WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:00.920 then Jesus' name, Amen. 00:01.340 --> 00:01.580 Amen. 00:02.280 --> 00:03.580 The time I sermon this evening is, 00:03.780 --> 00:04.880 why can't we be friends? 00:06.440 --> 00:07.720 And you know, I mean, it's just, 00:08.300 --> 00:09.520 to me it's a simple idea, 00:09.720 --> 00:14.060 but I think it's kind of an embodiment 00:14.060 --> 00:16.260 of what Christianity should be, 00:16.380 --> 00:18.720 is that in Christianity, by and large, 00:18.860 --> 00:21.720 we should strive to be friendly towards other people 00:22.340 --> 00:24.020 and we should try to be as friends 00:24.020 --> 00:25.580 as many people as we can, 00:26.080 --> 00:29.740 and try to have a loving attitude towards people 00:29.740 --> 00:31.200 and you know, it's kind of frustrating 00:31.740 --> 00:34.900 is to see people not being friends 00:35.580 --> 00:37.500 or not being a fan of someone 00:37.500 --> 00:40.940 or not being kind to someone 00:41.530 --> 00:43.760 that seems like in an un-Christian way 00:43.760 --> 00:46.780 and so I just kind of want to address this topic here. 00:46.880 --> 00:49.580 Now, the Bible says in Romans chapter 12, look at verse 16, 00:50.220 --> 00:52.280 be of the same mind one toward another, 00:52.540 --> 00:54.080 mind not high things, 00:54.500 --> 00:57.940 but condescend to men of low estate, 00:57.940 --> 00:59.400 be not wise in your own conceits. 00:59.740 --> 01:01.080 One of the ideas that the Bible teaches 01:01.080 --> 01:03.960 is that not everybody's gonna be on your level 01:04.680 --> 01:08.780 and what we should do is instead of talking down to people 01:09.260 --> 01:11.420 or looking down on people, 01:11.680 --> 01:15.840 is that rather we should condescend two men of low estate 01:15.840 --> 01:18.560 and we should meet them at their level. 01:19.160 --> 01:22.940 Now, this often happens from a carnal's perspective, 01:23.480 --> 01:25.100 you know, people looking down on others 01:25.100 --> 01:26.960 because of their economic status 01:26.960 --> 01:29.960 or basically the rich looking down on the poor. 01:30.680 --> 01:32.260 You could have this, you know, 01:32.460 --> 01:34.420 obviously there's a lot of racism in the world 01:34.420 --> 01:37.180 so people looking down on different groups of people 01:37.180 --> 01:39.580 based on their nationality, 01:39.620 --> 01:42.780 where they're from a richer country versus a poorer country. 01:42.900 --> 01:44.180 There's a lot of this prejudice 01:44.180 --> 01:45.320 that exists in the world. 01:45.940 --> 01:48.440 People look down on people physically, 01:48.920 --> 01:51.760 they just or the young look down on the old 01:51.760 --> 01:53.520 or the old look down on the young 01:53.520 --> 01:56.020 or you have men pitted against women 01:56.020 --> 01:57.620 or women pitted against men 01:57.620 --> 02:00.680 or you just have like an infinite number of scenarios here 02:01.120 --> 02:03.160 where people just look down on other people. 02:04.180 --> 02:07.220 They essentially have one group of the haves 02:07.220 --> 02:09.580 and the have nots and you have the haves 02:09.580 --> 02:11.640 who are looking down on the have nots. 02:11.700 --> 02:14.100 That's why we kinda have this idea of the low estate, 02:14.640 --> 02:16.360 the person that's in a lower class, 02:16.820 --> 02:20.600 a lower classification, having less, looking down on them 02:20.600 --> 02:22.980 but the Bible says that we should condescend to them 02:22.980 --> 02:25.200 in the sense that we should meet them on their level 02:25.200 --> 02:27.580 and we shouldn't always be looking down at people 02:27.580 --> 02:29.320 or treating them negatively 02:29.320 --> 02:32.060 and I think it also overlaps into a spiritual context 02:32.560 --> 02:35.660 that there could be someone that's not as spiritually 02:35.660 --> 02:37.480 on the same level as you 02:37.880 --> 02:40.520 and so we don't wanna have this same attitude 02:40.860 --> 02:42.220 where we look down on people 02:42.220 --> 02:45.100 that are spiritually of a lower estate. 02:45.780 --> 02:46.880 Now what could that mean? 02:47.020 --> 02:47.980 That could mean specifically, 02:48.460 --> 02:50.420 we talk about someone that's maybe a newer believer 02:51.170 --> 02:54.880 or someone who is not as spiritual, 02:55.500 --> 02:58.400 maybe someone who's not as knowledgeable 02:59.030 --> 03:00.760 or having as much wisdom as you 03:00.760 --> 03:02.880 so this could be someone that doesn't have the same doctrine. 03:03.240 --> 03:06.000 This could be someone that doesn't know how to go soul-warning 03:06.000 --> 03:08.700 or doesn't do as much evangelism 03:08.700 --> 03:10.000 or care about the evangelism 03:10.000 --> 03:12.180 but maybe they're a little bit more backslidden 03:12.180 --> 03:13.960 or maybe whatever it is, 03:14.100 --> 03:16.880 they're just not on your same level spiritually 03:17.640 --> 03:20.040 and instead of looking down on them 03:20.720 --> 03:22.960 or being negative towards them, 03:23.240 --> 03:25.900 we should condescend to them in a sense. 03:26.700 --> 03:31.040 Now, we don't want to ruin our own zeal, 03:31.120 --> 03:36.480 we don't wanna necessarily allow bad habits to corrupt, 03:36.900 --> 03:38.720 we don't want bad communications 03:38.720 --> 03:41.040 to corrupt good manners of course as the Bible says 03:41.040 --> 03:43.960 but the same way we shouldn't necessarily treat people 03:43.960 --> 03:46.960 as second-class citizens and look down on them 03:46.960 --> 03:48.400 and be negative towards them 03:48.400 --> 03:50.740 and not wanna be friendly towards them, okay? 03:51.160 --> 03:54.020 And so we wanna have the right kind of attitude 03:54.020 --> 03:56.260 in this subject matter 03:56.260 --> 03:57.800 but I wanna go to Matthew five for a moment 03:58.660 --> 04:00.060 and I'm really trying to look at this 04:00.060 --> 04:01.260 as different groups of people 04:01.710 --> 04:03.740 that we should think about this scenario here 04:03.740 --> 04:07.980 of being friendly towards other individuals 04:08.430 --> 04:09.980 and one group in particular 04:10.550 --> 04:13.840 that I think it's really important to look at 04:13.840 --> 04:15.860 is those in our church. 04:16.600 --> 04:19.880 So people in our church, here's my question, 04:20.060 --> 04:22.400 why can't we be friends, okay? 04:23.200 --> 04:26.600 Now, here's the thing, I wanna be careful 04:26.600 --> 04:28.460 because obviously I don't wanna, 04:28.540 --> 04:30.660 I'm not contradicting anything I've said in the past 04:31.170 --> 04:35.820 and I wanna use the word friends in a different sense 04:35.820 --> 04:37.800 but obviously I've said before 04:37.800 --> 04:39.560 you don't have to be friends with anybody in this church 04:39.560 --> 04:42.000 and I believe that and I agree with that 04:42.000 --> 04:44.040 but what I mean by that when I say that 04:44.040 --> 04:46.520 is I'm saying they don't have to be the person 04:46.520 --> 04:48.040 that comes to your house all the time 04:48.040 --> 04:49.780 and you're hanging out with all the time 04:49.780 --> 04:51.280 and you're on the phone calling with them 04:51.280 --> 04:53.260 and you're just doing everything buddy buddy, 04:53.640 --> 04:55.320 you don't have to do that with anybody in church 04:55.320 --> 04:57.360 but you should be friendly 04:57.360 --> 04:59.220 with every single person in church 04:59.800 --> 05:02.420 and you should be for everybody in church 05:02.960 --> 05:05.720 and you should wish good for everyone in church. 05:05.720 --> 05:08.240 So regardless of how close of a relationship 05:08.240 --> 05:09.420 you're gonna have with everyone 05:09.420 --> 05:12.340 and regardless of how much you're gonna actually hang out 05:12.340 --> 05:13.820 outside of a church setting, 05:14.100 --> 05:17.080 you should still be friendly towards 05:17.080 --> 05:19.240 every single person in your church 05:19.240 --> 05:21.700 and that should be our general disposition 05:21.700 --> 05:23.000 towards those in church 05:23.000 --> 05:25.240 but unfortunately you'll see sometimes 05:26.100 --> 05:28.680 people not being that way in an actual church setting. 05:28.820 --> 05:31.260 They're not friendly towards people in their church 05:31.660 --> 05:33.940 and they're exhibiting a lot of carnal attributes. 05:34.320 --> 05:35.960 Now the Bible brings up a subject 05:36.700 --> 05:39.060 and it is not talking about church specifically 05:39.060 --> 05:40.620 but I'm gonna apply this to church 05:41.080 --> 05:43.220 because I think this is where this really comes into play 05:43.220 --> 05:44.680 but Matthew 5, look at verse 43. 05:45.920 --> 05:47.100 "'You have heard that have been said 05:47.100 --> 05:49.660 "'thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.'" 05:49.660 --> 05:51.120 Now why I'm bringing this in is 05:51.120 --> 05:52.960 because in verse 43 it says love thy neighbor. 05:53.140 --> 05:55.060 Like this is talking about people in close proximity 05:55.060 --> 05:56.860 to you and you know church is a setting 05:56.860 --> 05:58.700 where we're in close proximity to a lot of people 05:58.700 --> 06:00.420 and it's like hey you've heard you should love 06:00.420 --> 06:01.700 your neighbor and hate thy enemy 06:01.700 --> 06:03.460 meaning the people that are close to you 06:03.460 --> 06:04.580 that don't like you or whatever 06:04.580 --> 06:06.400 but I say and you love your enemies 06:06.400 --> 06:08.100 bless them that curse you do good to them 06:08.100 --> 06:09.040 that hate you and pray for them 06:09.040 --> 06:10.660 which despitefully use you and persecute you 06:10.660 --> 06:12.220 that you may be the children of your father 06:12.220 --> 06:14.360 which is in heaven for he maketh his son to rise 06:14.360 --> 06:15.760 on the evil and on the good 06:15.760 --> 06:17.340 and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 06:17.780 --> 06:19.020 For if you love them which love you 06:19.020 --> 06:19.780 what reward have you? 06:20.120 --> 06:22.300 Do not even the publicans the same 06:22.800 --> 06:24.300 and if you salute your brethren only 06:24.300 --> 06:25.720 what do you more than others? 06:26.160 --> 06:28.620 Do not even the publicans so be there for perfect 06:28.620 --> 06:30.000 even if your father which is in heaven is perfect. 06:30.100 --> 06:31.560 So if we unpack a little bit of this 06:32.060 --> 06:35.180 notice it says that the publicans love them 06:35.180 --> 06:35.700 which what? 06:36.080 --> 06:38.460 Love you which meaning like hey 06:39.240 --> 06:43.000 no matter who it is people tend to just reciprocate love. 06:43.300 --> 06:44.500 So if someone's really kind to you 06:44.500 --> 06:45.920 really generous to you really nice to you 06:45.920 --> 06:48.020 often it's easy to be nice to that person 06:48.020 --> 06:50.460 but if someone's not treating you this way 06:51.020 --> 06:53.240 well it's harder to love or be friendly 06:53.240 --> 06:55.060 towards that particular individual 06:55.800 --> 06:58.020 and he's saying specifically also 06:59.100 --> 07:02.380 how God behaves that God makes his son to rise 07:02.380 --> 07:03.260 on the evil and on the good 07:03.260 --> 07:04.800 and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 07:05.300 --> 07:07.380 So what does God want us to do? 07:07.760 --> 07:09.900 God wants us to send out friend vibes 07:10.460 --> 07:13.060 even the people that aren't sending them our way. 07:13.620 --> 07:15.500 So basically we have to be the first actor. 07:15.940 --> 07:18.300 So if someone in church kind of gives you 07:18.300 --> 07:21.540 the cold shoulder if someone is not necessarily 07:21.540 --> 07:24.520 being friendly towards you maybe even 07:25.060 --> 07:26.740 they said something bad about you. 07:28.480 --> 07:31.000 Okay now what typically happens? 07:31.300 --> 07:32.760 Someone says something bad about someone 07:32.760 --> 07:33.860 so then what do they do? 07:34.100 --> 07:35.640 They say something bad about them back. 07:36.000 --> 07:37.600 That's just the typical thing 07:38.060 --> 07:40.700 but what would be a better way to handle this 07:40.700 --> 07:42.620 if someone says something bad about you 07:42.620 --> 07:44.460 is you be friendly towards that individual 07:45.100 --> 07:46.720 to overcome evil with good 07:46.720 --> 07:49.600 and to love your enemies and to bless them 07:50.040 --> 07:52.040 and even if they're not treating you very well 07:52.040 --> 07:54.680 just be kind to them do good to them 07:54.680 --> 07:57.180 and if someone asks you about them in church 07:57.180 --> 07:59.840 instead of being like oh this person's a bad person 07:59.840 --> 08:01.680 why don't you say something positive about them? 08:01.980 --> 08:03.220 Now that's really challenging. 08:03.340 --> 08:04.340 It'd be really challenging 08:04.340 --> 08:07.000 if someone's not treating you well in a church setting 08:07.000 --> 08:08.580 is not really your friend 08:08.580 --> 08:10.980 has done things that are not very nice to you 08:10.980 --> 08:13.680 but you defend them, you're kind towards them 08:13.680 --> 08:15.800 and you speak well of them when other people ask 08:16.460 --> 08:17.780 and you know what'll typically happen 08:17.780 --> 08:20.260 is it'll probably stop them treating you poorly. 