This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark
Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland,
County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he
continues teaching through God's Word.
How in the world can I be a blessing to you?
How can you be a blessing to me if corruption is in the heart?
How can we have fellowship with the Father if we regard iniquity
in our heart? How can we minister to our kids
and our grandkids? If we are defiled, we're we're
bringing judgement toward one another and toward the body of
Christ whenever we compromise. The great theologian CS Lewis
penned these words in his book The Screw Tape Letters.
Indeed, the safest road to hell is the gradual 1, the gentle
slope, soft under foot, without sudden turnings, without
milestones, without signposts. It's not the flashing sign, but
the small pivot towards sin in the body of Christ.
We are called to hold firmly to God's command, to remain
steadfast. Pastor Clark reminds us in
today's sermon that compromise will lead to sinful behavior and
our destruction. Now here's Pastor Clark in
Galatians Chapter 5 with today's edition of Living Waters of
Grace. I'm not interested in compromise
anymore. One time I was.
I thought that was just the way it was.
Everybody compromises. Yeah, you believe, but you
really don't live like you believe sometimes.
Because we're all human, you know?
We all cut each other's slack. You know, I got drunk last
night, you might say. And the other person.
Yeah, I was drunk two weeks ago. I know I shouldn't have done it,
but I did it. That's not the gospel.
That's not salvation. It tells us in Galatians 5, it
gives a list of the sins of compromise, and this is written
to believers. Galatians chapter 5.
He says the works of the flesh in verse 19 are evident,
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry.
And this church was full of idolatry and thyrotyra, sorcery,
hatred, contentions, jealousies, outspursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,
drunkenness, revelries and the like of which I tell you
beforehand. Just as I also told you in time
past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the
Kingdom of God. God has called us for holiness
and purity. People many times Ask me, do you
believe in eternal security? Do you believe once saved,
always saved? You believe you can be saved and
not be saved? That's not the that's not the
question we should be asking. Am I living in light of what the
Bible says is true salvation? Or am I kidding myself?
Did someone just make me feel good?
You know, I get a kick out of these people that sometimes
these churches, they get them to come up front and they'll come
up front. If you want to accept Jesus a
day and you don't want to go to hell, and who in the world wants
to go to hell so everybody comes up.
I mean, that sounds like a good deal.
Jesus died for my sins. If you ask Him to come in your
heart and save you, you won't go to hell.
You'll go to heaven, man. Who wouldn't want that?
But there's no message of death to self.
If any man will follow me, let him deny himself.
He who finds his life for my sake must first lose it.
There's a cost, the right to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
If any man will follow me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow me. So the people come down, and so
the pastor's. I pray this prayer after me.
Lord Jesus, I'm a Sinner, please forgive me of my sins came into
my heart and save me so I don't have to go to hell and I can be
in heaven with you forever. So the person prays it.
Then the pastor goes, praise God, you're a Christian, you're
saved. And the person's like I am.
Sometimes I don't feel different.
I don't sense anything's happened to me or but I guess if
that's what you're saying, I guess that's what I am.
And so they come to church week in and week out, month in and
month out and year in and year out thinking that they're
Christians because they prayed a prayer.
But down deep inside, their heart is still doing the same
things, thinking the same things.
You and I, we can't save ourself.
It's the mercy of God. It's his grace.
And when God changes a life, folks, he changes a life.
We don't have to pretend it. We don't have to fake it.
We don't have to have power, positive thinking.
Well, yeah, I prayed this prayer, even though I'm still
acting this way, you know, I'm saved because I prayed a prayer.
No, we're saved if we are living like Jesus Christ.
We're saved if we love the things that he loves and hates,
the things that he hates. We're saved if we're new
creations, right? If any man is in Christ, he's a
new creation. Old things are passed away,
right? My old desire is to do the
things I used to want to do are passed away.
I don't want to do them anymore because my heart's been changed.
All things have become new. So if we're here today and we're
still struggling with old things and things haven't become new,
we're still without Christ. And the good news is, is that
Christ is still here and able to save.
And so he's speaking to this church.
He's talking about judgment. He's talking about the need for
repentance. Repentance is critical to
conversion or salvation or change or purity in the church.
The church is a place that repentance should be the most
intense, guys, not the world, It's US.
