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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family.

A couple weeks ago, I gave you all a little test to see how solid you are on simple, basic things. We’re supposed to understand Bible doctrine and the reason you study Bible doctrine, it’s one of the most boring things to study, but it’s the most important of the Christian life. You have to have basic Bible teacher. What does God say about everything? And so then you have to learn how to apply those things into the spiritual life. But they’re easy questions, but did you know in a lot of churches they couldn’t pass this?

A lot of churches have no clue. There’s preachers that would fail this little bitty simple test and I’m serious and some of them are on the radio And they are experts in Hebrew and Greek and still can’t get some of these simple little things That you and I take for granted because we’ve been blessed to have a good old Bible and go to a good Bible We’re leaving and teaching church where you learn it you get grounded and it should Make a difference in your life Don’t you believe that if you really know the Bible and believe the Bible it should change your life?

Shouldn’t you be a different person because of what God’s word says? Well, that’s what I believe So I don’t try to change people’s lives. I try to teach the Bible and let the Bible change people’s lives Because that way it’s done from an inside. It’s an inside job, but look at number 17 God will cast out his children because of their disobedience is Is that true or false? How many say it’s true? Let me see your hand. You think that’s true God will cast out his children because of their disobedience.

You don’t believe that’s true. How many believe that’s false? All right, that’s a false statement and There’s a lot of people believe that yes, God will cast you out if you don’t serve the Lord You must persevere in the face Don’t you know those that endure to the end the same shall be saved and they forget all about the context is talking in the tribulation period about the Jewish people and about enduring to the end of the tribulation period and they get to go into the kingdom and so forth and unless God intervenes no flesh would be left alive but many people don’t don’t get it.

So you always got to look at the context and what he’s talking about. Well look at the next statement. The main issue in witnessing is always grace and works. True or false? How many say it’s true? How many think it’s false? I’m false, false, false, true. The main issue in witnessing is always grace and works. That is true. The issue is always, are you saved by grace or you saved by works? So anytime you talk to anybody. Now if I was to ask you, show me a verse that says grace and works are not the same.

What verse would you use? Romans 11, 6. Take a Bible and look at that verse. 11 and verse 6. You’ll find out it’s one thing to know a particular truth, the answer to it. But can you find it in the Bible? Can you back up what you believe? That is always so very important. So in Romans in chapter 11 and verse 6, remember because people have this inclination to want to save themselves by their good deeds. The issue is going to be, are you saved by your works, or are you saved by grace?

And the only way you can get to heaven is you have to be saved by grace. And the reason is because Christ died and paid for all of your sins. Otherwise you couldn’t get saved. So he says in verse 6, and if by grace then is it no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of work, then it is no more grace. Otherwise work is no more work. You’re either say buy grace or you say buy work, but it can’t be both ways.

So. Take your Bible and look at another verse. And that verse is Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 and 9. So when you show that there is a difference between the two, Grace and Works, they’re not the same, they’re not compatible. One annulls the other, see it’s free or it’s by works, but it can’t be free and you earn it too. It won’t work that way. So we look in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 and 9. See, you can use that one.

one verse that shows the impossibility of them being the same. They can’t be the same. Then you can go to Ephesians 2, 8, and 9, where it says this, in verse 8, 4, by grace are you saved. Through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of worth. So you not only say what the gospel is, you say what it is not. We talk about salvation, what is it? How is a man saved? is a man not saved.

So if you explain to a how a man is not saved, it’s easier to show them how a man is saved. But see, some people don’t believe you’re saved just by grace because they believe they can help. So they have to see the impossibility of saving themselves by their works. And then it’s easy for them to see that you can be saved by grace. A lot easier. So remember this, it’s not just having the knowledge of the Bible but a working knowledge where your knowledge works for you.

You know how to use the scriptures and get a lost man to see and to understand, to give him some discernment. Number 19 in your notes, in Philippians 3 9 the Apostle Paul writes that when we are found in Christ the very righteousness of God becomes ours. Is that true or false? I mean say true. And by say false. Some of you wait to see what everybody else is going to say. And if they say they raise their hand out of the way, so you’ll look at certain people in here because they ought to know.

