Sermon #28 Series: Isaiah

Title: The Standard

Text: Isaiah 8:20

Subject: The Bible Alone Our Rule Of Faith and Practice

Date: Sunday Evening - October 22, 1989

Tape #

Introduction:

When I stand in this pulpit to speak to you in the name of God, as God’s ambassador, it is my responsibility to faithfully deliver to you the Word of God without addition, without subtraction, without adornment. With simplicity and plainness of speech, I am responsible under God to give you His Word. This is God’s commandment to every preacher - “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples” (v. 16).

“The Testimony” is the Word of God which He had given to his prophet, particularly the Word He had just given Isaiah concerning the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ (7:14; 8:14-15). The Testimony of God is the Gospel of Christ (II Tim. 1:8-12). The preacher is responsible to “bind up the testimony” as something indescribably valuable, taking great care that no part of it be neglected or lost. By diligent study, prayer, and preparation, he is to bind it up in his own heart and mind like a priceless treasure. Then he must, by his preaching “seal the law among my disciples.” “The Law” here does not refer to the ten commandments, or to the ceremonial law of Moses. It is the whole Word of God, the whole doctrine of Christ. It is the responsibility of every gospel preacher to establish God’s saints in the doctrine of Christ - (Eph. 4:11-14; II Tim. 4:1-4). When I stand in this pulpit, it is my responsibility to deliver to you the Word of God.

When I do, I claim for myself the right to be heard. I do not preach to you without preparation. I do not give you leftover, rehashed sermons. And I do not give you something I have copied down from a book. When I come

here to preach the gospel to you, what I preach to you in an hour is the result of many hours of labor in study and prayer, labor spent for your soul. That gives me the right to be heard. But that does not give me the right to be believed, obeyed, and followed. I do not claim for myself a right to blind loyalty and allegiance. No man, no matter how sincere he may appear to be, myself included, is to be given unqualified allegiance - (Read I John 4:1).

It is your responsibility to try what I say by the Word of God - “To the law and to the testimony” - to the doctrine of Christ revealed in the testimony of God given in the Book of Holy Scripture - “if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is not light in them” - (Compare Gal. 1:6-8).

Proposition: You and I are responsible to examine all things by the Word of God, receiving only that which is according to the Scriptures and rejecting that which is not.

Divisions:

1. We Are Living In Dark And Perilous Times.

2. God Has Given Us The Light Of Divine Truth.

3. We Must Examine And Prove All Things By The Light Of Holy Scripture.

4. The Standard By Which All Things Must Be Examined Is The Gospel Of The Grace Of God.

5. Any Who Speak Contrary To The Gospel Of The Grace Of God Are To Be Rejected As Blasphemers.

6. Any Who Speak According To The Truth Of The Gospel Are To Be Received As Brethren.

I. WE ARE LIVING IN DARK AND PERILOUS TIMES - (Isa. 8:19). (II Thess. 2:1-14; I Tim. 4:1; II Tim. 3:1; 4:1-4).

I do not think the world has ever been more religious than it is today. But the religion of this age is a religion of darkness, superstition, and idolatry. There are three basic tenets that characterize apostate religion. And these three hellish tenets, these three doctrines of devils certainly characterize the religious age in which we live.

A. Legalism - Works and Rewards.

B. Free-willism - Salvation that is determined by man.

C. Emotionalism - Hope based upon experience.

II. In these dark days, GOD HAS GIVEN US THE LIGHT OF DIVINE TRUTH - (II Tim. 3:15-17).

The clarion, threefold cry of the Reformation needs

desperately to be sounded again in our day.

· Christ alone is our Savior!

· Faith alone is the means of receiving grace!

· The Scriptures alone are the rule of our faith and practice!

A. The Church of God has no right to believe or preach anything that is not plainly revealed in the Word of God; and we are obliged to believe and preach everything that is revealed in the Scriptures.

B. The Church of God has no right to impose any practices and ordinances which are not required in the Scriptures; and we are obliged to maintain those practices and ordinances prescribed by Holy Scripture.

1. Public Worship - Prayer, Praise and Preaching

2. Baptism

3. The Lord’s Supper

III. WE MUST EXAMINE AND PROVE ALL THINGS BY THE LIGHT OF HOLY SCRIPTURE - (I Thess. 5:21-22).

All things that pertain to spiritual life, the worship of God, faith in Christ, and our immortal souls must be tried by the standard God has given us (Isa. 8:20).

· The religious traditions and opinions of your parents.

· The doctrines taught by preachers and Bible teachers.

· Your own opinions.

· The doctrines of your church.

IV. THE STANDARD BY WHICH ALL THINGS MUST BE EXAMINED IS THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.

I have no desire to dictate to men and churches how they must conduct their ministries. And I do not want you to impose upon others our practices. I am responsible for this congregation and I endeavor to lead you to the best of my ability, in all things according to the light of Divine Truth. And we must allow our brethren freedom in all matters of indifference - (Gal. 1:6-8; 3:1-3; 5:1-4). Anything that is contrary to, or inconsistent with the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ is not to be tolerated.

Illustration: It does not matter how you say, “Shibboleth” (Jud. 12:6). It does matter how you say “Grace”!

Here are six points of doctrine by which we interpret the whole Bible regarding these six things there can be no compromise.

A. The Sovereignty of God (Rom. 9:11-24

B. The Total Depravity of Man (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3; Matt. 15:19).

C. The Unconditional Election of Grace ( II Thess. 2:13-14

D. The Limited Atonement of Christ (Isa. 53:8; Heb. 9:12).

E. The Irresistible Grace of God ( Ps. 65:4; 110:3).

F. The Perseverance of the Saints (John 10:27-30).

Let men denounce us as bigots, dogmatists, and doctrinalists if they must. We will not be moved from these blessed truths, not even by an hair’s breadth.

V. ANY WHO SPEAK CONTRARY TO THIS GOSPEL OF GOD’S FREE AND SOVEREIGN GRACE IN CHRIST MUST BE REJECTED BY US AS BLASPHEMERS AGAINST OUR GOD - (II John 7-11; Deut. 13:6-9).

VI. ALL WHO SPEAK ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL ARE TO BE RECEIVED BY US AS OUR BRETHREN - (Gal. 6:14-16).

Application: II Timothy 1:8-13