Matthew 3:1 – The Proof Is in the Works – Bible study

Matthew 3:1-2, 5-8 The Proof Is In the Works This passage is not my text. We will get to it in a moment. I would appreciate it if you would follow me to several Scriptures today. What we read first will serve as examples of the message. Example 1: John was preaching salvation with an emphasis on the repent \#2\. Indeed, John did not even mention the other element of salvation which is "believe." The reason for that is likely that Messiah had not been revealed yet. That happened down in \#16\. In this verse, the Jews still had to believe but only in what they had been taught up to that point (i.e. that God would one day send Messiah). Most Jews believed that and so the greater need was to tell the Jews to turn from their sins which is what repentance is. By the way, that is the way it is today. Most people that you and I come into contact with will believe that Jesus is God and that He died on the cross and rose again. (Not as many as once believed will but still most will.) We need to tell them to believe on Jesus Christ but even more important, we need to tell them to repent, to turn from their sins. \#2\ So John was telling the people to repent. \#5\ Most everyone from Jerusalem (the city) and Judea (the county) was going out to hear John. \#6\ And John was baptizing them. There is nothing to indicate that John did not baptize everyone who came. If they came, John would baptize them. UNTIL \#7\ The Pharisees and Sadducees came. These people had a bad reputation. They were religious but they were also very ritualistic, hypocritical, and just plain sinful. Notice: John refused to baptize them. My question is why? They obviously had made the same profession as everyone else, but John did not accept it. \#8\ Instead, John demanded that they demonstrate their repentance by their works. John was saying, "You have lived a selfish, sinful life and everyone knows it. Now, you say you are sorry and want to be baptized." John said, Im not buying it. Show me you have repented, then I will be baptize you." What is the message that John was sending? He was saying, "Its not what you say that shows me you have repented. It is what you do." Example 2: \#Matt 19:16-22\ \#16\ Here a man comes asking Jesus what to do to be saved. All Jesus talked to him about was works. He never mentioned faith at all. To me, that means Jesus doubted his repentance. Jesus, seeing all of this mans works, saw a problem and wanted to expose it to help the man. \#17\ Keep the commandments. \#18\ Specifically, do not kill, commit adultery, steal, lie, or dishonor your parents. \#20\ The young man said he had done all of that. Jesus gave him another commandment, a noble commmandment. \#21\ Sell everything and follow Him. \#22\ The man would not do that. Whats taking place? Can works save a man? No. But the man thought he was a good person. In fact, he must have thought he was a perfect person. Jesus wanted the man to see that he was not good and that his own works showed him that. What was Jesus point? That it does not matter how good you SAY you are. Your works tell on you. Conclusion: Both of these examples point to a common truth; namely, it does not matter what you say about yourself. It only matters what your actions say about you. I would go even further. In both of these examples, it is the not the volume of your "Sunday works" (i.e. going to church, giving your tithes, etc.). Rather it is the everyday works and actions you do that God looks at. Our text: 1John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. I. Some are confused about the doctrine of salvation. A. I am amazed at the volume of error that is rising to the surface today. Either more error is being born every day or the spiritual ignorance that has been believed is being broadcasted more. B. Salvation is not to those who say they have it. At best, it belongs to those who live like they have it. C. The proof of salvation is not your words. Its in your works! D. The truth is that nowhere in the Bible does the Bible talk about professing Jesus to be a Christian. Rather, the Bible takes about living like Jesus to proof that you are a Christian. E. \#1John 2:3\ Here is the way to know you are saved, How? Do you keep Jesus commandments? F. What kind of commandments? John, the love disciple, gives us some examples that demonstrate clearly the behavior of an unsaved person. 1. \#1John 2:10-11\ Anyone who hates a brother or sister in Christ is lost. a. This is not me saying it. It is God saying through John. b. God must really mean it because he repeated it several times in this little book. 1John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. c. You can call yourself a Christian until hell is emptied but if you have a hate in your heart for a Christian brother, you are not. That is what the Bible says. d. To be honest, I believe this means if you hate a Christian because he has taken a Christian stand, but I would not recommend chancing it. (1) Im seeing that. (2) Christians taking a stand against any sin becoming the target of attempted ridicule and even assault. (3) John is telling us something about those doing the attacking. They are lost. They may robes of religion, but they are lost. 2. \#1John 2:15\ Anyone who loves this world is lost. a. Again. Thats not me. It seems to be what the Book is saying. b. If your sites are set for this world and not for Gods, it is because you do not have the love of the heavenly Father in you. 3. \#1John 2:19\ Anyone who leaves the faith. a. I do not think this is just leaving the church although if you close the door to worship, it seems to me that you have left the faith. b. However, certainly if you "quit" believing the Bible is the Word of God, that Jesus died and rose again, that there is a heaven and a hell, you have gone out from us. 4. Keeping these and many commandments are the proof as to whether you are saved or lost. a. Doing works is not how you BECOME saved, but it is how you prove you ARE saved. b. It is not the claim to have prayed some prayer, to have asked for forgiveness, or to have joined a church or been baptized. 5. Its your works that demonstrate your salvation not your words. G. Many claim Jesus but are not His. Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Matt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. H. How can you discern whether are person is saved or lost? It is always the same. It is by their works. Matt 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. II. Lets consider two questions: A. Why do our words mean mean so little? 1. Words are cheap. Anyone can say anything. 2. Ignorance abounds. Most people have never read the Bible once, let alone studied it. You can boast all you want about what you think and what youve heard. It only matters what the Word of God says. 3. The devil is working. He is the great deceiver. He can make an angel of darkness look like an angel of light. He can certainly make a sinner think he is going to heaven. B. Why do our works mean so much? 1. Because God "rigs" His children. 1John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remained in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 2. If you are a true believer, God puts His seed inside of you so that you cannot sin. a. That doesnt mean you cannot do any wrong. b. But it does mean you cannot keep doing wrong for long. c. God wont let you. He has made it impossible. (Not my words but His.) C. Brethren, let us not encourage anyoneincluding ourselvesto go to hell with a false salvation. 1. If you are a liar, thief, a blasphemer, an adulterer, a drunk, an idolateryou are not going to heaven and it does not matter what you say. 1Cor 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 2. That is not me being mean spirited or hateful. That is me preaching what the Word of God says. III. Is that judging? A. Only as the Bible commands. 1. It commands us to test the spirits that are being unleashed on this world. 1Jo 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2. The Bible commands that Christians judge righteousness. John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. 3. And it commands us to rebuke works of darkness. Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. B. These are the WORKS of the church. 1. It is what God has called us to do. 2. If we do not expose and rebuke the darkness, we have no purpose for being here. Mt 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Bottom line – God has called the church to proclaim the truth and the truth is your words mean very little. Its your works that count. What kind of works do you have to prove you are a Chrisitan?