08:20.460 --> 08:22.020 They'll probably pick a new victim 08:22.020 --> 08:24.080 or maybe you could actually even 08:24.620 --> 08:25.240 become friends 08:25.740 --> 08:27.000 because believe it or not 08:27.000 --> 08:29.560 there are people in this world that did not like each other 08:29.560 --> 08:31.820 and spoke evil of each other at one point in time 08:31.820 --> 08:33.280 and then they ended up becoming friends 08:33.700 --> 08:34.740 and you know how you do that 08:34.740 --> 08:35.920 you overcome evil with good 08:36.480 --> 08:37.700 and so what we should do 08:38.200 --> 08:39.420 is we should have an attitude of 08:39.420 --> 08:42.180 hey even if someone's not talking nicely about me 08:42.180 --> 08:43.760 or saying evil about me 08:43.760 --> 08:45.600 I can still be friendly towards this person 08:45.600 --> 08:48.100 I can still love them, I can still do good to them 08:48.100 --> 08:51.460 and I can even quote turn the other cheek in a sense 08:52.020 --> 08:54.940 and you know we read these passages 08:55.280 --> 08:58.060 this is not talking about like a national security policy 08:58.060 --> 09:01.260 okay this is not the biblical text 09:01.260 --> 09:03.980 on how to handle foreign enemies invading your country 09:04.460 --> 09:06.600 this is not talking about people doing home invasion 09:06.600 --> 09:08.680 at night this is talking about people 09:08.680 --> 09:10.080 in close proximity to you 09:10.080 --> 09:12.400 not treating you nice maybe duty dirty 09:13.000 --> 09:14.300 isn't doing things that are right 09:14.300 --> 09:16.480 and instead of reciprocating evil for evil 09:16.480 --> 09:18.600 you reciprocate good for evil 09:18.600 --> 09:21.060 and you try to win them over with kindness 09:21.060 --> 09:23.080 and that's we're trying to be like God 09:23.080 --> 09:23.980 which is what perfect 09:24.660 --> 09:26.360 hey be there for perfect 09:26.920 --> 09:28.740 oh I don't want to do that that's not fair 09:28.740 --> 09:30.740 well I'm not asking you to be fair 09:30.740 --> 09:31.580 I'm asking you to be perfect 09:32.640 --> 09:33.960 and I'm not even asking you 09:33.960 --> 09:35.120 God's asking you to do that 09:35.120 --> 09:38.140 you know God doesn't expect us to be just 09:38.140 --> 09:40.240 he expects us to go beyond just justice 09:40.240 --> 09:41.400 and extending mercy 09:41.900 --> 09:44.800 okay some people want justice every single time 09:44.800 --> 09:47.640 and you know what justice is not always the best move 09:47.640 --> 09:50.480 the best move in many cases is extend charity 09:50.480 --> 09:51.200 grace 09:51.200 --> 09:52.420 belong suffering 09:52.420 --> 09:54.320 and be perfect like our father 09:54.320 --> 09:55.540 which in heaven is perfect 09:55.540 --> 09:57.400 where he even loves his enemies 09:57.940 --> 10:00.000 as illustrated by the fact that he reigns 10:00.000 --> 10:00.960 on the just and on the unjust 10:01.420 --> 10:03.240 by the fact that the sun rises on 10:03.240 --> 10:04.440 the good and the evil 10:04.440 --> 10:07.160 and that he does good unto people that don't deserve it 10:07.840 --> 10:08.740 all of us 10:08.740 --> 10:10.220 but in general even just 10:10.220 --> 10:13.120 if we classified humanity in categories of good and bad 10:13.120 --> 10:15.220 even the bad God is still nice to 10:15.220 --> 10:16.460 and kind to and does good to 10:16.460 --> 10:19.920 and so why would we want to have this attitude 10:19.920 --> 10:22.800 a reputation of anyone that does evil to us 10:22.800 --> 10:23.620 or bad to us 10:23.620 --> 10:24.820 we trash them 10:24.820 --> 10:26.180 and we do evil back to them 10:26.180 --> 10:27.500 we wanna be like God 10:27.500 --> 10:30.220 where we just generally do good to most people 10:30.740 --> 10:32.040 and again we have exceptions 10:32.040 --> 10:33.220 and I'm gonna talk about that in a minute 10:33.220 --> 10:34.280 but for the most part 10:34.280 --> 10:35.400 we should love our enemies 10:35.400 --> 10:36.400 and do good to them 10:36.400 --> 10:37.220 wish them well 10:37.220 --> 10:38.400 and hope that 10:38.400 --> 10:40.520 you know positive things happen for them 10:40.520 --> 10:42.260 this is not saying we excuse sin 10:42.260 --> 10:43.900 this is not saying we don't address sin 10:43.900 --> 10:45.060 it's just saying in general 10:45.060 --> 10:47.400 that we try our best to be kind to them 10:47.400 --> 10:48.860 and we don't reciprocate 10:48.860 --> 10:50.500 railing for railing 10:50.500 --> 10:52.820 or evil surmising for evil surmising 10:53.230 --> 10:55.100 but rather blessing 10:55.100 --> 10:55.680 okay 10:56.420 --> 10:57.520 let's go to another group 10:57.520 --> 10:58.880 how about people in your denomination 10:58.880 --> 11:00.400 go to 1st Corinthians chapter 16 11:00.870 --> 11:03.200 we should just be friends with people in our church 11:03.200 --> 11:04.940 like that should just be of no brainer 11:05.520 --> 11:07.880 but I have to say it because it's real 11:08.420 --> 11:10.540 and anytime you get enough people together 11:10.540 --> 11:11.880 people won't like each other 11:11.880 --> 11:13.520 and people irritate each other 11:13.520 --> 11:15.160 it's called a family number one 11:15.160 --> 11:18.260 but number two it's even a spiritual family 11:19.040 --> 11:19.900 and you know 11:20.540 --> 11:22.720 the best thing to do is just to be kind 11:22.720 --> 11:25.240 even when they don't deserve it 11:25.240 --> 11:27.860 even when they're not treating you well 11:27.860 --> 11:29.940 and a lot of times you win people over 11:29.940 --> 11:33.900 a lot of times time itself can heal a lot of wounds 11:34.520 --> 11:36.260 and when you just do good to people 11:36.260 --> 11:37.920 a lot of times they overlook 11:38.620 --> 11:40.440 whatever issues they've had in the past 11:40.440 --> 11:42.800 maybe they might even ask for forgiveness 11:42.800 --> 11:44.300 and it would surprise you 11:44.300 --> 11:46.680 but you can't overcome evil with good 11:46.680 --> 11:47.560 that's what the Bible teaches 11:48.660 --> 11:49.100 now 11:50.280 --> 11:52.200 I had to turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 16 11:52.200 --> 11:53.960 because I wanted to illustrate that 11:53.960 --> 11:54.940 the church at Corinth 11:56.380 --> 11:59.360 was offering to participate in a ministry 11:59.360 --> 12:01.940 of giving money to the saints in Jerusalem 12:01.940 --> 12:03.000 it says in verse one now 12:03.000 --> 12:04.620 concerning the collection for the saints 12:04.620 --> 12:07.140 as I give an order to the churches of Galatia 12:07.140 --> 12:08.140 even so do ye 12:08.140 --> 12:09.660 upon the first day of the week 12:09.660 --> 12:11.500 let every one of you lay by him in store 12:11.500 --> 12:13.040 as God has prospered him 12:13.040 --> 12:14.580 that there be no gatherings when I come 12:14.580 --> 12:16.980 and when I come whomsoever you shall approve 12:16.980 --> 12:17.660 by your letters 12:17.660 --> 12:20.320 them will I send to bring your liberality 12:20.900 --> 12:21.600 unto Jerusalem 12:21.600 --> 12:23.580 now from context in other passages 12:23.580 --> 12:24.580 the Bible is crystal clear 12:24.580 --> 12:26.420 that the apostle Paul is not demanding them 12:26.420 --> 12:27.800 give money to anybody 12:27.800 --> 12:29.840 this is something that the Corinth church 12:29.840 --> 12:31.260 wanted to participate in 12:31.260 --> 12:34.520 and was willing to offer a free will offering 12:34.520 --> 12:38.120 of themselves money to the poor saints in Jerusalem 12:38.620 --> 12:40.260 and so what we see is we see love 12:40.780 --> 12:43.920 between other churches in their denomination 12:43.920 --> 12:46.480 I mean hey this is a church in Corinth 12:46.480 --> 12:48.120 there's a church in Jerusalem 12:48.120 --> 12:50.020 and you know what we shouldn't have this rivalry 12:50.940 --> 12:52.680 against churches where we don't like 12:52.680 --> 12:54.560 other Baptist churches or something like that 12:54.560 --> 12:55.140 like we should have 12:55.140 --> 12:58.160 we should have a love for other Baptist churches 12:58.160 --> 12:59.780 especially independent Baptist churches 12:59.780 --> 13:01.620 like people that are King James only 13:02.160 --> 13:03.300 that have the right gospel 13:03.740 --> 13:06.200 I mean that's pretty much usually my test of fellowship 13:06.200 --> 13:08.220 like on that liberal 13:08.220 --> 13:10.080 it's just like King James only 13:10.080 --> 13:11.500 you got the right gospel 13:12.080 --> 13:13.740 you're I'm capable of being your friend 13:13.740 --> 13:15.240 and being not only just being your friend 13:15.240 --> 13:16.480 being in fellowship with you 13:16.940 --> 13:19.640 meaning that I would potentially allow you to preach for us 13:20.180 --> 13:21.700 I'd preach for y'all without hesitation 13:22.400 --> 13:24.640 now look I get that I would preach virtually anywhere 13:25.140 --> 13:26.620 but I'm just saying like in general 13:26.620 --> 13:29.140 I wouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed to be friends 13:29.140 --> 13:30.880 with someone that has the right Bible 13:31.560 --> 13:33.260 and has the right gospel 13:33.920 --> 13:36.060 and look there's a lot of other areas 13:36.680 --> 13:37.920 that I think are important 13:37.920 --> 13:38.740 don't hear me wrong 13:39.280 --> 13:43.180 that I think are super necessary in the Christian faith 13:43.180 --> 13:46.140 but I'm not gonna be so hardcore 13:46.720 --> 13:50.180 that they have to have exact form of communion as we do 13:50.180 --> 13:51.300 in order for us to be friends 13:51.300 --> 13:53.860 and look there are fellowships like that 13:53.860 --> 13:55.080 there are churches like that 13:56.440 --> 13:57.640 there's all kinds of reasons 13:57.640 --> 13:59.840 why people have fellowships and groups and whatever 13:59.840 --> 14:02.500 but you know we should be having this attitude 14:02.500 --> 14:04.600 of hey we would like to bless other churches 14:04.600 --> 14:05.800 and help other churches 14:05.800 --> 14:08.600 and we wouldn't even mind giving money to other churches 14:09.240 --> 14:12.300 that are not necessarily exactly like us 14:12.300 --> 14:13.740 or have problems 14:14.420 --> 14:16.400 and think I mean the New Testament churches 14:16.970 --> 14:18.880 a lot of them have some serious problems 14:19.290 --> 14:20.800 like they have some serious issues 14:20.800 --> 14:22.080 there's doctrinal differences 14:22.680 --> 14:24.140 there's a lot I mean he's talking about the churches 14:24.140 --> 14:25.860 in Galatia, Galatia gets screwed up 14:25.860 --> 14:27.280 on the gospel at one point 14:27.890 --> 14:29.800 you know and I think that there's probably churches 14:30.350 --> 14:31.680 in the world today 14:32.290 --> 14:34.580 that they're an independent fundamental Baptist church 14:35.160 --> 14:37.200 and they have the right Bible 14:37.750 --> 14:39.320 and they have the right gospel 14:39.320 --> 14:41.300 but there's an element in their church 14:41.300 --> 14:43.740 or there's some impact of like a repenting of your sins 14:43.740 --> 14:46.260 like influence that's corrupting them 14:46.260 --> 14:48.320 and causing them problems or whatever 14:48.760 --> 14:50.580 and we should rebuke that and correct that 14:50.580 --> 14:53.180 and want nothing to do with that doctrine 14:53.180 --> 14:55.020 but it doesn't mean that the whole church 14:55.020 --> 14:55.900 is damned necessarily 14:56.440 --> 14:58.380 and you know just like the churches in Galatia 14:58.380 --> 14:59.440 they needed strong rebuke 14:59.440 --> 15:00.140 they needed correction 15:00.140 --> 15:01.900 but they were still part of the group 15:01.900 --> 15:04.340 and hey they're even participating in the ministry 15:04.340 --> 15:06.380 to the saints of Jerusalem 15:06.380 --> 15:09.400 and so we should have a general camaraderie 15:09.400 --> 15:11.440 and a general love and fellowship 15:11.440 --> 15:13.700 towards other Baptists 15:13.700 --> 15:15.700 and other people in our denomination 15:15.700 --> 15:17.020 it only makes sense 15:17.460 --> 15:19.240 go to 1st John chapter four 15:20.020 --> 15:21.920 we should just love the IFB 15:21.920 --> 15:25.560 we should just love the IFB 15:25.560 --> 15:28.440 and I even just love Baptists in general 15:29.060 --> 15:30.400 now there's look 15:30.400 --> 15:32.980 there's a lot of bad Baptist churches out there okay 15:32.980 --> 15:34.300 there's a lot of people that are trying 15:34.300 --> 15:36.760 to take a good name Baptist and make it bad okay 15:36.760 --> 15:39.140 but I think there's a lot of good Baptists 15:39.140 --> 15:40.880 in this world and I like them now 15:42.840 --> 15:45.520 I love my family and growing up with my family 15:45.520 --> 15:48.360 I would argue with them all night though 15:48.360 --> 15:49.980 and I would tell them that they're wrong 15:50.440 --> 15:52.260 it doesn't mean that I wasn't still their brother 15:52.260 --> 15:53.640 and doesn't mean I didn't still love them 15:54.020 --> 15:56.160 so you know hey I'm gonna still point out 15:56.160 --> 15:57.880 all my Baptist brother and their's 15:58.400 --> 15:59.660 and I'm gonna still call them out 15:59.660 --> 16:00.780 on the issues that they have 16:00.780 --> 16:02.260 but it doesn't mean I don't love them 16:02.260 --> 16:03.400 it doesn't mean I wouldn't support them 16:03.400 --> 16:05.380 it doesn't mean I don't have positive feelings 16:05.380 --> 16:06.040 towards them 16:06.040 --> 16:07.540 and so we don't wanna get those mixed up 16:07.540 --> 16:10.560 and you know while I may correct them 16:10.560 --> 16:11.740 pretty sharply from the pulpit 16:11.740 --> 16:13.640 if I were to run into these people in person 16:13.640 --> 16:16.980 I would be very kind, very gentle, very meek 16:16.980 --> 16:20.340 and not necessarily even offering unsolicited advice 16:21.040 --> 16:21.920 in those areas 16:22.560 --> 16:24.080 and so we wanna be careful that 16:24.080 --> 16:25.820 hey when we're here in our church setting 16:25.820 --> 16:27.000 and we're preaching the Bible 16:27.000 --> 16:29.340 this is for our congregation and our people 16:29.960 --> 16:31.680 and it's not necessarily how I would 16:31.680 --> 16:34.820 directly interact with every single one of these 16:34.820 --> 16:36.900 individuals you know we should approach these people 16:36.900 --> 16:38.180 with grace, with love 16:38.180 --> 16:40.240 I mean think about it every single epistle 16:40.720 --> 16:42.880 in the New Testament written by the apostle Paul 16:42.880 --> 16:46.760 it basically starts out with like grace, peace 16:46.760 --> 16:49.240 and love from the Lord Jesus Christ 16:49.240 --> 16:50.400 and from God the Father 16:50.400 --> 16:52.160 and he's like wishing them well 16:52.160 --> 16:53.420 and then he's like oh by the way 16:53.420 --> 16:54.520 I'm afraid you're not even saved 16:55.500 --> 16:58.140 oh by the way this guy that's sleeping 16:58.140 --> 16:59.120 with his father's wife 16:59.120 --> 17:00.240 you need to throw him out of the church 17:00.240 --> 17:02.780 by the way you have people in your church 17:02.780 --> 17:03.600 that don't even believe the resurrection 17:03.600 --> 17:05.500 they're not even saved what the heck are you doing 17:05.500 --> 17:08.760 you know like hey you guys are eating meat sacrifice 17:08.760 --> 17:11.720 and idols you're actually fellowshiping with devils 17:11.720 --> 17:14.120 and I wouldn't have that you'd fellowship with devils right 17:14.120 --> 17:15.920 I mean it's not like he's not addressing 17:15.920 --> 17:16.920 some serious issues 17:17.520 --> 17:18.900 but what was his first statement 17:19.840 --> 17:22.240 grace, peace and love and you know 17:22.240 --> 17:24.780 and look that's we need to have a balance in our life 17:25.360 --> 17:27.620 we don't wanna only we don't wanna be a Christian 17:27.620 --> 17:29.220 where we're just only in the middle of the epistles 17:29.680 --> 17:31.360 where we're just like alright I'm ready to just 17:31.360 --> 17:32.720 you know crack some skulls okay 17:33.220 --> 17:34.940 we also need to start