting of the works that we have done? Yet here, in verse ten, we suddenly have thrust upon us once again the expectation of work!

What does it say? We, the children of God, are God’s workmanship! God has created us in Christ Jesus for what!? Good Works! Apparently, while we were pursuing our own fleshly passions as children of wrath, God did not only love us – He was actively preparing a list of things for us to do once we became His children! And we are admonished to walk in these good works! How will He great us with that most sought after phrase, "Well done, My good and faithful servant!" if we have not done anything!? It can’t be well done if it were never done.

How wonderfully upside down is that!? Our works are worthless without God’s grace, but once we have attained that grace through faith, our works are suddenly of import to God! So Christian, I call you to rise up and go to work! Walk in the works that God has prepared for you! Bring glory and honor to the one whose grace has set you free and given you eternal life!

And should any of you have reason to question your claim to the title child of God, I urge you to have a look at the The Roman Road. You alone know can know your status, child of God or child of wrath, rest assured there are no other categories. I pray that I have managed this particular message in such a way that I have encouraged each child of God to strive onward, seeking a closer relationship with God by walking in the works He has prepared for you, while at the same time admonishing any child of wrath to duly consider taking advantage of the immeasurable grace and kindness of God.

I say again, "Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

This letter warns against those who have infiltrated our church, perverting the grace of God and denying Christ. Jude provides us with a number of biblical examples, and then urges those true men of faith to persevere in Godliness and love.

Let’s read Jude quickly and then I will make some observations on this text. I will be reading from the English Standard Version, so please bear with me if your translation does not follow word for word.

Chapter 1

1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

3Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day! 7just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you." 10But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 14It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

17But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." 19It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22And have mercy on those who doubt; 23save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

24Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Now, verse one tells us that this letter is written to Christians, those who are called (elected by God, chosen ahead of time, called out by God) and kept for Christ Jesus. I dare say that if I were to ask if everyone here today is a Christian I would hear a wave of amens. So then, this letter was written to you, but to what end?

Verse 3 explains that this letter is an appeal that you contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Why? Verse 4 "4For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ". What? Are there men in this room today who have "crept in unnoticed"? "Designated for condemnation?" "Ungodly people?" who "Pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord?" Surely there are!

Now, stop right there, I know that it is in your very nature to now be looking around and identifying these rogues in our midst, but I implore you not to do so. Rather, take time to reflect internally, look to yourself, remove the beam from your own eye before you start to work on your neighbor.

This is extremely important, especially in a ministry such as the Master’s Touch, where so many arrive looking for relief and are willing to say and do anything to get off the street for a while. Sure, I’ll go to church, sure, I’ll memorize that scripture, sure, I’ll read the book of John and write up a paper on it. You know the truth of my words, I guarantee that you or someone you know here has joked about this.

And then these individuals, perhaps it is you, begin to "get involved" far better that you were just honest with everyone around you, saying you don’t buy in to this whole "Christian" thing, are just looking to get rehabilitated. But no, you start playing the part, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, you attend church, you pretend to be pious, you tote your bible around with you so that others notice, maybe you’re a deacon now, maybe you lead a bible study, but you ain’t right.

If you fit this description, you should be very afraid! This term, "designated for condemnation", is dire! And my purpose is that this subject may be used to awaken the unconverted persons in this congregation. Look here at the examples and don’t get to comfortable.

God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He saved them, he demonstrated his power through miracle after miracle, and God still destroyed those that did not believe (verse 5). Look to the angels, in their pride they rebelled and God now keeps them in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the Great Day (verse6). Sodom and Gomorrah (don’t tell me you don’t know about sexual immorality and unnatural desire) undergo punishment in eternal fire (verse 7).

Verse 8, these people rely on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. Oh you certainly don’t intend to be punished, do you? You certainly fell comfortable that you will be going to heaven. Hear what Jonathan Edwards had to say on this subject:

"All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, "No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself – I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief – Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me."

Check yourself to ensure that you are not one of the infiltrators! Verse 11 says "Woe to them!" Our Bible clearly tells us that these infiltrators are in our midst and I beg you to ensure that you are not counted in their number.

And if you find that you are, then repent! By all means man, turn from those sinful ways and give your life fully over to Christ. Don’t wait a minute longer, you know better than I do the Servants of Christ in this ministry who have dedicated their lives to sharing the Gospel with you, speak to them now, clear up the matter, and live for Christ!

And to you faithful few, beloved, build yourselves up on our most Holy faith! Pray earnestly in the Holy Spirit and keep yourselves in the love of God. Wait patiently for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that will surely lead to eternal life.

And have mercy on the infiltrators in our midst. Save them by sharing your faith in word and in deed. Show them mercy, let them witness the fear of God in your own life. You are the salt and the light, you are the true children of God, you are called to be His witness on earth, you have an inheritance in heaven that no one can take away from you. Share that with the others around you, be self-disciplined and wise in all you do.