And say, raise that. Now, a little man raises his hand for both of them, because he just wants to make sure that he’s right. He knows he got a 50-50 chance of being right if he raises his hand on both of them. But in this verse, Philippians 3-9, is there anybody here that can quote Philippians 3-9? Who can quote Philippians 3-9? and be found in, yeah, go ahead, there Gary. If I’m in here, not having my new righteousness, which is of the law of the Baptist, the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God, the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God, the faith of Christ.

which is of God by faith, very good. Where’s the… It is kind of a long verse, but it’s a good verse. It’s a good verse to be able to know and to use, And it is true. You’re not to be found having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God by faith. So it tells us that. But you need to know where Philippians 3 9 is in your Bible.

So you should go to Philippians 3 9 and you mark that verse in your Bible, learn to mark your Bible. Have a good old dirty marked up Bible. How many of y’all in here ever seen Dr. Hank Lindstrom’s Bible? Did he have any marks in it at all? You used it. Some people, they have a Bible, oh, they can’t separate the gold from the leaf. I love my Bible. You’re supposed to use it. And whenever the pages are still stuck together, you know they haven’t spent much time there.

So learn to use your Bible and mark your Bible. But now, notice back there in your notes. Number 20, the Holy Spirit in dwells believers win upon belief When you pray for him as God wills, when we are water baptized. No, how many believe that when you, that all believers ought to have the Holy Spirit? You believe that? All right. When did you get the Holy Spirit? When you got water baptized? No. Well, as God wills, he only gains it to certain people.

You don’t believe that either. Well, when you get down on your hands and knees and you pray and you beg for the Holy Spirit and you agonize and you pray and you weep and you cry and beg for the Holy… Then you’ll get it. No. So when do you receive the Holy Spirit? When you believe. The very day, the very moment you believe on Christ, you receive the Holy Spirit. Where does it say that? Where does it say you receive the Holy Spirit when you believe.

I can’t hear you, but I know you said somewhere. Ephesians 1 13, in whom, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Having believed it is true, it is correct. That’s a very good verse, but you need to know that verse is in the Bible. And the Bible also makes a statement in the book of Romans in chapter 8, if any man have not the Spirit of God, he is what?

He’s not of His. So all of God’s children receive the Holy Spirit. Remember this statement in the book of John in chapter 7 where he makes a statement. Yes, on that great day of the feast Jesus stood in Christ saying, if any man thirst, let him come in to me and drink and as the scripture hath saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water in this spakey of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive.

But yet he had not yet been glorified. So this happened after his resurrection and on the day of Pentecost and since that day when you believe you have the Holy Spirit. Very good. Everybody getting a hundred so far. This is great. We have a really smart church here. We’re all grounded. I like that. So number 21, God does not promise that all believers can have the abundant life. It’s only for a special few. That’s true or false. That’s false.

Everyone can have what we call the abundant life. Now where in the Bible does it say anything about heaven and abundant life. Okay, the right book. John, the right chapter, 10. Anybody know a verse? So it’s in the book of John in chapter 10 when it talks about the abundant life. What in the world do you think is the abundant life? Is it more than just salvation getting eternal life? It could mean that it means more than just being a sheep of his pasture, but being able to go in and out and defeat and to get water and grow and mature and you know have a bunch of more little sheep cheese.

But it talks about an abundant life. I believe it’s talking more about after you have trusted Christ to save it, there’s so much that God has for his children that most of them never enjoy. the walk with the Lord, the talk to the Lord, to spend time with the Lord, to abide in Him, to see Him working in your life, to see Him working out all some of your problems and so forth and walking you through all the difficulties and trials and tribulations that we go through.

There are some people that know Christ is Savior, but they’re not living an abundant life. It’s just a nice old plain dull boring life. I want something more and I want an exciting life. And I believe that there’s no amount of adventure in life that can please a man and set a high goal like serving God does. I’ve often made this statement. My life has been like Indiana Jones. But not just for a movie. I’m talking about my whole life has been from one crisis to another crisis.