with some grace 17:34.940 --> 17:36.360 and some peace and some love 17:37.010 --> 17:39.260 and in with some grace and some peace and love 17:39.260 --> 17:41.000 and hey we can have a spicy sandwich here 17:41.000 --> 17:42.900 I'm not saying it's not gonna be spicy 17:43.370 --> 17:45.860 but what I'm saying is our general disposition should be 17:45.860 --> 17:48.280 hey we should be friendly towards these people 17:48.280 --> 17:53.100 and want them to have a good taste in their mouth 17:53.100 --> 17:55.320 as far as you know their experience with us 17:55.320 --> 17:57.380 first John chapter four look at verse 20 17:58.040 --> 17:59.720 if a man say I love God 18:00.230 --> 18:03.320 and hate it this brother he is a liar 18:03.820 --> 18:05.880 for he that loveeth not his brother whom he hath seen 18:05.880 --> 18:08.400 how can he love God whom he hath not seen 18:08.400 --> 18:10.320 and this commandment have we from him 18:10.320 --> 18:12.900 that he who loveeth God love his brother also 18:12.900 --> 18:14.000 so the Bible makes it clear 18:14.620 --> 18:18.340 we demonstrate our love for God 18:18.860 --> 18:22.840 by how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ 18:23.500 --> 18:26.840 and so those who do not like very many Christians 18:27.400 --> 18:29.360 and are very negative towards lots of Christians 18:29.360 --> 18:31.640 show that they don't really love God very much 18:32.020 --> 18:34.220 and show a lack of the love for the Lord 18:34.640 --> 18:37.460 so the more love we have for the brethren 18:37.960 --> 18:39.460 the more love we have forgotten 18:40.280 --> 18:45.820 I would argue that those who are serving God the most 18:46.220 --> 18:47.660 those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ 18:47.660 --> 18:49.220 who are serving God the most 18:49.540 --> 18:51.520 we should have the most love towards 18:52.320 --> 18:54.520 and that that's gonna show and embody 18:54.520 --> 18:56.400 our love for God even the most 18:57.380 --> 19:00.160 so obviously if you give a cup of cold water 19:00.160 --> 19:01.180 only the name of a disciple 19:01.180 --> 19:03.000 you shall know wise lose your reward 19:03.000 --> 19:04.860 there's an emphasis on disciples 19:04.860 --> 19:06.360 and doing good unto disciples 19:06.360 --> 19:08.820 and so those who are the Christians of the faith 19:08.820 --> 19:11.020 that are disciples and doing the work of the Lord 19:11.540 --> 19:13.860 if you can't love those people you don't love God 19:15.060 --> 19:17.960 like whoever is the greatest Christians on this earth 19:17.960 --> 19:19.380 we should have the most love for 19:19.880 --> 19:21.840 you know if we were in the first century 19:21.840 --> 19:23.820 we should be loving Paul the most 19:23.820 --> 19:25.600 we should be loving John the most 19:25.600 --> 19:27.640 we should be loving like it would be weird to say 19:27.640 --> 19:30.320 hey I love the brethren but I hate Paul 19:30.320 --> 19:32.380 and I hate John and I hate Stephen 19:32.380 --> 19:34.680 and I hate you know just every one of these 19:34.680 --> 19:36.600 pesky little disciples or whatever 19:36.600 --> 19:38.680 it's just like well that's weird 19:39.540 --> 19:41.040 because if you actually love God 19:41.040 --> 19:42.300 you would really love those guys 19:42.860 --> 19:44.700 like it's kind of incompatible 19:45.160 --> 19:46.460 to say you love God 19:46.460 --> 19:48.740 and hate the best disciples of Christ 19:48.740 --> 19:51.140 you know if you really love God 19:51.140 --> 19:53.680 you would really love the greatest disciples of Christ 19:53.680 --> 19:55.780 and that's why you kind of notice a pattern 19:56.400 --> 19:57.560 you'll notice this pattern 19:57.560 --> 20:01.180 that the same people that hate Jack Hiles 20:01.880 --> 20:04.560 end up kind of hating all the other good people too 20:05.380 --> 20:07.080 and you kind of notice all the people 20:07.080 --> 20:08.960 that hate the good people hate Jack Hiles 20:09.640 --> 20:12.300 and it's like and other people that are like him 20:12.300 --> 20:14.160 or whatever and so you just kind of notice 20:14.160 --> 20:15.900 this attitude, this behavior 20:15.900 --> 20:18.060 and you know I don't want to be around people 20:18.060 --> 20:19.900 that are just hating some of the greatest Christians 20:20.360 --> 20:22.140 and some of the greatest disciples 20:22.600 --> 20:24.340 like that's a bad attitude, it's a bad spirit 20:24.340 --> 20:26.460 and look if you just personally say like 20:26.460 --> 20:27.880 I don't like one of these individuals 20:27.880 --> 20:29.360 and you have your reasons go for it 20:29.360 --> 20:30.760 you can do and believe whatever you want 20:30.760 --> 20:33.100 but I'm just saying if you kind of just dislike 20:33.100 --> 20:36.560 every one of the best disciples on the earth right now 20:36.560 --> 20:39.380 you have a problem, you have a serious issue 20:39.380 --> 20:40.680 you're the one at fault here 20:40.680 --> 20:42.940 because if you say that you love God 20:42.940 --> 20:44.380 you're gonna love his children 20:44.380 --> 20:46.480 and you're gonna love your brothers and sisters in Christ 20:47.060 --> 20:48.720 and it's impossible to love God 20:48.720 --> 20:50.160 without loving your brothers and sisters in Christ 20:50.660 --> 20:52.840 it's just fact it's just what the Bible says 20:53.280 --> 20:55.840 so you know those that hate the new IFB 20:55.840 --> 20:58.820 they have a problem with their love for God 21:00.860 --> 21:02.540 and then you know what I've noticed 21:03.080 --> 21:04.880 in the independent Baptist world 21:04.880 --> 21:06.340 and the independent fundamentalist world 21:06.340 --> 21:09.020 the churches that are the most influenced by Jack Hiles 21:09.020 --> 21:10.460 and love soul winning the most 21:10.460 --> 21:12.160 seem to be the most gracious towards us 21:12.160 --> 21:13.820 and the most loving towards us 21:14.440 --> 21:15.480 that can't be a coincidence 21:16.100 --> 21:18.380 it's not a coincidence because let's just be honest 21:18.380 --> 21:20.060 they love God more than the others 21:20.060 --> 21:22.000 the people that are going soul winning the most 21:22.000 --> 21:22.940 and preaching the gospel the most 21:22.940 --> 21:24.000 they love God the most 21:24.000 --> 21:26.060 and then they're the most charitable and kind 21:26.060 --> 21:27.860 of those who love God the most the same 21:28.380 --> 21:31.060 and again we don't wanna then be accused though 21:31.060 --> 21:32.920 of being really zealous soul winners 21:32.920 --> 21:35.840 that look down on other people and hate other people 21:35.840 --> 21:37.860 and oh you're not of us 21:37.860 --> 21:39.280 like the wrong spirit 21:39.780 --> 21:42.700 we wanna reciprocate and love the brethren 21:42.700 --> 21:44.620 and love those that love the Lord 21:44.620 --> 21:46.040 and are doing great works for God 21:46.040 --> 21:49.740 and we don't wanna turn away from those who love Jesus 21:49.740 --> 21:51.340 even if they're not like us 21:51.340 --> 21:53.520 even if they don't like us 21:53.520 --> 21:55.240 you know we should still like them 21:55.240 --> 21:56.500 hey if there's a guy out there 21:56.500 --> 21:57.620 that's doing a lot of soul winning 21:57.620 --> 21:58.800 and reaching a lot of people 21:58.800 --> 22:00.980 and he's like well I don't like you know Jonathan Shelley 22:00.980 --> 22:03.080 it's like well you know what God bless you anyways 22:03.080 --> 22:04.860 you know can I buy you a sandwich or whatever 22:04.860 --> 22:06.680 you know it's like hey who cares 22:07.140 --> 22:09.360 like it's not about people liking you 22:09.720 --> 22:11.140 it's about the work of God 22:11.140 --> 22:12.800 and at the end of the day we should just love our 22:12.800 --> 22:13.900 brothers and sisters in Christ 22:13.900 --> 22:15.280 and we should overcome evil with good 22:16.720 --> 22:19.140 we don't want them to think of us 22:19.140 --> 22:21.080 as just being so mean spirited 22:21.080 --> 22:22.400 and hateful towards the brethren 22:22.400 --> 22:23.400 we want to love them 22:23.900 --> 22:25.260 that doesn't mean we don't correct them 22:25.780 --> 22:27.000 that doesn't mean we don't point out 22:27.000 --> 22:27.760 what the Bible teaches 22:28.220 --> 22:29.460 but we can still do it 22:29.460 --> 22:31.320 we can still speak the truth and love 22:31.740 --> 22:32.580 is what the Bible says 22:32.580 --> 22:33.680 and what does the love mean 22:33.680 --> 22:35.220 it means when you're making statements 22:35.220 --> 22:36.580 is because you care about the person 22:36.580 --> 22:37.900 you actually want them to change 22:38.420 --> 22:40.040 you're not trying to tear them down 22:40.520 --> 22:41.980 and there's a very evident difference 22:41.980 --> 22:43.980 between someone that's just trying to trash someone 22:43.980 --> 22:45.580 and someone that's trying to correct 22:45.580 --> 22:47.680 and lovingly help someone change 22:48.200 --> 22:49.560 and we should have the second 22:49.560 --> 22:51.320 we should be more in the latter 22:51.320 --> 22:53.100 go to Galatians chapter 6 22:53.100 --> 22:54.500 go to Galatians chapter number 6 22:55.740 --> 22:57.640 and I want to look at verse number 10 22:58.340 --> 23:00.260 but we've talked about a couple groups 23:00.260 --> 23:01.260 we've talked about people in our church 23:01.260 --> 23:01.980 we should love them 23:02.460 --> 23:04.780 we should love people just in the broader scope 23:04.780 --> 23:06.720 of the independent fundamental Baptist world 23:07.520 --> 23:09.520 but I'm going to go even broader now 23:09.520 --> 23:11.380 and say that we should just love people 23:11.380 --> 23:12.480 in our faith 23:13.820 --> 23:15.660 so just any Christian 23:16.320 --> 23:18.200 I don't really care what church they go to 23:18.700 --> 23:20.000 or if they don't even go to church 23:20.480 --> 23:21.740 we should just kind of love Christians 23:21.740 --> 23:22.620 anybody that's saved 23:23.160 --> 23:24.900 we knock on a door we get someone saved 23:25.380 --> 23:26.700 and they're not Christian at all 23:26.700 --> 23:27.620 as far as their lifestyle 23:27.620 --> 23:29.160 we should still love that person 23:29.720 --> 23:32.160 we run into someone that's saved 23:32.160 --> 23:34.140 but they're not serving God 23:34.140 --> 23:35.320 they're not really doing the right thing 23:35.320 --> 23:37.500 we should still have love towards that person 23:37.500 --> 23:39.520 and we should still be friendly towards that person 23:39.520 --> 23:42.780 I'm not saying make this guy your number one friend 23:42.780 --> 23:44.780 I'm not saying he has to come over to your house 23:44.780 --> 23:45.540 and hang out with you 23:45.540 --> 23:47.400 I'm not saying let him borrow your car 23:47.400 --> 23:48.800 but what I am saying 23:48.800 --> 23:50.620 is you should be friendly towards that person 23:50.620 --> 23:54.240 we should just be friendly towards other Christians 23:54.240 --> 23:56.380 and it's like why can't I be friends 23:56.380 --> 23:57.300 with other Christians 23:57.740 --> 23:58.180 okay 23:59.100 --> 24:01.060 Galatians chapter six look at verse number 10 24:01.060 --> 24:03.160 as we have therefore opportunity 24:03.160 --> 24:05.000 let us do good unto all men 24:06.740 --> 24:08.940 especially unto them who are the household of faith 24:09.460 --> 24:10.260 now according to the Bible 24:10.260 --> 24:13.220 if I can do good unto someone that's not even saved 24:13.940 --> 24:17.080 then why would I not be able to do good to someone 24:17.700 --> 24:20.460 that is saved even if 24:20.940 --> 24:21.780 God forbid 24:22.720 --> 24:23.960 he was a Calvinist 24:25.500 --> 24:26.820 I know I was really silent 24:26.820 --> 24:28.240 okay you know 24:28.240 --> 24:30.520 the silence in church for about half an hour 24:30.520 --> 24:30.840 and I'm just kidding 24:30.840 --> 24:31.560 it's just like 24:32.200 --> 24:34.240 look I mean some people they lose their mind 24:34.240 --> 24:36.940 that it's like oh man you are nice to a Calvinist 24:36.940 --> 24:38.040 outside of a church setting 24:38.040 --> 24:39.020 don't you know he's a Calvinist 24:39.020 --> 24:40.420 it's like sure but you know what 24:40.420 --> 24:42.240 there could be a Calvinist out there that's saved 24:43.060 --> 24:44.680 and look even if he wasn't 24:44.680 --> 24:46.880 the Bible says I could do good to people that are not saved 24:46.880 --> 24:48.760 but then how much more the household of faith 24:49.780 --> 24:52.200 and look I don't think that it's bad 24:52.200 --> 24:56.280 that we as Christians can reach across the aisle 24:56.280 --> 24:59.320 and be nice to people that are saved 24:59.320 --> 25:01.360 even though they're in screwed up denominations 25:01.360 --> 25:03.880 they're backslidden and they have issues 25:03.880 --> 25:05.960 there's in my opinion there's nothing wrong 25:05.960 --> 25:07.420 of being friendly towards those people 25:07.420 --> 25:08.280 okay 25:08.280 --> 25:10.100 now am I saying 25:10.100 --> 25:12.180 that I can always have fellowship with them 25:12.180 --> 25:14.340 no it could be a first Corinthians five issue 25:14.340 --> 25:15.620 I get that I'm not trying to 25:15.620 --> 25:17.180 I'm not trying to disregard that part of the Bible 25:17.180 --> 25:19.420 I'm not trying to say there couldn't be Christians 25:19.420 --> 25:20.820 that are involved in grievous sin 25:20.820 --> 25:22.060 and we need to separate from them 25:22.060 --> 25:24.180 because of the grievous sin that they're involved in 25:24.180 --> 25:26.820 I'm not saying that we won't point out their sin 25:26.820 --> 25:29.340 but what I am saying is why wouldn't I just be friendly 25:29.340 --> 25:30.160 and do good to them 25:30.740 --> 25:32.120 especially the household of faith 25:32.120 --> 25:34.100 you know we should just have an attitude of like 25:34.100 --> 25:35.620 I just like Christians in general 25:35.620 --> 25:36.760 and I love Christians 25:36.760 --> 25:38.760 whether they be of a different flavor 25:38.760 --> 25:39.780 a different denomination 25:39.780 --> 25:41.280 or if they're screwed up 25:41.280 --> 25:42.640 but hey if they're saved 25:42.640 --> 25:43.720 you know we can have 25:43.720 --> 25:45.440 we should have some love for these people 25:45.440 --> 25:46.680 we should have some desire 25:46.680 --> 25:48.360 and we should try to win them over 25:49.040 --> 25:50.520 you know with meekness 25:50.520 --> 25:51.660 and with love 25:51.660 --> 25:52.560 and with compassion 25:52.560 --> 25:54.360 because you know there's been a lot of us 25:54.360 --> 25:56.720 that were in a different denomination for this church 25:57.240 --> 25:59.300 who in this church