The Truth About Apostasy Part 2 - 2/11/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

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with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

>> Jude verse number five. Amen.

Amen.

I know there ain't five chapters in

Jude. Amen. I'm just messing with you.

All right.

>> Jude verse number five. And uh continue

here tonight looking uh at the examples.

We left off last time there with the

first example of apostasy. And we'll

talk about that again. It's been several

weeks. And matter of fact, it's been I

guess about a month now at this point in

time since we looked at this. And so

I'll review just a little bit and then

we'll get into the thought tonight. Jude

chap Jude verse number five. I done

messed myself up trying to mess with

y'all. Amen. But uh Jude verse number

five and let's look in verse four. Uh

Jude verse number four. And u I'll say

this tonight. I I know that we're all

very well aware uh of the division,

everything that's been going on amongst

um the ranks of Christianity here in the

last week over uh the events of Sunday

evening. And I'll just say this to each

one of you tonight. All it takes is a

little discernment to know the truth.

And uh Facebook's not a place to air out

our opinions. Amen. And air out our

dirty laundry. And I'll say this

tonight, we waste a lot of time arguing

and uh with people. The world's always

going to be what the world is.

>> And I was reading this today and it

would blow some people's minds to read

this, but Jesus literally said it in

John chapter number 17. He said, "I pray

not for the world."

>> He said, "But I pray for them." You're

>> right. You know, he was talking about,

he's talking about them disciples,

talking about his children. And u I tell

you this, the world will come to Christ

when they get ready to.

>> You're right.

>> But it's up to us to put him out there.

Amen. And uh I I know that there's a lot

more to it than that. Uh but I just

ain't got time for that. Amen. And we

just we just going to stand on the right

side of the fence. Just like somebody

said, the best way uh to know the

counterfeit is to know the real thing

the best. Amen. And we just going to

keep it real and right. Amen. Do our

best to hang by the stuff and stay with

the word of God. Jude verse number four.

And the reason I said that is this is a

very timely text for that. And we'll

talk about that more here tonight. Jude

verse number four, he said, "For there

are certain men crept in unawares who

were before of old ordained to this

condemnation, ungodly men, turning the

grace of our God into lasciviousness,

and denying the only Lord God and our

Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put

you in remembrance, though you once knew

this, how that the Lord having saved the

people out of the land of Egypt,

afterward destroyed them that believe

not. And the angels which kept not their

first estate, but left their own

habitation, he hath reserved an

everlasting chains under darkness under

the judgment of the great day. Even as

Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about

them in like manner, giving themselves

over to fornication, and going after

strange flesh, are set forth for an

example, suffering the vengeance of

eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy

dreamers defile the flesh, despise

dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Yet Michael the Archangel, when

contending with the devil, he disputed

about the body of Moses, dur not bring

against him a reing accusation, but

said, "The Lord rebuke thee." But these

speak evil of those things which they

know not, but what they know naturally

as brute beast, in those things they

corrupt themselves. Now, Father, I ask

you for just a moment, please, that you

would help me tonight. God, I realize

these scriptures are very deep waters in

all the word of God is. Lord, it's a

well of everlasting life. And Lord, I

pray tonight, God, that you would help

us to bring up truths, uh Lord, that

would exhort us and encourage us,

Father, as the children of God, Lord, to

know the difference, Father, between

what's real and what's not. God, I pray

that you give us wisdom and discernment

tonight. Lord, you told us in your word

that it's not necessarily age that beels

wisdom, but it's those who submit to the

wisdom impartation of the Almighty. And

so, Lord, I pray you would impart to us

wisdom tonight. We come seeking it. And

God, I ask you to help us receive it.

And we'll thank you for what you do

because we ask it in Jesus name. And

God's children said, "Amen."

>> Amen. Tonight here in this text of Jude,

of course, we visited this on last time

there been several weeks, but we were

dealing there with apostasy. And on last

time, the outline, we ended up there

with the first example of apostasy in

our text. We dealt with the entrance of

apostasy in verse number three and verse

number four. And then we dealt with the

examples. And I dealt with verse number

five concerning Israel's unbelief. And

so if you're keeping up an outline on

this, I would say first of all when we

looked at verse number five, it was

Israel's unbelief that caused them to

reject the promise of God. You notice

there in the text, the Bible says that

they how that the Lord having saved the

people out of the land of Egypt

afterward destroyed them that believe

not. Now what does it mean when it says

that he destroyed them that believe not.

It was those who refused to believe that

they could take the land of Canaan. When

they were told to go in, Joshua and

Caleb said, "We be more than able to

take the land." And they were given an

admonition. It was the Lord's will for

him to go in. And the 10 spies that had

an evil report, they turned the heart of

the people. And those people refused to

go in. And because of their unbelief,

this is what they said. Would to God we

had died in the wilderness. And you know

what? God answered their prayer.

>> Amen. They would die in the wilderness.

But it would be 40 years later. Amen.

And uh we know that they wandered around

all those years waiting to go in because

they refused to go at the command of

God. And so those that believe not

though they were delivered out of Egypt,

they never got to see that land of

victory. And I made a dual application

last time we talked about that that

there were those that came out of Egypt

and seemingly got delivered from the

bondage of Egypt, but they never truly

were saved because when they got out in

the wilderness, they had the same

attitude that they had while they were

in Egypt. Amen. There's a lot of people

that'll come out of the world and come

into the church. But if you never see

anything change about them, it's a good

evidence, amen, that they've never been

saved. Amen. And so there were those

that came out that necessarily weren't

saved. But there were also those that

came out and they did get delivered and

God did change their life, but they

became victims of apostasy. And we

talked about that last time, how that

saved people can be victims of

apostates.