Judgment, the Bible says, must first begin with us, and with
us, the House of God. What is it that we are
compromising with secretly? What is it that we're thinking
or watching or seeing or doing that only God sees and no one
else sees? What is it that we're turned on
by? What is it that we're turned off
by? What is it that comes on the TV
that the Spirit of God is just crying out?
You turn that filth off. I don't want you to be defiled.
I don't want you to become impure.
I don't want your thoughts to be corrupt.
I don't want you to be defiled as we're studying in the Old
Testament right now about the purifications systems and all
that and the, and the roles that God gave to Moses regarding the
ministry of the sacrifice and touching what's clean and, and
not touching what's unclean. I'll tell you, God was so clear
on his displeasure for the slightest thing that would
defile or make one impure or unholy.
And do you realize a thought that comes into your heart that
is not sent there by God is designed to defile you and
corrupt you? It says that we're to cast down
imaginations and every thought that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God. How many thoughts did you have
this week that came to try to exalt themselves against God's
knowledge in your life, recognizing where they're coming
from, why they're being sent, what the source is.
It says to bring every thought into captivity, into the
obedience of Christ. Every thought.
I mean, are we like David? The words of my mouth and the
meditations of my heart be acceptable to you.
Every second, every moment is my thought pleasing God.
If it isn't and I'm embellishing, or I'm embracing,
or I'm allowing the thought to begin to become part of my life,
I'm becoming defiled. And so I communicate to you as a
brother and my mind's been defiled, how in the world can I
be a blessing to you? How can you be a blessing to me
if corruption is in the heart? How can we have fellowship with
the Father if we regard iniquity in our heart?
How can we minister to our kids and our grandkids if we are
defiled? We're we're bringing judgment
toward one another and toward the body of Christ whenever we
compromise. Jezebel, we think as we study
this book, the word Jezebel is not so much a person, but a
movement of false religion in the church.
Jezebel had an influence in the Old Testament upon Israel and
got Israel to worship Pagan deity and worship Baal Bear
worship and temple service. Let's let's bring a little bit
of the world into the church. Let's bring a little bit of the
world into the home and in the car and in the movie theater so
we can be culturally relevant to the masses.
I mean, because if we were too pure, how in the world can we
impact anybody else? Well, the Bible talks about salt
losing its savour. What good is salt to flavor if
it's lost its ability to impact the meat to make the sacrifice
pleasing? It's your life and my life.
What good is our lives if they're compromised the world
today and the church in the culture is lost its influence.
It's entertainment, it's social, but it's far from holy.
And as we study these churches, you know, we don't look back and
say, boy, that church was messed up.
I'm glad we're not like this or like that.
No, we, we read in here and we say, Lord, what is our church
like? What are we known by?
Why do people come here? What is it that interests them?
What keeps people away from this church and what draws people to
it? What is it, Lord, that this
church is known for the spirit of Jezebel idolatrous practices?
They're OK. Do whatever you need to do to
keep your job. Don't get too serious about your
faith because you'd be looked upon as a fanatic.
Everybody sleeps around. Single people in the church
here, who knows what's going on in their lives.
Who knows what's going on in married couples lives unless
there's accountability and faithfulness to the body and the
church in the home and prayer and the husband and wife
relationship. She's a teacher.
The movement, the false teaching is saying hey I do this stuff
and let's let me do it along with members of the church.
There's been churches here in Greensburg that fell because of
sexual immorality in the pastors lives.
There used to be a very large church in Greensburg years ago
when I was in my 20s. There was 3 pastors there.
They all condoned behind the scenes a sexually immoral
ministry and it was like a poison.
It came through the church, the crowds were there, everybody's
worshiping, praising, thanking God, but no one knew except for
God what was going on in the hearts of those who were leading
that church. And KP Johannon came through
Gospel for Asia. He preaches at our Calvary
pastors conferences talking about the unreached people in
India and he spoke a word of prophecy in that church.
He said I sense and declare that God is going to write Ichabod on
this church. No one knew what he was talking
about. It means the glory.
The Lord hath departed from this place.
The place now is an office complex, and the sheep have been
scattered and are still scattered.
The deceptions of what goes on in ministries nowadays, people
talk about deep things of God, superior enlightenment.
There's certain truths that only certain people can understand
because they're there for those who are deep.
And they make Christianity into something that never was meant
to be. Christianity from Christ's
perspective is to be simple enough for a child to
understand, right? And whenever someone tries to
make it more complicated than it is, man run.