has been any denomination 25:59.300 --> 26:01.080 other than Baptist in their in their past 26:01.080 --> 26:02.100 yeah look around 26:02.660 --> 26:03.880 isn't it nice that 26:03.880 --> 26:06.140 you know we have an opportunity to change 26:06.140 --> 26:07.460 and become a Baptist 26:07.460 --> 26:09.000 you know I wasn't born a Baptist 26:09.000 --> 26:10.760 but I'll die a Baptist all right 26:11.800 --> 26:14.740 but you know my wife was Baptist born Baptist bred 26:14.740 --> 26:16.920 and she'll be Baptist dead when she dies all right 26:17.460 --> 26:18.880 and praise God for that testimony 26:18.880 --> 26:19.540 I love that 26:19.540 --> 26:22.120 I love that my children are raised Baptist 26:22.120 --> 26:23.820 and are going to be Baptist their whole life 26:23.820 --> 26:24.640 but you know 26:25.460 --> 26:27.020 for those of us that are not 26:27.020 --> 26:28.020 we realize hey 26:28.020 --> 26:29.960 I'm glad that someone was able to reach me 26:29.960 --> 26:31.340 and welcome me in 26:31.340 --> 26:33.040 and teach me where I was wrong 26:33.040 --> 26:35.700 and show me the errors that I had in my church 26:35.700 --> 26:37.840 you know I came from a charismatic 26:38.780 --> 26:40.200 non-denominational background 26:40.740 --> 26:42.600 and yeah they did this speaking in tongues 26:42.600 --> 26:43.640 but you know 26:44.180 --> 26:46.220 no one in my church was running around 26:46.220 --> 26:47.260 barking like a dog 26:47.260 --> 26:48.060 okay 26:48.760 --> 26:50.620 no one was doing fire tunnels 26:50.620 --> 26:51.260 okay 26:51.740 --> 26:53.360 now some of you have that testimony 26:53.360 --> 26:54.000 I don't know 26:54.000 --> 26:55.200 but I'm just saying like 26:55.780 --> 26:56.580 you know so it's like 26:56.580 --> 26:59.280 oh you're you're from a non-denominational church 26:59.280 --> 27:00.880 so you're demon possessed 27:00.880 --> 27:02.140 and it's just like well no 27:02.140 --> 27:03.460 I'm not demon possessed 27:03.460 --> 27:05.560 like we don't have this attitude 27:05.560 --> 27:07.140 that everybody that goes to a Pentecostal church 27:07.140 --> 27:08.320 is now a demon possessed 27:08.320 --> 27:09.700 dog barking freak 27:09.700 --> 27:11.120 or something like that okay 27:11.920 --> 27:13.760 but some people have that attitude 27:13.760 --> 27:14.900 some people think like 27:14.900 --> 27:16.040 oh you know 27:16.040 --> 27:17.500 because you're from this group 27:17.500 --> 27:18.780 you have this attitude 27:18.780 --> 27:19.540 or this belief 27:19.540 --> 27:20.640 and you know we don't want 27:20.640 --> 27:22.500 we want to have a love towards the brethren 27:22.500 --> 27:24.200 and a love towards the saved 27:24.200 --> 27:25.860 even if they're screwed up on doctrine 27:25.860 --> 27:27.260 even if they're screwed up 27:27.260 --> 27:28.060 going to a bad church 27:28.060 --> 27:29.260 even if they have the wrong Bible 27:29.260 --> 27:31.140 we want to try and win them over 27:31.140 --> 27:32.960 and why can't we be friends 27:32.960 --> 27:34.460 you know God willing 27:35.020 --> 27:35.840 they'll change 27:35.840 --> 27:37.040 and they'll become a Baptist 27:37.700 --> 27:39.160 they'll be like hey you're right 27:39.160 --> 27:40.840 hey that is what the bible says 27:40.840 --> 27:42.020 hey and you know what 27:42.020 --> 27:43.960 if they if they don't get one over 27:43.960 --> 27:45.580 and they don't become your best friend 27:45.580 --> 27:46.920 what was the harm 27:46.920 --> 27:47.760 and you're just being friendly 27:47.760 --> 27:48.400 towards them anyways 27:49.680 --> 27:52.020 I don't really see how it harms anything 27:52.540 --> 27:53.900 Galatians chapter 6 verse 1 27:53.900 --> 27:55.640 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault 27:55.640 --> 27:57.260 ye which are spiritual 27:57.960 --> 27:59.020 restore such a one 27:59.020 --> 28:00.580 in the spirit of meekness 28:01.560 --> 28:02.440 considering thyself 28:02.440 --> 28:03.900 lest thou also be tempted 28:03.900 --> 28:05.360 bear ye one another's burdens 28:05.360 --> 28:06.480 and so fulfill the law of Christ 28:06.480 --> 28:08.620 notice it doesn't say when a man's overtaken in a fault 28:08.620 --> 28:09.980 treat him like trash 28:10.480 --> 28:11.620 trash him burn him 28:12.140 --> 28:13.620 it's it's kind of similar what we started with 28:13.620 --> 28:14.600 condescending him in a little state 28:14.600 --> 28:15.280 it's like hey 28:15.280 --> 28:17.780 try to restore him in the spirit of meekness 28:18.340 --> 28:19.940 not looking down upon him 28:20.460 --> 28:21.660 not trashing him 28:21.660 --> 28:22.720 but rather 28:23.280 --> 28:24.060 hey buddy 28:24.600 --> 28:25.420 I get it 28:25.420 --> 28:26.020 we all sin 28:26.020 --> 28:27.620 hey I understand where you're coming from 28:27.620 --> 28:29.240 I felt that way before 28:29.240 --> 28:30.300 I've thought that before 28:30.300 --> 28:31.700 I've struggled with that before 28:31.700 --> 28:33.460 hey but I want you to change 28:33.460 --> 28:34.900 hey this is why you should change 28:34.900 --> 28:36.400 hey why don't you help me 28:36.400 --> 28:37.740 hey why don't you call me 28:37.740 --> 28:39.700 hey trying to reach that person 28:39.700 --> 28:40.780 and try to restore them 28:40.780 --> 28:41.640 and try to help them 28:41.640 --> 28:43.380 hey I was Pentecostal 28:43.380 --> 28:44.000 it was stupid 28:44.620 --> 28:45.420 let me help 28:45.420 --> 28:46.620 let me show you how it's right 28:47.300 --> 28:49.320 hey I had an NIV 28:49.320 --> 28:51.320 let me show you where it's screwed up 28:52.160 --> 28:54.160 hey I made this mistake 28:54.160 --> 28:57.160 let me show you why I don't want to make that mistake anymore 28:57.160 --> 28:59.140 hey I used to get drunk or whatever 28:59.140 --> 29:00.100 I used to do this 29:00.100 --> 29:00.660 it's like hey 29:00.660 --> 29:01.960 you know whatever it is 29:01.960 --> 29:04.680 just in the spirit of meekness 29:05.160 --> 29:06.440 instructing those that oppose themselves 29:06.440 --> 29:07.980 not sitting here and 29:08.720 --> 29:10.060 looking down on people 29:10.060 --> 29:11.340 and oh you've got 29:11.340 --> 29:13.100 you're an idiot for having the wrong bible 29:13.100 --> 29:14.080 and oh you're such 29:14.080 --> 29:15.440 you're such a fool 29:15.440 --> 29:17.440 and you know the bible says that 29:17.440 --> 29:19.140 you know drunkards are fools 29:19.140 --> 29:20.040 you know it's just like 29:20.040 --> 29:22.280 we don't have to necessarily be like that 29:22.980 --> 29:24.520 in our daily experiences 29:24.520 --> 29:26.380 now again if you're saying what the bible says 29:26.380 --> 29:26.940 I'm not gonna 29:26.940 --> 29:28.120 I'm not gonna throw stones at you 29:28.120 --> 29:30.340 but it doesn't mean that you can't still try 29:30.340 --> 29:32.080 your best to approach people love 29:32.080 --> 29:33.300 and kindness and meekness 29:33.300 --> 29:34.180 because that's what the bible's saying 29:34.740 --> 29:36.800 just as much as the bible tells us to rebuke our neighbor 29:37.260 --> 29:38.760 and not suffer sent upon him 29:38.760 --> 29:41.440 it also says to instruct them in meekness doesn't it 29:42.040 --> 29:43.120 so you can't just like 29:43.120 --> 29:45.080 I really like that rebuke part of the bible 29:45.560 --> 29:47.440 now you got to love the meekness part too 29:47.440 --> 29:48.200 okay 29:48.200 --> 29:51.020 obviously some churches they only emphasize the meekness 29:51.020 --> 29:52.020 and they don't care about the correction 29:52.020 --> 29:53.020 they don't care about the rebuke 29:53.020 --> 29:53.700 we want both 29:53.700 --> 29:55.560 but we want to make sure that we're doing it 29:55.560 --> 29:57.160 in a loving kind gracious attitude 29:57.160 --> 29:58.260 and we should be friends 29:58.260 --> 29:59.080 towards these people 29:59.080 --> 30:01.240 go if you would to Luke chapter 30:01.240 --> 30:03.120 or go to Matthew 11 first actually 30:03.120 --> 30:04.040 go to Matthew chapter 11 30:05.740 --> 30:07.460 so you know why can't we be friends 30:07.460 --> 30:08.500 with people in our church 30:10.020 --> 30:11.680 I think we should be friends with people in our church 30:11.680 --> 30:13.980 I think we should be for everyone in our church 30:13.980 --> 30:15.760 we should be wishing good for the people in our church 30:15.760 --> 30:18.400 we should be wishing good for the people in our denomination 30:18.400 --> 30:20.280 other Baptist other fundamental Baptist 30:20.800 --> 30:23.020 hey I'm just wishing good for a lot of Christians 30:23.020 --> 30:24.920 I hope a lot of Christians in our nation 30:24.920 --> 30:26.120 a lot of good things happen for them 30:26.120 --> 30:27.760 and they become King James only 30:27.760 --> 30:28.960 and they become a Baptist 30:28.960 --> 30:30.620 and they become like-minded 30:30.620 --> 30:31.800 they become a soul winner 30:31.800 --> 30:33.760 and even if they never become like me 30:33.760 --> 30:35.620 I just hope they become evangelistic 30:35.620 --> 30:37.200 and start preaching the gospel at least 30:37.200 --> 30:37.640 you know 30:37.640 --> 30:39.740 not everybody's gonna be exactly like us 30:39.740 --> 30:41.320 not everybody's gonna always be persuaded 30:41.320 --> 30:42.480 to come all our way 30:42.480 --> 30:44.080 but if they could just be persuaded 30:44.080 --> 30:46.140 to present the gospel a little bit more in their life 30:46.140 --> 30:46.900 wouldn't that be a win 30:47.440 --> 30:48.780 wouldn't that be a positive thing 30:48.780 --> 30:50.260 even if they could maybe clean up 30:50.260 --> 30:51.560 some areas of their life 30:51.560 --> 30:53.380 or make some positive changes 30:53.380 --> 30:54.080 you know 30:54.080 --> 30:56.840 it's not always about people becoming exactly like us 30:56.840 --> 30:58.740 sometimes it's just about helping people 30:58.740 --> 31:01.440 take a couple good steps in the right direction 31:02.940 --> 31:05.360 and so that's why I also think 31:05.880 --> 31:07.440 why can't I be friends with someone 31:08.100 --> 31:10.940 that is headed in the right direction 31:11.480 --> 31:13.640 okay so not only we're talking about people in our church 31:13.640 --> 31:14.880 we're talking about people in our denomination 31:14.880 --> 31:16.020 we're talking about people in our faith 31:16.020 --> 31:16.520 as Christians 31:16.520 --> 31:18.860 how about just people headed in the right direction 31:19.400 --> 31:21.540 and you know I've noticed there's been 31:21.540 --> 31:24.980 since COVID and other events in our world 31:24.980 --> 31:26.960 people they kind of get woken up 31:26.960 --> 31:28.920 they start realizing like 31:28.920 --> 31:30.240 man I feel like I've been lied to 31:30.240 --> 31:32.060 and they start seeking truth 31:32.060 --> 31:34.040 and they're not even saved necessarily 31:34.040 --> 31:36.960 but they're just taking steps down a pathway of like 31:36.960 --> 31:38.840 I'm just trying to figure out what the truth is 31:38.840 --> 31:40.880 and I'm just discovering truth in the areas that they are 31:40.880 --> 31:42.440 maybe they're Catholic still 31:42.440 --> 31:44.220 maybe they're Lutheran 31:44.220 --> 31:46.640 maybe they maybe they're not even really a Christian 31:47.220 --> 31:49.500 but you know what they're trying to go down a pathway 31:49.500 --> 31:50.280 towards truth 31:50.280 --> 31:52.720 it's like why can't I be friendly towards that person 31:53.380 --> 31:54.680 and try to help that person 31:54.680 --> 31:56.300 and get them to the real truth 31:56.300 --> 31:57.120 which is the gospel 31:57.720 --> 31:59.520 and I think that we should have this attitude 31:59.520 --> 32:01.100 of being friendly towards people 32:01.100 --> 32:03.120 who are heading in the right direction 32:03.120 --> 32:05.660 now Jesus often got accused of 32:05.660 --> 32:07.280 I would argue something similar 32:07.960 --> 32:09.860 where the Pharisees and the Sadducees 32:09.860 --> 32:10.900 would look down upon him 32:10.900 --> 32:11.960 and criticize him 32:11.960 --> 32:15.100 for being friends with people from rough backgrounds 32:15.760 --> 32:17.360 people are obviously not saved 32:17.360 --> 32:19.340 at a time in their past 32:19.340 --> 32:21.200 and definitely not even serving God at all 32:21.820 --> 32:23.640 very rough individuals 32:23.640 --> 32:25.860 but look what it says in Matthew 11 verse 19 32:26.460 --> 32:28.640 it says the son of man came eating and drinking 32:28.640 --> 32:30.780 and they say behold a man gluttonous 32:31.320 --> 32:32.440 and a wine beaver 32:32.440 --> 32:35.460 a friend of publicans and sinners 32:35.460 --> 32:37.460 but wisdom is justified to our children 32:37.460 --> 32:38.180 now here's the thing 32:39.140 --> 32:40.020 this is a careful 32:40.020 --> 32:41.980 we have to carefully unpack this passage 32:42.460 --> 32:44.180 because you got some people out there 32:44.180 --> 32:46.160 being like yeah Jesus was hanging out of the bar 32:47.100 --> 32:47.540 false 32:48.520 --> 32:50.280 okay if we back up 32:50.280 --> 32:52.520 just just let's just back up a hair 32:52.520 --> 32:53.840 all right look at verse 18 32:53.840 --> 32:56.180 for John came neither eating or drinking 32:56.180 --> 32:57.460 and they say he had the devil 32:57.460 --> 32:59.200 now is that statement true 33:00.620 --> 33:02.520 is it even kind of true 33:03.120 --> 33:04.620 is it even a little bit true 33:04.620 --> 33:06.660 it's a hundred percent false 33:06.660 --> 33:07.060 okay 33:07.060 --> 33:09.240 so then why would I then take 33:09.240 --> 33:11.100 the next statement out of their mouth 33:11.100 --> 33:11.720 in verse 19 33:11.720 --> 33:13.080 and be like this is true 33:13.640 --> 33:15.300 it's obviously not true 33:15.300 --> 33:15.960 okay 33:15.960 --> 33:18.340 there's something wrong with what they're saying 33:19.000 --> 33:21.160 but there's an element of truth 33:21.160 --> 33:23.880 obviously mixed in with some of these things 33:24.300 --> 33:26.400 what is the element of truth in this 33:26.980 --> 33:28.440 the element of truth is that 33:28.440 --> 33:29.880 there are people that are sinful 33:29.880 --> 33:32.280 that were very bad people 33:32.280 --> 33:32.960 like public and sinners 33:32.960 --> 33:35.680 but they started walking in the right direction 33:36.300 --> 33:39.020 and then Jesus ended up ministering to them 33:39.020 --> 33:40.960 and giving them the gospel 33:40.960 --> 33:41.420 okay 33:41.420 --> 33:44.320 but Jesus is not hanging out with 33:44.320 --> 33:45.840 the tax collectors 33:45.840 --> 33:47.580 he's not hanging out with 33:47.580 --> 33:48.820 he's not best friends with 33:48.820 --> 33:50.120 the prostitutes