>> We can be victimized. And what I mean by

that is is you can't lose your

salvation, but your life, your ministry

can be shut out prematurely by those who

are not saved. Amen. And your testimony

can be taken. Your usefulness in the

ministry can be taken from you. And so

he tells them here in the text, he says

there in verse five, he says that

afterward destroyed them that believe

not. Now verses six and seven are the

same same truths. In essence, he is

explaining to them here that those who

reject the truth of God's word, that

destruction is waiting for them. And you

notice the examples he uses. First of

all, he uses a rejected promise in verse

number five. But I'll say this, second

of all, in verse six, Jude uses a

rejected position. Now, look what the

Bible says in verse six. And the angels

which kept not their first estate, but

left their own habitation, he hath

reserved in everlasting chains under

darkness unto the judgment of the great

day. And so we've seen that the unbelief

concerning Canaan and the refusal of the

promise led to the death of judgment for

certain of the Israelites. And as Israel

refused the promise, the angels in verse

six are headed for destruction. And the

Bible says here in the text that they

are headed for destruction because of a

couple reasons. Number one, the Bible

says you notice their domain in verse

number six. And the angels which kept

not their first estate. Now you look up

that word that phrase first estate in

its context and it literally means the

domain the the uh I guess you would say

the atmosphere in which these angels

dwell. Now, there's a lot that I could

say about this tonight. I'll give you

the two schools of thought tonight, and

I'll tell you the way that I lean.

There's different uh there's different

ideas about this. And so, I'll give you

what I believe tonight. But when I talk

about the domain that that first estate,

it means what the the the the uh what's

the word I'm looking for here? The

responsibility that they were first

entrusted with. Now, notice with me the

book of Ezekiel, chapter 28. I encourage

Ezekiel 28 · chapter mention

you to put it in your margin.

We have no record of these angels and

their first estate. But there is an

angel that we do have the record of his

first estate. Ezekiel chapter number 28.

Listen to what the Bible says in verse

number 12. Ezekiel 28:12. You put in

Ezekiel 28:12

your margin. I'd encourage you to put

verse number 12 through 14 in your

margin. Look what he says.

The Bible says the Lord speaking to

Ezekiel, son of man, take up a

lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and

say unto him, thus saith the Lord God,

thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom,

and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in

Eden, the garden of God. Every precious

stone was thy covering, the sardius,

topaz, and the diamond, the barrel, the

onyx, the jasper, the sapphire, the

emerald, the carbuncle, and gold. the

workmanship of thy tabs and of thy pipes

was prepared in thee in the day that

thou was created. You say, "Preacher, I

have no idea who you're talking about."

Well, notice verse 14. Thou art the

anointed cherub that coverth, and I have

set thee so. Thoust upon the holy

mountain of God, thou has walked up and

down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Verse 15, thou was perfect in thy ways

from the day that thou was created till

iniquity was found in thee. And you say,

preacher, well, it says it's the king of

Tyrus. Well, when you look at the king

of Tyrus in that context, there's a

illusion there to the devils. Who that

is? That's Lucifer, the son of the

morning. Amen. And so, what is his first

estate? Well, he's the anointed cherub

that coverth. That's what the Bible

says. And what does that do? What did

that anointed cherub do? Well, this is

what that literally means that the

cherub Satan was the one who protected

the holiness of God. As God is seated in

heaven upon his throne, Lucifer there,

his job was to stand before him with his

wings and cover the holiness of God. And

it was his eyesight daily to see the

vision of God Almighty. And you say,

preacher, well, what is the emphasis of

that in verse number six? Well, you

understand that there was more than one

cherub. You're

>> right.

>> There's other types of angels. And I'm

not giving a lesson on angology tonight,

but I am telling you this. Angels are

all ministers for God.

>> And these angels in verse number six,

the Bible says they kept not their first

estate. Now, Satan, of course, his

ministry primarily was guarding the

holiness of God. He was there and and

you can look at the terminology that's

used there of his of his pipes and his

tablets. He was in charge of the music

in heaven. Amen. That's the reason why

he's so he does so well in the music

industry in the day and time which we

live and throughout history because

that's what he's good at. Amen. And he

manipulates that stuff because he knew

what the best really was.

>> Amen. Boy, that'll preach tonight. Amen.

And because he knew what the best was,

he manipulates that. And like I said,

I'm not preaching that tonight, but I am

giving you the thought that his domain

was dwelling in the presence of God. And

the Bible says, "And the angels which

kept not their first estate." All of the

angels dwelt in the presence of God

Almighty. And the Bible teaches us that

because of the devil's fall, there were

those that fell with him. There's an

illusion in the book of Revelation 12 to

the fact that the devil, if he is the

dragon of Revelation 12, that a third

part of the stars, which would be

angels, fell from heaven with him. I

don't know that. I do know that there

are fallen angels. The Bible says that

clearly. I don't know if it's a third of

them, but this is what I do know

tonight. The Bible says Jude said they

kept not their first estate. So the the

realm in which they live, the

responsibility that they had, they chose

willfully to depart from that. Now, the

disagreement tonight comes in on whether

or not these angels literally just

walked out of heaven or whether while

they were in heaven, they decided they

wasn't going to serve God and God kicked

them out of heaven. And you say, "Well,

what's the disagreement about that?"

Well, two schools of thought here

tonight. I'll give you this in verse

six, and it ain't going to cost you a

thing. Okay? There are some that believe

where the Bible says the angels which

kept not their first estate. It means

that while Lucifer was in heaven, we

know he was kicked out of heaven. Jesus

said, "I saw him fall from heaven as

lightning and so he was booted out." But

apparently there are those that believe

that in this text here that these

angels, they walked out of heaven

willfully.

Now, here's what I'll say about that

tonight. The truth is in this text,

whether or not they walked out willfully

or God kicked them out, it was their

decision that caused them to leave.

You're

>> right.

>> You say, "What do you mean by that?"

Well, if God if if either they walked

out willingly or God kicked them out, it

was their sin and refusing to operate in

the realm of responsibility that God

placed on them. That was what got them

banished from heaven. That's what got

Adam and Eve banished from the garden.

