...the fifth chapter of the first epistle of
Paul to the Thessalonians in
comparison...
...with a daily search in all the truth.
This commentary...
...and yet there is...
...the search...
...now there's evidences...
...and it is a virtue...
...there are a great many people who can
listen...
...to something that is...
...and they'll also listen to something...
...why can the people listen perhaps from the
radio...
...to a...
...it is just because...
...they are carried about with every wind of
gospel...
...by the flight of men...
...they go with wind and time...
...they are carried away...
...and they do not...
...do...
...what? ...for
a preacher of the gospel...
...and it is one of the most...
...experiences...
...that is emblazoned on that witness...
...Paul to the Thessalonians...
...is the delightment that is enjoined in our
text...
...through all things...
...oh, that which is good...
...abstain from all appearance of evil...
...and of course it is very...
...this text doesn't enumerate...
...all the exercises of mind...
...but nevertheless it does instance...
...three moving...
...holding...
...and abstaining...
...and you know very well...
...if you have any experience...
...of the exigencies of life...
...how important these three exercises of mind...
...after all if we are honest...
...holding...
...and abstaining...
...and it is on these three that I
wish to...
...in the very order in which the apostle
gives these...
...in order to put them in more logical
order...
...but...
...there must be some way...
...when Paul says...
...who...
...he doesn't mean what we mean by...
...proving a proposition...
...a mathematical proposition...
...giving as it were a demonstration...
...that something is true...
...in mathematics you have a certain proposition...
...you try from the hypothesis...
...you don't as it were...
...try...
...he is using the word prove...
...in the sense of test...
...of trial...
...in the very same sense...
...as we have in Albertan...
...when John says...
...try...
...now the reason why...
...is...
...that the defects...
...are not always from the purpose...
...if you have to prove a horse...
...that you were made by as a farmer...
...you have to prove him...
...as the seller says...
...you can take him home...
...and prove him...
...or test him...
...well...
...it's perfectly obvious...
...that the horse wouldn't be a horse with
three legs...
...and that horse may be more useless...
...than in fashion...
...sometimes more dangerous...
...and so you have to test him...
...you have to put him in harness...
...you have to put him in a cart...
...you have to put him under yoke...
...now Paul doesn't mean all things in the
universe...
...he's not writing to these...
...to these...
...these...
...Catholonians...
...and asking them to prove...
...all that mathematical proposition...
...all things that are of immediate concern to
them...
...in connection with the truth of the gospel...
...all things that may be alleged...
...to be the truth of the gospel...
...these things...
...and the reason why they are to be
proved...
...why they are to be tested...
...is that error...
...or wrong...
...is not always...
...immediately apparent...
...if that is the reason why you prove
a horse...
...why you prove an automobile...
...that the defect may not be immediately apparent...
...how much more...
...does that apply...
...to those things...
...of which the apostle Paul is here speaking...
...it's just because there is...
...John said, may I quote again...
...try the spirits...
...whether they be of God...
...for many false prophets...
...and it's just because...
...who...
...he is to be...
...the tamper...
...a lot of people would...
...the eye...
...oh, that misses the point...
...that with which...
...was this...
...that was what made it supreme to the
woman...
...it wasn't the lust for the flesh...
...that was the...
...an element
of truth...
...in that which the tamper said to the
woman...
...because later on...
...and so you discover that there was a
very subtle twist...
...in connection with something that was true...
...and that's...
...the strategy...
...to divert...
...or distort...
...that...
...and that is precisely...
...paradise never comes in the form...
...of blatant...
...unmixed...
...untruth...
...never...
...paradise in the church of God always comes
under the guise of truth...
...and that's the strategy of the...
...you remember again another example of the great
arch enemy strategy...
...when he tempted our Lord in the wilderness...
...and one of...
...and one of these temptations...
...you remember...
...he quoted this scripture...
...just as it is...
...in the...
...he shall give each angel...
...charge over thee...
...to keep thee in all thy ways...
...lest thou dash thy truth...
...just as he quoted...
...a certain element of truth...
...to ease...
...ye shall...
...but what was wrong with it...