and all 33:50.120 --> 33:52.500 he's not going to a house of prostitution 33:52.500 --> 33:53.380 but yeah 33:53.380 --> 33:55.460 did prostitutes come to him 33:55.460 --> 33:57.000 seeking the truth 33:57.000 --> 33:58.180 and seeking grace and mercy 33:58.180 --> 33:59.400 and he was friendly towards them 33:59.400 --> 34:00.040 absolutely 34:00.660 --> 34:01.980 now let's get a clear example 34:01.980 --> 34:03.240 let's go to Luke chapter number 19 34:03.240 --> 34:04.220 go to Luke chapter number 19 34:04.220 --> 34:05.980 and so sometimes people what they'll do 34:05.980 --> 34:07.260 they'll criticize you 34:07.260 --> 34:08.480 for being friendly 34:08.480 --> 34:10.340 or nice to someone 34:10.920 --> 34:13.320 that has some screwed up stuff in their past 34:13.320 --> 34:16.040 that has some serious major issues 34:16.040 --> 34:17.880 or they have a rough upbringing 34:17.880 --> 34:18.960 or they don't look right 34:18.960 --> 34:19.920 but you know what 34:19.920 --> 34:21.300 if they're headed in the right direction 34:21.300 --> 34:22.860 why can't I be friendly towards them 34:22.860 --> 34:25.160 and that's not that he's quote friends with them 34:25.160 --> 34:26.020 and they're the besties 34:26.020 --> 34:26.740 they're hanging out 34:26.740 --> 34:28.860 in these sinful places 34:28.860 --> 34:30.780 but he is friendly towards them 34:31.820 --> 34:33.560 and he's seeking for them to be saved 34:33.560 --> 34:34.720 look at Luke chapter 19 34:34.720 --> 34:35.480 look at verse 5 34:35.480 --> 34:37.000 and when Jesus came to the place 34:37.000 --> 34:38.000 he looked up and saw 34:38.000 --> 34:39.140 and said to them 34:39.140 --> 34:41.500 Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today 34:41.500 --> 34:43.380 I must abide at thy house 34:43.380 --> 34:45.180 and he made haste and came down 34:45.180 --> 34:46.160 and received him joyfully 34:46.160 --> 34:47.440 and when they saw it 34:47.440 --> 34:48.280 they all murmured 34:48.280 --> 34:50.580 saying that he was going to be guessed 34:50.580 --> 34:51.740 with a man that is a sinner 34:52.620 --> 34:54.380 and Zacchaeus stood and said 34:54.380 --> 34:54.920 unto the Lord 34:54.920 --> 34:56.000 behold Lord 34:56.000 --> 34:58.320 the half of my goods I give to the poor 34:58.320 --> 35:01.000 and if I have taken anything from any man 35:01.000 --> 35:02.280 by false accusation 35:02.280 --> 35:03.560 I restored him fourfold 35:03.560 --> 35:04.880 and Jesus said in him 35:04.880 --> 35:06.540 this day his salvation come to this house 35:07.060 --> 35:08.420 for as much as he also 35:08.420 --> 35:09.920 is a son of Abraham 35:09.920 --> 35:12.200 for the son of man has come to seek and to save 35:12.200 --> 35:14.260 that which was lost 35:14.260 --> 35:16.160 notice Zacchaeus 35:16.160 --> 35:18.080 came to seek Jesus 35:18.080 --> 35:19.620 that's why he went in the tree 35:19.620 --> 35:20.500 he wanted to see him 35:21.140 --> 35:21.580 secondly 35:21.580 --> 35:23.180 when approached by Jesus 35:23.180 --> 35:24.620 we have an attitude 35:24.620 --> 35:25.660 in a heart of someone 35:25.660 --> 35:27.160 that's trying to go in the right direction 35:27.160 --> 35:28.100 saying look 35:28.760 --> 35:30.100 I'm going to give money back 35:30.100 --> 35:32.100 I'm going to try and do right now 35:32.100 --> 35:35.520 I want to make some positive steps in my life 35:35.520 --> 35:37.360 I want to head in the right direction here 35:37.360 --> 35:38.760 and then Jesus saying 35:38.760 --> 35:41.200 hey today salvation is coming to your house 35:41.200 --> 35:42.760 it's not that he quote 35:42.760 --> 35:44.280 repent of his sins and be saved 35:44.280 --> 35:45.920 but what the bible is teaching 35:45.920 --> 35:46.560 is that look 35:46.560 --> 35:48.460 this guy was headed in the right direction 35:48.460 --> 35:50.980 and that's when the gospel hit him 35:50.980 --> 35:52.620 it's just like John 3 35:52.620 --> 35:53.920 that tells us 35:53.920 --> 35:56.240 that's the guy that's seeking the truth 35:56.240 --> 35:57.300 seeking the light 35:57.300 --> 35:59.500 he's going to be the one that's coming to the light 35:59.500 --> 36:01.300 but the person that hates the light 36:01.300 --> 36:02.020 you know 36:02.020 --> 36:03.860 because he doesn't want his deeds to be reproved 36:03.860 --> 36:05.480 he doesn't end up finding it 36:05.480 --> 36:07.720 it's not the actor of repent of your sins 36:07.720 --> 36:08.360 to be saved 36:08.360 --> 36:09.080 at all 36:09.080 --> 36:11.400 but often people that are seeking 36:12.000 --> 36:13.480 to be corrected by the Lord 36:13.480 --> 36:14.320 or seeking the Lord 36:14.320 --> 36:15.780 will end up finding the gospel 36:15.780 --> 36:18.180 and finding out salvation is a free gift 36:18.180 --> 36:18.540 okay 36:18.540 --> 36:21.780 so I think because of things like this 36:21.780 --> 36:24.360 this is why it's so easy for people 36:24.360 --> 36:25.500 to conflate these issues 36:25.500 --> 36:28.140 and why it's so easy for people that are even saved 36:28.140 --> 36:30.060 to get screwed up on some of these issues 36:30.060 --> 36:32.420 even though the bible is crystal clear 36:32.420 --> 36:35.000 you don't have to repent of any sins to be saved 36:35.520 --> 36:37.160 but we see people doing it 36:37.760 --> 36:39.740 I mean can't we see that there were some people 36:39.740 --> 36:41.460 that the moment they got saved 36:41.460 --> 36:42.340 they changed their life 36:42.340 --> 36:44.740 and can't we see that there's some people right here 36:44.740 --> 36:45.560 like Zacchaeus 36:45.560 --> 36:48.240 that are determined to try and give up some of their sins 36:48.240 --> 36:51.680 while seeking the right gospel and the right salvation 36:51.680 --> 36:53.500 so it's not that there isn't people 36:53.500 --> 36:56.140 who don't simultaneously get saved 36:56.140 --> 36:57.740 and repent of their sins 36:57.740 --> 37:00.120 in the same moments in the same time frame 37:00.120 --> 37:01.460 the problem is 37:01.460 --> 37:03.740 teaching that that's a requirement for salvation 37:03.740 --> 37:04.640 that's the problem 37:05.120 --> 37:06.860 and of course there's a lot of people 37:06.860 --> 37:08.160 they have a testimony 37:08.160 --> 37:09.780 where they were living a very sinful life 37:09.780 --> 37:11.620 and then they started seeking the Lord 37:11.620 --> 37:12.260 and they got saved 37:12.260 --> 37:13.560 and so in their mind 37:13.560 --> 37:15.760 they think you have to seek the Lord 37:15.760 --> 37:17.880 and you have to turn over new leaf to get saved 37:17.880 --> 37:19.660 but you don't have to do that to get saved 37:19.660 --> 37:21.960 it's just often that leads you to the gospel 37:21.960 --> 37:24.320 so they're conflating those two issues 37:24.320 --> 37:26.380 and missing the whole point 37:26.900 --> 37:29.960 but why are we you know talking about Zacchaeus 37:29.960 --> 37:30.700 we're talking about Zacchaeus 37:30.700 --> 37:33.340 because notice the Pharisees were murmuring it 37:33.340 --> 37:34.380 Jesus hanging out with them 37:35.080 --> 37:37.220 they're like oh how dare you hang out with the sinner 37:37.680 --> 37:38.900 with this with this guy 37:38.900 --> 37:40.800 you know you look at a church like ours 37:40.800 --> 37:43.700 and you'll find a lot of people that have a have a rough past 37:44.310 --> 37:47.160 you have people that didn't weren't necessarily Christian 37:47.160 --> 37:49.740 they weren't a fundamental Baptist their whole life 37:50.320 --> 37:52.760 their whole family didn't serve at Hiles Anderson 37:52.760 --> 37:53.880 or something like that 37:53.880 --> 37:56.420 you know they actually had some rough upbringing 37:56.420 --> 37:57.500 but you know what 37:57.500 --> 38:00.340 hey we can still bring them into church 38:00.340 --> 38:01.880 and be friendly towards them 38:01.880 --> 38:03.920 and we can be friends towards individuals 38:03.920 --> 38:05.600 that are headed in the right direction 38:05.600 --> 38:08.560 and you know I have no problem being friendly 38:08.560 --> 38:11.680 towards Catholics who are headed in the right direction 38:11.680 --> 38:14.460 no does that mean I'm friends with the Catholic priest 38:14.460 --> 38:16.520 who's preaching a false gospel no 38:17.040 --> 38:19.440 am I going to be friendly towards people like Nick Fuentes 38:19.440 --> 38:22.760 who are preaching actively a false gospel on a regular basis 38:22.760 --> 38:23.240 no 38:23.240 --> 38:24.940 but you know if someone was a Catholic 38:24.940 --> 38:27.620 and they're not evangelistic about their false religion 38:28.160 --> 38:30.140 and they're seeming to head in the right direction 38:30.140 --> 38:31.500 I don't see why I would be wrong 38:31.500 --> 38:33.880 for me to be friendly towards that person 38:33.880 --> 38:35.300 and trying to help them convert 38:35.300 --> 38:36.800 and help them see the light 38:36.800 --> 38:38.200 and help them come to the Lord 38:38.200 --> 38:40.680 just like Jesus was friendly towards these people 38:40.680 --> 38:42.740 but then it would be a false accusation of 38:42.740 --> 38:45.220 oh you're friends with Catholics 38:45.220 --> 38:46.700 you're friends with these 38:46.700 --> 38:47.620 it's like really 38:48.460 --> 38:50.600 like show me the Catholic in my friends list 38:50.600 --> 38:52.260 show me the Catholic on my speed dial 38:52.260 --> 38:52.800 show me the Catholic 38:52.800 --> 38:54.320 it's like I don't have these people 38:54.320 --> 38:55.740 but you know I can be friendly towards them 38:55.740 --> 38:57.660 I can interact with them in a social setting 38:57.660 --> 38:58.920 and be friendly and kind 38:58.920 --> 39:00.600 and I'm not rebuking them 39:00.600 --> 39:02.640 and I'm not being mean towards them 39:02.640 --> 39:03.960 and I'm not trashing them 39:03.960 --> 39:05.660 and whenever I'm approaching them 39:05.660 --> 39:07.180 I can be kind and do good 39:07.180 --> 39:09.160 why because that's how Jesus was 39:09.920 --> 39:11.880 and a lot of to a lot of people 39:12.520 --> 39:15.000 and so we should have the same type of attitude 39:15.000 --> 39:16.780 towards the Zacchaeuses of this world 39:16.780 --> 39:18.220 the sinners the publicans 39:18.220 --> 39:20.140 even the prostitutes and the harlots 39:20.140 --> 39:22.440 gov would a second Timothy chapter two 39:22.440 --> 39:24.560 so we talked about four groups 39:24.560 --> 39:26.300 here's a fifth group that I want to talk about 39:26.300 --> 39:29.260 is people that are just lost in general 39:29.820 --> 39:30.780 maybe they're not even 39:31.340 --> 39:32.080 they're not even 39:33.140 --> 39:34.580 going in the right direction 39:35.260 --> 39:36.980 they're just straight lost 39:37.620 --> 39:38.020 well 39:39.080 --> 39:40.780 how do we approach those individuals 39:41.380 --> 39:42.540 the same we should be friendly 39:44.020 --> 39:45.100 I mean think about this 39:45.100 --> 39:47.360 we if we should be friendly to people that are just lost 39:47.900 --> 39:50.320 friendly to people that are just headed in the right direction 39:50.320 --> 39:52.680 people just just Christian in general 39:52.680 --> 39:54.180 people that are in our denomination 39:54.180 --> 39:55.340 how much more should it be 39:55.340 --> 39:56.480 to people in our own church 39:56.920 --> 39:57.540 you know 39:57.540 --> 39:59.180 like it starts getting silly 39:59.180 --> 40:00.260 when you can't even be friendly 40:00.260 --> 40:01.620 towards people in your own church 40:01.620 --> 40:04.060 and people that you're around on a regular basis 40:04.060 --> 40:05.080 and you know what those are the people 40:05.080 --> 40:07.040 you should try your best to be the most friendly to 40:07.480 --> 40:09.300 because you're going to be around them the most 40:09.820 --> 40:11.260 it makes the most sense 40:11.260 --> 40:13.320 to be the friendliest of the people 40:13.320 --> 40:14.600 that you're going to be around the most 40:15.640 --> 40:17.620 second Timothy chapter two look at verse 25 40:18.080 --> 40:20.400 in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves 40:20.400 --> 40:22.540 if God peradventure will give them repentance 40:23.060 --> 40:24.560 to the acknowledging of the truth 40:24.560 --> 40:25.620 and that they may recover themselves 40:25.620 --> 40:26.680 of the snare of the devil 40:26.680 --> 40:28.740 for taking captive by him at his will 40:28.740 --> 40:32.540 you know we should be gentle and kind 40:33.260 --> 40:35.820 towards the lost and hoping that they'll be saved 40:35.820 --> 40:37.120 your co-workers 40:37.840 --> 40:39.500 people you meet out in the public 40:40.220 --> 40:43.860 hey we should be kind to the muslim and the hindu 40:44.380 --> 40:47.340 and just the random person in this 40:47.340 --> 40:50.060 in this cafe and the catholic and whatever 40:50.060 --> 40:52.740 we should try to win them over with meekness 40:52.740 --> 40:54.560 and try to give them grace 40:54.560 --> 40:56.140 and try to hope that they get saved 40:56.140 --> 40:58.520 right you know i've knocked on a lot of doors 40:58.520 --> 41:01.960 of muslims hindus whatever 41:01.960 --> 41:04.260 even jews believe it or not 41:04.700 --> 41:07.340 and you know what i was kind to that person 41:08.220 --> 41:10.860 even all the things i know and believe about their religion 41:11.540 --> 41:13.320 and i did offer them the gospel 41:13.320 --> 41:15.780 and i have i've given the gospel to jews 41:15.780 --> 41:17.980 i've tried to give them the gospel 41:17.980 --> 41:18.980 and tried to get them saved 41:18.980 --> 41:20.760 i don't believe i ever have 41:20.760 --> 41:22.340 you know if i did i didn't know 41:22.340 --> 41:23.340 i got a jew saved right 41:24.640 --> 41:27.140 but i i'm not it's not because i won't try 41:27.560 --> 41:29.520 it's not because i wouldn't be nice to them 41:29.520 --> 41:31.380 i'll be nice to any of them 41:31.380 --> 41:32.620 and i'll try to give them the gospel 41:32.620 --> 41:34.240 and i want to try and get them saved 41:34.240 --> 41:35.960 you know go to 1 Corinthians chapter nine 41:35.960 --> 41:37.960 i think that i'm proving my points 41:37.960 --> 41:39.340 sufficiently in the text 41:39.340 --> 41:42.180 but you know so you search the scriptures 41:42.620 --> 41:44.340 now again i get that there's boundaries 41:44.840 --> 41:46.220 and and you know for me 41:46.760 --> 41:48.380 boundaries i'm not going to be friendly 41:49.020 --> 41:50.280 towards false prophets 41:50.740 --> 41:51.860 i'm not going to be friendly 41:51.860 --> 41:53.480 towards rep or bait sodomites 41:54.000 --> 41:55.520 and i'm not going to be friendly 41:55.520 --> 41:56.880 towards people who are attacking 41:56.880 --> 