Do you realize that they refused to

operate in the realm of responsibility

that God gave them? And so their domain

was left undone. They did not operate

what God had commanded them to do. And

so you see their departure in verse six,

look what the Bible says, but left their

own habitation.

Now some would say that because of that,

that means that the angels were cast out

of heaven and they were still dwelling

in the spirit world. We know that this

devil is the prince of the power of the

air and we know that his demons work in

the world and and uh he he's he's in

control of all the high places of the

world so to speak. But there are those

that believe that as the angels fell out

of heaven, firstly God kicked them out,

but then they also fell not only out of

heaven, but they also came out of the

spirit realm to dwell upon the earth.

You've probably heard it before. Genesis

chapter number six, the Bible says that

it came to pass the sons of God saw the

daughters of men that they were fair and

they took unto them wise all of whom

they chose. Now, I don't know tonight

whether that's what this text is talking

about. There's men a lot smarter than I

that have never been able to figure this

out. Okay? But I'm going to give you the

two schools of thought. So, the first

one is this is that these angels where

it says they left their first

habitation. And it means that these

angels left the spirit realm and decided

to come to earth and cohabitate with

humankind.

And because of that, the Bible says that

there were giants born. This is what

they teach. I'm not saying this is

biblical truth tonight, but the Bible

says they left their own habitation and

so they came to this earth. They

cohabitated with man. And out of that

was born a race of giants. Okay? And out

of that in this text, the Bible says he

hath reserved them in everlasting chains

under darkness. Now I don't lean that

way tonight for this reason. I just I

think that's just you know that was when

you study that out you can look and that

was a idea that a Jew come up with in

ancient ancient history.

>> We don't have Bible for that. Okay. But

I tell you what we do have Bible for.

This is where I lean always you're

always best to stay with the Bible.

Somebody say amen. The Bible says that

the angels which kept not their first

estate but left their own habitation. We

would agree that's what the devil did,

didn't he?

>> God kicked him out because he refused to

do his job. Amen. And so he willingly

left his own habitation. He was booted

out. And so the Bible says in verse

number six, he hath reserved them in

everlasting chains. The argument is

whether or not they are now presently in

chains or its future. Well, I'll say

this from the verse. It's obvious that

the chains are present. Notice that he

hath reserved them in everlasting chains

under darkness. So that means when you

look at the verbiage there that's used,

presently they are in change. Here's

what I'll say about that. Okay? Just

because the devil is chained up and his

minions are chained up does not mean

that they cannot get out

>> and torture you. I'm not saying they can

get away from the chains, but what that

does mean is it's like a dog on a leash.

They can only go as go as far as they're

allowed to go. You're right.

>> Amen. And so what do we know about the

devil? Of course, his his eternity

saved.

>> I mean, we know that tonight. Amen. We

know that he is doomed and damned for

eternity. And you notice out of their

departure, but their delight in sin

caused them to leave heaven. And so

their darkness, notice what happens in

verse six, he hath reserved them in

everlasting chains under darkness. And

and the reason I lean this way tonight

is this is because if it's if there's a

certain group of angels that's held in a

place because they were so wicked, why

is the devil still able to get out,

>> right?

>> Nobody No, none of us more wicked than

him. Amen.

>> And so if there's a a group of them

that's held in a certain place just

because of what they did in supposedly

Genesis 6, why is the rest of them

allowed to roam free on the world?

>> Here's what I'm saying tonight. All of

those angels that rejected God, they're

in chains.

>> Amen.

>> How is that on Calvary?

>> Jesus. Amen. He was the seed of the

woman that bruised the head of the

serpent.

>> And you know what the head of the

serpent was? All his children are those

angels. Amen. Those fallen angels, those

demons, they have been rejected. And

what is their doom? It was set and

sealed at Calvary. This is where we can

rejoice tonight. Because if that means

that they're reserved in everlasting

chains, they're never going to get out.

>> Right.

>> Amen. That means that they have no

control over us.

>> You're right.

>> Except what we allow them to have.

>> That's right.

>> Notice this. He's reserved them in

everlasting chains. They are held

permanently in the darkness. Now, you

think about this. These angels that saw

the greatest light that there is, that

literally beheld God the Father, are

held in darkness. They are held in this

place under darkness. Notice that

phrase, not only the darkness, but

notice their destruction. They are held

in everlasting change under darkness

unto the judgment of the great day. We

preached on that several months ago.

Revelation 20 verse number 10. After the

beast and false prophet were dealt with,

the Bible says at the very end, right

before the great white throne of

judgment, God takes Lucifer, amen, and

cast him into the bottomless pit. Amen.

Or into the lake of fire, amen, where

the beast and false prophet are. And

what does the Bible say? They'll be

tormented there day and night forever.

>> And so all of those angels going to be

cast away. Like I said tonight, you

don't have to believe that either way,

but those are the two schools of thought

on that verse. But I'll tell you, the

hope that I have in this tonight is

knowing that I've not rejected my

position.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. He offered it to me. Amen. I

didn't deserve it. Amen. They had it,

but they lost it.

>> He offered it to me and I said, "Thank

God. I'll take it." Amen. Hallelujah.

>> Notice not only the rejected position,

but notice secondly tonight, I'm moving

on or thirdly in the outline here, we we

consider the the rejected promise, the

rejected position, but now notice the

rejected pattern. All of this is a

rejection and I use that word for this

truth. Any re unbelief is rejection of

the truth.

>> Any unbelief, save, lost, wherever you

at, the devil, amen, a baby, don't, it

does not matter. Any unbelief is

rejection of truth. When truth is

revealed and there's an unbelief is

there, that is rejection. The world

wants to tell you otherwise, but that's

not the way it is. Okay. Well, that

doesn't mean I don't I it doesn't mean

that to me.

>> When did we get this idea of relative

truth,

>> right,

>> man? I'm telling you, I could have

passed school with flying colors if I

could have had relativism on my side in

math. Somebody say, "Amen."