...when this was taken...
...quotation of the scripture...
...it just...
...it was applied in a situation...
...where...
...on the part of our Lord...
...who obeyed it...
...would have been an act of pre-function...
...that's why...
...the apostle Paul...
...just like the other writers...
...of the New Testament...
...is so insistent...
...in telling us...
...true moral things...
...chapters...
...there may be an element of truth...
...and you require that discernment...
...so that you can discern what is true...
...and distinguish it...
...from what is false...
...there may be a great truth...
...but it may be misapplied...
...it may be distorted...
...from its true meaning...
...from its true purpose...
...and true desire...
...and therefore you must prove...
...true moral things...
...you know...
...those men who are circumcised...
...the instrument...
...he dissembled...
...and the Jews likewise...
...dissembled with him...
...and Paul says...
...when...
...he needed to be reproved...
...he has been carried away...
...with such a stimulus...
...which hits at the very center...
...in that epistle to the Galatians...
...to such an extent...
...that he said...
...if we...
...are angels from heaven...
...and preach unto everyone...
...the other gospel...
...and that which we have received...
...let it be anathema...
...and it is just because...
...sometimes good men...
...are the instruments...
...of propagating untruth...
...the instruments of error...
...are the instruments of well-doing...
...that it is all the more important...
...for us...
...to take heed to this injunction...
...prove all things...
...all facts...
...that which is good...
...and experience...
...that...
...he has given us a standard...
...in which there is no deception...
...in which there is no deduction...
...he has given us in his words...
...that standard which is perfect...
...and which is in perfect manner...
...let us pray...
...if we give heed...
...to...
...if any of you lack wisdom...
...let me ask the cross...
...who giveth us for all men...
...literally in their greatest knots...
...and it shall be given him...
...but let him ask him...
...and blessed be God...
...he hath not only given us...
...an objective criteria...
...that one rarely does astray...
...as we in simplicity...
...and humility...
...subject ourselves to it...
...but...
...to lead us...
...you remember what John said...
...these things like I unto you...
...concern them that seduce you...
...but the anointing...
...which ye have received of him...
...abide with him...
...and ye need not contend him...
...and teach him...
...ye have anointed him from before him...
...and ye know all things...
...and my friend...
...my beloved...
...I will reiterate...
...that which the apostle John...
...by the inspiration of the spirit gave us...
...these things like I unto you...
...concerning them that seduce you...
...and bear in mind...
...the example that is given to us...
...or whether ye have...
...never touched the spiritual...
...they brought everything to the test...
...possessing other criteria...
...and they were undoubtedly led...
...my beloved...
...that you have an objective criteria...
...that never itself leads astray...
...we may distort it...
...we may divert it from its true meaning...
...and pop up and define...
...but itself never leads us astray...
...give unto all who believe...
...that the spirit...
...with he being evil...
...know how to give good gifts unto you
children...
...how much wars shall the heavenly cause...
...you'll find oftentimes in the New Testament...
...a great deal of emphasis...
...being of one mind is the same thing...
...as the unity of the spirit...
...being of one mind...
...and my friend...
...why is it...
...that we are so often...
...why is it...
...that we do not have...
...that attainment...
...of being of one mind...
...is just because...
...of our own pride...
...our own high-mindedness...
...our own conceit...
...as to the illumination of the whole...
...when in the New Testament...
...it is so frequently said...
...be ye all of one mind...
...be of one mind in the Lord...
...but it is enjoying...
...the people of God...
...because they have...
...an impartial criteria...
...and because they have...
...an impartial illuminator...
...who beholds them...
...now in the second place...
...we have the...
...this injunction of course...
...is very closely related...
...to the other...
...we don't have these...
...in disjunction...
...the one from the other...
...who hold fast...
...that which is good...
...when the second...
...of course is the...
...is the...
...you see there is...
...to make relationships...
...there are plenty people...
...and they are...
...they have a great deal of...
...intellectual discernment...
...and discrimination...
...but just for their own amusement...
...and there are a great many people...
...indeed...
...who will listen...
...to addresses...
...and listen to sermons...
...and they are...