There’s always something happening going on, something that could totally wipe me out, it’s a crisis. Do you have any of those in your life? Have you seen God walk you through any of them? Then you just keep believing and say, I wonder what’s coming down the road next. And you can hardly wait. Well, almost. Number 22, when you are witnessing to a person about eternal life, you should use as many verses as possible that will get them. Use as many verses as possible.

Is that true or is that falls. True? That’s false. You don’t. You’ll get better and further with fewer verses than too many verses. Too many verses might make you feel good because man I slapped him with like 25-30 verses on it. I know but do you realize a lost man’s mind can’t comprehend? Use a few, it’s better to get on Ephesians 2, 8, and 9 and stay there. I’ve led people to the Lord on one verse, One verse, one verse.

Sometimes I done it with just first John 5 13, explain it. Phasing it to 8 9, explain it. John 3 16, just explain it. John 647, just explain it. So you don’t have to try to use a lot of verses unless you’re talking to a Mormon or J.W. And every time you mess them down here, they like quicks and they jump up over here, and mercury, and they’re messing in the top of here. Yeah, but what about, you know, what about, yeah, but what about that?

And you can spend an hour chasing them on their rabbit trails. You know, that’s a good question. But since we finish with Ephesians 2, 8, 9, then remind me and then we’ll go to there. I always do that. I don’t want them leading me. I don’t want them guiding me. I want to guide them. And then I say, you remind me that way when we get through, if they don’t remind me, not my fault, their fault. So I never usually ever have to get through an answer.

You know, you’re talking to somebody in Ephesians 2, 8, 9. Where did Ken get his wife? Well, let me tell you. when he’s spending the next half an hour trying to explain it all to him, no, no, no, you don’t chase those rabbit cells. You should know that’s a good question. But let’s finish this and we’ll get through. You asked me that and we’ll get back to that. Okay, here you go. You didn’t say you didn’t know it. They could ask you a question, you don’t know.

They could ask you, but what about in the Hebrew or about in the Greek? You know, that’s a good question. We’ll get to that in just a minute. Let’s finish this right here. Because you want to lead a leader. You lead a man by leading him, not following him. So it’s just something to keep in mind. 23 give the reference that tells us that God will never cast out His children. If God won’t cast you out, what’s a verse that says He won’t cast you out?

Is it Acts 13, 39? Hebrews 10, 14, John 6, 37, 1 John 5, 10. Which one of those verses tells you? Anybody know the answer? Huh? John 637, how many in favor of that? All right, you can use a lot of verses, but the verses says he’ll never cash you out at John 637. And then so he said, I’ll never cash you out, never. That’s a great verse to use. But know that verse. Look number 24, which verse says, and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.

Which verse tells you that? See, these are important things because when you talk to people and you want to know that God gives you eternal life and He’ll never cast you out and God will never lose you and nobody will pluck you out of His hand, well, you got to, where’s it found? So it’s not only to know that it’s in the Bible, but you got to, where is it in the Bible? Alright, John 1028, is that right? Well, Tom, you got that.

That’s because you went ahead and you were looking and for y’all that don’t know Tom’s blind he can’t see. But he sees better than most people. He has to have a fairly good memory doesn’t he? It’s all inside of you. Take off his hat and he won’t know anything. See now he doesn’t know anything. Put his hat back on and he’s right there.

All right 25 a Christian may live as he pleases without interference from God. Is that true? That is not true. You ought to know and understand that God is going to chase in you. A Christian cannot live as he pleases. And sometimes you may have to make that statement when you’re trying to explain the gospel to somebody because that might be a cog in the wheel. That might be a gristle and a throat that they, you know, they can’t chew it.

They can’t swallow what what you’re saying because there’s a gristle in there, a question that might need to be answered. And sometimes they just can’t buy the idea that you mean you trust Christ to save you, you just gotta live like you please. It just sounds so contrary to common sense to think that. But if you let them know that once you become a child of God, God will chase in his children and discipline, you can’t live as you please as you want to and get away with it.