I didn't have a hard time with math till

I got to high school. Amen. But anyway,

I thought about this pattern. Now,

notice what the You say, "What do you

mean by pattern?" Notice verse seven.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the

cities about them in like manner, giving

themselves over to fornication and going

after strange flesh are set forth for an

example, suffering the vengeance of

eternal fire. Now what is the pattern?

Now we would say first of all verse

seven, you know the cities there that

are convoluted. You say what do you mean

convoluted? Convolution. The Bible says

even as Sodom and Gomorra and the cities

about them in like manner. We always say

Sodom and Gomorra. Sodom and Gomorra.

Sodom and Gomorra. But you know what?

There was more cities than just them two

that were destroyed.

>> There's actually two other cities that

we know of for a fact were destroyed.

According to the book of Hosea, chapter

number 11, I'm verse number eight, I

believe it is. Their names are Adma and

Zaboam. You can find those cities

mentioned Genesis 14:2, Deuteronomy

Genesis 14:2 Deuteronomy 29:23

29:23, and Hosea 11 and verse number

eight. And those cities are always

mentioned as being in in a province

with Sodom and Gomorrah. But there was

also another city that was in a province

with Sodom and Gomorrah. You remember

that little city that Lot fled to? What

was it called, church? Somebody tell me.

Zor.

You know what that city was a part of it

too? And you read the text there in the

book of Genesis and it says that you

know Lot, he goes there and they give

him leeway to go there. Amen. But the

Bible says that they couldn't destroy it

because he was there. They was going to

take it out, too. You say, "What do you

mean by that?" Well, this thing was all

wrapped up in a governmental hold,

>> right?

>> Here's what happens. All right. People

say, "Well, the judgment of God's going

to fall on America because of all the

sin we've got going on in the nation."

Now, here's how it works. Okay? Just

because the sin is present in the

nation, all right, does not mean that

the judgment of God's going to fall.

I'll say this, the judgment of God is

already on those people personally.

>> Amen. You hear what I'm saying? Here's

when the judgment of God falls. It's

when the leadership of that nation

>> embraces it entirely

>> and they promote it and make it law. And

you know what happened in Sodom and

Gomorrah? It burnt to the ground.

>> I'll say more about that in a minute.

The city's convolution, they were all in

agreement. And it'll be a sad day in

this country. I'm thankful that we're

not headed for this. We've got some

states in our union that's that's got

their head screwed on right for the most

part. Amen. I don't know about ours

right now. Somebody say amen. But uh

what I'm saying is is that all of these

cities were in agreement together. They

were all operating under the same

ideology.

Lot's there in the middle of them. Peter

deals with this in his epistle. And so

they're all convoluted together. Not

only the the city's convolution, but you

know the citizens corruption in verse 7,

and the cities about them in like

manner, giving themselves over to

fornication and going after strange

flesh. Now, what does that mean? Well,

first of all, you see they're

sacrificing there in verse 7. They're

giving themselves over to fornication.

Fornication is any type of sexual sin

outside of outside of marriage. And so,

the Bible says they're literally giving

themselves over. It literally means to

place on the altar of sacrifice too.

They're laying their lives down. These

means these people were selling

themselves out

>> for this.

We've made it a business in America

today.

>> You're right.

>> I'm not saying we have, but America has

>> has made a business of selling

themselves over to fornication. Isn't

that interesting? The greatest scandal

that could possibly be in American

history is going on right now. And I'm

telling you this,

>> right? Our government has sold itself

over to this type of thing. And the

Bible says they are giving themselves

over to fornication and going after

strange flesh. Now, there's people that

read into that to deal with the whole

angel thing. Like I said, I'm not

reading into it. You look up that word

strange and it simply means that what's

not normal.

>> It means what's outside of a marital

union between a man and a woman that's

consensual. Amen. They have joined

together in matrimony and when in love

one to another and anything outside of

that that's what this fits

>> right

>> and it goes beyond that really I guess I

should say it does go beyond that it

goes beyond that from the natural use of

a man and a woman it goes beyond that to

homosexuality and then everything that

proceeds from that

>> right

>> and that's what they were engulfed in

they were they were sacrificing

themselves essentially they were seeking

this form of self-gratification that

literally they were having to deny the

own nature within them to take part of

it.

And this is what happens. You know, we

when we think about salvation and

salvation, we deny the flesh to get

closer to Christ. But you think about

how far these people are. They have to

deny their own natural desires in order

to be as wicked as they are.

>> They are so wicked that they're going

beyond. They have literally given

themselves over. Paul talks about in

Romans chapter one that God gave them up

to what he calls a reprobate mind. Means

that they have no binding. There's no

law. There's no moral compass. They just

do whatever feels good and they'll go as

far as they want to go until they just

can't go no more.

>> You're right.

>> And that's what it is. It's a turning

over. They've sacrificed themselves on

the altar of their flesh. It's like I

told you before. All right. We're

talking about the flesh. was talking

about here the other night at the church

that you know talking about Saul your

flesh will kill you if you let it

>> right

>> amen it'll wipe itself out

>> and that's what they did they g they're

going after strange FLESH THEIR PURSUIT

DAY AND NIGHT EVERY MOMENT WAS THIS

SENSUALITY THAT THEY HAD become addicted

to

and you notice that out of their

sacrificing and their seeking you note

verse number seven the Bible says

they're set forth for an example They

they were established. It's almost like

a monument. You think about Lot's wife

that died. She was a monument to that

family. Solomon and Gomorrah is a

monument to history.

>> Yes.

>> To show what how God deals with that

sin,

>> right?

>> You know, we we think about, you know,

and I'm not preaching on this tonight,

but you know, there there was uh you

know, consequences as a whole for Sodom

and Gomorrah. I mean, and let's look at

that. I I need to deal with that first.

Notice notice that in verse 7 they're

set forth an for an example suffering

the vengeance of what? Eeternal

fire. Now let me ask you, is there a

land somewhere in the Middle East that's

still burning?