That's the antinomian or the Gnostic spirit.
Antinomian means to live as though there is no law, that
we're under grace. So it doesn't matter what we do
or how we live, we're under grace.
And Paul says, what then shall we send?
Because we are not under the law, but under grace.
He says, God forbid Jesus sees everything, Hebrews 413 it says,
and there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things
are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give an
account. That means this morning there's
nothing in your heart or mine that is hidden from his sight.
All things are naked. Everything I did this week,
everything I thought is open to the eyes of him to whom I must
give an account. I think sometimes a delusion in
the church today is, well, I die and I'll just be with Jesus.
That's great. Well, it's going to be great to
be with Jesus, but I guarantee that giving of an account is
going to be a very, very painful thing if we don't deal with this
now. It says it's a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God.
You know John the Apostle, the beloved of Christ, Whenever he
saw Christ, what did he do? That's what we need to do, guys,
get on our face before God. It's a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God.
John was the buddy of Christ. He laid his head on the breast
of Jesus. He bragged at times saying, I'm
more loved by Jesus than anybody else.
I'm the beloved John. How different it is though, when
you see Christ in his exalted state and his glory and his
purity and His Holiness, and those eyes like a flame of fire,
when you stand before him in the judgment, they shine through
you. And you say, woe is me, huh?
And we don't want to wait till we get there to fear God.
We need to fear God now, right? And respect Him and honor him
and love Him. And when he says something is
sin, we say, yes, Sir, forgive me, I repent.
And then he says, that's OK, go and sin no more.
Not this glibly saying, well, yeah, the Lord forgives me, I'll
just do it again. Yeah, he forgives me, I'll just
do it again. That's not repentance.
And then he talks about the feet of brass in Isaiah chapter 63.
This is a reference to this. Who is this who comes from Edom
with dyed garments from Borza? The one who is glorious in his
apparel, traveling in his greatness, traveling in the
greatness of his strength. I who speak in righteousness,
mighty to save. Why is your apparel read in your
garments? Like one who treads in the wine
press? I've trodden the wine press
alone and from the people. No one was with me, for I've
trodden them in my anger and trampled them in my fury.
Their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I've stained all
my robes. For the day of vengeance is in
my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come.
He will come to judge the wicked in the church, and no one will
be able to stop or resist that judgment.
Now, what's ironic about this church in Thyatira is that this
was going on at the same time that the church actually was
doing some good things. There was no shortage of works
in this church or love of service, faith, practice.
It seemed like the church is getting stronger in a sense of
ministry, not colder. And Jesus says their works were
increasing, their last works were more than their first,
meaning that the church seemed to be more intense and there
seemed to be no defection in their love for one another.
Yet like unlike Ephesus, who lost the purity of the love for
God, and yet we're really focused on the importance of
sound doctrine. This church was very, very
loving, but wasn't focused on the importance of sound
doctrine. And whenever you have a church
that preaches the truth, that's unloving.
And whenever you have a church that is loving but doesn't teach
sound doctrine, they're both hated by God.
In other words, they're churches that don't represent the truth.
And this spirit of Jezebel has been a problem for a long time,
way back in the Old Testament. It's not a recent origin, but
God in his mercy. And I find this astounding, as
God is a merciful God, He's given her in verse 21 time to
repent of the sexual immorality. And she did not repent.
God always gives us time to repent.
How much time, I don't know. For me, He gave me more time
than I deserve. I marvel that I wasn't taken out
a long time ago. But God's always given folks
time to repent. He's not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But it says she didn't repent. So what's God's, what's his
choice? I'll cast her into the sick bed.
That doesn't mean every time you're sick it's because of sin,
but sometimes people are sick because of sin.
That's why it says in James Five that if someone's sick among
you, you call the elders of the church to anoint with oil and to
pray for the sick, and the person confesses their sin.
The Bible says publicly before the elders, and it says the
prayer of faith will save the sick and God will forgive their
sins. I don't know about you, but
whenever I go through a trial, I'm searching my heart.
You do that, Lord, I'm just checking.
Is this because of something's going on in my life right now
that shouldn't be? And if he reveals to me
something that shouldn't be, I want to repent of it and deal
with it. And if there's nothing, then I
say, OK, Lord, teach me in the midst of this trial and the
struggle right now, the sickness or adversity to depend upon you,
to be closer to you. But God loves us so much, guys.
And I can see some of you just don't want to hear this message
today. That's OK.