...just as a matter of...
...mental gymnastics...
...well you see...
...that's the very thing...
...that the apostle Paul is...
...is aiming his dart against...
...who was in...
...hold fast...
...discrimination...
...this is...
...now this injunction...
...hold fast...
...that which is good...
...of course is...
...against...
...a very common...
...error...
...a very common temptation...
...and the common temptation...
...against which this is directed...
...is the temptation...
...just to fall in line...
...with...
...with novelty...
...to go with wind and time...
...you know one of the most...
...dispressing features...
...of...
...the leaders...
...in the church of...
...or at least...
...ever brand of theology...
...is most popular...
...at a particular time...
...within the past...
...and then there came along...
...another brand of theology...
...about...
...the...
...the other brand of theology...
...and that practically...
...carried...
...today...
...and it has been...
...carried today...
...at the present time...
...and a great many...
...who were...
...of the literal...
...brand...
...have been so influenced...
...by the...
...impact...
...of this party...
...and theology...
...that they have been...
...carried away with it...
...well it's just this...
...that men are not able...
...to stand up...
...against...
...that particular...
...unless they are...
...searching for...
...something that is...
...new...
...something that is...
...novel...
...something that is...
...that is different...
...from the old...
...and they have not been...
...willing to hold...
...fast...
...that which is...
...good...
...my friends...
...why has our...
...reformation heritage...
...fallen upon...
...such...
...such evil...
...why in the last...
...say...
...one hundred...
...and why is there so much...
...as it were hobnobbing...
...why is there so much...
...disposition...
...why is it that the...
...reformation heritage...
...is not held fast...
...it's just because...
...the Church of God...
...where to we have...
...already attained...
...that is blocked...
...by the prayer rules...
...this doesn't mean...
...there is to be no...
...progression...
...in the Church of God...
...it doesn't mean...
...that there is to be no...
...progression...
...for the individual...
...believer...
...which God has...
...been given us...
...in His Word...
...whenever there is...
...a true...
...trance of Christ...
...there is progress...
...of the Lord Jesus Christ...
...and so...
...hold fast...
...that which is...
...good...
...but if we hold fast...
...that which is...
...good...
...we shall gain more...
...to whom...
...to him that hath...
...to him shall be given...
...and he shall have...
...abundance...
...all parts...
...that to which you have...
...attained...
...knowingly be...
...and there's always...
...the danger...
...that we just...
...have blessed God...
...so it must be...
...constant...
...hold fast...
...that everything...
...that is good...
...is good...
...and everything...
...that is old...
...is obsolete...
...great...
...don't my friend...
...be enfueled...
...with the notion...
...that you must...
...keep up...
...with the time...
...that God...
...has...
...that you must...
...are...
...involved...
...that which is involved...
...at the present...
...carried away...
...with his own impact...
...the other two...
...are positive...
...two positives...
...but here are negative...
...and it's very likely...
...that you might be...
...disposed to think...
...it's far...
...and more important...
...to abstain...
...from all...
...you go
back...
...to Eden...
...one of the particular...
...commandments...
...indeed it was...
...what happened to be...
...the spherical commandment...
...and it was a negative...
...for us...
...those who have got...
...each of the three...
...of knowledge...
...of good and evil...
...for in the day...
...that we deserve...
...they shall truly die...
...well it was negative...
...because there was...
...a liability...
...to sin...
...if there had been...
...no liability...
...to sin...
...there would be...
...no need...
...of a negative...
...well as you see...
...there'd be no negatives...
...in heaven...
...because there'd be...
...no liability...
...to sin...
...and there'd be no need...
...for...
...exhortation...
...or commandment...
...in a negative form...
...but there was a liability...
...to sin...
...and therefore...
...God said...
...don't...
...ask not...
...why are so many...
...of the ten commandments...
...in negative form...
...eight of them...
...only two of them...
...are...
...are directly positive...
All the others are, first of all, negative—thou
shalt have no other gods before me, thou
shalt not make unto me any graven image
before worship, thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain, thou
shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery,
thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear
false witness against thy neighbours, thou shalt not
have it.