You know what that tells me? That when

God sent the fire, you know where they

all went straight to?

>> You're right.

>> They never got a release from the fire.

They never saw a moment of rest from the

fire. The judgment that took their life

on this side is the judgment that

they're presently living in now.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "What's the emphasis of that?"

I'm saying God literally made it hell on

earth.

>> Yeah.

>> That's how serious he is about that. He

said, "I'm not even going to allow you

to live out your days. I think this sin

is so gross to me. It stinks IN MY

NOSTRILS SO BAD THAT IF YOU WANT IT THAT

BAD, I'LL BURN YOU UP HERE BEFORE you

ever get there.

>> Amen.

>> Notice that in verse seven, the

vengeance of eternal fire. And I want to

deal with this right here, okay? I don't

I don't deal with with topics much are

going on in Christianity, but this is a

damnable heresy that's going around.

Kurt Cameron supports this, okay? And

you need to listen to what I'm telling

you. All right? There's a doctrine

that's going around now called

annihilationism.

That means when a person dies lost that

they go to hell and eventually after

some time they just burn up.

That after a time period you're there,

you know, your suffering's enough. God

says that's enough. You just burn up and

disappear into thin air. There's a lot

of people believe in that in this day

and time. Okay. And here's what you need

to know about that. The Bible says,

what's it say in verse 7? They're set

forth for an example suffering the

vengeance of what?

eternal fire.

>> You see, the truth is, see, when they

they look at judgment that way, what

that does is that turns around

everything about Calvary,

that means that Christ did not suffer

eternal punishment on the cross.

>> Right?

>> He did suffer eternal punishment on the

cross. Christ in three days and three

nights and on the Calvary, he suffered

that that punishment eternally for you

and I. He was separated from the father

so we wouldn't have to be. But let me

ask you this. If punishment after a

time, God says that's enough. What does

that mean for those of us who've been

saved? Well, that just cheapens my

salvation, doesn't it?

>> Well, just after, you know, a

hundred,000 years, you know, you're just

going to burn up, you know.

>> No, friend, I'm telling you, hell's

perpetual.

>> If you could crack the lid on hell right

now, you know who you'd still find

there? The rich man. Luke 16, still

there. Amen. He's still there. He's

still burning. And 10 billion years from

now, you crack the top on it, he'll be

there. And the devil will be, TOO.

SOMEBODY SAY, "AMEN." THEY'LL STILL BE

THERE. AND THEY'LL STILL BE BURNING. LET

ME SAY THIS AND HEAR IT LOUD AND CLEAR.

HELL IS FOREVER. AMEN.

>> If hell's not forever, why would heaven

be?

>> If hell's not forever, who's to say that

we couldn't go to heaven and end up

sinning while we get over that?

I'm talking about when heaven and hell

is sealed and settled, there's no

change.

>> There's no escape.

And Jude says, what did he say in verse

seven? They're set forth for an example.

What is that? That means they are stood

up as a standard, saying, "This is where

God says, I'm done." You're

>> right.

>> This is the point WHERE GOD SAYS, "NO

MORE."

You say, "Preacher, what's the ratio?"

Well, I told it to you the few weeks

ago, however long ago it's been, Lot was

the only one there that was saved.

>> And out of all them, he got him out.

>> One person, he got him out and then he

destroyed the city. Sad thing is Lot

destroyed himself. I'm sad to say that

if God did that to America, much of the

church today, if we were delivered from

that and sent somewhere else, we just

implode upon ourselves because we're so

carnal.

>> Yeah. Amen. That's the way that's what

the scripture teaches. Lot went out and

what did he do? He got messed up with

his children and this is set forth for

an example. They're suffering. Now, now

let me point this out. Okay, they

they're they're they are that the cities

were convoluted. The city citizens were

corrupt and their condemnation was

consuming. Their condemnation was

painful. Verse number seven, their

suffering, their condemnation was

personal. Notice that the vengeance, God

took it personal,

>> right?

>> Hey, God, don't mess around.

>> Amen.

>> Let me say this to you tonight. Those

covenants that you made on the marriage

altar, God takes them seriously.

>> You're right.

>> You may not, but God does. Amen.

>> YOU SEE IN THIS THIS THOUGHT HERE THAT

THAT HE IS it's personal. God takes it

seriously. It was painful. It was

personal. IT WAS PERPETUAL. IT'S ETERNAL

FIRE.

It's powerful. The most powerful force

on earth is fire.

>> You're right.

>> God took this to set up a standard, an

example to say, "This is what it looks

like when God says, "I'm done." And the

apostasy's too great.

You think about this. You see a margin

in each of these. Verse five, there was

a handful of Israelites that disobeyed

and and so they were judged. Verse

number six, there was a a margin of

angels that disobeyed and they were

judged. But you look at Sodom and

Gomorrah. What does that tell us? Pretty

much entirely. It was wicked. Entire

thing. What did God say in Genesis

Genesis 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6? I believe it's verse number

eight. Said God grieved God that he'd

made man. He said because the thoughts

and imaginations of his heart was only

evil continually. And you know what he

did? He took out the whole world

>> set no and his children. And what did

they do when they get off the ark? Noah

goes and makes a vineyard of all things.

In that vineyard, he gets drunk with

wine and there curses his grandson and

starts a line of sin again. Those

Canaanite children would forever be

cursed because of Noah's sin. You say,

"What are you saying, preacher?" I'm

saying it's in all of us,

>> right?

>> This reprobate nature, it's in us in our

depths, our flesh. WE'RE PLAGUED WITH

THIS.

>> And God says if you allow it to go too

far,

>> Yeah.

He said these are set forth for an

example. Notice this verse number eight

and I'll be done tonight. We've

considered here uh we considered in the

text the examples and we considered the

entrance of apostasy. Now apostasy. Now

notice the employment. We'll talk about

this more coming up. But verse number

eight is an entryway verse. It's a segue

to the rest of the chapter. And look

what he says. Verse number eight. What's

that first word? Likewise. Now, what

he's doing is is he's yoking this up

with everything that he's already said.