41:57.800 the work of the lord 41:57.800 --> 42:01.280 okay so i i i do have boundaries 42:01.280 --> 42:02.660 and i do have groups that i would say 42:02.660 --> 42:03.720 you know what i'm not going to be 42:03.720 --> 42:05.400 friendly towards this group 42:05.400 --> 42:07.340 and you know i think there's personal 42:07.340 --> 42:09.060 enemies that are distinct from 42:09.560 --> 42:10.520 enemies of the lord 42:10.520 --> 42:11.720 and people attacking our church 42:11.720 --> 42:13.120 and attacking soul winning okay 42:13.120 --> 42:15.160 so don't conflate these obviously 42:15.160 --> 42:17.180 they're also my enemy a lot of times 42:17.180 --> 42:18.460 too but i'm just saying like 42:18.460 --> 42:20.380 it's not because i'm just reciprocating 42:20.380 --> 42:21.540 evil for my enemies 42:21.540 --> 42:22.760 it's like man if you're trying to 42:22.760 --> 42:24.520 destroy church and destroy the bible 42:24.520 --> 42:25.840 and doctrine and soul winning 42:25.840 --> 42:26.540 and what it's like 42:26.540 --> 42:28.120 yeah i'm gonna fight you yeah i'm gonna 42:28.120 --> 42:29.900 i'm gonna take you to task okay 42:31.260 --> 42:33.780 so we have boundaries we have groups 42:33.780 --> 42:36.340 that we need to not necessarily 42:36.340 --> 42:38.060 be friendly towards you know someone 42:38.680 --> 42:40.620 this is not just someone this is a 42:40.620 --> 42:42.740 many people have asked me 42:42.740 --> 42:44.620 and and asked about questions like 42:44.620 --> 42:45.940 what about a first Corinthians five 42:45.940 --> 42:46.820 issue you know 42:46.820 --> 42:48.560 what if someone in our church is 42:48.560 --> 42:50.200 actually excommunicated our church 42:50.200 --> 42:51.640 discipline like how should i approach 42:51.640 --> 42:52.180 that person 42:52.180 --> 42:53.640 there's nothing wrong with being 42:53.640 --> 42:54.680 friendly towards the person 42:54.680 --> 42:55.960 but again there's a difference 42:55.960 --> 42:57.420 between being friendly and being 42:57.420 --> 42:58.220 friends with right 42:58.220 --> 42:59.660 there's a difference between me 42:59.660 --> 43:01.660 you know lovingly being nice to the 43:01.660 --> 43:04.280 person and kind and hoping good for them 43:04.280 --> 43:06.160 and telling them they need to change 43:06.680 --> 43:08.900 and then hang out with them and acting 43:08.900 --> 43:09.800 like everything's normal 43:09.800 --> 43:12.320 okay so i can't hang out with you 43:12.320 --> 43:14.700 and be normal because you have this 43:14.700 --> 43:15.980 issue in your life and i need you to 43:15.980 --> 43:16.500 change it 43:16.500 --> 43:18.380 but that doesn't mean i can't text you 43:18.380 --> 43:20.300 or call you when you reach out to 43:20.300 --> 43:21.660 me like i don't have to ghost you 43:21.660 --> 43:22.580 or something necessarily 43:23.160 --> 43:24.840 but that doesn't mean i'm also i'm 43:24.840 --> 43:25.920 not going to actively pursue 43:25.920 --> 43:26.920 relationship with you 43:26.920 --> 43:29.600 i'm not actively trying to engage and 43:29.600 --> 43:30.560 have fellowship with you 43:30.560 --> 43:32.180 because you're under church discipline 43:32.660 --> 43:34.760 but you know i treat them like a heath 43:34.760 --> 43:35.280 in the publican 43:35.280 --> 43:38.020 you know i still file my taxes 43:38.020 --> 43:39.480 i don't like the tax guy 43:40.020 --> 43:40.720 you know i still 43:40.720 --> 43:43.320 i you know if someone out at my 43:43.320 --> 43:45.220 workplace says hi i say hi to them 43:45.220 --> 43:46.700 you know i'm nice to my co-workers 43:46.700 --> 43:48.220 i'm nice to the tax man 43:48.220 --> 43:49.520 i'm nice to the police officers 43:49.520 --> 43:51.340 it's not that i ignore them or 43:51.340 --> 43:52.060 something like that 43:52.060 --> 43:53.200 but you know what i'm not going to 43:53.200 --> 43:54.580 invite the tax guy over for 43:54.580 --> 43:55.020 Thanksgiving 43:56.360 --> 43:57.320 you know 43:57.960 --> 44:00.460 i'm not i'm not just welcoming in 44:00.460 --> 44:02.020 everybody that i work with 44:02.020 --> 44:04.520 to just hang out with me and watch my 44:04.520 --> 44:05.860 kids and whatever it's like i'm not 44:05.860 --> 44:07.380 i'm not we're not that close 44:07.380 --> 44:08.480 you know what i mean 44:08.480 --> 44:11.000 that doesn't mean i can't be friendly 44:11.000 --> 44:12.600 and so someone kicked out a church 44:12.600 --> 44:14.560 i'm not saying you can't be friendly 44:15.100 --> 44:17.560 but don't be friends with and don't 44:17.560 --> 44:18.300 just take 44:19.040 --> 44:20.700 you know don't take the actual 44:20.700 --> 44:22.300 discipline off the table from them 44:22.300 --> 44:25.520 it's like oh well you know our kids 44:25.520 --> 44:26.980 they're they're supposed to be disciplined 44:26.980 --> 44:28.060 because they didn't eat their dinner 44:28.060 --> 44:29.440 so they don't get dessert 44:29.440 --> 44:31.520 so i bought them a candy bar instead 44:31.520 --> 44:33.360 it's just like well what the heck you 44:33.360 --> 44:35.720 know like now they're now they're not 44:35.720 --> 44:36.840 going to learn their lesson right 44:36.840 --> 44:38.660 if they didn't eat their dinner they 44:38.660 --> 44:40.080 don't get any dessert it's not like 44:40.080 --> 44:41.040 well they don't get the cake 44:41.040 --> 44:42.800 they can have a candy bar instead 44:42.800 --> 44:44.040 it's just like no no dessert 44:44.040 --> 44:45.440 right because you're totally 44:45.440 --> 44:47.420 undermining it i mean think about it 44:47.420 --> 44:48.600 if you're trying to discipline your 44:48.600 --> 44:50.300 kids and grandma and grandpa are over 44:51.220 --> 44:52.700 and you're like all right they didn't 44:52.700 --> 44:54.060 eat their dinner so no cake 44:54.060 --> 44:55.440 and they're like okay well i'll give 44:55.440 --> 44:56.580 them a Snickers instead 44:56.580 --> 44:58.560 and it's just like no grandma 44:59.100 --> 45:01.720 no grandma you're totally undermining 45:02.220 --> 45:03.240 the discipline here 45:03.240 --> 45:05.480 they need to just not have any candy 45:05.480 --> 45:08.540 we need to all say no no desserts 45:09.020 --> 45:10.360 because they need to be punished 45:10.360 --> 45:11.500 that's the whole point 45:11.500 --> 45:13.560 okay but that doesn't mean you can't 45:13.560 --> 45:14.300 be kind to them 45:14.300 --> 45:15.960 that doesn't mean as grandma grandpa 45:15.960 --> 45:17.000 you can't be like all right honey 45:17.000 --> 45:17.960 please eat your dinner 45:17.960 --> 45:19.060 so then you can have some cake 45:19.800 --> 45:21.020 we want you to have cake 45:21.020 --> 45:22.500 we're on your team 45:22.500 --> 45:24.160 we're a team have cake 45:25.320 --> 45:26.680 but if you won't eat your dinner 45:26.680 --> 45:28.820 no cake you know 45:29.580 --> 45:31.000 it this is the attitude 45:31.000 --> 45:32.680 but you know what grandma and grandpa 45:32.680 --> 45:33.760 don't need to take the cake 45:33.760 --> 45:35.420 and shove it in their face 45:35.980 --> 45:38.460 and be like ha ha you're an idiot or 45:38.460 --> 45:39.060 something you know 45:39.060 --> 45:42.240 it's just like hey we can be nice 45:42.240 --> 45:43.340 we can be kind 45:43.860 --> 45:45.600 it's not like oh now we can't even 45:45.600 --> 45:46.900 talk to you because you can't have 45:46.900 --> 45:47.080 cake 45:47.080 --> 45:48.760 it's just like hey we want to make 45:48.760 --> 45:50.160 sure that we're keeping the 45:50.160 --> 45:51.020 discipline enforced 45:51.660 --> 45:53.060 but we can still be friendly 45:53.060 --> 45:53.700 we can still be kind 45:53.700 --> 45:54.640 we're still on your team 45:54.640 --> 45:55.580 we're still for you 45:55.580 --> 45:56.800 we just want you to change 45:57.620 --> 45:58.780 we just want you to get it right 45:58.780 --> 46:00.440 we just want you to do the good thing 46:00.440 --> 46:00.860 okay 46:01.460 --> 46:02.820 first Corinthians chapter nine 46:02.820 --> 46:04.080 we have the Apostle Paul 46:04.600 --> 46:06.280 he says in verse 20 46:07.080 --> 46:09.400 and unto the Jews I became as a Jew 46:11.480 --> 46:12.720 that's hard for some of you 46:12.720 --> 46:13.040 okay 46:14.500 --> 46:16.280 would you be willing to become a Jew 46:16.280 --> 46:17.340 to get a Jew saved 46:17.340 --> 46:18.380 you know that's a tough 46:18.380 --> 46:18.700 question 46:19.180 --> 46:20.380 that I might gain the Jews 46:20.380 --> 46:21.520 to them that are under the law 46:21.520 --> 46:22.080 as under the law 46:22.080 --> 46:23.280 that I might gain them that are under the law 46:23.280 --> 46:24.700 to them that are without law 46:24.700 --> 46:26.380 as without law being not without 46:26.380 --> 46:26.960 law to God 46:26.960 --> 46:27.940 but under the law to Christ 46:27.940 --> 46:29.060 that I might gain them that are 46:29.060 --> 46:29.900 without law to the weak 46:29.900 --> 46:30.600 became as weak 46:30.600 --> 46:32.080 that I might gain the weak 46:32.080 --> 46:33.960 I made all things to all men 46:33.960 --> 46:35.480 that I might by all means save some 46:37.000 --> 46:38.120 notice Paul's attitude 46:38.120 --> 46:39.860 I'm going to be friendly to everyone 46:40.240 --> 46:41.760 I'm going to condescend 46:41.760 --> 46:43.520 to men of low estate 46:44.060 --> 46:45.080 someone that's weak 46:45.460 --> 46:46.360 I'll be weak 46:47.700 --> 46:49.560 so what would that look like 46:49.560 --> 46:51.880 and again this is just my personal application 46:51.880 --> 46:52.980 you can take this however you want 46:52.980 --> 46:53.880 you studied on your own 46:53.880 --> 46:54.080 alright 46:54.560 --> 46:57.580 but what if someone's not the strongest Christian 46:59.020 --> 47:00.720 maybe I don't necessarily have to brag 47:00.720 --> 47:02.460 about how awesome I am a Christian 47:02.460 --> 47:03.300 when I'm around them 47:07.040 --> 47:08.400 and again I'm not saying that 47:08.400 --> 47:09.660 we don't try to encourage them 47:09.660 --> 47:11.020 and give them zeal to serve God 47:11.020 --> 47:13.000 but I'm just saying we don't look down on them 47:13.000 --> 47:14.300 and rub their nose in it 47:14.860 --> 47:16.200 you know we're trying to be helpful 47:16.200 --> 47:17.180 we're trying to be kind 47:17.800 --> 47:19.740 we're trying to encourage them 47:19.740 --> 47:21.800 to the weak became I as weak 47:22.480 --> 47:24.660 why because he wants to get people saved 47:24.660 --> 47:26.420 he wants to get people in the right church 47:26.420 --> 47:28.380 and again obviously this context could be 47:28.380 --> 47:30.340 someone that's you know a Christian 47:30.340 --> 47:31.520 but they're not saved yet 47:32.020 --> 47:33.860 and you're just trying to help them 47:33.860 --> 47:35.420 you're not just like oh you're 47:35.420 --> 47:36.340 you have the wrong bible 47:36.340 --> 47:37.380 and you're stupid 47:37.380 --> 47:38.920 you don't go on missions trips 47:39.500 --> 47:40.980 and you don't even dress right 47:41.580 --> 47:43.420 you know it's it's like hey 47:44.340 --> 47:46.100 oh you like the bible I like the bible 47:46.100 --> 47:47.940 you know hey let me show you some verses 47:47.940 --> 47:48.900 you know just being kind 47:48.900 --> 47:49.800 just being nice 47:49.800 --> 47:53.420 not necessarily trying to be over spiritual 47:53.980 --> 47:56.280 being hyper spiritual a holier than now 47:57.180 --> 47:59.040 look our closest friends should not be 47:59.040 --> 47:59.840 unsaved people 47:59.840 --> 48:01.680 it should not be false religion 48:01.680 --> 48:03.540 we should never be ecumenical 48:03.540 --> 48:06.440 okay pluralism is a false doctrine 48:06.440 --> 48:09.260 okay but there's nothing in the bible 48:09.260 --> 48:10.800 saying that you can't like other Christians 48:11.340 --> 48:12.180 there's nothing in the bible 48:12.180 --> 48:13.000 saying you can't be friendly 48:13.000 --> 48:13.700 towards other Christians 48:13.700 --> 48:15.580 in fact I would argue it's saying the exact opposite 48:15.580 --> 48:17.380 we should be kind to these people 48:17.380 --> 48:18.940 and you know what I hope that Calvinists 48:18.940 --> 48:20.700 just change and become evangelistic 48:21.080 --> 48:23.000 let's just destroy the doctrine of Calvinism 48:23.000 --> 48:25.000 let's just destroy the doctrine of Zionism 48:25.000 --> 48:26.640 let's just destroy the preacher of rapture 48:26.640 --> 48:27.580 and I think we're doing it 48:27.580 --> 48:28.780 okay I'm just gonna be honest with you 48:28.780 --> 48:31.440 I think we're destroying let's destroy dispensationalism 48:31.440 --> 48:32.800 but you know what I think you can be nice 48:32.800 --> 48:33.320 to these people 48:34.060 --> 48:35.360 obviously if they believe in multiple 48:35.800 --> 48:37.540 gospels and oneness and whatever 48:37.540 --> 48:39.760 yeah we get it there's heretics 48:39.760 --> 48:41.260 don't be nice to them fine 48:41.260 --> 48:42.820 but there's probably a lot of people 48:42.820 --> 48:44.980 caught up in some of these false doctrines 48:44.980 --> 48:46.220 that are still nice people 48:46.220 --> 48:47.980 and we should be we should be kind to them 48:47.980 --> 48:48.760 you know the bible says 48:48.760 --> 48:50.720 faithful are the wounds of a friend 48:52.120 --> 48:53.700 so I want to go to a few more places 48:54.220 --> 48:55.920 and and look at a few more verses 48:55.920 --> 48:57.360 but go to Titus chapter 3 48:57.900 --> 48:59.360 so let's let's just kind of 49:01.100 --> 49:02.040 put it all together 49:02.040 --> 49:03.360 and and talk about 49:03.360 --> 49:05.260 what are some of these attitudes that people 49:05.260 --> 49:08.040 will exhibit towards these individuals 49:08.040 --> 49:10.320 because we're talking about being kind 49:10.320 --> 49:11.000 being friendly 49:11.000 --> 49:13.320 why can't we be friends with these groups 49:14.100 --> 49:15.760 well a lot of times what people will do 49:15.760 --> 49:16.520 is they will gossip 49:16.520 --> 49:18.680 they will back talk other people 49:18.680 --> 49:21.380 they have a negative attitude towards them 49:21.380 --> 49:24.660 they use envy and pride and hatred 49:25.300 --> 49:26.280 to attack them 49:26.280 --> 49:28.500 and we should not employ these these elements 49:29.240 --> 49:31.320 you know they they think that other denominations 49:31.320 --> 49:32.780 are just quote bad people 49:32.780 --> 49:35.040 instead of correcting them with a desire 49:35.040 --> 49:35.840 to see them change 49:36.780 --> 49:38.120 they'll trash people 49:38.680 --> 49:42.140 and they will disrupt efforts to reach them 49:42.640 --> 49:44.500 where you know it's kind of like the Pharisees 49:44.500 --> 49:46.020 are trying