It's not mine. It's from the scriptures you
press, you push God away. How long are you going to push
him away for? Today's the day of salvation.
Today's the day to get right with God.
Today's the day to say, Lord, I'm not going to live
superficially. I'm not going to live
continually compromising. I want my life to be totally
surrendered and given to you. I don't want to have to be
thrown into some kind of adversity in order for me to
realize that I'm not God, only you are God.
It's perplexing at times why some of us seem to get away with
so much for so long and others don't get away with much of
anything. And sometimes people they.
Realize God's all over their case and he's saying enough's
enough because he loves us. And for some wonderful, glorious
reason, we're hearing what He's saying and we're saying, I
understand, Lord, yes, enough's enough and I want to surrender.
I don't want to be hard anymore. I don't want to be distant.
I don't want to be like pushing you away from what you want for
me anymore. I want what you want from me,
Lord. I don't want to play church.
I don't want to this go through the emotions.
I just don't want to show up Sunday after Sunday and
nothing's changing in my heart. I want you to take over my life,
Lord. He says I'll kill her children.
And we believe as we study in the commentaries that this is
referring to the followers of this false teaching.
He says I will bring death, and he says he'll do this so that
all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds
and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to
your works. He says, Now to you I say, and
to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine.
And he's, he's speaking out to those in the church that aren't
following this false teaching, who have not known the depths of
Satan. As they say, I will put on you
no other burden. In other words, the Lord is not
interested in putting guilt trips on us or pressure.
If we're doing what we're supposed to be doing, we're
free. There's nothing to get hung up
about. But if we are following
wickedness in our lives and we're doing things that we
shouldn't be doing, then we need to repent.
He says, hold fast what you have till I come.
So the faithful, the remnant, those in the church that are
refusing to compromise, those folks in the church who are
worshipping God in the secret place of their own lives, you
alone with God on your face at your home in the morning or
night, this you and the Lord, the Lord sees it.
No one else does. And you're endeavoring to live
only for Him. He says He who overcomes and
keeps my works until the end, to Him will I give power over the
nation's. You know Christ is going to come
back in the rapture and take the bride out of the world.
And we're going to be given the privilege and the opportunity to
roll and reign with Him when He comes back during the millennial
Kingdom. And we'll roll and reign with
him. It says I will give them power
over the nation's. We'll serve with him.
It says He shall roll them with the rod of iron.
That's referring to Christ. They shall be dashed to pieces
like Potter's vessels. And I also receive from my
Father, and I will give him the Morning Star.
That's referring to who Jesus is later on in the Book of
Revelation. He says he's the Rose of Cherim,
Cherim and the bright and Morning Star.
He says he who has an ear. As we begin to conclude, do you
have an ear today, guys? He says he who has an ear, let
him hear. How can you hear if you're
downstairs, right? He who has an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.
Has a spirit spoken today? Has he spoken?
And may we be as a church, ready to serve and to help those who
are broken. We are digging into the Book of
Revelation here on Living Waters of Grace.
Pastor Clark is tackling this challenging book as we try to
discern the messages that are within its pages.
There's so much imagery, and at times you're not always sure
what's literal and what's metaphorical.
At one point, there's a reference to an adulterous woman
riding on a beast. And as someone else mentioned,
at one point it almost sounds like a rodeo from hell.
And in actuality it kind of is. You learn about the downfall and
demise of a sinful and rebellious world, falling down
in worship to someone who is the anti hero, the enemy, Satan
working his insidious ways into the minds of fallen people.
It's sad and it's heartbreaking, but it's a classic story of good
versus evil. Thankfully, we know how this
story ends. Jesus wins, Jesus reigns, and
evil is conquered once and for all.
We pray and trust you've received Jesus as your Savior.
But if you haven't, don't wait until the events and revelation
become what's happening on the streets.
None of us wants you to be there at that time.
Instead, we'd love for you to be with us in heaven as we
celebrate the marriage supper with Jesus as his bridegroom.
To get a better understanding of where we are in the Book of
Revelation, to listen to any messages before or after this
one, you can find them at our website,
calvarychapelonline.com. That's it for today's edition,
but we hope you'll want to hear Pastor Clark teach more from the
Book of Revelation. It can be exciting to think
about the future for believers, but it can feel a bit harrowing
for those who don't believe. Come here more next time on
Living Waters of Grace.