He's dealt with the sin of each of these

and it's unbelief. We've dealt with

that. Okay? It's rejection of the truth.

And look what he says. Likewise also,

these filthy dreamers defile the flesh,

despise dominion, and speak evil of

dignities. Now, I want to give you just

three things here, and I'm done. You see

their description in verse eight.

They're called likewise also these

filthy dreamers. They're labeled

literally as being full of sensual

mentality.

What do you what do I mean by that?

Well, they're controlled by their

senses. Filthy dreamers. Now, I want to

say this tonight. We know where sin

where where it derives from. Amen. Out

of the abundance of the heart, the mouth

speaketh and every other sin. Amen. That

pride, it comes forth from the heart.

Amen. All all the sins of the body, they

proceed forth from the heart. Paul deals

with that in his epistle. But what I

notice in this is his description here

is is that these men are impure

mentally. Now you say, "Preacher, I you

need to remind me who we're talking

about." Well, according to verse number

four, he were talking about teachers,

people. He's teaching the word of God in

churches.

Look what he says in verse four. He

said, "For there are certain men crept

in unawares."

That's not in the world,

>> right?

>> That's in the church.

>> That's not at your job. That's not at

your house. that's in the house of God,

>> right?

>> And look what he says about them. These

filthy dreamers, their mind is full of

wickedness. Their musings are

wickedness, sensuality. And I noticed

this. I I I thought this was

interesting. I want to put this in

there. I ain't going to charge you

nothing for it. Webster relates this

filthy dreamer thought of perversion. He

relates it with passivity.

And he says, "Just as much as these men

are wicked,

they're just as much lazy.

>> Their perversion creates in them a a a

place of of staleness.

>> Their mind is so busy, constantly full

of wickedness that they're never able to

accomplish anything."

We see this on the job. Was talking with

the brother here the other day. We went

somewhere and it seems like everywhere

you go, you see people sitting around in

their vehicles with their phone.

>> Nobody else in the car.

Look, okay, we're not stupid.

You say, "Preacher, you're accusing

people of doing things they ought not

be." No, friend. I know what the flesh

is,

>> right?

>> And the Bible's teach, you know, I I've

heard preachers say this, an idol mind

is the devil's workshop. We don't have

an idle mind anymore. You're

>> right.

>> The moment we stop thinking about

something that's right, you know what

happens?

>> Yeah.

>> Amen.

>> It comes right back. You're

>> right.

>> Somebody testified here Sunday about

that. Said, "I had an awful thought the

other day, and it just like God just

ripped my heart out about that." Here's

what happens. Our mind has come so

trained to technology

>> that the minute we stop thinking about

something here. You say, "Preacher, what

are you saying?" I'm saying, "It takes

more Bible reading now than it ever has.

It takes more praying now than it ever

has. It takes staying closer to God than

it ever has. Because here's what you're

going to find. You will mess yourself

up." Because the very second,

>> the American workforce is so sorry.

>> Why is that? because our minds are so

busy with junk,

>> right?

>> I see it all the time. Seeing as a young

man just going out in the workforce, I

remember we were doing some doing some

work. Dad and I, we had some contracts

with the the State Department and and uh

I I remember watching some of those boys

and and and they get there for three

hours. They'd sit in a vehicle and they

sit there and do nothing but scroll. And

I remember just a time or two sitting

around with them, talking to them. You

see what they're looking at?

>> And there's people all across this

country doing that. You're

>> right.

>> These are members of churches. These are

deacons. These are preachers. These are

people that are husbands.

>> And let me You say, "Preacher, you're

calling out THE MEN." THAT'S THE

PROBLEM.

>> AMEN.

>> THE MEN ARE THE PROBLEM.

OUR PERVERSION HAS BROUGHT US TO

PASSIVITY.

>> GOOD. And he says in the text, look what

he describes them as. They're filthy

dreamers. And these people are in the

church. You're

>> right.

>> They're in the church. God help us.

>> Men that'll cuss ALL WEEK LONG AND TALK

LIKE THE DEVIL AND LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL

AND TALK ABOUT THEIR WIFE AND GO HOME

AND ACT LIKE NOTHING'S WRONG. You're

>> right.

>> GO TO CHURCH AND SHOUT HALLELUJAH AND

AND DO ALL KINDS OF OTHER STUFF, BUT

THEY'RE WICKED AS A DEVIL. THESE ARE

APOSTATES. That's right.

>> It's revealed by their thoughts.

Bible says in the book of Corinthians,

the weapons of our warfare are not

carnal, but are mighty through God to

the pulling down of strongholds, casting

down imaginations

and bringing into obedience every

bringing into subjection every thought

unto the obedience of Christ. You know

what? That is a willful thing that a

Christian has to do. We have to bring

oursel in. You're

>> right. And that's not one time a day.

That's many times.

It's

>> time and time and time again. THERE IS A

A SPIRITUAL WARFARE. AND IF WE'RE NOT

CHOOSING TO REEL OUR YOURSELF IN, the

world's taking us hook, line, and

sinker.

>> Amen.

>> I'm so passionate about this because

this is what's killing our churches. The

reason why the buses don't run, the

reason why visitation don't happen, the

reason why Sunday school classes aren't

being taught, the reason why ministries

of the church are not being accomplished

and men are not being called to the

ministry is because we become so full in

our mind with junk. You're

>> right.

>> We become passive

in everything that we do. And until we

deal with that, we can never go forward.

Their description is that they're filthy

dreamers. They're impure mentally.

He says he's lazy because his mind is so

busy on wickedness. Now you notice not

only their description but not their

defilement in verse number eight. These

also these filthy dreamers defile the

flesh. Now I know notice the terminology

there. The Bible does not say they

defile their flesh.

>> And the Bible also does not say that

they defile others flesh.

>> Right?

>> So you know what that means? that all

flesh that comes in contact with them is

defiled

>> theirelves and everybody around them.