to disrupt Jesus from 49:46.520 --> 49:48.160 ministering to sinners and publicans 49:48.160 --> 49:49.120 and these type of individuals 49:49.120 --> 49:50.800 by criticizing his ministry 49:51.480 --> 49:53.860 and we should rather be trying to welcome them 49:53.860 --> 49:55.060 we should try to reach them 49:55.060 --> 49:56.220 we should be kind to them 49:56.220 --> 49:59.280 and you know it's it shouldn't be a shock 49:59.280 --> 50:01.300 if Pastor Shelley is nice to people 50:01.300 --> 50:02.520 in these categories 50:03.080 --> 50:04.740 but there will be groups that I won't be nice to 50:04.740 --> 50:05.240 right 50:06.200 --> 50:07.560 Titus chapter number three 50:07.560 --> 50:08.600 look at verse one 50:08.600 --> 50:10.540 put them in mind to be subject to principalities 50:10.540 --> 50:11.780 and powers to obey magistrates 50:11.780 --> 50:12.940 to be ready to every good work 50:12.940 --> 50:14.740 to speak evil of no man 50:14.740 --> 50:16.440 to be no brawlers 50:16.440 --> 50:17.620 but gentle 50:17.620 --> 50:19.100 showing all meekness 50:19.100 --> 50:19.820 unto all men 50:19.820 --> 50:21.920 for we ourselves also are sometimes 50:21.920 --> 50:24.480 foolish disobedient 50:24.480 --> 50:24.920 deceived 50:25.480 --> 50:27.560 serving divers lusts and pleasures 50:28.120 --> 50:29.960 living in malice and envy 50:29.960 --> 50:31.840 hateful and hating one another 50:32.380 --> 50:34.000 but after that the kindness and love of God 50:34.000 --> 50:35.160 our Savior toward man appeared 50:35.160 --> 50:36.560 not by works of righteousness 50:36.560 --> 50:37.340 which we have done 50:37.340 --> 50:38.180 but according to his mercy 50:38.180 --> 50:39.860 he saved us by the washing of regeneration 50:39.860 --> 50:40.960 renewing of the Holy Ghost 50:40.960 --> 50:42.560 which he shed on us abundantly 50:42.560 --> 50:43.720 through Jesus Christ our Savior 50:43.720 --> 50:45.560 that being justified by his grace 50:45.560 --> 50:46.820 we should be made heirs 50:46.820 --> 50:48.120 according to the hope of eternal life 50:48.120 --> 50:50.640 so what I want to focus in on though 50:50.640 --> 50:51.520 is in verse three 50:52.280 --> 50:54.800 it's a laundry list of bad problems 50:54.800 --> 50:56.700 but notice what it says in verse three 50:56.700 --> 51:00.840 for we ourselves also were sometimes 51:01.380 --> 51:02.100 say look 51:02.700 --> 51:04.920 this isn't like oh these people act that way 51:04.920 --> 51:06.800 we acted like that too 51:07.340 --> 51:09.080 and so that's why we don't want to necessarily 51:09.080 --> 51:11.140 look down on other individuals 51:11.660 --> 51:13.180 and have such a negative attitude 51:13.180 --> 51:13.980 towards other people 51:13.980 --> 51:16.160 because we ourselves also were sometimes 51:16.160 --> 51:17.900 foolish and hateful 51:17.900 --> 51:18.960 and having malice 51:18.960 --> 51:19.700 and having envy 51:19.700 --> 51:20.880 and having bad attitudes 51:20.880 --> 51:22.920 so we want to be friendly 51:23.520 --> 51:24.860 we need to be friendly 51:24.860 --> 51:25.780 towards our other brothers 51:25.780 --> 51:27.000 and sisters in Christ in church 51:27.000 --> 51:27.580 and you know 51:27.580 --> 51:30.240 hey maybe at first when you came to church 51:30.780 --> 51:32.900 or maybe newer in the Christian faith 51:33.500 --> 51:35.100 you were kind of nasty to people 51:35.100 --> 51:36.760 or you were a little envious of people 51:36.760 --> 51:38.660 or you were hateful towards people 51:38.660 --> 51:40.180 or you had a bad attitude towards people 51:40.180 --> 51:41.860 well you need to change that 51:42.980 --> 51:44.700 you need to be more gracious to people 51:44.700 --> 51:45.920 you need more kind to people 51:45.920 --> 51:47.760 oh well these people aren't nice to me 51:47.760 --> 51:48.680 I don't care 51:49.360 --> 51:50.640 you'd be nice to them anyways 51:51.260 --> 51:52.280 why can't you just be 51:52.280 --> 51:53.400 why can't we just be friends 51:53.960 --> 51:55.660 there's so much screwed up in this world 51:55.660 --> 51:56.800 why can't we be friends 51:57.500 --> 51:59.120 we need to be friends in this room 51:59.580 --> 52:00.860 we need to be friends in this church 52:02.060 --> 52:03.320 we need to be friends 52:03.320 --> 52:04.900 with hey other Christians 52:04.900 --> 52:05.940 and other groups 52:05.940 --> 52:08.200 and we need not have this attitude 52:08.200 --> 52:10.060 where we're pitting each other 52:10.060 --> 52:11.260 against each other 52:11.260 --> 52:13.060 and and from envy's perspective 52:13.060 --> 52:14.880 why why do a lot of people hate the new IMB 52:14.880 --> 52:16.100 I'm just going to tell you it's envy 52:17.440 --> 52:19.280 it's pride and envy in a lot of ways 52:20.100 --> 52:21.480 and we don't want to then participate 52:21.480 --> 52:23.240 in gossip and slandering 52:23.240 --> 52:24.820 and railing against these people 52:24.820 --> 52:26.560 go to Proverbs chapter 17 52:26.560 --> 52:27.640 Proverbs chapter 17 52:28.320 --> 52:29.800 I'm just going to look at a few more verses 52:31.180 --> 52:32.960 but hey I can be friendly 52:32.960 --> 52:35.000 towards people that are screwed up 52:35.000 --> 52:36.280 or have problems or have issues 52:36.280 --> 52:38.280 it's like I'm not threatened 52:38.280 --> 52:40.020 by being friends with someone that's 52:40.020 --> 52:40.520 that's pre-trib 52:41.960 --> 52:44.420 you know it's like well why are they 52:44.420 --> 52:46.040 threatened well because they're wrong 52:46.040 --> 52:47.340 that's why they're threatened 52:48.060 --> 52:50.400 you know but but in the day 52:50.400 --> 52:52.120 that doesn't mean that they're 52:52.120 --> 52:53.140 even though they're wrong 52:53.140 --> 52:54.880 and even if they treat me poorly 52:54.880 --> 52:56.620 I can't still be friendly to them 52:57.100 --> 52:59.060 and you know I just what I don't want to do 52:59.640 --> 53:00.800 and what I don't want to see 53:00.800 --> 53:02.920 is that we necessarily are just always 53:02.920 --> 53:04.900 trashing everybody that dislikes us 53:04.900 --> 53:06.640 and trashing everybody that's not 53:06.640 --> 53:07.480 in agreement with us 53:07.480 --> 53:09.240 you know why don't we just be kind 53:09.240 --> 53:10.660 and meek and loving towards them 53:10.660 --> 53:10.900 anyways 53:11.780 --> 53:13.060 and try to win them over 53:13.060 --> 53:14.180 with goodness 53:14.180 --> 53:15.860 and say hey you know 53:15.860 --> 53:16.960 we're still kind to them 53:16.960 --> 53:18.140 I mean I've had people tell me 53:18.140 --> 53:19.060 or ask me they're like 53:19.640 --> 53:21.640 do you even let divorce people come to 53:21.640 --> 53:22.360 your church or whatever 53:22.360 --> 53:23.220 and it's just like 53:23.220 --> 53:25.000 yeah it's like half the congregation 53:25.000 --> 53:25.740 bro I'm just gonna 53:26.320 --> 53:27.280 I don't know if it's half 53:27.280 --> 53:27.900 but I'm just joking 53:27.900 --> 53:28.440 it's just like 53:28.960 --> 53:30.400 it's it's it's like silly 53:30.400 --> 53:31.740 you know I don't want to have this 53:31.740 --> 53:32.540 attitude of like oh 53:32.540 --> 53:33.740 just because you preach against divorce 53:33.740 --> 53:34.760 not divorce people can't come 53:34.760 --> 53:37.160 or oh you preach against tattoos 53:37.160 --> 53:38.840 people with tattoos can't show up 53:38.840 --> 53:40.300 or oh you preach against 53:40.300 --> 53:41.340 you know whatever I mean 53:41.340 --> 53:43.140 pretty soon it'll be no one here 53:43.980 --> 53:44.380 okay 53:44.860 --> 53:45.720 okay just like 53:46.240 --> 53:46.900 say the 53:47.420 --> 53:48.920 you know we can't be guilty of these 53:48.920 --> 53:49.240 sins 53:49.240 --> 53:50.720 but at the end of the day 53:50.720 --> 53:52.060 I also don't want to say 53:52.060 --> 53:53.100 well then we can't preach the 53:53.100 --> 53:53.660 Bible now 53:54.260 --> 53:55.560 you know let God be true 53:55.560 --> 53:56.320 and every man a liar 53:56.320 --> 53:56.940 all right 53:56.940 --> 53:58.860 let us be ashamed of our sin 53:58.860 --> 54:00.360 and not ashamed of the word of God 54:00.900 --> 54:01.960 but that does not mean 54:01.960 --> 54:03.300 that we can't be kind and nice to people 54:03.300 --> 54:04.900 look at Proverbs 17 verse 9 54:04.900 --> 54:06.820 he that cover the transgression 54:06.820 --> 54:07.620 seeketh love 54:08.040 --> 54:09.580 but he that repeated the matter 54:09.580 --> 54:11.180 separated very friends 54:12.300 --> 54:13.680 you know we shouldn't be going around 54:13.680 --> 54:15.240 telling everybody's dirty secrets 54:15.240 --> 54:16.500 and trying to trash people 54:16.500 --> 54:17.580 you know we should 54:17.580 --> 54:19.020 we should rather love people 54:19.020 --> 54:20.080 and wish good for them 54:20.080 --> 54:20.980 look at verse 17 54:21.780 --> 54:23.700 a friend loveeth at all times 54:23.700 --> 54:25.680 and a brother is born for adversity 54:26.240 --> 54:27.660 you know we should just be kind 54:27.660 --> 54:28.380 and you know it just 54:28.380 --> 54:28.700 it just 54:28.700 --> 54:30.320 it always puzzles me 54:30.920 --> 54:33.180 when people just can't be friends with somebody 54:33.180 --> 54:34.480 that it doesn't make sense 54:34.480 --> 54:35.480 why they can't be friendly 54:36.080 --> 54:37.920 you know and even if you don't like someone 54:38.480 --> 54:40.480 even if you don't agree with someone 54:41.000 --> 54:42.540 you know you could still be friendly 54:42.540 --> 54:43.140 towards them 54:43.720 --> 54:45.900 and you know it's not friendly to trash them 54:45.900 --> 54:47.940 it's not friendly to talk down about them 54:47.940 --> 54:49.500 and talk evil of them 54:49.500 --> 54:50.820 and talk behind their back 54:50.820 --> 54:52.700 and act like they're stupid 54:52.700 --> 54:53.940 and a fool and idiot 54:53.940 --> 54:55.100 that's not being friendly 54:55.100 --> 54:56.100 that's not being kind 54:56.100 --> 54:56.960 it's not being loving 54:57.480 --> 54:58.680 you know it's like 54:59.020 --> 54:59.840 and we just 54:59.840 --> 55:02.000 we always just choose a group to demonize 55:02.640 --> 55:03.560 and you know like 55:03.560 --> 55:05.920 I'm going to use a specific example but 55:06.480 --> 55:09.240 obviously I don't believe in racism 55:09.240 --> 55:11.120 I don't think racism is good 55:11.120 --> 55:12.920 but his thing is there really a problem 55:12.920 --> 55:15.300 being me being friendly towards a racist 55:18.040 --> 55:18.980 and look 55:19.800 --> 55:21.440 before like X 55:21.440 --> 55:22.500 before Twitter 55:22.500 --> 55:25.160 I didn't even think racism really existed anymore 55:25.160 --> 55:26.880 like I kind of thought 55:27.520 --> 55:29.620 like most racism was just 55:29.840 --> 55:31.120 us having prejudices 55:31.120 --> 55:33.180 and stereotypes against different groups 55:33.180 --> 55:33.560 but I was like 55:33.560 --> 55:35.200 there's not really anybody 55:35.200 --> 55:36.720 who actually believes 55:36.720 --> 55:38.260 that one group of people 55:38.260 --> 55:40.680 are genetically and physically superior 55:40.680 --> 55:41.760 than other groups 55:42.620 --> 55:45.000 and then X just shattered that belief okay 55:45.460 --> 55:46.420 there really are 55:46.420 --> 55:47.980 there really are people still today 55:47.980 --> 55:48.700 that 55:48.700 --> 55:50.420 advocate those of viewpoints 55:50.420 --> 55:51.800 and look it is not 55:51.800 --> 55:53.340 like just white people 55:53.340 --> 55:54.600 or races against black people 55:54.600 --> 55:56.280 that is a stupid narrative okay 55:57.160 --> 55:58.620 there is plenty of black people 55:58.620 --> 56:00.020 that are races against white people 56:00.020 --> 56:03.000 look I was out door knocking today 56:03.820 --> 56:04.260 today 56:04.880 --> 56:06.080 and I was talking to this 56:06.080 --> 56:07.060 this black guy 56:07.860 --> 56:09.100 and I was being kind 56:09.100 --> 56:10.100 I was trying to give him the gospel 56:10.620 --> 56:12.580 and then he just kind of drops this 56:12.580 --> 56:13.540 towards the end 56:13.540 --> 56:14.000 he's just like 56:14.000 --> 56:16.260 yeah well I'm one of the 12 tribes 56:16.800 --> 56:17.880 and I'm just like 56:18.420 --> 56:19.940 I'm like what do you mean by that 56:20.960 --> 56:21.840 like physically 56:22.920 --> 56:23.940 he's like yeah 56:24.840 --> 56:26.420 and he's trying to tell me 56:26.420 --> 56:28.020 how he's descended from Abraham 56:29.300 --> 56:32.080 and we guys got dreads down to here 56:32.080 --> 56:33.140 and he's like okay 56:33.840 --> 56:35.060 and and I'm just like 56:35.060 --> 56:37.180 he's like yeah the whole bible is in Africa 56:38.280 --> 56:39.460 and I'm like what do you mean 56:40.130 --> 56:41.980 he's like yeah everything is in Africa 56:42.480 --> 56:44.120 and I was like well 56:45.300 --> 56:46.620 I think it's like Middle East 56:46.620 --> 56:48.360 is the most is the biggest setting 56:48.360 --> 56:49.700 I know there's a portion about Africa 56:49.700 --> 56:50.820 I get it you know there's 56:50.820 --> 56:51.800 there's Egypt and stuff 56:51.800 --> 56:52.760 I said what about 56:53.340 --> 56:54.700 you know the New Testament 56:54.700 --> 56:56.600 isn't it like mostly focused in 56:56.600 --> 56:58.600 Greece and the Greek part of the world 56:58.600 --> 57:00.520 and and he's just like no 57:01.080 --> 57:02.100 and I'm like okay 57:02.100 --> 57:03.500 how about like the first epistle 57:03.500 --> 57:04.240 Romans 57:05.380 --> 57:05.780 Romans 57:06.560 --> 57:07.880 is Rome in Africa 57:08.500 --> 57:09.660 and he's like I don't know 57:09.660 --> 57:10.600 and I'm just like okay 57:10.600 --> 57:12.160 what about what about Corinth 57:13.140 --> 57:14.160 I'm like Corinth 57:15.200 --> 57:15.600 Galatia 57:16.420 --> 57:16.820 Ephesus 57:17.880 --> 57:18.280 Thessalonica 57:19.560 --> 57:20.600 how about how about this 57:20.600 --> 57:21.760 where it says the seven churches 57:21.760 --> 57:22.580 which are in Asia 57:24.920 --> 57:25.840 and he's just like 57:25.840 --> 57:27.100 yeah the whole bible's about Africa 57:27.100 --> 57:28.520 and I'm just like okay wow 57:29.840 --> 57:31.060 and he's just like yeah 57:31.060 --> 57:32.840 because you know us people 57:32.840 --> 57:34.560 we you know we're the chosen 57:34.560 --> 57:35.580 and we were supposed to 57:35.580 --> 57:37.200 you know be in slavery for 400 years 57:37.200 --> 57:38.500 but now we've come out of it 57:38.500 --> 57:40.160 and we're supposed to return back home 57:40.160 --> 57:40.760 to Ethiopia 57:41.760 --> 57:43.600 and I'm just like what in the world 57:43.600 --> 57:44.240 this is it was like 57:44.240 --> 57:46.140 