Can you live as you please? Yes, can you get away with it? No, there are consequences. And sometimes I will use the family, the dad who has children. And when the kids do something wrong, always let the mother’s whip them so they keep liking the dad. No. And sometimes you have to chase into children because you love them. But it doesn’t mean they can live like a pleasian, get away, but they’re still the children. So it’s good to know and to use that.

The next statement is kind of similar to it, but God punishes for his disobedient children is hell. And if you disobeyed God, the punishment for God’s children is to send you to hell. Is that true or false? Are you trying to tell me that you can be disobedient and God won’t cast you out and they’ll never lose you and he won’t send you to hell? Is that what you’re trying to tell me? So you’re trying to give me a license to send.

That’s not what you’re trying to do. Well, it sounds like it to me. Now, you have to understand that when you talk to people, they will question and they have a lot of questions. And so you have to be able to answer them and let them understand God will never send you to hell because there’s no sins for you to pay for. That sin of rebellion, all your sins were all paid for by Christ. I don’t have any sins to pay for in hell.

The penalty has been taken care of. Next statement, number 27. Number 27, a Christian who is so bad that God takes him home before his time is still saved. Is that true? That’s true. You see, eternal security is not a separate doctrine in salvation. It is the gospel. That is what makes the gospel the gospel. Eternal security. Eternal security is the only way you can truly understand grace, salvation by grace. If you’re not saved forever, there’s got to be a reason for you to lose it.

And if there’s a reason for you to lose it, it can’t be totally free. So I always make sure you understand it. has to be and the gospel has to be free and has to last forever. Anyone of those is missing, it’s not the gospel. If it’s not free, it’s not the gospel. Don’t last forever, it’s not the gospel. Are there a lot of people who claim to be preaching the gospel but are not preaching the gospel? Yes. And their gospel is not gospel.

Their gospel is not good news. It’s bad news. And so you have to know the difference and this is what makes you more effective. Because you’ll be clear, you’ll be simple. Oh, look at the next statement. Number 28, Christians are judged according to their works to determine their rewards. Is that true? That is true. So you should understand that, yes, salvation is the gift of God. That’s free. But God is going to reward his children. When you get to heaven at the Judgement Sea of Christ, God is going to reward you for what you have done for him.

And it says, every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. So you are going to be, and God also makes a statement in the book of Hebrews in chapter six, where he says, God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. God would be, it would be a sin for God to forget the good you did for him. So you don’t have to keep track of it. You just serve the Lord, God’s keeping the books.

And it would be a sin for God to overlook some good deed you’ve done or something that you went through but you did it for him and he knows every sacrifice, he knows every ache and pain you’ve had, he knows all the criticism that you have been given, he knows all of that but it doesn’t matter. God keeps the books and it would be unrighteous for God to forget your work and your labor of love. So if you can believe that and remember that, it makes it worth serving the Lord.

Look at the next number 29, the Christian life is based only on obedience to activity. Just as long as you go to the activities and you do the right thing, that’s the Christian life. What do you think? I think it’s false. Some people think as long as they’re busy, busy, busy, busy, you can be busy but not productive. You can be busy and not productive. You can keep yourself going in a thousand ways and not spend any time with the Lord and do what God wants you to do.

So make sure that you don’t bury yourself in activities, but you don’t do what God wants. You see, there’s a principle of walking with the Lord. And you have to be careful. You can be a workaholic in the Lord’s work just like you can and everything else you can do. But you’ve got to have a reason why do you do what you do? And this is one of the things I have to watch because I got, I like to stay busy.

I don’t like to waste time. I’m always doing something. I’m planning, you know, doing something and have some time in the middle of the night. I’ll think of things and I’ll write something there, you know, but always doing always going, but you know yourself. This is not what makes me spiritually minded. I’m doing these things because I already am spiritually minded just because you come to church to make you right with God. And even if you open the Bible and read the Bible, it doesn’t mean you’re right with God.