>> That means that they themselves are

defiled and they themselves are defilers

of others.

>> Right?

>> They are defiled within and out of the

abundance of the heart the mouth

speaketh. AND SO THAT WHICH IS IN THE

DROUGHT COMES OUT AND others

are defiled by that wickedness. They

defile the flesh. You say, "Well, how is

that?" Well, if their mind's full of

filthiness,

>> filthy dreamers. You say, "Preacher, I

can't grasp the fact you're telling me

that I have to choose." Why? Why does

God not take that from me? Why does he

not take that from me? Well, let let me

give you a verse here. I just I got to

give you this. Okay. James chapter 1

James 1 · chapter mention

verse number verse number 18. All right.

This is my favorite verse of all time

probably. He said, "Of his own will be

us with a word of truth that we should

be a kind of first fruits of his

creatures." So because you're born

again, that means that you are the best,

the first fruits. You know what the

first fruits are? That's the best of the

crop.

>> Because we've been born again, his own

will, he's begat us with the word of

truth. That's the Bible. That we should

be a kind of first fruits of his

creatures. Verse 19, wherefore my

beloved brethren, let every man be swift

to hear, slow to speak, and slow to

wrath. Now, isn't it interesting? The

first thing he says after that is our

taught our conversation life.

>> Look what he says. Verse number 20. For

the wrath of man workketh not the

righteousness of God. Verse 21.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness

and superfluity of naughtiness.

And what you Bible say and receive with

meekness the engrafted word which is

able to save your souls. It means not

for salvation but it's able to preserve

you. You know the reason why people are

so wicked

>> is because they're not choosing to lay

apart. That filthiness that literally

means just defiled things that enter in

your mind. That superfluity of

naughtiness that literally means it's

like a double. It's wickedness and

double wickedness. They it's an excess

of wickedness to lay it apart. And he

says these filthy dreamers defile the

flesh. Why is that? It's cuz it's all

they meditate on.

>> It's like putting a bunch of dirt in a

washing machine and turning on the on

the wash cycle. You know what it does?

All that mud just begins to

and that's what people do every day of

their life. They just intake dirt and

dirt and dirt and dirt and then they

want to put some water in there and you

know it doesn't make a mess, don't it?

>> Some people's got so full that they

can't get it all out.

>> You're right.

>> They defile the flesh. I know this is

quiet tonight. The reason I'm so

passionate about this because this where

we all live.

>> You're right.

>> We've got more time than we ever have,

but yet we have no time. Yes.

>> Tell me why that makes sense.

We know it don't. We know. We know.

We're like, "Why do we do this?" We ask

ourel that every day of our life. Why do

we do this to ourselves? Yet we get up

the next day. You know what we do?

>> Same thing.

>> Notice verse eight. I promise I'm done

here. They defile the flesh. They

despise dominion. They speak evil of

dignities. Now, we see this in the work

world, okay? And I men in our church are

blessed. They hold high positions and

jobs. Ladies in here, you're blessed.

You hold positions and jobs. What do you

hear nonstop?

People just mouthing about authority.

>> You're right.

>> Constantly. What's the description there

in the text? They despise dominion.

Their description is they're a fulfilled

filthy dreamer. They're defiled.

Themselves are defiled. Those around

them are defiled. and their demeanor,

their department is they have a problem

with authority.

>> What is the world which we're living in?

What is our country literally the face

of right now? A PROBLEM WITH AUTHORITY,

>> RIGHT?

>> NOBODY'S IN CHARGE. EVERYBODY SAYS THIS

ONE'S in charge. When there's a problem,

well, THAT AIN'T MY JOB. THAT'S his job.

Then you go to that one. WELL, THAT'S

NOT MY JOB. THAT WAS THAT ONE'S JOB. AND

IT'S ALL A MESS BECAUSE there is no

authority. You're

>> right.

>> Let me say this. When everybody's a

chief, there are no chiefs. Right?

>> When everybody's in authority, there is

no authority.

>> Right?

>> And these people, they despise dominion.

This is a description of apostates.

When a man, woman comes into the church

and they start mouththing about the

pastor, mouthing about the deacons,

mouthing about the Sunday school

teachers, or mouthing about men and the

trustees or whatever else, mouthing

about faithful people in THE CHURCH.

THIS IS THEIR DESCRIPTION. They despise

dominion. And you know what'll happen?

You hang around them long enough, you'll

find out they're a pervert.

>> You're right. Come on.

>> Say, "Preacher, how do you know that?

You ain't been around here that long.

I've been around preachers that are this

way."

>> Amen.

>> They have all this authority and God's I

mean, they're they're all in this big

place and everybody looks to them and

they've got hundreds of people that

answer to them and you get around them a

little bit and they they tell dirty

jokes.

>> They let a cuss word slip.

I guess probably one of the things that

ever hurt me the most is a man that I

looked up to dearly

sitting in a car with him one night and

he looked at me and he said a cuss word

talking about not to ever let anybody

change me and for the next six months of

my life that man tried to change me.

You know what he was?

He despised dominion.

>> You're right.

>> You say, "Preacher, do you think he was

always that way?" No. I think the

troubles and trials of his life had

brought him to that place. I admired him

with everything in my heart. I'll tell

you this. You know what happened at that

moment? His character just went.

They despise dominion. They speak evil

of dignities.

So, they're deporting their dominion.

They have a real problem with authority.

They're just unwilling to do what

somebody tells them to do.

>> They despise me. They hate somebody to

give them instruction.

>> I'll tell you this tonight, the the

greatest mark of the true Christian is

somebody that will openly receive

instruction. You're

>> right.

>> If you're not teachable, you're not

trainable.

>> And if you're not trainable, you will

not be effective in the ministry.

Period.

>> You're right.

They have a will problem with authority,

but they have a word problem with

authentic leadership. Notice that in

verse 8, they speak evil of dignities.