this is a unique type of Zionism 57:46.140 --> 57:47.660 I've never heard of this Zionism 57:48.640 --> 57:50.280 where they're going back to Ethiopia 57:50.960 --> 57:52.000 okay there's actually 57:52.000 --> 57:52.580 I mean then I 57:52.580 --> 57:53.480 then I was like okay 57:53.480 --> 57:55.040 I got grok about this or whatever 57:55.040 --> 57:55.320 okay 57:55.320 --> 57:56.980 there is a belief out there 57:56.980 --> 57:59.220 that the queen of Sheba is from Ethiopia 58:00.000 --> 58:02.700 and that she she had a child with Solomon 58:03.280 --> 58:04.240 and that there is a 58:04.240 --> 58:06.380 the lineage of Solomon 58:07.140 --> 58:09.160 like descendants in Ethiopia 58:09.880 --> 58:11.460 and then there's groups of 58:12.140 --> 58:12.660 Rastafarians 58:12.660 --> 58:14.560 and Black Hebrew Israelites 58:14.560 --> 58:15.440 and stuff that believe 58:15.440 --> 58:17.860 that that Ethiopia is Zion 58:18.680 --> 58:21.020 and that they all need to return to Zion 58:21.920 --> 58:22.440 okay 58:22.940 --> 58:24.180 some people might become a Zionist 58:24.180 --> 58:25.080 after the sermon I'm just kidding 58:26.840 --> 58:27.880 it was just like 58:27.880 --> 58:28.800 what in the world 58:28.800 --> 58:29.960 but it's like it's 58:29.960 --> 58:30.940 I showed him I said 58:30.940 --> 58:31.480 well what about 58:31.480 --> 58:32.480 what about the bible 58:32.480 --> 58:34.300 it says that Jesus's head is white 58:35.200 --> 58:36.280 he said no it's his hairs 58:37.000 --> 58:38.220 I was like no it's his head 58:38.860 --> 58:39.880 then I showed him revelation 58:39.880 --> 58:41.540 it says his head and his hair are white 58:42.700 --> 58:44.260 and he's like oh that's like his threads 58:44.260 --> 58:45.480 I was just like what 58:46.080 --> 58:47.380 okay I'll give up 58:48.260 --> 58:50.360 but I said I don't care what color he is 58:50.360 --> 58:51.560 because it doesn't matter to me 58:51.940 --> 58:53.200 but it's like funny it's like 58:53.200 --> 58:55.080 this guy thinks that Black people 58:55.080 --> 58:56.680 are better than everybody else 58:56.680 --> 58:57.880 and they're the real chosen 58:58.550 --> 59:00.680 and look you go to an Asian part of the world 59:00.680 --> 59:01.640 they have Asian Jesus 59:01.640 --> 59:03.280 you go to Mexican places 59:03.280 --> 59:04.340 it's a Mexican Jesus 59:04.340 --> 59:05.140 you go it's like 59:05.140 --> 59:07.940 everybody has their flavor of racism 59:08.470 --> 59:10.000 you go to some places in Asia 59:10.000 --> 59:11.140 they hate other Asians 59:11.140 --> 59:12.760 and we're like y'all look the same 59:12.760 --> 59:13.920 you know that's our joke or whatever 59:13.920 --> 59:15.160 it's just like hey 59:15.160 --> 59:16.100 it's just silly 59:16.100 --> 59:18.000 because look I'm not a racist 59:18.000 --> 59:19.080 I don't care about that 59:19.080 --> 59:20.380 but you know what if someone is a racist 59:20.380 --> 59:21.300 I'm not gonna be like 59:21.300 --> 59:22.940 why can't be friendly towards you 59:23.480 --> 59:25.580 you know being a racist isn't the worst sin 59:25.580 --> 59:26.380 in the bible 59:26.380 --> 59:28.200 I don't know if you know that 59:28.660 --> 59:29.080 okay 59:29.640 --> 59:30.540 it's not the worst 59:30.540 --> 59:32.620 and you know in a lot of cases 59:32.620 --> 59:33.980 people are just racist 59:33.980 --> 59:37.400 because of personal experiences they've had 59:38.000 --> 59:38.420 right 59:38.420 --> 59:40.660 I mean it's like oh why does North Korea 59:40.660 --> 59:41.400 not like South Korea 59:41.400 --> 59:42.860 probably because South Koreans 59:42.860 --> 59:44.180 had a bad experience with North Koreans 59:45.220 --> 59:47.080 I mean it's just probably what happened 59:47.080 --> 59:48.580 does that mean that they should just 59:48.580 --> 59:49.400 then demonize 59:49.400 --> 59:50.380 that whole group of people 59:50.380 --> 59:52.240 no that was probably an overreaction 59:52.860 --> 59:54.880 just like hey are all Cretians liars 59:54.880 --> 59:56.340 no that's probably an overreaction 59:56.340 --> 59:57.680 but I bet there's probably 59:57.680 --> 59:58.820 some bad Cretians out there 59:59.560 --> 01:00:01.020 it's like hey is it is it right 01:00:01.020 --> 01:00:02.540 to just demonize all Jews 01:00:03.540 --> 01:00:06.020 because of what most of them are like 01:00:07.520 --> 01:00:08.880 no that's not right 01:00:08.880 --> 01:00:09.340 okay 01:00:09.340 --> 01:00:11.460 that was not a lot of answers that 01:00:12.000 --> 01:00:12.400 okay 01:00:13.420 --> 01:00:14.340 it's like hey 01:00:14.820 --> 01:00:16.700 obviously you have bad interactions 01:00:16.700 --> 01:00:17.380 with certain groups 01:00:17.380 --> 01:00:17.860 we I mean 01:00:17.860 --> 01:00:18.900 you know obviously 01:00:18.900 --> 01:00:20.360 there's probably a lot of black people 01:00:20.360 --> 01:00:22.120 that were treated poorly by white people 01:00:22.120 --> 01:00:23.680 and so they become races against them 01:00:23.680 --> 01:00:24.860 or vice versa 01:00:24.860 --> 01:00:26.620 they get their bikes stolen enough times 01:00:26.620 --> 01:00:28.100 they get really mad about that 01:00:28.100 --> 01:00:28.460 okay 01:00:29.000 --> 01:00:29.780 and then look 01:00:29.780 --> 01:00:31.380 I can make racist jokes 01:00:31.380 --> 01:00:32.280 because I'm not racist 01:00:33.380 --> 01:00:34.520 but at the end of the day 01:00:34.520 --> 01:00:35.280 it's just like look 01:00:35.880 --> 01:00:36.960 they're not the worst people 01:00:36.960 --> 01:00:37.940 because often you 01:00:37.940 --> 01:00:38.560 you know what they're doing 01:00:38.560 --> 01:00:40.420 they're basing their belief system 01:00:40.420 --> 01:00:41.500 on things they've seen 01:00:41.500 --> 01:00:43.520 and to them it's kind of a pattern 01:00:43.520 --> 01:00:44.360 of recognition 01:00:45.040 --> 01:00:46.780 whereas it's like there's some things 01:00:46.780 --> 01:00:48.360 in this world that are just bad 01:00:48.360 --> 01:00:50.020 and I don't want any association with 01:00:50.020 --> 01:00:51.640 you know if someone is 01:00:52.120 --> 01:00:52.720 a heretic 01:00:52.720 --> 01:00:54.600 if they're believing false doctrine 01:00:55.200 --> 01:00:56.620 like that's scary to me 01:00:56.620 --> 01:00:58.780 and I don't want to have anything to do that 01:00:58.780 --> 01:01:00.160 when they're a denying reality 01:01:00.760 --> 01:01:01.900 that is scary to me 01:01:01.900 --> 01:01:02.280 yeah 01:01:02.280 --> 01:01:03.280 you know reality denial 01:01:03.800 --> 01:01:04.720 is way different 01:01:04.720 --> 01:01:06.560 than going a little overboard 01:01:06.560 --> 01:01:07.640 on your pattern recognition 01:01:07.640 --> 01:01:08.580 yeah okay 01:01:08.580 --> 01:01:10.420 that's a completely different 01:01:10.420 --> 01:01:11.260 group of people 01:01:11.680 --> 01:01:12.200 you know 01:01:12.200 --> 01:01:14.480 flat earthers are not on the same level 01:01:15.200 --> 01:01:16.720 in this in this category 01:01:16.720 --> 01:01:18.320 because look they're denying reality 01:01:18.320 --> 01:01:19.620 and they're often teaching 01:01:19.620 --> 01:01:21.460 the bible teaches this kind of nonsense 01:01:22.120 --> 01:01:23.060 okay and look I get it 01:01:23.060 --> 01:01:23.900 there's races out there 01:01:23.900 --> 01:01:25.020 that teach the bible teaches this 01:01:25.020 --> 01:01:25.760 and they're wrong too 01:01:25.760 --> 01:01:27.340 and both need to be corrected 01:01:27.340 --> 01:01:28.860 but at the end of the day 01:01:28.860 --> 01:01:30.380 I can still be friendly 01:01:30.380 --> 01:01:31.680 to whoever I want to be friendly with 01:01:31.680 --> 01:01:32.920 but reality deniers 01:01:32.920 --> 01:01:34.280 that's another boundary for me 01:01:34.280 --> 01:01:36.000 and that's scary for me 01:01:36.000 --> 01:01:37.780 when every person I've ever been around 01:01:37.780 --> 01:01:38.800 that's a flat earther 01:01:38.800 --> 01:01:39.840 is like 01:01:39.840 --> 01:01:41.040 super wicked 01:01:41.040 --> 01:01:42.380 evil on drugs 01:01:42.380 --> 01:01:43.980 stealing money from our church 01:01:43.980 --> 01:01:45.600 like committing horrible crimes 01:01:45.600 --> 01:01:47.620 sorry for me not wanting to be their best friend 01:01:48.920 --> 01:01:49.840 whereas it's like 01:01:49.840 --> 01:01:51.800 yeah there's probably some people 01:01:51.800 --> 01:01:53.340 that I disagree with on race 01:01:53.340 --> 01:01:55.240 and they're a little bit over the board on that 01:01:55.240 --> 01:01:57.300 but I don't even have bad interactions with them 01:01:57.300 --> 01:01:58.460 why can't I be nice to them 01:01:58.460 --> 01:01:58.880 you know 01:01:59.400 --> 01:02:00.280 it's like silly 01:02:00.820 --> 01:02:01.760 to think this way 01:02:01.760 --> 01:02:03.140 and why can't we just be friends anyways 01:02:03.140 --> 01:02:04.380 if you want to be friends of flat earthers 01:02:04.380 --> 01:02:04.920 go ahead 01:02:04.920 --> 01:02:05.660 okay 01:02:06.100 --> 01:02:08.080 you guys go and geek out 01:02:08.080 --> 01:02:09.240 on being weird 01:02:09.240 --> 01:02:09.860 all right 01:02:11.160 --> 01:02:11.960 whatever you 01:02:11.960 --> 01:02:12.800 you reach them 01:02:12.800 --> 01:02:13.240 okay 01:02:13.980 --> 01:02:14.420 but 01:02:14.420 --> 01:02:15.860 but at the end of the day like 01:02:15.860 --> 01:02:16.540 hey 01:02:16.540 --> 01:02:17.940 I think I'm pretty 01:02:17.940 --> 01:02:19.540 pretty generous in my friendship 01:02:20.120 --> 01:02:21.220 and I want to be that way 01:02:21.220 --> 01:02:24.100 I want to be considered someone's very generous in my friendship 01:02:24.100 --> 01:02:24.580 and you know what 01:02:24.580 --> 01:02:25.960 we should have this attitude of in general 01:02:25.960 --> 01:02:27.060 like why can't we be friends 01:02:27.640 --> 01:02:28.620 I have boundaries 01:02:28.620 --> 01:02:30.440 and I'm not saying we shouldn't have boundaries 01:02:30.440 --> 01:02:31.800 but I'm trying to hope 01:02:31.800 --> 01:02:34.200 hopefully expand your 01:02:35.280 --> 01:02:35.700 comfortability 01:02:36.260 --> 01:02:37.720 to be a little bit friendlier 01:02:37.720 --> 01:02:38.640 to some people that maybe 01:02:38.640 --> 01:02:39.780 you haven't been as friendly towards 01:02:40.240 --> 01:02:41.600 those that have traded you badly 01:02:42.080 --> 01:02:43.800 those that have been negative towards you 01:02:43.800 --> 01:02:44.400 your enemies 01:02:45.000 --> 01:02:47.460 people that maybe are screwed up doctrineally 01:02:47.460 --> 01:02:49.200 maybe people that aren't even saved 01:02:49.200 --> 01:02:49.680 but just 01:02:49.680 --> 01:02:51.300 hey they were head in the right direction 01:02:51.300 --> 01:02:52.800 you know maybe we should consider 01:02:52.800 --> 01:02:54.620 being a little friendly towards those people 01:02:55.520 --> 01:02:56.500 you know I've been criticized 01:02:56.500 --> 01:02:58.640 for people that I've had as guests on 01:02:58.640 --> 01:03:00.700 the Baptist bias and stuff like that 01:03:00.700 --> 01:03:01.800 but you know in general 01:03:01.800 --> 01:03:04.440 I'm just trying to reach out to as many people as I can 01:03:04.440 --> 01:03:05.000 and be friendly 01:03:05.000 --> 01:03:06.420 and try to get people saved 01:03:06.420 --> 01:03:07.520 and you know 01:03:07.520 --> 01:03:08.280 yes 01:03:08.280 --> 01:03:09.700 there are people that are saved 01:03:09.700 --> 01:03:10.520 that are not new IB 01:03:10.520 --> 01:03:11.400 I get it 01:03:12.000 --> 01:03:12.940 I can like them 01:03:12.940 --> 01:03:13.820 I can be friends with them 01:03:13.820 --> 01:03:14.720 I like 01:03:14.720 --> 01:03:16.580 I like a lot more old IB churches 01:03:16.580 --> 01:03:17.480 than they like me 01:03:17.480 --> 01:03:17.840 okay 01:03:17.840 --> 01:03:18.580 yeah 01:03:18.580 --> 01:03:20.100 and I just wish they would be like us 01:03:20.100 --> 01:03:21.280 I believe that 01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:22.540 I want them to be like us 01:03:22.540 --> 01:03:23.480 but even if they're not 01:03:23.480 --> 01:03:25.340 I can still be friendly towards them 01:03:25.340 --> 01:03:26.220 and wish them well 01:03:26.220 --> 01:03:27.600 and do them good 01:03:27.600 --> 01:03:29.900 and we don't want to be this elitist club 01:03:29.900 --> 01:03:32.200 we're always looking down on everybody else 01:03:32.600 --> 01:03:34.800 and we act like we're better than everybody else 01:03:35.320 --> 01:03:37.000 and that we're superior 01:03:37.000 --> 01:03:37.780 no 01:03:37.780 --> 01:03:39.420 even if we were theoretically 01:03:39.420 --> 01:03:40.980 which I don't even think that's necessarily true 01:03:40.980 --> 01:03:41.900 but even if we were 01:03:41.900 --> 01:03:43.740 we should condescend amenable estate 01:03:44.340 --> 01:03:45.800 and we should have this attitude 01:03:46.360 --> 01:03:47.520 why can't we be friends 01:03:48.180 --> 01:03:48.980 let's close in prayer 01:03:48.980 --> 01:03:50.600 thank you heavenly father so much for your word 01:03:50.600 --> 01:03:51.560 thank you so much for 01:03:52.080 --> 01:03:53.120 giving us grace 01:03:53.120 --> 01:03:54.780 and being kind to us 01:03:54.780 --> 01:03:55.540 and loving us 01:03:55.540 --> 01:03:57.200 I pray that we would take that same example 01:03:57.200 --> 01:03:58.100 and we would apply it to others 01:03:58.100 --> 01:03:58.960 that we'd love our brethren 01:03:59.520 --> 01:04:01.020 that we'd love those in this church 01:04:01.720 --> 01:04:02.760 I pray that you would help 01:04:02.760 --> 01:04:03.980 just people to have a kind 01:04:03.980 --> 01:04:05.160 and a gracious attitude 01:04:05.160 --> 01:04:06.560 towards people in church 01:04:06.560 --> 01:04:08.300 towards other baptists 01:04:08.300 --> 01:04:09.840 towards other baptist churches 01:04:10.420 --> 01:04:11.680 to other Christians 01:04:12.230 --> 01:04:13.460 to those who are 01:04:13.460 --> 01:04:14.420 seeking the Lord 01:04:14.420 --> 01:04:15.520 that are not saved yet 01:04:15.520 --> 01:04:16.220 to the lost 01:04:16.660 --> 01:04:18.640 and I pray that you would help us to balance 01:04:19.480 --> 01:04:20.120 our discernment 01:04:20.120 --> 01:04:21.180 with our friendship 01:04:21.180 --> 01:04:22.960 and with our friendliness 01:04:22.960 --> 01:04:24.680 and that we would be kind towards people 01:04:25.420 --> 01:04:26.380 that maybe we 01:04:26.740 --> 01:04:27.640 haven't been in the past 01:04:27.640 --> 01:04:28.560 but that we should be 01:04:29.080 --> 01:04:30.140 I pray that you would help us 01:04:30.140 --> 01:04:31.040 to have the right attitude 01:04:31.040 --> 01:04:31.640 and the right spirit 01:04:31.640 --> 01:04:32.540 in Jesus' name we pray amen