And you can even witness to somebody and not be right when you’re doing the right things. God wants you. And if he gets you, he’ll get everything else you have. But you can do all those things. Is it possible to come to church this morning that God not have you? You’re in the right place. But in your heart, in your mind, you’re in rebellion because there may be things that you’re not going to do. It don’t matter what the preacher says.

You know what I mean. Look at the next statement. Number 30, God requires all of His stewards that they be faithful, educated, detailed. Have you You ever had a car detailed? What does it mean to detail a car? Don’t you like it when somebody else can take that piece of junk of yours and make it look like brand new for a price? They don’t do it for free. But sometimes, you know, it’s nice to have it done. And I don’t like to wash cars.

I don’t like to vacuum cars. I don’t like to clean out a car. I just keep stacking it and stacking it and stacking it until there’s no more room hardly to sit. Now, don’t you leave this morning go out there and look in the backseat of my car. Don’t you do that, James, you watch my car and make sure nobody goes out there and vote. And don’t walk into my office and look on my desk. Everything else looks pretty good, but my desk, see if it’s too clean, it means they’re not doing anything.

If a desk looks like a mess, you’re organized and you’re a busy man, you’re getting things done. of things you’re doing and sometimes I almost come unglued. Video going there and she’ll straighten things up. She loves to straighten things up. She just can’t stand a mess. And I’ll leave these pages out like this here and she’ll come up, oh these all get together and if I can. I mean, have you seen that? I haven’t touched anything. But there’s some people just like that there’s everything really really neat.

But, you see, when it comes to your life, you need to have a good detail, like clean up every area of your life where there’s no spot left. That’s good. But God rather requires just one main thing. Moreover, it is required in a store that a man be found rich, faithful. That’s something that every child of God can do. Every child of God can be found faithful. to do what you can with what you have, where you are for the Lord.

And you can do that. Now, look at number 31. On the basis of Galatians 6, 7, a Christian who sins and confesses it, escapes the result or the consequences of his sins. So if you sin, just confess it and everything’s great. No problem. All you gotta do is just confess it. Because you see, years ago, a man by the name of Bob Theme came out with his spirituality book. And it took Dr. Stanford some strong teaching while we were at college to point out the errors because it sounded so spiritual.

Did all these wicked things you’d bad think just confess it in your spiritual? Confessions and not your spiritual. No, you’re not. You see, you can confess your sin. It doesn’t put food on the table. It doesn’t give you fruit in the field. It doesn’t give you souls in heaven. It cleanses you as God says, so that you can now walk with the Lord. See, fellowship is walking with God. Just confessing your sin is not a walk with God. That’s so that you can walk with God.

When you restore the walk, you restore your fellowship. Confessing your sin does not restore fellowship. I don’t believe I fellowship is broken every time I commit a sin. If I did, I couldn’t have fellowship with God and I couldn’t walk with God. So you have to be very careful that you don’t expand out of a verse, something that’s not there. And so this is why this was a great big issue when I was at Bible College because of the teaching of Bob Them.

But remember this, the Bible says you reap what you sow and regardless of the confession of your sin. For example, I drink a lot, I run my kidneys, I get cirrhosis of the liver, I confess it to God, and my liver is restored. No. No. Or I get mad at somebody and I hit them. And the Bible says if thy hand defend thee, do what? Cut it off. Okay, I’ll tell off my arm. I realize I sure could use that hand.

Lord, I am so sorry. was a big mistake. I confess the error of my ways. Does that put my hand back? A man can make all kind of bad decisions and his wife will leave him. Lord, I confess my sin. Does that restore? No. There’s some things, instead it can be taken, maybe that might. But you see, everything’s not restored just because you confessed your sin. And so I’ll always keep that in mind. And it might I hope you a little bit as you go.

I really like it. Are you a new listener to Bibleline? Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well, if you’ve never contacted us before, we want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel-Driven Man. Every day we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the Gospel with friends and loved ones. This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics, and we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy.

There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of The Gospel Driven Man. The mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address, and God bless you, and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe it that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.