That word dignities, it's only used in

Peter's Peter's given an admonition like

this ain't second Peter 2. And he says

literally the same thing. He says

they're not afraid to speak evil of

dignities. And what they're saying is is

they're not afraid to speak evil of

those who are true and credible.

>> Yeah.

>> Isn't that interesting?

people that are really all right and

doing doing right and walking right,

serving God right, these people ain't

afraid to just run them in the ground,

right?

>> I mean, they'll just beat them until

they just beat them plum in the ground.

They're not afraid of it. I tell you

this, I'd be scared to death to talk

about a preacher,

a preacher's wife, or a family that I

knew was serving God.

>> Because truth is, there's no no none of

us perfect. Okay?

>> Amen. But I do know this. All right.

There's a difference. All right. Listen

to me. There's a difference between

rebuke and somebody gospel.

>> You're right.

>> There's a difference. Rebuke is

personal.

>> Oneon-one. Facebook's not your platform

for rebuke. Okay.

>> Amen. It ain't it ain't there. All

right. Rebuke's personal one onone.

Amen. I really don't it it ain't

something to be done over a phone call.

I think you need to do it face to face.

Right.

There's been things even in the church

since I've been here tried to reach out

to people and say, "Let's talk. Let's

talk." But they never they never can

come to that place because they know a

face-toface confrontation is not what

they want.

>> You're right.

>> I've had people landlast me behind the

telephone. It makes makes uh mouses men

when they get behind that telephone.

Man, I'm telling you,

>> you talk face to face.

>> You're right. These people, they not

afraid to speak evil with dignitaries,

but they'll never do it to their face.

>> That's right.

>> They'll always do it behind their back.

>> They'll always do it to somebody else

that's lesser that they think they can

manipulate.

>> You're right.

>> I'll say this tonight. There's people in

here tonight that apostates are not

going to come after you because you've

been faithful. You know what you

believe, why you believe it. They're not

going to come after you and try to

subvert you. And you know that tonight,

let me add, let me give you this

admonition tonight. Those of you that

are that way, look out for the ones that

aren't.

>> Amen.

>> I'm serious. We have people come in this

church over the years from from a

pastor's heart to you. I can't reach

everybody.

>> You're right.

>> I can't get in front of everybody that

comes in here. Now, I'm not asking you

to get in front of everybody that comes

in here. What I am saying is you to use

some Holy Ghost discernment

>> and protect our young people.

>> Amen. protect our young married couples.

>> Protect those that can't do not know the

difference yet.

>> It's not their fault, okay?

>> But they got to learn,

>> right?

>> And these people right here, it's like I

said, verse number four, they're crept

in unawares.

Not all of them I knew about, but I'll

say this, there's not always going to be

all of them you know about. So don't

always fault the preacher when you don't

know what's going on. Okay?

>> Notice this.

The Bible says in verse 7, notice that

last phrase, that middle phrase, verse

seven, going after strange force,

there's strange flesh. They're set forth

for an example.

You see, the reason they're set forth

for an example is because their lives

and their lips pretty much said, "Here I

am. I'm the standard of all that's

wicked."

>> You know what? I'd hate to be that

person,

>> right? I'd hate to be the guy that down

the road I fall out, Sister Betty Jean,

and then every other preacher's talking

about me, saying he fell out, using me

as an example. You say, "Preacher, well,

that's not right." Well, the Bible says,

"The elders, them that sin, rebuke

before all."

>> Yep.

>> I know we don't like that,

but when a pastor stumbles,

>> Yeah. Somebody has authority in the

church, stumbles,

that has to be brought to light and

dealt with. You're

>> right.

>> You say, "Preacher, I don't like that."

Well, that's the Bible.

>> Right. Amen.

>> Do I enjoy that? No. I hope I never have

to do it.

But I will tell you this tonight. These

apostates are lurking.

>> Amen.

>> And God help your sorry soul if you are

one of them. Get right with God.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. Please.

>> Amen. Do not be a burr in the saddle of

this church trying to go forward for

God.

>> Get right with God. You say, "Preacher,

apostates won't get right with God."

Well, let me tell you this. They can

just like anybody else.

>> Cuz here's the truth tonight. If I get

out of the will of God and stay away

from the word of God, I'll become one

just as quick as anybody.

>> Let's stay right, church. I love you. I

mean it. I love you. Father, thank you

for this time. Lord, help us, Father, to

see the employment of apostasy.

God, we've our nation, our churches has

become victim to this perverted passive

mentality. And Lord, I if there's

anything that's ever described the men

of this generation, I know that that

does. And God, I pray please, Father,

would you help us as men, to keep our

minds pure, Lord, to keep our hearts

pure, Lord, to protect ourselves from

this world. And Lord, that's not just

from others, but Lord, that's from

what's in our own pockets and our own

hands, in our own homes.

And Lord, if men are struggling, Father,

how much more are children?

>> Lord, please help us men be men so our

children can still be children.

Father, I pray this church to be a haven

for our children.

God, they can grow up, Lord. And Lord, I

don't want them to be naive in the sense

of things that they ought to know,

Father, that they should. But Lord, I

don't want them to know nothing about

this world.

I don't want them to have to know

anything, Lord, by experience. But God,

I want them to learn, Lord, from us and

from your word, Lord, what they can be

protected from.

God, help us, Lord, to guard this place.

Lord, we can't so much guard it with our

lips, but Lord, we can guard it with our

lives.

>> Well, help us to be men and women of

prayer in these days, Lord, so that

these young people in these classrooms,

they'll have their testimonies protected

and their purity protected. And Lord,

that's my desire as a pastor of this

church. I pray you granted. I know it's

your will. And Lord, I pray you help us

rest this week. Help us, Lord, as we

come in tomorrow from men's fellowship.

I'm already looking forward to it. Lord,

I sure love you. Thank you for loving

us. Save that in this nearest tale

tonight. and we give you thanks for what

you do cuz we ask it in Jesus' name.

Amen. I love you.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988

Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.