There Are Some "NOTS" That Must Be Left Tied

  1. INTRODUCTION:

    1. PLAY ON WORDS:
      1. The "nots" of which I am speaking are not tied "knots" but the negatives of God in the Bible.
      2. These "nots" are not to be untied, loosed, or taken out of the Scriptures
    2. THE "NOTS" OF WHICH I AM SPEAKING MUST BE LEFT AS GOD HAS TIED THEM.
      1. They are to stay just exactly as God placed them. Matthew 24:35 = "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
      2. We cannot undo the order of things that God has loosed, or made fast.

        3. Deuteronomy 4:2 = "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."’

        Revelation 22:18-19 = "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

      3. We cannot untie what God has tied.

  2. DISCUSSION:

    1. NOTICE WHAT THE LORD HAS SAID ABOUT WORK AND FAITH.

      2. James 2:24 = "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

      1. The little word "not" destroys the doctrine of faith only. [See also]

        2. James 2:17 = "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
        James 2:19         = "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
        James 2:26         = "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

      2. The Scriptures show the importance of faith in salvation:
        1. Man is justified by faith. Romans 5:1 = "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
        2. Man is to walk by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 = "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"
        3. Man is to live by faith. Galatians 2:20 = "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
        4. Man is saved by faith. Acts 16:31 = "And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
        5. Note: But man is not saved by faith only. James 2:24 = "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
      3. How then is man saved by faith? The answer is when faith obeys:

      Hebrews 11:30 = "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."

      Galatians 5:6 = "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."

    2. DOES THE BIBLE CONTRADICT ITSELF?

      3. Ephesians 2:8-9 = "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

      1. Paul said "not of yourselves" [Ephesians. 2:8] --- Peter said, Acts 2:40 = "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation."
      2. Paul said, "not of works" [Ephesians 2:9] -- James said, James 2:24 = "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
      3. How is this explained?
        1. The "works" referred to in Ephesians 2:8-9
          1. These are the inventions and devices of men.
          2. Such does snot save; if they did man could boast.
        2. The "works" referred to in James 2:24
          1. These are works appointed by God done by faith.
          2. When man does these works, he had not done his own works, but God’s works.
      4. Man is then saved not by the merit of just works, but by faith exercised in carrying out the works of God.
        1. "Not of works" [Ephesians 2:9] destroys the contention that man can be saved by moral acts alone.
        2. If man can be saved by just moral acts alone, he can be saved:
          1. Without faith. Hebrews 11:6 = "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
          2. Without obedience to the gospel.

            3. Romans 1:16 = "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

            II Thessalonians 1:8-9 = "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

          3. Without being in the church:

      Ephesians 2:16 = "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"

      Ephesians 5:23 = "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."

      Acts 2:47 = "…And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

    3. THIS "NOT" REFUTES THE CONTENTION THAT JUST CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL SAVE.
      1. Matthew 7:21 = "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
        1. Man must do more than acknowledge Christ as God’s Son.
        2. Man must do more than just believe.
        3. Man must do more than just be religious.
      2. Hebrews 5:9 = "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;"
        1. Christ the author of our salvation must be obeyed.
        2. The word that Christ must not be rejected. [John 12:48-50].
    4. MAN IS TO WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.

      5. 2 Corinthians 5:7 = "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"

      1. Many claim they have seen miraculous evidence to prove their relationship to the Lord, but this is not the teaching of the Bible.
      2. The Christian is one whose faith comes from the Word of God and not that which he has seen.

      John 20:30-31 = "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

      Romans 10:17 = "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

    5. WE ARE NOT TO SELL THE TRUTH

      6. Proverbs 23:23 = "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding."

      1. Truth is a precious soul-saving commodity.

        2. John 8:32 = "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

        1 Peter 1:22 = "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:"

      2. The truth is never to be sold for: put a "not for sale" sign --
        1. Popularity.
        2. Politics.
        3. Business.
        4. Peace in one’s family.
    6. WE ARE NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD.

      7. Romans 12:2 = "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

      1. This "not" rebukes the worldliness in the lives of Christians.
      2. The popular phrase is "Everybody else is doing it".
      3. Consider these passages:

      I John 2:15-17 = "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

      James 4:4 = "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

      Matthew 6:24 = "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

    7. WE ARE NOT TO FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLING TOGETHER.

      8. Hebrews 10:25 = "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

      1. Some church members untie this "not" for the least little excuse.
      2. Nothing should come between us and the assembling together as a substitute of worship.
      3. The early Christian assembled on the first day of the week.

        4. Acts 20:7 = "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."

        1 Corinthians 16:2 = "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."

      4. The early Christian were daily together in their need for spiritual strength, fellowship and singleness of heart. Acts 2:46-47 = "And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

  3. CONCLUSION:

    1. IN CLOSING CONSIDER THIS "NOT" OF THE LORD:

      2. Matthew 25:12 = "But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."

      1. This not makes clear that Christ will not know the ones at judgment who have failed to make preparation for that appointment.

        2. Hebrews 9:27 = "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

      2. The foolish virgins had made some preparation, but it was not enough. [Matthew 25:1-13]
    2. MAY I EXHORT YOU AS PAUL DID:
      1. To the Philippians. Philippians 2:12 = "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
      2. To the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 10:12 = " Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
    3. HAVE YOU UNTIED SOME OF THE GOD’S "NOTS"?

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