Why so many in negative form?
Well, you know, you must
be positive, and you know that is negative.
And all acts of immorality, and all acts
of out-delinquency, the word of God is
negative.
So why is it negative?
It is negative because of sin.
The word of God is realistic, you see,
not idealistic.
It's real.
It deals with real situations.
And that's its grandeur.
It's not something you wear up in the
clouds.
Christianity is something that deals with reality, don't
you see?
That's why it's negative.
Thou shalt not, and don't be afraid of,
oh, it may be some, because
there are the negative in
the word, appear to be evil to someone.
Oh, the divine will judge not according to
the appearance, but just like His judgment.
And you know, there's a lot of, that
very situation, in another of his epistles, First
Epistle of Timothy, the fourth chapter.
At the beginning, Now the Spirit speaketh, You
would think that the unbred, theoretical heresy, Speaking
lies and hypocrisy, Having, what's he dealing with?
He's dealing with a certain prohibitionism, that they
hold them all at that particular time.
Forbidding to marry, And commanding to abstain from
meats which God hath created, To be received
with thanksgiving, Of them which believe and know
the truth, For every creature of God is
good, And nothing to be refused, If it
be received with thanksgiving, For it is sanctified,
By the word of God and prayer.
Yes, there were those of ethics, Who were
going to arise, Or who were arising at
that particular time, And the apostle Paul, Called
the doctrine of these ethics, Whereby it prohibited
certain things, Which God created to be received
with thanksgiving, By honest and propaganda, Of seducing
spirits, And doctrines of demons.
And that's what the Prophet, In a very
large extent, told itself out.
When the devil is laughing up his sleeve
all the time, Because it's after all the
propaganda, Of seducing spirits, From
every form.
When our version was made, Of course, they
wanted to, There's
absolute prohibition, And that's the only absolute prohibition,
The absolute prohibition of sin.
And it is absolute.
And here we have an absolute, For which
there must be no deviation, And with which
there must be no compromise.
Every form of sin, Every form of evil,
Abstains from it.
Now that's very practical.
How often do you find the argument, That
we may just do a little evil, And
a greater good will come from it.
Well, you know, that's just principle.
You're confronted with it in business.
You're confronted with it in your everyday life.
In your dealings with your fellow men.
You don't have to go out into the
business world, With its trials and its tribulations,
In order to be confronted with this.
You're confronted with it in your home.
You young people are confronted with it in
the school.
Oh, just tell a little lie, To cover
up a bad situation.
Tell a little lie, as it were, To
protect your neighbors.
Just a little untruth, Nobody will know about
it.
Because you're the only person who happens to
know, And just put a little twist in
it, In order to protect yourself.
There must be no deviation from the truth
there.
It's necessary.
Well, you're perhaps confronted with it in your
business.
When you say, Well, I have to live.
If you're going to live in this world,
You just have to do a little dishonesty.
You have to be just a little dishonest
here, And a little dishonest there.
Because after all, I have to get along
in the world.
I have to live.
You see?
Oh, yes, yes.
Yes, please.
There has to be no deviation.
There has to be no compromise with error.
There has to be no compromise with untruth.
There has to be no compromise with wrong.
There has to be from every form of
evil.
And you know what the apostle Paul said
about that philosophy?
Let us do evil that good may come.
He put it in the Quad.
Let us do a little evil that good
may come.
He said, That's his verdict.
That's God's verdict.
You see here, my friends, we have absolute
prohibition, we have absolute abstinence, and there's to
be no contradiction.
I stand from every appearance, that is every
form of iniquity.
That's the thought of Christianity, my friends, that's
the standard, and there's to be no You
see, my friends, how jealousy, and
the very thought of peace himself, the soul
and body be preserved nameless.
The apostle Paul's view in life, in this
perspective of the view in life, in this
perspective of the divine criterion would be applied.
One day
be presented, when we
are convinced of our God, we come up
to standard.
God's driving to us, God's saying unto us,
God is speaking
in truth of all.
O Thou Eternal and who art holy, holy,
holy, and whose law is holy, just, and
good, we pray Thee that we may be
thankful.